I'm building a glass house out of old window and great old french doors. This will be the 2nd one I've built and neither one looks like a pile of junk like some I've seen. I've covered the top of an old farm table with copper to see if I want to install copper countertops in my kitchen, but I really think I'd like them better in my green/glass house! I think some of the other complaining you have about totems is a little unwarranted. They are quick and easy to make when I take a break from bigger projects.

Have a look at CalamityJane's castle. If that isn't unique, I don't know what is. Also the pallet house is interesting. And there is another recent thread showing pics of antique farm equipment and skulls in the landscape.

Each thread has a title, so if bowling balls or totems are not your thing, you can choose a thread more to your liking... or post one of your own.

aw, come on~
there's plenty of junk on here...you just gotta read ALL the posts..
that's how GJ evolves, if you've been here long enough
bowling balls got to be old hat for a while...totems followed suit.
it's an ever changing site, the same as it's an ever changing bunch of followers.
things that seem old to you, are fresh and stunning to someone who just happened upon this site.
I actually get a kick out of someone new, who just recently discovered garden junk for the very first time.....

it's the same way that I felt, the day I found it, back in 2003...it was so absolutely off the wall and I felt like I had just come out of darkness, doldrums, depression and then WHAM!..I found GJ and for all these years, no matter how many different ways dishes and cups can be stacked, they're still new to the person making them.
don't diminish that fun and effort from anyone.
if you want new things,,then make suggestions of something you have in mind.
someone will take it and run with it...
then, you'll see your ideas show up in pictures.

here's an example......
anyone have an old tired, rusty set of bed springs in their garage, shed, propped up against the house????

how about a challenge...
get it out and DO something with it~

I actually have a fold up bed spring out in the yard.
it's been there for a very long time.
the county gestapo guy suggested I throw it away.
well, I defended it, on the pretense it's garden junk and it's a trellis.
no, I have not planted around it..
I've been either rained out of the yard work, or too close to a stroke, to do much of anything out there..
but it's still waiting for me to create a nice trellis.

and I kid you not about the stroke...
my blood pressure has been skyrocketing, since I've been dealing with the county about my garden junk.
I read all these posts daily, with diligence cuz it's my way of keeping in touch with something near and dear to my heart, without it going out on me and quit ticking....

or another idea...challenge...

how about a wobbly old small table...what can be made from it..or a barbeque grill, destined for the landfill?

any takers on my challenge?
I can spout out ideas but right now, I can't follow through with the strength to carry it out...

old roaster pan, for planter.
old lamp base
old bed frame
old trellis
old swingset
old toy tractors, cars, bulldozers
old wagons
chairs in the garage
old medicine cabinets
old hobby horse
old birdcage
old school desk
old bike
old crib
old highchair
and yes, I have an old buffet, in the carport....
and an old bookcase
and old cement planters, on pedestals
and 3 rusty rake ends, with no handle
and axe, with no handle
and shovels, with no handles...

so, while I take my meds, drink hot cocoa, watch old movies of John Wayne or Patrick Swayze, how about someone create some garden junk art....
we'll all enjoy it..and hopefully copy it.......

what say y'all??

Hi Seamommy~

Since this is the first time I've seen you post anything on our forum, I'd have to say that you haven't really looked through out inspiration album or even though the posts from the past few weeks...sure, there are lots of totems! I myself make them and love having them in my garden, but there are tons of other ideas here too...all you have to do is look. There are bird feeders, greenhouses, planters of EVERY kind, tipsy buckets, pole feeders, fences, rusty items, just every kind of creative garden junk decor you can think of. I agree with spedigrees....if you dislike totems so much, I suggest you skip those posts and move on to something more to your liking. There is something for everyone here and those of us who have been around a couple of years or more try to both encourage and lend advice to all of the new folks joining the GJ forum. We are a group of friends here...and we are happy to look at anything anyone one has created....and enjoy it! Hope you'll feel like posting some of your creations sometime...we'd love to see them!

