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Supplies for Creating Batik with Glue

Find  supplies here on Amazon

-T-shirt or fabric

-Paper or scrap cardboard to place between the t-shirt layers

-White kid’s craft glue (washable school glue)

-Stencils

-Paint brush

-Fabric paint or acrylic craft paint and textile medium (we used DecoArt brand)

-A bucket and warm water

-(optional) clean scrubbing sponge to remove the glue

Pre-wash Material of Fabric Items

Whatever material you’ve decided to create on, pre-wash the item to remove any sizing or chemicals that would prevent the fabric paint from sticking, Dry and then lay out on a flat surface. Place either paper or some flat cardboard between the layers of the shirt to prevent the fabric paint from bleeding through to the backside.

Paint the Glue on with the Stencil Design

The glue is going to replace the wax that would typically be used for the resist in batik. Dispense the craft glue into a small dish. Place the stencils onto the shirt and use the brush to paint the glue onto the shirt through the stencils.

We found it works better to paint on thinner coats and paint inward from different directions until the inner stencil area is completely covered. We collaged our stencils by layering them over each other, using a hair dryer to dry the glue between stencils so they wouldn’t smear the previous layer of glue. Once the stencil areas are “painted in” and once the design is finished, let the glue dry completely before moving onto the next step.

Paint Design with Fabric Paint

We used a. warm blue acrylic craft paint and textile medium mix to create a more sun print style of look, but you can also use one step fabric paint. While we stuck with one color, feel free to use as many colors as desired to create the traditional batik-style look. Paint right over the areas covered in dried white craft glue. We also painted a cute scalloped edge around the design to make it a little fancy.

Follow the Fabric Setting Directions

Some fabric paints need to be heat set to be permanent, some just need extra dry time of 24 hours or more. Make sure to follow the directions for which ever paint was used to make it permanent.

If you love the look of sun printing, see how to make faux sun prints (cyanotype printing) with gel plate printing.

Soak the Shirt and Remove the Glue Resist

Once the paint is set, soak the shirt in warm water for a few hours to loosen and dissolve the craft glue. It make take a few soaks and a little scrubbing to remove the glue.

We scraped at it, but a scrubbing sponge or even plastic card or old toothbrush can work. Once all of the glue covered areas are removed, rinse the shirt before laundering. If rinsing over a sink, make sure to place a catcher of some kind in the sink to keep the plasticky pieces from going down the drain, then discard the paint bits into the regular garbage.

Launder The Batik Glue Shirt as Normal

Once the shirt is done and the fabric paint is permanent, the shirt can be laundered as normal and super cute to wear!

Some Other Fun Ways to Use the Batik with Glue Technique

-Use the stencils, but trace them instead of painting them in for a more traditional batik look

-Freehand a design

–Create a banner on canvas fabric

-Trace letters with tracing paper to create text

-Use on sweatshirts, pillows, tea towels and more

Have fun and experiment with this fun and versatile art technique of glue batik

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We are offering this workshop in our art studio in Lisle, so if you want to try it hands on with the materials included, you can find out more about the workshop, registration and our studio here.

Supplies for Kinusaiga Art

Find the supplies on Amazon

-Foam board. We used 1/2 inch pink foam board

-Double Stick tape (or 3M double sided sheet adhesive)

-Fabric Scraps

-Pattern

-Marker

-Craft knife

-Wood clay tool with a flat end or Popsicle stick for kids

-Scissors

-Wood Box (8×8)

-White craft glue

Before Starting Kinusaiga

A few things  to know before starting Kinusaiga. This is a slow craft. You’re meant to work section by section and take your time cutting and adding. This isn’t something to be rushed though. Enjoy all of it! Selecting the fabric, removing the adhesive and placing it. Start with simpler patterns with mostly straight lines. This is fun, relaxing and as your skill level improves, you can move to more complicated patterns. Enjoy the process!

Decide on a Pattern

When starting out using a simpler quilt pattern is a little easier. We used patterns from The Sewing Loft to create our projects. Not only are they great for quilters, but they work well for this project too. They have mostly straight lines and little curves which is great for beginners. Here are a few patterns that would work well

Cut the Foam Board to Size

We decided we wanted to mat ours in an 8 x8 wood frame, but these can be custom cut to any size desired. Using a pre-cut wood box made it easy to just pop it in a glue it to hold it in place. Measure and cut the foam  board to size so it just fits into the wood box frame.

