Outdoor Spaces Archives - A Beautiful Mess

Hummingbird Food

A Beautiful Mess — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 20:53:55 +0000

Lately our world involves a lot of outdoor time with our kids and so I’ve become a birdhouse and hummingbird feeder lady. I thought I would share how to make hummingbird food, sometimes called hummingbird nectar. This is homemade nectar, as opposed to natural nectar which hummingbirds get from flowers.

Hummingbird food is easy to make, you can even make it with young kids. It only requires two ingredients, sugar and water, and just a few minutes to make.

Ingredients

Water – tap water is fine
Granulated white sugar

You will also need a hummingbird feeder to store the homemade nectar in. We have a cactus shaped feeder that I love. My son thinks it’s a pickle. Whatever you choose I recommend something with an easy to open top so you can fill it. You will also want something that is easy to clean.

How to make Hummingbird Food

Hummingbird food is made of one part sugar to four parts water. My feeder easily holds 2 cups of water with 1/2 cup of sugar.

Combine the sugar and water and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Then pour into your feeder and hang in a prominent spot outside.

You do not need to boil the water. I do not recommend adding red food dye, it’s not necessary and may not be healthy for the birds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of sugar can be used in hummingbird food?

How to Paint Roof Shingles (And When Not To)

Laura Gummerman — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 13:00:00 +0000

If you have an asphalt shingle roof that you don’t love the color of, you may have asked yourself, “Can you paint roof shingles?” The answer to that question (maybe to your surprise) is YES!

Painting shingles is a relatively easy process and can be a lot more budget-friendly than re-shingling the roof. We just completed a backyard makeover for our outdoor pavilion and I really hated the multi-colored brown shingles that topped the roof.

The color style really added to the feeling of it being a structure in a public park (rather than a more modern backyard oasis). When I found out it was possible to paint the asphalt shingles, I jumped at the chance.

It’s a good idea to get a roof inspection done first so that you can spot any repairs that may need to be done before painting.

SAFETY NOTE: Any time there are roofs and ladders involved, make sure to take full safety precautions and work with a partner or proper fall arrest safety equipment if attempting to DIY this project.

If you don’t feel fully comfortable in being able to DIY this safely, hire professional roof washers and painters to do the job for you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to use a special paint to paint roof shingles?

A Backyard Makeover For Our Outdoor Pavilion (Before + After!)

Laura Gummerman — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 13:00:00 +0000

When we first moved into our home almost two years ago, the yard was a bit of a hot mess and it was clear it needed a backyard makeover.

It looked like it was full of nice flower beds and manicured bushes decades ago, but it had been let go for so long that we ended up having to rip most of it out and start the landscaping all over again.

Nestled into the yard was a small pavilion that had that “forgotten” vibe as well, and I wasn’t sure when we would actually have time to get to that, based on all the other projects we had to do. But guess what?? It’s done!

We made over the carport at our last home to be a beautiful outdoor covered area, and we really loved having a covered space with comfy seating where you could cool down in the summer and enjoy a fall day by the fire table.

So, we decided to make our pavilion serve as the same thing for us here, and it’s such a cozy vibe that it was totally worth the wait.

Check out the rest of my before + after home tours, like my …

While the structure of the pavilion hasn’t technically changed that much, we did remove the rotting side boards, and installed more sway support up into the beams of the rafters so that we could leave the sides open for a better view.

We also had the pavilion uniformly painted a faded warm black to modernize it a bit and painted the whole underside of the roof, which was just plain plywood before. It looks so much better when you are hanging out inside the structure.

The shingles on the roof were a multi-color brown and we painted them black to match the rest of it. Did you know you can paint shingles? You can read my post about that here.

We also added a stone paver walkway to the pavilion, and I love how it makes it feel like you are stepping into a cozy little cottage now.

We loved having an Article sectional in our last space, so we chose this corner sectional from them for the pavilion, and it’s perfect for the space.

I love that it has built-in Acacia side tables so you have a place to put your drink (or a few small plants) and it’s the perfect size to spread out and lounge when I read, or have a few friends over to sit by the fire table.

The modular cushion design makes it feel more modern with the sleek powder-coated frame and the light cushions are easy to clean.

Since we were painting the structure black, I wanted to add in some bits of black to the furniture as well, so I chose this rounded lounge chair. It’s the perfect addition to the space.

It’s big enough that we can sit in it with our daughter for snuggling and the synthetic wicker accents are weatherproof, but add a bit of natural looking material as well.

What’s an outdoor seating area without pillows? I chose this set of larger pink pillows and this lumbar set of orange pillows to add a pop of color and make sure we could lounge in comfort.

For a more natural material, I added in woven round pillows (similar here) to match the chair wicker details. I like how all the pillows work together.

