Easy Natural Decor for Your Garden, Porch or Patio
You can even make creative and inexpensive decorative garden crafts from simple materials like concrete, wood, stones and reclaimed materials. This lens will show you how to turn old furniture, tools and recycled house parts or cast off toys into unique garden art.
Take A Virtual Tour of My Garden
A glimpse of my garden - spring and summer 2008
Sand Cast Concrete Garden Decorations
Make unique, low cost garden decorations
It's easy and economical to craft beautiful garden sculptures, birdbaths and planters for your garden. All you need are some prepackaged vinyl concrete mix from the home supply center.Mix the concrete powder with water, add colorant if desired, then pat the mixture into any mold or form you desire. After the concrete dries, you can leave the finish natural, seal it to resist water and add gloss or add color with acrylic paints.
I made a large, lightweight leaf-embossed birdbath for my garden last summer.
Make a Leaf Embossed Bird Bath for Your Garden
Easy garden craft made with concrete patch mix
Leaf Embossed Bird Bath Craft Project
It's easy to make a beautiful garden decoration that's also a functional watering spot for birds and butterflies. This leaf embossed concrete bird bath took me only a few hours to shape and a day to dry outdoors.
Garden Pavers - Step Stones
Small pavers to form a pathway through your garden
Step stone pavers are practical way to add a bit of natural charm to any garden. You can create pathways with stepping stones made from flat pieces of slate or bluestone, rocks, wooden rounds, bricks or concrete pavers.You can make your own stepping stones from sand cast concrete and decorate them with stamped patterns or add small stones, shells, marbles or mosaic pieces to create design patterns. If you have access to a large supply of flat stones, you can even create a natural stone patio or stone surface design in a corner of your garden.
I made a small garden stepping stone by embedding small stones shaped like Vermont and New Hampshire into a freeform slab of tinted concrete patch mix.
Easy Clay Flower Pot Bird Bath
Decorative Garden Mosaics
Garden Mosaics
Amazon Price: (as of 11/27/2009)
Learn a variety of mosaic methods, including groutless techniques with the help of detailed project patterns and step-by-step photography.
Embossed Concrete - Add Punchy Designs to Your Patio or Walkway
Stamped concrete patterns are more interesting than a flat surface for your patio or walkway. You can make your own stamping tools to apply patterns to fresh concrete, or you can buy ready-to-use concrete stamping tools. Better yet, get creative and press interesting leaves onto a wet concrete surface to create unique and lovely designs.Our backyard cabana needed a new concrete surface for our wedding. We mixed the top bonding concrete and spread it out, then pressed ferns and leaves from our garden plants into the wet concrete to make a pattern all over the surface. Remove the leaves as soon as you make the embossed design.
Pebble Mosaics for Your Home and Garden
Pebble Mosaics: 25 Original Step-by-Step Projects for the Home and Garden
Amazon Price: (as of 11/27/2009)
Step-by-step projects for paths, planters, and decorative objects made from natural pebbles, shells, and pottery shards.
Hypertufa Stone Planters and Garden Crafts
Kick your concrete garden crafts up a notch - make Hypertufa planters
Hypertufa is a garden craft concrete mixture used to create objects that look like rustic stones or volcanic rock
The basic ingredients include Portland cement, peat moss, sand, vermiculite (or perlite) and water. You can simplify the recipe mixture by using premixed patching concrete (sand mix) combined with peat moss and perlite or vermiculite.
Hypertufa planting containers are weatherproof and very durable. You can use hypertufa pottery mix to craft many different formal or free form shaped and molded garden crafts and decorations: stepping stones, sculptures, pots or decorative artificial boulders.
For our garden wedding, we used hypertufa to create unique centerpieces for each guest table under the tent. First we shaped a piece of 1-inch builder's rigid foam insulation board into a kidney shape about 12 inches long by 8 inches wide. Next we attached a square of floral oasis to one end and dovered it with the hypertufa mix to create a mountain planter area on the island. We added a hypertufa mound to the foam base at one end, and covered all the but top of the oasis block with hypertufa mix.
