Garden in a Bottle

Creating the garden

The first step in bottle gardening is to clean and wash the bottle thoroughly with running water and soap. Using a paper funnel made of newspaper, place a thin layer of charcoal, a layer of pebbles and then coarse as a drainage medium....

To learn more about how you can create your own garden in a bottle, click on the following link
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/garden-bottle-062421162.html

Original Post: Manila Bulletin

DIY Apple Carton Seedling Starter

Apple Carton Seedling Starter

This empty apple carton looked like it could be a great seedling starter.  Keeping the soil evenly moist is critical in getting seeds to germinate, and as you can see in the photo above, this container traps moisture well.  This is my first time using this type of container, but I have high hopes.

DIY Apple Carton Seedling Starter

Materials:

• Empty apple container or similar container.  We got this one from Costco.
• Permanent Marker
• Potting soil
• Seeds
• Water (use a hose with a mister nozzle, a spray bottle, or gently pour water from a cup)
• Pen and Paper (to track what seeds you planted)

Directions: 

1. Close the container, and number each dome.  This makes recording what you planted in each dome easier. 
2. Open the container, and fill each space with soil.  
3. Then plant your seeds in each pod, and make sure you write down which seeds were planted in each pod.
4. Then gently water the soil in a way that does not disturb the seeds.  Water until the soil is moist, but not soggy.  
5. Close the container and place it on a level surface in a shady area.  Then wait!  You should not have to water the plant for several days.  Only water the soil if it looks or feels dry to the touch.

Empty Carton

Planting Seeds in Empty Apple Carton

DIY Cardboard Christmas Lights Organizer

Don't throw away those Christmas boxes just yet.  You can tear down a couple and turn them into inexpensive Christmas lights organizers.   

Materials:

• Scissors
• Pen or Marker
• Rectangles cut from cardboard boxes

Directions:

Fig. A

Fig. B

Fig. C

1. Use the scissors to cut the box along the creases.  You should end up with several rectangular pieces.
2. Then use the scissors to make about of 1 inch long cuts at points 1 and 2 (See Fig A).
3. Then insert one end of the wire in slot 1 (See Fig B).  Then start wrapping the Christmas lights around the cardboard working yourself from left to right.  Make sure you leave about 2 inches of space from the edge (See point 3 in Fig A).
4. After you are done hook the end in point 2 (See Fig A). 
5. Now label point number 2 with "Unwind Starting Here" and at point 4 you can label the Christmas light description.  For example, "Christmas Tree Lights, 1 of 2."
6. Store lights away in a container for next year!

Recycled Magazine Makeup Brush Holder

Photo: Recycled Magazine Makeup Brush Holder

I finally got around to trying that recycled magazine project I blogged about earlier this year.  I decided to create a makeup brush holder by using pages from my Glamour magazine to decorate a tin can.  It was a lot easier than I thought, and it took me less than a couple of hours to complete this project.  Continue reading to see step by step instructions on how to create this makeup brush holder.

Materials

• Scissors
• Magazines
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Tape
• Rubberband
• Tin Can (cleaned and dried)
• Elmer's Glue
• Glue Gun

Directions

1. Tear out pages from your magazine that has a lot of pretty colors, prints, text and/or images. 
2. Measure your tin can's height.  Then cut strips from magazines that are the same height.  For example, my tin can was about 4.5" so I cut sheets of paper that had a height of 4.5".     
3. Then lay a single sheet down, and fold the rough edge of the paper about 1/4" so that you have a straight edge.  Then take the pencil and roll it so that the magazine wraps around the pencil.                                           
   
   
4. Secure the tube with a small piece of tape (i.e., about 1/4" of tape).  Repeat this process until you have enough tubes to surround the entire tin can.                                                                                   
5. Wrap the rubber band around the tin can.  Then slip the tubes of magazines under the rubber band to see if you like your design.                                                                       
6. Plug in your glue gun, and place two droplets of glue at the top and the bottom of the can (See Photo with yellow stars below).  Then place the first tube down.  Make sure that it is align with the bottom of the can.  Then place a thin layer of glue on the side of the tube (See Photo with pink start below).  Place another thin layer of glue on the tube, and then place two more droplets of glue on the can.  Then secure with another tube.  Repeat this process to the end. Secure with a rubber band until project dries. 

Plastic Knife Plant Labels

Photo: Early Corn plant label made out of a plastic knife

Have you ever wondered what to do with those plastic knives you get with your take-out orders or have leftover from a mixed plastic cutlery set?  Turn them into plant labels!

You can make simple plant labels by using a plain permanent marker (not the fine point kind) to label the knife handle.   Alternatively, you can dress up your plant labels like I did with a little paint and creativity.  Keep reading for instructions on how to make your own weather-resistant or weatherproof plant labels out of plastic knives.

Directions on How to Make Plastic Knife Plant Labels

Materials

• old clothes or smock
• newspapers
• masking tape or objects to weigh down newspaper
• sand paper (220 grit)
• plastic knives 
• paint brushes
• artist palette or old plate
• acrylic paint (I used Winsor & Newton Galeria Acrylic Paint)
• cup to hold water (I used the bottom half of a plastic water bottle)
• paper towel (moistened) 

Directions

Photo: Prepping the work area

Photo: Finished plastic knife plant labels

1. Preparation.  Change into old clothes or put on a smock.  Then find a comfortable place to paint.  Prep your work area by laying down newspaper to prevent paint from accidentally ruining your furniture.  Weigh down or tape the edges of the newspaper to the table.  Then gather the rest of your materials.
2. Sand the Plastic Knife Handle.  Roughen up the surface of the plastic knives with sandpaper.  Then wipe down the knife with a moist paper towel.  Allow the knife to dry.  This will create a better surface for the paint to adhere to, and prevent the paint from peeling off the plastic.               
3. Prepare a Design or Dive In.  Acrylic dries quickly so I like to think about what I will draw and what colors I will use prior to painting, but feel free to dive in and start painting.  
4. Paint.  Start painting.  I painted in layers.  First, I mixed blue and white on my palette to create a light blue paint.  Then I painted the knife handle and about 3/4" past the knife handle a light blue.  It is not necessary to paint the whole knife because the serrated edge of the knife will be beneath the soil line.  While I waited for my first layer to dry, I cleaned my paint brush by swirling it in water and drying off the excess moisture.  Then I painted a picture of the fruit or vegetable (also in layers).  Lastly, I used a fine brush and black acrylic paint to "write" the plant names.  
5. Stick it in the Ground.  Place the knife in the ground so that the painted handle is exposed.  Now you have a unique, inexpensive, weather-proof plant label!