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.

Article By: Mirna Cacic

Save your money and be environmentally-friendly at the same time by making these DIY dishwasher tablets! These tablets are much safer than store-bought tablets, and contain 0 harsh chemicals! They’re also Borax-free for those who are having a hard time finding Borax at the store! Each load of dishes will run you about $0.09! Make these today and make buying your own dishwasher tablets a thing of the past!

Supplies (makes enough for about 40 loads):

1) 1 cup baking soda

2) 2 cups washing soda – If you can’t find washing soda at the store, you can make your own! All you need to do is bake baking soda for about 1 hour at 450 F! That’s it! You can now make washing soda whenever you need it!

3) 1 cup citric acid

4) 1/2 cup salt

5) 1 tsp liquid castile soap

6) 1/2 cup white vinegar

7) 20 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

8) 2 ice cube trays

Step #1:

Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them together.

Step #2:

Add in the vinegar a little at a time. You will see some fizz, but don’t worry! This is to be expected.

Step #3:

Add in the castile soap and mix. You can also add in the essential oil now if you like.

Step #4:

Press the mixture into the ice cube trays. Leave them to dry for 24 hours before taking them out of the ice cube trays. Store the dishwasher tabs in a container with a tight lid.

Photos: Mom 4 Real, Pins and Procrastination, Hello Natural.

Spring is in full swing, which means that there are many spring cleaning jobs that need to be done! Most of us don’t give much thought to our houseplants except to water them, but did you know that they need cleaning, too? All plants benefit from a good clean every once in a while, and it’s incredibly easy to do and only takes a few minutes! By not cleaning your plants you run the risk of bugs and disease, which can lead to dead plants. Check out our tips to find out how to deep-clean your houseplants!

Remove Old Leaves

Get rid of old and dead leaves often to keep them from suffocating your plant. If you see any lifeless stems, cut those off as well. For plants such as ferns, you need to cut the stem right at the soil line. Don’t forget to also remove any dead flowers to encourage new ones to grow.

Cleaning Small Plants

To give your small houseplants a good clean, flip them upside down, holding them in place to keep the soil from falling out. Dip them in lukewarm water and move them around a bit, making sure all the leaves have been rinsed properly. Place them outside to drip dry before bringing them back inside.

Cleaning Large Plants

You can clean your large plants such as palms in the shower. Always use lukewarm water to prevent the leaves from spotting. When you’re finished, place them outside to dry. You can also give the leaves a good clean by wiping them down with a damp cloth. Support the leaves with your hand while you’re cleaning them to prevent them from cracking.

Cleaning Fuzzy Plants

If you’ve got plants with fuzzy leaves, you can easily clean them using a soft toothbrush. Clean from the base of the leaf to the tip to get rid of dust and dirt.

Photos: Bliss Tree, Install IT Direct, The Self Sufficient Living.

Summer is coming up fast, which means lots of fun in the sun and nighttime campfires. The one thing that always sends people packing back inside are mosquitoes! Keep these pests at bay by planting these 8 plants in your garden! Growing plants such as rosemary and lavender is a great and all-natural way to keep mosquitoes away. If you’re worried about harsh chemicals from sprays, going all-natural is the way to go! Take a look at our list of 8 plants below and pick out your favorite!

1. Rosemary

Not only is rosemary a great herb to use in the kitchen, it also keeps nasty mosquitoes away! Rosemary is a hardy plant that requires little water and lots of sun.

2. Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal flowers look great as a groundcover and they can also be used in the kitchen! It works well in many fish dishes if you’re looking for a special boost of flavor. Butterflies love Pennyroyal – they just can’t seem to stay away!

3. Lavender

Lavender is also an all-natural mosquito repellant! Lavender is an easy plant to grow, and requires well-draining soil and lots of sun. It also makes a great tea!

4. Basil

We all know that basil is the star in every tomato sauce, but did you know that it repels mosquitoes, too? Basil will thrive if you live in a hot and dry climate, and it needs well-draining soil and lots of sunlight.

5. Peppermint

Many bugs hate the smell of peppermint, which is great news for us since peppermint is an herb that is a must-have in any garden and kitchen! Use it to make tea, soothe mosquito bites, or add it to your lemonade!

6. Citronella

Citronella is a common ingredient in most store-bought mosquito repellants. It’s a tall grass that can grow up to 6 feet tall and works great in a climate without frost. If you live in an area with frost, you can simply plant it in a pot and bring it inside during cold weather.

7. Horsemint

Horsemint grows quickly and loves the shade. It loves sandy soil and its leaves can be used to make a delicious tea.

8. Catnip

For the cat lovers out there, planting catnip is a must! Catnip is a member of the mint family and is super easy to grow. It’s drought tolerant and not only keeps mosquitoes away, but also flies, termites, and cockroaches!

Photos: Deux Dilettantes, Wikipedia, Parfait Image, Everything Lavender, My Everyday Oils, Rawyaelgammal, Garden Guides, Img Arcade, My Medicine Woman.

If you enjoy gardening, it’s time to start your garden NOW! Many veggies can be sown in March, and it’s great to get a head-start for spring! Carrots, kale, peas, spinach, and turnips can all be sown outdoors straight away. Take a look at our complete list of veggies and herbs you can plant in March!

1) Carrots

Carrot seeds can be sown in light soil that’s free of stones.

2) Parsley, Dill, and Chives

These herbs can be sown either in containers, or straight into the soil.

3) Turnips

If you want to get a head-start on your turnips, you can sow the seeds directly into the soil.

4) Spinach

Spinach thrives in soil that’s loaded with nutritious compost. You can plant spinach outside straight away.

5) Parsnips

If your soil isn’t too hard, you can plant your parsnip seeds in rows. Make sure the seeds are about 30 cm apart.

6) Spring Onion

It’s called spring onion because it’s ready to eat in the spring! You can get them started directly outside and they make a fantastic addition to salads!

7) Kale

Kale is ready in the summer, so get it started now by planting seeds outside in a well-prepared garden.

8) Peas

Peas can be planted directly into the ground. If you’ve got a problem with mice or other small critters, you can start them off in containers before transferring them to your garden.

Photos: Img Arcade, Kids Quest Museum, Wikipedia, Grit, Gardening Know How, Img Buddy, Gorsia, Bonnie Plants, Away to Garden.

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.