Every year we make new plant markers for the garden, but this year we wanted to do a little something different. . .
. . . we wanted to make. . .
. . . garden markers . . .
. . . that not only identify. . .
. . . the plants. . .
. . . but that plant a different kind of seed as well. We wanted to make markers for making wishes.
Wish Garden Markers
Materials:
- Wood slices (or if you can't find/make them these larger markers would work too)
- Exterior paint or craft paint
- Fabric
- Beeswax or paraffin wax
- Needle and thread
- Bamboo skewers
- Wood sealer/jojoba oil (only necessary if you use craft paint)
- Cloth bag (optional)
With your wood discs in hand, paint simple silhouettes of each plant or vegetable on the surface of the disc. The color can either match the plant or it could be completely different. Don't worry about being to accurate with your illustrations. Every plant is unique and your paintings will be too. If you have a larger log or wood slice you could paint the words "Wish Garden" on it. Set your discs aside to dry.
If you don't have wood discs or can't find them, you could follow the same concept on these extra large plant markers by painting the silhouettes on the top and writing the wishes on the bottom part that will go in the ground (this would also eliminate the need for the flags, although they are pretty darn cute, so you might just want them anyway).
Once they are dry (if you used craft paint), spray or paint on a wood sealer. You could use jojoba oil, polyurethane or poly-acrylic. Set aside to dry.
To make the waxed fabric flags, heat the wax of your choice (I used beeswax) in a metal bowl or coffee can over a pot of boiling water. When the wax becomes liquid, paint the wax onto your fabric strips (you'll cut the shapes later). When you have saturated all of your strips with wax, place them between a few sheets of newspaper and iron them to remove the excess wax. your fabric pieces should feel slightly stiff and repel water.
Cut the fabric into simple flag shapes and secure to bamboo stakes with a few stitches.
Place all of the items in a cloth bag and give as a gift, or, use them immediately in your own garden. Use the flags to indicate where the disc are. Write your wish on the back side of the wood disc and place in the garden wish side down (to re-use the discs next year, simply sand off the old wishes and write new ones). Then, sit back and see what grows.
If you'd like to see all of our past years' garden marker projects, explore the links listed below.
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With the Kids:
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Happy gardening!
~ Sarah
*Last time in Crafts and Activities: Merry May
