Or what happens when a non-gardener finds a tomato cage. We are not big on solicitors. Not that we’re mean people but we’re just not people who like other people coming to our door uninvited, and if we need something we tend to go seek it out. And yet it’s taken me this long to actually put up a “No Soliciting” sign.
I had some sheets of galvanized metal I picked up on one of my strolls through the HW store, and for reasons unknown, I always look at tomato cages as “what could I do with that” material. I don’t even love tomatoes, and Martha and I part ways at gardening. But naturally it made sense to use a tomato cage as a stand for my sign right?
I thought hmmm let’s put a finial on top. OK why not! And yes Mr. Lowes man, you do carry finials, and no Mr. Lowes man I’m not some silly woman lost in the HW store making words up! So glad I could help you learn your inventory.
I painted one of the finials taupe and dry brushed it w/ white.
Then came the uh-oh moment of exactly how are you securing this to the tomato cage genius? So I wired it.
I stuck the screw from the finial in the middle of the three prongs of the tomato cage and then went round and round with some wire. I went over that with some jute twine. This thing doesn’t have to withstand gale force winds so I think it’s OK.
I cut the letters and designs for my sign from white vinyl using my
Cricut Expression and then made rolled burlap rosettes and a burlap bow:
Just to make sure my finial was even more secure I wrapped a couple of strips of torn muslin around it and remembered I had another skeleton key from a Michaels trip in my stash:
And I also had this little birdcage from Michaels “used to be a dollar” section that I thought would like cute hanging from my stand so I wrapped a bit of jute around it and tied it on:
Now when solicitors are turned away, at least it will be pretty!
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