What do you do with a rusty old cheese grater? Make a luminary.
If you’ve seen the rusty kitchen utensils at flea markets and yard sales, you’ve probably also wondered what to do with them. Many are too rusty for food grade use. I purchased my rusty cheese grater at a tag sale and the lady at the checkout stand asked what I planned to do with it. I said I planned to put a candle inside and make it a luminary for my kitchen counter. She laughed and offered to refund my quarter and keep the grater for that purpose. I kindly declined. Seriously, I’m not heartless, but a sale is a sale.
Making a cheese grater into a luminary is a simple as putting a jar under it with a tealight candle inside. It can be any sized jar as long as it fits under the grater. I tied raffia and some dried berries on mine, but make sure that the decorations are well out of way of the flame. Using a tealight assures that the flame is low and small.
If you are at all concerned about the surface getting too hot, just stand your candle jar on a piece of marble or ceramic tile.
After I made one cheesy luminary, I made a second one to stand on top of the wood pellet stove. It’s a “grate” conversation piece when it isn’t lit. People always want to know what the grater is for.
See this and other fun projects on Flea Market Style Magazine’s “I’m a Flea Marketeer Link Party.”
And also on Beautiful Life Friday at The Inspired Room.
Trash to Treasure Decorating
View the full post at http://www.trashtotreasuredecorating.com
What a neat idea and to think I just got rid of one at my yard sale a couple of weeks ago. Shame on me! As of right now my plans for the stained glass windows are to use as artwork but I not quite sure yet where.
Gail
Such a good idea. I never would have thought of it myself. Thanks for sharing!
What a terrific and original idea! I like the way you think!
All the best,
Anne
Your lantern idea is so "grate". Ha ha. Very clever. I'll come back and visit your site again.
What a fantastic idea! I will certainly be looking for a cheese grater!
Great, or grate, idea! Just love your blog so I became a follower.
Where did you find such a cool old grate. Pardon me, it is great!
Not to cheeseyyyyyyyyyyy at all.
Love your Blog graphics.
Joy……………always
Very creative!!
Adorable! I love that idea!
Grate Idea! I did a grater lamp as well on my blog. Thanks for visiting. Love your stuff.
Lisa
OK — this luminary is really too cool!
Very cute idea! Fabulous for any cooking-themed party! Thanks for sharing – and thanks for dropping by today!
That is so cool. Great repurposing!
XOOX
Jen
I have about 10 of them (buy them at yard sales) when we had a patio i use to line them on the outside bricks we had line the patio. Looked great at nite…. made it inviting for my nebors to drop in. LOL some were painted white some rusted.love them. Wanted to spray paint all white now and use the fake candles and line them up the stairs at Christmas time.
Fran