Rustic Willow's DIY Concrete Planter

I get some of the craziest things posted on my Facebook timeline by friends who know me well. This is a DIY Concrete Planter, and will probably be my next project! Very cool, and sounds easy but messy (right up my alley).Just an old towel soaked in concrete! The instructions can be found at Rustic Willow.

Artsy Kids!!!

We did the B-Town Beat, our local art walk, and Yon Flora, of ReTreasure and I partnered up so the kids in our fair city, could have a go at the Spin Art Spinner I made. Here is what the amazing kids came up with:

I think the kids all had fun making little works of art. I know I did!

Spin Art!

Another retirement project I have completed is a spin art machine. I pretty much followed these instructions I found on YouTube.

Anyway I constructed the machine. Then I experimented using different papers. I found that card stock worked best, but standard paper  like the kind used in a printer works fine also. When you get the machine done, the results are something like this:

 

The only plans I have right now for this is a booth at The B-Town Beat, our local art walk, partnered with ReTreasure, a local store that specializes in Re-purposed art, or rather art that reuses things people throw away. Anyway should be fun for kids of all ages to make an art masterpiece!

Functional Art

Sorry about the bad picture, but I had to share my latest. I just love functional art. So this framed jean pocket phone charger has my name on it. Easy to make- just take a nice picture frame, take out the mounting board and cut the jean pocket out of the rear of a an old pair of blue jeans. Drill a hole in the mounting board, allowing the pocket to cover it, and mark the pocket on the inside where the charging cord should come through. Then glue the jean pocket to the mounting board. I used white glue, and just brushed it on the board and place the pocket on the board, but I could imagine a spray adhesive would work just as well. After the glue dries, put the mounting board in the frame, lock and hang. The cool thing is a new no sew use for a pair of old worn out jeans. I think this would make a great Christmas gift for anyone!

Upcycled Orangina Bottle Oil Lamp

I love Orangina! I found  some at Trader Joes in these spiffy Glass bottles. So I start thinking how to up-cycle them before I left the store! I simply took an empty bottle, scrubbed the label off, made a wick from an old cotton tennis shoe string or use a small strip from a cotton t-shirt, punch a small hole in the cap with an Awl ( you could probably use a nail, or a small screw driver). Insert the “wick” in the cap. Fill the bottle with Lamp Oil and light!

Up-cycled Berry Basket

Sitting around, with nothing to do? Me, too. I have about 6 of these plastic berry baskets. so I decided to take some ribbon and do some weaving! Now a basket that's perfect for giving out a small amount of cookies or Christmas candy (If I make some) or a small gift! The only thing I would do a bit different is a handle out of pipe cleaners!

Fill 'er Up!

You know sometimes inspiration just comes to you. A guy at work was getting rid of this gas tank for a hog, (Big Motorcycle) it was really dented on the top. So I cut a bigger hole in the top and a drain in the bottom, and a 2" hole on the side opposite the fill side hole. I may add a few more holes along the side and turn it into a strawberry planter in the fall. But I like the look, and I think it makes a great conversation piece in the garden

REPOST: A Truck Wheel BBQ

This repost comes from my old DYI Blog, dated August 2, 2009 . It involves a truck wheel (which everyone has laying around in their yard, yes?) some furniture legs from IKEA, some hardware cloth and a grill. And yes years later it is still in use! Ever wonder what to do with those old truck wheels? You know the ones sitting in your yard? Well here is one thing I made- A bbq! Here are the steps:

Find an old pick up wheel (I got mine on Free-Cycle), Pick up a package of Ikea Capita legs- the 8" legs would have been better ( I had the 6" legs sitting around). Then take the leg mounts and put them on the deep side of the truck wheel, screw the legs through the other side, pick up agrill top (mine is for a weber grill- 18") or take one off an old bbq, Use some hardware cloth (fencing) Inside the deep end for an ash catcher. And you are done! Happy BBQ'ing!

Note: You might want to add some small C-Clamps to keep the grill centered orwhat I did is put some nuts and bolts through the top of the grill to act as a stopper!

Street Sign Furniture

Photos from Tim Delger.com

Here is an artist after my own heart. Tim Delger designs and makes unique furniture out of discarded road and street signs. A tad pricey for mem but totally inspirational. I love it when junk is recycled into funcational and creative things. I have dabbled a bit in this myself

More Re-Use- Yard Art Division

 So you are driving down a road in a residential neighborhood and you see this on a parking strip along a sidewalk in front of a home. Call the HOA? No, take a pic. It was done by sculptors who live at this home for yard art!

