Different Ways to Use Solar Lights

I recently used a solar light in a pot with a plant and a grapevine ball.  You can see it here.  It got me thinking.  After cleaning up my potting bench I added some decor such as the glass insulators and stands that I found at a thrift store.  I had one that I liked so much (you can see it here) that I had to have more.  Candles do not work very well in the summer heat so I thought why not put a solar light in it? 

Like this.

I like it but…….the solar light looks like a spray paint can lid and it bothers me. 

I dismantled a cheap $3 or maybe it was $4 solar light from Walmart.   It looked like this.

This one has lived in the dirt for a year or two so it is dirty.  They come in different colors.  This one happens to be copper, but they have one that looks more like the Oil Rubbed Bronze that I like.

They come apart and the top looks like this.

You have to make sure it is still showing or it won’t get the sunlight during the day to make it glow at night.  I could do all kinds of nifty things if the top didn’t have to be exposed.

I painted it to match the stand.  I covered the bulb with tape and sprayed the sides.

See these screws?  I took it apart to see if I could get rid of the spray paint can look.  Nope I can’t, however, I did learn they have batteries.  I have thrown a couple away thinking they were broke when all along the battery was just dead.  Learned something today.  That’s always a good thing. 

So I thought maybe a tag would make the spray paint can lid effect go away.

It helps a little. 

I just punched out a square using scrapbook paper, added a sticker, stamped a bird on it and wired some beads to it. 

At night it looks like this.

I love the night look.  Maybe because you can’t tell the solar light looks like a spray paint can lid!  : )

 

I tried different ideas with the light.

 

I tried this.

 

And this.

I think that jar is in need of some Windex!  I would love to know if you come up with any ideas or if you know a way to make the solar light look less like a spray paint can lid. 

Potting Bench

Second thoughts????  Do you ever have second thoughts and decide not to do something.  I have been waiting for good weather so I could repaint my potting bench.  My husband made it for me about 7 yrs ago.  He refuses to use power saws and made it all with a hand saw.  He just looked at a photo I found online and put it together for me.  He did a great job.  Last year I asked him to make some doors for it.  I tried to match the existing wood and the doors ended up looking kind of orange.  So after painting my window box to look like this.

I thought I would do the same with my bench.  I cleaned it off, removed all the hardware,  got out the paint and just couldn’t do it!  Instead I freshened it up and will  live with the orange.  I just wasn’t feeling the paint and I am trying to do a better job of  listening to my instincts.  I don’t enjoy working hard on a project only to be disappointed.

So here is the messy messy bench before I cleaned it.

Looks more like a work bench than a potting bench huh? 

 

Here it is all cleaned and ready to paint. 

And here it is not painted but clean and with new accessories.  Notice the new patio light.  If you haven’t seen the post about it, you can read about it  here. 

I used the watering can I had hung on my In The Garden sign.  I liked it better on the bench.  I added this little moss ball after I had taken a few photos and realized I didn’t like the glass tea light holder.

What’s a potting bench without pots???

I had a candle stick that I repainted and I made some more glass insulator candle holders. 

I wanted some green and height on the other side so I painted some dried flowers green and stuck them in the pot. 

Here is the paint job on the candle stick and flowers. 

This sign was from my mom’s lake house.  I thought it was very fitting for a potting bench.  I had to paint the grapevine wreath in espresso brown because it was gray from living outside.  The paint spruced it right up.

I found a little metal shelf at a community yard sale.  It was red and white.  I painted it Oil Rubbed Bronze and place it around the corner of the bench.

 

Unfortunately, those nice doors my husband made for me are hiding a big mess.  I will have to tackle that later.  There are only so many hours in the day!!!

A Special Father’s Day Gift Idea

When my son was 7 years old he wrote a paper at school about his dad being a hero.  That paper got my mind thinking and I decided to make a Father’s Day scrapbook.  I love scrapbook pages that are intricate and every detail is beautiful, but that is not me.  I am a get it done simple kind of person.  So I bought a few packages of Dad stickers and some different colored paper, colored markers and went to work.  The best thing about this scrapbook is I let my son write in it.  I didn’t correct his spelling or grammar.  This was a book that represented him and his Dad.  I just had to put it all together.   A little warning ….my husband is not a fan of sleeves or shirts.  He is shirtless in many photos.  Luckily he looks good without a shirt. 

 

 

And finally the letter that started this whole idea. 

We still get choked up every time we look at this book.  It is a treasure for sure.  Too bad Dads aren’t good at crafts.  I wish I had one. 

Linking to Somewhat Simple