Add the Adhesive Sheet

Cover the foam board with the double-sided adhesive film, leaving the top layer on. Make sure to wrap the edges in the tape sheet as well.

Transfer the Pattern to the Foam Board

There are several ways you can transfer the image to the top of the foam broad covered int he adhesive sheet. This can be done using transfer paper where the image is traced over the top and the carbon paper transfers the design. Or, a pin or other sharp tool can be used to make pin pricks along the pattern lines. This method takes a pretty long time and transfer paper is faster. Darken the lines with a black marker so they are easily seen. We used two designs. One that we hand drew and another we used the Sunburst pattern from The Sewing Loft.

Cut Along the Lines

Use a craft knife to carefully cut along the transferred lines, making sure to leave the top layer of paper on the adhesive. This won’t get removed until section by section when the fabric is ready to be added.

Plan the Fabric Layout

This is a good time to sort through and layout the fabric before cutting, especially when working with scraps.  Once you have your fabric set, it’s time to start creating! Jelly roll quilting fabric packs work well for this because there is a nice variety of fabrics to choose from without having to buy a ton of yardage.

Cut the Fabric for the Kinusaiga Art

This project works one piece at a time. Cut a piece of fabric slightly larger than piece to be worked on. This is important so that the raw edges can be tucked into the foam to hide them. If it’s too small, it won’t cover the section and if it’s too large the fabric will be too bulky to tuck all of it into the foam.

Start Removing the Paper on One Adhesive Section

Pick and cut a piece of fabric for the section to start on. Remove the paper off that adhesive section. The paper should pull away easily and the adhesive should be left on your block.

Press the Fabric onto the Adhesive

Press and smooth the fabric onto that section of the adhesive and then use the clay tool to press the edges into the foam until it’s all tucked in. Move section by section repeating the same steps. The clay tool we used is nice because it has a flat edge and a curved edge which worked well to tuck the edges in.

Tuck the Fabric Edges Around the Outside

Once the pattern is completed, tuck the edges around the outside and wrap to the back, taping down as needed. Don’t worry if they are a little short, they won’t show when popped into the wood box.

Add Glue to the Box to Frame

Add a small amount of glue to the inside of the box towards near where the bottom of the Kinusaiga piece will sit. This will make sure it is glued in the back and doesn’t mess up the front of the fabric.

Hang and enjoy your artwork! It’s fun to plan out the different fabric colors and patterns. I think you’ll find this becomes addictive and fun to make! Come take a workshop with us!

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Add a Towel Rack under the Kitchen Sink

When we gave our kitchen a makeover there was a little drawer under the sink and above the cabinet doors. I know a lot of people add kits to create a drawer for sponges and such, but we decided to add a brass towel bar. Not only does it make it convenient for drying dishes and hands. It’s so much nicer than those towel rings or hooks.

Our brass towel bar is no longer sold, but here is a brass towel bar that also has a modern and clean feel. It mimics the shape of the cabinet pulls and adds a nice look. It has a wide surface area for a towel holder. Even though brass is a smooth surface, we’ve had no issues with it slipping off or getting in the way of getting to the cabinets underneath.

Are you a towel lover too? Try your hand at silk screening your own towels at home with this tutorial.

Over time the brass will have a nice patina to it. Brass is also known to be antimicrobial, which is perfect for under a kitchen sink.

Hang A Towel on a Vintage Clip Board

If you’re looking for an inexpensive and creative way to display or hang a tea or dish towel, grab a vintage clip board from the thrift store and use it on the wall. It’s a cute and clever way to show off your favorite ones and let them dry out and I’ve found clipboards for as little as $1.99.

Add a Magnetic Towel Bar

If you don’t have a kitchen sink area where you can add a towel bar, try a magnetic towel bar on the side of the refrigerator. This is a convenient way to hang towels in a tight space. They come in multiple colors and styles for almost any home. These can be used for paper towels as well.

Find a variety of towel bars here.

Store Extra Towels in a Basket

When you have quite a few dish towels and not enough linen shelf space, try folding and grouping them in a basket near the sink or a kitchen island. Being able to grab them quickly when needed makes it easy when they are readily available.

