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Repurposing an Antique Crate as a Shelf + a Winner

Congratulations to  Donna from My Shabby Chateau who is the winner for one pillow of her choice from Word Garden.  Donna, please contact me through my email button with your full name/address and an email address and I'll put you in touch with Sally at Word Garden. 


I have a collection of antique wooden crates that I assembled some years back.  One of my favorites was this crate by E J Larrabee Biscuit Company out of Albany, New York.  


This company started in 1861 and quickly became a huge international success competing largely with English biscuits imported to the United States.  The firm employed 350 workers and produced 300 varieties of biscuits and crackers.  The "biscuit" in the name of the company is a British English and early American English term for cracker products. 
E J Larrabee is one of many companies consolidated to form Nabisco around 1900.


My crate dates somewhere around 1890.  There is a paper label on the lid and on the front of the crate.  I've had the lid hanging in my kitchen for a long time but until recently didn't have use/space for the crate itself.  I decided to turn the crate into a shelf and hang it over the doorway leading from the kitchen into the dining room.

I simply added picture hanging hardware to the bottom of the crate (pardon the blurry photo),
asked Trev for a little help
then hung it up, and added a vintage Hershey's cookbook and some brown transferware

The crate as a shelf looks great from the bottom looking up since the original label shows.


I'll share more of my crate collection in an upcoming post. 
Until then...



Our house was not unsentient matter - it had a heart and a soul, and eyes to see with; and approvals and solicitudes and deep sympathies; it was of us, and we were in its confidence and lived in its grace and in the peace of its benedictions.  We never came home from an absence that its face did not light up and speak out in eloquent welcome - and we could not enter it unmoved.
~Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)~

I'm participating in
Black Friday
Vignette Friday
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Flaunt it Friday at Shoestring Decorating
Show Off Your Cottage Monday
Just Something I Whipped Up
Making the World Cuter
Toot Your Horn Tuesdays
Bargain Hunting with Laurie
Funky Junk Interiors 
Hodgepodge Friday 
Seasonal Sundays at The Tablescaper
Funky Junk Interiors 
vintage Thingy Thursday

Comments

  1. The crate is a fun decoration. I loved the photo of your helper. Your wall color caught my eye too. I really like it. Saw you at BNOTP>

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  2. LOVE your crate! You know how I feel about repurposing vintage wooden boxes, et al if you've read my posts at Atticmag on the subject! I have National Biscuit Company (NABISCO) double sided sign hanging in my pantry.

    Atticmag has started a new Link party each Friday called Giveaway Friday!, a convenient place for bloggers to come post about their giveaway(s) each week.

    It's simple; after you put a link up to your giveaway, link back to Atticmag/Giveaway Friday on your blog. I hope you'll join us the next time you have a giveaway!

    We're kicking it off with a giveaway of our own - kitchen back splash material. So if you haven't already left a comment to win, drop by!

    Swinging by from BNOTP,
    Allison
    Atticmag

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  3. Oh Nancy...I love this idea! The goodies you added to your new "shelf" are wonderful! You have the best goodies! I would love to go shopping with you one day...I am sure you know all the best places;)!

    Enjoy!
    Cathy

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  4. Now that is a great idea!!! Been trying to figure out how to get more display space here, no more room for furniture and I've got shelves all over the place.....but a crate, now that speaks to me, and I have numerous ones....thank you.....gonna give it a try!!! Cleo

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  5. That old crate is wonderful, Nancy. I love that old Hershey's cookbook, too! When I see something of chocolate, I am immediately drawn to it, lol!
    xo
    Robin

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  6. Nancy what a great idea! This new shelf has such character! The elements you chose to grace your shelf look just perfect with it! I love the old cookbook... and it is a Hershey one at that! I don't live too far from Hershey. The whole town smells like chocolate! Yummy!
    Anyway... back to the shelf. Very clever that you hung it so the writing on the fron show on the bottom!!!! LOVE it!
    Yvonne

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  7. WONDERFULLLLLLL IDEA!!!!!! Everything was fantastic.The brown transferware are Gorgeous! Really lobe this.Thanks.
    Fatima-Scrapart.

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  8. Very cool! Great way to show off that beautiful transferware. Thanks for sharing today. I have the same Hershey's cookbook.

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  9. Nancy your entire home is beautiful. Great job and placement with the unique crate. Lovely! :)

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  10. Oh my...Now I have to start collection crates!! So, so cute!!!

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  11. The crate looks great repurposed as a shelf above your doorway!

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  12. How beautiful. What a great use of your crates. I'm not sure I've seen a transferware hen like that, so nice.

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  13. love the crate and its new home!

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  14. I love the idea of the crates. I want to share this with my daughter...she's always looking for neat storage opportunities in a tiny house. Thanks for stopping by my post. Cherry Kay

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  15. I love the crate, I better start paying more attention how old my things are. Loved the history! Your crate looks wonderful! Just love it. I will have to show my kitchen someday.

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  16. Hi Nancy
    I am soooo excited to win one of the gorgeous pillows! Thanks so very much! I am going over right now to Word Garden to check them out :)

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  17. Love, love the crate...Just have a few minutes to blog hop...so glad that I stopped here....Have a great week.

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  18. I love the old wood crates. What a great idea using it as a shelf. Take care, Sherry

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  19. That is a great idea! Love it and your helper!;)

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  20. I love using crates for decorating, I used to work for a grape grower years ago and started loving vintage crate art. Visiting from VTT !

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  21. That looks awesome! Very vintage and rustic. Good job! I'm visiting from New Friend Friday. I'll be back to check in on you.
    Liz
    http://projectnaptime.blogspot.com/

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  22. Love the creative shadow box! Great idea!!!!

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  23. PS- your son always cracks me up! I have 3 boys and they all RUN from my camera... yours is such a great sport! He is awesome !!!!!

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  24. That is what I call re-purposing....looks great!

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  25. That crate lid looks like something you'd pay a lot of money for in a decor store. Love it!

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  26. I love that crate and I am sure it has a lot of history. Fabulous idea to turn it into a shelf.

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  27. I love antique crates on top of cupboards or on the wall.....looks fantastic!

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