painted clothespins
hi there! it’s been a while!
i saw these cuties online and had to make some…
spray painted, then handpainted and clear coated.
now, before you start to question my sanity, let me tell you i already did that when i started to paint clothespins (clothespins? for crying out loud, what am i doing? i don’t have the time for this!!) but then i figured, i use them all the time and they look really pretty, so why the heck not? i had a tiny bit of spraypaint left over from a patio chair project, so the clothespins were a perfect way to use up the last few drops in the can. it really didn’t take much time to paint them. i didn’t think hanging out the laundry could be any more fun than it already is! (imagine how cute they look in a dirndl clothespin bag!!)
in my typical obsessive fashion, i painted more clothespins than i really need. yeah, i painted 100 of them…so i’m giving the bunch in the photo away. (if you’d like them, leave a comment and i’ll pick a name tomorrow morning.)
i kept my design fairly simple because i’m not good at decorative painting, but i want to do more of it. i would love to paint something like this bench one day. recently i bought myself this book on tole painting. i like the ‘heritage crafts today’ series, i also have the hex sign painting book from the series, and a couple of others still on my wishlist.
January 31st, 2011 at 3:58 pm
really cute – and you should paint more..they are great!!
January 31st, 2011 at 4:11 pm
These are very cute! I think you should make some more!
January 31st, 2011 at 4:13 pm
I did a similar clothespin project years ago. But, I hand painted them with acrylics and then decorated. You way seems better and yours are way cuter! I think they’re really great!
January 31st, 2011 at 4:17 pm
I like yours even better than the ones you linked to. They are VERY cute!
January 31st, 2011 at 4:26 pm
They are the greatest! Perfect for a bavarian summer washline. Would love!
January 31st, 2011 at 4:36 pm
Wowza! What a great idea to use up spray paint… though getting some in the mail would be nice too!
Must try!
January 31st, 2011 at 4:45 pm
Cute! It’s always better to make something mundane into something that can brighten your day. Glad to see you posting again, too! :)
January 31st, 2011 at 4:51 pm
They are absolutely fabulous!
I would love love to win, thank you for the chance! : )
January 31st, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Love those, so cute!
January 31st, 2011 at 5:19 pm
These are so awesome I could fall down! A perfectly sane craft idea…
January 31st, 2011 at 5:21 pm
Lovely! Just lovely! :)
January 31st, 2011 at 5:41 pm
I would use them. I dream of having a clothesline.
January 31st, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Those are so adorable!! Would make laundry day much more cheerful and dare I say fun?!
January 31st, 2011 at 6:02 pm
Ooooo! If I win them I won’t have to paint my own! Love them!
January 31st, 2011 at 6:11 pm
Those are adorable! I should make some while I still have tons of time on my hands.
January 31st, 2011 at 6:27 pm
What perfect colors and designs! I can certainly see how hanging out the laundry would be more fun with those cheery clothespins :)
January 31st, 2011 at 6:45 pm
These are so wonderful! What an awesome idea :)
January 31st, 2011 at 7:25 pm
I love clothespins, even when they aren’t decorated. These are wonderfully cute!
January 31st, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Adorable! I have a clothesline, and we use clothespins for closing bags/chips/frozen food/etc. If I don’t win any, I guess I’ll have to make my own!!
January 31st, 2011 at 8:18 pm
Yay! I LOVE clothespins. We use them for all sorts of things around the house and these would be perfect!
January 31st, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Oh my goodness — adorable!
January 31st, 2011 at 9:15 pm
These are really delightful! Love the colours so so much.
January 31st, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Ooo-I love them. Something so beautiful for something so mundane (hanging laundry).
January 31st, 2011 at 11:44 pm
I love them! I don’t think you are crazy at all. I can think of zillions of uses for a set of painted clothespins. My grandma dabbled in tole painting but she sold all her painted creations so none of them came to me. Happily, I did get her needlework.
February 1st, 2011 at 1:09 am
Wow, that is fantastic! The green ones are especially cool. You could turn that into a side business in your shop.
February 1st, 2011 at 1:46 am
Wow….wow….wow….these have brightened my day…..a beautiful smiling sea of colours….you are very clever….i am inspired! would love them on my clothes line xxx
February 1st, 2011 at 7:01 am
these would be great for hanging kids artwork, too! i love them!
February 1st, 2011 at 7:40 am
So cute! They’d make great fridge magnets, too.
February 1st, 2011 at 8:06 am
Those are super cute! What a fun idea, and they would make cute girly gifts, too! Now I just have to find some time to paint! And your colors are great!
February 1st, 2011 at 10:08 am
Oh my goodness, those are adorable.
You should pick me because I hang all my laundry to dry. I don’t live in Bayern though…but I do live by the Odenwald…:)
February 1st, 2011 at 10:39 am
these are so cute!!!!!!
February 1st, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Super cute! I was thinking of making some too… much cuter than the plastic chip clips! :-)
February 1st, 2011 at 1:13 pm
thanks so much for all of your lovely comments, i’m glad you like them!! and i’m so glad you don’t think i’m crazy for painting clothespins. i really did feel like i was goin a little shack wacky! but they are quite fun and relaxing to paint, after a little more painting practice i might make some more and offer them on my website.
the randomly selected clothespin recipient is pearl!
thanks so much again you guys!!
February 1st, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Those are so cute! I’ve painted clothes pins too! It makes using them so much more fun.
February 2nd, 2011 at 10:52 am
I know I’m too late for the giveaway, but thought I would comment anyway. They are great. I love it when everyday useful items are beautiful. It makes doing the jobs you use them for much MUCH more enjoyable! :)
February 2nd, 2011 at 3:50 pm
Fabulous! Those will make hanging laundry and special event! So glad to see you posting again.
February 3rd, 2011 at 12:00 pm
Very fun..makes me want to yodel :)
February 5th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Wow, you did a fabulous job! So simple and elegant!
I saw clothespins shaped like birds the other day at World Market for $10, and I almost bought them.
Then I remembered I live in an apartment and don’t have a clothesline, and am trying to save money. *sigh*
February 6th, 2011 at 3:45 am
So cute like all your stuff, I’m still saving up:)))
February 6th, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Super cute! Only just discovered your site and I’m hooked! Totally inspirational :)
February 6th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
they are so cute and sanity is highly overrated!
February 15th, 2011 at 7:58 am
Love them! Need them to satisfy my “happy”!
March 21st, 2011 at 5:30 am
These are ADORABLE!!!
Now im going to have to make some. Thanks for the idea. :D
July 10th, 2011 at 6:52 am
Cute, absolutely cute! But I simply can’t paint! So I just thought maybe I make my own clothespins using serviette technique (Decoupage). Then I can decorate them as well – love it! Thanks for the great post!
July 11th, 2011 at 1:23 am
thanks! but i’ll bet you could paint these, if you can make a dot with a paintbrush you can paint these!
April 19th, 2012 at 6:52 pm
I love your July 11 response, Hannah. Of course, they’re just dots! Suddenly, I feel I can make some!
April 19th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
yes! make some!
May 5th, 2012 at 11:45 am
Love these! They make great chip bag clips and if you put a magnet on the back you can use it to hang up notes and stuff on the fridge too!
September 30th, 2013 at 1:05 pm
I’ve made reindeer ( necklace and earrings ) with mini clothespins but, you can’t use them on the line. Also I get to show them off in the winter only. (Christmas)
Yours are so very unique! Love them, gotta make some! Thanks bunches
Mary B
March 9th, 2014 at 11:34 am
i would love to learn this Tole painting how do I get started ….book and etc………juliann