Vintage Milk Cans

Whew!  The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity!  Eventually, I will post a few photos from the wedding.  I only took a few with my phone, so they are not the quality I'd like nor are they posed -- they are truly just snapshots trying to freeze the moment.

For years I have had a couple of milk cans that my dad gave me.  Many years ago I had painted one green and an artist friend had painted daisies on the front.  Unfortunately, I do not know what happened to that milk can.  .  But, there are two that I had been contemplating painting an antiqued white and putting French graphics on them.  Then I read a blog where the blogger bemoaned the fact that she wanted a vintage milk can with the original rusty silver patina still in tact.  Hmmmm, since I had two, I looked at them with new eyes.

 

Perhaps leaving them with the patina is the best course after all.  As I had only put a couple of containers of pine cones in our entry way, the milk cans were added to see if the look worked. 

 

 

 

This basket has a few more pine cones now than are in the photo as my friend, Diane, gave me another bag.  For the first time in a very long time we don't have a tall pine tree or two shading our yard, so I don't have the easy access to the pine cones as we have enjoyed in the past.

 

The look is a bit stark, so I will be adding more mums or other Fall colored flowers and maybe a few more pumpkins as well to make the entry look more inviting.

 

When I was very young, I remember bits and pieces of us having milk cows. We no longer did by the time I would have been old enough to actually help with the milking.  I DO remember that I do not like the taste of raw milk, however!

 

 

Each of the milk cans has a "36" stencilled on it.

 

 

I'm assuming this is how the dairy my parents sold the milk to were able to return the cans to the right farmer. Unfortunately, many of the small dairies went out of business and many of the farmers no longer had a market for their milk unless they expanded greatly.

 

 

My mother in law gave us this milk can from the farm where my husband grew up.  She had it painted with a lovely Autumn theme on it.  From that time, it has always been displayed somewhere in our home.  She wanted us to have something of the "old homestead" after they moved from the farm.  It was a lovely gesture for one who loves vintage things!

 

 

 

Another treasure from the farm that my dad gave me was this cream separator.  It was originally green with red legs.  I painted it to match the patio furniture about 20 years ago, so it has quite a bit of aging to it again. Though there are heavy rocks in it,The monsoon windes regularly blow it over and  that has added a few dings here and there.

 

 

The cream pail that sits below is not vintage.  I don't remember when or where, but I purchased it several years ago to use by the creamer.  On occasion, it has held flowers as well.

 

So there you have it, my vintage milk cans and dairy paraphernalia that remind my of my country roots.  So what do you think -- leave them with the original patina or paint them with the French graphic?

 

I've missed you, my firneds!  Now that the dust is settling again, I hope to get back to a regular schedule of blogging.  Thank you for sticking around!

 

xoxoXOXOxoxo

Lois