Friday, October 05, 2007

The Champagne Bucket Challenge


My Mother in Law had two champagne buckets!Lovely silver, very classically ornate, totally too huge to store in a normal sized house.

She asked me what she should do with them. And this is what I suggested. She said "Will you take one of them?" and I did.
Basically I think what makes this work is the juxtaposition of the modern looking succulent container garden with the classic bucket. It works best in our cabin-y house. I love the tarnish. But if you are a more straightforwardly "feminine" decorator, a bushy flowering plant would be great too.

It is always interesting to come up with ways to use "heirlooms" or even cool thrifted items in ways they were not intended. It is my favorite reason for scouring the home mags. If you have some cool reuse ideas ... please do share!

Here is what I did with the bucket:

Just:

  • fill the bottom of the bucket with wadded paper to support the pot.
  • line the bucket with a plastic bag to protect the bucket
  • insert a plant in a pot just barely smaller than the bucket and tuck in the plastic bag.
tah-dah!

Now the birthday season ring giveaway:
This is not for the twiggy of finger. It is a size 8 or maybe a teeny bit bigger.
It is a handblown glass cocktail ring made by artist Karen Carston.. currently residing in Seattle. It is really one of my favorite things ( I have a couple of these that I wear all the time.)
This one is a bit too big for me and has languished in the jewelry box. It needs a home where it will be worn!
Leave me a comment and I will draw a name on Monday.
I love this ring .. it looks like an ocean wave.


Gratuitous Kitten photo...Because I am obsessed with the guy.

28 comments:

Unknown said...

Adorable kitty, love the champagne bucket idea, and I'd really love to have a mini wave in the form of that ring! :)

Beth said...

No petite fingers here :-)

What a great reuse for old silver. I love houseplants and am always looking for new ways to display them. I also love tarnished silver. It can get such interesting colors!

Maven said...

The ring! It's dope! Bring it on!

I will also take the kitten.

Claire said...

For once i am glad to have non-twiggy fingers! Here's to hopin' I'll be the proud owner of that fab ring!

futuregirl said...

The ring isn't right for me, but I HAD to comment on the cutest kitty in the world!

Lisa said...

LOVE the champagne bucket (and the kitty...).
Gorgeous ring. What a super idea!

Jenn said...

Oh wow - that ring is great, but the kitty is far greater - so sweet!

Unknown said...

Love the succulent bukcet. It is fantastic. Being a large fingered gal, I also felt compelled to put my hand in the ring for the ring :)

Blaize said...

And now, let's hear a round of applause for Bethany, Grand Champeen of the Champagne Bucket Challenge! (The crowd roars in approval and then goes home to try and be as creative as you are.)

Bunny said...

The bucket works so well as a planter. It Looks great! If only I did not have awnings on all my window, then maybe a houseplant would grow. Our cat alos liked to chew on anything I tried to grow. LOL.

Anonymous said...

that champagne bucket planter is an incredibly brilliant idea! love, love, love it, and of course the kitteh

Gwen said...

Happy Birthday, Betty!
I love the ring, the bucket and the kitty is the cutest ever, no wonder you are in love!

all the best,
Gwen

Angelina said...

Oh my god...I want to eat that kitten up.

About the new use for champagne bucket...I love it! I have been thinking of succulents just this week since my house is a boring ranch and I want to play it's ranchness up with some 40's deserty cool. I now live in the PNW which is not really a desert unless you could call it a water desert...so I was thinking how funny it would be to have some cacti and other succulents around. I love this idea. I'll have to consider what I have that might work similarly.

Anonymous said...

The champagne bucket as succulent garden is lovely. Very pretty ring, too. :)

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love your champagne bucket idea and your new adorable kitty and your BLOG! What a fun read ~ Lynn

robiewankenobie said...

count me in on the ring. suhweeet!

Anonymous said...

Oh, happiest of birthdays. I adore reuse and finding new ways to see things. The champagne bucket is perfect!

Violette Crumble said...

Love it. I've been buying tons of little succulents and finding things like that (well, not quite like that) to plant them in. What do you about drainage? I guess you remove the plant to water it. Too much effort for me! Love the gray kitty so much.

Sewlutions' World said...

The ring is beautiful but so is the kitty! Does the kitty come with the ring too? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Nice buckets! I did a similar thing with one of those over sized champagne glasses that were so popular a few years ago. I layered rocks, then dirt, then sand and it looked faboo! Too bad my kittens (yours is a doll btw) dismantled that little garden some time ago.

Anonymous said...

Hey, the ring is cool, just like you. And that KITTEN is really wonderful. I love his paws.

Let's see... this is your birthday drawing, right? I don't think I've had the chance to say Happy Birthday! yet. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, I adore your planter love!!! How wonderful.. Yes I think it is a great balance!!! xoxo Cute kitty kitty!

Anonymous said...

Am I too late (or too far away - in England)to beg for the gorgeous ring? It's my birthday and I'm feeling very sorry for myself because we have a postal strike on at the moment so no floods of cards through the letterbox!

I love the succulents but we're not the sort of family that has spare champagne buckets lying around! My MIL has just got rid of her collection of hubcaps that she has found along the road-side (but they were the new plastic type and not very aesthetically pleasing!) but they just don't have the same charm as champagne buckets.

Sonya said...

Champagne buckets, dahling, simply fabulous. And that kitty is sweet stuff. No need to enter me in the giveaway, since I am already the proud owner of a beautiful glass cocktail ring(!).

Anonymous said...

big feet, big fingers!

oh and welcome little kitty!

and betty - champagne buckets are for filling with ice and a damn fine bot. one of which i hope you indulge in on the big day! (bucket looks fab btw!!!)

Scarlet Tanager said...

Love what you've done with the bucket. I would never have dreamed a silver ice bucket could look so fresh.

Happy Birthday to you! Love your newly adopted pal, he's adorable!

Oh, and I have rather large fingers.

Elizabeth said...

Hey that's a lovely succulent garden container you have there. I think I'll put succulents in the pots and pans I was gonna get rid of. That will be cute.

Champagne+ said...

For those who forgot, Champagne is an area near Reims, France, where the noble drink has been created. Here, several centuries ago, the Benedictine monk, Dom Perignon had contributed a great deal in developing the champagne.

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