We like to eat outside during the summer months. And we like to eat by candlelight. So what better way to light up the evening with a garden chandelier.
We found this chandelier at a yard sale for $2. It was brass/gold in colour and the wiring had been stripped out of it. Perfect for what I had in mind. First step was to spray paint it with some glossy white Rustoleum. It’s my “go to” brand because it pretty much covers everything.
Then I took some jam jars and glued the lid and ring together with some clear silicone. Next step was to apply a ring of silicone to the plate where the housing for the light bulb sits and place the ring/lid onto it to create a platform for the jar itself. Some more silicone to the bottom of the jar. Wait till it dries and add some tea lights.
Right now, it’s hanging in the white sumac. But it will find a permanent home hanging above the deck you see in the background above. That’s where we’ll be having dinner under the maples with my BFFs and their hubbies Labour Day weekend.
Easy, inexpensive and fun. So the next time you see an ugly old chandelier at a yard sale, don’t walk by it. Make a garden chandelier for your yard.
Original article and pictures take www.newhousenewhomenewlife.com site
The hot weather has dried up many of my plants and the pineapple sage that is usually blooming by now, remains green. I decided to add a little color to the area using my bench and a few pieces of garden décor.
I first sanded the bench with this hand sander. It had weathered, and there were areas where the black paint had peeled.
Next, I chose this robin’s egg blue paint to add color.
I also like to use the hand sander to “distress” the edges, and dull the new paint look.
This old house vent took on new paint. In my post DIY House Vent Pumpkin, you can see how I used an estate sale house vent to create a pumpkin for fall. I’ve used it a couple of years now and decided to spray paint it red to create a red white and blue theme.
The little red mushroom was a set of three mushrooms that were unpainted in various sizes. They were hand made from a stump with a piece of wood carved in the shape of mushrooms, and I painted the tops red with white polka dots. I sold the other two at a craft show, and now wish I hadn’t. A group of three would have looked great here. I added my red watering can to the bench to complete the look.
Mushrooms seem to be a reoccurring theme in this setting. This mushroom stake takes it place among the lantana. The old chore time feeder sign is red white and blue.
Don’t be afraid to pick up “less than perfect” finds. It may take a few years, but can be brought back to life to add to your home or garden.
Happy Gardening,
Karen
Backyard Escapes Original article and pictures take gardenchick.com site
Homemade garden balls (garden globes) are very popular these days. They add a nice burst of colour and interest to the garden and they are inexpensive and easy to make.
Garden balls idea gallery for making these decorative orbs for your outdoor space.
I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in a link on this post for sites including Amazon.com. Other links may go to websites where I have been paid to write a blog or article. See the entire disclosure here.
Garden Globe Idea Gallery
Here you’ll find a variety of garden ball styles plus suggestions for making your own. Many gardeners like to make these from old bowling balls (if they can get them cheap or free) but there’s other options as well including sturdy, old lamp fixtures. You could also buy a globe you don’t like and give it a new look.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Gazing Ball
Gazing balls have been used as a focal point in garden for many years. When I first started gardening, I wanted one for my garden. And then I saw how much they cost. And that’s where I got resourceful.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | DIY Gazing Ball
This is my first garden ball (above). I made it years ago and at the time I felt like I was inventing the wheel (the internet was still a wee baby). Today, of course, it’s commonplace.
I took a ceiling light fixture, with a glass sphere and metal post, and spray painted it silver. The first question people always ask is, Won’t it break? And, after over ten years outside, year round, I can say no. I actually gave it away when we moved and now it lives on in a new garden.
Bowling Balls and Lamp Globes
Inexpensive materials: use old lamp globes or bowling balls as the base and decorate with flat marbles. No need to grout them – the material used as adhesive (details here) fills in the gaps between the flat marbles (glass gems).
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Make your own!
Flat-bottom marbles or glass gems are inexpensive and available in a lot of colours, so it’s an easy way to bling-up your garden. If you use lamp globes for the sphere, they are lightweight and can be placed on old solar lamp stands like the ones you see here.
Always look for older glass lamp globes with thicker glass. I get mine at the thrift store and I’ve never had a problem with breakage (knock wood).
Bowling balls also work great for decorative balls you’ll display on the ground.
Deluxe Garden Balls With Flat Marbles
Extra detail: Use small plastic or glass floral bits to fill in the areas between the flat marbles.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Make your own!
The balls you see here have patterns or designed formed with the flat marbles, and then she has meticulously filled in the areas between the flat marbles with small floral bits (glass or plastic). These ‘bits’ can be found in craft supply stores, often in the floral design section where they sell vases and vase fillers.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Make your own!
Patterned Garden Balls
Idea: Use various colours of flat-marbles (glass gems) to form designs on the garden ball.
