As an animal lover and biologist (on paper), it’s no surprise that our yard is very wildlife-friendly. Not only do I love to watch the birds and other critters, but our indoor cats do, as well. Many of my upcycling projects were made specifically for backyard habitat, including feeders, baths, and houses. I learned about designating one’s yard as Certified Wildlife Habitat many years ago, but wasn’t sure how well-known that program was.Read more ›
Upcycling a Grill Fork as a Sign Stake for a Garden Plaque
March 21, 2018 · By · 40 Comments
Ok- I will fully admit that this is a truly zany idea of mine! There I was at the thrift store, looking for inspiration on the shelves. I was going to move aside this grill fork when it dawned on me that the barbecue fork could BE the inspiration I was looking for. What if I transformed it as part of a garden plaque or wooden garden sign? In other words…What if I used it as a stake instead of for steak?Read more ›
Upcycling a Wooden Tray Table into a Potting Bench
July 6, 2017 · By · 92 Comments
Every Spring and Summer, my Pinterest and Facebook news feeds are filled to the brim with big, beautiful potting benches! Whether constructed from pallets or old doors, or even a genuine vintage potting table, they are stunning and, well, LARGE. But, here’s the thing- I’m a gardener on a very small scale. I simply don’t have the space or need for a potting bench that is normal size. So, I set forth to create something on a smaller scale…Read more ›
Upcycling a Standing Shower Caddy as a Vertical Plant Stand
April 20, 2017 · By · 50 Comments
I do a lot of cooking at home but I’m not a prolific gardener. I’m limited my own lack of gardening interest, but also by space. That being said, though, I do like to grow my own kitchen herbs in pots as much as possible. You may recall how I upcycled a muffin tin as a propagation tray for growing some herb plants from seed? Well, it’s time to transplant them and I’ll be upcycling a standing shower caddy to do that!
Upcycling a Muffin Pan as a Propagation Tray for Herb Seeds
March 30, 2017 · By · 59 Comments
Real Life Confession- I love the idea of gardening more than I love actual gardening. Can anyone else relate? BUT. But…I still enjoy having planted herbs around as the weather warms up! So, this year, I’ve decided to do a series of upcycling ideas for an herb garden. And today is Part 1: Repurposing a muffin pan as a propagation tray or plant starting pots! Read more ›
Garden Art with a Garden Trellis Made from Farm Tools
November 17, 2015 · By · 106 Comments
This project started out when I thrifted several old garden shovels for a Halloween project. Well, try as I might, the spooky project was a failure. I let the dust of my frustration settle before going back to the drawing board- I had the farm tools after all- I just needed a new idea! Eventually, I settled on the idea of building a garden trellis that would serve as garden art and primitive decor for my yard.
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Upcycling an Antique Floor Lamp with Small Solar Lights
September 1, 2015 · By · 96 Comments
While perusing an estate sale on half-price day, I came across this antique floor lamp that was positively gorgeous. The wiring was shot but it was otherwise in well-loved but decent shape. I didn’t care about the electrical issues, though – as I knew right away it would become backyard decor! All I needed to do was clean it up and outfit it with small solar lights / solar lanterns.
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Tick Tock for your Feathered Flock- The DIY Birdhouse
September 2, 2014 · By · 33 Comments
You may recall in this post that I recently visited the Goodwill on Broughton in Savannah, GA. Well, while I was there, I stumbled upon a sweet little desktop clock that was perfect for a specific project. AND you may recall from this post that I’ve got a yen for creating more wildlife habitat options in our backyard. Well, my friends, the time has come to finally transform the clock into its new purpose in life- a birdhouse!Read more ›
DIY Herb Drying Rack from a Repurposed Picture Frame
May 15, 2014 · By · 47 Comments
I love to upcycle items that are SUPER common at thrift stores, and picture frames fall into that category. There are endless options and the price point is (usually) ideal. This time around, I decided to create a DIY herb drying rack that is perfect to use with your fresh garden herbs!Read more ›
