Cookie Cutter House: Mini Garden

It occurred to me as I was flipping my calendar recently that my beautiful kindergarten daughter will be coming home all day, every day in about 6 weeks.

*Gulp*

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE this child but I just don't always know what to do to keep her busy.

So I've been acting like a penny-crazed woman from the depression era, collecting random recyclables and craft-appropriate containers. I've been signing out all manner of library books and collecting information about how to make this and that from such and such.

I'm gonna be ready to have some crafty fun with her.

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For starters, I'm on a "reuse" kick. If something has some life left in it, but not in the way I expected, I set it aside and save it for a rainy day.

Today's "reuse item" is DOLL HOUSE FURNITURE.

We're gonna make a mini garden.

First, we get ourselves a nice clay pot, some soil and some unsuspecting herbs.

(Herbs are great because they don't expect to grow large.)

If your pot has a hole at the bottom, cork it with an appropriately sized rock to let water flow but to keep soil from escaping.

Little hands love to help put the soil in the pot.

Gently release the herbs from their container...

... and introduce them to their new home.

Pot, meet herbs. Herbs, meet pot.

Now if you have some old dollhouse furniture that was bound for glory, you're gonna want them to make their entrance now. This little wire bistro seat is killing me with how adorable it is.

"I don't have doll house furniture. I have BOYS," you say.

Very well then, bring out your Legos and little army men.

What's that kid doing to the setup? I can't see a thing.

Is that a dog? A hound dog?

It certainly is. A very-glad-to-be-outside hound dog.

Now you may or may not believe this, but I saw similar miniature gardens (okay, without the dog) for a hundred bucks at a garden store. Reusing these quirky toys makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over.