Solar Lanterns

I got this inexpensive idea from Peace, Love, 2 Sisters...They made solar lights out of canning jars...Tooo Cute!!!  But I wanted something a little more rustic and "farmy".....

Hmmmm....I thought what about tin cans...They are cheap!!

So I went out and bought several solar lights from Target ( The small one was $2:00 and the larger one was $3:00)

I filled a can with water, then froze it....thinking that it would save it from bending when I drilled the holes in it...That backfired...the ice bent the bottom of the can :(...Oh well it still worked but for the rest I just drilled with no ice and no problems!!!



LOL...No my arms are not that hairy...I took the pictures while my husband drilled.  :)

Using the drill press I first drilled a hole in the bottom of the can for the solar light to rest in.....

I then drilled random holes for the light to shine threw...At night I discovered the more holes the better so I went back and added just a few more!!!  I also drilled holes for the wire and then strung it with beads I had left over from another project.

This is what the look like in the day....

and this at night!
Best of all the cost for two lanterns was only $5:00...but of course I plan to make more...I think they would look nice hanging on the fence around the pool!!

I'm linking up to these Fabulous Party's:


















 

Spring Tank Re-Do

Lately I have been drawn to all the altered clothing that I keep seeing on blogs and in Magazines so I decide to attempt one myself.....and I must say I'm pretty happy with the results!!

I started out with an old ...and I mean old, yellow tank that I love but is way to short to wear in public...and  yet I haven't been able to give it up...LOVE the color!!

 I knew I wanted to try making some up cycled flowers out of T-shirts so I grabbed two of Autumns that I had in the "Good Will Pile"...Whew, glad I never got around to dropping them off!!  :)  I then zipped on down to JoAnns and found this butterfly fabric and some white lace (the lace was in the red tag area...right on)!

 I then cut the lace in a strip that was twice the length of the hem of the tank and 6" wide.  I pinned it onto the Back side or wrong side of the Tank...

So that I could sew it just above the existing hem.

 I cut the butterfly fabric the same length but only 4" wide .....After melting the edges with a candle flame....so that it wouldn't fray.......which by the way was VERY FUN!!  I pinned it to the right side of the tank...

I liked the way it leaves a little "top ruffle" after it's sewn...I then of course sewed it.

 For the flowers I cut the Ts in either 1" or 1 1/2" stripes the length of the t-shirt.  I then sewed them down the middle with a very loose stitch so that I could pull and gather them.....After folding them in half, I simply rolled each one into a flower....I then  played around with placement....decide to sew four at the necks edge and add one down by the ruffle..... 

For the one by the ruffle I added some of my butterfly fabric.......

So here it is my new tank that I  can once again wear in public....

Not bad for a first try!!

I am a "Co-Host" at Blue Eyed blessings for this weeks, handmade Wednesday blog hop...

Check it out! 

I also linked up to these Craft links:

Tea Rose Home
Night Owl Crafting
Idea Sharing Wednesday at Women Who Do It All
Dragonfly Designs
Beyond the Picket Fence
Somewhat Simple


 

Garden Shelf

For Mothers Day my family helped me build this darling little garden shelf...best of all it didn't cost a thing!!!  But I think I should start at the beginning....

This winter during a wind storm the arbor finally just let go and fell...It's not like it was a big surprise...My husband wanted to tear it down last summer...but I couldn't bear too...not with the garden in full bloom!!  Plus...I guess ..I wanted it to hold up just one more year.  :(  This winter was not going to let that happen!!

Sooo...One snowy day we tore it down...somehow it seemed easier in the dead of winter, while the yard was still dreary and gray.  We cut the wisteria and the trumpet vine...with no money to replace it, they need to go too!  :(

With out the arbor the side of my house looked VERY plain....And I need a cheap way to jazz it up fast!!  So I took inventory and gathered up some odds and ends that we had laying around the farm and got started...

There needed to be a focal point between the two windows so I drug an old water trough out of the pasture...it's bottom was rusted so it no longer held water....the perfect planter!!!  I leaned a piece of the arbor behind it for a climbing annual or two to grow on...

It was now time to make the shelf....I found a nice thick piece of wood but wasn't sure how to attach it....That's when Bryan came up with the idea to use two old garden forks...He drilled them in two places...The first to attach to the board and the second hole to screw into the siding......

I added an roll of  barb wire, the antler and a gourd form last years garden...the green pot was a garage sale find for .25 and the succulent I cut of off an existing plant....oh yes... the boys gave me the geranium for mothers day.  :) 

Well the new gardens not finished yet but I think I'm off to a good start...More to come!!

I linked up to these wonderful party's...won't you join me?

                                                           Night Owl Crafting
                                                    Wednesday at Tea Rose Home
                                         Idea Sharing Wed. at Women Who Do It All
                                  Handmade Wednesday at Blue Eyed Blessings
                                                         Some What Simple

Thanks for visiting!!

