Wednesday

Route 66 Beer Tote Thrifty Style Team April


It's Thrifty Style Team for April, but I won't be writing about any April showers or May flowers, instead I'm gonna write about beer and one of those wood things that totes 'em.
Having a thrifty style, or thrifting items usually means hitting a garage sale or thrift store to find some treasure to use in a new way or upcycle into something interesting.

But when the occasion arises I like to give homemade gifts that are just as interesting made from junk I already have.  So I basically thrift from my thrifty stash, like old boards I found somewhere (usually on the garage floor).

I like to give homemade gifts, not to be cheap or easy - which I'll have you know I am neither of 😂😂😂😇😇😇 - but because I like to receive those types of things.  So to the people that matter to me I like giving a homemade gift that might be special to them someday, like when I'm cracking the cap on cold ones in the afterlife.  I do hope keeping my beer cold won't be a problem when that time comes.

A couple of years ago for Christmas, the jolly garage elf cobbled up six beer totes to gift to family and friends.  If you do a Pinterest search you can find all sorts of styles and ideas.
I don't claim to have invented the idea, but the man with the power tools doesn't read Pinterest so he thinks I'm a genius when I describe ideas I have seen, although I don't always know what the final product will look like.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

Such is the case of the little beer tote I'm gonna call the Route 66 Beer Carrier.

The six beer totes that were made previously didn't really look like the new one of last week, and I was expecting the previous version.  Even though each of the six was different, they all shared being taller, having higher sides, and had convenient vintage looking bottle openers on the end.  The original six were pretty hefty, sort of manly, which was appropriate because they were mostly for men.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com
One of the original six totes
 On the one above, conduit was used for the handle, which gives it a good grip and a nice fit in a hand.  It belongs to the husband of my oldest daughter, so in a pinch she delivered it to my doorstep since I never took any photos of the Christmas cobbling that went on. 

So anyhoooo, the new tote was needed as a gift for a sweetheart of a California girl for her 30th birthday.  We shared some local California brews with her in February, which we really enjoyed, and learned she is a fan of IPA's.  So what did I do?  As you will see at the bottom of this post, I filled her tote with ALE because I am easily swayed into buying beers based on their names.

If I'm going to imbibe, beer is usually my beverage of choice.  I like to taste other adult cocktails, but I rarely drink a whole one or two, unless of course I'm on vacation...... in California.... with my BFF, the mother of the newly thirty chick.  In that case I drink anything that is poured in my glass.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

As far as beer goes, it's hard for me to name a favorite of any kind, but I have a long list of beers and other alcoholic crap I hate.

Recently some friends brought over a bottle that was pawned off, urrrrr.... I mean given to them, of Bacon Bourbon.  Grossest dammm beverage I ever touched to my tongue.


To me it tasted like a swine smells.  It was some nasty stuff and won't soon be forgotten by me.

It now resides in my cabinet because our friends didn't want to take it back home with them, and we wanted to disgust other visitors to our house.

I should just pour it down a clogged drain, but maybe somewhere, sometime I'll have a use for something that tastes like a pig smells, perhaps to remove an old finish off of a dresser I want to paint.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

So back to the beer tote..... the new one above is short and stubby like some beer bottles, beer cans, and me.  Tall ones fit, but there was no room for the vintage bottle opener on the side like the one from the first batch shown below, and the opener was really my favorite part.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

I considered beer sayings for the sides but the fact of the matter is the sides of the latest tote were not tall enough to write a saying on. 

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

Instead I used a Route 66 stencil from Old Sign Stencils, which gave the wood a look like an old crate that was taken apart and reassembled.

I forgot to take a picture of the bottom but because I had a larger area to work with, more of the stencil is able to be read.  Too bad no one, not you, me or anyone, will get to see it now, because duh  - it's on the bottom and why would it ever be turned over?

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

The handle is a whittled piece of wood, and the handle holders are old hinges.  The hinges were all rusty but I waxed them so they would be smooth and the rust turned black.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

The inside divider is made from some cedar pieces left over from the cedar play house ceiling, and the rest of the wood are pieces that were laying around in the very messy garage.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

The tote can be used to hold pens, pencils and other desk stuff until it's time to hit the road as a beer toting chick.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

I used Fusion Mineral Paint in Coal Black for the graphics and then waxed over the whole thing with dark wax, I did not stain the wood.

