Down sizing... means lots of extras for me.

My parents are heading to a retirement home. I, being oldest daughter, somehow have accumulated alot of their cast offs. I have decided to recycle my stoneware and take their corning ware... lighter and less bulky. I've received a grandfather clock, to be used in the traditional way.
Fabric... loads of it. I decluttered my own fabric and some of my mom's and gave it to a local dance studio to use for making costumes in future years. Especially good if they decided to go with a retro theme.
Make mosaic stepping stones with loads of "found" items and glass beads, etc.
I'm working on a few projects to list in up coming blogs.

Just for Fun! It's snowing again!

Rethinking Plant Pots: A Mother's Day Idea

Yesterday, before the freakish snow storm hit, I was outside building a planter for my "surprise" mom's day gift, a climbing rose. I ask for a plant of some kind every year. But back to the snow, and I'm forced to wait longer and also forced to face the facts that my area doesn't have a really long growing season. I, however, do have a long growing season... I want herbs in my cooking ... solution? I need an indoor herb garden.

A quick trip through the snow and slush to the local thrift store to look for fun ideas. Plant pots are boring and expensive. I found these cute popcorn bowls and decided to turn them into a window herb garden.

You can make these too. Maybe the mom in your life would love such a wonderful, thoughtful gift.

You will need to go with imagination to your thrift store. Old ceramic bowls, jugs, metal buckets, old sealing pots, large stock pots, old suitcases, etc. If you're planning an indoor herb garden or flowers; make sure it suits the room and FITS ON THE WINDOW LEDGE.

You'll need a dremel drill bit for ceramics or tile, a drill, patience and alot of ideas for what to put in your pot.

You want to drill a hole right through "made in china". This allows for excess water to drain out of your planter. If it's as small of a bit as I'm using, 2 or 3 holes might be a better idea. It takes a full battery, and some patience. It will take a few minutes to go through. Remember NOT to press too hard if you are using china or a more fragile bowl.

I paid $15.00 for my 4 pots. That works out to $3.75 each, that's alot cheaper than most plant pots. I have color and fun on my kitchen window to remind me to use my fresh herbs as they grow. Spice up your choices, add edible flowers and let some herbs go to flower. Remember, you can get great rewards from your small window ledge even if you just plant them for the lovely smell. Good luck and enjoy. I'd love to see what creations you've come up with. Come back and see the self watering pot I'm making next from ... almost free.