new plants – temporary recycled planter

I purchased a couple of  new plants for spring. I figured that they could live in their plastic planters for another month or so before I transfer them to new pots… but those ugly green plastic things didn’t sit so pretty on my windowsill. So, for the next few weeks the plastic planters will sit nestled inside of  empty tomato cans. Wallah, beautiful!!

So…. accidents happen!!  For example, when your dog throws up on your comforter and it says “Dry Clean Only” but there’s vomit on it, and it’s gross, and you put it in the wash anyway, only to realize later why you should have followed the instructions.

See the picture above, well that is what my comforter now looks like. A bag of stuffing and some fabric. After a nice wash and dry in the machine, all the batting clumped to one end and the fancy patchwork comforter was no more.  I cut open the fabric, put the batting in a bag and shoved it to the back of my closet.

Meanwhile, my dog had taken to lying in the pile of fabric as sort of a makeshift bed. After doing a little spring cleaning (and washing his dog-pile bed) I decided to whip out the sewing machine, put the batting to good use, and make my little guy a real bed.

Around my home there’s always a use for an empty jar!

While fizzing up a bottle may seem elementary…  to a little kid, it’s a blast!!

Simple household ingredients can turn recyclable bottles into fizzing fun for young and old alike. The mixture is simple, baking soda plus vinegar equals a bubbly reaction. Anyone who made it through grade school science probably learned how to make a ‘volcano’ explode in a similar manner.

We realized we were out of baking soda but guess what… baking powder also did the trick.

Just fill an empty plastic of glass bottle with a few spoonfuls of powder, add vinegar and watch the kids faces light up with excitement. Yes, bringing joy to a child really is THAT EASY.

PS.. let the kids scoop, let the kids pour, and let the kids help clean up! My four year old helper was just as capable as her big sister.

PPS..do I really have to say, DON’T DRINK.

It’s getting hot again, so I’m saving my leftover espresso for icy drinks. Instead of using a plastic pitcher, which not only has the danger of off-gassing, but also holds on to strong scents & colors, I used an old jar.

Pickle jars and tomato sauce jars are the perfect size for summer beverage containers. Store anything from iced coffee to margaritas or lemonade in an empty, sterilized glass jar.

Using a Sharpie, label your brew on small strip of masking tape and affix to the jar.  Stay hydrated!!

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Empty tomato cans make the perfect pot for a seasonal Italian herb garden.   See my old post for easy instructions on growing green at home.  Bon Appetit!

I was about to make an impulse buy and purchase a charming roll of recycled holiday paper (placed cleverly near the register so you drool over it while waiting in line)… then I remembered all the magazines in the recycling bin, and put it back.

There’s beauty in resourcefulness… plain and simple.

This dresser has been following me around for thirty-some years. There’s a picture somewhere of my mother painting it Sunkist Orange. I was in the picture too… large and in her belly.

Twenty years later, I’m visiting my parents and noticed it’s new ‘wooden’ look. Five years after that they moved cross-country. Guess who got the dresser?

Now, I’m the one to give it a new look. Two coats of semi-gloss and new drawer pulls made this old piece come alive.

Before I repainted the dresser, I did a bit of maintenance. With use, I noticed that the bottoms of the drawers would sag under the weight of my clothes, so I reinforced the bottom board in each drawer with hammer and nails.

Then I unscrewed the old knobs, lightly sanded the dresser, rubbed it down with mineral spirits and applied the first layer of paint.

The hardest part.. waiting 12 hours before applying the second coat.

Instead of just painting and replacing the knobs, I decided that a small investment would take the dresser to new heights. My first instinct was antique looking glass knobs.. but the prices were either too high, or the gratification was not immediate, so I decided to open my options.

After rummaging through countless hardware stores, websites and eBay lists, I settled on handcrafted deer antler knobs from an artisan on eBay, $25 for 12. Since I only needed 10 for this project, there’s a lucky two laying around for something else.

Assembling a terrarium is rather simple, provided you have the right materials. The easiest to maintain is a succulent terrarium like this, for it requires lots of light and little water.

To get started you need to find a glass container. I used an old cookie jar, but anything from a glass vase to an empty pickle jar will do. Unlike a tropical terrarium, a succulent habitat is open air and does not require a lid.

The layers are outlined visually above…

Starting at the bottom, add rocks for drainage. For a personal touch, I added a layer of shells I collected recently at the beach (this is not required).

On top of the rocks, place a thin layer of charcoal. Charcoal for plants is sold almost anywhere you can buy soil, just ask. The charcoal layer helps to absorb impurities and prevent fungus from growing in the container.

After the charcoal, a layer of cactus soil, then your plants. If possible, leave a little space between your plants to give them room to multiply and grow.

09/16/09 The newest additions to my household…

The mini terrarium, made with an empty salsa jar and old fish tank gravel & the floating terrarium, inspired from this project.