I wanted to add a little more color with the rug, so I chose this pink outdoor rug that fills most of the space. These terrazzo planters are beautiful—I love that they come in a large and small size.

They have some speckles of pink in them as well as blues and grays to add some textural dimension to the decor. I’ll probably bring them inside in the winter because they are too pretty to leave outside empty all winter long.

I also added a little more pink by hanging some of these planters in the macrame plant holders I had (similar to these, although these are cute too). Adding some greenery to the upper space helped balance out the plants on the floor.

Outdoor spaces are all about mood lighting, so I added these LED string lights that we had at our last house to the rafter beams of the pavilion. I love that if you add this you can dim them (to whatever you want) to set the mood.

I also had these lanterns that I put in the space, and I like the natural look they add—and they are battery powered (similar ones here).

And I feel like I can never again have an outdoor space again without a fire table, and this one is perfect for the space. The white concrete is really pretty with the light-colored cushions on the furniture.

It’s a good idea to protect your outdoor furniture to make it last, so we have a sectional cover to go over the couch, and a cover for the fire table to use when it’s off season or if there’s inclement weather in the forecast.

Have outdoor furniture? Get our tips to take care through all seasons so it lasts!

Overall, the cleanup and fresh paint for the pavilion, the perfect furniture, the added mood lights, and the landscaping we’ve worked hard on have really made this feel like a cozy space that’s been brought back to life.

I hope that you agree! If you need me this fall, I’ll be out here by the fire table, hot chocolate in hand … xo. Laura

Love a good outdoor makeover? Check out:

Lounge Chair / String Lights / Terrazzo Planters / Corner Sectional / Rug / Fire Table / Hanging Pink Planters / Light Remote / Macrame Plant Hangers

Other Sources: Furniture and planters c/o Article

How to Make a Giant 100-Foot Slip and Slide

Laura Gummerman — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Is there anything more summer than a slip and slide?! I definitely slid down my fair share of slip and slides as a kid.

A few summers ago, my husband and I decided to take advantage of our sloped backyard and gathered the supplies for a giant 100-foot slip and slide. This DIY is perfect for the whole family!

It’s pretty quick to set up, and while a sloped yard is super helpful, you can also do this on a flat surface.

Related: Next up learn to make your own hummingbird food.

The other great thing is that you can reuse the main items year after year, and even use them for other things as well! We brought ours with us in our move from Nashville and set it up again in our front yard here in Pittsburgh.

And just a very clear safety warning, you can totally injure yourself on a slip and slide when being too energetic or reckless, so please go easy and be careful!

Slip and slides can be a family-friendly afternoon of fun for everyone when enjoyed safely at appropriate speeds, but I think everyone has also heard a slide-related injury story, so be smart and use good judgment—especially when kids are present. One person at a time is the safest way to slide.

OK, here’s how we made our own giant slip and slide!

Supplies:
-box of pool noodles (you’ll want about 30-35 noodles)
–100 feet of plastic sheeting (6 mil thick)
-additional 6 ml of sheeting for splash zone (optional)
–6″ lawn stakes
-4-6 hay bales
-hose or sprinkler for water source (at the top)
-liquid soap (optional) *something natural like this is a good idea so it won’t hurt your lawn

First, lay out your 100-foot plastic sheet on the yard. Lay out your pool noodles on each side of the sheet, saving one or two for the very top of the slide.

Ideally, you want your noodles to lay end-to-end down the sides, but if there’s a little space between them, it’s fine.

With one person working each side of the slide, roll your pool noodles into the plastic sheet so the noodles are a little more than fully wrapped inside it.

Use your 6″ lawn stakes to keep your noodles in place (you’ll want at least two per noodle). You might want to use a rubber mallet to fully hit them into the ground.

Move onto the next noodle and work your way down the slide as someone rolls and stakes the opposite side as you go. Once all your noodles are in, roll a noodle into the top of the plastic and stake it in place so the top is secured.

We found that hay bales are a great way to make a little stopping point at the end of your slide since they are solid (but forgiving) if you hit into them at the end. They also make a little splash zone at the end, which is kind of fun!

Set your hay bales up in a semi-circle at the end of your slide and pull the bottom of your long plastic sheet up and over the bales and secure with stakes on the other side. You can go into the bottom back of the hay bales or the ground.

Or you can use a separate piece of plastic sheet if you have another one and cover over the whole thing first, tucking all the extra under the bales. Then, pull the bottom of your long plastic sheet up and over.

The extra sheets tend to keep the bales in place and cover over all the hay, which can be a little scratchy to hit into with your bare skin.

Once your slip and slide is in place, it’s time to add water and start sliding! We set up our hose nozzle on the shower setting and laid it at the top of our slide for our water source. You really don’t need a lot of water to get going on the slide, so find the lowest setting that still allows you to have enough to slide on.