I'm one of the newer people who mostly "lurks", and searches older posts for ideas on how to do things like, dare I say it, bowling balls and totems! However, my impetus for searching out this forum was my insatiable need to curb shop and garage sale, and yes, I have my own creative ideas (a child's bedroom lamp turned into a caterpillar and flower) but I love seeing all the different bowling balls and totems! Sometimes it takes just one slight difference in the 126th totem for me to get an idea, maybe about something completely unrelated to totems! OK, done rambling now....soon maybe I'll even post some pix of my own!

Well, I'm new here but let me say that bowling ball art and glass totems while old hat to you are a new and interesting way to express creativity.

Oh, by the way I was dumpster diving yesterday behind the bowling alley because they told me that they had just thrown out some old balls. If wading thru a weeks worth of half eaten fast food complete with shall we say "critters" crawling all over the bags to get to balls that of course sink to the bottom isn't junk hunting I don't know what you would call it.

Seamommy I don't know you and wouldn't want to offend anyone here, but I'm a very blunt person as it seems you are. My thought to you - as others have said - would be read the headline of the post. If you aren't interested in someone's new totem or first bowling ball don't click on it.

As a newbie to garden junk, if what I have been looking at and admiring isn't actual garden junk by all means please post some of your creations to better educate us all.

And I'm going to take the liberty of apologizing for you to all those that you inadvertently offended. As I've said I'm a blunt person too and I know how what sounds ok in your head is hurtful to those that hear it sometimes.

So for anyone that was offended or whose feeling may have been hurt by Seamommies comments, I apologize. Please keep posting your awesome creations. Glass totems, bowling balls, plate flowers, etc are garden junk. And I haven't seen a bad one in the bunch!

Well said, lissardly. I don't know why every forum has to get lambasted by the sour apple. Over on the tomato forum, you can't ask a question that isn't answered with, "We've talked about this a hundred times." (Excuuuuuse me) And I never quite understand why people don't simply ignore the stuff they're not interested in or are put off having to respond to.

Anyway, I love this forum. I love the bowling balls and totems and everything else people are working on. And most of all, I love the fact that I can post something here without fear of getting some snarky remark. I dearly hope it stays that way!

(Okay, so I guess I'm kinda blunt too. Sorry, but you're dissing people I like and that ain't cool.)

In my years on this Forum, its been VERY rare to have anyone displeased with anything. This group is more like a big, fun family. Supporters, Enablers, Cheerleaders, and definitely IDEA MAKERS. Which is why this is probably one of the best Forums on Garden Web.

Yes things go in cycles, I remember it with dish flowers, bowling balls, and especially Totems. Most of us love seeing them, as all are so different. I imagine Totems will always remain a "favorite" here.

When I set up our GJ Inspiration albums, it was to insure we had a LOT of different garden junk ideas saved to look at and be inspired by. There's around a 1000 pictures in our albums now. Totems have their own album,
and I separated things as best as I could so those not interested in something, didn't have to wade thru a ton of pictures of it. Hopefully the albums are easy to browse.

I come here every evening and see plenty of different things. Yes, I'd love to see a 'return' of the bed benches and other wood things. And I'm sure I will. But meanwhile, I love looking at it ALL.

But for now, Gang, lets welcome seamommy here and hope she finds things that interest her. She may have ruffled some feathers at first 'read' of her post, but I don't believe for a minute she was trying to offend anyone. Sometimes being blunt backfires, LOL.
The best part of this Forum is that we don't snipe at one another and we have a good time. Lets keep it that way.

hugs, Karen

Oh how I love our forum and the creative ideas... :o) Wanna have fun? Go back over the pages and pages of past posts, and you will be inspired by the variety. Or just check out the Inspiration Album everyone is talking about! The Garden Junk forum is my home away from home. I check on it daily!! :o) You're all like family to me! Bear Hugs! Kirk

Great forum...great friends...great fun! Keep 'em coming, GJers! Lovin' it... my daily fix! Jeanne S.

Sometimes I see things posted here that I wouldn't necessarily want to put in my own yard or that I wouldn't be interested in putting the time into making, but I always so enjoy the excitement and enthusiasm of the person creating it. AND, I so often get inspired by a color combination or an interesting shape in a "not for me project" to do something completely different using the artistic eye of the original creator.

