Many of use pick up small treasures when we travel. Shells or worn glass from the beach, round rocks from streams or roadways, interesting construction debris and other discarded small bits that catch our eyes when walking. Once you have pockets filled with such bits...

Have you ever looked at the morning glories or black-eyed Susan vines in the garden center and thought, “I wish I had an arbor to grow those on…” From sweet peas to mandevilla, there are several annual vines that plant lovers lust over. You don’t need to have an arbor...

Recycling and re-purposing pallets is a creative and fun way to use these wooden shipping platforms. One way they can be used is as a canvas for graphic art. Since most pallets are large, and some are quite heavy, they are suitable for large spaces including the...

The weekend project: celebrate spring and create your own nest to use as a centerpiece, art object, or gift.  Here's how mine looked when finished. I placed it on top of a small milk-glass vase and added three hard boiled eggs to use as a centerpiece. You could use...

Do you love words and plants? Do particular song lyrics, sayings or poems speak to you? Combine it all in the garden as my friend Pat Dyke did. “The Song of Solomon is such a beautiful poem,” Pat says. It is a verse that speaks to everyone who loves spring, but  “The...

Several times I've published photos of the bluebirds at my bird feeder and the explanation that they come to an open feeder to eat shelled sunflower seed. (All the birds like the shelled seed, and I like it because there is no shell litter dropping on the patio or...

Edna Trittschuh, my fifth grade teacher in Muncie, Indiana, used to tell me that I could "create something out of nothing." I'm sure that she wouldn't be surprised to learn that I'm still hopeless at spelling and that I continue to take great pleasure in combining...

Or maybe I should say POT Up Feeders and Planters. Need a focal point in the garden? This idea is fast and simple. Whether you use this for a quick feeder to bring the seed above the snow, an instant birdbath, a raised planter, or an easily made pedestal for a...

I love silver plated Revere bowls. They are a classic shape and look elegant, making the perfect contrast and compliment for plants, flowers and other natural materials. You can find these bowls in many thrift shops for less than $10, and if the inside happens to be...

Am I the only person who gets packages of seeds and then sticks them in a drawer or box and forgets what I have? Am I the only person who loves how some seed packets look? Packages of seed are often quite attractive and just looking at them can make us feel happy:...