The squad at RT Rustics in North Kansas City is a firm believer that everything old can be new again—or at least repurposed. The team scours estate sales, flea markets, antique malls, and thrift stores in order “to find something and then figure out a way to make it into something else,” says co-owner Todd Sharbono.
One of their most popular items this time of year is the vintage metal pumpkins. ($20 – $75) “We started with gas cans, but now we’ll cut anything and everything metal into a ‘pump-can’ including vintage coffee pots, watering cans, and shovels,” he says. “If it’s metal, it’ll likely be a pumpkin by the time we get through with it!” (Our fave, by far, is the Frankencan.)
Apparently, the hardest part of construction is finding old gas cans. “We search all year for them. I’m constantly on the lookout,” says Sharbono. “They are getting harder to find, so if anyone has any they want to sell—let us know. They look great on your porch with a multi-color LED light. Perfect for Halloween!”