The very best thing about this board is the friendliness and encouragement of everybody! It's like getting together with friends who willingly share their creativity.

Seamommy, I don't think you've given the board enough of a chance. There are so many ideas posted here. Please share your own projects and ideas...especially "new" ideas. We're always open to new inspiration, and I think you'll be surprised at the projects that we all do which are based on YOUR original ideas!

Golly, Here's the REAL JUNK!! Click below for a brief comment from JT's evil twin, TJ:

Linda

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:151313}}

I'm pretty new and mostly a lurker, too - I visit everyday (sometimes more than once a day, can I say that out loud?) I have become a complete glass addict after seeing the beautiful totems, plate flowers, etc., and have sold some too! I have done all kinds of searches through the old posts - the first day I found the forum I went through every post of about 15 pages worth, then my husband made be walk away from the computer, lol.

I have so much inspiration, and now have several projects in the works. I hope to post pictures if (when!) I get them done and put in place - old stepladders, rusty buckets and enamelware, metal toddlers bed, tin chicken feeders and nesting boxes, broken chairs, and so on and so on. My projects won't be ground shakingly new and inventive, but I was inspired by the fabulous work done by so many people here, and I think I will have a yard for my neighbors to talk about :-)!

In conclusion, I LOVE this forum and love to see ideas implemented in everyone's unique way. So keep the ideas coming ladies and gentlemen!

Patty

Welcome back, seamommy!
Seamommy has been here a long time (she
even has a post in our FAQ when Klynnnn
was still here) I guess she just hasn't
posted for awhile. We had a discussion
like this about mosiacs once, and they
mostly went to the glass and mosiac forum.
Things happen in spurts and then we do get
new folks and they start it over again....I too,
would like some different things, along with the
totems, myself. But since I can't post photos
I don't help much. I am here at least twice a
day however.
Newbies, start at the last page when reading the
old posts....The last ones drop off first and you
might miss something!

I visit this forum at least once a day, and have to admit this post surprised me. I agree that totems have been a popular topic lately, but to say that the forum has devolved into a totem discussion group is a bit of a stretch. There are definite trends here - when I first came here everyone was making and showing off their tipsy pots, then plate flowers, now totems. But in between those 'trendy' posts there has always been a lot of unique junk too. Even if you ignored all the totem posts I bet this would still be one of the most active forums!
I love this forum and my garden is a much more interesting place now because of it!

Well, golly. Here's something different, REAL JUNK!!! JT's evil twin, TJ, says it best on the link:

Linda

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:151313}}

"one man's junk is another man's treasure".

Things that are discarded are "junk". I love seeing junk recycled - whether it be a brass chandelier or rusty bed springs. Welcome ( back) seamommy ! I haven't had the pleasure of meeting you yet ... but I'm sure in time you'll be bursting with inspiration ! ( and be sure & post pictures when you make something wonderful!!) TMG

It's no surprise to me that Glass totems and plate flowers are so popular here. Think about it. Have you ever gone to a yard sale or thrift store and NOT seen tons of glass vases and plates for very little money? Totems are the perfect starter project for those new Garden Junkers! Once you've mastered the art of glass stacking and gluing, you're ready to move on to the more complicated projects, or not... sometimes it's hard to make yourself stop!!
Seamommy, I haven't seen a project posted by you in a long time. Why criticize what other's choose to post, if you aren't posting projects yourself? I'm always thrilled to see new, inovative projects, but still love seeing the old "tried and true" stuff. BTW, Lindasewandsew... I love your response! LOL

this post has totally given me an idea.......

now, gotta do some gathering.
and I mean that in a good way.

garden junk prevails~

Uh Oh, that hysterical photo of TJ (one of my absolute favorites) is going to get this thread pulled and deleted by the Admin. Again!!
She was a little too risque when this was put on Conversation side last year.

Anyway, welcome BACK seamommy, I must have joined after you left here. Tho with my stinkin' memory, who knows. LOL.