Another option is to use various colours of glass gems to form patterns or designs. This one (below) uses green and clear gems. Again, the product used as adhesive (see the instructions for full details so you get the right stuff) acts as a pseudo-grout, filling in the gaps between the marbles.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Make your own!
Clear Glass Garden Balls
Idea: Use a clear lamp globe and display it as-is in the garden or add simple designs with paint.
You can buy commercial garden art balls like this one, with a clear, glass globe, and (perhaps) a simple design painted onto the glass, or you can make your own.
Again, find a clear, glass lamp globe, and add whatever design you like with glass paint or a stencil and spray paint.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Make your own!
Painted Garden Balls
Idea: Apply paint to the inside of a clear ball to create unique designs.
In addition to painting the exterior of the clear garden ball, consider applying paint to the inside. Pick a single colour or several, squirt them inside, and move the ball around to distribute the colours.
If you don’t like how it turns out, you can always apply decoration (paint, glass gems, or decoupage) to the exterior.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Make your own!
Mosaic Garden Art Ball
Idea: Cover a garden art ball in flat marbles (glass gems) and grout it.
You can add mosaic design to garden balls. Whatever you use for the decoration (glass gems, mosaic tiles) will just need to be small enough and have a flat surface so you can adhere them to the ball.
Grout can be tinted to any colour you like. Fill it in between the mosaic gems or tiles to give a unique look.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Make your own! This mosaic garden art ball is by Carrie, a friend of Empress of Dirt on Facebook. And, of course, you can mosaic just about anything like this wonderful watering can.
Decoupaged Garden Art Balls
Idea: Decoupage a garden sphere with cutouts and Mod Podge.
This ball (left) is by Empress of Dirt Facebook friend Pam. The sunflower ball is by Three Green Art.
There is Mod Podge made for outdoor projects. You can see it here on Amazon.
Reclaimed Materials On A Garden Art Ball
Idea: Save those bottle corks and make a cork garden art ball.
Gallery of creative garden art balls with tutorials | Cork garden balls
This garden art ball was created by Louise who is an Empress of Dirt Facebook friend. She makes all sorts of creative garden art projects including this fabulous Ironing Board Woman wearing vintage roller skates.
In addition to corks, you can use anything that a) you can adhere to the sphere and, b) can withstand the weather. Possibilities include small toys, coins, game pieces, beads, bottle caps, lids, tabs —see what you have at home and get out the adhesive.
Idea: use different colours of glass gems to form designs
Garden art ball with daisy design created by Dawn Rutledge
Empress of Dirt Facebook friend Dawn Rutledge made this beautiful garden art ball, creating a daisy design with different colours of glass gems or flat-bottom marbles.
I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in a link on this post for sites including Amazon.com. Other links may go to websites where I have been paid to write a blog or article. See the entire disclosure here.
Creative Garden Art Ideas
Recently I was asked for easy garden art ideas that add personality and a bunch of favourites immediately came to mind. Most of them are very fast and frugal and definitely bring unique style to the garden.
There’s also more garden art ideas in the Idea Galleries.
Often, it’s just the addition of a focal point and/or introducing a stand-out colour that can make a garden come together. Read on to see what I mean.
Simple garden art ideas that show your personality
1. Add a sign
If you look at this beautiful veggie garden, the sunflower welcome sign on the gate really brings the whole thing together. It’s sweet and quirky and so easy to make or buy one. There are lots more garden sign ideas here.
2. Unite Your Colour Scheme
This collection of pots is part of an entire garden where cobalt blue is the unifying theme. You could pick one colour, a trio of colours, or go with all different bold colours all in the same value (intensity) and get the same effect.
3. Add A Blast Of Colour
Two things jump out here: the yellow birdhouse and the red geraniums. Those are fast, low cost ways to make a garden bed pop! There’s an entire gallery of birdhouse ideas here.
Yellow birdhouse in the garden
4. Copy Nature In A Big Way
I made this giant bird nest from an old grape vine wreath and added the fake eggs (with blue spray paint). You can see how I made mine here. Another fun idea is to make giant concrete leaf-imprinted stepping stones or decorative leaves (there are lots of free instructions online).
5. Put Inside Stuff Outside
Anything that can endure the weather (or at least hold up a good long time) is fair game. Personally, I’m a blue and white plate fan and love how these dishes look on the fence. There are 25+ more creative fence art ideas here.
Dishes on a garden fence
6. Go Cute and Corny
Ask me if I care what other people think of my garden? {crickets chirping} It’s your space—for goodness sake, do what you like! You might not find this example so far off the wall, but I go on a lot of garden tours and my jaw drops overhearing people criticize the simplest, sweetest things. Love frogs hugging in a birdbath? Go for it. You can see more frog birdbath ideas here on Amazon.com.
There are so many things I wouldn’t really want in my house but like in the garden. One of the best parts of garden tours is seeing the humorous touches that people add. This sign immediately lets you know that the gardener has a playful spirit. Or you should run the other way. Fast. There are more garden signs here.
