What Once Was a Plantation Shutter is Now a Shutter Garden

I was reading through my latest Birds & Blooms magazine and saw a picture of something called a living wall made from an old louvered door - it was beautiful and huge. I wanted to try one out myself, but not one the size of a door. But where was I going to find used plantations shutters?

In Newport News we have a Habitat for Humanity's ReStore. I'd never been in it but thought I had a good chance of finding these shutters there. And I did. I found three smallish off white and white shutters that cost me a total of $33, so $11 each roughly. I have the shutters, now what? The magazine didn't tell how to make it so I had to use my own ingenuity to figure it out.

Sold this one for $60

"Where does the soil go?," I thought to myself. So here's what I did: I took a piece of weed preventor fabic the width of the shutter - why I already had this fabic I don't know. I used a staple gun to bind it to the back to hold the soil. Once that was done, I packed in the soil from the front through each louver and then added the plants that I bought for this specific purpose, adding more soil as needed. With all the plants in place, I watered it thoroughly and  even today am keeping my fingers crossed that the plants all live. The one pictured here is the very first one I made and have since sold it for $60, which the buyer said I should have charged more. She's giving it to her mom on Mothers Day, maybe even sooner so her mom can enjoy it.

It's not been easy, but I've managed to come across some other shutters, either damaged or on clearance. Finding used ones is difficult, but I have won some bids for used shutters on eBay. Boy I hate having to pay those shipping costs.

Spring is finally here and I hope these Shutter Gardens will be a huge hit for me at the shows I'm participating in as a vendor. I am trying hard to get into this year's Newport News Fall Festival to sell Shutter Gardens and all my othe repurposed goods. I will be selling the Shutter Gardens empty though because I don't want to buy the plants or I can't guarantee the plants stay alive, also the soil makes them heavy and difficult to transport. I know this as fact because I have potting soil all over the inside and in the trunk of my car. So empty is surely the way to go with these.

Here are some other finished Shutter Gardens.



Shutter Garden with herbs



Until next time . . .
Find Something to Repurpose,
Okie

What Once Was a Wire Basket is Now a Suet Holder

Being creative is having perspective. It's not just the obvious; it's seeing it as something else, something different. Which is why I love repurposing, recycling, and a new word to me as of today - up-cycling. Whatever you want to call it, it's a great thing to "find new uses for used things".

Wire Basket with Safflower Suet Cake

I have bought many a suet feeders that have cost from as little as a couple of dollars to ones that were more than 10. I don't really like putting them out for two reasons: 1. They dissolve/melt away when it rains because I don't have covers for them and 2. The raccoons manage to get a hold of them, which means the feeders get carried off or they are destroyed, never to be used again. So now instead of buying new suet feeders, I scout out used wire votive holders, wire baskets, well really wire anything as a matter of fact at local thrift stores. Surprisingly, these wire things can take many shapes, colors and sizes: hearts, stars, bird cages and even pumpkins. They're very versatile, in that you don't have to be limited to just a suet cake.




Nutty Suet in Wire Basket

  



Small Wire Star with Whole Peanuts

 

Wire Heart with Nesting Material

Small Wire Pumpkin Cage with Shelled Nuts



Depending on the shape and size, unshelled peanuts could work, as well as shelled peanuts. Come nesting season, these same products can be stuffed with nesting material that can be made from things around the house: shredded paper, cotton balls, stuffing from an old pillow, scraps of cloth and pine needles, for example. They often come with a handle or chain for hanging, which makes it easy to hang from a tree limb or other fixture. Additional hooks are sometimes needed. 



  

I didn't pay more than $2 for any of the ones pictured. I've been lucky enough to find big wire cages that can hold a bird feeder, but that's another post I'm happy to say.

So until next time...find something to Repurpose.

Thanks, Okie



What Once Was a Wine Bottle is Now a Birdfeeder

A wine bottle into a birdfeeder. And no it's not a hummingbird feeder, though I adore hummingbirds too. (If you've never seen a wine bottle hummingbird feeder, search Google images.) My wine bottle birdfeeder actually holds birdseed, from millet to shelled peanuts and black oil sunflower seeds to safflower.
My birdfeeder is made in many ways like the accect lamps from my previous post, minus all the extra glass and gluing. I use the following pieces to make my birdfeeder:
1. hose clamp
2. wire
3. used cork from any wine bottle
4. a used glass or ceramic-type small plate (cup saucer or salad plate)
5. any wine bottle

Holes drilled into sides

Beside these five pieces, I use a hand drill and glass drill bit for the holes. Typically, I drill two holes, one on each side - more than two, it gets a little crowded. I have on occasion drilled as many as four holes in random places so that taller birds can easily access the birdseed too. Unlike hummingbirds that can hover and eat at the same time, most other birds have to be stationary when eating. This is where the small plate or saucer comes in.



I find all my plates at the thrift store of course. I prefer smaller plates for the smaller birds, because of course the larger the plate the larger the bird that can land on it - those darn crows, grackles and starlings. I use a waterproof glue, bought at Lowes. I follow the manufacturer's instructions on the tube. I sand the bottom of the bottle, apply glue to it and then center the bottle on the saucer. I leave it alone overnight. By the next day, the glue is dry and the bottle can be handled.

