Sometimes holidays—like the recent Halloween events & upcoming Thanksgiving celebration–inspire our creativity and DIY projects. At times, we get ideas from other Finding Your Good/Goodwill bloggers and their remarkable social media posts. And, as with this week’s blog, they come from the desire to honor that beloved, late family member.
Last year at this time, my sweet kitty BFF Gypsy made her transition, so it seemed a good time to celebrate her. I renamed my front yard “Gypsy’s Garden,” her home and favorite place, and made it super special using Goodwill finds, repurposed items, and colorful plants. She would certainly love this outdoor space and would have given it her feline seal of approval with its now cheerful, welcoming look and feel.
Here’s a link to the blog I wrote in gratitude for my wonderful kitty family member, who often was my blog muse and model. It’s never too late to pause and celebrate the life of a person or animal who shared their love and light with you!
Items Needed:
1. Piano bench or other place to sit
2. Flowerpots
3. Repurposed items as plant containers like watering cans
4. Colorful, seasonal plants
5. Dishes, glass plates
6. Statues, small figurines
7. Paints and brushes
8. A sign to designate the space
1. All gardens need a place to sit and reflect
No matter the size or style of your garden, yard, or outdoor space, a must-have element is something to sit upon to reflect, read, sip coffee, and enjoy.
Goodwill always has interesting things for a dollar or two that you can use for this important purpose. An old piano bench was perfect, given its sturdiness and space for two to sit. Other ideas to enlist as a garden bench are a solidly built coffee table or a wooden bar stool with its legs trimmed to shorten it. Cinder blocks with pieces of wood on top come together, too, as a bench and make a good place to pause and ponder.
What have you seen or used as a bench? We love to hear and see your out-of-the-box ideas!
2. A water feature or two will invite some feathered friends
Find your goods and items to make into a bird bath while shopping at your favorite nonprofit Goodwill Retail Store. A large glass platter in shades of pink was placed on a ceramic base.
Consider picking up large mixing bowls to fill with water for this purpose, too. There is something elegant and calming about water reflecting in a birdbath. You can certainly see why birds enjoy flocking to one so much!
3. Pick up pots for pansies & posies
The Housewares aisle is very likely to have flowerpots and other containers to hold your blooming plants. I scored and found actual clay flowerpots as well as some other items like watering cans, mugs, and the like, which are wonderful to add charm and function to your outdoor space.
The flowerpots were given some flair by brushing on colorful stripes of paint along the top edges. Two of the watering cans were painted in bright hues, too, for extra pop and personality. A mug with a black cat on it was a must-have.
This collection of containers was filled with pansies and other flowering plants picked up at the local hardware store. Given the time of year, the plants were all 50 percent off—another reason to celebrate and another affirmation that this was the perfect time to do this special garden project.
4. Accessories to add to the atmosphere
Knowing that my yard would be transformed in honor of my sweet Gypsy girl, I collected several cat figurines over time that looked like her with fluffy fur and curvy shapes. Their original white tones were painted over to add some charm and whimsy to the outdoor space. I wanted at least one cool black cat statue in the garden to honor her unique appearance, so one was painted to mimic her look.
5. Display a sign as the icing on top
In the section where wooden items are for sale, you, too, might score with an item to use as the foundation for a sign. A wooden art piece made out of pallet wood with added carved details was in alignment with the reuse-repurposed look I was going for with this project. A special “Gypsy’s Garden” sign was ordered online and secured on the wooden art piece with epoxy glue and small screws.
Now each time I come and go or when neighbors stop by for a chat, there is a special, charming place to hang out, which also celebrates Gypsy’s sweet spirit. Thanks to Finding Your Good for the chance to honor her again in my heart and in her garden!
Similar Reads:
- DIY: Upcycle With Gold
- DIY: Don’t Leaf Mother Nature Out of Your Artwork
- Upcycle a Rake into a Fall Wreath or Funky Wall Art
- Stenciling on Style: Fume-Free Table Transformation
- Make Your Own Exquisite French Bistro Set
Tim Kime
Artist, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach
