Backyard Makeover

Gates

So last year we made planters (you’ll see on my profile we documented them) and we left space to add gates but we are only getting round to making them now!so we have done a step by step for you to follow!

The Perfect Border for Your Beds: Defining a Garden's Edge With Stone

This is the garden bed that is against the front of our home and it looks much different than when we moved in a few years ago. To define the line between the GRASS and the GARDEN, we installed (even though there was no 'real' install) inexpensive stone. These stones are a trapezoid shape - about 7 long on one side, about 5 long on the other side. Because of the stones shape, they can be layed in a straight line (by changing the direction with each one) OR on a curve (tight curve or gradual curve) to border a garden. One row high is just enough (that's what I did) or these inexpensive stones can be stacked (staggering the joint) to create a taller garden border or retaining wall. They can also be used to create a firepit. Come see more on my blog NOW: http://www.jennaburger.com/2015/05/the-perfect-border-for-your-beds/

How to Edge Flower Beds... Like a Pro!

My brother is a pro gardener, and many moons ago, he shared how he professionally edged flower beds. I decided to implement his method into my own garden, and boy... I can't believe the instant difference it made! So I decided to write a blog post on his method, showing all the steps, not thinking too much about it after the thought.Well, that one hot sunny day of picture shooting turned out to be a win. This post turned out to be one of my most frequently visited and copied tutorials! And that's because this method truly works. This method of flowerbed edging transforms your flowerbeds from standard to showroom quality instantly! With standard garden tools and a little bit of elbow grease, it's easy to get this look, and not all that hard to keep up.Are you ready to ditch deteriorating flower bed edges and go all natural and even more beautiful?Here's how...

How To Divide Perennial Plants

Did you know that dividing perennial plants in your garden not only keeps your plants healthy, but can save you money as well? I’ll show you the process of dividing perennial plants, and the benefits it brings.

A Simple Stair Update for a Big Impact

I am going to show you how a little bit of painters tape and some caulk can take your staircase paint project from “just meh” to “absolute perfection” in about an hour.

DIY Convertible Sand and Water Table With Beer Cooler Option

Most days, I'm desperate to keep my three-year-old son quietly occupied while I wrangle my newborn or get work done. Sensory bins are a great option, but Evan's ability to keep rice confined to a plastic tub is spotty at best.Most sensory bin activities involve making a mess – that's part of the fun!Never heard of a sensory bin, you say? Allow me to share God's gift to moms everywhere...

Backyard Makeover: DIY Landscaping Project

Our backyard area was in dire need of help! This is how we transformed our "weed garden" into a more manageable space. You can also check out my blog for the full details: www.alchemy-home.net

Natural Stone Backyard Makeover

This AMAZING natural stone backyard makeover was recently installed in Stevens, PA located in beautiful northern Lancaster County. Installed during the early winter which made it quite cold. Luckily once the fire pit was complete we had the luxury of enjoy the warmth of the fire through the day. We even manage to cook a hot lunch a few days on the grill attachment of the fire pit insert.

Backyard Makeover

We decided to add some life to our backyard with a much need makeover. Doing all the work myself with a little help from some friends I am happy to walk you through the excitement.

DIY Pergola - Backyard Makeover

Small backyard makeover with DIY pergola to create a outdoor living room.

Updated Photo's - Backyard Makeover Laurel Canyon

before and after, labor of love - New Pic

Cedar Garden Gate

When we drew out our plans for our garden enclosure it included a simple gate. We planned to use scrap wood for it, but ended up with an extra cedar fence picket. That's when the wheels started turning! Cedar fence pickets cost around $3, so if the plan didn't work it wouldn't have been a big deal. Fortunately, it worked out. So for just $3 we built a beautiful cedar garden gate.

How to Make an Easy Patio Privacy Screen {Step-by-Step Tutorial}

I've seen several DIY projects for privacy fences, but I didn't want to spend a lot of money or put a ton of effort into this project. Unfortunately, I have a champagne vision with a beer budget, but we were able to complete this project for less than $30 in under two hours. Paul (the hubs), was going to be doing most of the work, and I would be the job foreman. I'm happy to report that we're still married, even after our..."lively" debate about why its unrealistic for me to expect full growth ivy winding it's way through the lattice panels, while we sit in cushy new patio chairs sipping Mojitos listening to the gentle gurgle of a three-tier water feature that he could also build that weekend? Geesh, he's such a killjoy.