Wire and hose clamp assembly
 with champagne topper

 I attach the hose clamp with wire to the top of the 

bottle, fill the bottle with birdseed (I have to use a funnel when doing this) and put the cork in it (a plastic champagne topper will fit too). It's now officially a wine bottle birdfeeder. I can take it outside for the birds to enjoy.





A beautiful cardinal eating safflower
seeds from a wine bottle birdfeeder

Total cost to make a wine bottle birdfeeder - under $5.

Until next time...
find something to repurpose.

Thanks,
Okie



What Once Was a Wine Bottle is Now an Accent Lamp

People have been repurposing wine bottles for decades because there is a plethora of things one can do with a wine bottle besides just throw it in the recycle bin. (I hope that's where you're putting them.)

Today I'd like share how I make beautiful accent lamps from repurposed wine bottles. But please know that I won't reveal all the details or secrets. You'll have to send your comments to get more info out of me.

Isn't it amazing how much light reflects off the walls behind the lamp? Now imagie it covered with all colors of glass.

The first step is actually the hardest step: It's removing the labels. I've soaked a bottle for days in a bucket of water and still had to use a lot of elbow grease to remove the label. Once the label's off, I get my hand drill with a 1/2" bit, especially for glass, and drill the hole about one inch from the bottom. (I'm a pro at this so send comments for some great advice on drilling holes.) Then I figure out my color sceme and start gluing away using my top secret adhesive. So you know, hot glue will not work. I have the burn marks to prove. I let the lamp sit over night to dry and on day two insert the 20-count string of lights through the hole. (Be a smart shopper, buy these lights on clearance after the holidays.) I close the top using an ornament, yes bought on clearance too. It is held on using hot glue, only because it will need to be removed in order to replace the burned out lights. I have had people tell me their lights have lasted over a year, even with regular use. Sometimes I even like to add a little more flare to the bottle.

I do this by hanging a beaded tassel, yes bought on clearance, around the neck of the bottle. I charge extra for these too. And speaking of charging...

I've seen similar lamps go for as much as $40 and higher. But mine start at $25, a very fair price indeed. I've seen my own lamps go for $50 and $65 in a silent auction. It is from making these lamps that I came up with the name REWINEDesigns.

Get it? Rewind. Redone. Reused. Repurposed!

Until next time...find something to repurpose.

Thanks, Okie

What once was a candle holder is now a suet feeder

Yesterday I spent the day at my friend's house that is surrounded by woods and hiking trails. The five of us, including their three dogs, Phoebie, Kalo and Jessie, went out for a long hike. It was a beautiful day thanks to temperatures only in the 50s. I am so lucky that my friend Loretta loves the outdoors and all the wildlife. I never come empty handed, always bringing something related to feeding the birds in her yard.

The picture is a suet feeder hanging from one of her trees in the backyard. I made it using a cage-like candle holder that I bought from guess where? Yes, the thrift store and it was only $1.25. The base is a 45 cent glass plate also bought from the thrift store. It is glued to the cage that opens from the top. I broke up a suet cake into small pieces and put them into the cage. Though not picutred, I'm sure Loretta will have birds eating from it in no time. Hopefully she'll rememmber to take pictures for me to put on this blog.

Until next time...find something to repurpose.

Thanks,
Okie

What once was a dollhouse is now a birdhouse/nesting box/bird feeder

As I mentioned in my last post, I am often inspired by visiting thrift shops. Recently I've become obsessed with feeding and watching all my backyard birds. And so with spring just around the corner, there's no better time then now to start putting out potential homes for my female feathered friends.

I am gifted with being able to find new uses for used things. For instance I was looking through some toys at the thrift store and came across a small colorful plastic dollhouse. I studied it for a minute and just like that I was so happy to see it become something totally new - a birdhouse.

In the pictures, I used the dollhouse as a birdfeeder. Maybe in February I'll make it into a birdhouse. This is a titmouse hanging from it and another one at a side door. How cute. Total cost - $5.

Until next time...find something to repurpose!

Thanks,
Okie

What Once Was a Teapot is Now a Birdhouse/Nesting Box

After seeing my sister off from my mom's on Saturday, I stopped in at the DAV Thrift Store that's on my way home for a little inspiration and exciting finds. I've gotten so many inspirations at this particular thrift store, including my Rednek Wine Glass. But on this day, inspiration came when I got hold of a cute little teapot.

My friends call me the Bird Lady these days because I am so passionate about all my backyard friends, be they squirrels, foxes, raccoons, deer, turtles and especially birds.

So back to the teapot: When I saw the opening where the lid sits on the teapot, I instantly saw how turning the teapot in a different direction would make it into a perfect birdhouse or nesting box for my bird friends. I can't imagine that this new perspective was my very own idea so after bringing the teapot home, I made it to Google to see what other people have done with teapots. Low and behold, yes others have made birdhouses or nesting boxes from repurposing teapots. I'll be working on figuring how to hang the teapot by the handle and will post pictures once done.

Saturday evening, I showed some friends my repurposed teapot birdhouse idea and they loved it. I'm taking orders already. I'll need to hit some other thrift stores to search out more teapots.

Until next time...find something to repurpose!

Thanks, Okie