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While out on a walk yesterday I noticed a pile of freshly cut boxwood branches lying in the street waiting for the trash. I've always admired beautiful boxwood wreaths
so naturally I saw that pile of trash as a treasure-in-waiting. The problem was, I don't know the people who live in the house with the freshly trimmed boxwoods. What was I supposed to do? Knock on their door and introduce myself and then ask if I could have their garbage. They would probably have the police on the phone within seconds, telling them that their was a crazy lady on their porch.So I did the only thing I could think of. I waited until it got dark and then I walked slyly up to their trash pile and began loading it into a plastic bag.
Am I the only person who thinks that there is something a little exciting about taking another person's trash under the guise of darkness? Maybe I really am a crazy lady.
I asked my hubby to build me a square form out of scrap lumber and then I began to layer the boxwood branches on, securing them with florist wire.
I think it turned out beautiful!
One man's trash
really can be
a crazy lady's treasure.
One man's trashreally can be
a crazy lady's treasure.
66 comments:
You are not alone, I do the same thing. ;)
I love this- it's gorgeous, free and involved stealth. Well done!
Looks amazing! I too LOVE boxwood wreaths.
That turned out beautifully! And no, I'm the crazy lady on the block, too. Some just bring me their junk now, instead of making me go in the dark!! LOL!!
Fabulous work! I have sent my hubby on many trash/treasure runs once it has gotten dark outside!!!
That is beautiful!! I've always wondered about trash taking protocol. Are there some rules??? Have a great day. Sally
It turned out so great! I love it! If only I could find some boxwood of my own. :)
I love boxwood wreaths as well. I think Ballard Designs sells them, but they are $$$$$. Mrs. Joy, you may have just inspired me to trim my boxwoods and make a pretty wreath!
How neat! It looks really good. I would have done the same thing, hide out until night LOL.
All the best,
Allison
That is too funny! I could just picture you all dressed in black, being very sneaky as to not get caught. And the wreath turned out sooooo cute!! Totally worth the covert operation.
Turned out gorgeous! I trim my holly bushes just to make wreathes, too!
Blessings!
Love it! My husband dreads seeing what I come home with next! Now i need to keep my eyes open for trimmed boxwoods.
LOL! That is so cute!
It's beautiful! I have done the same thing:)
I have done the same thing... I wonder if they noticed you wreath :)
Love it! Just the other day I missed out on some doors someone was throwing away. Kicking myself now.
So funny! Your "stolen" wreath turned out just gorgeous.
Unfortunately for me, the only thing I see in neighbors' trash is, well, trash.
I remember doing that with a table in my single years. Were you wearing all black too?
You are just cracking me up. Code name: Covert Boxwood Undercover Confiscation!!! It definitely turned out beautifully!!!!! LOVE it!
LOVE the wreath! Your story cracked me up though. I would have done the exact same thing...once it was dark :).
I LOVE how this turned out. I have some of these boxwoods but NEVER thought of doing this...another great idea from JOYS OF HOME!!!
Square! Never would have thought of that...It looks wonderful!
I love square wreaths, and yours is no exception. Great job! I wish I could find some trash and make it a treasure! Maybe I need to open my eyes some more!
Great touch to the house! Love the ribbon.
I love the square wreath! It's so original
Love it! It did turn our beautiful! Our son while serving a mission in Japan found 2 large chairs, a table and lamps in the garbage and they hauled it all back to their apartment on their bikes. The pictures were hilarious.
Boxwood is so pretty always. You are always welcome to come vist!
Oh..it is beautiful!
sandy toe
Beautiful wreath....an excellent example of repurposing! Looks like it cost a mint--whos to know? I love trash picking, always under the cover of darkness...
I love boxwood and am glad mine need trimming often! Your wreath looks wonderful.
Sheryl
Hello, I am new to blogging and I am having a blast finding all of these great blogs. Learning alot and I hope I get the hang of it soon.
Your wreath is beautiful.Yes, I too have gathered others trash for treasure.
Enjoy your day!
At least you waited till dark! I made my kid take his wagon and slyly go by and get an old trunk outta my neighbors trash! What was embarassing was that the wagon tipped over in the middle of the street and I ended up going out to the street to get it anyway....Next time, I'm using the cover of darkness! Beautiful Job!
It looks amazing and the story behind it makes it even better :)
You are just so funny!
I figure if it's in the trash on the curb, it's trash and they don't want it.
Laura
WOW! That really did turn out beautiful! I love that you made it square.
It turned out so pretty! and I love the ribbon too...now if only I had a neighbor with some boxwood as well!
