Whimsical Garden Decor: Re Purposed Bird Feeders

This summer I got together with great friends a time or two to make some fun things.

Some of our projects took longer than we expected so when I saw these light covers at the thrift shop, I scooped them up for a fast and easy project.

I bought this little set of 6 cups and saucers with a similar project in mind.

 

I bought  a sheet of rubber at the hardware store along with rings and nut caps

I also got some copper pipe and a great new ratcheting pipe cutter.

It was one afternoon we actually finished 3 pieces each and it was easy.

Here is my bird feeder.

Supposedly, since these are tempered glass to withstand the heat temperatures from the light bulbs, they are fairly durable for weather fluctuations.

I did not get a chance to take a picture of the little green cup and saucer feeder.

And these pictures were taken about a month ago and the flowers have died back quite a bit.

It has been dry here.

We have not mowed the grass since the middle of August.

I love how this little project turned out.  

The best part was time with friends.

I also loved that these already had holes.

All we had to do was cut a little piece of rubber to cushion the hardware and screw them together.

I had the chain already too.

What fun things did you add to your garden this summer?

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Outdoor Candle Holder DIY Makeover

A couple years ago, I bought this candle holder at the thrift store.

I knew I would do something with it for an outside DIY project, but I did not know what.

I recently decided it was time.

I gave it a couple light coats of pretty spray paint.

I often use an old bucket turned upside down out in the grass to elevate the item I am painting.

Next I took a solar light from the store.

I removed the base and the clear plastic.

I covered the lightbulb with painter's tape.

And I cut a piece of painter's tape to fit on the solar panel on the top.

I gave the solar light a  couple of light coats of spray paint as well.

I used some electrical tape to wrap the solar light so it would fit snugly into the candle holder.

Then I scuffed it gently with some sandpaper to give it the look of wear.

I was not crazy about it all black or all painted, but I do like the scuffed look.

All done.

Now I need to find where to put it....

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Outside Christmas in the Country

One of the things that has kept me very busy lately has been our Christmas open house.

We have it the first 2 weekends in December.

Today I thought I would show you my minimal holiday decorations that customers see between leaving their car and entering Christmas in the Country.

Welcome.

Right outside the door is our welcome sign and a new chicken wire dress form.

This little gal is for sale.

She is taller than the ones I made earlier this summer and does not require a separate base.

She can be secured anywhere in your garden with a couple of pieces of wire bent into a u shape and pushed into the ground.

Earlier this year, I shared a little Christmas banner  in a jar displayed here.

Now it welcomes guests and displays birdfeeders and garden totems.

A quick chalk sketch will probably have to be redone if it snows or rains....

Below is " the Annex".

It is a sweet little workspace behind my shed.

My husband gave me his old garage workbench and it makes a great outdoor workspace for gardening or creating. 

I also store things underneath... 

This is real world, folks...

Not blogland perfect.

Here is a twin to the chicken wire dress form.

This one is mine and she is decked out for winter with a lit garland wrapped skirt.

This shutter I got from that great neighbor of mine that drops off goodies from his truck.

I actually got to pick this one from his old barn...

Here's that little snowman again.

 You can see the whole vignette here.

The summer display just gets a winter makeover with some greenery.

 I love those Wooden Mushrooms...

So simple...

I always end up adding silly little things here and there....

This wreath on the birdhouse for example...

My handmade hypertufa birdbath gets a seasonal makeover.

Now it is filled with greens and goodies...

Honestly, they are bits that have fallen off other decorations nestled in a faux wreath.

That base is getting pretty chippy looking. 

It needs a makeover this summer but for now, I am enjoying it's chippy goodness.

This mini potting bench next to the shed doors always ends up being more of a display area than a work area.

That thermometer hasn't worked in years but it was here when we bought the house and I still love it.

The wooden ladder is literally on its last rung. 

That butterfly stepping stone on the bottom shelf was made by my daughter when she was small...

Most of my greens I get at the thrift store or yard sales in the summer.

I buy them up when someone has a big bunch for a reasonable price.

The skate swag was a thrift store score...

The birdhouses come from an Amish man that sets up at my favorite flea market.

He sells these for about $3.

I am not kidding...

I buy at least one new one each summer.

So these pallet flags are about 20 years old. 

I made them before pallet art was cool.

When it is really windy they blow off the shed doors.

From all the blowing around, they have lost their star centers.

I still love them.

This area actually hides our trash cans.

I built the cement block wall to hide them.

They are just stacked with landscape timbers on the top.

I added the flower boxes to further camouflage the trash cans.

I left the grasses from this summer and added greenery.

The greenery here is actually branches from an old Christmas tree.

It's the kind you assembled one branch at a time...

I stick the bent end into the soil to keep them in place.

Hey!  Here is that burlap ribbon I dyed.

If you missed the tutorial, you can find it here.

The princess pine garland was actually from my in laws.

  They bought me a bunch at a yard sale.

It is artificial but you don't really notice unless you touch it.

Both these benches were here at the house when we bought  it.

Though I seldom sit here, I do think there is something so welcoming about a bench....

Makes me want to sit....

Here is another goofy little touch around the candle bases.

It will look pretty when it snows...

A little bird feeder nestled in a pot with some greens...

For pots that stay out all winter I add some greens or a wreath.

I still need to add a wreath to that hook.

This little vignette is actually on our well cover.

That sweet little white cart also came from the neighbor's barn...

I know!

I have the best neighbors....

I nestled some greenery around the little thrift store pots of succulents.

I think this is actually a Christmas tree top from one of the yard sale Christmas trees.

You would never know....

Love these little pots.

Some years I just pile birdseed on the shelves in the winter....

I sort of worked backwards...

This is the display in the driveway.

That was a $3 tool bench from a yard sale...seating AND storage.

I painted it with OOPs paint from the home improvement store...

The milk can also came from that old barn several years back...

The sled was a $3 yard sale find a few years ago. 

It gets a holiday look with a thrift store swag and one of my burlap bows.

The slate came from one of my husband's coworkers. 

 I think he gave me 4 pieces...

Heading back the walkway...

This pot was here when we bought the house...

I nestle different goodies from time to time. 

My bamboo trellis is probably done.

I tied it together with twine for morning glories to climb in the summer.

These little guys are not quite done. 

 They need scarves and maybe a hat...

They will be little woodsman snowmen...

We are back to the door....

I hope you will stop back to see a peek at the inside.

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