At the approximate center we positioned a 6-inch tall tin candle lantern. Next we embedded shells, driftwood, small stones and bits of greenery into the edges and flat areas of the island terrain. When the hypertufa was dry, we moistened the oasis and added greens and fresh flowers. During our wedding reception the candle lantern held a natural citronella tea light.
Concrete Garden Crafts
Creative Concrete Ornaments for the Garden: Making Pots, Planters, Birdbaths, Sculpture & More
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 11/27/2009)
Concrete isn't just for sidewalks anymore; it's perfect for the garden too. A selection of 30 beautiful designs suggests the range of this increasingly popular material, and the illustrated instructions make the craft's fundamentals easy to learn.
Stone Work - Sculptural Arrangements
Stacks of stones, rocks and pebbles make beautiful garden sculptures
Human beings have arranged stones in sculptural patterns for communication, worship, building and decoration for thousands of years.You can create interesting rustic garden sculptures using stacks of stones, stone walls in large or small arrangements or create artistic stacks and patterns with beautiful rocks of all sizes and shapes.
If you have access to many irregularly shaped stones use your imagination to find a natural sculpture like the "rabbit" rock in the photo for this section (shown larger, below).
Natural Sculpture: Rabbit Shaped Rock
Stone Garden Arrangements You Can Make
Outdoor Stonework: 16 Easy-to-Build Projects For Your Yard and Garden
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 11/27/2009)
Flower Pot Bird Bath
Make a Clay Birdbath or Butterfly Sipper in 5 minutes.
Make a low-profile lightweight bird bath for your balcony, deck, garden or porch. All you need are a large clay flower pot and an oversize clay plant drain saucer. Turn the flower pot upside down and place the drain saucer on top.Fill the saucer halfway with water, add a small rock and watch the birds and butterflies enjoy their tiny swimming pool.
Clay Pipe Flower Pot Stand
Decorate Your Garden with Found Objects
Old furniture, tools, boxes and baskets can bring whimsy and artful rustic decor to your garden.Recycle wooden ladders, carts or wagons, watering cans, spoked wheels, barrels and boxes. Paint old chairs or tools and place in a flower bed.
Paint an old bicycle in a color to coordinate with your home. Add a big basket to the handlebars and plant it with cascading flowers. Place this DIY garden sculpture near your front door in the garden or at the base of your porch steps.
Garden Decor - Please vote for Leaf Embossed Birdbath!
Decorate your Gardens and Outdoor Space with Fun Unique Items
The Rainbow
I know I would be sad if the world had no rainbows more...2 points
5 Feng Shui Elements for Your Garden
No matter how big or how small your garden area, y more...2 points
The Perfect Lawn Ornament
From Pink Flamingos to Pigs, Bears to Bird Baths. more...2 points
HAVE YOUR OWN FAIRY GARDEN
Fairies are magical little creatures that live in more...2 points
Rain Catchers
Do you love the sound of rain falling, watching th more...1 point
How to Make a Leaf-Embossed Bird Bath
Make a decorative and unique bird bath for your ba more...1 point
Patio Gardens and Furniture
A garden will reduce stress and promote better hea more...1 point
Design Japanese Garden
BEST PART: Whether you're an experienced gardener more...1 point
Recipe for a vintage garden
1 or more Flower beds, 1 vintage Garden Bench, 1 v more...1 point
Garden Antiques
There are a huge variety of antique ornaments and more...1 point
Garden Tools as Decorations
Antiques From The Garden, New Edition
Amazon Price: $40.52 (as of 11/27/2009)
Decorate the garden with old tools: watering cans, pots, rakes, shovels, carts and early mowers.
