Project ideas for the home and garden

Its been a quiet week for me online. My dad came out for a visit turning this week into a vacation of sorts. But we did manage to put together a quick project for tomorrows video.
Heres what some of you have been up to. Definitely a lot of springtime projects getting made.
Last year I made a picnic tote for storing paper plates and a keeping paper napkins from blowing away. Bill Wilson made this one double sided for holding condiments and utensils.

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Heres a project Ive recently added to my to-do list. Ron Ward made this sign post for his yard with all different sign shapes pointing to important and memorable places in his life. I just love this idea.

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If you are looking for a very simple project to get you into the yard this spring, try making my 2x4 garden bench. You can build it in a weekend. I love seeing how people have modified it too. Check out

Horatiu Simions version in Romania. Love the bright paint and storage area.

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Have you tried any pallet projects yet? Heres Arnold Knoches take on my rustic potting bench. These things are really fun to make.

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And heres a good idea from Bill Kirbym, who made this shoe rack using reclaimed pallet wood. The butterflies and details on this really set it apart. 

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Of course,  just because its spring doesnt mean you cant make indoor projects! Gregory Morel made one of my charging stations using plywood and exotic lumber. That combination is always interesting.

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Finally, I wanted to show off some projects from 16-year-old Connor Mcallister in Australia. He recently got a lathe and turned this honey dipper. I told him that is one of those projects I think about every single time i turn something on my lathe. One of these days maybe Ill actually make one!

Connor also took and old wardrobe and converted it into an aviary for his grandfather using pallet wood for the doors. Way to go man. 

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Make a rustic wheelbarrow for the garden

Inspiration from an unlikely source

I was watching an episode of Adventure Time recently featuring the Snow Golem. In one scene he was pushing around a rustic little cart. Even though it is just cartoon drawing, I love the wooden wheels (complete with a chip that I included quite by accident in my wheelbarrow) and the unevenness of the side boards.
I was so intrigued by the simplicity whimsy of it that I decided to make one for the garden. A perfect pallet wood project.
Soon, my idea evolved and became a bit more stylish as I transformed it into a wheelbarrow. Inspiration is one of those things that just happens. The trick is to keeping yourself open to it all the time.
Relax. Its rustic.The advantage to rustic projects is that you really dont need to stress out about any of this. No protractors or exact measurements needed. If parts are a little off, dont sweat it: its a rustic project! Got any rusty nails lying around? Use them! If a nail bends over when you are pounding it in, leave it that way. And any uneven, split boards and chipped out wood you use adds to its charm, just as with the Snow Golems little cartoon cart.

Plans This is another project that anyone can build with very little experience and limited tools. I used my miter saw, but you could just as easily use a circular saw or a jig saw. You will need a hammer and nails and a drill and screws.
If you decide to use pallet wood (its free!) watch the first part of my Rustic Side Table video to see my method for breaking them apart into wood you can use.

• WWMM Rustic wheelbarrow plans (PDF)
• SketchUp file
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Garden bench plans

A couple of updates on last Fridays garden bench. A lot of people have been asking for some plans and whatya know: a couple of people have helped!
First, Tim Sluder took the time to write up a cutting list, detailing everything you will need. Download his cut list here. (pdf)And Jeremy Greiner (of Cutting Board Designer) drew out a SketchUp plan. Download it here.If any of you make that bench, send over pictures! There are a lot of ways it can easily be improved.
Thanks Tim and Jeremy!
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Reminder. There is still plenty of time to enter the Mere Mortals video contest. And if you havent checked out some of the entries, pick out some that you like, give them a thumbs up and leave comments. There are some really good ones just within the last couple days!

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Abigail building the garden bench

Heres how Abigail Richards took on her first woodworking project. She built this bench based on my plans for her 7th grade Supervised Agricultural Experience class. And I love the color she painted it! Well done, Abigail. It will last for years. You should be proud of yourself.

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Kitchen and garden projects

Im always on the lookout for clever kitchen projects. Don Gottschalk made this unique napkin holder. In the summertime, we have a fan in the dining room that is forever blowing napkins around the table. This looks like a good solution!

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Wanted to show you another garden bench, this one built by Jim Jarvis. Hey, he even picked out a color similar to the one I used! If you havent tried one, they are really easy to build and customize.

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Reminder: vote for your favorite videos in the Mere Mortals Kreg Tool contest! Winners announced tomorrow. A couple of entries are running neck and neck.

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Make an herb garden planter

Simple container gardening for small spacesIf you havent tried your hand at gardening, an herb garden is a great place to start. It is very satisfying and doesnt require a green thumb. Herbs need very little space and grow well in containers. Plus, most herbs tend to grow fairly quickly. In no time, youll be able to snip off fresh basil for your pasta sauce while you are cooking. Nothing is fresher than that.
Free plans:

• WWMM Herb Garden plans (pdf)
• SketchUp file

I expanded the container idea and built this container garden suitable for small spaces. This entire planter is a little under six feet wide and stands four feet high. Its perfect for an urban space, say on an apartment patio or balcony. Ive included a lattice on mine for climbing plants in the lower boxes. It should look nice when it fills out.
With small spaces in mind, I designed this project to be made with only a few tools. All you will need is a saw and a drill. You can build this in a driveway, on your porch or yard. Not only that, but anyone should be able to put it all together in a few hours. Its that simple!

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Build a really simple garden bench And a contest!

Heres a really easy project anyone can build in a weekend. I was inspired to build something that required very few tools and would be a nice summer project. To build this bench, you will just need a saw (any kind), a drill, and some screws. I built mine with four 2x4s and six 1x3 boards. Total cost: $30. I can imagine all sorts of ways to enhance this bench too!
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