Tag: projects

12 DIY Weekend Projects for Your Backyard

No yard is complete without a swing, am I right? It reminds me of my childhood when my siblings and I would swing from the tree all day. That, and of summer nights. Swings just make the yard so much better!

If you’re an avid gardener, then make your own potting bench. They make life so much easier. Seriously. You don’t have to bend over and be in the dirt the whole time when working on your plants, which is a lot easier for your knees and back.

I would also suggest building a compost bin for your garden. This is a great way to put your food waste to use, and it also helps the environment. You don’t have to feel guilty about throwing away all those leftover fruit and veggies, or even their peelings.

There are about a thousand different ways you can add lighting to your yard, and all of them can be done in a weekend. I personally like string lights, but you could do lanterns, tiki torches or anything else.

If you and your guests spend a lot of time in the backyard, consider making a beverage cart. It has all the necessities for a nice drink without having to go back inside all the time. Your guests will be so amazing at how handy you are and how accessible the cart is.

One of my favorite memories as a kid was gathering around our firepit in the backyard to roast S’mores. Build your own firepit, with quite a few different ideas and tutorials, to bring the same fun memories to your yard this summer.

Build a tool organizer that you can use to keep all your stuff neat and orderly. If you already have a shed, build it on the wall. If not, you can easily build one under a deck or on the side of your house.

I love hanging out on my back patio, but the bugs and mosquitos sometimes drive me CRAZY! I found this cool tiki torch idea that uses citronella oil to repel them, though. I think it’s a great DIY project for anyone facing the same problem.

No need to go buy expensive planters from the store when you can just make your own! That’s right, it’s easy and pretty cheap to do. You can paint the planter to be any color or style you want.

If you have the space in your yard, you could consider making a pathway over the weekend. You could use stepping stones, wood from a garden pallet, or other materials. There are tons of ideas and lots of options.

Create a garden bench out of some posts and a few cinder blocks. Slap a cushion on the top and you’ve got a super comfortable bench. Paint the wood and/or blocks to make it even more unique!

If you have kids who just keep begging for a treehouse or something similar, you can try this. It’s a garden playhouse that they’ll love hanging out in. And the best part is that it gets them out of the house, so you get more peace and quiet!

12 Fun and Creative DIY Stepping Stone Ideas

I think a stepping stone in the shape of a leaf is a cute and clever addition to any yard or garden. What I like is how the shape brings in the natural elements and the cement or plaster (or whatever material you use) brings in the urban feel. You can do this in any size or shape.

A mosaic stepping stone is a fun way to express yourself and put some of your unique art in your yard. You can just do an assortment of fun colors or choose a mosaic design specific to each stone.

You guys, these footprint stepping stones are pretty much the cutest thing I’ve seen in my entire life! Aren’t they just precious? I love how you can take just normal rocks and create such an adorable idea. Press them into the ground or cast them in a mold for best results.

Use your stepping stone project as a chance to make memories with your kids. Not only will they love the project, but you can immortalize their name, handprint, footprint, or whatever else you want in the stone. Then, years down the road, you can look back and remember that moment.

If you’re like me and have about a billion knickknacks sitting around, then use them in your stepping stones! You can create a fun theme (like games), or just do matching colors. Whatever the idea, have fun and make the stepping stones look great.

I loved playing hopscotch as a little girl, so when I saw this idea, I just fell in love! It’s such a fun and easy way to bring color, fun, and hopscotch to your yard without much work at all.

If you’re careful, you can take broken pieces of vases, plates, and other similar items and mold them into a stepping stone. Obviously, you want to make sure no sharp parts are sticking out, but this is a great way to upcycle some of those things you thought were broken for good.

Go for a quaint rustic look by making stepping stones with a nice layer of moss. It’s actually a lot easier than it looks, and it can make your backyard feel like one of those cottages in the countryside of Ireland!

There’s no need to settle for round or square stepping stones. You can make them in whatever shape you want. In fact, you could even make butterfly-shaped stepping stones for your yard. It’s all up to how much work you want to put into them and how much time you have.

If you REALLY like making customized stepping stones, then make some for the seasons. You can do heart-shaped stepping stones for Valentine’s day, snowman ones for Christmas, etc. Imagine how impressed everyone will be when your stepping stones match the holiday!

I think square stepping stones are a classy and elegant addition to the yard, but they can sometimes seem bulky and industrial. But if you add some fun designs and colors to them, then the whole game changes. It can be as simple as a few leaves or as crazy as a rainbow. It’s up to you!