Recycled Work Boot Flower Pots
Decorations and Gifts for Gardeners
Landmann Big Sky Stars & Moons Fire Pit, Georgia Clay, 10-inches deep
Amazon Price: $157.04 (as of 11/27/2009)
List Price: $189.99
Solar-Power Sleeping Fairy
Amazon Price: $22.79 (as of 11/27/2009)
List Price: $35.99
Woodstock Percussion GTS Gregorian Tenor Chime, Silver
Amazon Price: $60.90 (as of 11/27/2009)
List Price: $85.00
Illuminarie Gazing Globe - 10"
Amazon Price: $24.99 (as of 11/27/2009)
List Price: $35.99
Red Carpet Studio Bronze Bicycle Planter, Medium
Amazon Price: $127.48 (as of 11/27/2009)
List Price: $129.95
Copper Garden Crafts
Crafting With Copper: 27 Creative Projects for Home & Garden
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 11/27/2009)
Natural Elements Add Visual Interest
Use interesting branches, vines and logs as a trellis frame or display foundation for plants or vines in the garden, on the deck or in a corner of your porch.Find a gnarled deadwood branch, twist some decorative mini lights around it, and hang it from the porch rafters or stand it in a corner.
Wind Chimes and Garden Mobiles
Craft a simple beach-theme mobile/wind chime from 8-10 sea shells, fishing line or nautical twin and an interesting tree branch or piece of driftwood.
Dry Creek Stone Path
Garden Flags and Porch Banners
Wind Socks, Streamers, Kites and More...
Easy Garden Flags If you can sew a straight line, you can make a simple banner or flag from a favorite fabric panel. Cut the banner to the size you want, stitch hems around the edges, and add a pole pocket to one end. Run a curtain rod or dowel through the pocket and suspend your banner from a porch rafter or against a wall.
Batik-look Banner My daughter made a beautiful garden flag to hang from her deck railing. First, she stitched up a basic flag with pole pocket from a deep-toned cotton fabric. Next she sketched a design with chalk starting from the center. Finally, wearing gloves and working outdoors in a well-ventilated area she traced over the chalk lines with a bleach pen (the kind you use for removing stains from clothing when you're on the go.) After a quick rinse in cool water, she hung her custom flag to dry from its pole.
Garden Decor: Purple Chair, Flowers, Flags
Gardeners Portable Seat and Tool Caddy
Mintcraft Multi-Function Garden Seat 5210
Amazon Price: $24.59 (as of 11/27/2009)
Save your back and keep all your tools handy with this portable gardening seat.
Garden Craft Project Links
- Make Garden Stepping Stones - Step-By-Step Directions
- Here are some step-by-step directions to help you make your own garden stepping stones.
- Hypertufa Recipe for the Beginner | Easy To Make 'Tufa Recipe
- Easy hypertufa recipe. Just learning about hypertufa? This hypertufa recipe allows you to experiment without investing in a lot of ingredients.
- Safety Guidelines for Working with Concrete Mixtures
- Read these important hypertufa safety recommendations before you start a project. Hypertufa uses cement--a caustic ingredient. Practice Safety First!
- Garden & Patio - Mosaics, Woodworking, Wind Chimes & Garden Crafts : DIY Network
- Do-it-yourself garden crafts - furniture, cinder block constructions, patio mosaics, woodworking, wind chimes, privacy screens, birdfeeders and window boxes.
- Gardening and Landscaping Your Family Yard
- Garden Design and Outdoor Decorating: How To Choose And Place Garden Art In Your Outdoor Living Spaces - Garden, Porch, Balcony or Patio
- Decorate with Natural Objects and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- Surrounded by natures-best-decorations? Use what Mother-Nature gave you.
I Love Gardening and Crafts
Lensmaster Pastiche has been a member since August 12 2007, has rated 1,383 lenses, favorited 509, and has created 124 lenses from scratch. Lee Hansen donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund and Room to Read. This member's top-ranked page is "Clip Art Borders & Frames". See all my lenses
Leave a Comment, Make a Suggestion
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Reply
- palaceofglass palaceofglass Nov 20, 2009 @ 11:46 am
- Interesting lens. I think I'll follow a couple your tips.
