Topic: Got Thrift shop and Yard Sale Treasures?

[Patty S]

I stopped in at a thrift store today (which I usually talk myself right out of, when the impulse strikes.) I have enough junk already... BUT... there's just something about buying stuff that other people throw away!    

I've been looking for a unique planter of some sort, to put some succulents in, to give to my Mom. She has a balcony off her apartment that gets bright reflected light but no direct sun, so she has a hard time keeping plants happy out there.  I made her a hen & chicks wreath a couple years ago & they're still doing fine, so it looks like that's the sort of thing that works for her.

This used to be a table fountain (10" across, 8½ tall)... but apparently doesnt work now, which is probably why it landed in the thrift shop!
I thought it would make a cute planter. ($5.50)
(Has a few drops of blue-grey latex paint drops on it, but that peels right off.)
       
I have lots of Ice Plant & several kinds of Sedum that could stand thinning out, & thought they'd look good in there... we'll see.

My bathroom has sort of a Roman theme & I thought this Cherub thingy would look cute in there if I could plant something in the bowl.* (80¢)
(Doesn't really have blue in it... That's just the way the light is hitting it.)
               
I haven't figured out what I can plant in it yet, but I'll think of something. 
Am open to suggestions though! 
(*No drainage in bowl - bathroom has a skylight - I don't do fake flowers.)

[Tina]

Those are really cute, Patty.
The cherub thing could also house some sedum or succulent of some sort. Just be judicious with the watering. That means add a drop or two a week. It will also keep damper because of the bathroom setting.

[Patty S]

Thanx Tina! I was sort of thinking along those lines, cuz I have some sedum that is draping down the side of one of my up-side-down tomato containers from last year. 

                 

I thought the draping over the side thing might look kind of nice in the cherub bowl.

[Bonnie]

Looks like you got yourself a couple of great deals, Patty. Let us see what they look like when you get them planted.

Bonnie

[Patty S]

Well, so much for that idea! I guess I was thinking that those succulents were smaller than they are, cuz now that I've gotten them planted in the fountain, they may as well be in a rusty bucket, cuz you can't tell what they're in!

     

The cherub dish turned out sort of OK, but I think I'll have to think of something else for the fountain!   It just looks AWFUL!

[Dianna]

That's a neat idea, Patty! I love those containers...

Have you got a picture of the hen and chicks wreath that you did for your mother? I would love to see it, too....

[Patty S]

OK, does it look better now?  I re-did the planter, so the plants don't hide the fountain.  On the top section I put some Rock Foil (Saxifraga) that already has some flowers on it (which will probably be gone tomorrow from transplant shock), but it has lots of buds that I hope will open up when it settles in.  The 2nd section is Hens & Chicks, then some sort of Sedum on the 3rd one, with another Sedum, Dragon's Blood & a little bit of Ice Plant in the bottom.

I haven't got a whole lot of time to mess with this, cuz want the plants to settle in by May 5th, when they'll go up to Vancouver with my kids. (They'll give it to my Mom for me.)

     

I really wanted her to have more Ice Plant, cuz it's so pretty when it blooms , so I stuck all of that into a basket so she can hang it from the ceiling of her patio. (She won't be able to overwater it as long as she keeps it in there! She over waters everything, & that's another nice thing about the fountain, cuz it has holes in those different sections, where the water lines were.)

Dianna, I ran across my succulent wreath construction pics in my PhotoBucket, so I'll post that "how to" in the Posies forum when I get a spare minute.

[Bonnie]

Wow! Changing the plants sure made a big difference. It's beautiful.

Bonnie

[Dianna]

The planter looks a lot better now that you have changed the plants, Patty. At least now you can see it! 

I like baskets as planters, too...

[Bonnie]

I found this stand and the three little pots at at the Goodwill store today. I tried to put in in the bathroom, the kitchen and the den, but ended up putting it on the porch. I will have it loaded with plants before long.

Bonnie

[Tina]

Nice stand. That is going to look cool loaded with plants to greet visitor on your porch.

[Dianna]

That's a great-looking stand, Aunt Bonnie. Now you can get all your plants off the floor and be able to clean the porch without doing a lot of moving....

[littlebrat]

I think all the things you both got were awesome finds.. Unfortunately the only thrift shop close enough to me wants brand new prices for very tenderly loved items... So it is hard to get a good bargain in there; though I never stop looking!

[Penny]

Those are some great finds Patty and Bonnie!!

