Category: DIY


Jun
2021

Tomato Cage Projects

categories: DIY, Summer

Yes, you read the title correctly!

Crazy, but I used old tomato cages to make some outdoor projects.

So simple!

If you do not have lots of money, like me, or do not want to spend too much money on your porch, patio, or yard area, these projects are for you!

After I cleaned the old cages, I spray painted all white.

This first one is amazing, just place the tomato cage in the ground and add a large plastic bowl to the top ring for a birdbath.

I used a beautiful floral bowl I purchased at Dollar General last year for $3.00.

It’s wonderful, isn’t it?

For the next two projects I used wire cutters to remove the straight wires, the wires that go into the ground and turned the cage upside down. The larger ring on the bottom.

On this one, I added a large wood piece, purchased at Home Depot, painted it, and attached to the wire base for a simple patio table.

It fits great between two chairs.

Not so overwhelming as other tables.

This last project, so simple, just place a plant in the top ring for a plant stand.

Planning to put one on my small front porch to hold a basket of colorful flowers.

I know there are different cages, some a heavier gauge than others, but for these projects I just used $1.97 cages I purchased at Walmart last year.

I also saw some cages that are already painted bright summer colors.

Have fun with these projects, get your outside areas ready for the summer ahead.

Till next time, blessings.


Jun
2021

Old Table Leg Planter

categories: DIY, Summer

It seems like most of my recent posts are about summer, a birdbath, a birdhouse, and a bird feeder.

But of course, summer is just beginning, and being outside is here!

Today I want to share one of my favorite projects, a planter made from an old table leg, a scrap piece of wood, and an old wood box.

After painting all the pieces, I used wood glue and wood screws to attach the 4 x 4 wood piece to the leg.

As I do so many times, I added a decorative knob to the box to give the planter a finished look.

When completely dry and set, I used screws to attach the box to the leg and wood piece.

I dug an 8 inch deep hole next to my back porch, and back filled the dirt around the leg and tamped it down.

Decided on red geraniums and vinca vines to fill my planter.

It is beautiful!

So unique!

Of course, I love it!

So hard to believe that this is what has come out of an old table leg, a scrap piece of wood, and a wood box.

Hope you all are getting ready, finishing outdoor projects, planting flowers in pots for your porch or patio, so that you can sit and enjoy summer and being outside

Hugs, until next time.


May
2021

DIY Kitchen Utensil Holder

categories: DIY

Last Thursday was a cold, rainy, and very windy day.

A miserable day in Ohio.

I could not work in my yard, and it was just too dark in the house to clean.

Nothing else to do but to turn a large flower pot into a kitchen utensil holder.

I bought this terracotta flower pot at TJ Maxx’s for $6.99, loved the details.

Kinda reminds me of dandelion puff balls.

A flower pot wasn’t something I needed, but how wonderful it could be in my kitchen to hold all the large kitchen utensils I have.

I painted it with two coats of white chalk paint, inside and out.

When it was completely dry I sprayed with a matte sealer.

That was all I had to do to turn it into this wonderful utensil holder.

There are lots of holders out there but they never seem to be large enough.

Lots of room in this pot, and an eye catcher in my kitchen.

Just a perfect rainy, windy, cold day project.

Love it, and I love all you folks who take the time to read my blog.

Hugs.


Apr
2021

For The Birds

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Living with MS, Spring

This post is not only for the birds, but also for my husband.

As I have written before, he suffers from Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

He has deteriorated this past year.

Walking is impossible without some assistance from a walking stick, and now a rolling walker.

He never complains, but his activities are very limited.

Now that the weather has improved, our back porch is his sanctuary.

He reads, listens to music, puts his feet up for many afternoon naps, and loves to watch the birds in our backyard.

His binoculars are always around his neck when he steps onto the porch.

We have a birdbath, which draws many birds, so I thought I would add a bird feeder to hopefully welcome more to our yard for Jim to watch and enjoy.

I gathered some items that I had, a wood piece, an old tin pie pan, and a wood candle holder.

Cleaned and spray painted all with black paint.

Used screws to assemble, added a hook to the top of the wood piece, and jute to hang on a branch in our large backyard Maple tree.

I added seed, and the birds are gathering.

Pleased with it, especially that I just used items in my junk stash.

I found this $2.00 unfinished wood bird house at the thrift store.

It was in good condition except for a bad spot on the front.

