LET'S MAKE A FLOWER PALLET

 Knot Sew Perfect Designs – BLOG 

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. Sew = I sew just enough to get by; Sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie.Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect!  Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, a garden, a new recipe , decorating something or something basic. 

I know - this is a re-post from last year but it is that time of year to get things like this started....maybe in the southern states for right now but if you live up north then get it together so it's ready when the weather decides to be nice. 

"you don't have to know how, you just need the desire to try" bh

LET'S MAKE A FLOWER PALLET

YOU CAN DO THIS - First off you will need a pallet - a long skinny pallet.  So where do you get one?  I work for a trucking company (ask there) so I have the pick of the "litter" so to speak but I got this one at the hardware store. I was there getting lumber for something and saw this and asked if I could have it - sure, why not.  Let me help you load it. DONE - got a pallet. This was heavy as all get out.  Some kind of hardwood I'm sure and was 
6 feet long.  You do not have to have one that long as some I've seen are 3-4-5 feet.

Next you will need flower boxes or I happened to have wrought iron ones I bought off CraigsList (of course) when I first bought my house.  See, I have a huge deck remember ( the sun shade project?) and thought they would look awesome all along my deck - filled with flowers.  WRONG - too hot.  They dried out too fast and most everything died.  Bummer.  So I saved the flower boxes and wa-la, I found something else to do with them a year later.  But, you can get the cheap plastic flower boxes from any store to use.

Next I screwed them to the pallet.  Be sure to leave enough spacing to allow your flowers to grow and/or drape down.  Before you load up with potting soil, move to where you want to display this. It is heavy as it is and certainly heavier with dirt.  Keep in mind if it is in full sun all day your flowers may die unless you can water them 3-4 times a day.  So, try to keep them in semi-shade or under your Sun Shade you already put up, where they are out of direct sunlight 80% of the day.

First, before adding dirt, I lined with plastic because of the coco basket liner just let the water drip - heck, it ran right through.  This helped to keep the water in a little longer.  If you have the plastic boxes be sure to drill at least a couple holes to let some water out.  You don't want to drown them. Next, fill with potting soil then pick & plant your flowers.  I chose ones that usually go in hanging baskets as I wanted them to drape over the edge. I also planted herbs in the top baskets as this was just outside my door and easy to get to when I needed. I did have this on my deck under my sun shade and leaned it against the house at a slight angle but you can always screw it to the house.

This year they do not have flowers in them (yet).  I recently planted acorn squash (seeds) and they are growing nicely.  Not sure how I will "support" the squash but I'm sure I will figure it out.  I think some kind of mesh or something.  
Time to plant something different in them this year (2015).  A trip to Home Depot, Lowes will help me decide.  I want them all (plants and flowers) .



***Hate chemicals but Got BUGs - on your flowers?  Aphids, etc? I try it on anything with bugs.  Take 1 part dish soap to 2 parts water.  Mix in a spray bottle and spray your plants, flowers, leaves.  It won't hurt your plants and will get rid of the bugs.  Not positive it works on all bugs but I've been lucky so far by using this.  Even used it on my tomato plants last year and worked fine.

NEED SHADE?? Let's Get Some!

NEED SHADE?? 
                 Let's get some! 

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. Sew = I sew just enough to get by; Sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie. Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect!

Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, garden, a new recipe , decorating something or something basic.

This is a REPOST for those of you who wanted to do this last year but didn't get around to it.  Ok - here it is again...early in the season so you have time to get it done before it's hotter than Hatties !

Like I've said before, I have not been able to win the lottery so I do things on the “cheap”...or inexpensive, etc.

I have a 12'x34' deck which I love. I used to have a screened in porch on my previous house of 25 yrs and I loved it. I am a morning person and would take my coffee and watch the world – really only my neighborhood – wake up. It was so peaceful and serene. Come late fall I would put plastic over the screen so I could sit out there longer; even into December. (my house was in Vermont); I went as far as putting a Kerosun Heater out there – that's how much I loved my porch. Here, in NC it isn't as bad but...I still need the shade as the summer sun can be brutal at times. And, it does have a way of warming your house up thus making your AC run more. Yuk $$.

So, here is what I did without having to spend $1000.00 + on a roof etc.

Materials: adjust for whatever size you use

Sun Sail 11'9”x11'9”  = $100.00 +
 OR - check out Amazon - they have them
          from $25.00 & up
  OR - painter's canvas drop cloth
         ($10-20.00 at Walmart)

Grommet kit = $8.95

24 + carbine clips = $ .99 ea

2 - 2”x2”x8' lumber = $2.47 each

2-3 pcs 2”x4”x8' lumber =$3.47

2 pcs 1 1/2” pipe or another 2x4 will work as well

pipe clips to hold pipe to 2x4's = $ .89 each

3” wood screws = $8.98 bx

drill

rope or bungie cords - $4.98

paint if you want lumber to match your house/porch

I used a Sun Sail

http://www.amazon.com/Square-Shade-Sail-Feet-Inches/dp/B00548UBMU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1401980974&sr=8-3&keywords=sun+sail

The Sun Sail comes in many sizes but are odd-sized....not a basic size. The link above is from Amazon. There are other sites that vary in prices. I was lucky enough to get mine on CraigsList. (I'm a CL junkie !!) What I had to do is buy a grommet kit – usually about $4-8.00. You can purchase these most anywhere. I got mine at Harbor Freight Tools for $3.97 on sale.

