What a great idea! I always wanted a mailbox in the veggie garden, but we needed to replace the one at the road almost every year, sometimes more often than that, due to snow plows, drunk drivers & teen-aged vandals. I never felt like we had the money or the energy to install 2 at once.
I should think stenciling, using outdoor paint, would be fine w/o a sealer. - Laura

I've been searching for ideas..think I'll go down to Michael's and see if I can find a book on some ideas and a stencil that appeals to me. If you have any other ideas, please share. Have you priced mailboxes lately? I was shocked at the high prices. Have you ever stencil anything?

I have 2 of the large mailboxes on the picnic table in my garden. I just got one of them this year, when the construction people across the road hit mine. It was not damaged too bad but they bought me a new one. The other had belonged to my in-laws who died. I keep all kinds of stuff in those. Especially the white vinegar and paper towels to combat the fire ants that bite me.
One day when all the weeds, etc are gone I will make a 'snail mail' plot with snails on the ground around the post (I have been buying the ones from the $ stores) and paint a snail on one of the mail boxes.

I used exterior house paint to paint the number on my mailbox. Since those stick on numbers from the hardware store kept falling off. I painted the numbers 2 years ago, and they are still holding up fine. FWIW I use Benjamin Moore paint.

But I will say the idea of using a mailbox in the garden for holding garden tools is absolutely brilliant. I occasionally see people getting rid of old mailboxes on craigslist. I may keep my out for one.

I use an old rural mailbox for a bird feeder. We put peanuts inside and the bluejays fly right in and get them. I also have another one on my outside workbench that I keep the gardening had tools in.

Here is a link that might be useful: peanut feeder

The Michael's near me had very little stencil patterns, they are stocking more of Martha Stewart's products but didn't see anything that I could use, so I'll check A.C.Moore and I'll be close to Joanne's on Tuesday after bowling, so will check there. Couldn't find any book on stenciling but when I took some items to a Thrift Shop this afternoon, I found a nice hardback written by Jan Dressler on Stenciling for only $2.oo so I bought it and my friend was telling me about Donna Dewberry's show on MPT that she watches..got on public library system and reserved her book called One Stoke painting..so I should be able to get some ideas. I would love to take a class like Donna Dewberry teaches..maybe some of the craft shops will offer it or Dept. of Recreation or Senior Center.

I had 2 of them that I need too do something with. Here is a link to my Yard art that has Pics of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: yard art

Yuuup! Storage Wars!lol! I too have one I use for tools...but the earwigs moved in and now I won't dare put my hand in there!!!!

aquawise - I like the "tools out" flag.

I also love your wok lady bug!

Thank you. Was so Fun Making them.I used stencel paint on the mail boxes then sealed them with Clear Rustolium paint.

Go to Google and type in Stencils (or silouhettes), a zillion of them will pop up. Why buy when you can get for free!! If you are looking for a specific Stencil like a certain flower or vine or garden tool, type the in as well. Metal spray paint (walmarts) works best and you can get a spray sealer there as well. Let your imagination run..............and have fun!! As for eagwigs, take everything out and use some bug spray and spray the inside to kill them.

This great idea seems to come up regularly. I don't know why i haven't done it yet! I wonder how to solve the bug house problem... I too hate earwigs!
Someone mosaicked their mailbox.
Kathy

Stencilled Garden has a couple of how-to's for painted mailboxes in their past newsletters that might be helpful:

http://www.stencilledgarden.com/newsletters/20090601.html
http://www.stencilledgarden.com/newsletters/20090201.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Stenciled Mailbox

I have been painting mailboxes for quite sometime now. I don't know how to post a picture. They are on my website but I am not sure I can post my website on here. Mine are not stensiled they are all painted. You can e-mail me at retirementcrafts@charter.net and I can send you my website address so you can see my mailboxes if you want to.