Cathy's Crafty Corner
Hula hoop plant shelf 28"
14"
28"
Hoop seam
14"
Figure 1
by Cathy Monrad
N
eed a fun place to display your favorite (small) plants? You can make this shelf with just a few items you may already have laying around. The specialty spray paints on the market for use on various materials has grown tremendously and are an up-cyclers dream come true. Note: this stand is meant for lightweight plants and memorabilia only. Heavy items may cause hoops to sag and distort their shape. MATERIALS 2 hula hoops about 26 inches diameter 2 cedar fence boards 24 inches long, stained to your preference 2 pieces of 3/4-inch wood dowel 6 1/2 inches long Spray paint for plastic 8 thin wood screws 1 1/4 inches long Multipurpose adhesive TOOLS Small grit sandpaper Painter’s Tape Sewing tape (measuring tape) Pencil Power drill with small drill bit Screwdriver INSTRUCTIONS
1. Sand hula hoops to ensure paint adheres properly. 2. Match hoop seams up, then tape hoops together at various points.
3. See Figure 1. Starting from the top hoop center seam, measure 14 inches and mark topside of hoop, then measure and mark 28 inches from seam. Repeat in opposite direction of seam. These marks note the placement of the shelves. 4. Use power drill to drill holes through both hoops at marks. 5. Starting from each end of one board, measure, and make a mark 1/2 inch from edge, centered. Turn board over and repeat on other side. Repeat on second board. Pre-drill both boards where marked. 6. Dry-fit shelf together: Use screwdriver to add screws into holes of one hoop, with the tips of screws barely protruding from reverse side. Lay boards on their edges and line up hoop screws with holes in shelves. Take turns turning each screw until all are snug. Turn project over and repeat with second hoop. 7. Disassemble shelf. Paint hoops and dowels as desired. Let dry completely. 8. Reassemble the shelf, tightening screws snuggly, but not to the point the hoops dent. 9. Lay project down on flat surface. From each hoop seam, measure and mark at 5 3/4 inches in both directions. Place a dab of adhesive on each mark, then place dowels on glue. Let dry per instructions on adhesive package.
HOOP PAINTING TIP: Bend two paperclips into S shapes. Hook a paper clip through one hole in each hoop. Holding the paper clip, spray paint the visible hoop surface. Hang hoop by paperclip to dry. Move paperclip to a different hole and continue painting until hoop is completely covered.
Cathy Monrad is the graphic designer and garden crafter for Upstate Gardeners' Journal.
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