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.

If you’re looking for just the right thing to fill up your porch, living room, kid’s room, or basement, make this hammock! This hammock can really add a bit of fun to any space, and the kids will love it! It’s simple to put together and you don’t need to have pro building skills to make it! Take a look at the tutorial below and let’s get started!

Supply List:

1) 1 1/4″ x 3′ oak dowel (oak is a hard wood and is great for supporting heavy weights)

2) 3/8″ x 16′ braided polypropylene

3) 2 yards of plain canvas

4) 80mm stainless steel spring snap link (holds up to 220 lbs)

5) 3/16″ stainless steel quick link (holds up to 660 lbs)

6) black fabric paint

7) paint brush

8) drill and 3/8″ drill bit

9) sewing machine

10) iron and ironing board

11) shears

12) ruler

13) lighter

Step #1:

Fold the 2 yards of canvas in half. Lay the canvas flat with the fold on the left side. Measure 7″ in from the top right edge and make a mark. Using a ruler, draw a line from the top mark to the bottom right corner. Cut through both pieces and open your canvas.

Step #2:

Fold the top edge down 1/2″ and iron the edge until it’s flat. Fold it again 1/2″ and iron. Pin the bottom of the fold and stitch. Repeat this process with the long bottom edge.

Step #3:

Turn your canvas 90 degrees to the left, making sure that the longest edge is on the right side. You need to create pockets for the rope to slide through. Fold each corner 1 1/2″ in and iron until flat. Fold the top edge (that isn’t hemmed) in 1/2″ and iron.

Step #4:

Fold the canvas again 1 1/2″ and iron until flat.

Step #5:

Stitch 2 lines along the bottom folded edge. Make sure you reinforce your beginning and ending using back stitches. Repeat the same process with the other side.

Step #6:

Mark at 2″ and 4″ in from both ends of the dowel and drill through. Sand any rough edges and stain if needed.

Step #7:

Place the canvas on a protected surface and paint on your design on one side of the canvas. Allow it to dry, and paint the design onto the other side if you like.

Step #8:

Tie a knot at one end of the 16′ rope. Leave about a 3″ tail at the end. Use the lighter to melt the end to prevent fraying. Thread the rope through the outer hole of the dowel and up from the widest corner on the one side of your canvas to the narrow corner of the canvas. Tie another knot 3′ from the first knot. Thread it into the dowel. Continue threading it down into the hole, 4″ from the other edge. Measure about 3′ from the loose end and tie a knot. Thread the rope down through the other pocket and back through the last hole. Finish by tying another knot with a 3″ tail.

Step #9:

Find the center of the piece of rope that’s above the dowel and tie a knot. Make sure there is about 8″-10″ of room above the knot. Attach the spring link and then the quick link. Hang it onto a hook that you previously screwed into a ceiling beam. Make sure it is secure.

Step #10:

If needed, you can add a cushion to your hammock for extra comfort.

Photos: A Beautiful Mess.

This tiered hanging planter can be made in a day, and with basic woodworking tools. What’s great about this planter is when you water the top plant, the runoff from the previous pot drips into the plants below. All you need to do is place a little dish or bucket underneath to catch any excess water, and it makes watering all 4 plants a breeze!

What you will need:

– scrap wood

– jigsaw

– terracotta pots

– rope

– 3/8″ boring bit

– paintbrush and paint

– drill

– plants

– metal ring

Step 1:

Measure the plank of wood and mark it to create a square with 3/4″ to 1″ of space around your pot.

Step 2:

Trace the lip of the pot onto the wood. Trace a circle within the circumference of the one you drew but spaced 1/4″ from the outer circle. You can also use a circular template that’s 1/4″ inches smaller that the radius of the pot to do the same thing. You’ll end up with 2 concentric circles. One has a radius of 1/4″ smaller than the first. Repeat with all 4 squares.

Step 3:

Clamp the first piece of wood to a stable surface. Drill a hole into the center of the circles with the 3/8″ boring bit. This will provide space for the jigsaw blade to enter the wood so you can begin cutting. Work slowly and in sections. Use the jigsaw to cut out the shape of the inner circle. Repeat with all 4 squares.

Step 4:

When you’ve cut out the inner circles, clamp a single square down to a piece of scrap wood. Using a ruler, make a dot in the 4 corners of the squares, 1/2″ in from each side. Use the 3/8″ boring bit to drill holes through the wood at the 4 corner marks. Repeat with all 4 squares.

Step 5:

If you like, you can paint the sides of your squares. You can also paint your rope if you want a different color. Only paint the 2 cut edges on each square, and position the squares on the ropes so that the unpainted and painted edges alternate when it’s hanging.

Step 6:

It’s now time to hang your squares! Space your plants 12″ apart (choose more or less depending on the size of your plants). Cut 4 lengths of rope and tie them together in a knot 6″ from the top. Use the 6″ rope strands to secure the ropes to the metal ring.

Step 7:

Hang the ring and slide the first wood square onto all 4 strands, about 12″ from the top knot. Tie a knot directly underneath the wood square on all 4 ropes. Place the plant into the opening, making sure it’s level.

Step 8:

Repeat step 7 with the remaining 3 squares. After the last square is on and the knots are tied underneath, cut off any extra rope.

Finished! Find a sunny spot for your new planter and fill the squares with your plants.

Photos and idea: Design Sponge.