Patty, admit to visiting this Forum as much as you want.
Many of us check in multiple times daily. Its hard to walk past the computer and NOT check in. LOL.

Nona, while I wish you could post photos so we all could see your wonderful things, don't EVER say you don't help much! You are one of our 'backbones' of this Forum!!
I figure sooner or later, you'll get pictures in a Photobucket album to share with us, till then its great just to chat with you.

hugs, Karen

Just tonight Kirk came up with some very interesting junk from a thrift shop!! Jeanne S. showed her antique mower in a lovely setting, perfect GJ! Someone showed her gardens with a pink & turquoise piece of used machinery-great use of junk! A while back I posted a double size headboard of 2 in. thick wood that was converted with shelves into a very heavy potting bench that will last for many years. Iron or brass headboards have made great dividers for garden areas or even fences. Old windows are GJ made beautiful when flowers are painted on the panes,old mirrors become great accessories in a shady part of garden, birdhouses made from barnwood, cut pieces of trees, moss & other natural or old door hardware pieces shine in the garden with their unique look. Bottle trees can be antique dug up bottles or new ones kept out of landfills. A number of folks are making garden houses or green houses with old windows & doors. Bottle bugs, rain chains, wind chimes & bird feeders abound here. Anyone with better ideas-- we want to see--- bring it on! Jan

it's rather mind boggling as it is..
sometimes I feel like I need a nap, after reading and seeing
all the ideas and pictures.

I've been in and out of bed twice already this morning.

it's a happy arena in this place.

I think seamommy has inadvertently (or perhaps purposely) gotten all our juices flowing ... the first time I read her post, I had the knee jerk reaction of "hey wait, I love the rut, cuz it's a new rut to me! And it's easy, cheap, and comfortable to do" (after you give in and glue the first 2 pieces of glass, lol)

But now as I see additional posts being made, it looks like lots of you are sprouting ideas (or pointing out the sprouts to those of us that are more blind, lol) to help us newbies spread our wings a little more ....

So thanks seamommy, way to go stirring the pot to get the flavors simmering together!

Patty

BTW knowing that it's hard to judge tone from an internet post, I mean this one in the most happy and positive way :-)

Awww, com'on everyone I wasn't trying to criticize, I love totems too. The ones I made actually came out looking kinda crummy, but the ones I've seen here are very nice. I did hope to get the creative juices flowing and it looks like for a few folks I succeeded.

I really suck at complicated stuff like posting pics here or I'd love to share some things I've done recently in my garden. I got two ice-cream parlor chairs off a curb and removed the seats and backs. The opening for the seats was just the right size to drop in a spatterware canning kettle. So I punched several holes in the bottoms of two kettles (thrift store buys) and planted them with pink impatiens. The kettle lids I wired to the backs of the chairs.

Between the chairs is a little metal garden table I got off someones trash & painted moss green. On top of the table is a metal Victorian mini-greenhouse (no glass) that stands about 22" tall. In the winter I use it for a suet feeder for the birds since the openings between the wires are too small for the squirrels to get through.

I have a very old wheelbarrow that I dragged out of a ditch that makes a dandy planter. I confess I spent too much when I bought the antique square wash tub to use as a planter, but I always thought they look really cool, so I bought it. An old iron headboard bolted to the side of the garage makes a good trellis for Climbing America.

I never did anything with a bowling ball cause I couldn't find one when I wanted to. So I went to the thrift stores and bought every plastic kids play ball I could find. Took them home and cut a 6" hole in one side of each one. Then I mixed up cement and filled them up. I left the area flat where the hole was. This is the side that sits on the ground so the ball doesn't roll around. Then I let them dry out for about a month. In order to keep them from being flat on the side that sat on the ground while they dried I had to dig a rounded hole in the ground for them to sit in for that month. After they dried I cut the plastic ball off of them and let them dry for about another month before moving them. It's been enough years now that some of them have started to grow a little green moss on them and they look more like naturally occuring round stone balls.

