Planters, kitties, and goodbye Halloween...

My aloe vera has become a wild and crazy plant of late (said with a Steve Martin accent ... am I showing my age?)

It's growing leaps and bounds, hanging, curling, and looping around... There's no stopping it!

Just last December it was a tame and demure little thing, able to stand upright in a cheap plastic pot...

But no more.. Ever since sprouting this Medusa-like growth, the cheap plastic pot didn't stand a chance, constantly tipping over with the weight of the plant... Definitely time to find something a bit more substantial.

Just look at the crazing on this gorgeous robin's egg blue heavy ceramic pot I picked up. (The garden centers are having crazy sales right now, so if you're in the market for a birdbath or ceramic pot, now's the time to grab one!)

It's perfect in every way - just the right size for the bay window (can't encroach on the kitty cushion!) and just the right color for our little cottage living room!!


And most of all, Spotty approved! He thinks he looks quite handsome with his black & white fur offset by the blue planter, and I must agree!

Who's out there, Spotty? Anybody? Oh, you say it's just the leaves falling... How I wish our maple could stay this color for at least another month or so... but like everything else, it has peaked and has started losing its leaves... Can winter be far behind? I'm afraid not...

I also had a heart-to-heart talk with Spotty today, and as you can see, he tried tuning me out. I explained to him that his friend, Lamp Bandit (who he has grown quite fond of over the past month), was going away until next October...

I then gave them some private time to say their goodbyes before packing away Mr. Bandit Mask until next year... Don't worry, Spotty, you have your new blue planter, and it won't be long before all the Christmas goodies come upstairs. I've got a vintage angel that I think you're really going to like!!

And that reminds me! Ronda at Tempting Textiles is having a 20% off sale through November 8th.... Just enter the promo code Cozy November when you check out to receive the discount - she has lots of fantastic Christmas goodies in the shop, as well as her slipcovers and vintage finds!! Happy shopping!

Thank you to Cielo at The House in the Roses for allowing me to share my cottage blue planter with you! Please visit Cielo to see her cottage post and to find a list of others participating in "Show off your Cottage Monday."

Donna

This bird cage planter may be short-lived....

Okay, this is my old basket planter that I've had hanging above our front entryway for as long as I can remember...


Flashback to the 50's, Nana and I under "Pete" the parakeet's cage at my Nana's home. I guess you could say bird cages are my equivalent of "comfort food." They bring back such warm memories...


So when I spotted this pretty white bird cage at The Christmas Tree Shop last month, I thought it might make a nice planter....

Oh my gosh, it took me so long to get this plant inside the bird cage without harming any of the branches.... It pains me to think that I'm now considering 'disassembling' it and putting my old basket planter back up...

"Why?" you ask? Because it's so darned hard to water the plant inside the cage!! I suppose I could break down and get an actual watering can with a long spout that would reach between the bars... But for the past umpteen years I've just used a large measuring cup to run around the house and water my plants, and old habits die hard...

So I might just have to find another place for this nifty little cage and re-use my trusty old basket planter in the entryway...

Outside birdcage planter: If you'd like to create a birdcage planter for your porch or patio, check out this post, where I showed, step-by-step, how to transform an inexpensive birdcage into a outdoor planter.

My one year 'blog anniversary' is coming up soon, so be sure to check back to see some of the goodies I'll be giving away. I went to The Christmas Tree Shop, which you know is one of my favorite places to find great deals... and I picked out items that I would love to have in my own home, so I hope you'll like them as well!!! (Think birds, spring, robin's egg blue, and roses...)

Till then, have a great week!!

Comment Update: Thank you for all your suggestions, from watering systems to faux plants. I've had this one plant for sooooooo long in this same location (as was mentioned in the comments, you just can't kill these plants, which is good because I do not have a green thumb!!)... I'll definitely let everyone know the eventual outcome...

Donna