Article By: Mirna Cacic

We’re big fans of garden decor, and we think that these adorable glass spheres would be the perfect addition to any flowerbed or lawn. If you’re looking to add a touch of magic to your vegetable garden, lawn, or flowerbed, these spheres are super easy to make and budget-friendly, too. Made using flat marbles, silicone, and lamp globes, no one will be able to tell that they cost less than $20! Take a look at the tutorial below and make your own today!

Supply Checklist:

1) Lamp globe – Make sure you use a globe that is made of strong glass. You can find these at any hardware store in the lamp section, or check your local thrift store (you can also use bowling balls).

2) Flat marbles, beads, thrift store jewelery, or anything else you like to add a touch of magic to your garden spheres.

3) Silicone Sealant or Silicone Adhesive – Make sure it’s for outdoor use and is waterproof. In this project, GE Silicone II was used.

4) Caulking gun – These are cheap and can be found at any hardware store.

5) Bowl – To hold the globe in place while you’re decorating it.

Step #1:

Place the lamp globe in a bowl. When you’re applying the silicone, make sure it is at least 1/4″ thick.

Step #2:

Begin applying the first row of flat marbles to the lamp globe. Press the flat marbles securely into the silicone. Don’t worry if silicone spreads around it as you’re pressing, as it will help hold the marbles in place.

Step #3:

Turn the globe over and work from the bottom towards the top. This way, every row of marbles will rest on the rows below it. It’s okay if the marbles touch each other, this will help them stay in place. Make sure you read the label on the silicone packaging for the product’s drying time. You may need to work on your sphere in sections, allowing one section to dry before working on the next one.

Step #4:

After the silicone has dried, it’s time to place your new garden sphere outside! These look best in groups, so go crazy!

Photos: Empress of Dirt, Karen Weigert Enos.

Article By: Mirna Cacic

This adorable vintage-style beehive fits in perfectly on any porch during these warm spring days. With summer fast approaching, it’s time we get our porches in tip-top shape for porch season! This beehive would look great on a small side table next to your porch swing or patio furniture! It’s so easy and cheap to make and it costs less than $10 to put together! Everyone will think you purchased it at a vintage shop, since it looks so realistic! Make a couple of these to arrange in groups, maybe one large beehive with one or two smaller ones next to it. If the color isn’t suited to your tastes, break out the acrylic paint and paint it a fun color to match your decor!

Supplies:

1) Metal bowl

2) Hot glue gun and glue sticks

3) Rope

4) Permanent marker

5) Scissors

Step #1:

Begin making your beehive by wrapping the rope around the rim of the bowl. Add a few drops of glue as you go along to hold the rope in place. Remember, you’re only gluing the rope pieces together, not actually gluing the rope to the bowl!

Step #2:

Keep wrapping and gluing the rope until you have covered the entire bowl.

Step #3:

To finish off the beehive, leave about an inch of rope at the end and form it into a loop at the top, then feed it through the bottom before eventually cutting it.

Step #4:

To take the beehive off the metal bowl, you want to place it inside the freezer for about 20 minutes. Then you can gently take it off the bowl by wiggling it side to side until it slides off completely. Leave the beehive to come to room temperature, then cut a piece of rope for the entrance to your beehive.

Step #5:

Glue the rope in a circle and color in the entrance with the permanent marker. You don’t want wasps to take up residence by actually cutting a hole in your beehive!

If you like, you can paint your new beehive or you can add a few pom pom bumblebees to it! Place it on your porch just in time for this year’s porch season!

Photos: Confessions of a New-Old Homeowner.

Article By: Mirna Cacic

If the kids are putting in way too many holes in the walls and your house is starting to look like a block of Swiss cheese, have no fear! There is a way you can patch up your drywall yourself, and it’s oh so easy, too! Patching up those unsightly holes is going to take you less than an hour to do – and that includes drying time! Save yourself a couple bucks by following along with our easy tutorial! Let’s get started!

What You Will Need:

1) Peel-and-stick drywall patch kit

2) Utility knife

3) 6″ taping knife

4) Fine-grit sandpaper

5) Joint compound

6) Drywall primer

Step #1:

Cut away any loose paper from the hole using the utility knife.