I found a very old bicycle out behind the barn and parked it in a flower bed where the English ivy started climbing it. It's now covered with ivy and you can't see the bike anymore.

I was driving past an old house on the way to work one day and the old woman who lived there was outside trying to trim the grass around an old 30" iron cauldron by her front door. I stopped and offered to help her with it and she told me that if I really wanted to help her I should take that nasty old cauldron to the dump for her. So being the kind person that I am I took it and dumped it next to my well house where it now holds oxalis.

I found an old rusty kitchen rolling cart in a dumpster and dragged it home one day. After I cleaned it up and painted it cream color, I stenciled a couple of blushing pears on the top shelf. I liked it for a plant shelf, but DH never liked it so I sold it at a garage sale for $40. I know, I'm really bad.

I've made several wind chimes from old glass lamp shades that were made with holes along the bottom of the shade. I bought glass, silver and jade beads, and the wire for the danglies and scrounged miscellaneous silverplated spoons and forks from the thrift stores for the chimes. USe a hammer to flatten the flatware(?) and a 1/16 drill bit to make a hole in the handle. Use stainless wire so it doesn't corrode outdoors.

Use wall mounted light fixtures for bird feeders. Take out the bulbs and glue old sugars/cramers to the bulb socket. The fixtures already have a handy plate for hanging, so you can just stick a nail in a tree or fencepost.

If you have a chain link fence you have the perfect place for using shovel heads for bird feeders. Stick the handle end of the head into the holes in the fence and voila. The weight of the shovel head braces against the fence and it doesn't fall out. Use old fiberglass shovel handles to hold birdbaths and bird feeders made of old plastic bowls or plates. Fiberglass doesn't disentigrate in the soil the way wood does so they last a long time.

I found brick pavers at Habitat for Humanity and used them to put a floor in my greenhouse. I found a nice wood window on a curb and installed it in the east side of my potting shed. My mom was throwing out some old barstools and I got one of them to use to sit on in the potting shed. One of her neighbors threw out an old cedar porch post and I took it home and painted it white and set the end in concrete. I planted Climbing Dortmund next to it and topped it with a pineapple finial that I bought at the Lowes. Yes, I bought it, but it was on sale.

Old sugar bowls make good little bird feeders by attaching wire to the handles and hanging them in a tree. Old tea kettles look cute as planters if you poke a few holes in the bottom and hang them from a tree. You have to feed them though cause the kettle doesn't hold much soil, but they are nice with somthing like creeping pflox that will dribble out the spout and out the top of the kettle too.

I also love castles and built several of them using 6" PVC pipe sections cut to different lengths. I used hot glue to attach pebbles to the walls of the pipe. Then slathered on the concrete to fill in the spaces between the pebbles. I used plastic funnels for the circular roof and found sheet copper for the pointed roof caps. I used a plastic toy ice cream cone as a mold for the copper caps to give them texture. I wrapped the copper around the cone and rubbed it with a stylus until it took on the texture of the plastic cone. I also bought shingles for the roof from the hobby store and attached them with hot glue. I painted the shingles with acrylic paint to make them look aged and mossy, and laid down three coats of sealant to make the whole thing waterproof. I also filled the PVC tubes with expanding foam to they don't become homes to mice or fire ants. A couple of the castles have stained glass windows made from small wood scraps and bits of colored glass. I had to buy a box of stained glass shards from the hobby store and it cost me about $6, but I have enough glass to make about 400 tiny little castle windows.

I created a special place for the castles in my front garden, an escarpment with a path around it. The stones I used to build the rocky escarpment came from my mom's yard. She recently moved to a retirement home. These basalt volcanic stones are ones that I and my siblings hauled out of the woods in 1961 when we first moved to Texas. We'd go for a walk and when Mom saw a rock she liked she'd make us pick it up and carry it back to the house. I don't know how we did it, some of these stones weigh about 30 lbs. But every one of them is a treasure memory and I'm not leaving any of them at the old home place.

On the far side of the path from the castle hill is a stone bridge leading to a neighboring castle. The path is sunk about 6" from the land on either side of it and there are little ladders for the castle inhabitants to use when travelling from one castle to the other. They also have their own paths and some of their own stuff that they usually leave laying around, because they're kinda messy little folks. I haven't actually seen any of them yet.