Hang Dish Towels on a Rack or Ladder

If you have enough kitchen space, a cool rustic ladder could display some of your prettiest tea towels as art. While this was for my Vintage Tea Collection released years ago, this is a fun idea for a kitchen area. This works great for blankets too!

If you loved this post, you might also like more posts about our kitchen such as  adding architectural transom windows to our kitchen, How our kitchen looked after installing subway tile, and, the difference between white subway tiles.

The post Ideas for Hanging Kitchen Towels appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

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Supplies to Press Fresh Flowers:

-Fresh, gathered flowers

-Heavy books (coffee table books or old text books work well)

-Parchment or regular paper

You can find books and supplies for flower pressing and crafts here.

You can also watch a flower pressing video included in this post, or skip right ahead to the step by step images below:

Start by Picking Flowers that Press Well

While you can press any flower, picking the right flowers matters. Thinner petaled, “less juicy”, single petal flowers tend to work better when you press flowers with books. Thicker flowers with a higher moisture content can actually go a little moldy, since they don’t dry fast enough. I started with the earliest spring flowers we had which are violets and  blue squill. It helps to gather them by snipping them off with a pair of sharp scissors or a knife. If you are going to press the stem, make sure to clip it as close to the ground as possible. If you are only going to do the top of the flowers, snip it as close to the base of the head as you can. You can gather flowers from outside or even some thinner flowers from a store bought bouquet.

The Best Types of Flowers for Book-Pressed Flowers

the best flowers that “press well” are ones that tend to hold their color after pressed , will dry out and and won’t tend to mold when pressed. Single layer flowers such as cosmos, yarrow, lavender, violas, pansies, impatiens, poppies, zinnias, daisies, and shrub roses press very well. You can also extend beyond flowers and move into foliage. Ferns, some pines, leaves, and other greenery (if it’s thin), can be pretty additions to your pressed flower art.

See how you can use pressed flowers to embellish a vintage family picture in a frame in this post.

Make Flowers are Clean, Dry, Pest and Mold-Free

Before pressing flowers with heavy books, remove any stamens that are heavy with pollen and might stain your flower. Also pat dry if needed to remove any extra moisture like dew if gathered in the morning. You can press directly between book pages, but it’s best to use layers of absorbent paper such as a pressing paper like plain white paper to press between the book pages, or in a pinch use cardboard, printer paper, parchment paper, or even paper towels. I prefer parchment paper for flower pressing. Basically you are creating your own flower press!

Layer the Pressing Paper, Books and Blooms

Start by placing  a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet or wood board, place the flowers so there is space between them making sure not to over lap flowers, add a layer of parchment paper on the top, then add one of the large books for weight. Add another layer of paper, flowers then paper and a book. Repeat as needed building up 3 or 4 books high with a final top of the book last (or a heavy object like a brick on the last book to add weight.). Plus, any flower that are overlapping might be stuck that way when dried. Make sure there aren’t any wrinkles in the paper before pressing.

After they are pressed together, put them somewhere you can leave them be in a cool place your house for a couple of weeks, undisturbed. out of direct sunlight so the drying process can start That’s when the magic happens as they slowly dry out and flatted by the weight of the books.

How Long Does it Take to Press Dried Flowers between Books?

How long the drying time takes depends on how much moisture the flowers have in them and how humid the air is. After setting it up the first day, leave them at least a couple of days to a week before checking them. At that time remove any flowers that might have mold on them, and replace extra paper if needed. The. book method does take some patience.

When Dried and Pressed, Carefully Lift the Books and Paper

Hopefully at this point, you should have perfectly pressed flowers! If they are flattened, but don’t seem dried out enough, you can leave them in open air to finish drying. It’s important that they are totally dry before storing so they don’t become moldy.

How to Store Dried Pressed Flowers

To store, use tweezers to pick them up as some will be vert delicate! Lay them carefully between sheets of parchment paper or even flattened coffee filters and place in an air tight container. I like to sandwich them between flat cardboard so they don’t become damaged before using them for a craft project. You can even throw in some of the little desiccant silica packets that seem to fall out of everything from shoe boxes to pepperoni to help keep them moisture free.

