We all must learn to grow vegetables. Whether we live in a small apartment without a balcony, a unit with just a small patio, or a luxury house with lots of land. Don’t you think? Growing veggies is easy & fun, once you know how, particularly with the ingenious plastic bottle vertical gardening system I’m showing you today. You can buy seedlings (which are easiest) but I prefer to start with organic heirloom seeds.

Vertical vegetables gardens don’t take up space and will help you save loads on groceries. Not to mention, you’ll eat more organics, and oh … the delight you’ll feel every time you pick your own goodies!!! 

First Things First: Get Seeds

Start an indoor vertical container garden now, and learn just how much fun gardening is.

Get your set of organic edible flowers, vegetable and herb heirloom seeds out from under the kitchen sink or your garden shed, or order high-quality, organic heirloom seeds now online, because…

…I have 2 videos on how to make a vertical vegetable garden using recycled plastic bottles and they will inspire you!

   ***  Pick Pansies ***

Perennial pansies are hardy

and thrive in shady areas or

with partial sunlight.

Tip: don’t forget to order organic potting mix.

Vertical Container Gardening Howto

Essentially, you stack the bottles upside down and use a drip-irrigation system. Let me show you the details ~ They are a little bit different for the indoor and outdoor gardens.

Indoor Vegetable Container Garden for Apartment Dwellers

Indoor Kitchen Garden

Video: If you don’t see the video above, click this link

For this system, you’ll need to cut a large circle on either side of the bottle to allow your plants to grow thru them.

This video discusses a bit of the details, and what’s important for indoor gardens. The next video is a lot more detailed and I think is even of use for those who want/need to make a garden indoor. In particular, its details on irrigation are interesting. So, read on…

Recycled Bottle Stacks for Vertical Outdoor Kitchen Gardening

Ideal for Patios & Small Outdoor Spaces.

The video below gives you the exact details how to set up your own vertical vegetable garden completely fitted with the most efficient irrigation system.

video: http://youtu.be/-uDbjZ9roEQ

Embellish & Add Bling!

Of course, if you are a regular follower of this blog, then I expect you to not leave the ugly labels they show in the video onto the bottles.

I hope that instead you embellish the bottles with cute labels, tags, plastic flowers, butterflies, etc.

Remember these darling aluminum butterflies, made from recycled tin foil plates? They would be perfect for this gardening project.

Grow Edible Flowers

Besides growing the vegetables you love to eat of course,   pick a couple of fresh herbs that offer beautiful flowers too.

I’m thinking of adding a few rows of easy to grow Nasturtium (Tropaeolum Majus). This entirely edible plant makes great flowers that cheer up any salad, herb vinegar or garnish. They like full sun and a warm climate, which impart a wonderful peppery flavor to the plant.  Perfect in the Roman sun. Ahhh…

Other Plant & Garden Projects

Have a look at some of our other plant and garden projects:

• How to Make a Topiary
• How to Make Succulent Wreaths
• How to Make a Rustic Garden Bench
• How to Landscape with Grasses (even in Pots)
• Cool DIY Fence from Recycled Corregated Iron
• Succulent Garden in Recycled Small Kid Shoe
• DIY Cool Outdoor Shower
• Free Sewing Pattern for a Quilted Gardeners Tote Bag
• How to Make Your Own Tire Swing

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

You might have recently seen this article with furniture made with pallets whereby we showcase a few indoor ideas on how to use pallets for furniture.

And you might have seen Tiffany’s pallet chair \ bench?

As the weather is improving, we all want to play outside. What better way than to cut up a few pallets and make them into outdoor planters or furniture instead.

Here are a handful of planter and garden decorating ideas for balconies and/or gardens.

Which kid would not want to have a garden play house like this? All made from recycled pallets.

This project requires some advanced woodworking skills, but it’s doable, and the how to make this child playhouse from old pallets, step-by-step instructions and building plan can be found at instuctables.com

“Advanced”

photo: instructables.com

Re-used, Re-purposed Pallets as Balcony Planters

Have a look at these cool Balcony pallet wall-planters!  This beginners- pallet recycling project can be just as much fun. They are great for balconies in cooler climates as there is not a lot of soil to hold the water. However, you can practically fit a whole herb garden into one of these!  I just adore them. 

