How To Make Repurposed Folding Strainer Flowers
Do you enjoy having some whimsy in your gardens? I certainly do!
Making unique pieces for garden decorating is so much fun, and these repurposed folding strainer flowers are pretty easy to put together.
I was super excited when I saw that our July Thrifty Chicks project challenge was kitchen items because I love playing with and repurposing all kinds of kitchen stuff.
On the second Wednesday of each month I join some very talented blogging friends for a project challenge, and with a different theme each time it’s really a lot of fun.
Last month’s challenge was chairs, and if you missed it you can still check out my Repurposed Chair Bird Feeder.
I can’t wait to see what my blogging friends have come up with for this month’s kitchen item project. There are links to all their fabulous projects at the end of this post so be sure to check them out.
How to Make Repuposed Folding Strainer Flowers
I love these metal folding strainers. Around here I find them for 25 or 50 cents each at my regular thrift stores.
After I took this picture I found one more strainer to use. The more the merrier.
I’ve always thought they kinda looked like flowers, but never really thought about making them into strainer flowers until this challenge came up.
I was collecting them for another project idea, but one day I was sitting looking at them and poof… the idea was born.
The feet came off easily just by twisting them back and forth with bent nose pliers
Some of the strainers also had a rod-type handle in the top centre spot and that came off easily too.
How to Spray Paint Repurposed Folding Strainer Flowers
Spray painting these strainers is really easy using my spray painting tips that you can get access to by signing up to my newsletter later in this post.
First I spray painted the tops…
… and then the bottoms. With this one folded in the shape I want it to stay in.
I gave the strainers 4 light coats of paint, which holds the strainer folding parts in place.
Especially the centre part. First I laid this strainer out flat and painted both the top and the bottom. Then I folded it like this, which is how I wanted it to stay, and gave it 4 coats of paint.
How to Assemble Repurposed Folding Strainer Flowers
For finishing my flowers I used stainless steel tablespoons that I hammered flat, Marine GOOP adhesive
I used the 2 short screws to hold together 2 two part strainer flowers, and the longer one for the main three part strainer flower. You’ll see what I mean in a minute.
Just like my Garden Art Dish Flower I’m using tablespoons as hangers. I used the Marine Goop adhesive to attach the tablespoons onto the backs, just above where the screws come through.
The painter’s tape is so the spoons don’t move while the glue cures for 24 hours. The tape can be removed after an hour, but it doesn’t hurt to leave it there.
Marine Goop Adhesive is great stuff. I use it for most of my outdoor flower projects like my Vintage Cocktail Fork Flowers, and my Spoon Flowers too.
How to Enjoy Repurposed Folding Strainer Flowers
And here they are in my front yard hosta garden.
We have quite a few different hostas, which we grow for their foliage, and these strainer flowers add some fun pops of colour to this shade garden.
I spray painted some leftover pipe parts from an old deck swing green for the stems. They should be put into the ground a good 8-10 inches to protect from the wind.
Here’s what they look like from the back.
For the centre of this flower I used a red knob from a vintage biscuit cutter. The long screw, which I spray painted red, goes right through the cutter, the 3 strainers, and out the back.
At the back the screw is secured with a nut, and that holds the whole thing together.
For this flower I used a metal flower shaped candle holder, which I spray painted Magenta, for the centre. I drilled a hole into it first and used one of the smaller screws and nuts to secure it.
Once the flower was tight I glued a faux pearl from a broken vintage stud earring into the centre.
This flower got a simple Lagoon painted wooden cabinet knob as its centre. The hole in it was big enough so I just glued it in place over the screw.
Even though I used five different colours to make my strainer flowers I think they look good together because of the yellow, which kinda unifies them.
To make these flowers you’ll need:
-silver metal veggies strainer/steamers (how many depends on the flowers you make)
-needle nose pliers
-Marine GOOP adhesive
-stainless steel tablespooons
-tape
-hammer
-spray paints (colors of your choice)
Making these strainer flowers is a great way to use up bits of leftover spray paint.
They can be painted in contrasting colours like mine, or shades of the same colour would be lovely too.
Since creating these flowers I’ve also made this diy repurposed steamer wind chime.
If you enjoyed this project you might also enjoy these projects:
Repurposed Dollar Store Clothes Pin Flowers
Repurposed Gutter Leaf Strainer Flowers
Don’t forget to pin it!
If you enjoyed this project please share it with your friends, or on pinterest.
Thanks so much for reading, and until next time…
keep on keepin’ on!
XOX
Now be sure to check out what my friends did with their kitchen item projects.
Here are the befores.
Just click on the links beside the blog names to see the fabulous afters.
1 Shoppe No. 5 – DIY Kitchen Cabinet Door Into Towel Holder
2. Adirondack Girl at Heart – Christmas in July Kitchen DIY Project
3. Just the Woods – How To Make A Coffee Bar Sign
4. Lora B. Create & Ponder – Sewing Machine Drawer Kitchen Organizer
5. The Interior Frugalista – DIY Silverware Wind Chime
6. Little Vintage Cottage – What To Do With a Collection of Random Kitchen Do-Dads
7. Thrifty Rebel Vintage – That’s mine.
Too cute!!!! I’m house/critter sitting for the whole month of July and was afraid I was missing your posts! Glad to see I’m not cuz I love this!! Dona
Thanks so much Dona! Posting a little less for the summer. Gotta smell some roses while the summer is here. 🙂
These are so adorable, Tuula – especially peeping up among your hostas! Too cute!!!
Thanks very much Gail! They were a fun project, and I think I might have to make a few more.
These are actually baskets for steaming veggies. You put them down in a pan with a little water under them and add veggies. Just an FYI.
