In addition to the many uses listed above, I have a few more, some of them related to the animal adjuncts to gardening: Put a hot water bottle in the bottom of the bucket and cover it with a towel. You now have an emergency carrier for newborn lambs, kids, kittens, puppies, and all other small creatures. Cover them with another towel or blanket and they'll stay cozy while you work. Having them in the bucket means you have your hands free to hold flashlights and open gates. Extra handling is eliminated and there isn't such a large risk of dropping the youngster(s) as there would be if you carried them in your arms. Put an inch of sand in the bottom. Set up a heat lamp and you have a nursery for chicks, ducklings, rabbits. Punch holes in a lid for a cover that eliminates escapes. You can keep the babies in the bathroom where it's warm without finding strays in the kitchen in the morning. Put an inch of sand in the bottom and add a couple of inches of water and you have a swimming pool for ducklings. I am NOT cleaning the duck poo out of the bathtub again. Fill with sand/rocks/water and put on lids to make stands and playground equipment for the goats. Use as a container for aquatic plants you're putting in a pond. The bale makes for easier lifting. Cut out the bottom and make a 'basket' for nerf basketball. Set upright and filled with rocks, dirt and straw and partially sunk, they make nesting boxes for ducks. Nailed horizontally and filled with straw, they make nesting boxes for chickens. Fill with sand and put in the back of a vehicle to give it additional weight or use the sand to give traction on ice or snow. Make manure tea. A lid is a wonderful thing. Set a flower pot inside and the bucket will help stabilize it while you're driving to deliver a plant to a friend. And even if the plant does turn over, the dirt and water won't go into the carpet. Punch holes in the lid of a bucket and use it as a car carrier for rabbits, puppies, and any other small creature you don't have a regular transport crate for. Ray

That's a great collection of buckets you got going on there,they look really good on the ladder. I think it looks good unpainted,but if you want to paint it,that will look good,too:) I found one of those wooden step ladders and bought the Kilz spray paint that comes in so many different colors,painted it aqua. I only used one coat,it soaked into the wood,and I left it like that. It looked like nice old worn paint :) I'm using mine as a place to set a drink, next to the white wicker chairs,but as soon as I find another one like it,I'm painting it aqua,too,and making a bench/table that will go behind the wicker settee.

Okay, new idea hit me today when I saw one of my popcorn cans that I store stuff in in my craft room..I am going to drill a small hole in the top, fill it with sand, cover the outside in vinyl maybe so it holds up outside, or paint it........just thought of the idea, but love recycling and I have about 6 of those xmas popcorn tins in the attic to store different ornies for year round xmas tree... I am working on a baby shower right now, but when I get time to do the ashcan, I will try to post pics Thanks for all of your help and I hope this idea helps others too! http://debfrompa.proboards.com/index.cgi?/

Well, I did try a couple! I wanted them lightweight, so I cut pieces of styrofoam(from a pkg), into circles, covered them in muslin circle, hot glued edges together, then took strips of checkered homespun(red) and brought it around in 2 directions to make the stripe..turned out good...did it before i went to work yesterday, so not done yet.....didnt get it tea stained yet.....will try to post pics if and when i get them completed thanks for your help