A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs The Frugal Gardening Forum Dollar Store ~ funny story

My sisters and my mom were at the Dollar Store shopping last weekend for plates - I am using broken plates, tiles, anything, to make stepping stones and pots - just started today - I'll take pictures (!) ~ anyway, have to tell you this story, try to make it as short as possible. I'm standing in line with about a dozen plates, some frames, etc., and the cashier is checking me out and she's about to carefully wrap each of the frames for me, and I said "you don't have to wrap them, I'm just going to break then anyway." Then she starts to carefully wrap the plates and I said "You don't have to wrap those either, I'm just going to break them when I get home." She says "Are you sure?" with a funny look on her face. My mom is there with me giggling. The lady doesn't say anything - still, handling the plates carefully as she rings each one up....then I say "I've had a really bad day and I need to just break something!" Still - the lady doesn't know what to say. Then I say "If you've had a bad day - you can break one right now if you want to - go ahead - it'll make you feel better!" Finally she asks me what I'm going to do with them and I told her.

Had to be there - was very funny! That poor lady!

Anyway - don't throw chipped plates, cups, etc. - make stepping stones or mosaic pots out of them! Pictures to come soon!

No - I think she was still being careful - my sisters and Mom were giggling in the checkout lane next to me.

Then we go outside and I'm pushing this cart of breakable stuff to the car and I'm picking them up and I said "OH! I wish there were some people walking by right now - I'd love to drop them all and scream and cry that I broke my new dishes!" THAT would have been funny!

Loved the story..
I can see people in line or the check out girl
lookin' at you funny..
*(of course these days' and ages' with the spoof stuff
on tv like the old CANDID CAMERA and stuff, it's hard
to tell the silly's from the physco's.....

Here's another idea for your dishes, *ones that are cracked*

You go and get an old garage sale dish drainer... or a brand new one at a dollar store, *they're cheap* and fill it with a cut off bottom of a 13 gallon garbage bag...
*poke some holes for drainage* then... place it in the drainer...
then a big bucket or somewhere's, add some potting soil, vermiculite/perlite, compost, peat moss, organic ferts' if you like *not alot though* and mix all together..
Then set that aside..

Go back to your drainer.. and get your broken plates, cups, saucers, coffee cups, etc.. and arrange them so it kinda looks like there's a few dishes still sitting in the rack, a cup off to the side, etc..

Then fill up with dirt..
So that half of the plates, etc... are sticking out..

Then it looks like the dishes are sitting in the dirt..

Now, moisten.. and cover with either some lowwwwwww growing something, like Spanish Moss, or some type of moss..

and give it some time, the moss grows in, and makes it look like it's been sitting there forever...
*does that make sense how I posted it??*

Yep Weezie I could visualize what you wrote that would looke pretty cool in the right area of the yard!! it would look great with sedum or iceplants in it too!!! maybe even a couple of old serving spoons or wooden spoons in the drainer!!


Ohh Mannn The lady at the check out must have really wanted to hurry you guys outta there after you said you had a bad day and asked her if she wanted to break a plate just to feel better LOLOLOL Gooooood Story!!!!

I've seen projects like what you describe Patty and they are sooo pretty. Can't wait to see some pics of your stuff!

lol that would have been funny to see !! hee hee

I made a few 'practice pots' and I think I posted them in crafts? Haven't dabbled with the stepping stones yet - the snow really made me crabby!

Really cute! Please pass on the information on how you actually make the bases. That would help us others that want to know.

sorry still figuring out how this all works to get the auto email notice of a response.

You need to use either the REPLY or QUOTE buttons'
to get a email notification box to check on those posts..
*(not quick reply or quick quote)*

Give a holler if you got it, or still need help!!!

LOL that is a funny story, she must have thought you had lost your mind

That's a great story! Thanks for sharing, and I can't wait for the pics!

Come to think of it--that would be a good way to blow off steam. You could have a different stepping stone for "my kid wrecked the car", "hubby won't fix the gate", "the wind broke my hibisicus"--but pretty soon I wouldn't have any lawn left.

Penny, I've been gearing up for a stepping stone marathon. I saw a segment on HGTV that looked pretty simple. Check the site. She used a large plastic dog dish (nothing at OUR dollar store!) as a form.

I looked for something inexpensive, reusable and something I could afford to get mulitples of so it doesn't take me a month of Sundays to complete enough. I came across the molded plastic pot saucers, the clear ones--this could work! THEN, Home Depot had them with a fern design in the bottom!!! Exactly what I wanted! However...they're not very deep. Maybe I could build up the sides with cardboard coated duct tape? I need some ideas. Thanks!

Oh, and your plate breaking story inspired me to add plates to my fountain mosaic! Can't wait to see photos of your successes. Thanks for the inspiration, one of the many benefits here. :~}

I cut the top off a 5 gallon bucket, leaving 2 inch sides. It is slightly tappered so the new stepping stone slides right out. I do oil the inside befoe I pour the cement in.

what a great idea!