Creating Painted RocksI live in Arbutus, MD. We have a group of, I don't know how many, people painting rocks and placing them everywhere, schools, stores, the library, in people's yards, or in front of mail boxes. The mail box at my building is going to get the big one as I'm not strong enough to tote it somewhere.
Stone Looking Pumpkin PlantersI bought these inexpensive pumpkins for under $1 each. With craft paints in 3 colors: white, tan, and grey, a sea sponge, and clear sealant you can make as many as needed in under 1 hour.
Painted Rock Plant MarkersMy daughter made me these strawberry markers for Mother's Day. She painted them with acrylic paints, then sprayed them with clear coat so that they could go outside. I absolutely love them and hope to make more for other plants in the garden.
Painted Rocks in the GardenMy son had to make painted rocks for a project in his high school art class this year. He chose to do a design that incorporated 3 rocks. I am in love with these cherry blossom rocks and am so glad that he let me display them in the yard!
Seasonal Bird Bath DecorationI decorated a bird bath with small pumpkins, gourds, dried leaves, twigs, and a pot of winter flowers. Other holiday decor can be used. A festive ribbon and bow could be tied at the base of the birdbath to add more color.
Flower Pot PeopleThese are some terra-cotta pots I hand painted and sealed for my garden.
Using Flower Pot Saucers for Stepping...Those clear plastic plant saucers work really well as molds for making stepping stones. They are flexible, making removal of the finished stones easy. Plus they come in a number of different sizes.
DIY Wall DecorationRe-purpose your old window frame by hanging it on a wall and placing flowers according the season. It will give your house a more vintage and stylish look.
Mini Moss Covered PotsMaking moss covered pots for your houseplants is so simple, and gives a decorative look by bringing the outside in.
Mosaic Bug Bowling BallsI received a few old bowling balls from a friend and wanted to make something cute. Paint did not last. I decided that tile would be a lot sturdier and hold up to the elements. I love watching kids walking down the street and getting excited to see the Very Hungry Caterpillar and his friend the ladybug.
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. :)
Footprint Stepping StonesI got some stepping stones the other day for a little over a dollar a piece. I wanted to "jazz" them up a bit. So, I put my kids' feet to work and made these little bugs and flowers, using Patio Paint.
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.
Garden Hose BasketRancher Girl here from A Building We Shall Go! I converted an old garden hose and some zip ties into a garden hose basket. I will show you how!
Hose Garden WreathI have seen a garden wreath made out of a length of hose. Secure it with wire or strong twine, add a bow and some silk flowers and vines for interest and you have a lovely decoration for your garden shed or fence.
Rag Flower PotMy daughter loves anything old or antique and loves rag rugs, so I decided to use the rag rug technique and make her rag flower pots.
Recycling Plastic Planters as Hypertufa...Save your plastic containers your plants come in and use them as molds to make beautiful hypertufa planters.
Crystal Garden OrnamentInstead of throwing away a lovely crystal vase that I chipped on the top edge, I turned it upside down placing it onto a marble base of an old lamp. Then I glued a mint green beehive telephone insulator (that use to be on top of a telephone pole years ago) to the top.
Recycled Garden Wind ChimesLeft over garden tools hanging from a garden decor candle holder. It probably didn't take me an hour to make this but searching for the pieces and figuring out how to place them did.
Bird FeederI have to cut back on Christmas expenses this year and decided to make a few homemade gifts. I found an unpainted wooden bird feeder in a local discount store, in the craft department.
Rock Critters for GardenThis is a project kids love to do - make rock critters for the garden or for indoor plants. For indoor plants, select some rocks (or gravel) of round or oblong shapes. Then the kids paint them, and add eyes and features.
Garden Tags from Aluminum Roof FlashingYou can make garden tags out of leftover aluminum roof flashing (the kind on a roll). I took a simple tag design that I drew, printed it out on heavy paper, and cut it out. I took that template and a Sharpie and traced that design onto the flashing metal multiple times.
Recycled Garden TotemI had a corner of my garden that needed some color this spring. I saw some garden totems made of glass, but I wanted something with more color.
Make Your Own Patio UmbrellasIf you like to sew, this is one tip you might want to try: I save worn-out beach umbrellas and carefully rip off the cloth from the frame. I save one section to use as a pattern. Buy a package of sun screen/sun block fabric and cut 8 sections from your pattern.
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."
Stained Glass Yard LightI bought this stained glass lamp shade at a garage sale, and the table base at a different sale. I bought a solar rope light and coiled it around a clear glass vase, and put it under the lamp shade.
Garden: Bird Nesting PouchA nesting pouch for birds filled with yarn and dog hair.
Patriotic Picket Fence FlagWe didn't make this, but so simple for crafty people to make using picket fence boards and a little paint. Looks like they used a stencil for the lettering and stars.
Heart Shaped Seed PaperLast week I read an article on here how to put your seeds on newspaper, so I decided to make a heart. I put pansy seeds on the paper and used the mixture of flour and water. I tend to bury the seeds too deep so I sifted my dirt on top so I would not do that anymore.
Peanut Butter Pinecone For Wild BirdsWhy not treat the birds this Christmas. A pinecone with peanut butter to hang outside on tree.
