Since I am probably the last person on the planet that doesn't own a digital camera (didn't even have a cell phone until a few months ago!), I don't have any pictures to share. But I do have some suggestions :-)

For inexpensive pot coverings for houseplants, try baskets. Of course the plant remains in its original pot, either plastic or clay, and you just slip it into an appropriately sized basket. These can be found anywhere - groceries, nurseries, florists and florist suppliers, discounters, import shops, junk and second hand stores, garage sales, etc. Many already come with plastic liners to protect the basket and any surfaces. Just slip the plant out to water, let it drain, and slip it back in. (Tip: often these are sold as waste baskets, etc. but they work swell for larger plants also.)

All of my houseplants are in decorative pots. A few are planted directly but most are still in their nursery pot and just disguised with a decorative cachepot. And I've found these at all sorts of places as well. I collect blue and white china, so many are in these colorings. Pier One is a great source but I look for attractive containers anywhere.....nurseries, gift stores, antique or secondhand stores, garage sales (wonderful source for all sorts of plant stuff). I look for them when I travel or go on vacation - you should see what I haul home from Mexico! And some have been received as gifts - just recently received a gorgeous blue and white Talavera cachepot from a design client as a thank you 'tip':-) My brand new Meyer lemon is residing in it as we speak.

Garage sales and flea markets are excellent sources for these types of items. And it doesn't necessarily have to have been originally intended as a plant pot - anything you can slip a potted container into easily and that you find appealing or attractive will work. Old china, tin boxes, metalware......you get the idea!

I cannot add much to what gardengal has said. I am a pot collector. Just like gardengal has done I have left cloths behind to pack the terracotta pots below from Mexico. I pick up pots at thrift stores, garage sales and my local nursery sells a lot of imported pots. They are extremely pricey there but if I watch they run a good 50% off sale and I clean up then.

I wanted some flash plant holders one year for Christmas plants and I brought square refrigerator storage containers and gorilla glued them with old CDs that I had cut into triangles. It made nice sparkle pots to hold my holiday plants.
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I have a love of bowls... glazed, colorful and odd shapes. When I have my plants either indoors or out I can water them and if you put some broken pots or rocks or pebbles in the bottom of the bowl the plants will drain good and you can either pour off the excesss or leave enough in to keep a little humidity. Tea cups and saucers are a fun way to display African Violets and other small plantings. Just another idea.... good luck and have fun!

Thankyou everyone!

I gave in last weekend and went looking for yardsales..LOL
I found quite a nice pot there..lol

I am on a quest to find more now, thanks to you all..:-)

I'm a sucker for unique planters, as long as they have drainage holes. I find pots at flea markets, garage sales, second hand stores, etc... and as long as it will be healthy for my plants, it comes home with me!

Unglazed clay is my preference, but I also collect the blue and white Dutch bulb planters, bulb glasses, and unique ceramic planters.

I despise plastic pots, but will use them if I have to. Unglazed clay is not that expensive, though... unless we're talking about the decorator types.

Wicker baskets make nice cache pots for more utilitarian ones. Painting or other techniques, such as grouting tile or mirror pieces, can hide unsightly pots.

I'm really more interested in the health of my plants than in how well the pots match my decor... my apartment is decorated in early unglazed clay!

Yard sales and thrift stores are great places to look for items that you can use as planters. Every once in a while you'll find a gem.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kim's Flower and Vegetable Garden

Kim,Your gardens and veggies are WONDERFUL.Looks like all your hard work pays off.TFS
Kathi

Jodik and kr222,
Thanks for the ideas and the link! I have found a couple doing just so..

I wish I knew someone that sold Mexican terracota pottery..All different shapes and designs...

Mike..:-)

I have a very old Mexican terra cotta bowl planter that has a very beautiful paint job in the final stages of aging and peeling... it's one of my favorite pots. I love the aged look it has.

I'm not sure where you could find good Mexican pottery for a reasonable price... most everything these days is so expensive. Keep your eyes open, though... I find sweet deals all the time at flea markets and garage sales... and secondhand stores are a great place to find old clay pots and pottery that still have life left in them!

One trick I sometimes use, so I don't harm the integrity of my clay pots, is to paint the rim only. I use craft paint and stencils, and I paint a little decoration on the rims of a few pots... making them all match. And it doesn't hurt the benefits of the pots' porosity, which I want to keep.

When my son got his first place, I made him a little set of 3" clay pots with cacti in them... I pained the rims white, and I used black and gold paint pens to write little sayings on them... like "reach for the stars", "dream big"... little inspirational sayings. I painted the edges of the saucers to match. He still has them. Just another little idea...

Great idea actually!!!!!

I would probably buy some new clay ones, since I refuse to grow mine in plastic, or any other things that doesn't allow the roots to my plants to breathe through the pot from their perspective..
Then I could paint the rims black, brown, or other colors that match the walls, area rug, and furniture..
Nice..
I am having a hard time finding anything these days.

Jodik, what kind of paint do I use and where to buy?

This is a project for me this weekend.

If you ever want to post a pic of a couple of pots like this, do so, I would love to see them..:-)

I just use regular craft paint in the little bottles, available at Michael's or Hobby Lobby... but most large stores carry that stuff in their tiny craft sections.

I'm sure if you look, there is a specific type of paint that is made for painting on porous surfaces that might be moist at times... I'm not incredibly interested in how long the paint lasts on the pots, so it doesn't matter to me. I'm sure you could find sealer, as well.

Michael's and Hobby Lobby both carry a nice selection of stencils, too. I've used pieces of a sponge to dab the paint on, using a stencil. The English Ivy pattern is one of my favorites, as are other types of vines or country type motifs.

I don't have a photo of the pot set I did... I never thought to take one. Most of the pots I have currently are either plain, or they're so ratty looking, a picture wouldn't be worth taking! But I'm sure you get the ideas...

You could also use a clear/transparent bathroom silicone and glue little pieces of tiles or mirror around the rim... or colored glass pieces, or whatever... a mosaic!

Take a look around your local craft store... you just never know what sort of ideas might be waiting! Think "pot rim"... and let your imagination go wild!