Should I use soap on the slip and slide?

Putting down a little soap on your body, a raft, or the slide can also help, but don’t go crazy—you just need a little bit! Make sure to turn off the water if no one is sliding or if you take a snack break to conserve use.

Blowing up some pool rafts is also a fun way to go down the slide, and they give a little more cushion. Kids love them, too!

I strongly suggest using the 6″ long stakes since they are much less likely to come out or be a safety hazard. I went around with a rubber mallet halfway through the party and hit back down any stakes that were trying to come up, just to be safe.

How do you remove and dry the slip and slide?

When it’s time to tear down the slide, pull out all the stakes and unwrap the pool noodles. Let the noodles fully air dry before putting them away back in their box. The hardest part of the slip and slide process is drying out your long slide before putting it away.

You’ll want to get it up off the ground so both sides are dry before you put it away—that way, you don’t pull out a gross moldy tarp the next time you go to use it.

You can hang the slide over porch railings, outdoor chairs, or a fence, but you really want it to be pretty dry before putting it away (you can towel off areas as needed).

The hay bales can be used in the yard for landscaping purposes (we’ve been growing grass and reseeding patches constantly) or you can use them for bonfire seating or fall decor as it gets later in the season!

This was such a fun summer afternoon for us and our friends! And I’m so happy we blew up a rainbow arch sprinkler for the top as the entry point. We used it more for looks that day—a sprinkler can also be a great water source for the top of your slide!

I hope you enjoyed seeing one of our favorite summer traditions! xo. Laura

Looking for more outdoor activity DIYs? Check out …

How to Make a Giant 100-ft. Slip and Slide

Keyword slip and slide

Author Laura Gummerman

Ingredients

box of pool noodles you’ll want about 30-35 noodles
100 feet of plastic sheeting 6 mil thick
additional 6 ml of sheeting for splash zone optional
6″ lawn stakes
4-6 hay bales
hose or sprinkler for water source at top
liquid soap optional, something natural is a good idea so it won’t hurt your lawn

Instructions

First, lay out your 100-foot sheet down the yard. Lay out your pool noodles on each side of the sheet, saving one or two for the very top of the slide.
Ideally you want your noodles to lay end to end down the sides, but we are down a few noodles over the years, so there was a little space between them and it still worked out fine.
With one person working each side of the slide, roll your pool noodles into the plastic so that the noodle is a little more than fully wrapped in it.
Use your 6″ lawn stakes to keep your noodles in place (you’ll want at least two per noodle) and you may want a rubber mallet to fully hit them into the ground.
Move onto the next noodle and work your way down the slide as someone rolls and stakes the opposite side as you go. Once all your noodles are in, roll a noodle into the top of the plastic as well and stake it in place so the top is secured.
We found that hay bales are a great way to make a little stopping point at the end of your slide since they are solid but forgiving if you hit into them at the end. They also make a little splash zone at the end, which is also kind of fun!
Set your hay bales up in a semi-circle at the end of your slide and either pull the bottom of your long plastic sheet up and over the bales and secure with stakes on the other side (you can go into the bottom back of the hay bales or the ground) or you can use a separate piece of plastic if you have another tarp and cover over the whole thing first, tucking all the extra under the bales.
Then, pull the bottom of your long plastic sheet up and over.
The extra sheets tends to keep the bales in place and covers over all the hay, which can be a little scratchy to hit into with your bare skin.
Once your slip and slide is in place, it’s time to add water and slide! We just set up a hose nozzle on a shower setting and laid it at the top of our slide for our water source. You really don’t need a lot of water to get going on the slide, so find the lowest setting that still allows you to have enough to slide on.
Putting down a little soap on your body, a raft, or the slide can also help, but don’t go crazy—you just need a little bit! Make sure to turn off the water if no one is sliding or if you take a snack break to conserve use.
Blowing up your pool rafts is also a fun way to go down the slide that can give you a little more cushion and kids love to ride down them as well.
I strongly suggest using the 6″ long stakes and not shorter ones since they are much less likely to come out and be a safety hazard as they are well in the ground.
But I did go around with a rubber mallet halfway through the party and hit back down any stakes that were trying to come up at all, just to be safe.
When it’s time to tear down the slide, pull out all the stakes and unwrap the pool noodles. Let the noodles fully air dry before putting them away back in their box.
The hardest part of the slip and slide process is drying out your long slide before putting it away.
You’ll want to get it up off the ground so both sides are dry before you put it away. That way you don’t pull out a gross moldy tarp the next time you go to use it.
You can hang it over porch railings, outdoor chairs, fences, whatever you have, but you really want it to be pretty dry before putting it away (you can towel off areas as needed).

