Painted Stone Garden Markers
A bit of paint and a dollop of artistry can turn ordinary rocks into charming plant markers for your garden. This project is so simple and quick, you can easily paint one for every variety of vegetable in your garden.
Related: 9 Ways to Crank Up Curb Appeal with Nothing But Paint
Etsy via DellaBeDesigns
Rock Art Cacti
Cacti are already pretty low maintenance plants, but painted rock cacti require even less care, and they won’t prick you with spines! Paint a few appropriately shaped backyard rocks to look like cacti, then place them in containers to create arrangements that will look great and last for years.
Related: 25 Plants for Your Easiest Garden Ever
Etsy via Customizedboxes
Brick Bookends
Bricks are the perfect size and weight for bookends. If their natural color doesn't match your decor, dip the ends in paint, and they'll suddenly look like they were made expressly for the space.
Related: 11 Insanely Easy 60-Minute Paint DIYs
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Terra-Cotta Pot Heaters
If you have some extra terra-cotta pots in your backyard, you have almost everything you need to make DIY space heaters. Add some nuts and bolts and ordinary tea lights, and you can generate heat for hours.
Related: No Money to Burn? 9 Fire Pits You Can Afford
youtube.com via Ben Galt
Leaf Print Stepping Stones
Concrete stepping stones are easy garden DIY projects. Decorate them with natural imprints by laying large leaves on top of your concrete mold, then weighing them down with stones to add pressure as the concrete cures. Once the concrete is set, remove the leaves to reveal a truly organic design.
Related: 7 Thrifty Designs for a DIY Walkway
Leaf-Stamped Cards
There's something about fallen leaves that just exudes rustic warmth. You can harness that warmth and add a touch of texture to handmade cards by stamping them with leaves.
Related: 20 Dollar-Store DIYs for Every Room of the House
Etsy via DebraMakes
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Dandelion Fabric Dye
While you may not like to see dandelions popping up on your lawn or in your flower beds, they do give you a chance to take advantage of the weeds' DIY potential. Their bright yellow flower heads can be turned into a natural dye for fabric.
Related: Keep, Don't Kill: 9 Weeds to Welcome
Feathers for Marbleizing
Marbleizing painting techniques can give you the look of stone countertops without the price tag. Feathers are best for adding delicate marble lines to your faux finishing project. And you can often find them just outside your door, especially during spring and fall, when birds are migrating.
Related: 19 Cool Projects You Can Do with Leftover Paint
Pine Cone Garlands
Pine cones add a natural, rustic texture to seasonal home decor and offer a low-cost alternative to the traditional evergreen garland. When making your own from pine cones in your backyard, be sure to briefly bake the cones in a warm oven to kill any bugs before they can take up residence in your home.
Related: 14 Easy DIY Living Room Updates Anyone Can Do in a Day
Etsy via ClubBotanic
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Twigged Picture Frames
Add some twigs from the backyard to a picture frame to make a beautiful and budget-friendly decorative item. For a more rustic look, leave the twigs bare and natural, or give them a quick coat of paint so they'll match your room's color scheme.
Related: 10 Inventive Ways to Display Family Photos
Etsy via DellaBeDesigns
Stump Stools and Side Tables
If you’ve cut down some landscaping trees, don’t chip up the stumps just yet! That valuable wood can be repurposed for stools and tables, both in the house and outside.
Related: The Best (and Weirdest) Things You Can Do with a Tree Stump
Etsy via bamboobg
Log Planter
Logs, both large and small, can be hollowed out and used as planters. Whether you plant flowers, herbs, or other greenery, you'll create a focal point and a conversation piece all at once.
Related: 10 Totally Unexpected Things to Remake as Planters
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Pebble Mosaic
Pebbles have been used in mosaics for thousands of years. Take a page from the ancients' playbook and create your own mosaic with pebbles you’ve found on your property. Whether you make something practical or purely decorative, a pebble mosaic will be a unique and artful addition to your indoor or outdoor spaces.
Related: 10 Ways to Buy Better Curb Appeal for Under $50
Evergreen Wreath
Want a wintertime wreath without a trip to the Christmas tree farm? Head out after Thanksgiving dinner to do a bit of pruning on your evergreens. Fix the branches to a wreath form with floral wire (both available at most craft stores), and you’ll have a handcrafted seasonal wreath for your door.
Related: Welcome Home: 11 Fresh Ways to Spruce Up Your Front Door
Nature's Best
You need step no further than your back porch to shop for project materials.
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