Garden Crafts - About.com

Clay Pot Bird Bath

Materials Needed:
16 inch or larger Terra Cotta Clay Pot
16 inch or larger Terra Cotta Clay Saucer
Rub-On Decals
Clear Acrylic Sealer Spray

Instructions:
These are so simple to make, and the birds just love mine!
Wipe down your terra cotta pot and saucer with a damp cloth and let dry completely.

The decorating ideas are endless. You can find a neat stencil and paint it, or try sponge painting. For mine, I used simple rub-on decals available at pretty much any craft store.

The only trick is to seal your bird bath well. I use clear acrylic sealer spray. Also, make sure you store your bird bath inside during cold weather months.

Another interesting tid-bit: I made my bird bath to cover the pipe for the septic tank that is in our yard! That is the main reason for it's smaller size, since it needs to be moved more often that a normal bird bath.

Toad Houses

We used coffee cans for our toad houses (make sure there are no sharp edges!). You could also use old clay pots, margarine tubs, or any other container that is durable and large enough and something you do not plan on using again.
I started out by using a gray, spray paint primer on the coffee cans, then my kids and I simply painted them using outdoor paints. Use your imagination! Once the paint was dry, I sealed the cans with a few layers of a clear, acrylic spray.

Once your toad house is ready, find a moist, shady spot in your garden for it! Lay the can on it's side and bury half of it, filling the inside partially so any visiting frogs will be sitting on dirt.

Most Awesome Apartment Site

I don't live in an apartment right now, but who knows.....

This has ideas for making small spaces usable and making them stunning to boot.

This is one AWESOME site for flat-dwellers. www.apartmenttherapy.com

Unique Mugs #7

These would make great hand warmers!

Clover

This morning at work I had an errand to run (on foot) and as I was on my way, I passed a clover patch. Anyone who knows me knows I have to check. I have to check for a four-leaf clover “smiling” up at me. That ‘s what I like to call it. But, being the loyal assistant I am, I ran the errand first as clover patches are patient. On the way back, I saw an acquaintance at a local business talking with some of the road maintenance crew who had been filling pot-holes that morning. I stopped at last at my wonderful clover patch. Healthy, cool, dark green, extra large clover. Growing in the shade of the office building. I looked down and saw one almost immediately. When I stooped down to pick it, I saw another.....and another.....and another. By this time I was grinning from ear to ear. I found 5 four-leaf clovers and one five-leaf clover. I walked down the sidewalk and over to the acquaintance I had seen earlier and gave her one of the four-leafers. She thanked me and was surprised I had found one. Then the maintenance crew started telling stories of the time they or their wives had found a four leafer. I went back to the office and gave another to my co-worker and placed the rest in a small vase. Later I got to give one to my boss. I thought it a kind gesture, but he said, “You’ve been out picking clover?” I guess I should have thought that one through.

Quote of the Day

"Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people
always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can
become great." Mark Twain

Typos Again!

I ranted earlier about typos on restaurant menus. They're plentiful, alright. BUT they are also in newspaper headlines (as we know from watching Jay Leno!). Check this out:

Sensitive Kid

My little one is so sensitive. She is 11, will be 12 in three months, so it's hormones. It has to be. Ric Flair (nature boy) lost to Randy Orton in Wrestlemania and is now "forced" to retire. She cried and cried. It eased up a little when on Monday Nite RAW Orton gave the Nature Boy a big hug. (Also, Saturday night, Ric Flair was inducted into the WWE hall of fame...did we not see this "defeat" coming?) I told her to calm down, he is just ready to retire so he can take his kids to Disneyland. She came back with a tearless, "can WE go?" It's all up and down right now.

I have a soft spot when it comes to animals being abused. She does too. This new ASPCA commercial featuring the Sarah McLachlan song "In the arms of the angels" or something like that, brings her to tears EVERY TIME. I have to change the channel. She says, OOHHH NOOO. She knows it's coming too, so I have to grab the remote. She just grabs her dog and squeezes the life out of him. So, now when HE hears that commercial he knows what is coming too. ((((HUUUUGZ))))). He licks her tears . It's so sweet.

This is just the beginning of the over-sensitivity. But, of course, at this point, I am a total idiot who has no idea about anything. ;)