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.

We’re loving this super cute gumball machine! What’s great about it is that it’s cheap to make, and you can get the kids involved in making it! Fill it up with Hershey’s Kisses, pink and red M&M’s, or Valentine’s Day conversation hearts! Head on over to your local dollar store for supplies and let’s get started!

Supplies:

– 4″ terracotta pot and 4″ terracotta saucer

– wooden doll head

– paint

– a small round bowl

– alphabet stickers

– ribbon

– glue

– candy

The first thing you need to do is paint the pot, saucer, and the doll head. Get as creative as you like! When the paint has dried, glue the doll head to the top of the saucer. Now take your pot and turn it upside down. Glue the bowl on top of the pot. When everything has dried completely, fill up your bowl with candy (we love Hershey’s Kisses and conversation hearts!) and place the saucer lid on top.

Don’t forget to get creative with your gumball machine! Switch up the pink and white paint for black and silver, baby blue, or red. Add glitter, rhinestones, or pearls. Anything goes! This makes a great craft to do with the kids because it’s super easy to make, and we bet the kids will want to make a ton of these!

Photos: Joy Unexpected, Moms by Heart.

This easy Christmas DIY is cheap to make, and great for those on a budget! You can find everything you need at your local Dollar Store, and it takes minutes to put this fun Christmas tree together! Let’s get started!

Supplies:

1) Cardboard cone

2) Tinsel garland

3) Ornaments

4) Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Step #1:

Start at the top of the cardboard cone and add a bit of hot glue on the pointy end. Attach one end of the garland.

Step #2:

Wrap the tinsel around the cone, adding dabs of hot glue as you go.

Step #3:

If you like, you can add ornaments to your mini tree. Use the hot glue to add ornaments in any way you like to the tree.

All finished! How easy was that?!

Photos: DIY Show Off.

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! Turning our home into a realm of spooky and creepy is always fun! Sometimes other things can get in the way of the Halloween spirit, and there isn’t enough time to get all the decor ready. Have no fear, these decorations are quick and easy, so let’s get started!

1. Creepy Snake Wreath

Get out a plain vine wreath and spray paint it black. The plastic snakes you can find at any dollar store, and spray paint them too if you can’t find any in black. Glue them on using hot glue and you’re done! Tutorial over at Martha Stewart.

2. Mod Podge Pumpkin

Mod Podge creepy print-outs onto a pumpkin! Vintage encyclopaedia images work great, and you can find tonnes over at The Graphics Fairy.

3. Crepe Paper Curtains

No spooky home would be complete without creepy, torn curtains! Pick up crepe paper streamers at the dollar store for this easy project! Tutorial here.

4. Tin Can Luminaries

Save your tin cans for this project! After you’ve washed the can, simply poke holes using a nail and hammer to spell out a creepy message. Then, give it a coat or two of black spray paint and place a candle inside. Make a few to line your porch steps! Tutorial here.

5. Batty Wall

Cut bats out of construction paper and tape them to your wall, door, mantle, or any other place that needs a dose of creepy!

6. Gross Spider Web Egg Sack

Slightly on the disgusting side, these spider web egg sacks are made using nylon stockings! Stuff them with cotton and glue on cheap fake spiders from the dollar store. Hang them on your porch to scare your visitors!

7. Witch Brooms

These brooms are made using smaller sticks wrapped around one end of a larger stick using twine. Make a couple of them to adorn your front porch!

8. DIY Haunted House From a Yard Sale Dollhouse

This project takes a bit of time, but it’s still budget-friendly! Raid your local thrift store, or check out yard sales for dollhouses. Then, simply paint them and decorate them any way you wish. These cute mini haunted houses would look great on a mantle surrounded by creepy cobwebs and candles. Take a look at more photos here.

9. Hang Witch Hats

Grab a bunch of witch hats from your local dollar store and hang them from the ceiling with fishing line. Add your homemade witch broom close by to complete the look!

10. Trash Bag Spider Webs

Now we’ve come to the cheapest of the cheap! These trash bag spider webs can be made in minutes, and they cost next to nothing. Easy tutorial found here.

Looking for more Halloween and Fall articles? We’ve got you covered!

Make These Faux Mercury Glass Pumpkins Using Dollar Store Finds!

7 Ways to Decorate Your Home This Fall

Halloween Treats: Candy Corn Cookie Bark

Photos: Martha Stewart, Country Living Magazine, Jolly Mom, Dana Made It, Tammy Perry, Over the Big Moon, Hip Hip Halloween, Brooklyn Limestone, HGTV.

We’ve all drooled over those expensive mercury glass pumpkins from Pottery Barn, but we always turned them down because of the price. This year, make your own mercury glass pumpkins for a fraction of the price by simply going to your dollar store!

What You Will Need:

1) Plastic pumpkins from the dollar store

2) Krylon Metallic Spray Paint

3) Burt umber/dark brown acrylic paint

4) Matte white spray paint

5) Sponge/scraping tool

6) Spray bottle filled with water

7) Foam craft brushes

Step 1:

Spray paint the pumpkins with the matte white spray paint.

Step 2:

Spritz the pumpkins with water.

Step 3:

Spray 1 coat of metallic paint.

Step 4:

Immediately after spray painting, take a foam craft brush and your burnt umber paint, and dab the paint on random areas.

Step 5:

Using the metallic spray paint, spray short bursts of paint on the pumpkin.

Step 6:

Using a napkin, wipe down random areas to let the burnt umber paint shine through. For a rougher look, scrape off the paint using a sanding brush.

That’s it! Now you can display your pumpkins on your mantel, kitchen table, staircase, or wherever you like! Arrange candles around the pumpkins so the light can bounce off!

Photos and idea: Monica Wants It.