How To Paint Plastic (and Make It Last!)

Laura Gummerman — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Whether you have some lawn furniture that’s seen better days or a kid’s toy that has been worn down with use, knowing how to paint plastic means that you can give fresh life to a piece (rather than having to say goodbye too soon).

Plastic is one of the more difficult surfaces to paint because of its smooth surface, and plastic responds to temperature more easily by expanding and contracting, so it’s more prone to cracking or flaking over time.

By taking a little extra care, you can get a new paint job that looks great (and will last longer) than if you rush through the process and skip right to the painting.

Check out our other helpful tip posts with …

I painted my daughter’s plastic slide on the DIY Mid-Century Play Set Makeover I did for her, and this plastic gets the most beating of any possible item. It sits directly in the sun, so there’s a lot of swelling and shrinking with the weather.

Plus, it’s outside in the winter and all the other elements, and has kids literally sliding down and climbing up it almost every day. It takes a beating, but it’s easy to refresh the paint as needed.

And when you paint a plastic object that’s indoors or used more gently in a covered space, well, you can imagine how much longer the paint job stays pristine.

Prepping your area before painting: Spray painting is always best done outside whenever possible because of fumes and overspray. Check the paint can for the temperature requirements so that it’s not too cold for the paint to set properly.

Put down a tarp, plastic sheet, or a large piece of cardboard so your lawn/patio will be protected—paint soaks into cardboard easily, so that’s what I usually use.

Paint Tip! If there are areas you don’t want to paint (or want to paint a different color), tape off those areas with painter’s tape or wrap plastic around those spots and use painter’s tape to keep the plastic in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need to prime plastic before painting?

Make Your Own Outdoor Cushions!

Laura Gummerman — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Do you remember the cozy outdoor space that we created at our studio years ago?

Josh made amazing bench seating to give us a place to lounge, and we decided to add some thick outdoor cushions to make the seating area more comfy.

Having outdoor cushions makes a space look finished and one million times more comfortable. Here’s how to make your own!

Supplies:
–canvas twill or outdoor fabric
–outdoor cushion filling
-standard sewing machine
–zipper the width of your cushion
–fabric scissors and sewing pins
–waterproofing spray

First, I measured the width and depth of each seat to see how big the cushions should be. The cushion filling I bought was 4″ tall, so I knew that number would be the height of my cushion.

To figure out the fabric dimensions for the cushion panels, take the width and depth measurements and add 1″ to both numbers to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance all around. These measurements are for the top and bottom panels of the cushion.

To determine the side panel length, add the original measurements (the numbers before the additional inches for seam allowance) of all four sides of the large panel together.

Add 1″ onto that big number to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance. The height of your super-long side panel is the height of the cushion filling with 1″ added for a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Take these dimensions and cut your top and bottom panel and your long side panel accordingly.

Use fabric scissors to round the edge of your fabric corners on your two larger panels.

To connect your long side panel strip and make one big continuous loop around the edge of your cushion, fold the panel in half (with the right sides facing each other), and sew 1/2″ from the edge to connect the ends.

Line up the edges of your side panel loop of fabric with the edge of the top panel (with the right sides together), and pin the edge in place.

To make the corners easier to sew, add some “V”-shaped notches around each corner.

Use your machine to sew all the way around the edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance.

Pin the bottom panel to the side panel in the same manner as the top panel, and make notches on all the corners.

Before you sew all the way around the bottom panel, you’ll want to add a zipper at one of the ends so you can insert your cushion filling.

Place the zipper face down onto the right side of the fabric at one of the ends of your bottom panel. Pin the zipper in place so that the zipper will be installed 1/2″ from the edge.

Watch the video below to learn how to install your zipper:

Use a zipper foot on your machine to sew the right side of the zipper in place.

Repeat the process of pinning and sewing the other side of the zipper so that you have a functional zipper installed.

Now you can sew all the way around the rest of the bottom panel (starting at the end of the zipper and stopping when you reach the beginning of it).

Make sure to leave your zipper open a few inches before you sew all the way around so you can get back in later! Flip your cushion cover right side out, and you’re ready to add the filling!

Use a ruler and a marker to measure the appropriate width of your cushion filling.* If you aren’t able to buy a cushion long enough that’s in one piece, you just use as many pieces as needed to fill the cushion length.

*NOTE: I would highly suggest making the width and length of the insert a little bigger than your actual cover dimensions (maybe add an inch to both). This way, the insert will fit snugly into the cover and you will have a full-looking cushion.

Now, I’ve heard that some people use jigsaws or even electric turkey carving knives to cut foam and filling, but the thing that worked the best for me was actually a plain handsaw. Weird, right?

The saw was able to do most of the cutting pretty easily, but I did use some fabric scissors to clean up the edge a bit.

Once my filling was cut to size, we folded the filling in half like a taco shell and inserted it into the cushion cover through the zipper opening. Use your waterproof spray to seal your fabric, and you’re done!

Throw in some outdoor pillows (or you can make your own) a few concrete planters, an outdoor rug and your space is ready to go!

Once you get this cushion-making technique down, you’ll be not only able to update your outdoor space, but you can also apply the principles to making cushions for lots of other seating options as well.

Happy sewing! xo. Laura

Make Your Own Outdoor Cushions

Keyword outdoor cushions

Author Laura Gummerman

Equipment

standard sewing machine
fabric scissors
sewing pins

Ingredients

canvas twill or outdoor fabric
outdoor cushion filling
zipper the width of your cushion

Instructions

First, I measured the width and depth of each seat to see how big the cushions should be. The cushion filling I bought was 4″ tall, so I knew that number would be the height of my cushion.
To figure out the fabric dimensions for the cushion panels, take the width and depth measurements and add 1″ to both numbers to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance all around. These measurements are for the top and bottom panels of the cushion.
To determine the side panel length, add the original measurements (the numbers before the additional inches for seam allowance) of all four sides of the large panel together. Add 1″ onto that big number to allow for a 1/2″ seam allowance. The height of your super-long side panel is the height of the cushion filling with 1″ added for a 1/2″ seam allowance.
Take these dimensions and cut your top and bottom panel and your long side panel accordingly.
Use fabric scissors to round the edge of your fabric corners on your two larger panels.
To connect your long side panel strip and make one big continuous loop around the edge of your cushion, fold the panel in half (with the right sides facing each other), and sew 1/2″ from the edge to connect the ends.
Line up the edges of your side panel loop of fabric with the edge of the top panel (with the right sides together), and pin the edge in place.
To make the corners easier to sew, add some “V”-shaped notches around each corner.
Use your machine to sew all the way around the edges with a 1/2″ seam allowance.
Pin the bottom panel to the side panel in the same manner as the top panel, and make notches on all the corners.
Before you sew all the way around the bottom panel, you’ll want to add a zipper at one of the ends so you can insert your cushion filling.
Place the zipper face down onto the right side of the fabric at one of the ends of your bottom panel. Pin the zipper in place so that the zipper will be installed 1/2″ from the edge.
Use a zipper foot on your machine to sew the right side of the zipper in place.
Repeat the process of pinning and sewing the other side of the zipper so that you have a functional zipper installed. Now you can sew all the way around the rest of the bottom panel (starting at the end of the zipper and stopping when you reach the beginning of it).
Make sure to leave your zipper open a few inches before you sew all the way around so you can get back in later! Flip your cushion cover right side out, and you’re ready to add the filling!
Use a ruler and a marker to measure the appropriate width of your cushion filling.* If you aren’t able to buy a cushion long enough that’s in one piece, you just use as many pieces as needed to fill the cushion length.
I would highly suggest making the width and length of the insert a little bigger than your actual cover dimensions (maybe add an inch to both). This way the insert will fit snugly into the cover and you will have a full-looking cushion.
Now, I’ve heard that some people use jigsaws or even electric turkey carving knives to cut foam and filling, but the thing that worked the best for me was actually a plain old handsaw. Weird, right?
The saw was able to do most of the cutting pretty easily, but I did use some fabric scissors to clean up the edge a bit.
Once my filling was cut to size, we folded the filling in half like a taco shell and inserted it into the cushion cover through the zipper opening. Use your waterproof spray to seal your fabric, and you’re done!

How Elsie Set Up Her Potting Station

Elsie Larson — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:30:00 +0000

It’s no secret that I’m a huge plant lover. I love to decorate our home and outdoor spaces with living plants.

During the spring, I usually add a lot of new outdoor plants, and when the weather starts to turn cold I bring them indoors for the winter.

This post is in partnership with Walmart. As soon as I saw this potting station, I ran outside and measured our space to make sure it would fit. It was easy to put together and is super functional for plant projects year-round.

What to Look For in a Potting Station:

There are lots of options online for potting stations. Here are my tips for picking one out!

Think through what size is manageable for your space and gardening goals.
Choose a spot where you aren’t afraid to make a mess. I chose outdoors for this reason.
Think year-round about your gardening projects.

How to Pick Herbs for Your Garden:

My favorite plants to keep are herbs. I specifically love rosemary and mint because I use them the most when cooking. I try to keep them all the time. I also love aloe because I grew up with my mom putting it on my cuts and scrapes, and now I do that for my kids.

Choose herbs you use often for cooking.
Keep a list of recipes you can use your herbs to create.
Remember to water your herbs almost daily—they need a lot of water.