Source: Life on the Balcony

“Beginners”

Pallet Garden Planters

If you are a bit more daring, and skilled using power tools, and can get your mind around actually chopping up a pallet or two, then here are two planter box designs for you. 

	The complete how-to step-by-step instructions on how to make this recycled pallet planter can be found here, at Esprit Cabane.
This larger green box is designed by The Daily Green. Again, it comes with complete instructions so you get to make your own.
Pallet Rose Climbing Trellis, by Sandy Coughlin, Reluctant Entertainer

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

Time to get ready for the beach, and to slowly start transforming our home into a lovely beach cottage….    I’ve starting early this year in getting my beach gear out. The weather simply has been so beautiful that I simply have to do so.

Look where I was last week, on the Italian coast in Puglia at Gargano Park. Beautiful, right?! Note that sunny weather!!! In April Wow.

“Yes, we DID go to the beach to sunbake, albeit that the sea water was still ‘freezing’ by Italian standard. However, by Northern American (think Seattle) standards, it was just fine for summer   (ohhh, please do not pinch me if your’re from Seattle ha ha..)"

BEACH linky party

So:

1. Below is the linky party for tutorial links related to BEACH-themed Diy, Home Decor or Craft related tutorials, share them here on this page.  Please join us and show us what you’ve been working on.

2. If you’ve been working on OTHER creative projects instead, please share them with us in the other linky parties. All party links are the end of this article.

My Contribution to ** THE BEACH **  DIY, HOME DECOR & Craft Party

I guess, I could be called a bit of a beach nut, looking at how many projects I’ve posted over the years that are themed ‘the beach’ ~ in its various forms: home decoration; beach gear; beach adventure souvenirs; and more.

How to Live in a Coastal Cottage (residing many miles inland)	Vintage Shell & Fish Prints for Cottage Decoration
Howto: DIY Beach Chair	Howto Sew: a Reversible Beach Blanket
Howto: Make a Shell-Adorned Picture Frame	Howto: Shells Frames, not just for summer
Summer Craft: Beach in a Pot	How to Sew: Waterproof Beach (or Picnic) Blanket
Howto: Make Your Own Bed sheets with Shell Prints	Howto: DIY Adirondack Chair

More Beach-Themed Creative Projects & Ideas

I’ve actually posted more beach-themed projects than these! 

You can find the remainder of them here: beach diy craft & home decor

Your Contribution to ‘THE BEACH’ diy craft home decor – tutorial linky party:

Your turn. We love to hear from you! Best ideas/tutorials will be featured on the blog next week or soon after.

Your Contribution to our Themed Linky Parties:

THE BEACH diy, home decor & craft – tutorial linky party: link up tutorials FOR MOM

MOTHERS DAY diy, home decor & craft – tutorial linky party: link up tutorials FOR MOM

SPRING diy, home decor & craft -  tutorial linky party: link up tutorials for Spring (incl. Easter)

STAIRS diy,  home decor & craft – tutorial linky party: link up your adventures redo-ing stairs

GENERAL diy, home decor & craft  – tutorial linky party: link up all your OTHER creative projects

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

Joining DIY & Craft LINKY parties are a great way to share your techniques, tips & howto’s and learn new ideas from others. We’re building a collection of CRAFT & DIY LINKY PARTIES around a range of themes. The party that opens this week is THEMED  Mothers Day’.  We also feature linky parties below with other themes.

1. As long as a ‘how-to’ section is in your article, it qualifies, AND LINK IT UP BELOW. Show us what you’ve been working on for MOTHER.

2.  You can also join the Linky party for SPRING & EASTER DIY, Home Decor and Craft projects, the one on STAIRS AND STAIRWELL MAKEOVERS, or the  GENERAL DIY, Home Decor or Craft  linky party, if you’ve been working on other ideas.  Email me if you want to suggest a future party theme. 

::

FEATURED CREATIVE CREATIONS

Before we head over to the new parties, I’d like to feature 4 submissions to our linky parties that are just fabulous, beautiful and inspiring:

IF YOU ARE FEATURED …

If you are featured in my Best DIY & Craft Tutorials line up, go ahead and show it off… Here is a Badge, just for you, to post on your website. It will link back to this blog here.

Click in the textbox, select all, copy & paste.

