Thrifty Finds - Cloches in the making

What can one make from some bubbly glass shades from an old light fixture, washers, and old cabinet knobs? I made two glass cloches from them. I found the glass shades at GW for $1 for both of them.

I was trying to figure out how to put some kind of knob on them when DH thought up the idea of using a washer painted white glued to the top of the shade and then glue the knob on top of that.

"Brilliant", I thought. I used a plate I already had and a candle holder I had in stock for one. For the other I bought a glass plate at GW for $.50 and gave the cloche and plate to a friend. The pictures distort the bubbles in the glass a little. They actually are clearer than that. I like the bubbles in the glass though. It is reminiscent of old-time glass. I was pleased with the way they turned out.

Please take a look over at Southern Hospitality for Today's Thrifty Treasures. People are finding "economical" treasures everywhere!

Thrify Treasures - Chippy and More

This was a good weekend for me and garage sales. These are the three "big" purchases I was most proud of. I made some smaller purchases which may be mentioned in a later post. This arrangement with the pheasant feathers was only $8 - anyone tried to buy real pheasant feathers lately?

I'm debating with myself about painting the chippy magazine stand. This is old - see the decal on the side.

The chippy white column is one of two that I got. The other one is taller and needs some rotten wood taken off but I like them!

Be sure to stop by Rhoda's at Southern Hospitality for the other thrifty shoppers to see what they've acquired.

Fertilizer Friday - Fall Blooms

The leaves have started to fall - certainly seems to me there are alot more falling earlier this year. The mums and grasses are in their glory.

Lantana really likes the weather we're having. It's been plenty wet and today the sun is shining.

Painter's Palette puts on these tiny red seeds in the Fall. I have this variegated shades of green but I also have a white and green that grows in the shade with the tiny red seeds.

The marigolds, orange zinnias, and mums fill this border in nicely for Fall. From the street, it's bright and welcomes Fall.

Be sure to bop on over to Tootsie's for Fertilizer Friday and see the Fall blooms in yards all over.

2nd Time Around Rain Barrel

Second Time Around Tuesday seemed right for my activity this weekend. My friend, Diane (in the burgundy t-shirt), is a Master Gardener with me. She always gives 100% to any project she gets in her head. She was having trouble in her yard with "flooding" and she had tried everything to get it in control to no avail. Her final solution was to create a rain garden and to make her own rain barrels to use. She is now giving workshops on making rain barrels. My husband and I help her, as well as some other MGs. This is the rain barrel workshop she gave at our local Botanica, the Wichita Gardens this last Sunday. 28 rain barrels were made from cast off barrels from the Pepsi company. Diane has several in her yard and has them painted with cute flowers, etc. You would know I don't have the picture to show you of the finished product. This week 28 rain barrels were made. The workshop she had in the Spring had 40 made. Interest is big.

Each participant did as much of the work themselves as possible. We provided guidance and tools.

Be sure to drop by A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words to see what everyone else is doing to recycle things just like Diane as done with the empty barrels from Pepsi.