Step #2:

Take your patch and peel away the backing paper. Place the patch over the hole and smooth it out.

Step #3:

Take the taping knife and press the drywall primer into the patch. Make sure the entire patch is covered.

Step #4:

Take the joint compound and cover up the patch again. Cover the patch in two thin coats.

Step #5:

Allow the joint compound to dry. This usually takes about 30 minutes. When it’s dry, sand it smooth with the sandpaper. Blend the edges of the patch to help it blend in with the rest of the wall.

Photos: This Old House, Dummies.

Article By: Mirna Cacic

We just love anything shabby chic, and this cute chair planter is no exception! Raid your local thrift store or garage sale for an old wooden chair that you can turn into a planter for cheap! This is a great way to dress up your porch, patio, or garden if you’re on a budget. Paint the chair a fun color or add whimsical designs to it to dress it up and match it to your garden decor. This project is great because you don’t need any special power tools to get the job done, and it can be done in less than an hour!

Supply Checklist:

1) Old Chair

2) Paint

3) Sand paper

4) A planter with a lip, wide enough to fit inside your chair (the lip will help hold the planter in place)

5) Polycrylic

6) Screwdriver

7) Damp cloth

8) Plants and soil

Step #1:

Sand your chair using the sand paper. This will help remove any varnish that will prevent the new paint from sticking to your chair. Sanding the chair will roughen up the surface so the paint can stick better.

Step #2:

Take out the seat from the chair. You can do this easily by removing any screws using a screwdriver.

Step #3:

Get a damp cloth and wipe down the chair to get rid of any dust before painting. When you’re finished, paint your chair your desired color.

Step #4:

To make the new paint on your chair last longer, give it a few coats of polycrylic.

Step #5:

Add your soil and plants to your planter, then place the planter into the spot where the chair seat originally was. Now place your new shabby chic planter anywhere you like! Try it out on your patio or porch, or place it in your garden amongst your flowers!

Photos: DIY Cozy Home, Love This Pic, Moonstruck Vintage.

Everyone’s going crazy for washi tape and with good reason, too! It’s inexpensive, and you can decorate anything with it! Spruce up your keyboard, notebooks, smartphone, or walls using nothing but these fun patterns. You can get washi tape from any office supply store or you can purchase it in lots for cheap on Ebay. Making your own washi tape wall decals is a great way to decorate your plain walls without worrying about damaging the wall or repainting it when you get bored with your design. When you’re in the mood for a change, simply peel off the tape and start again!

Supply Checklist:

1) Washi tape

2) Parchment paper

3) Letter templates (print your own using Microsoft Word in any font and size you like)

4) Scissors

5) Craft knife

6) Craft mat

Step #1:

Print out your letter templates onto regular printer paper. Cut them out along the outer edge leaving any edges inside the letters intact. This will make your template a bit more stable when you’re cutting out your letter out of washi tape later.

Step #2:

Take a piece of parchment paper and place it on your letter. Cut strips of washi tape and place it over the letter. Make sure every new strip of tape you lay down overlaps the previous strip of tape slightly. This will help the letter stay together when you’re peeling it off later.

Step #3

Turn the parchment paper over and place it on your cutting mat. The washi tape should be facing down. Take your letter template and place it on top. Cut your washi tape letter out using your craft knife.

Step #4:

When you’ve cut out all your letters, it’s time to figure out how to arrange them on your wall. Use scotch tape to stick the letters (with the parchment paper still attached) on your wall. Arrange them any way you wish, and when you’re finished, you can begin peeling the parchment paper off and sticking the washi tape onto your wall. All finished!

Photos: Designer Trapped, 3 Little Green Woods.

On a decorating budget? No problem! Dress up your bookcase or coffee table with these shabby chic wire baskets! So easy to make and put together, you don’t need many tools or time to make them. They’re great for those on a budget, and they work for any occasion! Use them as part of centerpieces for weddings, as gift baskets, or just to dress up and organize your home. Take a look at the tutorial below!