Use Pressed Flowers in Art and Craft Projects!

Then you are ready to create or use your pretty pressed flowers in all kinds of projects! They do have a delicate texture, so pick up with care (tweezers work the best!). Or, you can tuck them in a book for someone else to enjoy in the future! Dried, pressed flowers can be used to add a burst of color and create lots of projects including art, bookmarks, decoupaged projects, embellish journals, greeting cards and even decorate battery operated candles and Christmas ornaments!

If you love botanical art projects, see how we made:

Large scale botanical art prints,

Think outside of fall decor, and decorate pumpkins with dried flowers!

Fern art

free flower and bird printable,

or create a terrarium from a old clock case.

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Did you know Jen wrote a book ? It’s a fun beachy read and perfect for summer!  You can find it here!

Hi there! I am Jen From City Farmhouse & today I am sharing an easy & quick tutorial for DIY Birch bark Vases. These are perfect for Spring & Summer decorating & entertaining, and they are also a great upcycling project, and who doesn’t love that:)!

These birch bark wrapped vases are cute right? This is what you will need. to make your own.

Supplies for DIY Birch Bark Vases.

Birch Bark ,Twine ,Tin Cans,Glue Gun & Sticks, Wood Burning Pen {optional} or stencil and paint

I found tin cans from canned veggies that fit the height really well. I then took a birch strip & wrapped it around, gluing the twine at the beginning and at end.

The twine adds a rustic touch, so I just wrap & tie. I usually just eye it & cut off a good length. I like when it looks layered. Wrapping with leather cording would also be a cool look for this project.

Creating the initials on the cans was such a fun part I loved! To create my initials and make sure I had even lines,  I first used a pencil & drew out a heart & initials. I took my wood burning pen & with the point bit I traced over it. Going slowly a few times over  to make the initials darker. Wood burning kits also have initial stamps, and you could also brand in  a quote or saying onto the can.

Editor note: It might be easier to wood burn the initial on the birch bark before wrapping it around the can.  If wood burning feels intimidating this effect can also be achieved. with stencils and acrylic craft paint.

These would be so perfect for the rustic-country outdoor weddings I have planned for ALL of my nieces:). These  DIY birch bark vases are so cute and are seasonless. They would look gorgeous with fall flowers such as Asters.

I love the variation of the natural bark and wood tones.

If you liked this project, you may also like these….

Spring Eat-in Nook idea

Easy decorating ideas for Spring

Follow me by Email that way you don’t miss a post:).

Thank you & have a beautiful week,

Jen City Farmhouse

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Solar Powered Fountains Can Be Placed In Areas Without Electricity

I knew I wanted solar because I didn’t want to have to run an electrical cord or any kind of underground electric. Our outdoor lights are all solar and we love them. But, I knew solar power has it’s limits as well. The first solar fountain I bought was more on the inexpensive side.  It not only had a very weak “outflow”, but it hardly ran unless the it was in direct sunlight, and I mean sunlight so direct it was blinding. I decided to buy the next step up because the reviews were much better and it had a battery backup  that would hold a few hours charge  from the solar panel so it would run when the sun had intermediate cloud cover. Tip to know: The solar powered fountain needs direct sun and it also had a long cord so the solar pump itself didn’t have to be in a sunny location, only the  panel.

Here is the link to the supplies and the solar fountain I ended up using.

Additional Tubing Maybe be Needed for the Solar Fountain

I ended up adding an extra flexible bit of aquarium tubing from the pet store because I wanted it to cascade down a board instead of shooting up like a typical bird bath so there was a louder water noise and more of a trickling down effect.

Use a Watertight Container will Work for the Fountain Basin

To build my solar fountain, I used a vintage galvanized tub I already had as the fountain base. The container needs to be watertight to work and big enough and deep enough for the water to circulate in. The solar fountain could also easily be done with a planter or flower pots using a large pot as long as it will hold water.

Make Sure to Follow the Water Pumps Directions for Proper Water Flow

The solar powered fountain I bought recommenced not having the fountain pump until directly on the bottom of the water tub. I placed the water pump on the brick in the bottom of the container on some bricks (you can also use bricks to raise the water level if needed.). To create a surface to have the eater trickle down, I propped the board up against the birch tree.The tubing was then brought up from the pump around the backside of the board and secured to the top of board with looped twine. To camouflage the nozzle, I bundled birch tree twigs to create an organic look, and then surrounded the tub with pots of ferns.

