Championing the makers, artists, and wanderers in all of us.
On our anniversary this year, we took Quijote for a picnic at The Farm at South Mountain.
We saw herbs in terra cotta pots on these stepped shelves that looked like little plant bleachers. Maybe they were cheering on the good weather!
Part of the fun of container gardening is actually the containers themselves! There are lots of ways to form, fold, build, stitch, tie, repurpose, and personalize new homes for your plants.
Here are a twelve pots and planters that you can make!
Create a hanging garden in the Japanese kokedama style with low-light houseplants, moss, peat soil and bonsai soil. / via Design*Sponge
These little succulent pots are fashioned out of oven-baked clay. I think the small ones are super cute, but you could probably enlarge the plans if you wanted to make them for bigger plants. Tutorial and templates are on sayyes.com.
This would be a great way to put an herb garden in your kitchen without taking up counter space! / via Not Just a Housewife
You can also repurpose flea market finds, like kitchen items, by planting a small garden in them. This lettuce-filled colander could double as a centerpiece on an outdoor table. / via House of Hawthornes
With a few folds, you can make your own biodegradable pots for starting seedlings! I first saw these at Phoenix Chile Fest and later got to make my own at CraftHack.
Dress up any old can with some colorful fabric for a cheery place for a houseplant to live. / via Design*Sponge
This is actually carved from a coconut! There’s also another coconut planter project in the same post on the Jungalow.
This is a project that’s simple to make with a chic result! / via Fall for DIY
We actually have more of these IKEA Gorm shelf units than we are currently using, and I’d love to turn one into a planter or garden storage box. / via IKEA Hackers
These folded fabric covers are like coffee koozies for your plants! / via Sotak Handmade
A sign with your house numbers and a little planter is such a welcoming touch for an entryway! To keep costs down, you can use succulent cuttings and scrap wood. / via Shanty 2 Chic
With Earth Day coming up, here are some DIY ways to make things you might normally throw out into things you can use!
The bird seed feeder tutorial also has detailed instructions in how to cut a hole in the glass using a diamond bit drill, while the lamp project recommends using a dremel with a tungsten carbide head to make a hole for the cord.
Also, make sure you’re making safe hummingbird nectar without red dye or food coloring.
More glass bottle DIYs on Redbook.
You don’t even need to use new envelopes for this – even the ones that arrive with junk mail inside work great!
Depending on what size tin(s) you have, you can store yarn or beads or fancy scissors. Also, check out the craft organization ideas I shared in a previous post.
Even though my example is holiday-themed, you can use any kind of card with art you like on it to make gift tags to use year round.
You can make “plastic yarn” or “plarn” from shopping bags and crochet it into all sorts of things, like a floor mat, tote, jump rope or shower shoes.
Of course, it’s great if you can opt for reusable coffee cups or sleeves, but, when you can’t, you can at least make the cardboard sleeve part of a craft project.
This will help hold the moisture in when you’re starting seeds.
The rubber from bicycle inner tubes can be used as a vegan alternative to black leather.
More bicycle inner tube crafts.
If you live in a hot climate (***waves from Arizona***), you’ve probably ended up with melted chapstick or lipstick at some point. And noticed it does not go back to its original state after it cools off. This is a way to salvage it instead of leaving it stuck inside the tube.
How cute is this vintage bread warmer?!
You can find more ideas for setting up a Little Free Library on their site.
What are your favorite ways of reusing things instead of throwing them out?
Red isn’t the only color of love.
The classic combination of black and white can also have a romantic feel.
You can see it in this month’s color story with elegant DIYs, destinations, art, interiors, and objects in black and white.
1. Venice mailboxes 2. L’amour print 3. Printable geometric heart gift wrap 4. Boyce Thompson Arboretum 5. Black steps
6. Sandnes, Norway manhole cover tote 7. Black sesame cappuccino 8. Ceramics by Inger Södergren 9. Bridge of Sighs, Venice 10. Stay True poster
11. Black Cloud (Nube Negra) detail by Carlos Amorales at Phoenix Art Museum 12. DIY eraser heart stamp 13. Windmill Winery, Florence, Arizona 14. Traditional bookbinding patterns 15. Minimal open wardrobe DIY 16. Bee Mine card
17. Peggy Guggenheim Museum Café, Venice 18. Hand carved block printing stamp 19. Farmhouse in Woodend, Victoria (Australia) + rental cottage 20. Punkpost thank you card
Bear hugs to all of you! (Illustration by Daryl Hochi)
Images via respective sites.
There are lots of ways to get crafty to do some good – regardless of your skill level!
Here are some DIY projects to make a difference.
Make a place for a neighborhood book exchange! You can build it or repurpose a phone booth, mailbox, vintage bread warmer or other weatherproof container to house books in.
Organization(s):
Little Free Library
Good to know:
Help someone with hair loss due to cancer treatment feel more comfortable.
Organization(s):
Good to know:
Before making a cap to donate, check the charity’s guidelines on best yarns and patterns to use. Many of them offer free patterns on their sites!
You can reduce trash by composting food waste and turning it into something that’s good for your garden.
Good to know:
Caitlin’s Smiles distributes handmade cards and “bags of smiles” with arts and craft supplies to kids in hospitals. You can make cards, tote bags, or donate art supplies.
Organization(s):
Caitlin’s Smiles
Make blank cards that will be personalized and sent to people with a cancer diagnosis.
Organization(s):
Card Care Connection
While there won’t be an official Meals on Wheels campaign like last year’s “Love Letters,” you can contact your local Meals on Wheels program to find out about creating cards.
Organization(s):
Meals on Wheels
Postcards may currently be the most effective way to let Congress know what issues matter to you.
Good to know:
You can knit, crochet, sew, or tie blankets for dogs and cats in shelters.
Organization(s):
Comfort for Critters
Good to know:
Knit or crochet neonatal baby blankets.
Organization(s):
Knots of Love
Organization(s):
Help save the bees! Solitary bees are great pollinators and don’t have painful stings.
Good to know:
Bats not only help pollinate plants, they eat mosquitos and other pests. As forests are cut down, they have fewer safe places to raise their young.
Organization(s):
Bat Conservation International
Hummingbirds need a lot of calories every day! They can fuel up on nectar at feeders or flowers like honeysuckle.
Good to know:
If you sell items you’ve made, you can give the proceeds to whichever charity is meaningful to you. Cash is the most versatile donation.
One fundraiser craft idea is hand stamped bracelets. MyIntent (who I received a necklace from) now sells a Maker Kit, so you can make your own custom jewelry. One fundraiser selling hand-stamped bracelets brought in over $4,000 in 3 weeks!
UPDATE: Found a discount code, so I wanted to share! VDAY25 will get you 25% off a MyIntent Maker Kit.
Organization(s):
MyIntent.org
What else can we make to make a difference?
PS While some of these projects are U.S.-specific, hopefully, they’ll spark ideas for anywhere you are!