Outdoor and indoor decorating with nature

Here are some ideas for decorating your home and yard for any season of the year.  I hope this list inspires you with new ideas. Feel

free to add your own ideas and experiences to the guestbook.

Plan this years or next years garden Grow some of your own food and help your friends, neighbors, children or grandchildren to do the same.

                Before planning visit www.squarefootgardening.com or http://www.squidoo.com/squarefootgardening/ or check out All New Square Foot Gardening from your local library. If you think gardening is difficult you will learn how to make it easy.

Container gardens - window boxes, pots, planters

Stacked garden - pots of various sizes placed on top of or inside each other to make a terraced potted garden), traveling (plant in a wheelbarrow or small wagon), living scarecrow (Herb Companion, June/July 1998, p. 53 - chicken wire filled with sphagnum moss and potting soil around a broomstick for support to form the body then planted with nasturtiums, climbers or other plants, stuff a burlap sack or pillowcase with straw for the head)

Theme gardens - Scented, color (i.e. purple vegetables, white flowers), animal names (lamb's ear, catmint), type of food (salad, salsa)

Look through books, catalogs and magazines to plan what to grow and where for next year

Fountains and other water features

                Make a home made fountain for indoors or out. The links can give               you some ideas to get you started:
http://www.guide4home.com/out-ftn/build-fountain.htm
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/nature/water-fountain.shtml http://www.sunset.com/sunset/garden/article/0,20633,674838,00.html http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_furnishings_other/article/0,,HGTV_3433_1375530,00.html
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_water_features/article/0,,HGTV_3575_1375203,00.html
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_water_features/article/0,,HGTV_3575_2970584,00.html
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_design_water_features/article/0,,HGTV_3575_3284512,00.html

Early spring flowers

Carefully prune some small branches from Spring blooming shrubs or trees just as the flower buds appear. Place in a vase indoors and enjoy an early flower display.
Force fall blooming bulbs to bloom indoors early by planting in pots about 8 weeks or so before you want to enjoy their flowers. http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1116.html

Christmas ornaments

- Hot glue three cinnamon sticks together - one below the next.  Add ribbon  and attach one or more of the following to the center: star anise or whole cloves, other whole spices, or dried flowers. 

- Cut Christmas shapes (2 matching shapes) out of Christmas fabric or felt in Christmas colors.  Sew  ribbon to the top of one piece. Next, sew the shapes back to back while leaving a small opening for filling.  Turn right side out or if using felt the stitching can be around the outside edge using a colorful thread.  Stuff with crushed or ground spices.   Sew shut.  A gingerbread man can be stuffed with ginger. 

Wreaths

Ice Wreath see Good Housekeeping, December 2000, p. 111, Fill a Bundt cake pan or Jello mold with water and add fresh cranberries. When solid, unmold and hang outdoors.

Wreaths made from pinecones, conifers and nuts can hold up outside - see Martha Stewart Living, December 1995, p. 104

Living wreaths - fill a wire wreath form with sphagnum moss or a mix of sphagnum and potting soil. Plant with herbs, succulents or other plants. May need to be displayed flat.

Pepper pots

Use colorful bell peppers as a temporary vase. Choose pepper that will stand up. Remove top and rinse out. Fill with water and leave overnight to make sure it won't leak. Fill with water and arrange flowers or herbs. Cucumbers and peppers can also be hollowed out and used as a temporary salad dressing container.

Pomanders

Fruit - tangerines, limes, lemons, kumquats, small oranges, apple or pears. Poke fruit with whole cloves, roll in dried spices (cloves, cinnamon, etc) and let dry turning to expose all sides to the air (may take weeks). Attach ribbon for hanging or display in a bowl. Smaller fruit can hang from a Christmas tree while drying. Keeps for along time and adds a nice spicy scent to the air.

Apple pulp pomander - 4 c. Applesauce mixed with 1 heaping T. gr. Cloves, 1 T. ground nutmeg, 2 t. gr. Ginger or enough spices until thick. Cinnamon can be used instead of the above. Mix thoroughly and form into balls or roll out thickly and cut into shapes and let dry on a surface dusted with ground spices making sure they don't touch each other. Roll around or turn over occasionally to expose all sides to the air. Wrap in organdy or other porous fabric. Place in a bowl or hang.

