Today we gave a facelift to a set of old solar lights.
DIY: Solar Powered Jars.
Materials/Tools Needed
Solar Lights
Glass Jars
Screw Driver
Small Screws
Wire
Pliers
Drill and Drill Bits
Step by Steps:
Remove lid from Jar and drill a hole in the center of the lid for the light bulb/LED bulb to go thru
Remove both stake and globe off the Solar Light top
Remove the lid off the jar and screw the lid onto the Solar Top making sure the screws do not damage the light electronics
Take the wire and loop the wire around the neck of the Jar. Use the pliers to tighten up the end, shape a handle, loop the end and tighten it using the pliers.
“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
― Maya Angelou
Early this morning, my husband found a package on our porch which held a Hummingbird Elixir Feeder by Classic Brands™ LLC and Premium Ready to use Natural Springs Nectar® Hummingbird Food by Pennington®. The gift was left there for us by one of our loving neighbors as a token of their continuous gratitude.
Hummingbird Feeder and Food.
Our beloved neighbors have been a blessing to us from the moment we moved into this city. We thank the Almighty God for them and pray ceaselessly for them.
I have a fondness for Pine Trees and I love their refreshing scent. For so many years I have decorated my Home with Pinecones and for the past six years I started using cones around my yard using a variety of shapes and sizes. I use them all year round and not just for special events.
We live in an area with an abundance of pine cones as most of our neighbors have Pine Trees in their yards always full of cones with so many of them all over the ground. I planned to stock up on pine cones for some garden projects and also to replace the ones which got damaged by wind and rain.
On Friday afternoon we suited up and went Pinecone picking around the neighborhood and returned home with four large heavy duty plastic bags full of cones. We were lucky to find a few acorns as well. Because some cones have sharp thorns, you should always use gloves when picking and handling them.
Pinecones with sharp thorns.
Since I wasn’t planning on using the cones indoors, I just checked to insure that their scales were free of pine needles and debris and then I spray painted them with different colors. The main reason why I didn’t rid the cones of their thorns is to discourage squirrels and stray cats from digging into my garden beds.
A few Pinecones around my Water Fountain.Jeffrey Pine (left) and Red Pine (right).
All the pinecones we found contain pine nuts, the edible seeds of pine trees and are quite hard to extract. There are usually two nuts nested in each scale of the cone. While Crows are struggling to crack open the hard shells, Squirrels on the other hand have shown no interest in them. According to the Temperate Climate Permaculture website, it takes anywhere from 5 to 75 years for some Pine trees to begin producing seeds.
Pinecone & Pine Nuts (unshelled and shelled).
Possibilities and ideas are endless when decorating with Pinecones.
Click here to learn about Preparing and Preserving Pinecones.
When we inspected our Home a few years ago prior to putting in an offer, I fell in love with the backyard as the numerous structures on the lot broke the land into sections. As I looked onto the side of the house, I spotted a semi-shady corner which was ideal for a Playground and/or a Kid-Friendly Garden.
Corner Garden.
Five years ago, I started by creating a tiny corner garden and added a decorative wrought iron border fence around the garden as well as some color changing solar globe lights along the borders. The selection works well, as it provides a specific learning and playing area for our children. I added two comfortable sitting areas for them to sit still and enjoy conversing, enjoy the day, or for us to relax and watch them play. I have Garden Benches and Patio/Bistro Sets all over my garden as the yard is huge and it can be quite exhausting walking around sometimes. I enjoy retreat areas. Besides, sitting areas in a yard, if placed correctly, create attractive focal points.
A few years ago, I was given a beautiful hand made miniature vintage Mexican clay couple as well as a tiny Puerto Peñasco Pottery Vase. They are now resting underneath one of my Scotch Broom shrubs.
Miniature Vintage Mexican Clay Couple.
The fairy wind spinner is a purchase from Collections Etc., and a gift to my daughter who adores anything fairy and ballerina. It’s a beautiful addition to our front yard as it attracts hummingbirds and twirls in the breeze.
Fairy Wind Spinner.
Somewhere in my backyard, we created this cute little area in memory of our wonderful neighbors and parent figures (one of whom is no longer with us). The picture features their wedding wine glasses, vintage 1960’s spaghetti porcelain poodle dog figurines and a porcelain ornaments box. The huge rustic fisherman metal art was a purchased from Horseshoe Art by Don Henry in Lucerne Valley, CA.
Rustic Fisherman Metal Art.1960’s Spaghetti Porcelain Poodle Dog Figurines.
We love our Woodland babies!
Collectible Woodland Babies.
The toy frog was a favorite of my son. He placed it himself among the daffodils when he no longer wanted it.
Toy Frog hiding in the Daffodils.
Geckos Metal Wall Art
Geckos Metal Wall Art.
The children at play figurines were also a purchase from Collections Etc.
The balancing love birds stake is in the front yard, next to the water fountain. It gently swings back and forth in the breeze. The Angry Gnome is one of many in our gnome collection.
Balancing Love Birds and Angry Gnome.
These Gnomes on a Ladder are eager to find out what is growing in my daughter’s planter.
Gnomes Climbing a Ladder.
The stone mushrooms were the bases of chain linked posts that were dug up, flipped up side down, and buried. We spray painted them red/green and added white spots.
Stone Mushrooms.
The Conga Line Dog Silhouettes were so hilarious that I decided to get one. The Children Chasing bugs are adorable too.
Conga Line Dog & Children Playing Silhouettes.
One of my daughter’s favorite statues is the Little Girl Gardening statue below. She found a use for the tiny planter.
Little Girl Gardening Statue.
Every time I shop online, my kids look for an opportunity when I step away to add a few favorites of their own in the shopping cart. The Ladybugs are beautiful and the Bunnies are just perfect for Easter.
Ladybugs & Bunnies Crossing.
The Fairy and Deer Friend Shadow Garden Stake is one of my favorite.
Fairy and Deer Friend Shadow Garden Stakes.
There are unlimited ideas and ways to encourage kids to go out …
Are you done decorating for Halloween? Here at my Home, we enjoy looking and admiring other people’s decorations. We will drive around just to see what’s happening on the other side, but we are just so unmotivated to decorate our own yard. It’s in part due to the fact that we are not into scary stuff. We always display Matilda, the good witch greeter to welcome friends and guests (as you can see her sitting pretty in the front yard).
Matilda (good witch), Porch Greeter.
We also swap out the solar lights in the front yard to blend in with the season. I recently bought a few Mosaic Solar Light Garden Stakes and as you can see, the colors are perfect for the season. At dusk when they turn on and light shines through the orange mosaic glass, the luminosity is not only enchanting, but sensational as well.
Mosaic Solar Light Garden Stakes.
We love our Fall Flag which almost looks 3D with the Scarecrow sporting straw hair. The flag is part of a set and the best thing about it is that it’s weather-resistant and compliments everything else in the yard.
Fall Garden Flag.
We have a black Tinsel Cat, which is a favorite of my kids, especially my daughter. We swapped her original eyes to pink googly eyes and gave her a pink bow as well.
Black Tinsel Cat.
All the products above were purchased from Collections Etc. The site carries a huge variety of items and I am fond of their unique selection of Solar Powered Lights.
Do you go all out decorating your Home and Yard for Halloween?
By EPEngineer
by Classic Brands™ LLC and Premium Ready to use Natural Springs Nectar® Hummingbird Food by Pennington®. The gift was left there for us by one of our loving neighbors as a token of their continuous gratitude.
