Making metal flowers is a terrific choice whether you have an obscure collection of old bottle caps or are just looking for a fun, relatively straightforward DIY yard art hobby. This is one of the most beginner-friendly DIY projects on our list, so it’s a great place to start.
Collect a large number of old bottle caps, outdoor paint, old wire hangers, metal shears, and a lot of strong glue. Then, to create a petal impression, make tiny small cuts onto the rim of the bottle cap. After that, paint the flowers as desired, glue them to metal wire, and let them dry overnight.
Keep in mind that these are only suggestions. The bottle caps don’t need to be painted! In fact, if you have a cool collection, these garden art items might appear better in their natural setting.
Stake the flowers in batches wherever you want them once they’re ready to go. We enjoy them staked into potted plants or window boxes, or gathered on a walkway.
What kind of paint do you use on metal yard art?
Paint outside metal objects like fences, patio furniture, or backyard grills with oil-based paint, as well as regularly used indoor items like kitchen cabinets and window frames. It’s prepared with pigments, alkyds (synthetic resins) or plant-based oil, and solvent (that generate unpleasant fumes during application) to cure to a hard coat that repels water and stains and resists dents and scuffs. It’s generally more expensive than water-based paint ($20 to $50 per gallon). Oil paint, on the other hand, is prone to cracking and chipping, as well as fading with time, so look for a product like Rust-Oleum Hammered Metal Finish ($12.98 a quart on Amazon) that has built-in fade protection.
Apply an oil-based primer first (e.g., Rust-Oleum Clean Metal Primer, $8.98 per quart on Amazon) for a more consistent finish. Oil paint, on the other hand, can be applied directly to metal because it contains no water and so poses no risk of rust. While skipping priming will save you time on the paint process, oil-based paint will take a little longer to dry to the touch (usually six to eight hours).
How do you make a whimsical garden?
Of course, there are a plethora of DIY Garden Decor ideas on Pinterest, but here are a couple (well, several) that I have on my DIY to-do list:
See how simple and enjoyable it is to add quirkiness to your garden? Keep in mind that adding garden decor or yard art is an additional way to enhance the beauty and individuality of your gardens, not a replacement for it.
Have a good time and be inventive! When I’m not sure how something in the garden should look, I take a photo. Looking at a picture can sometimes help to establish a design or to see if something needs to be adjusted. You can always reorganize your tiny vignette if you later realize it looks more geeky or junky than amusing.
Do you decorate your gardens with whimsical elements? Please let me know by leaving a comment. You can also always ask if you have any questions.