Remember, as far as anyone knows we’re a nice, normal family.
If you don’t have tall plants, bring in a substitute like this old wooden ladder. Add flower pots, birdhouses, or other repurposed garden art and you have instant interest in a plain old garden bed. There’s lots more ideas for adding vertical interest here.
Ladder flower pot stand
9. Be Quirky
What if you forbid yourself from buying things and instead had to make do with stuff you already have? That’s how garden art is born. This idea of planting boots has been done a million times over and I still love it. You can see a whole bunch of creative container ideas here.
Rubber boot planters
10. If You Have To Paint It Anyways…
My old lawnmower and wheelbarrow were rusting but still had some life in them. I could have just gone with plain colour but flower power called me and I had to answer. See the details here.
Stencilled lawnmower and wheelbarrow
11. Turn What You Have Into Art
Deep shade areas where nothing but evergreens grow are a great place to have some fun. Here the gardener made a maze out of stones. It’s ideal because there won’t ever be a weed problem popping up.
Stone circle maze in the garden
12. White Is The Brightest Colour
…in a garden. I love white flowers. They punctuate an outdoor space like nothing else. Here the gardener used a black, white, grey (and green plants) theme with flowers and furnishings. Love it.
Wooden garden art swan and white flowers
13. Frame It
Nature provides the greatest art on earth. I love how this rustic easel frames it perfectly.
I hope this gives you some ideas to work with. And the encouragement to create a unique garden.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
Original article and pictures take empressofdirt.net site
Garden Art Projects Under $20 12 More Garden Art Projects Under $20 - crafty ways to make your garden unique.
I may receive a commission if you purchase something mentioned in a link on this post for sites including Amazon.com. Other links may go to websites where I have been paid to write a blog or article. See the entire disclosure here.
Frugal Garden Art Projects
Amanda (Crafts By Amanda) made these wonderful painted plant markers. Once you know how to paint rocks, there’s so many possibilities from rock animals to favourite quotes, tiny rock houses, and more.
Painted rock garden markers by Crafts By Amanda
Barb C. (Second Chance To Dream) has all sorts of great ideas: candy jar birdfeeder, flower towers, DIY pyramid trellis, pop can flowers, and a gorgeous succulent planter made from an old window frame. These are all items that would be wonderful gift ideas for anyone who loves garden art.
Creative garden projects by Second Chance To Dream
Barb R. (Our Fairfield Home and Garden) loves to repurpose items that would otherwise go to the landfill. Me too! Here she’s added a splash of colour to old curtain rods and wa-la: perfect hose guard. I shared one of her repurposed rakes in the previous roundup but couldn’t resist showing this one too: don’t you think it makes a charming birdhouse-art piece?
Garden art creations by Our Fairfield Home & Garden
Stephanie (Garden Therapy) shows how to make these beautiful pieces using concrete and pressed leaves. I love concrete balls, planters, and stepping stones, and these are definitely something I want to make.
I’m a big tin-can robot fan and can’t resist having at least one character like this one in the garden, plus a tin-can dog too, of course!
Garden Art Flowers & Robots
And, garden art flowers from dishes and plates have become a garden art classic. It’s a great beginner project you could make any time of the year.
How to make garden art flowers
Any one of these projects by Amanda (Crafts By Amanda) would make great gifts for a gardener and could also do well at craft sales.
DIY Garden Art Projects by Crafts By Amanda
Barb C. (A Second Chance To Dream) created this headboard bench and pallet herb garden. Wall-mounted gardens are a great way to improve a garden fence or exterior wall. Little benches offer a place to display garden art in a flower bed.
Creative Garden Projects by A Second Chance To Dream
Barb R.’s (Our Fairfield Home and Garden) raised bed you see here (above, left) is actually made from some plastic shutters that were going in the trash. While it’s totally functional, I see it as art too, bringing an unexpected burst of colour to the garden.
If you’ve been gardening a while, you start to cummulate broken tools. I’m pretty sure garden art originated from the days when there was no landfill to send them to so people just repurposed them into something new like this rake birdhouse (above, right).
Fabulous Garden Projects by Our Fairfield Home & Garden
A project like these painted gourds by Lynne (Sensible Gardening) would be a fun place to start. Be willing to play and learn and you’ll find your art groove.
The garden at night needs its own garden art. Stephanie (Garden Therapy) shows you how to take mason jars and turn them into solar jars.
Mason solar jars light up the night at Garden Therapy
I found this garden gnome rolling down the road in the middle of a wild wind storm! In other words, he found me. And he never looked right in the garden until I made him some giant toadstools to stand by. Now he fits right in. This is an easy project to make with kids.
Make charming garden art toadstools at Empress of Dirt
Empress of Dirt TV
Original article and pictures take empressofdirt.net site