Stone Garden Wall

Looking for a unique design element for your landscape? This stone wall will add beauty and function.

PVC Fence

In our backyard I wanted to build a PVC fence that goes from post to post of a patio. Originally, I build the fence out of wood but it only lasted 3 years and then started to rot because of the rain. So I decided to rebuild it using PVC pipe. The PVC pipe should last a lot longer and the price is not much different from the wood fence.The instructions below are for just one panel. So if you decide to build this PVC fence and you need more than one panel then you’ll need to do the math for additional material.For more pictures visit our website

Cinder Block Fence With 4x4's

Cinder block posts with 4x4's rails for diyNOTE: The cinder block posts are movable they are not buried or cemented down. Making this fence movable and customizable at any time.

Blue Beauty Furniture Makeover

I gave this ornate chest of drawers a makeover with just a little paint and some love.Taking old furniture and completely transforming it is something I’m very passionate about. I literally am giving the dated piece a new life and possibly saving them from landfills.

DIY Budget Spring Wreath

Don't spend a fortune on a new Spring wreath, make one yourself! I'm sharing two gorgeous wreaths I made from one grapevine form. I'm Cindy and I'm addicted to DIY You can find hundreds of thrifty decorating ideas on my blog at diybeautify.com.Let's make a beautiful Spring wreath!

How To Build A Stone Birdhouse

Happy Tuesday from the Mitten!Today, I am talking about beach days and birdhouses!Yes, in this story they do go together!

Painted Concrete Porch Floor

Remember what my front patio looked like?You don’t?Could that be because I don’t show photos of it very often?Hmmmm…….it’s true. I don’t. Wanna know why?Okay I’ll tell you but it’s just between us…..

Fun DIY Lego Table- Ikea Trofast Hack

Got a lego problem?! I’ll solve it! Hah, just kidding. But I can improve it! Check out my IKEA hack lego table below for a great solution to the always ongoing lego storage issue. Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post may contain affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you). As an Amazon and Home Depot Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Supplies: IKEA Trofast Unit with storage bin2×6 boards Primer Sherwin Williams Iron Ore General Finishes Java Gel Stain Wood Conditioner Varathane English Chestnut Stain Varathane Water Based Satin Polyurethane Support Bracket Heavy Duty Wall Anchors Peel and Stick Star Wars Wallpaper OK. I’m tired of legos being everywhere on the floor. I’m guessing you are too, or you wouldn’t be here. Is this IKEA trofast lego building table the perfect solution to your lego troubles? Nope. I think the only way to solve that permanently is to get rid of your legos…or your kids. But this DIY lego table does help with the issue for sure!

Antique Gold Table Lamps

I recently purchased a chandelier for our bedroom ceiling. This has some antique gold detail on it and I decided I wanted our bedside lamps to match this. So I decided to try out Rub ‘n Buff on the brushed chrome lamp stands to give them a little transformation!

How to Make a Simple Ladder Trellis

This One is for All the Cat Owners! Custom Raised Bowl

I have 2 cats. Both are not picky at all with what I feed them but one throws up pretty often after eating. I've tried smaller portions more often and different food but nothing seems to really help. One day I was scrolling Facebook and saw an ad for a raised, tilted cat food dish and decided I would make one myself.

How to Make Linen Beeswax Wraps

Beeswax wraps are very easy and inexpensive to make. You’ll love this simple linen version of a popular classic for your natural kitchen. Ever since I first saw beeswax wraps I thought I could make them myself. That is what I did over 2 years ago (you can see that post here). I still use them a lot but I needed different sizes. This time around, I thought it would be fun to use one of my favorite fabrics: linen!

A Quick Weekend Closet Makeover With ClosetMaid

This post is sponsored by ClosetMaid. All opinions are my own.We love a lot of elements of our little, old house, but the tiny closets are not one of them. We wouldn’t call ourselves fashion people by any means (most of our day-to-day pandemic wear is paint-stained project clothes, if we’re honest) but after a quick weekend closet makeover with ClosetMaid’s SuiteSymphony system, we feel like we’re shopping in a cute little boutique every time we get dressed.You can also get more DIY tips and hints at our blog Shoe Makes New.

