Thrift Store Basket Makeover for Mother’s Day

I’ve had this little basket that I picked up at a thrift store floating around the house for a few months now with my plan to give it a milk glass makeover. It was a little grungy but I thought if I went full white it could become quite pretty. I can’t continue with this post though until I tell you the story of my monster aloe plant. A while back my mom stopped by our place to drop some things off when we weren’t home.

(Teaming up in our DIY Blog Hop this month with thrift store finds, check out all of the projects following my post. If you’re interested in joining us click here for more info!)

The text I received from her made me snort, “What is going on with your aloe plant!? Its AMAZING!”

For some perspective, a before and after picture of my aloe:

I don’t have a green thumb but I’ve found that my house plants do pretty well on the verge of total neglect. I throw some water at them when I remember to (generally once a week) and they all seem to do fine.

Back in 2017 (the first picture of my aloe when he was little) I planted that flower basket / box to hang up in our master bedroom and, miraculously, all the plants did REALLY well.

A LITTLE TOO WELL, ACTUALLY.

They grew right out of the flower boxes so I repotted most of them over a year ago – hence the giant, octopus-like, aloe plant that is now on a table in our entryway…

It looks a little beaten up because I’ve, at no small risk to life and limb, repotted it twice since then into bigger and bigger pots.

I admit, when my mom told me how much she loved it I asked if she wanted to take the monster home with her. She actually thought about it but realized she had absolutely no place for it… who does?! Anyway, my monster had a couple of seedlings and she was very excited at my giving those to her once they got a little bigger.

Perfect mother’s day basket opportunity and a chance for my monster to take over another household!

(What’s really amazing is when I picked it up from walmart that aloe plant was so sickly and dried out I actually wondered if it was fake when I planted it… obviously not a fake… I still can’t believe how it thrived in the fours years since.)

I thought of my thrift store basket and gave it a new paint job with some leftover rustoleum white high gloss spray paint. From there I carefully transplanted the two seedlings into new potting soil.

Aren’t they adorable?! What sweet, innocent little guys right now… kind of like picking up a kitten to realize later that you actually brought home a cougar.

I set it on a pretty wood tray I found on Amazon complete with a bottle of wine, some boxed chocolate and a fun pop up card.

I think it turned out pretty great!

Though I call it a monster I’m proud of my aloe doing so well that I can actually pass it on!

I think my Grandma would be proud!

This Month’s DIY Blop Hop: THRIFT STORE FINDS! (Click here for our upcoming themes and more info on how to join us every month!)

Chas from Chas’ Crazy Creations – How To Paint with Chalk Paint

Amy from Health, Home, and Heart – Thrift Store Bench Makeover

Allison from Darling and Dapper Life – Thrift Store Bread Basket

Andrea from Design Morsels – Vintage finds vs DIY

Kim from Shiplap and Shells – How to Show Off Your Garden Flowers Using Thrift Store Finds

Kippi from Kippi at home – How to Sew a Garden Apron from a Vintage Shirt

Mary from Life at Bella Terra – Candlesticks to Lamps

Niky from The House on Silverado – DIY Thrfit Store Farmhouse Sign Makeover