Homemade Garden TrellisI'm attempting once again to grow birdhouse gourds. They work well in hills with a lot of area to spread, but I don't have a large area to spare. They also will climb, so I'm trying it this way this year.
Clay Pot Wind ChimeWe all love wind chimes. Me? I love the sound of wooden wind chimes. And this project allows you to have fun with your kids and create a chime made out of simple items. The end result is something to be proud of and looks great hanging out on the patio.
Gourd Plant Holder & HangerThis plant holder is made out of a gourd. I used jute for the hanger and put a few macrame knots in it with some wooden beads. I cut the top out of a gourd (that I grew), and it cracked so I put a leather lace in it to keep it from cracking more.
Rock Garden Rooting GlassRooting in water is one of the best ways to start a plant. Just take a few snips from a plant that you love, being sure to include a growth node or two. Strip off any leaves that will be beneath the level of water in the glass, then place the stem end into water in a clear glass container.
Creating a Cactus Dish GardenThose of us who garden in the cooler zones are denied the rewards and challenges of landscaping with desert succulents (at least most of the year). Fortunately, we can bring a mini version of those interesting desert plants indoors by creating a cactus dish garden.
Personalized Stepping-StoneStir up your own cement and add seashells, broken pottery and glass to create a colourful stepping-stone for the gardener on your Christmas list.
Watermelon Flower PotsI love painted flowerpots, and I think in the spring they make a fun statement. One of the most popular outdoor motifs is watermelon. I have watermelon cups, plates, and pitchers, so I decided that I wanted to make watermelon flowerpots to match.
Driftwood Door HandleA simple thrifty project to add elegance and character to an entranceway (or even a shed door!)
Grapevine Garden TrellisA rustic looking ladder for sweet peas or other climbers to scramble up in your garden or in a planter on your patio.
Stone Garden MarkersNatural looking yet practical plant identifiers, easy to make and waterproof to boot!
Sand Dollar Plant MarkersUsing a dried sand dollar and a piece of debris from your yard, make a wonderful plant marker the color of your plants!
Sand Pail PlantersHave an old, cracked sand pail lying around that your kids don't play with anymore? Have more sand pails than the kids could ever use in a summer? Now, you can make those sand pails into planters with their own matching plant markers!
Sea Shell Wind ChimeA set of seashell wind chimes is a great reminder of a summer vacation at the shore. This is an sea shell wind chime I made when I got bored.
Tissue Paper PotWhen you want to make those dull, red clay pots into something for display, all you need is some tissue paper, glue and water mixture, and clear varnish.
Make Your Own Butterfly FeederFor many species of butterflies, flower nectar is the favorite entrée on the menu. If you want to take your butterfly garden to the next level, try adding a small feeding station that offers them rotting fruit.
Blooming BonnetsLast summer just after Easter I purchased a dozen little straw hats just the size for dolls from a sale rack. They were just drab straw colored so I decided to paint them.
Seasonally Decorated Garden WagonSeasonally Decorated Garden Wagon. This is my garden wagon. I had seen a similar one near a hardware store that was used to advertise the hardware store; it was smaller and used with seasonal items to advertisement purposes.
Lattice FenceGlue lattice together to resemble fence as in picture, trace on your stencils or free hand it, then paint, let dry, then seal.
Recycled Chair PlantersOnce these old chairs have the seats go bad on them, unless you can refurbish them, they're usually pretty worthless. I found a great way to salvage them as well as come up with new planters.
Miniature Window GreenhouseBegin with a plastic cola bottle. Choose a size that will suffice for
whatever you're planting. Remove the label (or paint it, or wrap contact paper around the bottle.)
Gazing BallHave you ever wanted your own gazing ball to put in your yard? Well here's a much less expensive version. Spray paint fish bowl and let dry. Paint the clay saucer and pots with acrylic paint, let dry, you can use any color you want.
Tea Cup Bird FeederThis cute bird feeder is a quick, easy and fun gift for Mother's Day, spring teas, or summer birthdays.
Easy Brick Herb GardenA great weekend craft for anyone who uses herbs in the kitchen or anyone who wants to spruce up their yard. This craft makes use of old bricks. They needn't be perfect; actually the more character the better!
Recycled BirdhouseThis birdhouse was made with a recycled porch post. You could purchase a new one at your local home improvement store or search garage sales, etc. for one.
Penny PotsPenny pots look great inside or out. Take an old flower pot or bowling ball and use silicone to attach the pennies.
Personalized Stepping StonesI am making stepping stones with each family member's hand (or paw) prints and name! We are including all friends and family who visit and will be making one of my bf's mother who is 70!
