Vintage Basket Refresh for Fall

Last week I shared an old basket that I found on my latest vintage market shopping excursion, but I wasn't sure what I would do with the sad state of the finish on it. I thought about just painting it with a gray wash of chalk paint, but I really didn't want to mess with the original patina too much.

Turned out it was an old fishing basket with a really wonderful canvas strap. I guess sort of like a large creel, but with legs. I'd been looking for something like this, not realizing that it was for fishing. I was walking out the door of The Vintage Peddler, when I just happened to spot it underneath a side table. I grabbed it up as it was in good condition other than the extensive water spotting and dryness.

I searched my stash of paint and wood refinishing products and found a can of Pecan Minwax Stain, that was down to the dregs. Turned out it was just enough to give it a good rubdown with stain, that turned out to remoisturize the wicker, and cover up most of the spots. Here are a couple of "before" photos that show just how dried out and discolored it was.

Not perfect, but much improved...

I let it dry overnight and the next day to air it out a little and let the "stain" smell dissipate, then brought it in to the Dining Room and filled it with Fall Foliage for some wonderful Autumn color.

I had some help with styling and placement. Miss Jenkins claims this little needlework footstool, and perches on it regularly to patrol her territory. She's the one that had Diabetes so severely last winter, but has pulled out of it like a champ with twice daily insulin injections. She's pretty good about it all, and doesn't ever put up a tussel over it. Sometimes she even comes around when she knows it's shot time. (she won't ever look directly at the camera, strange)