Hello, everyone! My name is Amy, and my corner of the blogging world is called Positively Splendid. Having grown up in a home brimming with sewing notions and paintbrushes, I have a profound love for all things creative, and it is my heart’s desire to help everyone–regardless of skill level or experience–tap into their innate creativity. I am delighted to be participating in the Crafting for Charity event, and the opportunity to give $5,000 to my charity, Assurance Home of Roswell, New Mexico, would thrill me beyond measure!
There are few things I look forward to more when warm weather arrives than spending time gardening, be it by choosing showy annuals to place in decorative pots on our front porch or planting our raised-bed garden. Soil on my hands is good for my soul! This year, I wanted to create an outdoor space on our front porch specifically for displaying and planting flowers. At the start of this project, there was a clean slate of a bare wall and no furniture at all to speak of in this little nook by our front door, but just a few simple craft and DIY projects turned the space into something really special!
The proudest portion of this project for me is the bench I built myself (my first-ever furniture-building project!) using these outdoor bench plans from Ana White. If you’ve never attempted a furniture project of any sort, this project is a great way to get your feet wet with the process. In just a few short hours, I was able to turn a humble pile of boards into the perfect piece of furniture for this space, and the total cost for lumber was under $15!
I love that the slatted top of the bench will allow water to drain nicely, so that I can use it not only as a place to sit as I plant flowers, but also to display some of the pots once my work is done.
I stitched covers for two outdoor pillows to make a comfortable place to sit down to kick off muddy shoes…
…and two galvanized metal beverage containers tucked under the bench provide the perfect place to store shoes, gardening tools and other items to keep them tucked neatly out of sight.
For the last few years, I have put together tiered terracotta planters for my front porch, and I decided to make a miniature version of that project for this space. For this planter, I spruced up two tired pots from my garage with spray paint, the same fabric I used for my outdoor pillows, and outdoor decoupage.
The planter is filled with vibrant seasonal color: intoxicating hyacinth, pansies and dusty miller.
A sweet pig statue I found last year at HomeGoods looks right at home at one end of the bench…
…while a lush fern anchors the opposite end. It isn’t spring until there are ferns on my front porch!
Above the bench, I filled three white frames with sections of moss to serve as a focal point for the space, once of which serves as a welcome sign to greet visitors. Outdoor walls are a perfect blank slate for displaying simple artwork!
To make framed moss like this, purchase a package of rolled moss at a craft store, along with an open-backed wood frame. Spray the frame in your desired color and allow to dry completely. Measure the opening of the frame, and use scissors to cut a piece of moss that is just larger than the opening…
…before using hot glue to adhere the moss to the back of the frame, so that the right side of the moss shows through the front of the frame. So simple!
For the welcome sign option, take things one step further by adhering a wooden “welcome” embellishment to the front of the frame.
I used clear command hooks to hang my frames above my bench to create a simple yet eye-catching outdoor gallery wall.
This space is a cozy nook that no doubt will help me enjoy the spring season even more. Thank you so much to Homes.com for inviting me to flex my crafting muscles for such a good cause!
Amy’s Charity: Assurance Home
It is my honor to introduce you to my charity cause, Assurance Home.
There is an often-overlooked world of children who have been so hurt and abused that they can’t live successfully in family settings. Many of these children may experience multiple placements in foster homes, yearning for a place to finally feel at home. A place where they belong.
Assurance Home is that place. Located in my hometown of Roswell, New Mexico, the Assurance Home provides a safe, nurturing environment to give these kids consistency and loving guidance, so they can improve their chances of growing into happy and productive adults.
Assurance Home is a bastion of hope, safety and love for the kids, at-risk and often homeless, who find themselves there. With trained counselors who take a vested interest in each child, as well as experiential programs like art therapy and hippotherapy (therapy though horseback riding), Assurance Home helps take the brokenness in each child’s life to turn it into a mosaic of beauty and strength.
No child should have to face our chaotic, scary world without a bastion to call home. Since 1979, Assurance Home has helped do their part to give children a shelter–a home–in which to heal and thrive.
Hi! I’m Maria, the Marketing Coordinator for Homes.com. I am part of a dream team that is dedicated to running this awesome blog along with Homes.com’s social channels. If I am not busy writing blogs and socially sharing for Homes.com, you can find me painting, drinking tea with my friends, and doing DIY projects!
