Create Decorative Summer Sand Scenes

There’s nothing quite as calming as a day at the beach. Learn to personalize a simple sand scene, and combine low-maintenance plants with ocean-side accents to enjoy the spirit of the sea any day.

Plants or No Plants?

Before creating your sand scene, determine whether you’d like it to be strictly decorative or double as a home for a live plant. Keep in mind that only air plants will survive in just sand alone while cacti and succulents will require certain soils and containers.

Planting Basics

Sunlight: All three plants should be placed close to a window with bright light, though not in direct sunlight.

Soil: Cacti and succulents will need to be potted in a special potting mix that can be found at home and garden stores. Air plants may simply rest in sand.

Water: When choosing containers for your cacti or succulents, they must allow for drainage since sitting water will cause roots to rot. Watering for each plant varies:

  • Air plants:Air plants should be watered 2-4 times a week. Of these occasions, at least 2 should involve removing the plant from sand and giving it a soak. Before replacing your air plant in the sand, make sure all excess water has been shaken from it. For the remaining occasions of weekly watering, you may simply mist with a spray bottle.
  • Cacti & Succulents:During winter,most cacti only need to be watered about once a month, while during the growing season, they should be watered about once a week. Be sure not to overwater by checking your plant’s soil. If the first inch feels dry, you should water it.

Choosing the Right Container
If you plan to include cacti or succulents as part of your sand scene, a container or pot with drainage is best. Simply layer sand atop your soil for a beach-like feel. For air plants or decorative scenes, you’re open to many more options:

  • Terrarium containers
  • Jars
  • Glass containers with lids
  • Hurricanes
  • Glass globes
  • Stemware
  • Drinking glasses
  • Repurposed containers

Decorative Accents

To bring the essence of the ocean to your scene, try adding a few of these items:

  • Coloured sand
  • Shells
  • Starfish
  • Sand dollars
  • Rocks
  • Pebbles
  • Driftwood
  • Tiny pots

Uses for Your Sand Scene

  •  Centrepiece: Decorate a dinner or coffee table.
  • Gift: Whether for a birthday, wedding or holiday, sand scenes make great gifts!
  • Decorative Accent: Place one in your bathroom, bedroom, kitchen or office.
  • Party Favour: Create mini versions of your sand scenes in votives and give them as party favours—they’re great for a beach bash!
From Home Made Simple!

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Make a Photo Clock

Show off some of your clan’s favorite moments with this clever DIY wall clock. Gather 13 frames, sizes 2″ x 3″ to 4″ x 6″ (unify mismatched frames with spray paint), 12 photos, a clock kit (from a crafts store), and white paper and cardboard (to hide clock mechanism). Pop snapshots into 12 frames. Take out remaining frame’s glass; use it to cut cardboard and paper to fit, and place in frame. Poke a hole through center to fit the clock’s spindle. Push spindle through; reattach the clock’s hands. Hang as shown.

Read more: DIY Decorating – Decor Ideas – Good Housekeeping

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Cherry Blossoms Paper Flowers

Cherry blossoms bloom only briefly, but these tissue paper versions can last all spring. Layer a sheet of dark pink paper atop light pink paper. Snip out a five-petal flower that’s 2 to 4 inches in circumference. Once cut, reposition the dark pink daisy so the petals won’t align with the light pink ones. Twist the center bottom of the flower, wrap with a 3-inch length of floral wire, and hot-glue onto a bare branch. Repeat, varying sizes of flowers so blossoms look realistic.

Read more: DIY Decorating – Decor Ideas – Good Housekeeping

 

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Help Your Cut Roses Last Longer

Here’s how florist Michael George gets roses to absorb more water and live longer: Wrap the flowers in brown packaging paper to protect them, then snip a quarter inch off the stems and place them in one inch of boiling water. “The shock of it forces the air out,” says George. “You can actually see bubbles coming from the ends.” Leave roses in place until the water turns tepid, give the stems a fresh cut, then transfer to cool water.

Read more: How to Arrange Flowers – Arranging Flowers – Country Living

 

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Flower Seed Pockets For a Family Activity

We found this idea for a fun family craft that will get everyone outside.

“Flower pockets are a fun spring project and provide plenty of blooms all summer long. The pockets look sweet, and get buried directly in the soil! Better yet, even the littlest of hands can help make them. And I know these same littlest of hands will love giving them to teachers, grandparents, neighbors and friends. They make a great little gift-for-no-reason.”

Get all the details at: Design Mom

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Create Your Own Spring Vase

Floral foam and glass marbles aren’t the only ways to hold flowers aloft. Instead, a bunch of vintage milk bottles gives this arrangement—featured in Decorating with Flowers by Paula Pryke—its structure. Simply line up nine same-size vessels in three rows of three. Then wrap gardener’s twine around the grouping twice and tie the ends. Finish the blooming display by placing two to three stems in each container.

