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Thrifty March Madness Baby Scale

Welcome to March Madness of the thrifty kind with the Thrifty Style Team.

For March I transformed an antique baby scale made by Continental Scale Works.

Thrifty Style Team March Bliss-Ranch.com

What's March Madness anyhow, isn't it mens basketball?

Vintage Baby Scale Updated, Bliss-Ranch.com


Like I would know anything about that, my basketball loving BFF would tell you in school she nicknamed me Lead Butt Malone because she didn't like my lack of hustle on the court.

Butt I'll have you know I hustled to get this old green relic done in time for the March thrifty team effort where we all breath new life into something that's been around for a while.

And this green dinosaur that I up-cycled has been around for awhile.

Vintage Baby Scale Updated, Bliss-Ranch.com

The scale has been in my garage for a few years now, and that's been weighing on my mind.  I won it at an auction for a few bucks, and as I slid it into the back of my vehicle I remember thinking "what the helll are you gonna do with that thing Lead Butt"?.

Well when I was ready to redo it, the first thing old Lead Butt did was take it apart. And thankfully she took a before photo so she knew how to put it back together, but somehow she ended up with spare parts .... hmmmm.

In it's past life the scale was used to weigh babies, however the big green baby holder part was sort of dinged up and dented, and I wasn't loving it or its jumbo size.

So I got this great idea to use one of the 999, 999,999 pallet boards we have everywhere to make a small top and not reuse the big green scoop. 

Vintage Baby Scale Updated, Bliss-Ranch.com

At first I wanted to sand the scale down to the bare metal.  After a few aggressive swipes with a sanding block that revealed a red coat of paint and a tan color, I decided I don't have enough time left to roam the earth that is needed to sand through three coats of paint.

Option #2 was get out some of my trusty Fusion Mineral Paint and revive the dino with some brush therapy.

I don't know exactly what color was original to it, but I know it wasn't that lime green!

I chose Coal Black, and after the first coat to eliminate any signs of brush marks, I dabbed the black paint on with the brush, which in person gives it more of an authentic wrought iron look.

Vintage Baby Scale Updated, Bliss-Ranch.com

I didn't really want the silver parts to look new, but sometimes real antique rust just makes things look old and rusty, and not in a good way.  So I used the dabbing technique again with some Fusion Metallic in silver, just enough to brighten the heavy weights. 

Then I looked around for a baby to weigh.

The wood top is more user friendly, but a baby would slide right off, so I scratched that idea.

Vintage Baby Scale Updated, Bliss-Ranch.com

I think the scale looks much better and with the addition of the wood I now have a flat surface to set a bowl of fruit on or whatever else strikes me at the time.

Vintage Baby Scale Updated, Bliss-Ranch.com

I don't get to see what the other team members have thrifted till the same day that you do, so who knows what they've been up too.  I'll be stopping over to check their projects out and I hope you'll do the same.

Thrifty Style Team Bliss-Ranch.com

Other Thrifty Style Team finds from Bliss Ranch....
Giant Mixer Beater
Maple Syrup Tote




14 comments :

  1. Great idea! I see those baby scales once in a while too and never pick them up!

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  2. Lead Butt Malone! This cracks me up! Love the scale re-do! Your mind works in the cleverest ways!!

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  3. I love it!! And I love how pun-y you are....'weighing' on your mind. ;-)

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  4. Oh my goodness I love what you did with your scale! Sometimes, I leave old things as is but always wonder what if. I so love your bold style. As far as weighing babies you could maybe hang out at a Walmart and offer to weigh some.....if you do that let me know how it works out (and take pictures....lots of them). ;)

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  5. Well, that turned out cute----and I don't even have to step on it! Those are my favorite kinds of scales- as opposed to those in the dr's office that they seem intent on using even if you came in for a hangnail.....

    I like your new top. You could always nail the baby's diaper to the top to keep it from sliding off....just a thought....don't even think about calling CPS on me. xo Diana

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  6. I would have never thought about doing that...so creative...and I love the new color with the reclaimed wood!

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  7. Wow! It looks a amazing, you're good!

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  8. Lead Butt....that explains alot. Ha.. That scale looks beautiful now that you worked your magic on it.

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  9. Thank goodness for Fusion Paint because I wouldn't have wanted to sand 3 layers off either. Now it's a real stunner. I'm thinking it'd be quite the conversation piece with the new wooden weigher and they just don't make them like they used to.

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  10. Your makeover looks awesome! I kind of liked the bold green until I saw the new colors. Great job!

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