I used to only collect white pots all the time, but recently I am enjoying various textures and natural colors, as well.

I love these decorative stools and use them all over our outdoor spaces for plant stands, and as side tables beside our pool chairs.

Thing to Add to Your Potting Station:

Gardening tools like a trowel, shears, or a spade (I love this set)
Potting soil and seeds
Gloves
Watering cans (these copper ones are cute and functional!)

Are these not the cutest gardening tools you have ever seen? I love a matching set like this. These would make a cute gift as well!

Links: Potting Station / Gardening Tool Set / Copper Watering Cans / Decorative Stool

I hope this post has been helpful. If you have any questions, I’d love to answer them in the comments. xx- Elsie

P.S. Here’s a link to my dress, too!

The Best Outdoor Furniture!

Laura Gummerman — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 13:00:00 +0000

I love shopping for outdoor furniture! Patio sets and fun umbrellas (like this pom pom one!) are really exciting to buy because you are picturing outdoor parties and late night hangs on your patio or porch all summer long.

Since I’m keeping an eye out for good outdoor pieces, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorites that I’ve found so far!

Check out our favorite outdoor DIY projects!

Links: black wire sofa / white round wicker chair / mint chair / macrame hanging chair / cream loveseat / wicker side chair / wicker chair with cream cushion / pink bistro set / pink metal chair / teak furniture set / wicker and metal chair / Parisian bistro chair / rattan side chair / rattan hanging chair / yellow bistro set / wicker egg chair

If you have the space for it, an outdoor patio set is a great way to go to bundle all your pieces together so they match. But, smaller porches and decks can get away with a few chairs with some side tables or a coffee table for the main serving area.

I’m thinking about putting that pretty rattan hanging chair in our little pavilion area since I really liked having an outdoor hanging chair at our last house.

Links: white umbrella / tall planters / black and white pillow / jute chevron rug / pink and orange rug / black wire coffee table / green lantern / rattan lantern / pink striped pillow / pink planter / checkerboard rug / striped umbrella / sun rug / jute pillow / white coffee table / yellow side table

Items like outdoor pillows can really cozy up a space, and I absolutely love having a fire table incorporated into an outdoor area! And if you’re looking for things like plates, cups, and tablecloths, check out my post, Everything You Need for Outdoor Dining.

They are great for atmosphere (even during warm weather) and we’ve used ours through the fall and even on Christmas Eve in the past for an outdoor hot chocolate night!

This is a pretty one and it’s not too big for smaller areas.

When it comes to the outdoors, don’t forget about lanterns and patio lights to set the mood. (I love that these patio lights have a remote!!)

Taking care of your pieces is also important to be able to use them year after year! Here’s a good post on how to protect your outdoor furniture all year long to keep it at its best! xo. Laura

Check out our Tips for Decorating an Outdoor Living Space or our podcast Episode #31: Outdoor Spaces!

IKEA DUKTIG Hack Idea – Pumpkin Stand

Claire Shaffer — Wed, 29 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000

Cooler weather (at least in the Midwest) means more and more time playing outside. We love being outside and I decided to create a pretend play DIY pumpkin stand for my son to enjoy.

We love a good IKEA hack here at ABM, so when I realized the IKEA DUKTIG kitchen would be a perfect starting point for the stand, I just had to bring it to life! Probably my favorite thing about the project is that I made it 100% removable, so it’s very customizable.

Someday, this could live on as a lemonade stand, a hot cocoa stand, a pizza or cookie stand, or converted back into a kitchen! It could be a fun addition to mini family photoshoots too.

We didn’t sell any real pumpkins, but I think someday he’ll have a little business running out of this play kitchen hack!

I’m looking forward to lots of hours and weekends playing pretend and enjoying this toy. If you don’t have an IKEA near you, check Marketplace! Or you could modify another play kitchen.

Now that he’s a toddler, I feel like he’s learning new skills everyday, and it’s so much fun to watch him grow and explore. Other fun IKEA Duktig hacks to check out are this boho kitchen and one with a mid-century twist!

Looking for no-carve pumpkin ideas? Check out 30 No-Carve Pumpkin Decorating Ideas!

While I used my Cricut for this project, there are lots of ways to adapt it. We’re including a DIY Pumpkin Stand download for the ‘Pumpkin Stand‘ and ‘Menu‘ lettering so that you can make your own version! I used removable vinyl, but you could also print the letters and cut and tape them.

If you are using a Cricut, I’ll walk you through the steps below! I also used a shiplap removable wallpaper and I felt like it made the stand just a smidge more rustic looking.

This pumpkin stand was so much fun to put together! My son was super curious and interested in everything—he even sold me a pumpkin. I quickly realized though that he was going to work through the inventory of cookies rather quickly.

