If You Thought Terracotta Pots Were Just For Plants

You may need to think again.
Below are some pretty, practical and creative uses for terracotta pots with hardly a plant in sight.

The Whoot

A pretty shabby chic bird bath that could also be used to hold a candle, pot pourri,  soaps or jewellery.

Miss Rhea's Sweet and Shabby Roses

A sweet little bird feeder.

The Garden Roof Coop

As cutlery holders for a party or for everyday use.

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They make an attractive drink coolers

One Kings Lane

They can be used to make adorable fairy gardens.

The Flower Market

Genevieve Gail

Or to add some playfulness to the garden.

All Stuff

Or you could use them to make a sweet set of wind chimes.

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And finally they would make a cute centrepiece at a child's birthday party or a baby shower when used as cup cake holders.

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Disclaimer: I try to give credit to the owners of all the images I use, sometimes this is not possible, those images where the source is unknown will be assumed to be in the public domain. If you are the owner of any of these images (source unknown) and would like them removed or credit added, please let me know.

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A Repurposed Christmas

A post to (hopefully) inspire you to look at old things in a new way.

This post should have been up long before now, but time has just gotten away from me, so there may not be any time to make them this year, but that gives you a whole year to decide which ones will feature in your Christmas decorating next year.

Bed springs can be used to make the cutest little Christmas trees.

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A few of these simple decorations would make an unusual centrepiece for the table on Christmas day.

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These are actually necklaces, but I think they would look beautiful hanging in the tree.

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If you don't happen to have any old fashioned cotton reels lying about you could use corks instead. 

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Mindy at The Happy Scraps used a Cricut to make her flip chart Christmas countdown, but the same thing could be achieved using scrapbook paper, cardboard numbers and old Christmas cards.

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Mindy at Prudent Pennypincher shows us a cute way to make a hanging countdown to Christmas using empty toilet rolls.

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Old picture frames can be decorated and used as an alternative the traditional Christmas wreath.

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If you lucky enough to have a fireplace this would make a fantastic focal point to all your Christmas decorating.

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But if you don't have the wall space for a gate, how about a bicycle wheel.

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I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a 

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

I hope you have a joyous and peaceful day spent with the ones you love.

I will be back with a garden update as soon as I can take some photos, we are on day two of a heat wave and the veggie garden is covered in shade cloth at the moment. 

Disclaimer: I try to give credit to the owners of all the images I use, sometimes this is not possible, those images where the source is unknown will be assumed to be in the public domain. If you are the owner of any of these images (source unknown) and would like them removed or credit added, please let me know

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Sophie's Patch

Last Sunday my daughters and I had the opportunity to visit the gardens of Gardening Australia presenter, Sophie Thompson. 

 

Built around 1847, Hamlyn Cottage sits on one and a half hectares (three acres) of land which include gardens full of Australian natives, salvias and succulents, (and too many more to name), an orchard with one hundred different fruit trees and a large vegetable garden, it is an inspiration to anyone who lives in a Mediterranean climate.

Ducks, geese and chickens wander freely through the orchard and surrounding area eating weeds and keeping the bug population under control.

At every turn there is something quirky and interesting to see, many of which were created by Sophie's husband Richard, from what other people would have considered junk.

Nice photo bomb, Rebecca.

My girls, Samantha and Rebecca, checking out the vegetable garden.

The latest addition to the garden, a pizza oven built to resemble the stump of a Morton Bay Fig, with gabion walls that represent the roots.

Sophie's Patch is open annually over the Easter long weekend and is well worth a visit. I'm already looking forward to visiting again next year.

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