Fall Decorated Pumpkins With Mod PodgeMy daughter and I have recently discovered Mod podge semi-gloss (thanks to Martha S.). We used it on all assorted size pumpkins, and used glitter or crepe paper. Tonight we're going to use fall leaves from our yard.
Mosaic Stepping StoneI titled this: "Success with mosaics." It is the picture of a stepping stone made with Styrofoam letters and broken pieces of tiles used as the mosaic. The letters are made on a hotwire machine, glued into a form, and the mosaic pieces are glued in place as well.
Squirrel FeederHere's a picture of a squirrel feeder I built. I didn't like the commercial model, and I'm a carpenter, so I did what comes naturally.
Making A Bird House from a ShoeAn easy to make and easy to clean out birdhouse. Just undo the laces to clean it out. The boot was thrown in the trash and I rescued it. Screwed the board to the sole, added the roof made of flashing and a raffia shoelace.
Painting Clay PotsI like to dress up terra cotta pots with acrylic paints. One technique is to use three colors or more and a sponge. You only need a small squirt of each color, making it great for using those leftovers.
Painted Strawberry RockA number of years ago I found (possibly on this site) how to craft a strawberry. My daughter and I had some paint, found a huge rock, took our time and fashioned our very own strawberry. It still sits in my front yard today.
Beach WindchimeI have collected so much stuff from the beach, finally I put it to use. I hot glue gunned two pieces of beach glass, shells and rocks to string, then tied one end to a piece of wood (stick), then took a piece of ribbon and tied it to the end of the stick.
Pop Bottle Bird FeederMake yourself a quick and sturdy bird feeder by poking or cutting round or "X" shaped holes in a large 2 litter plastic pop bottle then hang it from a rope to a tree branch. You'll need a funnel to help fill it with seeds.
Terra Cotta LighthouseThis terracotta lighthouse is just 2 large plant pots cemented together and painted, with a lantern on top.
Independence Day Wind BlowerTo make a wind blower for Independence Day, buy several rolls of ribbon-red, white and blue of course!, and a wooden or metal embroidery hoop. Simply cut long strips of ribbon and tie onto hoop in some pattern or mix.
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.
Welcome Sign Made From BranchesI am big on nature. I took one long branch, a shorter branch, scrap wood, and made a welcome sign. I screwed the branches together. I put a screw(or nail) in top of the sign, wrapped copper wire around top screws.
Decorative PotMake a great addition to your patio or front porch with this decorated planting pot! I used a regular black color plastic pot, attached a variety of buttons around the top with a hot glue-gun for a neat way to add color to the pot.
Homemade Bird FeederHere is a bird/squirrel feeder hubby made for our yard. Although the design is not his own, he saw one in his customer's yard and came home, made it out of scrap wood (leftover from a boat he is working on), and a large pickle jar we had in the house.
Garden Tool PeopleHere are a couple garden people made from garden tools.
Porch SwingNothing makes your home look better, than a new porch swing. My husband made mine out of scrap lumber and paint. What a nice place to relax!
Painting River RocksMy daughter loves to paint. So I put her to work! I bought a bag of larger river rocks at the Dollar Tree. She painted them in different designs. After they dried I sprayed them with a clear sealer spray. I put a few in all of my potted plants as decoration.
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.
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.
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.
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 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!
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.
Recycle Jeans As A PlanterJust a idea I had some time ago to dress up my old jeans. Fill up the legs with pipe and put some boots on. Put a potted plant in the top and put it than on a old stepladder.
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.
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.
Two Color Clay PotsTo decorate your clay pots and saucers for this gardening season, here is an idea: Pour some of the first color of paint into a paint tray. Turn the clay pot upside down and dip the rim of the clay pot into paint then turn the clay pot right side up and let paint run down the edge of pot.
Bottle Cap SunBless your garden with the warmth and good cheer of a benevolent sun.
Make Your Own ScarecrowI am getting ready to put my scarecrow in the front yard. You can make your own for so much less money, plus you can use your creative side, or in my case my grandson's help to assemble the scarecrow. Here is what you will need.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Penny PotsPenny pots look great inside or out. Take an old flower pot or bowling ball and use silicone to attach the pennies.
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.
Kids' Stepping StonesThis project is easier than it sounds. Do it outside, because it gets messy! Mix cement with water according to directions on bag. Pour in tins. Let it sit until it is firm enough to hold a print. Place child's foot in center of tin and smoosh :)
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.
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.
Homemade Bases for Kickball or BaseballHomemade Bases for Kickball or Baseball. Supplies needed: Sheets of High density foam like what a pool noodle is made of but two different thicknesses, Left over plywood or particle board . . .
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.
Trash Can Lid Bird BathYou can make a bird bath with a trash can lid by turning it upside down and attaching it to the top of a pedestal. A short fence post works well for the pedestal and metal trash can lids seem to work the best for the bath. It's easier to attach the lid if you hacksaw off the handle. Decorate the lid with paint.
Juicy Juice Container Bird Feeder or Bird HouseI made this bird feeder from a juicy juice container. All I did was cut out the holes in the side (hot glue around the sharp edges) and some holes for the string (nylon) and the dowel rods. Paint it with acrylic paints that are waterproof.
Pretty Garden Bench from Bed Frame and Coffee TableNeed a place to sit and relax in your garden? Here is a great way to recycle and reuse a headboard and a old coffee table. Find a great looking single or twin headboard and a old coffee table at a yard sale.