Potpourri

Use natural ingredients and essential oils - better quality and longer lasting scent.

Fresh or Dried Flowers

Flowers are great for decorating anytime - not just for holidays. Grow and harvest your own for a personalized arrangment.

Faux Stone for containers

Hypertufa - A mix of Portland cement, vermiculite, and peat moss used to make pots and other artificial stone products. Has an old stone look. Herb Companion, April/May 1994, p.39 www.backyardgardener.com/tufa.html or faq.gardenweb.com/faq/hypertufa/

Painted Pots

Paint designs or scenes on any size clay pot. Spray for protection if desired. Faux finishes such as granite can also be applied to pots. Plants in clay pots may need more water. To prevent breakage bring indoors in the fall.

Plant supports

make from woven vines, willow or other pliable materials. Also, old tools such as rakes and other items can be used for plant supports. Wheelbarrow, chairs, and bedframes can be used as planters.

Pot sculptures

Potlady - Herb Companion, June/July 1998, p. 51
Water fountains and other things can be made by combining clay pots in different ways. Use your imagination.

Stepping Stones

Premixes and molds are available at craft stores - decorate with stones, broken glass or tile, beads or just draw a design. Paint designs on ready made stepping stones. Smooth surface stones work best. Paint with acrylic and when dry spray with a protectant. Add sayings or names if desired.

Strewing herbs

(outside or inside), Strew dried herbs such as lavender on the ground or patio for a party or under a doormat indoors. Make sure the herbs don't make the surface unstable. The herbs could also help repel pests such as ants. Use temporarily or replace frequently.

Birdfeeders/Birdhouses

decorated with birdseed

Using non toxic glue add birdseed to the outside of a wood birdhouse or wood or cardboard birdfeeder. Adding cayenne pepper may help prevent grazing by mammals.

Pumpkin birdfeeder

-- fill a small, hollowed out half pumpkin with birdseed. Make a groove around the top rim to insert pumpkin seeds. Poke holes and insert twigs for perches. Hang with strong twine.

Birdseed wreath

Large Sunflower head - make a hole in the middle to create wreath shape and decorate with heads wheat, milo, and/or millet and cracked nuts

Wreath form or picture frame - using non toxic glue to attach birdseed Good Housekeeping, December 2000, p.113

Birdseed ornaments

to decorate an outdoor tree

Pinecones, Balls, Stars, Bells - Attach twine for hanging pinecone. Mix suet with birdseed and pack around pinecones or form into shapes around a piece of twine. Mixing birdseed with a mixture of unflavored gelatin (no suet) may also work. Add cayenne to birdseed to help prevent grazing by mammals.

Half orange - Scoop out pulp and fill with birdseed and hang.

Snowman

see Family Fun magazine, February 2004, p. 88 Snowman lying on a beach towel with sticks for arms and flip flops on feet. Other items such as a parasol, bottle of "suntan lotion", sunglasses and hat add to the affect. Use your imagination for other things a snowman could be doing - having a snowball fight with another snowman, sitting in a lawnchair, or a snowman building another snowman.

Decorating with lights

Lights can be used for decorating anytime of the year - indoors and out. There are now available inexpensive fake tealights (using LEDs) which can be easier to work with outdoors than real candles.

Gourds and pumpkins

- Cut hole in the bottom and cut shapes (stars, moons, etc) in the sides and place over lights along pathways or cut holes in both ends of small gourds to hang over strings of lights. Drill holes in sides of gourds to allow light to shine through. Holes can be drilled to make a design instead of cutting with a knife or saw.

Luminaries

- fill can ¾ full with water and freeze. Large soup cans (26 oz) and 28 oz cans work well. Remove from freezer and immediately punch holes in can using a large nail and hammer to make desired pattern (star, candle, tree, etc). Light with tealights.

Snow lanterns

Place light fixture in glass tumbler or jelly jar and then in wide mouth bucket or urn. Place equal-size tightly packed snowballs over the top in pyramid or tree shape. Or well pack snow into a bucket then carefully unmold from bucket. Place glass tumbler or jelly jar inside molded snow to hold a candle. Also: Martha Stewart Living, February 1996, p. 91

Your own ideas

What do you do already that could give you some more ideas for outdoor or indoor decorating? Feel free to add some of your own ideas to the Guestbook