Read more: Spring Craft Ideas – Easy Spring Crafts and Projects – Country Living
 
 

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Make Your Own Outdoor Water Garden

Water gardens add beauty and tranquility to your patio, decks or balconies. This easy to make and maintain water garden idea we just had to share!

Written by Marion Langford

Water gardens don’t need lots of space or expensive equipment, and they add variety to a small garden or balcony without using much water.

Step 1: Choose a Vessel

Slip a plastic pot into a wooden barrel, position pavers of various heights to act as pedestals and place potted aquatic plants on top. The only drawback is that the pots are visible. Add a spouter and rest the pump on a pedestal (without a cup). Or, make a terracotta container watertight. Plug the drain hole with plumber’s epoxy and apply two coats of polyurethane inside and out.

Step 2: Attach the Spout

Drill a small hole in the rim of the container to mount the spouting ornament, bending the support spike if necessary. Spread the soil of the lily or other deep-water plants in half of the container, then add kitty litter around it to create a level floor.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3: Divide the Container

Place a stone partition across the center. Plant shallow-growing plants and spread more kitty litter over the soil. On the low side, nestle a plastic cup for the pump, keeping it covered to stop gravel falling in. Spread pea gravel over the kitty litter.

 

 

Step 4: Connect the Pump

Use 3/8-in. plastic tubing to connect the pump to the spouter. Press the pump into the cup so the suction cups anchor it to the bottom. Cover the pump with a nylon stocking filter, then with pea gravel. Fill with water that has sat in a bucket for a day or two to allow chlorine to evaporate and water temperature to moderate.

Step 5: Pick Your Plants

Plant a dwarf lily in a small container so that the pads don’t completely cover the surface of the water. For larger pots, add a floating plant like water hyacinth, duckweed or water lettuce.

Two tiers allow for different types of plants. Lilies on the deep side have stems that float upward and extend horizontally. Put plants that grow upright and favor shallower water on the higher side.

Aquatic plants thrive on direct sunlight, so a bright sunny spot is ideal. Avoid windy areas as strong breezes tear tall plants.

Fish such as koi or goldfish don’t fit dish-style gardens, but larger pots are ideal (although metal containers get too warm). Fish keep the garden clean by eating algae, decaying plant material and mosquito larvae.

Courtesy of Home Fresh Ideas.

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Make a Daisy Centerpiece

Wonderfully bright and cheery, these Gerbera daisy centerpieces are sure to add a touch of whimsy to your Easter table.

Courtesy of Taste of Home

Step 1: Gather Vases

Find clear glass-footed containers. Using containers of various heights will add depth and interest to your display.

Step 2: Add Double-Sided Tape

Apply double-sided transparent tape around the top of a clear glass footed container.

Step 3: Tie Ribbon Over Tape

Wrap grosgrain or sheer ribbon over the tape. If using grosgrain ribbon, allow the ends of the ribbon to just meet and press against the tape to secure. If using sheer ribbon, press the ribbon against the tape to secure, and then tie the ends in a knot, allowing streamers of the ribbon to trail onto the table.

Step 4: Add Flowers

Fill the containers with water. Snip the stems from flowers and place them in the container.

Step 5: Add Tea Light Candles

Place a tea light candle in the center of some of the flowers if desired.

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Create Your Own Message Board

Craft this message board out of Dollar Store materials for an inexpensive and stylish home decoration.

Materials needed:

  • Six bulletin boards
  • Stencils (or cut your own)
  • Acrylic paint
  • Sash rod (optional)
  • Glue or duct tape to attach the frames

Instructions:

  1. To make a big bulletin board, I bought six of the small framed bulletin boards I found in the office supplies section of the dollar store and attached them.
  2. Duct tape all the frames together on the back of the piece, along each seam.
  3. Add stencils to the bulletin boards to create a Pottery Barn-inspired message board. Either create your own stencils, or purchase your favorite designs.
  4. After the six bulletin boards are attached to create one large message board, install a sash rod.
  5. Pre-drill holes in the bulletin board and hammer in the stash rod hardware.
  6. Stencil a burlap pouch and attach it to the stash rod to create your own mail sorter.

Message Board Craft c/o Country Woman’s featured blogger Heather of Dollar Store Crafts.

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Baking Soda Air Freshener

Craft this super-easy and inexpensive air freshener to fill your room with a scent you love.

Materials Needed:

  • 1/2 cup baking soda (per jar)
  • Essential oil of your preference (8-12 drops)
  • 8-oz. mason jar
  • Scrapbook paper
  • Tapestry needle

Instructions

  1. Trace jar lid onto scrapbook paper and cut out circle.
  2. Pierce through the paper circle with tapestry needle (or embroidery needle) in several places.
  3. Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda into the mason jar and add 8-12 drops of essential oil of your choice.
  4. Place paper circle inside mason jar ring and tighten onto the jar.
  5. Gently shake air freshener jar to activate mixture’s aroma.

Baking Soda Air Freshener c/o Country Woman’s featured blogger Maggie of Smashed Peas and Carrots.

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