I found some cute little labels on line to tie around the bottle necks and I made my own little personal gift tag.  I intended to bring a selection of six different beers for the birthday girl that were local to me and she could only get if she were in Minnesota, but only organized people are able to do that before they leave on an airplane.

Instead, I stumbled across a beer called Prohibition Ale while in California, and the name was actually perfect as she heads into her 30's leaving the roaring 20's behind.  The 20's was also the theme of the party, which required period dress, decorations, and of course cocktails of the time.

Wood Route 66 Beer Tote, Bliss-Ranch.com

I don't know what Prohibition Ale tastes like.  It might make an impression similar to Bacon Bourbon, but that's what happens when you buy something for the name only because it fit the party theme and you are too lazy to gather local Minnesota beers to bring with to California.  Who knows maybe it will become a favorite.  It's made by a San Francisco brewery so if it becomes a fav of the birthday girl she can take her tote in for a refill.


April showers bring May flowers, 
and April also brings these ideas from the rest of the Thrifty Style Team.

INEXPENSIVE PLATE WALL by The Creekline House
EASTER EGG CRAFTS by DIY Beautify
VINTAGE LINEN USES & CARE TIPS by I Should Be Mopping the Floor
DIY MASON JAR CHANDELIER by Hearth and Vine
THRIFTED PRAYER BASKET by Salvage Sister & Mister
 THRIFTY SPRING FOYER by Redhead Can Decorate
THRIFTY BATHROOM UPDATE by Duke Manor Farm
DIY BEER TOTE by Bliss Ranch
THRIFT STORE SHELF MAKEOVER by The DIY Village
DIY STRING FRINGE TUTORIAL by What Meegan Makes
COTTAGE STYLE MAGAZINE RACK by Cottage at the Crossroads
PAINTED SHELF MAKEOVER by 2 Bees in a Pod




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15 comments :

  1. What a special gift!! I'd try the Prohibition Ale for sure!

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  2. Girl, you are always hysterical! 😂Too bad the bourbon didn't work out. Bur your beer tote is amazing! We can imagine that your family and friends just bite at the bit waiting to see what you gift them with. You are so talented!

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  3. Oh Bliss! You had me giggling about having beer in heaven! Beer has become my choice of drink, too, and I'm with you about the weird flavors that companies are adding to liquor. How fortunate that you found the Prohibition beer for the birthday girl, and I'm sure she'll treasure her tote. I know I would!

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  4. Miss Bliss, this is just the cutest ever! I love wooden boxes, like, it's a bit of an addiction. I found some soda boxes a few weeks ago and my husband was with me (DRAT) and he reminded me of how many I already had at home....like, 3, and he considered that enough...sheesh...men...but I digress ;) I LOVE this idea and I am going to pin this so I will hopefully remember and make one (or a few) this summer. I hope all is well with you and yours. hugs, mb

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  5. This is a wonderful gift idea. Anyone would love to have one and I love that it's great for men who are sooo hard to buy for.

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  6. What a great gift that makes Bliss! Father's Day coming up! I love the rustic feel and the cute stencil. :)

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  7. This is such a cute gift idea! I know a lot of people who would love one of these any I just might have to make a few for Christmas or hostess gifts too. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

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  8. I LOVE this idea! So fun and creative! It's so great linking up with you this week! xoxo

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  9. Wow, what a clever gift idea Bliss! I love this so much!

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  10. Umm...Pass on the Bacon Bourbon. I know how swine smell, as we raised them. Eww... BUT, your tote is SO cool. And the bottle opener on the side? Incredible! I love reading your stories and seeing what you are up to. Cali? Lucky girl!

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  11. Love it!! But bacon-flavored beverages just seem WRONG!!

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  12. What a fun gift, Bliss...I know your friend will love it! I don't know about Bacon Bourbon...but I think Aquavit is pretty nasty stuff. We haven't given it to anyone who liked it yet.

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  13. Ohhhh this is really cool and SO perfectly themed! It's nice to see Route 66 back in action again! Thanks for the mention!

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  14. I love the vintage look of course. So cool

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  15. Laughing about the bacon bourbon. I can only imagine the taste. Anyways, these beer totes are super cool. I'm always wanted to make some. What a great gift idea for father's day.

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