Five years ago Tara got the idea to decorate our new mailbox with old, cruddy nailpolish. If you’re a person who wears nailpolish, you’ll know that when it starts to dry out, even a little bit, it is no longer good for nails. But the stuff is basically car paint, right? So it seemed perfect for painting a mailbox. And it was! It was gorgeous. Click to see the original post real quick, just look at the photos.
Our lovely, colorful mailbox had faded and become covered in moss. One Sunday morning, Tara decided it was time to fix the mailbox. “No post on Sundays!” They quoted from Harry Potter.
I forgot to take a photo of how gross it was out beside the road, but I remembered to take photos while Tara was scrubbing it.
Once Tara was done scrubbing the thing, they set it on the hearth beside the wood stove to dry out. We left it there most of the day. The board attached to the bottom is getting pretty rotten and all that water soaked it. I suppose we’ll have to replace the board the next time we do mailbox updates.
Once it was all dry, Tara grabbed the nailpolish box. Same box, but in five years, you can bet there was a whole bunch of bottles of old cruddy nail polish again. Sadly, the fish and chips place (see the basket in the top photo?) closed a year ago and I’m back to having no decent fish & chips anywhere.
Tara painted into the night, then covered it in a clear polish that they had with them. I was in bed by that time. I woke up the next morning while Tara was still sleeping, and sprayed it with a coat of clear paint. When Tara got up we compared notes and realized we had protected it twice. Well, it can only help.
Mail delivery is at 11am, so we had time to ensure all the paint was dry and to install it again in time to collect our mail.
Conscious Engagement 
Amazing! Tara has a lot of talent!
It was a great idea, that’s for sure! I was glad when they decided it was time to make it look new again.
Hi C – noe this is a great idea for a mailbox- a splash of art every day! love the update and the photos of the process.
and on a more somber note – ’tis very sad to not have a place to get a good fish fry. sorry for the loss –
we have no place in my area.
but when we visit western New York – buffalo – some cousins often take us out for the best fish and chips. it is a catholic neighborhood where Friday fish fry is a big deal.
I feel you. I really love a great fish fry, and not very many places make a great fish & chips – at least not in Oregon. I was particularly excited about this place because it was out in the country where I live. That’s probably why it closed: just not enough people out here willing to pay fair prices for super fresh fish, when they think frozen fish fingers are just as good. Another favourite place out here closed for that same reason. It was a gourmet burger joint and the burgers were the best I’ve had in my entire life. they were between $9-$11 each. My neighbor said, “You eat THERE? Why would you pay ten bucks for a burger when you could get one at McDonald’s for a dollar?” He was incredulous. And so was I.
Beautiful job, Tara. 🙂 I can’t imagine how many finger nails that would cover but I’m betting lots. LOL-Curt
Ha ha ha!! Many nails were deprived of color to make this mailbox happen.
Sacrificed to the cause! 🙂
Tara did an amazing job and so glad they were into doing the job at all. It looks quite spiffy especially when you compare it to the one next to it. I would love a mailbox I didn’t have to walk a mile uphill to get the mail and could make all my own. I like the glitter. 😉 I have your letter. I’m so behind my backside is draggin. ;(
Oh I hadn’t thought of that, but yes, the mailboxes in your neighborhood are those big box banks along the main road, huh? So to get your mail you definitely have to do a serious uphill hike. Easier to grab them from the car on the way down hill I imagine, but if one never drives anymore… Well, if you really want your mail, I guess exercise is forced upon you. If that’s any kind of up side. In the future when I visit, I’ll volunteer to check your mail for you!
The mailboxes require a key up there and I check it everyday on my walk. It does force exercise but my health forces it as well H used to get it sometimes on her way home from work but she doesn’t GO to work anymore. It gives us an excuse to walk uphill after her workday. 😉 Hopefully this stuff will clear out soon and we can visit again. Sigh. Hugs.
Oh yes, this mailbox is sure to make even the grumpiest postperson happy again. 🙂 What a brilliant idea and lovely result.
Our mailbox completely disintegrated in five years and we had to throw it away. Also because the mail is no longer separated but is left in one community mailbox where we must go and search for ours. I suppose there is not enough mail any more to merit division by households. Only bills, the lot. 😦
Your mailbox is made for happy letters, fan mail, panpals. Wonderful.
Oh goodness. Two questions: mailbox disintegrated in 5 years? Is that because of the weather, do you think? And no more separated mail? Is that because you are in the country? Do you really have to dig through the whole village’s mail to find your own? That does not seem safe. Suppose someone wants your birthday card and takes your mail to brighten their own day! Of course, if they want to take your bills, they are welcome to them. ha ha
It was metal, it started to fall apart. The sun was hitting it directly. And the summers are really hot here. We live in a condominium with 95 units. We all now receive mail in one little mailbox. You can imagine how little of it there it. But yes, it’s not safe. I get zero personal things by mail these days. How things have changed. I had penpals, loved getting postcards and letters. How my life would be less rich without them. I’ve got my computer for all this, I suppose. Including you in movement. 🙂
Well, that is looking on the bright side. I also mourn the loss of your personal post.
Another good job. Shame about the fish and chips
Thank you Derrick. Yes, I had forgotten all about the fish and chips place till I saw this old photo from the old post. Ah well. I suppose there are worse things to suffer for in life.
Indeed