Junk Garden Art From Old Food Mixers

by Carole

2 Materials

15 Minutes

Easy

My neighbour put out a huge pile of junk for kerb side council clean up and amongst the items were two Sunbeam food mixers. I must have driven past that pile many times racking my brain to think what I could use them for. I loved the shape of them - so fifties - and thought they were far too good to go to the council tip. One was white and heavy made of metal, the other was silver and seemed not so sturdy. Both were the same shape/fifties design though. I decided to pick them both up before the council took them away. I knew I could do something with them.

First I gave them both a good clean.

I cut the electric cord off of both. I decided to place the white one on the old timber barbecue trolley that I had (another kerb side find) and place a succulent in a pot on the spot where the mixing bowl should sit. I decided to leave the beaters on the machine.

I did the same thing with the silver one and placed it on an old Singer treadle sewing machine frame that I had sitting in the garden. The mixer sits on the treadle peddle.

I am quite happy with my finds. If I can keep things out of landfill and make interesting and unexpected features in the garden then I will happily do that.

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Sharp knife to cut off the electric leads

Succulents in pots

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3 of 5 comments

GG on Nov 01, 2017

I still have my mother's Sunbeam Mixmaster and it still works. It was a gift for my parents on their wedding day 65 years ago. Although your garden art is adorable, some of us just wanna keep the workhorses going....along with the memories, of course.

1 Reply
- Carole on Nov 01, 2017
  Hi there! I thought this post might provoke some comments along those lines. That is great that you have one that still works. There are going to be those who are absolutely horrified to see a Mixmaster used as garden art I am sure. These two had been sitting outside in all weathers on a pile of junk destined for the local tip/council dump for about three weeks when I snaffled them. I even had a weeks holiday in New Zealand while they sat there and no takers! Probably been rained on too. The silver one seems to be a lighter material - some sort of plastic I am guessing but the white one is heavy and made of some kind of metal. I am thinking that the silver one is a cheaper and later version but in the same style as the white one. We recently acquired a Kitchenaid - in deep red. I have never owned one of these or any kind of mixer other than hand held ones before and I find it great for kneading bread with the dough hook! I hope you manage to keep your own workhorse going for many years to come!
  
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GG on Nov 02, 2017

I wasn't absolutely horrified, just commenting that mine still works. Glad you could find a use for the old workhorses that no longer work. I also have a Kitchenaid - in deep blue and love it. Like you, I use my Mixmaster workhorse as a decor; it is sitting atop my kitchen cupboards; I keep it in honor of my parents' memories. Keep on reusing that stuff Carole, it makes for great decor....even in the garden!

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