I’m not a gardener. I kill every plant. It’s sad, actually. I’ve given up planting flowers in the Spring because I’m a good person. I don’t have it in me to keep murdering innocent flowers.
But I can make crafts! So instead of decorating my garden with fragile flowers, I’ve found some genius outdoor crafts that I can make! cheering heard from the local greenhouse!
So Pretty and So Easy Outdoor Crafts for the Garden
Just like the stuff I make for the indoors, I want the crafts I make for the garden to be pretty, easy and useful in some way. Even if it’s just to stare at and meditate a little.
Luckily, adding some DIY’s to the garden is going to almost always be useful for me because I need some visual interest due to the fact that there are not really any pretty flowers to look at. There are a few perennials that have resisted my black thumb, but these outdoor crafts will help add some color for me.
But they don’t have to just be ornaments to look at. Outdoor crafts include windchimes, birdfeeders, planters and other useful things.
I’ve actually made a few things myself already, so I’ll share those first:
Easy Ombre Windchimes
I made these pretty ombre windchimes many years ago and they still look great! There are washers inside of the little clay pots that make a lovely tinkling noise.
Tinkling is not a good word to describe the noise they make, but use your imagination, ok?
They are super easy to make, you basically need a few tiny clay posts, some washers, blue and white paint and some twine.
You can see the full instructions for these DIY windchimes.
Rocks Crafts for the Garden
I also made some super adorable painted rocks crafts that could be used as Garden ornaments if you seal them properly.
Admittedly these are not particularly useful. They are a LOT of fun to make and I’ve seen lots of examples of painted rocks with inspirational thoughts written on them and then lef to be found in the park or on the street. Just to brighten someone’s day.
That is useful enough in my book.
The Most Difficult Winchimes You Could Want to Make
I will never lie to you and tell you a craft is easy when it isn’t.
These windchimes were not easy. I made them as a class project and they were donated to my daughter’s school to be auctioned.
So each kid made one chime and then I had to assemble the whole thing. It was not easy. You can do it if you are patient, though.
Ok, that’s all the outdoor crafts I have made. So far.
Unless you want to include flip flops as an outdoor craft? Kind of right? I did make these:
These are basically some custom flip flops from super cheap materials. I did this as a project with my Girl Scout Troop many years ago.
I have a tutorial, but seriously, buy flip flops, buy ribbon, cut ribbon, tie ribbon onto flip flop.
That’s it.
And yes, the flip flops are still comfortable. As comfortable as flip flops can be, right?
Simple Suet Bird Feeder from Sadie Seasongoods
A cute little bird feeder is perfect for the garden. You get a something cute to look at, you get birds to watch and you get to hear the birds.
That’s a triple win, right?
Just subtract one win for the bird poop potential. And also you might get annoyed with the squirrels, too. I like watching squirrels though.
I love that this little DIY bird feeder from Sadie Seasongoods is made from a thrift store mug, too!
Outdoor Drink Holder from The Homes I Have Made
This super cute DIY Drink Holder from the Homes I Have Made is possibly my favorite outdoor craft in this list.
I love when something is so functional and at the same time cute. You know every cookout you are going to get comments on these, right? And all your neighbors will then be stealing this idea.
It just makes so much sense!
Melted Bead Suncatchers from Artful Parent
How pretty are these melted bead suncatchers from Artful Parent? This is a great craft to do with your little kids if you’ve got any of those around the house.
These are perfect hanging decor for your porch or deck. I can see them hanging from some low hanging branches if you’ve got some trees in your yard, too.
I love that Artful Parent has the additional tip of melting these in a pan on the grill, first of all because the fumes are not great for you, apparently, but also, if you melt these outside, it becomes a complete outdoor craft. Start to finish on your picnic table!
Painted Fairy Houses from Projects with Kids
Ok, so I know these Painted Fairy Houses from Projects with Kids are meant to be for kids.
But come on, you want to make these, don’t you? Kids or no kids.
They are too cute. They will be a perfect replacement for the flowers I don’t want to kill in my garden. They are bright and cheery and whimsical.
You can also do very elaborate Fairy Gardens like this one:
They remind me of how I love bedroom fairy lights.
DIY Hand Planters from The Owner-Builder Network
I think I said those drink holders were my favorite on the list, but I may have to rescind that award. And give it to these DIY Hand Planters from The Owner Builder Network.
These are amazing. Hands down (get it??).
I’ve seen different variations on this, but the tutorial on this one looks pretty easy to follow. Fair warning, cement is super messy to work with. SUPER.MESSY. You got it?
Perfect for an outdoor craft where you don’t mind a mess quite as much.
Gazing Balls from Hearth and Vine
No. Nope. For real this time. THIS is my favorite. How gorgeous is that gazing ball from Hearth and Vine? Yes, it’s indoors in the photograph, but this is perfect for the garden.
We’ve got thrifted materials being used here, too, which I always love. That’s an old globe light fixture. I wonder how many of those made it to the landfill that could have made it to my garden?
Check out that tutorial and then go clean out your thrift store of all their globe lights. I probably could find some of these in my basement, actually.
DIY Garden Markers from Playground Park Bench
Maybe you’re not like me and you can actually make a plant of flower thrive. Can you grow vegetables which you can in turn feed to your children?
That’s a pretty awesome thing. You should have some DIY Garden Markers in case you forgot what you planted.
These wooden spoons turned garden markers from Playground Park Bench are perfect.
DIY Mini Cement Planters from Artsy Pretty Plants
More concrete fun with these mini cement planters from Artsy Pretty Plants. If you’ve already bought the cement to make the hand planters above, might as well try these while you’re at it, right?
Two projects, one mess!
You can’t really beat that, can you?
DIY Garden Gnomes from Rainy Day Mom
If you’ve never crafted with clay, then you should let these DIY Garden Gnomes from Rainy Day Mom be the first thing that you craft with clay.
They super simple and sort of free form and clay is so therapeutic to work with. It’s definitely one of my all time favorite craft mediums.
And come on, how cute are those gnomes? Your kids will love to help with this, too. And then they can go hide them in the garden.
DIY Wind Spinner from Garden Therapy
I love tiny little surprising things. I find these pretty little wind spinners from Garden Therapy totally captivating.
They are just a little detail, but I think they are just right for a shady spot in the yard.
Now What?
Well I’m going to try one of these and I hope you do, too. The gazing balls, probably. Or the cement hands. Oh, but those cup holders though?
Which was your favorite? What outdoor crafts have you made that should be on the list?
If You Liked It Then You Shoulda Put a Pin In It!
