2 For 1 Friday ~ Candle Lantern/Basket Planter

TGIF everyone!  Glad I'm able to get this post on here today even if it's a little late in the day.  Things didn't go according to plan when I started my project for 2 For 1 Friday.  I originally wanted to do a little side table for my Front Porch Perk Up.... but that didn't turn out even close to what I imagined in my head.  Don't ya just love days like that? 

Anyway, I brainstormed a few other possibilities and decided that this is a fun, cute springy idea that is super cheap and so easy anyone can do it and I'm sure you wouldn't even have to go and buy anything!  Just look around and raid your stash and you can totally throw this little project together.

Mine started off with a little basket I got at the thrift store for 50 cents. 

I cut the orange straps off with a razor knife cause they HAD to go!  Then I sprayed on a coat of primer, and used a green spray paint over that.  Once that dried I used some brown paint and dabbed some on in random places to create kind of a rust look on it. 

Then I put some decorative rocks in the bottom.  I have a bunch of these around my house, but they also sell them at the dollar store if you want some on the cheap.

Anyway, easy easy, that's why there's no pics of that process.  ANYONE can spray paint right!?

So for the first way to use this I decided to put a glass candle votive directly in the center and layer the rocks all around it.

The candle votive was one I already owned.





For the second way I used this, I simply swapped out the candle for a small decorative planter.  This is also something I had at home, and just re-purposed in a fun new way.

This would also look really cute with a bird and nest inside, or a small garden statue... maybe a little Buddha would be cute!

Anyway, it's a quick and simple project that cost almost nothing!  Have a great weekend :)


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Front Porch Perk Up

One of my favorite things is decorating on a budget.  Well I shouldn't say it's my favorite... cause if I had an unlimited budget I could decorate the heck out of this place and it would be awesome!  But I guess the fun part is the challenge.... to create a truly unique space without spending a fortune, or using what you already have.

I came across a really good motto this morning on another blog.... It said, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without".  I think those are some great words to live by right now!  So while I was trying to figure out how to finish up my front porch makeover, I took those words into consideration.

I've been jonsing to go shopping for quite some time now.  But with the hubs out of work (and I still haven't found a job yet), the budget just doesn't allow for it right now.  So I decided to just use what I have (even though I don't LOVE everything) and make do with it.

Here are the beginning stages of my porch.

This picture was from my Rustic Star makeover, at which time I decided that something needed to be done to the whiskey barrel. 

I also have this OLD bench that I stained a few years back... but its looking sad and outdated again.  I kind of got ahead of myself with the stain... you can see the very corner where I already started.  :)



And this very lonely corner... it needs a little perking up.

So I pulled out a bunch of stuff I had in my storage area.  Storage area meaning my little patio room crammed full of crap! 

Anyway, I stained the whiskey barrel and bench a dark brown, and then put up a few things from "storage".... and this is what I came up with.

I decided that the star just didn't really belong here after all... I think I'll use it out back somewhere.



 

So here's a confession... all of the plants are fake except for the ones in the whiskey barrel.  I know, I know.... it's definitely not like the real thing.... but the weather is still cold here (with the dreaded 4 letter S word in the forecast) and this way I don't have to remember to water them :)

I think the only thing missing is a little side table to set my cocktail on!  So I'll start rummaging through all my other crap and see what I come up with. 

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Thrifty Spring Planting Idea's by Guest Blogger

Hello! I'm Jennifer's Mom Marie.  Her computer crashed last week and is still in the shop.  She asked me to let you know that she'll be back online next week. In the meantime, she wanted me to post a couple of my thrift store finds and what I like to do with some of my unique treasures.  I've never blogged before, so here goes!  I'm also a thrift store junkie and have been going for... well lets just say a very long time, long before it became so popular.

I pick up ornamental birdcages for a few bucks when I can find them and love to put a fern or other happy trailing plant in them using unusual pots that I find on my travels.  I have some inside year round and also use them outside during the summer, they look pretty cute on my front porch, deck and patio.









Most seem to have some sort of rather ugly fake dusty plant in them.

Guess that used to be popular?





This cute cage was stuffed full of this artificial plant, which camouflaged it so well it made it almost impossible to see the detail in the cage.  Must be why nobody else saw it's potential and passed it by.  



I'm planning on painting it a lovely rust color. I love Rust! But that's a whole nother story! I'll need to get some tips from Jen on her painting techniques.





I love how this thrift store rustic pot turned out planted with a happy Spearpoint Ivy that will fill out with time. It made the perfect Birthday gift for my daughter-in-law.

Sitting on a metal rusty plant stand really seem to compliment one another.

For some reason I've been on a kick lately of collecting old teapots and kettles to plant outside this spring. I scored some really good deals on eBay and from our local thrift stores.  I have several ideas of what I'd like to do with them, now I just need some ambition and warmer weather to put my plans in action.  I'm thinking of hanging them from rustic plant hangers mounted on a 6' weathered, distressed post so they tip like they are pouring from their spouts with carefree flowing flowers.  Unless I can make them into a solar powered fountain, that could be an entertaining project.  Or perhaps just hang them on my old wooden fence or set them on an old tree stump.  Since they are metal they will get pretty hot in direct sunlight, so I will have to keep that in mind where I place them and also what types of plants will survive in them.  We've had an unusually long cold winter and wet snowy spring, so I'm extremely anxious to get outside.  I have lots of garden projects waiting for me! If they turn out I'll have Jen post them.  Thanks for looking!

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