With a little imagination, you can make your indoor treasures and enjoyable part of your outdoor d�cor! Spring is upon us, and that means we will be spending more and more time outdoors. Here are some ideas to incorporate your treasures and finds to enjoy all season long.
1: Old canning jars make great candleholders for pillar candles. Try to avoid scented candles, as they attract pests, but use citronella or unscented candles instead. Pillar candles last longer than votives or tea light candles so they will not have to be changes as often. Using a heavy gauge wire (available in craft and home stores) wrap around under the lip of the jar top. Secure tightly, leaving enough wire to form a loop. Hang these on garden stakes and add candles. Then just bask in the glow! If you have any colored glass jars, they add an extra element of color!
2: Old mixing bowls can be used to add a water element to your garden quickly and inexpensively. Fish tank and fountain pumps come in all different shapes and sizes. When added to a bowl of water, you can create a soothing bubbling sound. A single bowl on a tabletop looks lovely. If you have a hole in the table for an umbrella, you can run the cord down through it to hide it. Grouping bowls together on a low table or throughout the garden creates visual interest. Want a waterfall? Try stacking bowls on risers and using a fountain pump that re circulates the water. The old chip and dip stands lend themselves beautifully to this purpose! Ask the person at your local home store for the best pump for your size bowls.
3: Use those old tiles outside! If you have a lot of leftover tiles and a spare wall or your deck or patio, why not use them to create an Italian fresco? Lay out the arrangement indoors. Then paint in sections, or apply transfers or decoupage. You can also do a mosaic by using old pieces of broken china and/or glass. Be sure to use sealant rated for outdoor use to protect form the elements. Then apply to the wall with masonry glue or mortar, and viola! Welcome to Rome in your own backyard.
4: A taste of France can be achieved by re-using those old metal buckets. Paint them in bright colors with a outdoor rated paint. Drill holes in the bottom to prevent water build up, and then hang them from pretty hooks to serve as storage for gardening tools, gloves, or children�s toys.
With a little imagination, your indoor treasures can serve as beautiful and unique outdoor d�cor!