 Here is what is inside of the cab of the bus. All in all it makes on cool and chic planter!

Behind the bus is a unique sail boat turned into a planter. These sculptors take container gardening to a higher level!

Craftzine to the Rescue!!!

Photo: Craftzine Magazine

Well now that I have a neat new shelf unit in my Studio closet, I wanted more storage! Here comes The CraftZine Magazine Blog to the rescue--- Put some milk crates on the wall! So simple to do - take a milk crate, some fender washers, wall anchors and just put those puppies on the wall. Great Idea for Kid's room closets, or for your craft room/studio, They can look pretty fantastic as well.

Travelin' to the Beat of A Different Drum...

Well I owe this one to my dog, Romeo… I was walking him along the street and he discovered this kid’s drum set set out with the garbage. "Hmmmm…", wonders I… "what could I make with that?"
Immediatelely I thought about a table and a lamp. And maybe a planter. Any way I drug the drum kit home. No easy task when you are walking a dog who wants to go everywhere and see everything. So I gets home and start to proceed in making my drum table. I removed the drum skin and installed the legs- 3 24” pieces of ½ inch copper, with 6 split ring pipe holders. Then I added pipe caps on all the ends. Then the glass top- an old turntable glass from a microwave (my favorite glass Table tops).
Now for the lamp… I thought of a few ways to do it… 1 attached to one of the table legs, but worried it would be to top heavy. So I thought “how about a standard lamp?” and attached the two smaller drums together and put them on a lamp pedestal I had laying around. Then a lamp kit. Finally the lamp itself. I used the larger small drum as a lampshade and the smaller for a lamp body. Turned out pretty good if I say so myself!

Vase or Vaz?

Just thought I would share my vases I made. These are made from old industrial light bulbs found in the trash, I drill out the end and remove the filament. They are mounted on some old lamp parts I had lying around. The Geberra Daisy's are from Gehl Flowers and Gifts in downtown Burien

Bicycle Inspired Desk Chair

Ever since our family doctor, who told a young Rob, you need to get your fat ass on a bicycle seat, I have pondered this dilemma for years, how to get on a bicycle seat without doing all the work and balancing crap. Today I have come up with it... my Bicycle inspired desk chair. I took the seat off of a desk chair I found at the thrift store, cut off the bracket, and was left with the poles that go up and down. On problem was, they were in the down position. No matter. I simply drilled a hole in the the outer pole, near the bottom, and one near the top, and then one in the inner pole for the seat heigth. Then I attached an old Bicycle seat on that pole. Now I sit on my bike seat whenever. Hope your happy, Doc!
I only party down with the best at:

Norwgian tek-now-All-o-gee at it's best

Norwgian tek-now-All-o-gee at it's best

Well for a party post today, I am featuring something made by my Uncle Art. A self propelled riding lawnmower! Really it is just for yard art, and something to threaten his grandkids with when they act up, which he claims never happens.

I only party down with the best at:

Plumber's Seat

Just the thing for a busy plumber who needs to take a break every now and then!

Ok I admit to having a funny side. When I saw this instructable for a seat, I know I gotta make one! Don’t know that I would ever be seen in public with it though. Just attracts my sick sense of humor with my profession. Might be a great idea though when you stop to think about it!

Industrial Kleenex Cozy

Ok I know it doesn't look cozy- but it goes with the industrial look in my master bath, (remember the soap holder?) Anyway, I got ruthlessly stole the idea from the Feb/Mar 2008 issue of Ready Made magazine- Just cut a 2" hole in the bottom of a paint can (or a coffee can) with a hole saw, file the edges and shove a square box of tissue in through the bottom it. Not that I am a big user or fan of Kleenex, but occasionally I need it.

I only party down with the best at:

Reefer Madness

I wasn't going to do a party post today. But then I got bored. And this is what happens when I get bored... REEFER MADNESS!!!

I would probably make a magnet out of anything... Old credit cards, bottle caps

Even my badge that proves I am an official Washington State Junior Trooper!

All you need is some Super Glue, a magnet and something to use as a magnet (in this case a bottle cap- I can't throw nothing away) Just put a circle of the glue in the bottle cap...

Insert the magnet let dry and you are done! Makes a great gift for mothers, grandmas and aunts

I only party down with the best at: