Simply DIY 2

One of my first pins on Pinterest was  this  DIY hanging plant "container".  I had been looking to hang a plant in our front bay window for a while, but didn't want to fork over some cash for a store bought one.  So I was excited when I found out that I could easily make one. Tools: Scissors Tape measure Materials : Small bowl (I got a white IKEA 365+ for $2.99) 8 yards of piping-like ribbon (the original used climbing or cotton rope, but I couldn't find a color I liked) *Depending on how low or high you want your plant to hang will determine your actual yards. Plant Tiny rocks Extra soil (if needed) First, cut your ribbon (or rope) into 8 equal pieces. Then tie all the pieces together (this will be the bottom of the hanging "container") and divide them up into sections of two. Step 3: Measure out 2.5 inches from the bottom and tie a double not for one sections of two.  It might be useful to have someone around to use the ol...

I just wanted to share what I started over Easter break and finished yesterday in between church, hunting for Easter baskets, and eating tons of food.  My Gram's birthday and my godmother's birthday is in April, so I told them I'd make an Easter hanging towel for them.  I had four towels, so I was able to make 8 all together.  Only five are shown: Since I last made the shamrock one, I did find out that I can make a buttonhole with my sewing machine.  However, I can't find the manual so I still don't know how to use it.  So I'm still sewing snaps on the towels like I did  here .  I did figure out that I can sew the button on at the same time as the snap, so that made it MUCH easier than the first time I did it.  I actually like the snaps and will probably keep with it even if when I do figure out how to use it. I gave all of them away as gifts, except for one.  I think they turned out just springy :) I hope that you ...

I like the fact that the previous owners "bricked" the whole back patio. It's nice and easy to care for.  However, there is no color - no grass, no flowers, no nothing.  That's what I'm working on this summer.  Color. My first addition was to our gates.  The gates are BORING. While at JoAnn Fabrics I picked up two plant hooks for about $10.20 for both of them.  They were 40% off and I used my teacher discount.  Then, while at Wal-Mart a few days later, I picked up two hanging planter baskets for about $4 for both.  They were very cheap.  Then, a few more days later I picked up some flowers at Lowe's. Kerry helped to put up the hooks on the gate ends.  The plant hooks came with screws, so we used those.  One screw head broke just as Kerry finished putting it in, but it didn't effect the sturdiness, so we let it go. The gates already look fancier with the hooks! I had some garden soil left over from filling u...

I will admit - I can be a dumpster diver. Not the real dumpster diver, but the kind of person that, on a walk, might see someone put their unused stuff out and finds a hidden gem.  I hate seeing good stuff go to waste.  In the 11 months that we have lived here, we have given a new home to an IKEA Billy bookcase, three practically brand-new Sterilite storage tubs, three unopened boxes of Christmas lights, and a bamboo serving tray.  I can't help it.  Maybe there's a dumpster diver anonymous somewhere out there for people like me.   Anyway, this brings me to the bamboo serving tray that was sneak-peaked in my wicker set redo.   Last summer I had been looking for a cheap tray that I could fix up when the renters across the street peaced out and left a TON of stuff on the curb for the trash man.  Inconspicuously as I could, I tiptoed walked over to the curb to see what goodies I could find and noticed the tray. Score !  I nabbed it and brought it i...

In November, Kerry's parents gave us this nice wicker patio set: We needed something to sit, set down a cool drink, and relax on so we were excited about it.  I was fine with the white because it brightened up the patio...until I saw  this  set at Lowe's.   I just LOVE the green cushions !!  And the color of the chairs.  I had to have it...but the price just wasn't right... yet... and we have a nice set already.  So, I decided to upgrade the white with Krylon Outdoor Spaces Hammered Finish spray paint. I had some old wood pieces and an old shelf that I used to put the wicker love seat and table on when I sprayed them.   Since the wicker is a little porous (the white was primer/paint so I didn't have to prime first.  Otherwise, you'll have to prime if the wicker is its original color) and interwoven with lots of space in between, i t took three cans of paint to do the love seat and one for the table.    The colo...

I finally finished tearing up the patio enough to make a raised garden bed.  Last year we bought one that links together and just put it on top of the patio - it just didn't work out too well.  I think it needed to be deeper.  So I pulled up one layer of bricks, stacked the bricks to make a wall, and now I have a garden bed. So I know that I'm a bit late on starting my seeds, but better late than never.  Two years ago my friend had mentioned that she made newspaper pots that can easily be put straight into the ground.  So I searched the web and found a video on making them.   I didn't want can size pots. I felt that was a bit too big.  I thought and then  vaguely remembered my friend saying that she used toilet paper tubes to make the pots.  I didn't think that it would be much different than the video instructions, so I went with the tube.  Tools: Scissors Measuring tape or ruler Materials: News paper Toilet paper tub...