thrift store finds

Pull out that old pair of Crocs, from the closet, that you don’t wear anymore because I’m going to show you how to recycle them into flower pots. An easy DIY that takes less than ten minutes from start to finish.

I scored this pair at a second hand store for $1. Last week I planted some annuals into cement bricks and had four leftover plants. This project will use up those four so that there’s no waste.

Supplies needed:

*tarp (easy clean-up)

*annuals

*pair of Crocs

*top soil

*twine or fishing line

Pack a nice amount of top soil in the toe portion of the shoe. Place the annual inside the shoe and add some additional top soil around the top and sides to hold them in place. Attach a piece of twine to the strap and tie it into a knot at the end. Once you hang it up give the plants a good drink of water. Some dirt will seep through the holes of the shoes, but don’t worry about it.

Use the fishing line, in place of the twine, to create a floating effect.

Find a location in your flower garden to hang the new planters. That’s it!

Mine have had a nice little home on these doors. I adopted this vintage door display from my Mom and they already had the hooks, so I just needed something unique to hang there.

As you can see from the photo below the doors are definitely due for a fresh coat of paint. Next year is what I tell myself. It’s been five years and I keep saying that. Although I kinda like the distressed look.

Has cabin fever set in? It has here and I can’t wait for Spring. Mother Nature has been dishing out some funny weather, so I decided to look back on projects that I did in my yard last year.

I try to recycle everything in some way. The vintage doors were given to me from my mom. They were already hinged together with the flower box attached. The only thing they needed was some color. So, I found a quaint little corner in my yard and added some flowers. The silver teapot was a $5. Ikea find. Love that store! The greenery is from Hobby Lobby.

My favorite part of the door is this pair of crocks I found at the thrift store for $1.00. Instant flower pots.

A local downtown business had a pile of bricks in their alley. One day I decided to call the owner (whom I knew) and ask if she had plans for them. Sounds crazy, right? Well, they are now mine. Score! Again, another instant flower pot. I lined them along the sidewalk by my back door. They fit the length of the walk way perfectly. I “thought” they would serve as a distraction to the dogs and prevent them from jumping off the edge. Perhaps encouraging them to use the steps. No, didn’t work. They jump even higher now over them.

And then there’s the garden. The best part of spring. This was the third season for planting and as my three beloved dogs got taller the need for a taller fence grew as well. My neighbor had multiple pieces of a dog kennel leaning up against her house. I asked her if she would be willing to sell some of it. She told me that it was free if I could make it disappear. Another great find! But I couldn’t take it for nothing. A case of cold beverages put a smile on her face.

So, my boyfriend and I found the pieces we would need to complete our project. We relocated our exiting garden by expanding it to the corner of the yard. Therefore, we only needed panels to cover two sides. And we were lucky enough to find a piece with a gate. It helps with the maintenance.

A new season brings new projects. There will be a part two to this post. I have additional recycling projects I’ll share as soon as the snow melts and the ground softens. And yes it involves me asking people for their junk.

Do you have any outdoor projects to share? Feel free to share links for your projects in the comment section below.

Quick and Easy DIY Flower Pots Using Crocs

DIY Outdoor Recycling Inspiration: Think Spring, Part One