Different Water Nozzles will Have Different Effects

The water had different nozzles, so I picked one that once the water shot out, it would hit the branches and trickle and drip down for a more organic sounds. Some of the nozzles sounded like a hose was running, and some of the pump nozzles had more of a drip pattern.

Add Water Plants to the Solar Fountain Basin

Decorate around the basin and add water plants to the inside of the rub. I decided to forgo any water plants right now,and added ferns around it. It could easy create a beautiful water garden with some plants and river rocks. I love how lush it looks and how relaxing it sounds! It was so easy to put together and I am thrilled with how well the solar powered fountain works!

Keep Mosquito Control in Mind

The solar fountain I bought does have a small battery to keep it running longer after the sun goes down or on a cloudy day, but stops sometime in the middle of the night. Since it doesn’t work all night, I do have a half of a mosquito dunk in the water so it doesn’t become a breeding ground. It’s no fun to sit outside if you are getting eaten alive! The solar fountain pump is small, so I don’t have to worry as much about the water level. The version of solar powered fountain I purchased also has a safety on it to shut off if there’s  no water running through it I don’t have to worry about the pump burning out.

Change the Water in the Solar Fountain Regularly

The upside is that the DIY water fountain has also become a sort of a birdbath. The robins, squirrels and wrens really love it and will give me the side-eye as they take drinks and bath and I love listening to the fountain run as I sit outside! The downside is the water can become dirty and should be changed every few days so it doesn’t become a breeding ground for bacteria and algae.

If you liked this post, you might also like this post about how to make a DIY solar lamp.

The post How to Make a Battery Operated Solar Powered Water Fountain appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

Jennifer: Hi Everyone! This is Jennifer Zuri from Town and Country Living. Today I’m sharing an easy DIY decoupage botanical art project. Earlier this month at our local flea market I ran across this beautiful botanic artichoke print and was inspired to turn it into an art project.Here’s my finished art project, a botanic print framed in book pages.I love botanic prints and I love artichokes!

Supplies for Creating the Decoupage Botanical Artwork

Only a few supplies are needed for this DIY botanical art project: An art canvas or wood board, a botanical artichoke print (florals work too!), a brush, book pages (new or vintage), and a sealer like Mod Podge decoupage medium (in matte not gloss). Optional: Distressed Ink in Tea Dye or Walnut for aging the edges. Find artwork similar to this at The Graphics Fairy.

Start by Decoupaging Old Book Pages on the Canvas or Wood Board

First, center your print on the canvas to determine space needed to fill with book pages. If you don’t have old book pages, you can tea dye new ones. See how to tea dye new books pages to look old here. It’s also ok to paint the background with acrylic paint instead.

Start ripping the edges off of the book pages so you have jagged edges. Brush a layer of  Mod Podge onto canvas and apply pages, wrapping them around the edge of the canvas. You don’t need much Mod Podge. Use your fingers to carefully smooth the pages down. It doesn’t have to be perfect if it has wrinkles. Apply a layer of decoupage medium over the top of the pages.

Apply the book pages around the perimeter of the canvas. As you work, wash your fingers off from time to time. You’ll get ink from the pages on your fingers and don’t want smudge marks.

Glue the Vintage Botanical Image onto the Canvas

Next you’ll need to center the botanic print on the canvas. I measured from the edges and lightly marked the corner positions with pencil.

Tip: Make sure to print this on a printer with toner, or if using an ink jet printer, seal the image first so the ink doesn’t bleed.

Working quickly, apply  the decoupage medium to the canvas and atop the edges of the book pages.You’ll want to apply the glue in the area where you’re placing the botanic print. Carefully place your print and then smooth with your fingers to remove any air bubbles trapped underneath. Then apply a final thin coat of Mod Podge over the top and let dry.

Creases May Occur When Adding Decoupage Medium

Add Distressed Edges if Desired with Ink

You may see some creases. Creases are okay! They will give your artwork more of an aged look. For an even more aged look, rub the edges of the canvas with Distress Ink in walnut or tea dye. Seal with a final protective coating of decoupage glue to seal.

