How to Recycle Found Objects into Art for the Garden
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In today’s world buying Gnomes, birdbaths and sculptures to decorate your garden with can be expensive. These decorations add décor that might be a little bit you ,but doesn’t really stamp your personality into your personal garden. There is nothing wrong with decorating with gnomes. They are cute, funny and lead you down the garden path to your variety of flowers,shrubs and vegetables, but what if you came up with your own variety of fascinating artwork that has, you ,stamped all over it. You can make your own art by using these easy steps with found objects out of the trash, or objects found on a beach to create your own garden art. I will show you how to make a wind chime from forks and spoons. You will see how to make containers with beach pebbles and also how to wood burn with a magnifying glass.
The above photo by Suzzycue features a chunk of white birch log to use as a plant stand. Also keep pieces of architecture such as spindles from outdoor railings that can be used to hold candles to light your garden path on those romantic nights.
Fork and Spoon Wind Chime
Easy recycled Art
You can see by the photo that I spray painted my silverware wind chime but that is not necessary. I just enjoy the color blue in my garden. You need three forks and two spoons for this project.
Step 1: Flatten all pieces of flatware with a hammer on a hard surface. I used a concrete block.
Step:2: Drill holes in the top of the handles of two spoons and two forks with an electric drill.
Step 3: Take pliers and bend the fork prongs of your last fork up and around as seen in the photo above. This will be the fork that you suspend the other silverware from to make the music when the wind blows.
Step 4: Cut pieces of fishing line to the lengths that you want to tie the spoons and forks with, that is satisfying to your eye. Make sure that when tied to the top fork that some part of a spoon or fork must touch another one to make the sound.
Step 5: Hang in you garden and wait for the wind to blow.
Pebble Stone Garden Containers
Recycle Your Cardboard Planting Containers
These are cardboard containers you can find anywhere. First you spray them with clear varathane paint to stop them from leaking when you water your plants. You can also use the black plastic containers you purchase with plants in them also.
I used a white strong glue that dries clear to glue the pebbles to the sides. I saved all the black stones for the top of each pot. Let glue dry overnight then spay again with clear varathane paint. You can also set a pot down inside these finished stone containers and then you would not have to waterproof them. Fun, easy project to do at the cottage with your children.
Wood Burned Blue Heron Art Work
Recycle Your Old Wooden Planks
This is really fun but be careful there really is heat from the magnifying glass. Draw or trace a picture of your choice to a piece of wooden plank. Then sit in the sun with it. You have to hold the magnifying glass above the drawing until you see a bright yellow round light appear. This light is the heat focusing threw the glass to burn your wood. Then follow the magnifying glass down the lines of your drawing to create the burned effect. This does cause smoke and you might feel better in wearing a face mask protector. With a little practice you will get the hang of this and produce some fine art pieces for your garden. This would be an excellent way to use wooden plaques to label your plants.