Patriotic Garden BallHere I would like to share an idea that really uses something that most people have or can easily come by and that makes a beautiful decoration for your garden. The instructions are easy and it is not really messy; so it is even something that older children or teenagers might like to do.
Hubcap BirdbathThis is my "Hippy Birdbath". I made it out of a PVC pipe and a hub cap. I used a glue, "Glue All", to put them together. It took a day to dry. Then I placed it in my rocks. The birds love it.
Shell Herb GardenIf you'd like to grow some of your own herbs for cooking purposes, why not make the garden they are grown in decorative? Plant the herbs in various clam shells and conk shells for display!
Garden Mushroom CapMake a mushroom cap out of concrete poured into a small plastic bowl, dried and cover it will broken plate "tiles" and grout! Pour concrete into a plastic ice tea cup and make the stem. Let dry, remove plastic cup, seal with glue and water, cover with tiles.
Trash To Treasure PaintingI had several items in my yard that I was using as yard art; wear and tear of these items in the weather elements caused rust and corrosion. I changed these items; painted them and they are again a nice addition to my yard art collection.
Coffee Can Bird HouseI took an empty coffee can, painted it orange then sponged another layer of a different shade of orange to look like stripes on the body. The face was cut out of wood scrap with a hole cut out for the mouth and then I stapled the plastic lid to the wood.
Frugal Outdoor Garden Gift IdeasIdeas for frugal gardening or yard gift ideas as suggested by the ThriftyFun community. I am thinking something you can attach to a stake for a garden ornament. Check out the dollar stores and see if they have something you can improve.
Milk Jug Bird FeederTake a milk jug and cut holes on two sides. Poke holes in bottom for rain drainage, one below each large hole and one on each side of top. Put wire through top holes for hanger and a skewer through side holes for perches.
Birch Bird Feeder Or Candle HolderThis is not only a good gift idea for bird lovers (like me), but also for homebound/seniors that enjoy watching the birds.
Frugal Decoupage Door SignDing dong! Our dogs were going bonkers. We needed a "No Soliciting" sign quick! I didn't like the way the black store-bought ones looked, and I didn't want to spend money anyway. So I made my own. All the materials used for the sign were items I already had in my garage or in my office.
Twig Art ChairUsing very dry branches, wire, glue and coco fiber mat, I made these two chairs for decorative effect. On the wall behind the one chair with orange flowers on it is a twig trellis on the wall. Twig art is fun as long as you remember to have dry wood to work with.
Earth Day Bird BiscuitHere's a great kid's craft idea to help them celebrate Earth Day, which is April 22.
Little Gourd FarmersThe little farmers are gourds, painted in the colors you want. You can get both straw hats or you can crochet them, which ever you like.
Welcome RockTake a big smooth rock and clean it well, let dry. If the rock is dark, use light colored paints, if light, use dark paints. You could also paint the whole rock one color, but make sure it is dry before painting on the design.
Cookie Cutter Garden StakesGarden art can be beautiful and functional at the same time. Here is an easy and inexpensive project that allows you to add a personalized touch to your garden and potted plants. With supervision, this project is an easy one for kids, and best of all, no "crafty" skills are required.
Origami LED Light EmbellishmentsThis is a great way to embellish your lights at anytime of the year. These do take some time, but if you get the whole family working on them, they can make nice decorations for your summer parties.
Terra Cotta Pot TablesThis is just to show you another project you can do with the terra cotta pots. You do the same as the bird bath, just turn the top tray upside down and it is a table.
Recycled Hanging PlanterOne day I was looking at a large empty can of tomatoes that I was ready to throw in the recycling bin then for one reason or another I decided to paint it. This led to me making a hanging planter for a friend who I was giving a plant to from cuttings. Here's how to do it!
Paper Mache LanternsThese are easy and beautiful paper mache balloon lanterns. They work great as party decorations, house decorations, and out door lanterns for the summer time.
Clay Pot BallerinaFirst of all spray paint pots a base coat, let dry. Paint the pots as in the picture with acrylic paint, let dry. Glue the 2 medium pots together as in picture, then glue onto the saucer.
Trash-Picked Potting StationMy husband brought home a desk from his brother's trash pile. I'll admit I was annoyed when I saw it on the back porch, but then I got inspired to make this cute potting station with the desk, an old chair, a shelf I got for $2.50 at the thrift store.
Recycled Rock CraftsThese are some recycling crafts that we saw last weekend at a festival. The pictures aren't the best, but they were very nice.
Tole Painted Woodcut BirdhouseThis small birdhouse and bird decoration is a classic example of country style painting. It uses a woodcut birdhouse and bird as the canvas. Various crafts paints are used to do a type of "Tole Painting" to create a wholesome, country theme.
