Thinking Outside the Pot

I happened upon a cute little store the other day called the Weed Lady. Her store was like a breath of fresh air in the dull and dreary gray months of winter. The shop has a great collection of shabby chic decor, nature and whimsical woodland and garden themes, antiques, candles, handmade items and all sorts of fun things to see. But it wasn't until I went out to the nursery, a modest looking green house from the outside, with large pots scattered in front of the opening, but once inside I felt as though I had stepped into a magical garden.
Succulents!

Succulents everywhere! Every surface, the floor, the ceiling, some in shades of green and blue, purple, plum, burgundy, pink, orange and red. Some smooth and shiny, some prickled, some that looked like they were dusted with a perfect coating of powder. Some were leathery and portly, others, tall and slender, some trailed to the floor out of hand thrown pots, some bellowed out and went to the ceiling. They looked like little forest creatures, each one with their own personality.
What's really great about this nursery is that she sells a great assortment of small inexpensive specimens, but you can browse around and see what these beautiful plants will look like in a couple of years. I had to bring some home and try my best at growing a bit of this wonderland.
I chose 5 different species. But didn't want to just throw them in a pot, they needed something more cozy, more nestling. My mom has this old wooden coke crate, that my dad bought her at an antique store. He was supposed to make it into a doll wagon, but never had the chance. So I adopted it for my plants. I lined the inside with an in expensive, disposable catering tray from the dollar store. Filled the container with some succulent loving soil (a light weight mix with lots of peat), planted the little gems, and to give it an extra woodsy feel, I tucked in a layer of moss around each plant.