My Garden Party Workshop

What do you get when you cross a garden party with altered art?  One of my Altered Artworks workshops, of course!  Last week, four crafty women came over in desperate need of creative therapy.  And that's exactly what they got--three hours of schmoozing with old and new friends, delicious snacks, and most of all, uninterrupted art time. 

From my vast array of scrapbook paper, metal charms, chipboard, brads, buttons, ribbon, and many other embellishments, each participant selected her own combination of colors and textures, creating a beautiful (and useful) garden pail as unique as the individual who made it. 

So, instead of showing you my artwork, I thought this time I would share theirs:

Gotta love this fun, bold print!

Catch the sparkling chipboard butterfly!

Birds, trees & a ladybug--check!

Love the birdcage print with its strong brown & green colors!

After decoupaging (did someone say "pass the modge"?) and embellishing were complete, the garden pails were filled with soil peats, a small terra cotta pot (which they painted), flower & vegetable seed packets, planting instructions and a shiny red pail. 

Although these pails make great gifts, I think my friends were going to keep their artwork for themselves!

I went to a Garden Party...

"I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends..."  Just the other day, I heard Ricky Nelson's 1972 hit on the radio, which gave me the inspiration for this art project and post.  Planting flowers and vegetables seems to be the "in" thing to do in my neighborhood.  In fact, my next door neighbors have a wonderful garden right in front of their house with everything from kale to strawberries.  They tend to it everyday, enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor.

Apart from my throwing flowers into a few pots, the only gardening that I do is in the form of art!   I have created an altered artworks garden pail --I know it pales in comparison (ooh, sorry!) to my neighbor's garden, but as they say, it's the thought that counts! And that's exactly what this is: a thoughtful and personal handmade gift for a friend, Mom, aunt, teacher, or even your next door neighbor!  This is the finished project:

Here's how you make it:

Start with a clear acrylic pail bought at your local crafts store.

Choose colorful, fun scrapbook paper

I used a garden motif.  Cut a 3-1/4" x 12" strip of paper, and mod-podge it (hey, Amy -- is "mod-podge" an actual verb?), wrapping the paper around the circumference of the pail, leaving a 1" space at the bottom.

 

The pail is about 1/2" smaller in diameter than the 12" paper, so I just added a 3-1/4" length of 1/2" ribbon to cover the gap.  You can also just add an extra inch of the scrapbook paper, and believe me, no one will be the wiser.  Cut a 3" circle and mod-podge this to the lid. After a few minutes, apply additional Mod Podge over the paper.

I added a punched tag (using EK Success' new Journal Plate punch) , a cute bug charm, and spelled out "Mom" with my label maker.

I continued adding colorful, coordinating ribbons to the handle, a chipboard bird, flowers, a brad, and finally a chipboard tag (stamped with a picture of a watering can with flowers).

 

The next step is to fill a clear cellophane bag with potting soil, and place it inside the pail making sure you can see the soil at the bottom.

Then add a brightly-colored shovel, a few packets of flower and vegetable seeds, several plant food stakes, and you have a personal gardening gift!

Of course, you can add anything to the pail such as gardening gloves, a coupon "good for one day of helping plant the seeds" (great for kids to give to their Mom or Grandma) and maybe even some herbal mint tea bags.  

 

Coincidentally, while I was writing this blog, the door bell rang and it was my wonderful neighbor, Kay, with a beautiful bunch of sweet peas for us! I think her ears must've been ringing!  Now I know exactly who's receiving this garden pail.