Supplies:

1) Woven wire or hardware cloth (you can find this wire at the hardware store in rolls with 1/2″ or 1/4″ openings)

2) Tin snips

3) Needle nose pliers

4) Metal or wood ruler

5) Graph paper and pen

Step #1:

Draw out your pattern on graph paper that has a 1/2″ grid. This step is optional, but it makes it easier to see where you need to cut the wire.

Step #2:

Cut your pattern out of the wire using the tin snips. Leave the wires long on alternating edges so you can use them to hold your basket together.

Step #3:

After cutting out the pattern, use your ruler to help you bend each side of the basket up.

Step #4:

Bend the long ends of the wire and loop them around using the pliers to hold the corners in place.

Step #5:

When you’re working on the top edge, bend over the cut tops to make a loop that curls toward the inside of the basket.

Step #6:

Now that you’ve finished your basket, you can decorate it any way you wish! You can line it with fabric, add tags, and fill it up with desk supplies, mail, or anything you need to keep organized!

Photos: Four Corners Design.

We just love shabby chic! When our furniture looks too new for our liking, the only way to remedy that problem is to make it look like its been in the rain for years! Wear and tear is the name of the game, and this tutorial is perfect for any shabby lovers out there! Iron brackets are an inexpensive way to add a bit of flair to regular shelves, but sometimes they don’t really match the rest of our decor. This tutorial will show you how to make them look old and rusty for cheap!

Supplies:

1) Iron brackets (you can find them at Hobby Lobby)

2) Chalk paint (for this project, Annie Sloan Old White was used)

3) Sponge brush

4) Paper towels

5) Antiquing Medium

6) Clear matte spray paint (optional)

Step #1:

Take your sponge brush and paint the entire bracket. You don’t have to worry about it being perfect.

Step #2:

Take a damp paper towel and begin wiping off the paint. Don’t wipe off everything! We still want the bracket to have a weathered look.

Step #3:

Take the antiquing medium and add a small amount to a damp paper towel. Rub the antiquing medium over the entire bracket.

Step #4:

If you want to seal your brackets, you can give them a coat or two of clear matte spray paint. Allow the spray paint to dry between coats and you’re done!

Photos: From My Front Porch to Yours.

This cute wreath is so easy to make and it doesn’t cost anything to make! Grab some green scrapbook paper and hot glue to put this together and you’ve got a great St. Patrick’s Day wreath you can hang on your door or mantle! Try making mini ones and string them together using twine for a shamrock garland! If you don’t have any green paper lying around, some green acrylic paint over white paper works just as well! Get out the scissors and let’s get our craft on!

Supply List:

1) Green scrapbook paper. You can use double-sided scrapbook paper, or you can use regular white paper and paint it using acrylic paints.

2) Seven 12″x2″ strips of paper

3) Seven 10″x2″ strips of paper

4) Seven 8″x2″ strips of paper

5) Green ribbon so you can hang up your wreath

6) Some extra paper so you can make the front decoration, and you will need it for some back pieces of the shamrock

7) Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Step #1:

Take a strip of paper of each length and stack them one on top of the other. Glue the ends together on one side.

Step #2:

Take the inside piece and make a loop. Glue the other end down.

Step #3:

Repeat the same step with the other two pieces of paper. You will end up with a teardrop shape.

Step #4:

Repeat these steps until you’ve made a total of 6 teardrops. Glue them together by the ends in groups of two. You will end up with a heart shape.

Step #5:

Now it’s time to make the stem of the shamrock. You should have 3 strips of paper left. Take the 12″ strip and make a fold mark 5″ from the left edge and 5″ from the right edge. There will be 2″ between the two fold lines. The area between the folds will be centered. Take the 10″ strip and make a fold mark 4.25″ from the left edge and a fold mark 4.25″ from the right edge. There will be 1.5″ between the two fold lines and the area between the folds will be centered. Take the 8″ strip and make a fold mark 3.5″ from the left edge and a fold mark 3.5″ from the right edge. There will be a 1″ area between the fold lines and the area between them will be centered.

Step #6:

Line up all the ends and hot glue them together.