Next time, we need to have them individually wrapped or on a higher shelf. Are you ready to get started and learn how to make your own pumpkin stand?!

Tools to Use:

Cricut (I have the Cricut Explore)
detail knife
scissors
screwdriver (if your kitchen isn’t already assembled or if you’re going to take off the doors)

Supplies

removable vinyl or cardstock
transfer tape (if using vinyl)
removable wallpaper (I used this fun design from Spoonflower!)
design file – Pumpkin Stand
design file – Menu

How to Make a DIY Pumpkin Stand – IKEA Duktig Kitchen Hack

If your DUKTIG kitchen is new, you’ll need to assemble it. If not, you can take off the doors to the microwave, storage area, and oven. This makes the back of it a bit more like a stall where you can stash supplies and inventory.
Open Cricut Design Studio and start a new project. Upload the Menu or Pumpkin Stand design file and select “New Project.” After clicking “New Project,” go to “Upload” and add your design.

You can use a jpeg, png, or a svg. Then, select that you’re using a “simple” image. The next screen will have you select and erase the areas you want to cut around. I start by clicking the open white area and then double check in between letters to make sure I got all the blank space.

Next, select “cut image” (unless you need to print it) and insert the image into your design space. This is where you’ll double check the size. Then you’re ready to cut!

3. After you’ve cut your shapes and letters, cover them with transfer tape. Peel up the transfer tape (and the letters will come with it), helping you keep them in a straight line when applying to the stand.

4. Add your removable wallpaper. It helps to do this step after you have your “Menu” letters on so that you can line things up and make sure you have the right size of wallpaper to fit alongside and not overlap with it.

I ordered a 2×3 sample in the design I picked and cut it down for the front of the stand and the top area. I also used it on the inside sides and had about a 12×12 panel leftover once complete.

5. The next part is the best part, in my opinion! Collect a bunch of pumpkins from a pumpkin patch or local store (I go to Sprouts, and think they have some of the best pumpkins around!).

Tips for Making a DIY Pumpkin Stand

If you’re going to use vinyl for this project, I recommend using the removable kind and getting the transfer tape. This will help you be able to move letters around and change the theme of the stand easily.
Your standard Cricut cutting mat is 12×12, so for the DUKTIG kitchen, you’ll want to make sure you’re cutting the letters fairly small. Mine ended up around 2″ for the MENU letters, and 3″ x 3″ for the larger PUMPKIN letters.
You can use the Cricut tool to take off the vinyl once it’s transferred or you can use scissors. You can see in the above photo I took most of the letters off and then filled in the gaps by peeling off individual letters.
To make the “counter,” I used the shelves that come with the DUKTIG kitchen. They’re precut and exactly the right size. I used command strips to adhere them to the place where the sink and stovetop typically sit.
The panel of wallpaper I ordered was a 2×3 panel. There was enough to use on the front and top of the stand. I cut the areas out I knew I needed, and then ended up having enough leftover to add to the inside of the stand.

For more IKEA hacks and kiddo projects be sure to subscribe to our newsletter!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have to use a Cricut?

Make Your Own Fire Pit in 4 Easy Steps!

Laura Gummerman — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 13:00:00 +0000

I’ve never been much of a camping person (I’m more of a “glamping” person for sure). I’ve certainly done my fair share of it over the years, but I have to admit that I love my outdoorsy events best when I can still end up in a real bed after a shower at night.

However, one of my favorite camping-related activities is a campfire. It’s warm, it’s cozy, and there’s usually some sort of yummy snack involved in the process.

Last fall, we bought a mini portable fire pit for our backyard, and we liked it so much that we decided we wanted to build a proper fire pit so we could have fires more often.

After doing some research, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it’s really not that hard to build your own professional-looking fire pit.

It’s a pretty easy process to plan out, and although it does take a bit of muscle to complete, it’s totally worth a bit of cardio. Ready to create your own backyard campfires (and get an arm workout in the process)?? Good, let’s get going!

Supplies:
–colored spray paint for marking
–gravel to fill your pit
–shovel, mattock, or other digging tool
-concrete landscaping stones and metal fire pit ring (optional). You can buy the stones by themselves or in a kit that comes with a metal ring.*
–masonry adhesive
–rubber mallet

Buy the fire pit kit here!

Before you start your fire pit, you’ll want to check on the recreational fire codes for your area to make sure that a fire pit is allowed (you can call your local fire department if you aren’t sure).

You want to build your pit at least 10 feet from any building structures, trees, fences, or other obstructions.

Keep in mind also that you don’t want anything hanging above your fire pit, so even if a base of a tree is 10 feet away, you don’t want to have branches hanging directly above the fire pit.