[duh]

Since my landlord has several properties and his dumpster is behind our apartment building and he parks underneath my window I get to see all the treasures before they hit the dumpster.  Just the other day he was off loading two wing chairs.  Both is good structural condition.  They just need slipcovers.  Needless to say I took both of them.  I don't really have the space for them right now but when I move I'm assuming I'll have more than an 8 x 8 living room and there will be space for the chairs and the love seat.  So I'm really very happy with them. 

[Patty S]

I make room for neat stuff like that!

I found a pair of nice lamps at a yard sale last week & thought they'd be perfect in the master bedroom, but Keith likes the funky lamp he uses to read himself to sleep with, even though it doesn't match anything else.   BG put the lamps in the guest room yesterday, when she fixed it up for the week-long sleep over that she & Diane (Peggy's daughter) are planning, & they look really nice in there!  The girls are spending the week together next week, so they can atttend Vacation Bible School together.

[Patty S]

About a week ago, I spotted a lucite display case at a yard sale (it used to be for fishing tackle, I think) & it was marked $1.00... I HAD to have it!!  

I had seed storage in mind when I bought it, cuz the room where my computer is, has been wall-to-wall jars, envelopes & cups of seeds since mid-summer.   I've even tried to get a better system going by putting them in medicine bottles... which went into shoe boxes, in alphabetical order, but then those started getting scattered & knocked over!

I see that I've made another short story long,  so I'll quit yacking & just show you what I've been working on!

My seeds are now in a 1.3 cubic foot space!
     

There are 4 drawers, each with 21 compartments that measure 2X4", & a 5th drawer with 7 of that same size compartments (91 in all), plus 35 smaller compartments that are 2" square.
     

I have the dried seeds in little plastic bags (in alphabetical order, of course), & decided to add little pics of the corresponding flowers at the back of each compartment. My few veggie seeds, poppy & Lily seeds are in a separate section from the other seeds, cuz they have different places or times to be planted. (I made little paper boxes to fit the compartments, for the seeds that are still a little damp.) I use the bottom drawer for seeds that I've recieved from other people... & for the "goof-up" seeds that I forgot the names of when I harvested them.

My seed library is lightweight & easy to carry, & I plan to keep it in the garage where it's cool. (No more "special care" for seeds that need to be stratified, which will free up space in my refrigerator!) So anyway, how's that for a dollar investment?

In the garage, it'll also be out of the way... & out of reach, as I child-proof my house to prepare for a visit from my Hawaiian girls ....in 10 days !  
(I just found out!)

[Dianna]

That is a nice little box you have there, Patty! Maybe that will help keep you organized. I am just wondering, though, if the seeds might "sweat" in the plastic bags and then get moldy?

[Patty S]

I thought about that, Dianna. The library has plenty of ventilation, cuz the roof-shaped top has an open carry handle, & there's also plenty of space between the drawers. Besides that, I didn't zip-lock the bags shut, & have several of those little packets of silicone scattered throughout the box. (You know, those little things that come in pill bottles.  I used to keep those with my picture negatives, but now with digital cameras, I don't have negatives to worry about!) I'll keep my eye out on the seeds just the same, cuz I know that condensation happens in garages.

[patches]

Geesh, Patty, I've never seen anything like that, but I used to buy those little cabinets with the plastic drawers for all my miniature odd & ends and they were wonderful.  Actually, I just discovered thrift shops this past spring when Sarah took me to one so I could find some equipment for my worm bin.  You can sure find some interesting things there.  I've found that it's great place to find things you're looking for when you don't know what you're looking for!!!      

[Wrennie]

That was ONE dollar!?! I want to go to yard sales with you! Thats a perfect box for seeds.

[Penny]

Holy cow Patty, what a great find, great for using it for seeds!!

[patches]

Well, Patty, now that I'm going through some of my miniatures I've found another thing that would be good to use for seeds.  I had bought two of those little cabinets with small plastic drawers filled with nuts, bolt, screws, etc., and I just put all those things in the appropriate jars I already had for them.  This gave me two wonderful new cabinets for my miniature stuff.    Of couse, I had to pay full price for them, but it was still a bargain because the cabinet itself was more than worth it. 

[Bonnie]

Dog gone it, Patty. You are just too clever. I think I said that before. Still true.

I bought a Hank Williams Jr. cd for a buck eighty at the Good Will today. Does that count as a find?

[patches]

Hey Bonnie, I would say that's a great find.    Geesh, it would even be a good find if it was double that price, but perhaps my age is showing.