Tiny but mighty, a watercolor piranha

This small green frame was free from one of the suburban 'transfer stations' where residents have to bring their trash, recyclables, and free stuff to a central location.

Creative Roommate was inspired to frame an original watercolor of a piranha, mouth agape.

who has the hungers?

Naturally the hungry little fish found a place on the feeding wall in the kitchen.

would eat those birds, if only I could reach...

Happy freestyling!

Who's hungry to see the food wall again? With sea food!

Every time I dive back in to the photo archives I'm amazed at how many little projects came out of our sunny Cambridge apartment.  Imagine all the creativity that could be unleashed, and the trash avoided, if every community had a swap area run by their local department of public works.  This clip frame (missing one clip) was salvaged from le dump during one weekend visit.  I know the picture is rotated, but maybe the original piece was supposed to be viewed that way?  That one will have to live in mystery.

this way or that? 

After a frame cleaning and a commission to Creative Roommate, there was a new addition to the 'feeding wall' in the kitchen.

nom!

This neat watercolor of a bird eating an octopus joined the ranks of animals eating in the freestyle kitchen gallery.

so many appetites

Happy freestyling!

NQF: A silver plated creamer serves up some succulent plants

Last week's succulent+silver was a large soup tureen, this week's post is on the other end of the tableware size spectrum.  Check out the lovely detail on the handle of this silver plate creamer from the thrift store.

Small planters can still be lush. I love the way the green and white burro's tail plant (a.k.a. donkey tail) wraps around the silvery pink echevaria cultivar and then drapes over the end of the creamer.

Small planters like this can dry out faster than larger deeper pots.  

The succulents don't seem to mind, even a year later.

Happy gardening, thrifting, and freestyling!

NQF: Silverplate soup tureen to succulent display

 Let me start by saying that this is probably my favorite succulents+silver project to date.  

I found this large silverplate vessel at the thrift store for $8.99, so much shiny for so little coin.  Was it  originally a soup tureen? Perhaps a punch bowl?  There was no lid, but there is a maker's mark / hallmark.

eye catching 

If you have any insight into the age or original use of this silverplate specimen, feel free to share.

English Silver Mfg. Corp.

I bought it for the shape, but also the small nice details like the decorated handles and feet.

For a planter that has no drainage holes you can either use an interior container, or be lucky enough to find some free aquarium gravel at le dump. Yes, I took it before I had the planter, but who isn't always thinking about their plants?

So how did I transform this thrift store find into a lovely succulent planter? Read on for the bare bones tutorial.

Step 1 - Assemble your supplies: planter, gravel, potting soil, plants, and straws.

Step 2 -Pour gravel into container, this will allow for drainage.

Step 3 - Don't forget your straws, these will poke down through the gravel to the bottom of the planter. The dirt will go around them. My idea with this is to bring air down to the bottom of the planter, and possibly help with evaporation or ventilation. I don't know if they actually help, but they don't seem to hurt.

breathe easy baby

 Step 4 - Identify plants for transplanting, such as this little beauty who was outgrowing its present home.

Roots coming out the bottom, maybe time for a new home.

Step 5 - Place your straw, add some dirt, add a plant.

Repeat until you have all of your succulents into their new home.

Step 6 - Enjoy! (and water occasionally)

Happy freestyling!

NQF: Silver bowl into succulent planter

Remember the succulents + silver combination?

It hasn't gone away!

In going through my photo archives I rediscovered this arrangement that combined what were possibly free succulents, or at least some free cuttings, with a tarnished silverplate bowl from the thrift store.

big plant and little plants

Here is a photo of the final project in its original planter-hood in Cambridge.

soakin' up some sun

Happy gardening, no matter what size you have to work with, and always happy freestyling!