I've noticed that in Goodwill stores, flea markets, yard sales, etc. there always seems to be a plethora of mismatched plates. I buy them - even the broken ones I often find a group of four to ten plates all taped together for two or three dollars. Sometimes they're chipped, but that's okay. The broken and chipped ones I break even further to use in mosaics. The intact ones are used in the Great Wall of China.
Okay, technically none of these plates are china, but they do form a wall. Why spend the big bucks at the big stores for border material when you can spend a couple of bucks? Plus, these look so much cooler. Then there's the eco-friendliness of using something that may have very likely ended up in a landfill one day.
I like to find ones with plenty of color and funky patterns - the more out of date the better as far as I'm concerned. So far, three different people who have seen my Great Wall have mentioned their "grandmother had that very set!"
Plain white ones are great to find, too. Especially if you have a child who loves to paint anything she gets her hands on and has discovered glass paint that you can bake on in the oven. Stay tuned for photos of that craft project.
And what garden is complete without a Buddha and a pre-teen worker bee? One allows me peace and the ability to focus.
The other, not so much. Guess which is which.
It's still a work in progress, but it's getting there. Now if I could just figure out what to do with a bunch of old frying pans. Ideas are welcome!