When I first saw this interlocking path made from stepping stones, I fell in love. There’s something about how they’re separate pieces that make up a bigger whole that I find amazing. Plus, the color and curve of the path makes the yard so much more gorgeous.

10 Genius DIY Projects for Your Patio

I love my patio, but I don’t love how easily my neighbors can see and hear me and my guests back there. A privacy fence help solves that. You can do a hedge, a curtain, or even frosted glass. You could also add a water feature to get some white noise.

Build this party-ready table that will fulfill all of your summer party dreams. The strip down the middle is for ice so you can keep drinks cool and fresh. You could also put succulents or other plants in it, but I think the drink cooler is a lot more practical.

Lights make the patio, I’m not kidding you. If you have bad lighting, the party won’t last much longer after nightfall. But if you have trendy and cute lighting, you guys will be out there all night! Choose from a plethora of choices for your patio.

One of those options is to make some DIY tiki torches. You can hang them on the wall or put them in the ground. Some can even be made with citronella oil to repel mosquitos and other bugs.

A swinging chair makes the patio perfect. It’s such a fun place to relax and hang out during the day. My kids love our swinging chair, so you might want to build two!

If you like to entertain your guests on your patio, then you want to get a bar cart for the backyard. It allows you to get, refill, and freshen up drinks without ever having to step back inside. Trust me, everyone will love it.

A storage ottoman is a great addition to any patio because it opens up space. You no longer have to have all of your blankets and pillows crowding up all the spots. Just put them in the ottoman and pull them out when you need them.

The second I saw this project, I knew I needed it.  A giant day bed is pretty much the best thing ever. It looks so cozy! I can see myself relaxing on this thing when the kids are at school and just reading my favorite books (because us moms have SO MUCH free time).

To give your patio a more seasonal feel, why not make some seasonal pillow covers. They can be as simple or complex as you need them. A pumpkin silhouette or an expansive Halloween sky. It’s up to you!

Build your very own planters for all the flowers and veggies you want to grow. Try different materials, use different colors, and just have fun with it! You can always replace the planters when you get bored.

15 DIY Garden Pallet Projects

One of my favorite and easiest ways to reuse garden pallets is by turning it into a pathway. You just pry off each of the planks and them use them as a part of the pathway. You can paint the planks, but it’s not required.

Add some more gardening space to your yard by turning garden pallets into a vertical garden. There are a few different ways to do this, but they all give you a bunch more space for gardening.

Make these adorable window boxes out of old garden pallets. You can hang them up anywhere around your home. Paint the boxes to better match your house and the colors of the flowers in them.

Garden pallets, if they’re in good condition, can be used to make the platform of a bed or couch outdoors. You just want to make sure that the material is sturdy enough to hold the weight of the furniture and anyone sitting on it.

Become one with nature by building a compost bin. This will help you more effectively use your food remains, and it can also drastically increase the health of your garden plants.

A raised garden bed is also another ideal use for old garden pallets. Raised garden beds are much easier on your back, and they improve drainage. Make as many as you want/need.

Build a place to store your garden tools. It can be a small little cubby system or a full-out wall mount. There are numberless options, and a garden pallet can be used to make every single one of them!

Don’t just let your dog sleep on a cushion on the ground. Upcycle an old garden pallet and make an actual bed frame for Fido! This will also teach your dog to stay and sleep in the same spot.

Potting benches will be your best friend. Seriously, they help with gardening SO much. And you can build one out of an old garden pallet pretty easily. Your life will be changed forever when you build one.

There are quite a few tutorials you can follow online to make a yard chair out of garden pallets. Add some pillows and cushions, and they’ll be super comfortable and much cheaper than any store bought chair.

You can also make a garden pallet table to go with those chairs you just made. It can be whatever size you need, and you can even customize it to have a spot for drinks or maybe even some flowers. It’s up to you!

I love the swing chair that we have in our yard. It’s cute, it’s comfy, and it’s so fun to sit on. And we made it out of old garden pallets! You want to ensure you have high-quality wood (so it stays intact), but the assembly isn’t too difficult.

When I have a pool, I’m going to build an outdoor shower. I don’t want kids tracking in pool water throughout the house. This shower platform was built using garden pallets, and I love it!

A fence, whatever size, can be built from garden pallets. You can build one for your yard, your garden, or just as decoration. Some people use them to hide recycling bins and other items around the outside of their home.

These stools are so cool, and they’re made from garden pallets. You couldn’t ask for something better. I love the touch of color the cushions add. Here’s a project you definitely want to try and do.

12 Items the Thrifty Crafter Can Always Upcycle

Old furniture makes for great garden décor. It really does. An old dresser can be used to grow plants. A chair can be a planter, and a bed frame can be turned into a garden bench. Paint and style the furniture to match the garden.