Fabric Pillow Panel Mini Garden FlagCreate your own inexpensive outdoor mini garden flags by using fabric pillow panels.
Recycled GazeboThis was made out of downed trees using recycled vintage furniture, old stained glass for windows, antique hanging chandelier surround with plants outside and a copper weathervane on top.
Garden Craft: Bentwood ArborI made this arbor with benches over 10 years ago. I put planter boxes down both sides and then put benches inside. The planter boxes are lined with old tarps over plywood and then stick wood.
Suet Birdseed WreathA welcome treat for winged winter visitors, this suet/birdseed wreath is a fun and easy project to do with kids.
Birdbath Craft Project: Recycled With LoveDon't throw out that leaking bird bath! Make it into your own work of art. And that old chipped plate, you didn't know what to do with, can adorn your masterpiece. My piece is in memory of my Irish grandmother, Kay.
Recycled Bird FeederRecycle and create a pretty Spring Bird Feeder from used McDonald's Happy Meal bucket and plastic mayonnaise jar.
Recycled Clay Pot Wind ChimesUse up your old scrap pieces of wood and clay pots to create this summer wind chime to enjoy. I used a sailboat theme with an old scrap piece of wood, little clay pots, white nylon cording for strings and added big washers for the chimes.
Stenciled Garden SignThis is a cute sign to hang in your garden area. I have mine in my garden shed. There are lots of cute things you can stencil on your sign. Here are a few I've heard, thought of myself or seen:
Bottle Wind ChimesI make the wind chimes out of liquor bottles, wine bottles, and this one happens to be a wine cooler bottle. I use a glass cutter and cut off the bottom. I use a ceramic knife sharpener to smooth the sharp edges. If it has a screw on top, that's a plus.
Bucket Wind ChimesMake use of old tin buckets and turn them into wind chimes. When the large chimes I bought broke from the wood ring on top that had rotted from the winter weather, I used my tin buckets as the base and bonger to give them new life and a prettier look.
Chair PlanterUse an old recycled chair from the junk to make into a planter for flowers to set in the garden. Get an old chair to use. Take the seat off and use as a pattern to cut one out of hard wood to withstand the weather.
Fun Decorations for Your FenceMake your fence fun! I not only plant flowers and veggies, but I decorate the fence to make gardening even more fun. The ducks I purchased at the Goodwill for $1.00 each and they are made of hard plastic (like PVC material).
Picket Fence Garden HangerThis garden hanger was made from old leftover barn wood and fence boards from previous projects, a recycled clay pot and baling wire. It is simple and quick and can easily be hanging on your garden gate by noon.
Terra Cotta Garden BirdbathI just wanted to show my bird bath. I got the idea from one of your readers on Thrifty.com. I think it turned out quite nicely.
Garden PicksGarden picks to stick in your plants and flowers that are planted in pots. Watch them seem to fly when the wind blows.
Terra Cotta LighthouseThis terracotta lighthouse is just 2 large plant pots cemented together and painted, with a lantern on top.
Grapevine Hanging Bird BathThis is a cute way to make a bird bath or bird feeder using a grapevine wreath. Get a grapevine wreath and a shallow planter bottom that you put under the planter to hold water in.
Juice Can Lid Wind ChimesAnother use for those smooth can lids from the Pampered Chef Can Opener or from frozen juice concentrate. You can paint on a design of your own or use stamps. Just make sure the stamps are small enough to fit in the center of the lid where there are no ridges.
Bloomers Plant HangerThis is a recycling craft using children's pants as a holder for potted plants. Quite unique and cute. I saw the idea in a Birds and Blooms magazine and used it myself.
Soda Can Plant LabelsOne of my favorite garden crafts is making homemade plant labels from aluminum cans and wire clothes hangers. Not only are they inexpensive and durable, but these labels are actually attractive and fun to make.
Straw Hat WindsockCute straw hat windsock made from an empty bleach bottle and fabric strips.Plant with real or silk flowers.
Silver Spoon WindchimesYou can use old silver spoons from yard sales and thrift shops to make a windchimes with a beautiful sound.
Garden MailboxHand painted decorated mailbox for storing hand garden tools and garden gloves outside.
Hanging Bottle DecorationFinding pop in round bottles last week sat my heart to racing to realize that a little colored water in each hung from beaded twine would do wonders for my yard which is mostly "basic green."
Recycled Garden ReflectorsCreate something beautiful from recycled objects! Decide how tall you would like the pillar of your gazing ball/reflector, leaving a few extra inches for where you'll place in the ground for extra support.
Recycled Angel WindchimesA windchime made from mostly recycled stuff.
