Need a hand-painted toilet seat? How about a mailbox, a spoon, a horseshoe or two? What about a unicorn with a rainbow and puffy clouds on a paperclip?

All right, I made that last one up. Really though, I’m not too far off.

“I repainted our fence last week, and now I painted the can,” artist Eileen Wanders said. “I’ll paint on anything, and do painting on everything.”

You might not need it, but you’ll just love it and wonder how ugly your kitchen looked before the butterflied tea kettle you picked up this weekend, Friday to Sunday, Aug. 22 to 24, at Wanders’ annual summer art show at her home, 17W235 Crest Ave., Bensenville.

“I can only bring so much when I travel to do art shows so this is a good way to show all sorts of projects,” Wanders said. “This is the only time people will see these pieces.”

Wanders’ helper-husband, Bill, will be schlepping hand-painted windows, antique gasoline heaters, washtubs, chairs, lamps, oversized saw blades and hand saws out to a giant tent in the front yard for the sale. Other items include thimbles, rolling pins, vases, candlesticks, pancake flippers, plates, cups and tools. Prices start at $5.

“I sold my muffler last week, and I don’t know if I’ll have time to do another, but I do have a few hubcaps,” Wanders said.

Besides Wanders’ work, there might also be a few gems from students in her art classes.

“Many students just don’t want to part from their goodies,” Wanders said. “I always invite them, but a lot of them can’t let go of their creations. I do understand; they worked really hard and love what they made.”

So, how is she able to part with an entire tent’s worth of art work?

“It’s a matter of sharing,” Wanders said. “Art is meant to be enjoyed and nobody is going to enjoy it if I keep it hidden in my house. I want to share with others what I’ve done and I like to see someone love something I made so much that they need to take it home.”

Her art students aren’t the only ones who struggle with letting their artwork go. At the last show, Wanders’ daughter couldn’t believe she sold a painting of the church where she first found Jesus.

“I told her that if I painted it once, I can paint it again, and it might even turn out better,” Wanders said. “Now I know what I’m making her for Christmas.”

On Saturday and Sunday, her daughter will not only be there to “monitor” what Wanders sells, but to sell jewelry that she designed, featuring natural stones such as topaz and jade.

Wanders has hosted this personal art show at her house for 10 to 15 years. Typically 300 to 400 lovers of Wanders’ art make the trek to Bensenville over the three-day sale.

“I’ve gotten a few calls from downstate and from Wisconsin who said they are coming,” Wanders said.

Need more directions to this weekend’s art show or want to commission your own original Wanders work? Give her a buzz, (630) 766-3399, and maybe she’ll have my unicorn with a rainbow and puffy clouds on a paperclip idea figured out.

“I’m always up for a challenge,” Wanders said. “I love painting new scenes and new items. It’s what keeps me young and the art fresh.”

Border Bounding is a weekly column appearing on Thursdays. Ideas for the column can be e-mailed to hipychk73@yahoo.com.