How to Make Lavender Shower Steamers Without Citric Acid

Learn how to make a lavender shower steamers recipe without citric acid. These easy aromatherapy shower steamers can be made with lavender essential oil or a lavender essential oil blend to help relieve stress and calm your mind. Discover how to make lavender shower steamers. Plus find recipes for lavender essential oil blends you can use to create these homemade shower bombs.

DIY Produce Bags

In this tutorial, I am showing you how easy it is to make these simple DIY produce bags. You only need 2 very inexpensive items! This post contains some affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I love trying to be more sustainable and I love sharing easy ways to do that. Because it’s harder to do when it’s not easy, right? Buying groceries and produce in bulk skips unnecessary plastic. For most of that, I use simple cotton bags that I made from old dish towels. But sometimes, we do need something to hold the lettuce or wet carrots. This is where these DIY produce bags come in! You’ll love that they are very inexpensive and they are easy and quick to make!

Quick And Easy DIY Laundry Counter

Remember when I did a makeover on my laundry nook? You can find all the details on my blog. Well I told you at that time that I planned to build a countertop over the washer and dryer to make a nice folding surface and some place to hold the detergent within reach.An added bonus is that it keeps things from falling between and behind the machines which was a constant problem.For a few reasons I never got around to building the counter and then a couple weeks ago my dryer died and my washer was making sympathetic noises so I had to replace them both. Once I got the pretty new machines all comfy in my little laundry nook, I realized I needed to complete this project once and for all.Here is how I built it.

Spring Vase Upcycle

I used fallen tree branches to upcycle a dollar store vase for a fresh spring look.

Simple Farmhouse Kitchen Open Shelves | How to DIY Brackets

We finished these farmhouse kitchen open shelves a few months ago, so I decided it was time to show you guys how we DIYed them! They were so easy and since we did them ourselves we were able to customize them to fit our specific needs.

Dog Rope Toy to Boho Container

So strolling through Dollar Tree, I ran across this cotton multicolored rope toy for dogs. I bought it thinking it would make really pretty rope handles for some project someday. By the time I got home, I had a whole new idea for Fido’s toy.

Rain Boot Makeover

Well spring has finally sprung here in Ontario, Canada. It's a balmy 9 degrees celsius. Lol ! But the sun is shining, the birds chirping and my creative juices flowing. I love making arrangements for my door every spring and this year I was inspired by a tiny pair of rubber rain boots.

Reviving Old Planters

Worn out and stained planters can easily bring your curb appeal down and make your yard look run down. Give your planters a quick refresh!

Rocking Chair Upholstery | Eastlake Rocker

Want to know how easy it is to replace rocking chair upholstery on an antique Eastlake rocking chair? Let me show you how!

Cement Balloon Planters

Learn to make these cement balloon planters the easy way, and that works! Use a balloon as your mold. Cement (not concrete) is the key.I started this project out feeling really frustrated.Originally I tried to make these round cement balloon planters using concrete like other tutorials show, but it was a complete fiasco.Even though I sifted the concrete to get out the gravel, it just didn’t work. I must have popped 5 or 6 balloons in the process.I also was working outside and accidentally polluted the environment with 4 runaway balloons I was never able to catch- it was really windy that day.Aargh. I watched a million videos and read tutorials of people making these with concrete and I’m feeling like they have to be faked a bit, because it just doesn’t work.–Palm slap to the forehead for the “ah ha” moment!– Cement! That was the key.

Save Money Making Large Flower Containers

I added two big blue turquoise flower pots on my front porch this Spring. I love the way they look and how they are tall next to my front door. But large containers also tend to have larger expenses.Here are smart money saving ideas for filling a large flower container on your porch, patio or in your garden. These are tips to help you save on the cost of soil, the cost of the pot, and the expense of the plants.

Louvered Hall Tree

I was given a louvered door for free! We knew we wanted to make a hall tree out of it, but we weren't sure if we had all the pieces to make one. Until . . .