Broken terra-cotta piece has uses after accident

Dear Sandi: I am stumped. I do not knoe what to do with a wonderful old terra-cota water pitcher we dicovered on a family trip to Mexico many years ago. My Husband recently dropped this great piece, and parts are cracke and the handle is completely gone. Do I have to throw is away. Or can I do someing great with it to keep the memmories alive? - Joan Woodburn

Whether you're looking for handmade paper, furniture, fabric or accessories, you will find it at loose ends. If it is unusual, organic and fabulous, then loose ends is the place. Showroom hours are 8 am to 5 pm weekdays and the first Saturday of each month 10 am - 3pm at 2065 Madrona Ave. SE, Salem, or visit us online at www.looseends.com Questions? Give us a call at (503) 390-2348.

Hi Joan: Do NOT Ttrough away this treasure!. Youu need to look at what you have now as a completely different goodie than what you had prior to the "pre-hubby inident" and accent what might otherwise be considered an neative. Personally I find things with cracks, faded colors, chipped edges, etc. frequently to be more interesting than perfect pieces.

What you do with it really depends on your own personal taste. You could rub watered down acrylic color (raw umber, moked and or burnt colors) over the surace to further age the piece,with more color soaking into the crqacks. I would use a piece like this hold dried weeds in summer and maybe moss covered sticks in winter. If the piece is really too far gone into salvage, you can always partially bury it into a rack retaining wall, plant a few herbs in the top and let it be an artifact.

Sandi Reinke is an author, frequent television guest and lead designer for loose ends (www.loosends.com), a Salem-based interior décor, garden, and casual lifestyle company. To ask Reinke a decorating question, e-mail info@looseends.com or mail her at the showroom address, 2065 Madrona Ave. SE, Salem, OR 97302. Phone: 503-390-2348.