I'm tired. Ya'll keep inspring me. I haven't posted in a long time, but I read the posts here all the time. Don't be mad at me and I'm sorry if anyone got their feelings hurt, I didn't mean to do that.

Happy gardening! Cheryl

"BUT IT'S IN A RUT!!!!! Some of the forums have only had three posts in the past two years. I don't know why they still exist. This one on the other hand is humming along with a bazillion different versions of the same old story. Really! How many different ways can Goldilocks visit the three bears anyway?"

"I'm tired. Ya'll keep inspring me. I haven't posted in a long time, but I read the posts here all the time. Don't be mad at me and I'm sorry if anyone got their feelings hurt, I didn't mean to do that."

You were just kidding, right? FYI...and you didn't help me get creative juices flowing but I'm happy that I "keep inspring!" Jeanne S.

I like coming to this forum because of how busy it is and, honestly, I feel very comfortable here. It seems like everyone really enjoys each other and I think, that even though it might the 100th totem a person has made, they really feel proud and want to show it off to "friends". I know that when I post here I am so excited to hear people tell me what a great inspiration it is. I am new to gardening and therefore new to this forum, and so I understand that even though it is the 1000th totem you have seen, it is only my 3rd.

So lets give Seamommy a friendly challenge. Why doesn't everyone post their most creative garden junk item in their garden and we can vote on whose is the best. Or maybe we could start right now, this second, and everyone start a hunt at their local thrift store, garage sale, curbside garbage pile and create something with it. Give everyone a week, a month or whatever to try to complete...have a deadline to post and we can vote. It would be a lot of fun and maybe that would get people excited and interested again? YES?

Seamommy, PLEASE figure out how to post pics! I want to see everything you just described!!

YES Seamommy, after reading about all your finds and designs, I'm practically drooling over seeing photos. (of course I'm pretty much photo-obsessed, LOL.) But gosh, it sounds like you've got sooooooo much neat stuff.
Photobucket really isn't hard to set up an album in, and then all you'd have to do is send us the link to it. I sure hope you can find a way to let us see your goodies.
I read your post TWICE, and will more. (by the way, your descriptions were great and fun to read)
But I want to really see! LOL.

SLR8, you kind of jogged my pathetic memory...others can fill in the blank I'm sure. When I first joined, there was some kind of deal Project of the Month? POTM? It looked like such a fun idea. Who remembers this, and can explain how it worked? I think ONE person would pick a project, then others would do it too?

hugs, Karen

whoa nellie.....

backup~

one time, a number of years ago, there was one regular who upended the apple cart, with this kind of comment.
it went on for quite a while, with many replies, the same as this one is getting.
it built to a cresendo and she left, with hurt feelings and others who remained, also had hurt feelings about it.

I'm an extremely non-confrontational person and I ordinarily would steer clear of this type of garbage but
we've all read comments thus far.
many have offered for some threads to be passed over, if that's not the topic of interest.
that's about the best advice given..hands down.

it was going at a great clip, with a hiccup and I'd like it to resume to that fast paced clip, with pictures posted, cuz it's what someone thought of to do and to finish and to share.

I don't want or need a challenge and for sure not a time frame or deadline and for double sure, not to be voted on.
I have enough of a complex to even get something started, or worked on, much less posted and gawd forbid, to have it voted on or judged!

I do take offense to the last sentence...

" It would be a lot of fun and maybe that would get people excited and interested again? YES?"

again???
I never even came close to losing the interest or excitement.
I never knew what hit, until it became a 'defensive play'.
and now, here I am, not wanting this to continue any further.

for those of you who may want to say more, go ahead.
I've made my last comment on this and for what it's worth, I never even made one dammed totem or one bowling ball.
and this won't ever stop me, if I should choose to make one.

do with it as you wish. :(

seamommy....yay! LoL I'm thinking that you accomplished what your original post was intended for and that was to get people up and thinking again. seamommy is NOT a newbie. I am not a newbie...just have not posted here in a long while because I no longer have a garden or the space to create.
Hopefully, this thread has not discouraged, but ENCOURAGED people to see things in a new light, which is what this forum is all about, isn't it? To take something that someone else thought useless and make something whimsical and fun and dare I say it...useful...out of it. I loved this forum when I was very active in it, and I still come back and lurk occasionally and I still love it.