Cleaned, sanded, and painted the house.

To cover up the bad spot I added a decorative knob.

You all know I love to use vintage looking knobs and handles to add a final touch to many of my projects.

Just a beautiful way to finish and complete an item.

Hobby Lobby has a very large selection, 50% off every other week.

I hope to find a special place nestled in a tree that some special little birds might love.

Hope to see some sweet little birds hop on the knob and into their new home.

Two simple, inexpensive projects, completed in just a day, that will hopefully give some joy to my husband, and our backyard birds he loves to watch.

Hope you all are enjoying the beautiful days of spring.


Apr
2021

Broken Pot Wind Chime

categories: DIY, Spring

On my last post I showed some thrift store items that I was able to restore, items someone tossed away.

Well, today I am sharing one of my almost thrown away items, one that I was able to reuse, to make something pretty wonderful.

I have always loved this pot.

Loved the distressed look.

Unfortunately, as I did with my birdbath, I left it out all winter and the bottom cracked and came off.

As I was about to pitch it, I thought again.

Is there any way I could reuse it?

I thought of a wind chime I saw at Hobby Lobby that used an upside down ceramic pot. I loved it, but not for $39.99.

Using a $2.00 round wood piece and some silicone, I attached the wood to the bottom of the pot.

Applied the silicone generously, inside and out.

Attached a hook to the top of the wood, and also a hook on the inside.

Found an inexpensive bell chime that I planned to hang from the inside hook.

Painted the bells and beads turquoise, and I also painted and added some extra beads to the top.

Used some fishing line to hang the wind chime.

Finished.

It is really nice.

Whatcha think?

Love the soft sound of the bells when the wind blows.

Perfect hanging on our back porch

Think before you throw away items.

Look for the potential in everything you think you don’t need anymore, have some creative fun reusing.

Until next time, blessings.


Apr
2021

Are You Ready for Easter?

categories: Crafts, DIY, Easter

Easter is tomorrow, are you ready?

Did you decorate your home with a bunny or two, some beautiful eggs, some Easter flowers?

Have you colored some eggs, made a few cards, put together some Easter baskets for those special ones in your life?

I think I’m ready except for finishing up on my Easter dinner table.

Menu planned from salad to dessert.

Selected the dishes, tablecloth, and napkins, but just needed a little something to place at each plate.

Using some small peat pots, craft paint, and the same floral napkins I used for my decoupaged eggs, I made favors for each place setting.

Painted the pots, and added flowers with Mod Podge.

When completely dry, I glued a wire handle to the inside of each pot, and added some grass.

Just need to add some Easter chocolates.

I’m ready!

Ready to celebrate the holy day of Easter with my precious family, just the three of us, at our kitchen table.

Blessed to be together.

Blessed to have all that we have because of Him.

Love to all during these holy days and always.


Mar
2021

Flowering Spring Bulb Centerpiece

categories: DIY, Easter, Spring

My local store had shelves of flowering spring bulbs on display as you entered the front door, daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths, in a variety of colors.

Needless to say, I brought home a couple of each.

Once I was home, I gathered different size clay pots from my potting area, and some potting soil, to transfer the plants from the plastic containers they came in.

I planted some together, others alone in smaller pots.

Gave the bulbs a good watering, and cleaned off the pots before I placed some of them on a basket tray.

Added a white bunny, and some of my decoupaged eggs, for a beautiful spring centerpiece.

The tray is in my living room now, but I plan on using the pots on my Easter Sunday dinner table.

I decided to top each pot with some moss for a more finished look.

The bulbs will continue to flower, and by Easter, they should provide lots of color to my table.

This is the first time I have done this, but I think it will be something I do every spring.

It is just so easy.

Together, it all feels like spring, and looks like Easter.

Once the bulbs have finished blooming, they can be planted outside for next year’s blooms.

I am sure your local store has a similar display out front.

Pick up a couple pots to bring some spring to your home.

The pots are easy to care for, watering every 3 days, and give them lots of sunshine.

So that’s it, an easy and simple way to create a beautiful spring centerpiece.

Hope you all were inspired, and are enjoying the beginning of spring.


Mar
2021

Decoupaged Easter Eggs

categories: Crafts, DIY, Easter

Saturday was the first day of spring.

With it comes hope.

Hope that we can once again gather with our friends and families.

