Magpie Monday - Wine Box Woes

Now, I like a nice wooden wine box as much as the next guy, but do I want to pay a tenner for one?  I mean really?  For something that is essentially just packaging?  No of course not.

I've always tried to sweet talk my way round wine merchants in their little shops to let me take one or two off their hands, but they've got wise to the fact that they can make spondoolies on eBay for them.

The other weekend, while mooching around a nice little market town, me and a friend happened to pass of Off Licence which was packing up and shipping out.

The door was open and a stream of people were loading up display stands and merchandise into the back of a van.  There were a few sorry tins of larger rolling about on the floor, but never before had I seen a sight as sorry as the two supermarket shopping trolleys inside piled high with shards of wood.

Someone had taken a hammer to all the beautiful wooden crates and smashed them to smithereens.  I could have cried.

I tried to show the necessary compassion for the owner who's business and livelihood had obviously gone down the swanny, but actually I wanted to slap him for his wanton destruction!

I managed to spot one unscathed box and asked nicely if I could have it, wished him well for the future and skulked off.

So, what to do with my wooden crate?  First I know I need to remove those dodgy metal staples, but for now it's housing my magazines.  I could put it to use to hold my bottles of home brew (which incidentally tastes pretty good, even if it does make you feel like someone's given you two dead arms after half a glass).  I might have it next to the fire to hold logs.  Or I may use it in the bathroom to hold loo rolls like this.

There are lots of great ideas on t'internet, and I'm quite liking the idea of a pet bed like this one by Glam Mutts - although there's no way my big oaf would fit in there, perhaps better for a cat?

My dawg might quite like this raised feeding station though. Check out this tutorial to make your own by Design Sponge.

And I adore this stylish bike accessory upcycle (bwahaha) by Field Guided.

Or maybe I'll just look out for a few more and wall mount them for storage/book shelves.  Who knows.  Do you have any other ideas for me?

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