Add a Hanger or Display Your Botanical Decoupage Artwork

Rather than hang my DIY botanic art print on the wall, I set it in a rustic wooden tray. A large moss ball, a twig ball, and an altered bottle finish the vignette. A saw tooth hanger can also be glued on the back to hang if desired.

I like to rearrange artwork in the house to give it a fresh look.You could use any kind of print or poster to create your own DIY art project using canvas. Let your imagination run free and see what you can create!

-Jennifer Zuri, Town and Country Living

You Might Also Like …

Colorful Exterior Paint Colors

DIY Paris Poster Wall Art

How to Create Pink Flower Vignette

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Supplies for Creating this Air Dry Clay Artwork

-Paperclay

-Template or cookie cutters (hint: cookie cutters and clay work well for classroom clay crafting too)

-Clay tools

-Wax or parchment paper

-Water

-Acrylic craft paint

-Grommets, twine and a stick

-Sealer such as Triple Thick by Decoart

-White craft glue

Roll Out Air Dry Clay and Trace Templates

Use a rolling pin or thick dowel to roll the clay out flat onto wax paper or parchment paper. To cut out the birds, I used an image from the Graphics Fairy as a template. I just traced around it, removed the excess clay, and patted down any rough edges on the sculpture.  Paperclay takes about a day to dry before it’s ready for paint. I like working on wax paper when I clay play with it because it’s very easy to move it, or remove it off your surface. And it makes the clean up really easy.

Use Water to Smooth the Edges of the Clay

Use a small amount of water on tour fingers to smooth any of the edges. At this time also create a small hole in the top of the bird where you want it to hang and set it aside to dry fully. This may take a few days.

Sculpting Bird Feathers in Airy Dry Clay

Bird feathers can be easy to make our of clay using a few simple steps. To make the feathers, I start by making a “snake” and pressing it flat.

Then I took a clay tool (or use a flat edge of a popsicle stick) and press it into the clay down the center to create the center of the feather.

To make the feather sides, use a clay tool or flat wood stick to make angled lines by pressing and  angling the edge upward.  Smooth the edges of the clay, use a tool to create a hole and let the clay dry 24-48 hours.

Paint Clay Birds and Feathers with Acrylic Craft Paint

This is the fun part! Once the clay is completely dry, these can be painted in anyway to match your decor!  We find adding a base coat color first to seal the clay, letting it dry and then painting the details works best. You can get fancy and decorate them however you like!

I got a little fancy with the feathers with some gold craft paint.   Let you creativity run wild when painting. The best thing about acrylic paint is it can always be painted over. When painted, seal with a protective top coat such as a craft varnish, If you would like a more shiny, resin-like  finish, use Decoart’s Triple Thick. Let dry.

Add the Grommets

I also added scrapbooking grommets to not only reinforce the hole, but add a fancy detail. When using these grommets, don’t use both sides how you would normally use them. Only use the fancy side and glue it in with white craft glue.

Once everything is dry, you are ready to hang. I used a branch form my yard, and embroidery floss. The floss had a more delicate feel than twine or string, but any of those will work. This is adult art, so make sure to keep this out of reach of small children, pets and heat or flame.

I picked a pale pink color and tied it with a modified blanket stitch to hang it on the branch.

I staggered the heights of the birds and feathers.

I also painted the birds a bit fancy too. I love all of the color and pattern.

It adds a nice pop of color against a white wall.

If you’ve never worked with Paperclay, it’s something to really get out and dig into. I think it fulfills that whole “playing with mud” thing I used to do as a child. I hope you grab some clay and try this DIY clay bird and feather wall hanging! You can find the Graphics fairy bird image here. You can find Paperclay  here.