I for one think it's time for ALL of us to move on....

Purplemoon, there was a "project of the month" idea that we used a year or so ago. Lots of times it had a theme...like fourth of July or fall or Easter, etc. They were fun and I loved seeing what everyone made for the project.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's new creations....no matter what they are!

Yeah, I by no means meant that people weren't excited about the forum. I only meant that I had thought having a little contest would be fun and chose, I suppose, a bad moment to express my thoughts about making a fun game. It seemed to me that people love showing off their goodies and creations. I thought it would be neat that one day, everyone would post what they had been working on in secret over a week or two. I didn't mean that people were so bored with the forum that we had to do something. I am a newbie for sure, and just thought it was something this forum may not have tried, and I just thought it was a nice idea. A contest...judging, not judgment. I didn't think that anyone would take offense to having a friendly contest. Sorry if I did offend anyone. Wasn't my intention.

slr8, not to worry. All ideas are welcome...or should be. If anybody else is interested in your suggestion, go for it.

YES! Purplemoon, we did have a few projects of the month.I remember, because that was when Spike was still here. I could post photos then and posted the one of my tincan wind chimes for the 'anything made from a tin can'. See them on my website. For some reason things changed and I could never post photos again. My DD tried also and could not make things work. We both had posted photos here. I emailed Spike and he answered that he had not changed anything. Still can't post photos....

Just recently I saw a post that had all the websites (and blogs?) for the members. I haven't nearly looked at all of them, but lots of inspiration there. I guess it needs to be bumped up.
My website is.....
http://members.cox.net/nonacook

I remember back when we did the POTM. I remember that some of the posters were 'sent to Disneyland' as they called it then - exiled. They called it that because when the exilee tried to log into this site, they were rerouted to the Disney website. I believe they were banned for including links to other websites - conflict of advertising interests, or some such thing - Some very talented junkers. I followed the exilees to their site, and spent some time there, for a while. (just a bit of garden junk history).

The hard thing about choosing a winner is that they are all winners. I can see having a theme project so that we can 'ooo' and ahhh' and maybe learn a new technique. But I think competition runs counter to the support and encouragement and sharing of ideas that makes this site great. Just my humble opinion. Love you guys and gals,
-Sprout

OMG I am really torn here. I understand exactly what Cheryl seamommy said and realize she wasn't criticizing the threads or the folk here at GWGJ only wanting more posts about Garden Junk that pertains to the find and re-purpose items from junk to garden treasures. I don't post much but I read all the time and I see her point about glass totems dominating the threads. Those are a great winter project to work on while many are snowbound and the gardens are dormant. Such with BBs and bottle bugs and those things we can do from a small area in the home.
I've seen the albums. I know now that spring and summer are here we will be seeing again the "Real Junk" that Cheryl Seamommy is talking about. I remember the POTMs from when I just lurked behind CT and loved so many of the ideas and the fabulous interpretations of the Month's meaning. CT went bed bench crazy and made many of them. She gave them away as gifts and sold them as well but after her 30th bench I was ready to move on. LOL her old propane tank to table fire pits were exquisite but after many of those time to move on. We find something we like and work it to perfection and them get inspired to do something else. I think at one point I made so many concrete mosaic stepping stones the DH was going to get me medicated. LOL The projects will change again and someone will find a new "thing" for everyone to get excited about.
I have and been accepted into a group of guys and gals who offer advice and encouragement for anyone in need. I always felt welcomed here, even with my infrequent posts.
Now I see something that is so very unlike what I have known and come to expect from the great folk at GWGJ.
I truly feel the photo of the doll with lips on the arse was quite rude and classless as a response. It was kind of shocking to me to see something like that from a member of this forum directed to another member only asking a question.