Wow! A covert operation turned into a gorgeous wreath. Love it!
That is HILARIOUS and also great to hear! I too love to find trash treasures. I picked up an old door one time out of a trash pile, in my pajama's mind you! My husband told me to stop digging in people's garbage!
It looks great! I wonder if your neighbor will recognize their boxwood on your door!
The town next to us has bulk pick up once a month and it is not unusual to see people driving around neighborhoods scavenging the trash piles! I probably would have waited until dark too! I have boxwoods in my backyard that grow sooooooo slow. I couldn't trim them to make a wreath...they would be no more. But it is tempting...
Just thought of something...you could make THEM a wreath and leave them a thank you note with it!
You should make them a wreath! Like that show on HGTV called Junk Brothers. LOL!
This looks AMAZING!!!!
I love it! I LOOOOOOVE square wreaths.
I had put an add on Craigslist about wanting tree branches, and got a few responses. Maybe I should try boxwood...
Hmmm. I will let you know!
IT IS GORGOUES!!! WOW! What a statement!
fabulous idea! I love how you were so stealth like when retrieving your treasure. Don't worry, you are not alone. I have sent my hubby to do this very same thing before. OH.. and we have had many things disappear from our curb the night before garbage pick up.
That is nice!! I steal trash from the neighbors too, you're not alone!
How long do you think it will take for those to dry out and get crispy? That's the one thing that has kept me from taking my own boxwood clippings and making a wreath.
It turned out great!!!
Beautiful, I love it! Looks like my boxwoods are gettin' a trim!
Gorgeous! Sounds like fun to me rummaging through another mans garbage...I have been known to dumpster dive a time or two. cherry
It is gorgeous! I wonder if your neighbour will walk by and say to themselves 'wow, I wish I'd kept my boxwood cuttings so I could have made one of those'..lol
LOVE IT. THE SNEAKING IN THE DARK, AND THE SQUARE WREATH
HUGS FROM MAINE
Okay~I am laughing my head off... your wreath is beautiful. I have seen people take things out of our trash~we're the crazy people on the other side of the window saying "Oh how wonderful, they can use that, isn't that great?" We take stuff too and I feel the same way you do. LOL
Beautiful wreath! I too have sneaked around in the middle of the night to gather a "treasure!"
Oh yes, trash picking and dumpster diving is so much more exciting in the dark. . . I do agree ;)
Blessings,
Sher
Luckily the neighbor lives far enough away that I'm sure they will never see my wreath.
I do love the idea of making a wreath for them, but I'm afraid that I used all the good clippings on my own.
You are very funny!!! And your wreath did turn out beautifully!
I'm just a chicken,, i saw two what looked like wooden bar stools sitting at the road in someones trash the other day and i couldnt stop to get them cause I was afraid they were gonna come out and say something,, I love the wreath,, who woulda thunk it!!
That did turn out beautiful! I LOVE IT. I'll need two for my front door please:)
Joy~I absolutely love it! I've wished for my own boxwood~now I'll have to be on the lookout for neighbors giving theirs a haircut. I have a spray paint dilemna at my blog today~if you have a second, could you stop by and see what you think?? Thanks!
Joy, I love this project, since I've admired boxwood wreaths too. Looks great & even better, it was free. Good for you for sneaking & picking it up. I'm sure they would have been glad to give it to you anyway. I bet you can just let it dry out & keep it for a long time.
That is gorgeous! It looks like something out of Martha Stewart Living. And, by the way, don't feel bad...I have stolen (um, I mean helped myself to) many goodies from the neighbor's trash. We are keeping the stuff out of the landfill, right???
It is aboslutely great- and nothing wrong with it at all...
Oh, man, you sound just like me! i did the same thing for our mailbox decoration last year--the neighborhood hollies had just been clipped, lying there with big glossy red berries.
Of course, mine didn't look anywhere as nice as your wreath turned out!
LOVE the wreath! When I find trash though I scoop it up the moment I find it cause if I go back it's usually gone!
Your wreath is beautiful! Perfectly springish. I always keep a look out for treasure in other people's garbage. I have found a small vintage mirror with lovely age spots, an old crate, and a headboard/footboard set. I always feel like I'm doing something wrong though ;-) My brother made a regular habit of dumpster diving when he was a kid. He's too cool for that now (at age 21).
I am new to your blog and have been reading your older posts. This one in particular tickled my funny bone! I love that you'll go on dates with your husband and dumpster dive and stealthfully steal your neighbors trash at night! Love your blog!
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