Do you love easy clay ideas? Try also:

Making this strawberry trinket dish

Make your own paper clay tile

Dried Flower Air Dry Clay Ghosts

Easy Air Dry Clay Mushrooms

Sculpting a Santos Doll in Clay

The post DIY Air Dry Clay Bird and Feather Wall Hanging appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

The Best Flowers to Grow for Floral Arrangements and a Cut Flower Garden

Some of my favorite flowers (depending on the time of spring/early summer/late summer) that are yard-grown to arrange with are hydrangeas, zinnias, yarrow, butterfly bush, catmint, sage, sedum, calendula, cone flowers, lavender, coral bells, marigold, daisy, cone flower, larkspur. Many of these are hardy annuals that are low-maintenance, have strong stems for arranging, have a long vase life and can be cut over and over again. Even vegetables such as carrots (or radishes!) that are biennials can be let go to flower and those cut for arrangements!  Many of these flower varieties don’t have a heavy scent either which can be good so they aren’t competing against one another (except for marigold. Use sparingly, they can stink.)  Here is a handy chart that you can print out!

Easy to Grow Green Filler for Floral Arranging

And don’t forget about filler greenery! Many times, I’ll grab greenery in the yard for filler like ferns, lemon balm, oregano, asparagus fronds, coleus and hosta leaves (If it looks pretty,  and safe to use, break the rules and use it!). Many times small branches of bushes and shrubs also make great filler such as serviceberry and wigeilas.

Flower Arrangement Recipes

I have the arrangements broken down into “flower bouquet recipes” for you, so you can pin them and save until you’re ready to use them for inspiration! For this first arrangement,  I picked zinnias, daylilies, yarrow, and fern fronds. When using daylilies, make sure to pick ones with a few unopened buds so when the first buds wilt, the new ones will open.

Flower Bouquet Recipe 1

Flower Bouquet Recipe 2

For the second organic flower arrangement, I made a big, white hydrangea the main star and filled in around it.

I also added a Everblooming blue hydrangea, and a Limelight  hydrangea tucked in the top, and a hosta flower stem is always good for height.

Flower Bouquet Recipe 3

The next bouquet had pink yarrow as the main feature.

I added some zinnias,ferns, and even a coleus for color. At the top, in the back of the arrangement, there’s a bit of my Dark Knight  butterfly bush and lemon balm with yarrow for texture.

What I love about this arrangement below, is really hydrangea and yarrow are the star of this show. I bought this yarrow plant a few a years ago, and I am so in love with it!

It is called Cotton Candy yarrow, and blooms in various colors ranging from white to dark pink…all on one plant!

Flower Bouquet Recipe 4

The last arrangement is one that actually, if you forgot about it would be OK because many of these plants will throw roots and can be planted in the ground. Though it is important to change your water in your arrangement every few days to make sure there isn’t any bacteria build up.

This arrangement consists of  coleus and sedum (which if you leave them in water long enough will grow roots)  and you can put them in the ground. Out of all of them, this is definitely a longer lasting arrangement.

Flower Bouquet Recipe 5

Don’t underestimate the power of also using all one flower! There is nothing more gorgeous than a bowl or vase full of peonies, roses or zinnias!

Tips to Arranging Home Grown Flower Arrangements

-Add a few vibrant blooms as focus points and then build the bouquet around them

-Use green filler to add height

-Harvest the flowers with plenty of stem left for cutting to the appropriate height

-Vary heights of flowers and stems to add interest

-Change the water frequently to avoid bacteria build up and keep flowers fresher for longer.

I hope you’re inspired to head outside and snip a few stems and blossoms, or to plant a few flowers that you can add to your vases!

The post The Best Flowers for Bouquets with Home Grown Flowers appeared first on Jennifer Rizzo.

The tile sheets we have are small penny tile from a project. We had a few boxes left that were opened and we couldn’t return them. I also had grout left from our recent kitchen subway tile backsplash project(which I still think is amazing.) I also wanted to use up.

Supplies to Make a Small Round Tile Top Table

To make this table with a tiled top you’ll need:

– a wood round or a piece of plywood cut in a circle to size

-Outdoor paint and brush

-Unsanded grout

-Tile mortar or adhesive

-Pre-made legs

-L brackets, outdoor paint

-Copper strapping

-Construction adhesive

-Adhesive spreader

While I built my own table, you could also use either a thrifted table or a pre-made table like Ikea’s lack side table. I was just kind of winging it to match the picture in my head.

Paint all of the Table Pieces First with Outdoor Paint

Paint all of the pieces of the table with outdoor paint if this is going to be outside exposed to the elements.

Tip: If you want to make a square version, use small mosaic square tiles and there’s no cutting with that project either to make a mosaic tile table! Just add an extra leg, and then use the extras to create coasters!