::

My Contribution to the ** Mothers Day **  DIY, HOME DECOR & CRAFT TUTORIAL Party

Here are a few ideas that make suitable handmade mothers day gifts and cards:

How-to: Loom & Silk Scarf	How-to: Silk Eye Pillow Homemade Relax Tea w/ Handmade Decorated Jar
Modern Tote Bag Free Sewing Pattern	Mothers Day Greeting Free Printable Card
To find the rest of our collection of free tutorials for Mothers Day, click here:   *  Mothers Day Gifts *

::

Your Contribution to FINE CRAFT GUILD :: LINKY PARTIES

MOTHERS DAY (this article, link up below)

STAIRS

SPRING & EASTER

GENERAL

::

LINK YOUR MOTHERS DAY ARTICLE HERE …

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

Bought some darling fabric to sew myself some Spring & Summer outfits.

I have to confess: now that the sun back I’m rather playing outside with my plants and don’t feel like sewing much. But I do need some more light weight summer cloths however.

This skirt pattern could not be better: an elastic waist (read: easy + fast + ugly); with a beautiful waist-band cover-up!

Bingo: made in 30 minutes + looks great!

STEP BY STEP SEWING INSTRUCTIONS

Voila.

Amy Butler’s Soul Blossom Designer Fabric for Rowan Fabrics

MATERIALS NEEDED

I highly recommend the beautiful Rowan Fabrics, which are made with 100% cotton and which have just the most wonderful prints.

(Free skirt sewing ‘pattern’ / ‘tips’)
source idea/image: beccy ridsdel, at Wipster.

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

I’m getting ready to create a Easter (egg) wreath, so I did my research. Today I want to share my inspiration with you. In another post I’ll show you what I ended up making myself.

To say that I’m getting a bit wreath-obsessed is an understatement. I have about 11 wreaths in my house already: some finished, some seasonal and some … work in progress. One of these latter WIPs need to transform into a final Easter Wreath. Yes, I’m working on it….

Meanwhile, I thought to show you my Easter Wreath inspiration. As you can tell: no bright spray-painted Easter eggs with glitter, glued in a happy circle, but rather more nature-inspired materials is what I’m craving for my front door wreath, … and elsewhere in my home.

Easter Wreath Inspiration

By Martha Stewart Made with pussy willow flowers	By Sunset Made with horseradish bunches ~ lasts only 2 days…
By Williams Sonoma Made with laurel leaves, faux lemons and other goodies	By Delish Not a wreath, but just lovely.
By Canadian Living Made with cloth, ribbons and a few egged branches	By Country Living Made with branches and fluffy balls

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

This idea of link lists instead of pages and pages of image is growing on me. Now I feel it’s time to start building some categories, so that it’s easy to find things and to borrow ideas from each other.

So, as of today, we’re going to do things a bit differently, as follows:

1. Below is the linky party for tutorial links related to Any DIY Home Decor or Craft related to Spring: ranging from Easter decor, spring clean crafts, and creative tulip growing… as long as a ‘how to’ is there in your article, it qualifies. Please join us and show us what you’ve been working on to celebrate Spring.

2. If you’ve been working on Other DIY Home Decor or Craft projects that have nothing to do with Spring, then enter your project in our General DIY Home Decor or Craft  linky party, which is a random selection of things.

FEATURING TOP 3 DIY PLANS / CRAFT HOW-TOs

from Party 33.

You’ve done an amazing job again this week. I’m so impressed with many of you, but I’m featuring just 4:

1. Upcycled Garden Fence into Railing by Julie at Life at Fire Lake Camp. If you’ve read my prior increasingly comprehensive overview DIY and Craft Ideas for Earth Day, than you’ll know that I’m excited about this project! A jewel of a garden fence.	2. Reversible Reusable Clean/Dirty Bags  by The Silly Pearl   I actually love this idea, and not only for kids in school, but also for camping, picnics and long weekends away, when you have cutlery on the go. I’d make these bags a in different sizes, including one to include a mug or two, or a few small plates.
3. Cute Bunny Egg by Mimetales       As You know I love everything pink or pastel, or white even.. in short: feminine colors, but once and a while, I can look through the eyes of others, as with this little guy. While it’s called an Egg bunny, he reminds me of Mr. Potato-head.  So, I’m dubbing it: Potato-head in an Easter Egg costume!!! This super cute Bunny Egg is easy for Kids  to make.	4. Girl Skirt with Giant Pockets – Free Sewing Pattern by Amada from Simply Homemade

‘R U FEATURED?