Step #7:

Put your shamrock together. Cut out a small circle out of paper. This will hold all your points as you’re gluing them together. You can add an accordion fold circle to the front center of the shamrock. It will hide all the glued points. Glue a piece of ribbon to the back and hang up your ornament!

Photos: The Craft Patch.

Looking for that extra special touch for your next party, baby shower, or wedding? These flowers are just the right thing to add that extra pop of color! Arrange a blue rose or two amongst white roses for a unique twist on a traditional bouquet! This works with any white flowers, although some take longer to pick up the color than others. The secret to getting the flowers a beautiful color is in something we all have lying around – food coloring!

Supply Checklist:

1) Vases, glasses, or jars

2) Scissors

3) Food coloring

4) White flowers (roses, daisies, carnations, etc.)

Step #1:

To begin, trim off the ends of your flowers. Cut them at an angle. This helps the flower absorb the water better, thus helping it absorb the color.

Step #2:

Fill your glasses or vases with water.

Step #3:

Add a few drops of food coloring to each vase and place your flowers in as well.

Note: Some flowers take longer to change colors than others. Roses can change color overnight, but daisies can take up to two weeks. Plan ahead if you want to use these for a special event.

Photos: Growing a Jeweled Rose, Dream a Little Bigger.

If you’re looking for the perfect centerpiece for your garden this spring, this disco birdbath is for you! Revamp that broken birdbath that’s been collecting dust in your garage with this easy facelift! Don’t have a birdbath? Build your own out of terracotta pots! We’re loving this easy tutorial from Patricia’s Pots, which takes you through the whole process, step-by-step. Give your feathered friends their own place to party (and recycle in the process!) by getting started on this awesome birdbath today!

What you will need:

– An old birdbath or a birdbath made from terracotta pots

– Water Weld (just in case your old birdbath has any cracks)

– Old DVDs

– Clear spray paint

– Liquid Nails Clear Seal glue

– Mapei Keracolor Sanded Grout with Polymer with Grout Boost mixed in

– An old spatula

– Damp rag

– An old butter knife

– Sandpaper

– Scissors

Step #1:

If your old birdbath has any cracks in it, you need to fill them in. Water Weld is perfect for the job since it repairs and seals cracks that are going to be wet or underwater. It’s also drinking water safe, which makes it perfect for the birds! Take the Water Weld (it comes in a tube of clay) and kneed it together well. Take your old butter knife and slice the Water Weld into smaller pieces.

Step #2:

Smooth the Water Weld over the cracks using the butter knife, making sure to push it into the cracks well. Leave the Water Weld to sit for 60 minutes.

Step #3:

Take the sandpaper and sand down the Water Weld until the surface is smooth.

Step #4:

Now you’re ready to decorate! Since DVDs are made up of two layers, you’ll need to separate them in order to get to the nice shiny side that’s inside. Take the DVD and make two cuts. Cut from the outer edge to the middle, and repeat the same process on the other side. You should now have two halves. Run your fingertip around the edges to loosen the layers. Separate the layers and you will be left with a thin, shimmery layer you can use for decorating your birdbath.

Step #5:

Cut the silvery part you saved into small pieces. This birdbath needed about 20 DVDs worth of pieces to cover it completely.

Step #6:

Take your clear spray paint and spray paint all the pieces. This will prevent the shiny part from flaking off.

Step #7:

Once the spray paint has dried, begin gluing the pieces onto the birdbath using Liquid Nails Clear Seal. Cover the rim of the birdbath first, then work your way towards the middle.

Step #8:

When you’ve covered your birdbath and the glue has dried, it’s time to mix the grout. You can use Mapei Keracolor Sanded Grout with Polymer in white with Grout Boost mixed in. When you’ve mixed the grout, take your old spatula and spread the grout between the DVD pieces. Use a damp rag to wipe off the excess grout.

Step #9:

Leave the grout to dry for about 3 weeks before placing it outside. This is why this is the perfect project to get started on while it’s still chilly out! It’ll be ready for your feathered friends just in time for spring!

Photos and idea: Me and My DIY.