Shoe organizers aren’t just for shoes…or organizing. You can turn them into a vertical garden! That’s right, depending on the type, your shoe organizer can be used to grow plants in your yard without taking up any floor space. Add the soil and seeds, and follow instructions accordingly.

I used to have a BUNCH of old garden pallets sitting around my garage (don’t ask), and I never knew what to do with them. I was just going to throw them away, but then I discovered about a THOUSAND great ideas. You can make a pathway, a bench, some chairs, or really anything else you can think of.

Old shoes and boots don’t need to be thrown away to rot in some dump. Instead, turn them into creative planters. I like how fun and unique this idea is. Also, the bright-colored kid’s rain boots are just the cutest!

Leftover terra cotta pots can be saved away for some future day, or you can use them to make a rain chain. I like the last idea better! Attach them with string, wire, or metal. What a cute and decorative way to personalize your home.

Little did I know that wine bottles have dozens of uses around the yard and garden. You can edge your flower beds with them, make tiki torches, or make automatic plant waterers. Find some projects online, if those don’t appeal to you, and go for it!

Turn a Mason jar into a bird feeder. It’s quick, easy, and brings the birds to your yard. And we all know how fun it is to have cute little birds around. You can paint the bird feeder, if you want. Or just leave it plain.

An old chandelier is another great item to turn into a bird feeder. Each of the light spots can be used to hold food so you can feed multiple birds at once. I like using a chandelier that has a bright pop of color to really brighten up my backyard.

Old toy cars, unused tea cups, or anything of that size can be used as a planter. Just stick the soil in the container, put a seed in there, water, and watch it grow. This usually works best for small herbs or flowers that blossom big.

I seriously had no idea that tires could be used for DIY projects in the yard and garden. Seriously no idea. You can turn them into planters of all varieties. I think it’s cuter to paint the tire so it’s no so serious looking.

I hate throwing out my old bikes because I think they’re so cute. If you’re the same way, then try this. Use them to decorate your lawn or garden. The bikes can easily be turned into planters or décor for your secret garden. So cute!

Broken silverware and dishes can be upcycled to serve as plant makers in the garden. Instead of buying them or making your own flimsy ones, just write the label on the silverware or dish and stick it in the ground. So easy and so effective!

12 Gorgeous Outdoor Kitchens

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A standalone kitchen is an easy installation because you don’t have to disrupt any other part of your backyard or patio. You just build the kitchen station, and that’s it. No removing walls, flooring, or anything like that.

A gazebo style kitchen is great if you plan to cook outdoors a lot. The gazebo means you can cook and hang outside even in bad weather. It also creates a little relaxing space where you can hang out with your friends and family.

This modern chic outdoor kitchen incorporates everything you love about contemporary design. The dark counters combined with the stainless steel drawers is stunning. I also enjoy how the plants really make the colors in the kitchen pop.

Build a kitchen on the borders of your current patio. It’s nice because, if done right, it’s not too difficult to hook up the plumbing, electricity, or gas line. This idea is best if your patio is large. If not, it can make your outdoor space feel pretty cramped.

Go for a nice rustic feel by building a kitchen like this. The old-school fridge also gives it a vintage feel that I can’t get over! Light and fun colors are best for this type of kitchen, I believe.

You could swing really hard the rustic way and go for a really natural-feeling outdoor kitchen. The shape, material, and color of this kitchen make it seem like something you would stumble across in the middle of a forest. The cute fireplace is a perfect addition.

You can’t talk about outdoor kitchens without mentioning the whole sports bar setup. Add a TV to the wall so that everyone can enjoy the game (or maybe your favorite TV drama, whatever works). You’ll find this makes the space a lot more fun.

You don’t need to break the bank to have a nice outdoor kitchen. Go for a cute and simple design that gives you everything you want. I especially like the wood storage that this kitchen provides.

Save on some space by making this compact kitchen right in the corner of your yard or patio. It gets you a sink, grill, and fridge in cute a small section of the space. I also love how the colors in this kitchen go together so well.

If you want something even more compact, try this design. It’s a pretty tight squeeze, but it has all the features that you’d want in your outdoor kitchen. It’ll make you a lot more efficient!

For those who want an outdoor kitchen but don’t have the time, money, or space, try this idea. Build a “service window” that opens up the space between your indoor kitchen and the patio. You can have access to the kitchen by just opening the window. Pretty clever!

The reason I like this outdoor kitchen so much is because of all the counter space. I can’t believe how much space there is! I like to have a nice spread, and so this is a perfect fit for me.