Build the Legs or Use Pre-Made Ones

To make the table legs I cut 2 x 3 ‘s. so that one piece was 2 inches taller than the other and screwed them together so table sits about 15 inches off the ground. The home improvement store will pre-cut these for you. By creating a staggered leg, Tthe top would have a ledge to rest on for more support,and thought the the design to be interesting to look at and have more of a Midcentury Modern feel. It won’t hold a ton of weight, so I wouldn’t out a lot of weight in it, but it should be fine for a few raspberry gin fizzes and a magazine or two. At first I wanted it to be this really awesome, bright blue color, and really pop on my deck, so I base coated everything in a bright blue paint.

Attach the Legs

I used L-brackets to attache the legs to the tabletop. I pre-painted everything first, thinking it was going to be such a time saver later, and that I was so clever, because that way I wouldn’t  have to paint around the L-brackets later, except after I was finished I hated the blue paint and decided to repaint it. Ha ha. Pre-planning generally gets me nowhere. That’s why in the finished images you’ll see my tiled coffee table painted gray. After the paint was dry, I assembled the table together with wood screws and wood glue and L brackets. I glued and used the gold l-brackets to attach the legs to the round top, realizing I really didn’t need to have the top painted since I was going to be tiling it, so I made it the underside. I figured this way it would be sealed from the elements.

Add a Decorative Trim

I flipped it over and added my copper strapping as an edge by gluing it on with strong, permanent adhesive such as Power Grab. You don’t have to use the strapping, but it makes for an interesting finished edge. Because the strapping has holes, I ran a piece of painters tape around the outer part when I grouted to keep it from squeezing out like play dough.

Glue the Penny Tile on top of the Wood Round

While this can be adhered with traditional tile mortar, I opted to glue mine on with a construction adhesive. When making your tile tabletop with penny tile, because is so small, it’s ok to not have to cut it with a tile saw and just remove tiles along the edge filling it in with grout instead.

Grout the Tiles

This makes it easy especially if you don’t have a tile cutter. It’s ok for it to not be perfect. Lay out the ceramic tiles first before using the tile adhesive to get a good feel for design and spacing and see how to jigsaw puzzle pieces the tile pieces for the penny tile table top. This would be fun to create a mosaic patter with other penny tiles of the same size but different colors like a vintage bathroom floor. The grout would fill the empty spaces where the tile don’t quite meet the edge on the top of the table. After mapping out your tile, spread on the adhesive and set your tile. After 24 hours when the tile adhesive is dry, spread the grout with the grout float, making sure it goes between all of the tiles and cleaning up what ever squishes over the edge. Wipe the excess grout off of the top of the tiles right away with a damp sponge to avoid a long-term haze. A grout sponge or a large foam sponge works best. Make sure to repeatedly rinse the sponge in a bucket of clean water between each pass to get the DIY tile table top clean. For best results follow the package instructions on both the tile adhesive and grout containers.

I initially finished it by painting the trim in gold, and adding some decorative L-brackets on the top of the legs and a little gold accent. You know what. I hated it… in blue. I mean, I love the paint color, it just didn’t look right for me. Luckily, I have so much paint, that I went through my stash and found a pretty gray paint,so, I repainted it. So much for pre-planning.

Once Painted Seal with an Outdoor Sealer

Use an outdoor sealer to prolong the paint job and tile work. I lovedit painted gray. It was perfect for hanging out on our back deck (make sure to check out our replacement new patio!).

It’s the perfect little table for our outdoor space, I might even bring it into our living room once the season is over. If you’re looking for another unconventional round table, see how I also built this one.

Sitting out on our deck reading is one of my favorite summer past times, and now we have a little table to complete the space that feels very woodys and resort-y. The birch tree has really grown in the last few years, and adds nice dappled summer shade and privacy.

These are the paint colors I used before…. and after. Ha ha ha.

Using outdoor paint is the best paint of this project.

As you can see, I’ve used this paint and these colors for quite a few projects.  Morning Glory , Patio , and Gold .

 I’ll let you know how it holds up after a bunch of extreme Chicago weather. I know I’ll enjoy hanging out reading.

This post is sponsored by DecoArt, opinions are all my own.

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