Thanks for the fyi Carol. When I googled folding strainers before writing my post these came up so I guess they’re both. 🙂
These are so adorable, Tuula! And love the colors you chose! Great job!
Thanks so much Lora! I’m a colour loving girl, and this was such a fun challenge.
How clever…wouldn’t have thought of this idea. Your mind must start working the moment you see something. Would look great in a unique setting, definitely brighten up any area in a garden or yard. Good job…
Thanks Linda! My mind tries to start working as soon as I see something, but sometimes it takes a while for the idea to show itself.
You are a crafting genius my friend! I love this idea! So pretty in the garden?
Thanks so much Sherry! The best thing is no water required.
Tuula, these are fabulous and I want them…lots of them…in my back yard! Very creative and I’m swooning over the colors too.
Thanks Marie! I’m loving these monthly challenges for getting the creative juices flowing. So much fun!
How bright and pretty these are for the garden. I love this idea. I have one strainer that I actually use but will need to look for some in my travels. These are a sure way to brighten any day.
Thanks very much Debra! I am a girl who love colour, and they do make me smile.
Those strainers DO look like flowers now that you mention it. This repurpose fits you Tuula and it looks great in your garden! You always come up with some neat repurposes. Pinned.
Thanks so much Florence! Who knew that for months I had flowers just waiting to bloom in the closet of my craft room. lol.
Very cute and look great in your garden.
Thanks very much Sharon!
These are really cool! I love how they turned out.
Thanks Cynthia! They were a fun project, and I’m looking forward to making more.
Oh my goodness, these are SO cute Tuula! I love, love, love them!! I might have to make a couple to hang on my fence!!
Tania
Thanks Tania! They would work perfectly on a fence too.
They look fabulous! I LOVE your bold color choices for the garden. We have two of these (they’re actually steamers) and we use them all summer for steaming fresh vegetables! xo Kathleen|Our Hopeful Home
Thanks so much Kathleen! I do love colour, especially pops of it in the gardens. I googled folding strainer before writing my post and these came up, so I guess they’re folding strainer steamers. lol.
Beautiful. Love the pretty, bright colors. They look great in amongst your hosta’s
Thanks so much Colleen! We do love our hostas, but it is nice to have some pops of colour mixed in with them.
They’re so sweet and look great in your garden, Tuula! I like low maintanance flowers. 🙂
Thanks Julia! Me too. Low maintenance flowers are my favourite kind.
Tuula this is such an adorable idea. And we all have way too many of these strainers hiding in our kitchen cabinets.
Thanks Mary! I hope everyone pulls them out of the cabinets and makes them into flowers. 🙂
These are adorable, I had one of these vegetable steamers in my hand yesterday at a local thrift store but didn’t purchase it! Darn! I may have to make a trip back to see if they still have it! Thanks for the cute re-purposing idea!
You’re so welcome Candice. I hope it’s there when you go back. 🙂
I love these; what a fantastic way to repurpose strainers. I think they look beautiful together with all the colors and I especially love them amongst your hosta garden.
Thanks very much JoElle! Repurposing is one of my favourite things to do, and as much as we love our hosta garden these flowers do add some fun and colour.
They are adorable! Now that I have something to do with them I probably won’t find one anywhere!
lol. Thanks Lynette! I thought the same thing now that I made them, but I just found another one today. I’ll never pass another one by again. I hope you find one or two soon.
These are over the top cute!! I love the color combinations you used. I just never see these strainers in my thrift stores….I will have to look more closely now. I would love these in my garden!
Thanks AnnMarie! Here I usually find them in the cheap kitchen gadget bins. Now that I’ve used my stash I need to find more for the project I was originally collecting them for. Thankfully, I just found one today. Hopefully more to follow. I hope you find some soon.
Oh my gosh, Tuula!! These are the cutest things I’ve ever seen–really! You’ve completely outdone yourself, very nice job and full of color, just like things 🙂
Thanks so much Diana!They were so much fun to make. Spray paint is this girl’s best friend. 🙂
Very creative and cute idea! Love how colorful they are! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Thanks very much Jann! The colours really help bring the hosta garden to life. I think I’ll have to make a few more for the rest of that garden.
That’s a very cute genius idea… I especially love the way you bent the spoons to fit the pipes! Great idea
Goodness knows I would never use them for cooking!
Thanks very much Susan! I have so many kitchen thingies that never actually reach my kitchen because I like to play with them instead. 🙂
That is genius! Saw this on the Sweet Inspirations Party! Love it.
Thank you so much Cindy! I appreciate you stopping by for a visit. 🙂
I love these flowers! What a fun project.
Thanks very much Virginia! They really do add a touch of fun to my garden.
Tuula, these are the cutest things and just perfect with your hostas! Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm–pinned!
Thanks Cecilia! It’s always fun to join the party. Thanks for pinning! 🙂
Come on! This is so clever and cute!!! Thank you for sharing at Sweet Inspiration Link Party 🙂
Thanks so much Christina! It’s always fun to join the party. 🙂
So cool! Love it!
Thanks very much Joanne!
What did you use for the stems?
Hi Shirley, like I mentioned in the post I spray painted some pipe parts leftover from an old deck swing that we had, but you can use any pipes that will fit the spoons that you use on the back. Check what you can find at your local home improvement store. I hole that helps. 🙂
Thank you – love the idea
Thanks Shirley! You’re so welcome. 🙂
I love these! I am going to give it a shot and see how I do! Thanks for sharing?
Thanks Sharon! I’m so happy you’re going to give these flowers a try. I’m looking forward to putting mine out again as soon as the weather warms up.
All of your projects just bloom with color. Thank you.
Thanks Patricia. I do love color!