Cheryl I feel like I should apologize to you for the rudeness of some of the posts. When you have the capability to post pics I'm sure you will. I feel deprived I don't have the ability to get great pics and post them yet. I couldn't afford a camera until recently. I just got a camera. I still have to learn to use. Time constraints make my days so full I may be a while in the learning process. I don't get to spend all day at the computer, between the job, the volunteer work, household, and yard and garden work I am a busy woman. I really hope not posting photos isn't keeping anyone from being part of the GWGJ.
Just give it a little time and I'm sure you'll see different projects, some new and some come around again. LOL

LIL

In my humble opinion, nobody needs to apologize to anyone here. Trust me. I've seen some nasty, mean spirited threads on some of the other forums on Garden Web, as well as other places. This is NOT one of them. Points have been made, opinions have been expressed and ideas have been presented, all in the fairly good hearted, easy going way we've all come to expect in Garden Junk. Junk on, People!

I would suggest that, rather than complaining about what the people here are doing, you start creating something new and post pictures. I come to this post to see what others are doing and for the comraderie that goes on here. I don't come here for the criticism of someone I have never seen a post from in the past. There is absolutely no need to show up and start complaining about what others are doing. Yes I agree that there are lots of bowling balls and totems from time to time, but there is never a lack of new ideas either. Show us your ideas and start a new trend!

Micki

Can't we just let it go ? I clicked on this post to see why it was continuing .... and I found it's just beating a dead horse. WHY ??? To sum it up .... the origianl poster was just asking a question . It didn't deserve a rude reply . Then - the original poster came back and explained that it wasn't meant as rude ... and signed her real name.
This is not a troll meaning to stir up trouble - it's one of us asking a point blank question. Seamommy is a junker - like us ! Sometimes the tone of a post can't come through the written word ... let's let it be. Seamommy - Cheryl - gave us food for thought. I think we are all friends & adult enough to accept constructive critisism.

Friends - Carry on .

Cheryl - welcome back - and carry on .

Let this dead horse die.

Where can I find the inspiration album mentioned here?

Thanks,
Darlene

Here you go, Darlene! Purplemoon has worked hard to keep this updated and organized. What a TREASURE!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Inspiration Album

I'm glad I looked at that inspiration album. I was fixing to get rid of my bathtub that has been sitting for years until I saw the water feature that was surrounded by what looked like log cabin material. I just picked up a new old pump and want to use it also. Sure there are things here that some of us aren't interested in, but for the most part, if this forum disappeared, I would be very sad. There are no other forums like this for folks like us. I haven't added to any of the great things here in quite a while. Mainly because last year we were mostly broke as hubby was out of work for about 14 months. Even though it's junk, you still need added items to make it work.
Thanks for the hundreds of ideas I've gotten here.

Lindasewandsew I am totally not offended at seeing the back side of a teddy bear butt. In fact I laughed so hard I will have circulating endorphins for the next 12 hours. Thank you. And if I ever do anything that warrants a flash from TJ, I encourage her to JUST MOON AWAY. My life would be way too uptight if I were offended by a stuffed animal. Artists are creative people. You have found a fun loving alter ego to sweet little JT and it is purely innocent fun........I'm still laughing.

I lurk here, but here are my ideas based on a list I saw at the beginning. I didn't have time to read all the posts!

old lamp base- Attach plate or plater with epoxy for a bird feeder or pedestal
old bed frame- Make a flower bed or use it out of porch for an outdoor bed.
old trellis- I attach these to fences and place them all over my yard.
old wagons- Perfect for planting sedums or just as decorations
chairs in the garage-use to put pots on throughout the garden or take two similar ones and attach boards to the seats to make a bench. Use as a shelf by hanging on the wall or fence.
old bike- Great decoration for the yard! I love seing these
old crib- I take them apart and make trellis' out of them or use the sides as supports for my green beans etc. Currently one side of a crib is the gate for my chicken coop
rusty rake ends, with no handle- Hang on fence or wall to hold tools etc.