Check out
and Art Glass
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Reply
- Marelisa Marelisa Jul 7, 2009 @ 4:36 pm
- I love the clay bird bath and the boot flower pots! I'm going to try them. :-)
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Reply
- monarch13 monarch13 Apr 23, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
- Great ideas! Thanks for the inspiration.
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Reply
- paperfacets paperfacets Apr 13, 2009 @ 2:19 pm
- Very nice. I bet your garden is lovely. I am doing the pot birdbath right now.
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Reply
- flipflopnana flipflopnana Mar 4, 2009 @ 1:00 pm
- Great lens with beautiful pictures! I now know what I can do with my husbands workboots since he will not let me pitch them. ;) Thanks!
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Garden Decor Lenses
Statues, sculpture, plaques, birdhouses, garden art
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Rain Gardens-Nature's Water Filters
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A rain garden is a landscape feature that collects storm water runoff from roofs, driveways and paved surfaces in a bermed garden area. Rain garden designs are simple - they're basically a shallow depression or bowl shape surrounded by planted areas....
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Garden Crafts - Mosaic Stepping Stones
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Concrete step stones embedded with mosaic patterns make a beautiful addition to your garden walk or patio. You can make a single mosaic pattern step stone as an accent piece or you can make many to form a pathway through your garden. Mosaic stepping...
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Garden Crafts - Leaf Shaped Bird Bath
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If you love the birds and enjoy crafts, make a decorative and unique bird bath for your backyard garden. All you need are a pile of play sand, a bucket of water, rubber gloves, plastic trash bags, a bag of acrylic concrete patch mix, and a large leaf...
eBay Gardening Goodies
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
New Table of Contents
- Take A Virtual Tour of My Garden
- Sand Cast Concrete Garden Decorations
- Make a Leaf Embossed Bird Bath for Your Garden
- Garden Pavers - Step Stones
- Easy Clay Flower Pot Bird Bath
- Decorative Garden Mosaics
- Embossed Concrete - Add Punchy Designs to Your Patio or Walkway
- Pebble Mosaics for Your Home and Garden
- Hypertufa Stone Planters and Garden Crafts
- Concrete Garden Crafts
- Stone Work - Sculptural Arrangements
- Natural Sculpture: Rabbit Shaped Rock
- Stone Garden Arrangements You Can Make
- Flower Pot Bird Bath
- Clay Pipe Flower Pot Stand
- Decorate Your Garden with Found Objects
- Garden Decor - Please vote for Leaf Embossed Birdbath!
- Garden Tools as Decorations
- Recycled Work Boot Flower Pots
- Decorations and Gifts for Gardeners
- Copper Garden Crafts
- Natural Elements Add Visual Interest
- Wind Chimes and Garden Mobiles
- Dry Creek Stone Path
- Garden Flags and Porch Banners
- Garden Decor: Purple Chair, Flowers, Flags
- Gardeners Portable Seat and Tool Caddy
- Garden Craft Project Links
- I Love Gardening and Crafts
- Leave a Comment, Make a Suggestion
- Garden Decor Lenses
- eBay Gardening Goodies
- Natural Garden Decor
- I Love My Garden
- Garden Decor Gallery
Natural Garden Decor
Use interesting branches, vines and logs as a trellis frame or display foundation for plants or vines in the garden, on the deck or in a corner of your porch.
Find a gnarled deadwood branch, twist some decorative mini lights around it, and hang it from the porch rafters or stand it in a corner.
I Love My Garden
Lensmaster Pastiche has been a member since August 12 2007, has rated 1,383 lenses, favorited 509, and has created 124 lenses from scratch. Lee Hansen donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund and Room to Read. This member's top-ranked page is "Clip Art Borders & Frames". See all my lenses
by Pastiche
Pastiche is an avid gardener and eclectic artist who uses stones, branches, dried plant material and recycled objects to decorate her garden and home... (more)
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