*NOTE: You can get your landscaping stones from your larger hardware stores (like Lowe’s or The Home Depot), but make sure to also check smaller local hardware stores (and specifically stone and landscape businesses) to see what other types of stones are available.

I got my stones at a local stone place because they had a large range of colors to choose from (and I like color choices!). You can also either do two or three layers of stone, with or without the metal ring–it’s up to you and your budget.

OK, let’s get to work!

1. OUTLINE YOUR FIRE PIT. Lay out the bottom ring of your stones in the grass where you want the fire pit to be. If you are going to use a metal ring, like we did, you can use that to build a few stones around to find your circle.

Remove a few stones so you have space between them, and use the spray paint to mark where the outside of the stones would hit. Remove those remaining stones and complete your painted circle.

2. DIG YOUR FIRE PIT. Use a shovel, mattock, or whatever other digging tool you need to dig out your circle 6” deep. Depending on where you live, this will be an easier or more difficult task.

Our Missouri grass has crazy strong roots and we have lots of giant rocks in the soil, so this was quite an arm workout for us!

3. FILL YOUR FIRE PIT. Once you have a 6” hole dug, you’ll want to pour your gravel into your hole until the gravel is level with the ground. The gravel will give your fire pit an important drainage area when it rains.

4. BUILD YOUR FIRE PIT. Place your first ring of stones around the edge of the gravel circle and use a rubber mallet to tamp the stones flat and even with each other.

Again, if using a metal ring you can keep that in the middle to make sure you are fitting your stones right up against the ring.

When placing the second row of stones, place some masonry adhesive on the bottom of each stone and stagger the placement of the second row (the middle of each stone should sit on the end seams of the row beneath it).

Use the rubber mallet to even and tighten the stone placement. Repeat the process with the third row.

When you actually build a fire in your brand new pit, you’ll want to start with a smaller collection of newspaper, dry leaves, and sticks all piled up together.

Once you light that starter pile you can start adding bigger branches and smaller logs, and then move to bigger pieces of wood as those catch on fire.

After you’ve had several fires, you’ll want to scoop out (or use a shop vac to vacuum out) most of the ashes so they don’t build up too high and blow around like little pieces of white ash snow. It looks cool at first, but then it lands in your hair, and you’re like, “OK, not cool anymore …”

As you can see, we are loving our fire pit so far. It feels like it was just what our yard was missing and we didn’t even know it!

We’ve already had several fires in it so far, but our experience went to the next level of fire pit enjoyment when Josh built us a corresponding semi-circle fire pit bench.

Buy a curved fire pit bench here!

You can also buy a portable fire pit if you love a fire but want it done in a more instant manner.

Love a good s’more? Check out these posts:

S’mores in the Oven, Air Fryer, or Microwave
No-Bake S’mores Cake (YUM!)
How To Make Red Wine Marshmallows

Of course, you’ve got to have your campfire amenities, and for us that’s a s’mores stick (also works for hot dogs), mountain pie maker, and a cocktail.

What do you think? Is this your year for a fire pit? xo. Laura

How to Build a Fire Pit

Make your own fire pit in 4 easy steps!

Keyword fire pit

Prep Time 1

Author Laura Gummerman

Cost $600

Ingredients

marking spray paint
gravel to fill your pit
shovel mattock, or other digging tool
concrete landscaping stones and metal firepit ring optional
masonry adhesive
rubber mallet

Instructions

OUTLINE YOUR FIRE PIT. Lay out the bottom ring of your stones in the grass where you want the fire pit to be. If you are going to use a metal ring, like we did, you can use that to build a few stones around to find your circle.
Remove a few stones so you have space between them, and use the spray paint to mark where the outside of the stones would hit. Remove those remaining stones and complete your painted circle.
DIG YOUR FIRE PIT. Use a shovel, mattock, or whatever other digging tool you need to dig out your circle 6” deep. Depending on where you live, this will be an easier or more difficult task.
Our Missouri grass has crazy strong roots and we have lots of giant rocks in the soil, so this was quite an arm workout for us!
FILL YOUR FIRE PIT. Once you have a 6” hole dug, you’ll want to pour your gravel into your hole until the gravel is level with the ground. The gravel will give your fire pit an important drainage area when it rains.
BUILD YOUR FIRE PIT. Place your first ring of stones around the edge of the gravel circle and use a rubber mallet to tamp the stones flat and even with each other. Again, if using a metal ring you can keep that in the middle to make sure you are fitting your stones right up against the ring.
When placing the second row of stones, place some masonry adhesive on the bottom of each stone and stagger the placement of the second row (the middle of each stone should sit on the end seams of the row beneath it).
Use the rubber mallet to even and tighten the stone placement. Repeat the process with the third row.