Lawn Chair CoversMy lawn chair covers were suffering from sun rot and needed a lot of help. In one afternoon, I crafted four chair covers from some worn jeans I had on hand.
Driftwood Wall HangingGet back to nature with this very inexpensive gift. I make them with seashells, rocks, gemstones, anything I can get my hands on.
Inexpensive Stepping StonesStepping stones are an easy way to add functional creativity to your garden. Here's a simple and inexpensive way to make your own in just 10 easy steps.
Recycled Frisbee Bird FeederBird feeder made from mainly recycled materials.
Homemade Birdseed WreathThis cute wreath will bring your feathered friends together for a good meal. Made from birdseed and a few household items, this hanging feeder can give you many pleasurable hours of bird watching.
Pumpkin PlantersTry carving a pumpkin to create a planter.
Succulent Book PlanterThis is a novel idea for a succulent plant. It is made with a thick book and succulent plants. Succulents take very little moisture. They are great for arid places or inside in the winter with the dry heat. They are like a cactus. They take moderate light and are exceptionally easy to grow.
Painting RocksThis is a page about painting rocks. Their unique shape, size, and texture make rocks an excellent canvas for the artist, child or adult, to create beautiful and delightful bugs, scenery, or just colored rocks.
Flower Pot Bird BathI really wanted to have a bird bath in our yard, but every time I found one that I liked it was so expensive. I decided to try and make my own using stacked flower pots and saucers.
Flower Pot Bird BathUsing a few inexpensive terra cotta flower pots you can make a beautiful bird bath for your garden. This is a page about making a flower pot bird bath.
Recycled Jar Garden VasesHere's an idea for bringing a splash of color to those bare spots in your yard and garden.
Making Flower Pot PeopleThis is a page about making flower pot people. Terra cotta pots can be used to make cute flower pot people for your garden.
Cork Plant MarkersWe recently let our kids plant small vegetable gardens and wanted to make markers for the different plants. We a bunch of corks and decided to use a few of them to make plant markers.
Recycled Garden Flower Yard ArtMy brother made this for me out of my dishes from the attic, a spatula, spoon, and old spindle from a banister. Gotta love it. His touch was the metal around the flower.
Decorative Hypertufa Stepping StonesReuse "To-Go" container clam shells as molds to make lovely decorative stepping stones for your garden.
License Plate Bird HouseI had never made a bird house before but I got the inspiration one day, this is the result. I had some wood scraps I had laying around and some old license plates and some left over paint.
Making a Terra Cotta LighthouseAn inexpensive craft project made with clay pots is a lighthouse for a garden decoration. This is a page about making a terra cotta lighthouse.
Making Soda Can Plant LabelsThis is a page about making soda can plant labels. There are a great number of craft uses for empty aluminum soda cans. The crafter/gardener will delight in they ease of use for making decorative plant markers.
Tardis Solar Garden LightsWhile at the store recently my roomie said "Hey! If those were blue they would look like tardis lights!" So I bought four and now we have awesome tardis lights for our garden.
Spray Painting Garden BasketsI buy baskets at Goodwill to use as harvesting baskets for my garden. While they work awesome, not all baskets are meant to be used this way because they are not sealed. They are easily ruined by being set on the wet ground or from holding damp vegetables and fruit.
Clay Pot LighthouseI found the perfect lantern at Ikea to use for this clay pot lighthouse. These cute yard decorations are easy to make!
Bamboo TrellisOne of the most inexpensive trellises to make!
Create Your Own Unique PotsIt's not pottery! It's called Hypertufa. You mix together a few 'ingredients' to create any size or shape pot you'd like! I can imagine these as totally unique gifts or even items to sell. Lots of fun too!
Gnome GardenOur little gnome needed a place to live so we created a magical container garden for him. Collect the plants you want to use. I chose shade plants: fern, dwarf mondo grass, Mossy Saxifrage, Corsican mint, and Polypodium scouleri.
Concrete VaseIf you have a gardener on your Christmas list and can't decide what to get them, you might consider this. I placed silk flowers in the finished product for you to get the idea. No matter where you use it, the planter will be a welcome addition.
Concrete PlanterI've seen all kinds of DIY concrete planters on Pinterest. I didn't try them because I wanted a drainage hole for my plants. Lo and behold, someone demonstrated how to make a hole in the planter! I made one by using a wavy bowl I bought years ago when Big Lots was Pic N Save.
Recycled Metal Yard ArtWhile driving around our neighborhood we came across these neat metal sculptures. They appeared to be made out of various tanks and pipes. The person was at least 6 ft. tall and the snowman was a little smaller. They were super neat and made we wish I knew how to weld. :)