I already have a date with a friend for lunch outdoors, at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

We plan to meet the first day the temperatures are in the 70’s, with lots of sunshine, and after we have had both of our Covid vaccines.

My sister is already talking about a family cookout in the park.

Our family has not been all together in over a year.

I spent my first day of spring working on a project that has been on my “bucket list” for years, decoupaged Easter eggs.

The supplies needed were faux eggs, the kind you can paint and decorate, paper napkins, Mod Podge, scissors, craft paint, and a brush.

The first step is to cut out selected images from the napkins.

I picked floral napkins with lots of different flowers.

When cutting out your images, cut as close to the edge as possible.

Paper napkins are usually 2 or 3 ply, you will need to separate the layers, you want to work with the patterned layer.

Brush the Mod Podge on the egg, enough for your image, and then add the image and gently pat it on the egg.

You should try to pat out all wrinkles, but a few will not hurt.

Smooth out any excess Mod Podge on the egg with your brush.

When dry add one more coat of Mod Podge over the image to seal.

It may appear a bit cloudy, but it will dry clear.

That is it!

Look at my beautiful results.

They look like hand painted watercolor eggs.

I love that I can store them and bring them out every Easter.

I painted a few of the faux eggs spring colors, and I placed them all in the crate the eggs came packaged in, so lovely.

It is not a difficult project, but there are lots of simple steps. Steps that are well worth your time.

I also changed my front door wreath on Saturday, pink magnolias will now greet everyone.

Lots of bunnies around my home too!

After all, Easter’s on its way!

Spring blessings.


Mar
2021

A New Sewing Box

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

My Momma loved to sew.

I can’t remember a time in her life that she wasn’t sewing.

She loved quilting.

Tiny stitches, one right after the other, such beautiful work.

Momma always had a sewing box near her, different ones over the years.

I now have her last sewing box, I don’t use it, just treasure it, and all the things inside that were hers.

Today would have been my Momma’s birthday, how I miss her.

I do not sew much, but I do have thread, needles, the basics. They are kept here and there, never had a “sewing box” of my own.

When I found this wood box at the thrift store ($4.00), I thought it could be a wonderful sewing box.

Cleaned it out several times, sanded it a bit before staining the box, inside and out, except for the lid, which I painted.

I wanted it to have a vintage look, so of course, I painted the lid white with chalk paint and added a vintage type handle.

After sealing the lid with a chalk paint wax, my box was complete.

It is beautiful to me.

I now have my own sewing box, one I hope someday, someone will treasure, as I do my Momma’s.

I am sure she is smiling down on me as I write this post.

If I close my eyes, I can see Momma with her sisters, sewing, and Grandma crocheting, singing the old gospel songs they loved.

Hope you all love my sewing box, and thank you for letting me share some memories with you today.

Happy Birthday Momma!


Mar
2021

DIY Beaded Risers

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

Just like many of you folks, I have done some cleaning and organizing of my cabinets, drawers, and closets during this stay close to home year.

Having extra time is one good thing that has come from this past year, time for chores we have put off doing.

I worked on de-cluttering my kitchen cabinets and found two salad bowls.

Two that used to be four.

What in the world happens to things!

Where do they go!

Before I put the bowls in the “donate” box, I tried to think of ways to use them.

So, using the bowls, two pedestal pieces, from my thrift store stash, and some wood beads, I decided to try to make some serving risers.

Yes, I know you are thinking, not another project with wood beads!

Sorry, but I love the simple look using them.

I glued the beads around the pedestal pieces with E6000 glue.

The next step was to paint, one white and one gray.

When painting, I used a sponge brush overall, but a stencil brush to sort of “puddle” the paint around the beads, which helped to fill in any gaps.

It worked great, and gave the pieces a unique look.

I did not paint the inside of the bowls to keep them safe for food.

Tried different ways to use the pieces, and decided one should be a cake pedestal, by adding a wooden plate to the top, and the other as is for serving.

Added a second row of beads to the white piece, and I pretty much decided it should be the cake pedestal.

I love cake pedestals, I have several.

Maybe it is because I love cake!

I turned the pedestal upside down and glued the wood plate to the top with E6000 glue.

It turned out so nice.

I love it!

Don’t you think it will be beautiful on Easter Sunday with a yummy coconut cake, or maybe chocolate sitting on top!

I really was surprised that the two lonely salad bowls turned into two beautiful, useful riser pieces.

Happy Monday, happy early spring.

Blessings!