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Clever DIY, perfect plants for the front of a border, and truly gorgeous porch furniture
Get Crafty!
Four fun summer projects you can tackle in a flash
Turn paper doilies into drink umbrellas.
PHOTOGRAPH BY VICTORIA PEARSON
To re-create these adorable accents by blogger Olivia Kanaley (afieldjournal .blogspot.com), cut a two-inchdiameter circle out of card stock. Using a glue stick, paste the circle to the solid center of a four-inch doily (for similar, $3.39 for 12; sugarcraft.com). Cut the doily from one edge to the center and bend it into a cone, with the card stock circle on the underside; secure the cut ends with a glue stick. Hot-glue a wooden skewer (75 cents for 100; amazon.com) to the umbrella’s underside, then hot-glue a Ÿ-inch button plug (15 cents each; widgetco.com) on top.
Continued on next page > Written by Jourdan Crouch
JUN E 20 11
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Easy-to-stitch strawberry sachets
Retool a $2 tin for Father’s Day. To make this handsome holder, Brenda Ponnay (secret-agent-josephine .com) repurposed a common metal container ($8 for six; artfire.com). STEP ONE Undo the clasps holding the tin’s lid to its base, using pliers if needed. STEP TWO Center a metal eye strap ($5.25 for four; amazon.com) atop the lid; then use a pen to make marks inside each of the strap’s holes, where the screws will go. With a large nail and a hammer, gently tap holes into the lid at the marked spots, making the holes large enough to fit screws (ours measured ¼ inch). STEP THREE Coat the outside of the base and the lid with glossy red spray paint (Krylon Cherry Red spray paint, $6.17 for 12-ounce can; dickblick.com). Let dry for one hour, then repeat with a second coat; let dry. STEP FOUR Replace the eye strap on top of the tin’s lid and screw into place using flat-tipped sheet metal screws and a screwdriver. Secure with nuts inside the lid, then reattach it to the base.
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PHOTOGRAPHS BY MIKI DUISTERHOF; STYLING BY CHRISTINA LANE
Sew your own patch of lavenderfilled pouches, using old fabric scraps and buttons, with this project from designer Rebecca Thoms Hanley (bananasaurusrex.com). STEP ONE Download templates for the strawberry and its leaves from countryliving.com/sachet template, then cut out. Place the strawberry pattern (right) on top of a fabric scrap at least 8"L x 5"W. Pin in place, then follow the pattern to cut out the fabric. STEP TWO Fold the fabric, wrong side facing out, into a cone shape; stitch as shown. STEP THREE Turn the cone right side out and sew a running stitch along the top edge. STEP FOUR Fill the cone with ½ cup dried lavender ($2.99 for four ounces; amazon.com). Pull the running stitch taut, tie a knot, and hand-stitch the cone closed. STEP FIVE Pin the pattern for the leaves onto a fabric scrap at least 2½"L x 2½"W, then cut out. Repeat once more. Overlap the leaves as shown, top with a small button, and stitch in place atop the cone.
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A piñata that’ll leave party guests abuzz
PHOTOGRAPH BY RAY K ACHATORIAN
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SEE SHOP GUIDE, page 130, for instructions on making the bees above.
Crafter Kirsten Fields assembled this irresistible papier-mâché hive for only $10—bees included! STEP ONE Inflate a 24-inchwide balloon ($1.35; balloonsfast .com); set it atop a large bucket so that the balloon’s narrow end rests just inside the bucket. STEP TWO Cut newspaper into 3"L x 1"W strips (you’ll need about 200 strips total). In a bowl, mix equal parts school glue and water. Working one strip at a time, dip paper into the mixture and immediately place on the balloon. Once the strips are dry to the touch (about an hour), turn the balloon upside down and cover its narrow end—stopping a few inches from the top to leave a four-inch-wide opening (where you’ll later insert candy). Allow to dry completely, about six hours. Repeat with two more layers on both ends, allowing six hours of drying time between each layer. STEP THREE Use a pin to pop the balloon, then tip the hive over to empty. Set the hive back in the bucket and fill with candy. STEP FOUR Create a hanger for the hive by making two small holes at the narrow end with an X-Acto knife, on opposite sides near the opening. Cut a fourfoot-long piece of twine; thread one end through both holes and tie off near the top of the hive, leaving enough twine for hanging. STEP FIVE Close the open end using six-inch-long strips of papier-mâché, applying a total of three layers and allowing for drying time between each. STEP SIX Cut honey-colored crepe paper streamers ($3.69 for 500 feet; dickblick.com) into three-inch-long strips. Glide a glue stick along each strip; then, starting at the bottom of the hive, affix in a horizontal pattern until the hive is covered.
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