Re using whatever you have lying around

When you have a little job to do around the house or garden, I like the idea of recycling materials that you might have lying around in the shed or garage, instead of going out and buying new. It's easy to jump in the car and dash off to B & Q for your screws and timber, or whatever you need, it's far more satisfying if you can rummage amongst the stuff you have scavenged from skips, or what people have given you.

When the job is completed and it has cost you very little, it makes you feel good. Like the raised beds and greenhouse I made out of pallets and scavenged timber. The materials are all out there if you look for them.

My temporary cat shelter has mesh up at the door. I have used four wire shelves from a mini greenhouse which are the exact width to fit across the frame. The rest of the mini greenhouse is stood against the side of the garage awaiting it's covering of shrink wrap, it is ideal for growing tomatoes in so the shelves are not needed for that.

With some hooks screwed into the frame, the shelves hang perfectly on it, and can be secured together with clips I already had from when I had a market stall.

To get in and out is easy, unclip the two middle panels, lift them off the hooks, and climb in.

With these kittens being so small I thought they might be able to get out between the bars so I put a piece of hardboard across the bottom.

Mum cat has started to become curious as to what is going on in the outside world, and climbs up the wire to look over the top of the board. I felt a bit sorry for them, that they couldn't see anything and they might think they are in a prison. So I thought, I need a piece of glass instead of the board.

I have a collection of glass in various sizes, picked up whenever I saw them lying around. They come in usefull for protecting seedlings. I suddenly remembered I had taken apart an old stereo system which someone gave me, which was in a glass fronted cabinet, and I kept the glass. It was in the pile behind the greenhouse, so I fished it out and cleaned it up. A perfect fit.

Now the pussies can see what is going on outside their door, should make life more interesting for them. You can see the reflection of the camera looking in.