Crafting with Jo: Upcycling Plastic bottles

I've talked quite a bit about what we sell at the Farmers Market. Since we started herb seeds and grow our own herbs to propagate, there is an abundance of herbs to choose from. Now that it's getting warmer, I'm thinking more towards collections of herbs such as salsas, Italian, Mediterranean, and first-aid.  Lord knows, there's almost an unlimited supply of pop bottles in a variety of different sizes available in the trash cans to work with. I've also acquired a lot of different color sprays and tubes that have been leftover from this or that project so cost should be almost nil. Plus the other vendors are saving theirs for me too.

Now I could just paint some 5-gallon buckets or maybe keep it small. Imagine a first aid caterpillar like this one on the left creeping along a window sill, patio, or balcony. How stinking cute is that? It can be made from plastic drink bottles of varying sizes from single serve to liter bottles. I will have to go to the Dollar Tree for some pipe cleaners to make them though.

How about a 5-gallon bucket with a Mexican stencil design painted on it with cherry tomatoes, onions, hot peppers, and cilantro for a salsa garden pot? Like this one? The pots are usually free at any grocery store bakery or deli operation. Using bright primary colors would make it pop. The nice thing about stencils is that they can be used over and over again. Just change the colors up for variety.

Plant starts and planters have been hot sellers (not to mention the eggs) for us. Everyone, it seems, is jumping on the plant-your-own bandwagon in these uncertain times from apartment dwellers to urbanites. Why have something ordinary when you can have something extraordinary and multifunctional. That's been my mantra for decades. It seems our buyers agree with me. Every little bit helps. It doesn't hurt that we'll be selling transplants to go into the pots too for return business next time around. Just in case they have a brown thumb. 😄

So what do you think? It keeps me busy and happy while watching my garden grow. What have you tried at your booths?

Y'all have a blessed day!

Cockeyed Jo