(http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?&id=HN.608003524871653955&w=300&h=300&c=0&pid=1.9&rs=0&p=0

You can attach to house or secure each corner to posts. Rope comes with it. OR, you can attach to your house, etc as I did.  I think it doesn't "flop in the breeze" as much.

I put grommets on 2 opposite ends, one foot apart. I also bought carbine clips (Walmart has the cheapest ones so far). Doing this allows you to take down in a hurry should high winds from a tropical storm or hurricane be in the forecast.

I used 2 - 2”x2”x8' pieces of lumber to screw to the house (pic #1) - unless you just want to rope each corner to a post or hook attached to house.

Pre-drill holes in 2x2s to make it easier to attach to house and not to split the wood. (OH  & paint first to match house – much easier than afterwards!) Attach sail to house side first then use rope to pull tight on opposite side (pic #2). You will have to adjust rope for a while as it tends to stretch.

I did have to ask for assistance from my neighbor to help put the 2x4's on the outside of the deck (8 ft off the ground) and he volunteered to attached the 2x2's to the house.  He was just being a gentlemen and helping a lady out!!   Besides, he was bored and had no projects of his own going on!!  I think he wishes I had lots more money so he could help me with more projects!  I told him that we could do all sorts of stuff but he'd have to pay for materials....that didn't fly!!  Darn, can't blame a girl for trying.

Keep in mind the Sun Sail DOES NOT BLOCK THE RAIN only filters the sun. It still allows bright light which is good for plants and if it rains, it can still water the plants. It has helped keep the hot afternoon sun off my slider and help keep the heat from that area. I also put one at the front of my house this year to block the southern sun on 3 big windows....what a difference it has made.

The nice thing about the Sun Sail is you can take it down in late fall to get the warmth of the winter sun.

                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                              

Shade for under $200.00 (full retail) and a nice place to sit. The plants love it and flourish. The only problem there was having enough room IN the house once fall/winter arrives to put the plants back inside!!

DIY's  has just posted 20 ideas for shade with many of them using a sun shade of sorts.  It's cheaper and I think looks better than a solid roof. 

 Can't afford full price for a sun shade?  Try a painter's canvas drop cloth 
- $12.95 at Walmart. Buy a grommet kit and Wa-La, shade.  I am planning on using that in another project I have planned - of course that will be another blog!

I see many ideas that I know I can do myself and even the ones that may be a little more challenging but I “go for it” anyways! I will figure out how to get it done. So – DON'T BE AFRAID TO TRY  - you are MORE TALENTED than you might think & you just may surprise yourself.

***Don't leave your wet laundry in a ball when you put in the dryer.  They will dry quicker and more wrinkle free if you shake them out first.  I don''t know about you but I HATE to IRON!!  

Time for a Little Southwest - Cactus style

  – Knot So Perfect Designs – BLOG

Explanation: Knot = wood knot, crochet knot etc. So = so let's get started, Sew = I sew just enough to get by; sow- seeds for gardening either flower or veggie. Perfect = absolutely exquisitely done but KNOT by me (sometimes). What I do sometimes I have never done before so the results are Knot Perfect!   Design = Could be most anything. A crocheted rug, a kitchen makeover, a patio, garden, a new recipe or decorating something - maybe even some awesome pictures. 


Time for a Little Southwest - Let's make a CACTUS from recycled pallet wood.  

Of course you will need a pallet or just a few pieces.  This is a good starter project because it's easy to fit on the pallet board and is easy to hook together.  You will also need a picture or clip art of a cactus.

 As mentioned before when we were doing the owl,   Staples has a blueprint copier and can make copies as big as  3 ft x 2 ft.  That will get you a nice sized cactus.
The next step is to make a pattern and transfer to the pallet wood. Once again, unless you are going to paint or stain this, the hardest part is choosing the wood.  If you are lucky enough to have a piece

wide enough for the main part of the cactus that certainly helps. I did and just had to add the "arms". 

Once I got this all laid out and cut, I found the wood of one "arm" was totally the wrong color

and didn't look good at all.  Had I known I was going to paint this in the end (few days after I completed), I wouldn't have worried about the difference - but I did.  I cut another "arm" that looked similar to the wood of the main part of the cactus.

After this, I hooked it altogether.  That was easy as it only required attaching the two "arms".  Once again, I used my nail gun, pow, pow, and it was done. 

I sanded the front and edges some more to make sure it wouldn't "bite" as cactus always do.  

This was pretty easy and took little time to complete.  

This is for my sister.  She likes southwestern decor.  I hope she likes it.  She will however see it here before she gets it as she is unable to be here at the same time as my brother.  That was my intention and her birthday was early February. Well Sis, what do you think??

After looking at this for a few days I decided it should be

green - at least a little.  I painted it - let it dry and sanded some of it off.  I then sealed with Thompson's water seal just in case it ended up outside.