If you are featured in my Best DIY & Craft Tutorials line up, go ahead and show it off… Here is a Badge, just for you, to post on your website. It will link back to this blog here.

Click in the textbox, select all, copy & paste.

My Contribution to the Spring DIY, HOME DECOR & Craft Party

I thought to kick-off this Spring Craft DIY party with a few EASTER craft ideas that we’ve featured in other years:

Free Egg Knitting Pattern	Free Egg Sewing Pattern
Free Easter Coloring Pages	Unique Easter Ideas
More EASTER CRAFT & DECORATING IDEAS	More SPRING DECORATING & CRAFT IDEAS

Your Contribution to the Spring DIY, HOME DECOR & Craft Party

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

Today, I was challenged to wear pink and yellow as a color combination. My first reaction was that I don’t have any pink/yellow items.  However, I managed to create a great outfit out of cloths I haven’t worn for years.  I love it.

I thought to treat you all the same deal, going over FINECRAFTGUILD’s blog and look for Yellow/Pink DIY Craft projects & ideas we’ve featured over the years. It turns out: we have many!!!

Pink & Yellow ~ Craft Ideas

How to hand-paint a chair for a little girl	Girl bedroom ideas article.
	These were paint swatches from the children’s bedroom ideas- article
Egg Eye Candy	Creative Easter Egg Decorating Ideas
& How to Make to Make Paper flowers	Advanced Paper flower techniques
Happy Easter Greeting Card (sponsor)	Easter Hunt Party Invitation (sponsor)
How to make a Pop-up Butterfly card	Downloadable ‘I love you’ Greeting Card
A ‘000 craft ideas to make with Butterflies	How to make felt soap bars ~ design idea for felted eggs…| perfect project for Easter Break
How to Make a Wreath in a Minute (one of many wreath articles on this site)	Freeform Paper Mache Egg Cup (Easter Crafts for Kids)
Upcycled hair cruchy	Upcylced ruffle PEACE necklace
Upcycled sock Ipod/ blackberry/ phone cozy	Barbie’s Golden dress pattern
	Highly recommended Craft Books for Kids
Hand-painted recycle bottle vase	Learn to Draw a Simple Rose (so that you eventually get to paint a rose like this….)

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

Create a coffee mess and get away with it. Only this one day…!!! This is an excellent video tutorial on how to be a Pro coffee-spill-trickster this April Fools day. You get to fool people the whole day, easily. Even if you are not so ‘into these things’, prepping for this one is kind of crafty and something you will really enjoy. And best of all, you’ll have all your supplies already in your kitchen/craft cabinet.

THE TRICK SCENE

Imagine someone find this at their desk. Oh no!! A Coffee mess! 

STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL

ON HOW TO PULL OF THIS APRIL FOOL’S DAY TRICK

OK. Here we go.

It takes just minutes to prepare,

but you do need to make it a few days ahead of time.

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

STEP 7

Peel of the wax paper when dry.

Enjoy.

Best of all, you can pull this coffee spill trick over and over again, as the props are easily portable. 

Have a really fun day, this April Fools Day!

source: wonderhowto.com (metacafe)

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.

Love this bag in white & Iove this in red. Great style handbag.  Contemporary. Practical. What more do you want ‘n’ need in a bag, I’d say?!

designer: U-handbag.com

–> Download your free pleaded handbag pattern here

With this base pattern, many other embellishments are possible. See my Anthropologie Bag- case study and other sample bag designs below.

Pleaded Bag Design Variations

Here are a whole slew of different bag designs that I’ve kept the pictures of over the years. I don’t have the patterns for them, so they are just eye-candy for you today, to boost your inspiration for how to jazz up the pattern that is provided here today.

by Anthropologie	by Patricia Bowman
	by Pink Lemonade
by: U-handbag.typepad.com	French Antique Printed Totes

More Bag Patterns

We have over 25 bags with sewing, felting, crochet and knitting patterns and bag case-studies on FineCraftGuild. I’m sure you will be able to find one that suits you.

Copyright , Fine Craft Guild .com. All Rights Reserved. Amazing/Eco Home Decorating & Craft ideas and tutorials, for you.