Denise

Whats Happenin on the Farm...

Well...Autumn and Madison have deiced to go into an egg sell'in business...so two weeks ago they bought 5 new baby chicks (Yes, Autumn...I realize baby chicks is too "wordy"...every one know that chicks are baby's ..but I like the way it sounds)!

Anyhow, between really crummy weather and Autumns playing 3 sports...we haven't had much chance to take them out,  But.....

It was a sports free weekend and the weather was good so the little gals finally went on a "field trip" to the garden... I was happily weeding...they were happily scratching....and Angel was happily watching....a little too closely!!

She has a hard time leaving baby chicks alone...there is something about those soft fluffy mouth fulls that are just to hard to resist!!   Not to worry though...we watch her closely...

and once she's use to them...and they're grown up.....she'll  guard them from the dangers on farm just like the rest of the flock!

Good Dog Angel!!

What's happ'in in your neck of the woods?

Don't forget...I love comments...It's just nice to know who's stopped by!  :)

Denise

Water Color Chickens....Easy Art

This is such a fun and easy...almost cheating way to paint a portrait...I have done it twice now, with grade school kids in my art class, with much success....the kids are always so proud...I will show you their pictures later...just have to get permission from parents...after all the are self portraits

Anyway Autumn and I painted a portrait of our chicken Pebbles (On Easter Sunday after a wonderful brunch with my family...Ahh the perfect day)...So here's how it's done.....

First of all I take the picture I want and then edit it with Picnik, using the Pencil Sketch Tool...I try to get it as light as possible... but still being able to see the lines.... I then print it on water color paper...The picture to the right is what I ended up with.... 

The next step is to trace the lines you want to show, using a black sharpie (I like the ones with a super fine tip).  After that you simply paint you portrait using water colors....The ink from the printer does run (not the sharpie)... this shows up more with the lighter colors....We just consider that shadows.  :)

You can see that I Autumn and I chose two different color themes...which is really the joy of it...If you don't like the first one you simply print up another!!!  Or you could do four different color sets for the same print...Kind-of an Andy Warhol look...or have everyone in the family paint the same picture and see how different they turn out.....

 I've seen so many great collages in Somerset Studio and have been dieing to give it a shot...So that is where I put my chicken....I'm now thinking collage may not be my style...but never the less I tried it!!

We still haven't deiced what to do with Autumns painting but we have been gathering up material...And over at Ucreate the "Create with me" project for the month of May is a jewelry holder made out of an old frame and ...you guessed it chicken wire....I have to think there a way to use Autumn's painting in that!! Go on over to Peace, Love 2 Sisters and check out their tutorial!

Any way that's my art project for the week....Join the fun and check out these link partys for more great ideas ....

Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment...I'd love to hear from you!!

You could always follow along I have so many ideas in my head ...just waiting to get done!!

Peace, Love and Hippie Beads!!

Denise

Project 64: Week 16, Color Pacific Blue

Whew...I didn't think I was going to get my entry in for Week 16 of Project 64...But then...While feeding the bunny I looked down and saw the exact color I was looking for (Pacific Blue), there on the deck of the Play House.  :) 

 You may wonder why I have old insulators sitting on the deck of the play house!?!  Well...My plan has been (for the last 3 years) to build a little fence around the garden adjoining it, to keep the chickens out.....The insulators are to go on top of the fence posts.  My plan was to make a wattle fence..but now I'm thinking something easy...like chicken wire.  Maybe that way it will get done!  :)

Anyway

Aren't they awesome?  I collected them years ago when I was a kid... I loved the way the sun colored the glass...still do!!!

Join the fun:



Don't be shy...Leave a comment...I would love to hear from you!!!

Shag Pillow

It's been a very busy couple of weeks with work and Autumn playing 3 sports (what was she thinking)!?! Anyway I'm kind-of disappointed in my self that I didn't find time (or make time) to post anything ...I haven't even kept up with Project 64...which is one of my faves!! 

I did however manage to find the time to finish this darling Shag Pillow...That I saw featured on U Create by V and Co.  For the super easy tutorial  click here:  Shag Pillow Tutorial

                          I choose a Cheery Orange for mine...Not a big surprise.  ;)

The "Shag" part is made out of jersey knit fabric cut into 1 1/2" X 4" rectangles that you sew in rows onto a cotton background...It really was easy, but a bit time consuming!!! 

As I stated earlier I don't have much spare time but do have the constant need to create!!......Other wise I will just shrivel up and die or go really crazy...either way I'm not willing to chance it!!! 

Anyhow this was an easy project to work on a little bit at a time and the end result was better that I had hoped for!!

(Now Autumn wants me to make a couple for her room)

For more great ides click here:

And Here: