Outdoor Drink Holder Tutorial

Welcome back to my blog. I hope everyone's Christmas went very well and got to spend some quality time with their loved ones! I had a great Christmas and got some awesome gifts! I am sooo ready for the new year to get here! Well, on to a DIY post!

This DIY is brought to you by: Positively Splendid

Let me show you how I did it!

Believe it or not, I started here…with a can of Progressive Soup!

Here’s what else you will need!

 1. Clean the can. If you haven’t yet, empty the can of its soup or other contents (go ahead….go eat your soup…I’ll be here when you’re ready to get started!) Remove the label off your can by cutting a nice neat line down the side with a scissors, and set the label aside (you’ll see why in a bit). CAREFULLY wash out your can with soap and warm water (I say “carefully” because that inner edge is SHARP! Don’t worry, we’ll take care of that scary edge in a bit! For now, just be careful.)

2. Cut two fabric strips. You will need two strips of fabric for this project: one wider, one thinner, both the same length. I don’t have exact measurements for you…here’s why!

One of the reasons I chose this fabric was that I wanted to use the alternating medallions on each of my cans. One can has the light blue medallions, while the other has dark blue (isn’t this fabric gorgeous?!?)

You may certainly measure your can and cut a fabric strip using a rotary cutter or scissors if you’d prefer, but I found it pretty quick and easy just to use my can label as a pattern! And since I wanted to fussy cut my fabric, this method helped me center my cutting just right.

When cutting your fabric strip for the outside of the can, cut it just wide enough for your can but add an extra inch or two in length for overlap around the circumference. My skinnier strip (shown above) is about 1.5″ thick and the same length as the wider strip.

 

3. Drill (or hammer) a hole into the bottom of the can. Flip your can over so that the base is facing you. Using a drill with a 1/4″ bit or a 1/4″ nail and hammer, put a hole in the bottom of your can.

4. Glue fabric to the outside of the can. Having worked with it in the past, I really wanted to use Outdoor Mod Podge for this project. Wouldn’t you know that EVERY craft store in my area is out of the stuff (and you know I checked them all!). What I did find was this cute little variety pack. It had just enough regular Mod Podge and Outdoor Mod Podge for this project (and now I can try the other kinds of Mod Podge that I’ve never had a reason to buy!)

 Attaching your fabric to the outside of the can is pretty easy!

• (a) Cover the outside of the can in Mod Podge (you can use the regular or the Outdoor stuff for this step!) 
• (b) Slowly wrap your fabric around the can, smoothing air bubbles as you go.
• (c) When you get back around, trim your fabric so you have a 1/2″ overlap and secure the end with more Mod Podge.

5. Prepare the skinny fabric strip. To take care of that scary edge on the inside top of the can, we are going to cover it with the smaller fabric strip.

• (a) Brush Mod Podge along the entire back of the skinnier fabric strip.
• (b) Fold in half (wrong sides together) and press flat.
• (c) Snip small slits about every 1/2″ or so (this is because we didn’t cut our fabric on the bias. If you want to cut your fabric on the bias or use bias tape, then no snipping is required!)

 

6. Glue fabric to the top inside rim of the can. This is probably the trickiest part of the whole project! First, cover the top inside rim of your can with more Mod Podge.

Then working slowly (and patiently), press your fabric strip along the inside of the rim. You may need to go around a couple times to really get it to stick… (Note – in a moment of frustration, I almost pulled out my glue gun. If you can’t get yours to stick just right…I suggest you use a glue gun or something that has quick drying power!)

 But once you do, you will have a pretty (and safe) inside rim!

7. Seal the fabric strips with Outdoor Mod Podge. Here is where you really want to use the Outdoor Mod Podge (if you can find it!) or some other weather-proof sealer! Using a sponge, cover both the outer and inner fabric strips with (at least) two coats of the protective finish. Let dry.

So pretty and shiny!

These would make great pencil cups too!

I digress…onward!

8. Assemble all hardware pieces. Once your can is dry to the touch, you can go ahead and assemble the whole thing! Here’s a quick snapshot of the hardware you are looking for when you’re at the hardware store!

And here’s how it goes together!

• (a) Twist one bolt about 4″ down the threaded rod.
• (b) Place one washer on top of the bolt.
• (c) Place the can (bottom side down – that’s what the hole was for!) on top of the washer.
• (d) Place the other washer and the other bolt on top of the threaded rod.

It is best to make sure the top bolt and washer are flush with the top of the rod. Here is what I mean:

(e) Then flip your can over and tighten the original bolt and washer toward the can. You should end up like this: bolt > washer > bottom of can < washer < bolt.

But wait! Before you tighten everything up!!

9. Glue outside washer with Gorilla Glue. Following manufacture’s instructions, put a little bit of water and then Gorilla Glue just under the flat washer on the OUTSIDE of the can. Then twist the bolt and make it as tight as you can!

10. Let glue dry. Let the glue dry for about an hour or so before proceeding by placing the cans on their tops.

11. Cover inside bolt and washer with resin. The last step is to pour resin inside the bottom of the can.

You can certainly skip this step if you’d like, but I wanted to smooth out the uneven surface on the inside of the can created by the washer and bolt. See what I mean?

The EnviroTex Lite is pretty easy to use, and I was able to mix just enough for this project! AND I was really pleased that it didn’t have a strong odor (so we could bring it in over night to dry!).

To pour it in:

• (a) I stood my two drink holders up in a pot filled with sand and made sure they were as level as I could get them!
• (b) I mixed the resin according to package directions and poured it in the bottoms of the cups…just high enough to cover the washer and bolt.

It takes about 5-6 hours to set and then 48 hours until you can put a drink in your can. See? Nice, pretty, smooth bottom! And it really helps to make the whole thing much sturdier!

Now you’re ready to drive your rod into the ground or sand near a comfy seat…insert a beverage, and relax! (NOTE – depending on the soil/sod in your yard, it might be tough to get it in the ground! If it hasn’t rained in a while or if you have really tightly packed soil, drive a garden stake or nail into the ground first, and then put your drink holder in!)

All ready to sit back and relax!

Cheers!

Merry Christmas

I just want to say that I wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas!!

I will return to blogging after Christmas!

Homemade Powder Laundry Detergent - For $3

This blog is brought to you by: The Burlap Bag 

Earlier I blogged about how to make homemade liquid laundry detergent. Now I am going to tell you how to make powdered detergent!
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This easy DIY recipe will make you enough laundry detergent for 64 loads of laundry! And costs $3. And is done in 5 minutes.

Yes. That's insane. Insanely awesome.

 
Ingredients:
1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1 bar of soap

(yes, a whole box of borax and washing soda costs more. but you only need one cup of each! split it with 4 friends.)

Ok, ready? Gather your ingredients and tools. (you’ll need a grater, bowl, stirring spoon, and one cup measure-er)

Get ready for the super hard 4 steps:
1. Grate bar of soap into a bowl 

2. Pour in one cup of borax

3. Pour in one cup of washing soda

4. Mix for a couple of minutes until all the grated soap breaks up and the mixture looks like regular dry laundry detergent

Steps altogether for homemade laundry detergent:
1. Grate bar of soap into a bowl
2. Pour in one cup of borax
3. Pour in one cup of washing soda
4. Mix for a couple of minutes until all the grated soap breaks up and the mixture looks like regular dry laundry detergent
And that’s it. It’s so easy. Now I feel kinda dumb that I have been buying expensive laundry detergent this long! Oh well. Start saving money now!

I keep mine in an IKEA tupperware. I use one tablespoon per load, maybe 1.5 for huge or extra dirty ones.

And instead of buying fabric softener? Use vinegar. So cheap and it acts as a fabric softener AND a static cling reducer! What! Why am I just now learning all of this….

OR you could keep it in a cute bowl like this! Not as practical though :)

How to Fix a Clogged Toilet

This blog brought to you by: The Family Handyman

Clogged toilet? No problem. With a little practice, even a home repair rookie can get most clogged toilets back up and running in minutes, without flooding the bathroom and making the situation worse. In this article we'll show you how to avert a morning household disaster by clearing a clogged toilet fast.

By the DIY experts of The Family Handyman Magazine

• Step 1: Begin with a plunger
• Step 2: Reach for the snake
• Step 3: Major surgery if all else fails

Photo 1: Grab the plunger
Plunge the toilet with the rubber flange pulled out to get a better seal. Push in and out vigorously, keeping enough water in the bowl to cover the plunger. Keep towels handy to wipe up water that splashes out.

 

Photo 2: Test for a clog
Don't flush the toilet if you suspect that it's clogged. Instead, remove the tank lid and lift the flapper valve slightly to let a cup or two of water into the bowl to see if the water goes down. Flushing a clogged toilet may flood your floor!

Close-up of Photo 2
Lift the flapper slightly to release a little water.

For about 90 percent of clogged toilets, you only need one special tool—a plunger. Buy one with an extension flange on the rubber bell-shaped end (lead photo). It's designed to fit toilets better so you can deliver more “oomph” to the plunge. You could pull a woodchuck from a hole with one of these things. It'll unplug sink and tub drains too, if you simply fold the flange back into the bell.
A poor flush means that your toilet drain is either partially or completely plugged. A toilet that's completely plugged—a no-drainer—is obvious. The toilet bowl will fill to the brim with flush water and perhaps overflow. Give the water level 10 minutes or so to drop, then attack the problem with a plunger (Photo 1).
However, most clogged toilets are slow drainers, that is, flush water partially fills the bowl but doesn't rush out and clean away the waste. The water level remains high, then usually drains down to normal height within a minute or two. You might not know the toilet is clogged until you flush it. So if you suspect a problem, test the drainage first as we show in Photo 2. If it doesn't drain, don't flush it. Reach for the plunger.
Photo 1 shows how a plunger fits over and seals the toilet drain. Wear rubber gloves—things can get messy—and follow these plunging tips:

1. Make your first plunge a gentle one. Initially the bell is full of air. A hard thrust will force the air back around the seal and blow water all over the bathroom and you!
2. Once you force out the air, plunge vigorously in and out, maintaining the seal. You'll be forcing water both directions in the drain, which will effectively loosen most clogs. Stick with it, plunging 15 to 20 times if necessary.
3. Be patient. Try alternating between steady strokes and occasional monster heaves.
4. Keep enough water in the bowl so the plunger stays covered. Trying to force air through the toilet trap won't generate much pressure.

Most of the time, this is all it takes to clear the clog.

Make Your Own Beehive In a Jar

This blog is brought to you by: Remove and Replace

It seems everyone is interested in how to make your own beehive in a jar. Have the rows of organic honey jars at the farmers market got you thinking about starting your own backyard beehive? If you live in a suburban area, you may think that starting a beehive cannot be done. However a common suburban backyard can be a perfect place for beehives if done correctly and you do a bit of research and planning before ordering your bees and supplies. It is actually a very simple and easy process with the right tools. Everything you need is below including a supplies list and pictures of our diy Beehive.

Materials Needed TO Make Your Own Backyard Beehive In A Jar:
1 – Piece of 2″ x 12″ x 6′ wood (cut 2 pieces for the sides to 22″)
1 – Piece of 2″ x 12″ x 6′ wood (cut 2 pieces for the front and back to 18″)
1 – Piece of 1″ x 1″ x 6′ wood (cut 2 pieces for the top frame left and right sides to 22″)
1 – Piece of 1″ x 1″ x 6′ wood (cut 2 pieces for the top frame front and back to 18″)
1 – Piece of thick plywood (cut to 16″ X 20″)
1 – Bottom beehive kit (for the bees to enter and exit)
12 – Big mouth quart sized jars (for honeycomb)
1 – Box of wood screws (size 1″ screws)
1 – Can of wood stain (use a dark wood stain of your choice)
And of course, you need bees, most bees are available only in March and April but you can try these links to order your honey bees online – 3lbs of honey bees – Queen Bees For Sale – Queen & Package Bees

First get a piece of thick plywood and cut to 16″ x 20″.
Then measure and center for 12 holes and drill the pilot holes.
Next, drill 12 – 3 1/2″ holes with a hole saw (for the jars to fit into).

Next cut 2 – 22″ pieces from a 2″ x 12″ x 6′ board and 2 – 18″ pieces from a 2″ x 12″ x 6′ board.
Then screw everything together and stain the wood with dark wood stain (or whatever you choose).

Get your 12 wide mouth mason 1/2 gallon size jars (or a normal quart sized jar).
Then arrange them and make sure they all fit properly over the holes.

Here is the 12 beehive jars arranged and installed in our backyard beehive.
The jars sit with the screw lid on for less than 1/16″ gap between the jar and the beehive hole.
You may need to add some shims to support the weight so it won’t sag with the weight of the honey.

 

Another view of our DIY backyard beehives in a jar project.
You can vent and screen this chamber if there is excess heat or put the beehive where it gets late day shade.
The bottom wooden piece we purchased as a kit and this is where the bees enter and exit the beehive.

The bees are seen here after we added them to the jars, they are now ready to make organic honey.

 

After much time, here is what the honeycomb jars look like filled with honey.