Fountain Porn

Why do I call it porn?

por·nog·ra·phy  

/pôrˈnägrəfē/

Noun

 The representation in books, magazines, photographs, films, and other media of scenes or behavior that are designed to arouse.

Not to mention...you know you rushed over here feeling guilty as hell, didn't you?

 Okay, I've been blogging for 4 1/2 years, and this is my 1744th post.

When you make that much stuff, you're bound to end up on the net somewhere, right?

So why was I still so surprised when I did a Google search for "DIY Fountain Ideas,"

and this came up...

 Oh yeah, it's one of mine.

I'll be making a new fountain soon, and although I have all of my stuff,

I wanted to see what else I could rip off was out there.

Ready to take a stroll through some DIY genius?

This should at least melt the snow for a little while.

Get a little vertical impact with this design.

Jamie's full instructions will make it a breeze too! 

Stacked stones and recycled trash can lids add up to this

industrial birdbath trio, but I could see adding a pump to this.

For Barb's project, hop over here.

How cool is this?

And how deceptively easy!

 Julie's teapot fountain is amazing,

and really brightens the yard with all of surrounding plantings.

Hop over here for this and 9 other wet tutorials.

I aven't found the how-tos on this one, but seriously,
I think you get the picture from the picture, right?

There are some really cool projects over here
for completely simple and affordable ways to add a splash to your patio.

Who else but Martha would go this tall on the porch?

This one is just an inspiration photo, but you know you could hack it
with terra cotta pot saucers and copper pipe.

Donna at Funky Junk Interiors had this in a postof her favorite fountains.
No instructions, but I could figure this one out.
Where's my glass drill bit?

All over the net, this cool image is a great idea for that spare piano
you have just lying around.

I really wanted to find instructions for this, but it proved impossible
to track down...

...as was this.
If you happen to know the original source, do share!

Professionally done, but we're all DIY Divas here.

You know this one is doable.
Get all the details over here.

This one deserves a repost.
If I had outdoor stairs, I'd be all over this.

And for our grand finale, This Old House
has a great tutorial on how to make this natural-looking stunner.
Got rocks?

Are you ready to get back out in the dirt?

Let's Talk About Rebar

re·bar

/ˈrēˌbär/

noun

noun: rebar; plural noun: rebars

1. a steel reinforcing rod in concrete.

And that's our topic for today.

Why?

 Because I'm inside doing more of this...

 ...and this...

 ...and this.

We've been over this.

 This is rebar.

Not exactly decorative, huh?

But that's okay, you aren't going to see it ever again.

And this is steel wire.

 

This is surprisingly simple to do 

 Mark carefully measured and cut several 8 foot lengths of this stuff

using the cutting blade on a grinder.

 He then stacked them...

...cut and twisted the wire...

...and size it for the footing forms.

 There are two different sizes.

You can see how this will drop perfectly in the box.

 Now before we can destroy the existing, uninteresting porch...

 ...the footings have to be set.

 This is a laser level.

This fun little toy is helping Mark line his boxes up flawlessly.

 All he has to do is point the red stream,

 and he knows exactly how high to set the tops.

 Actual levels help him keep the tops in line.

 Rebar through the bases anchor the whole affair

so they won't budge when the concrete is poured.

 As for those stacks of squares?

 They get snuggled right inside.

 So while the ducks are waddling...

....and the music's blaring...

...and Mark is working on tanning his tattoos

(The man has more ink than a volume of Tolstoy)...

...would someone sneak inside and get me

the hell down from here?!?!?!

(Never, ever step on the top of a ladder. This is very dangerous.

I'm just a middle aged bad girl.)

Where Did the Weekend Go? Walking Porn Part Deux

 So, when last we left off, it was almost 60 degrees, and I was finally not bundled like an Eskimo.

 I did however have a sweater skirt that made me look like I was sporting a knitted bustle.

 So, how many uses can you think of for orphaned silverware?

Allow me to show you a few...

like hollow handle bud vases!

 This teapot with a spill of crystals makes a wonderful garden accent.

 Add more baubles, and you have wind chimes.

And as a fan pull???

I need to do this.

 A little ball point pen action would definitely make a grocery list more fun.

 Pendants?

I think I need to hit the flea market.

Like soon.

~Random shot of things growing wild~

 Ms. Wayte prefers no photos of her wares...

 ...but she graciously allowed me one just to tempt you.

The sparkle on this shawl was AMAZING.

~More wild~

~Most wild~

 And speaking of sparkle...

 These canvases were not only luminous and dream-like...

 ...they had amazing texture, like glass crushed and applied.

The effect was stunning.

 LOVE this pair of 3D wall hangings.

You could make your living room spawn.

 Now, about those orchids you can't kill...

 ...you could dot your entire home with these and never worry.

 No, they aren't silk.

Nor are they some amazing dried version.

 Nope, these ruffly, gorgeous little gems are....

 ...clay sculptures!

 Look at the perfect details in her work.

 The larger sculptures are still only $99...

 ...which is a bargain if you factor in the cost of replacing everything you kill.

 Ever wanted a quickly set up, yet show stopping water feature?

 This one was nearly 7 feet high!

 Set it up, plug it in, scoot a couple plants over...

 one stunning focal point to go.

 Bread knives in a rainbow of stains...

Paper mache' and fabric on wire made these fun little gems.

 I wouldn't mind a little flurry of these fluttering from the ceiling.

 Just in case you think you've seen everything...

 ...allow me to assure you, you have not.

 It's a fish bowl!

A bank!

A nightlight!

Good God, who thought up this train wreck?

 Nice little idea, embellishing with wire and marbles.

Not a coffee fan?

 Um...no problem.

Did I mention the live music?

 A little big band was filling the air as we grabbed some libations.

 We do know a few back routes....

 ...which is an excellent way to avoid the wall-to-wall crush of people.

 Not to mention, the views are better.

 Sam Art Glass...I was frozen in place by her booth.

The colors and textures were breathtaking.

 She was very accomodating and showed me all of her work, explaining the stories

behind some of the pieces.

This one in particular was her personal fantasy of swimming with dolphins...

...and magically transforming into a mermaid!

 Although the bright jewels of her creations were show stoppers...

 There was one piece in particular that had drawn me in there...

...and it wasn't even this brilliant bowl swept with my favorite koi.

It was this...

 

 Hold all applause til the end.

Do you have ANY idea how hard it was not to touch that???

 No forest in your backyard?

 Just set one up on the coffee table!

 These are way beyond any wire trees I've ever attempted.

 If I could own one, this would be it.

 Why?

 My own swing, for starters.

 Some booths were so crowded it took the zoom to get a glimpse.

 Well worth it though.

 And then, I hit the gardens...

 Have you been collecting wine corks?

 How about some living refrigerator magnets?

Even a portrait made from macaroni or a pizza menu would look better

held by these.

I hope you enjoyed this year's little wander through my backyard.

Anyone still wonder why you'd have to pry me out of here with a crowbar?