I remembered that wine barrel band twirly thingy! I think she found it at a magazine's website. I don't know if they posted the directions on how to make it or not. I always love all of cindee's stuff. Kat_wa, I hope you try out your fun idea and post pictures! I don't know if living in beer country (Milwaukee, WI) is the difference but I don't recall every seeing just the wine/whiskey barrel bands. I've seen the barrels but not just the bands themselves. I can't wait to see what other ideas peoople come up with!

The last one we have has a daphne in it - we got that daphne 23 years ago when we got married - all of the sources I looked at said that daphnes were very short lived - Ha! (tricked by paying attention to generic sources AGAIN!) The daphne has gotten big, and is going strong. This winter the barrel finally collapsed on one side, the plant sank over sideways a bit, but is still going strong months later - I think it must have rooted into the ground a long time ago. It is sort of hidden behind a Duchesse de Brabant, and so I just avert my eyes when I go by it, although I do look at the foliage to make sure it is still doing OK. Sometimes I just like to wait and see what happens - I am not a neat & tidy gardener at all. That's why I like old roses! Jackie

I drilled about 5 or 6 holes in mine. Then I put metal fabric screen over them to keep out voles,if any are around. I use ordinary bagged potting soil,either Miracle Grow,or other types. I added some fine pine bark mulch,and mulched the top when plants are in there. The only problem I have ever had is the occasional squirrel digging in the pot looking for whatever? We don't get freeze/thaw like they get up north,and you should certainly be fine there in Cal. Phil

I think they would make good wreaths. Take about 3 of the bushy garland. wrap 2 around. Then add the little lights and add the last garland. Then add bow and trim. According to size, you could use them for frames to hang on wall and hang a small picture frame inside them. Maybe it could be used as a frame for bulletin board. Outside paint them and hang them up in the tall trees, maybe hanging something inside.