Metals & Nature

A short hop over to Plant City for a fun afternoon out of the house. All the handcrafted items by artist Diego Smude are displayed in situ on this two acre site, so you can find inspiration as to how to add some charm to your garden or patio. The nature is not all rooted in the ground though, as you may cross paths with a wandering peacock, visit the pig, or chat with the (caged) chickens and parrots. (Or in my case get a giant grasshopper tangled in your hair, evidently as payback for an indelicate photo I had taken earlier. See below.)

Don’t be intimidated by price! There is something for absolutely everyone and you’ll be surprised at just how affordable most things are. The larger custom iron work pieces are a bit pricey but much of the wall art and ceramics are in the $15-$40 range, you can pick up a succulent in an artsy pot for $10 and they even have a large section of random mix and match left over wrought iron decorative pieces arranged in bins for as low as >$1-$10. I say absolutely everyone because when I stopped by they even had some old used pots for planting they were giving away for free.

For more information or pricing for custom work, go to www.metalsandnature.com or contact Diego anytime at 813-453-3214 or by email at [email protected]