lighting

Easy and Pretty DYI Insect Repellent Lantern

Minnesota in the summer means lots of outdoor fun.
It also means that if you are outdoors you will probably get “bugged” by Mosquitoes.
Repelling bugs has a pretty high priority around here!
Here is a tutorial for a DIY Insect Repellent Lantern that I put together the other night.
Source
Here was my inspiration.
I have a couple of gel fuel fire pots that are really pretty.
But…..that gel fuel is really pretty scary!
In fact, the pourable gel fuel has been recalled because of how dangerous it is!
I just knew I could find someone who had figured out how to recycle the gorgeous container into something practical. 

Supplies:
Citronella Patio Torch Fuel

This is about $10 at Home Depot
We had this in the garage so this brand is no longer available there.
Any brand will do.

 
Pea Gravel

 You can buy a bag of this at Home Depot for a couple of dollars.  The bucket of this has been in our garage for a long time.  I use it for lots of stuff…..it makes a nice landscape path for the Fairy Garden!

 
Torch Replacement Wick
This pack of 2 cost $4.00 at Home Depot.  They are long enough to cut into thirds enough for six lanterns.
Fireproof Container with some sort of lid 
I had 2 gel pots with inserts.
Then I got out an old cheese crock with a top that will work.
Mason jars will work too.  They are shatterproof.
Put the pea gravel in the container around the wick.
Pour the citronella oil over the rocks.
Light it up!

Looks and sounds like a pretty simple project!
Well……sort of!
I lit the wicks and you can see that the flame is a BIT out of control!
Here is what I learned!
More to the point…..this is what Mr. S who is a member of NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) taught me!!!!  Yikes….what was I thinking…..doing a FIRE related project when the “fire safety police” lives in the house!
The wick can’t be too tall!
The rocks can’t go right up to the top!
There can’t be too much oil in the container!
You’d better check to be sure your container is high temp safe!
You probably shouldn’t burn these on a wood deck!
After learning all of these safety precautions…..and fixing some of the problems…..the little lamps look great and let off a nice amount of citronella vapor!

 To make Mr. S happier…I will move these down to the fire pit ledge!  The bugs are worse down there anyway!

Here is a nice website with lots of ideas for Insect Repellent Lanterns!
Don’t you love the simplicity of these Mason Jar Lamps?

 Last…..but not least….just so the Fire Safety Police know that I was listening and paying attention!

Have A Wonderful Day….
Hope NOTHING is BUGGING you today!

No Fuss No Cord Deck Lighting!

I love twinkle lights!
They make me happy!
I always think of the line in the movie “You’ve Got Mail” when Kathleen makes the comment about the new big box book store going in down the street……..

“Listen, their store is new. It’s a novelty. It will shake out; meanwhile, I’m putting on more twinkle lights.

 The planter boxes on the deck had been around for a long time…..and over time….they started to rot!
We decided not to replace them when we saw that they were causing the deck railing to also rot!


Goodbye flowers….Goodbye a place to tuck solar lights around to get the twinkle light effect!

What to do?

Well….when we were in Mexico…we enjoyed sitting on the patio under the umbrella lit with tiny little solar powered twinkle lights that the Sweetwater brother put up!

The perfect solution for the Sweetwater deck!!

So….a little trip to Amazon Prime and I now have twinkle lights once more!

The solar battery collects lots of sun throughout the day!

I used little cup hooks…..
easily screwed into the deck board!

I just wrapped the lights around them all along the underside of the railing.

And now with just a little effort….and no fuss or cords….
I have my twinkle lights to make me happy!

Have a Wonderful Day!

Link Parties

No Fuss No Cord Deck Lighting!

I love twinkle lights!
They make me happy!
I always think of the line in the movie “You’ve Got Mail” when Kathleen makes the comment about the new big box book store going in down the street……..

“Listen, their store is new. It’s a novelty. It will shake out; meanwhile, I’m putting on more twinkle lights.

 The planter boxes on the deck had been around for a long time…..and over time….they started to rot!
We decided not to replace them when we saw that they were causing the deck railing to also rot!


Goodbye flowers….Goodbye a place to tuck solar lights around to get the twinkle light effect!

What to do?

Well….when we were in Mexico…we enjoyed sitting on the patio under the umbrella lit with tiny little solar powered twinkle lights that the Sweetwater brother put up!

The perfect solution for the Sweetwater deck!!

So….a little trip to Amazon Prime and I now have twinkle lights once more!

The solar battery collects lots of sun throughout the day!

I used little cup hooks…..
easily screwed into the deck board!

I just wrapped the lights around them all along the underside of the railing.

And now with just a little effort….and no fuss or cords….
I have my twinkle lights to make me happy!

Have a Wonderful Day!

Link Parties

DYI Ceramic Firepots!

I just love these two little ceramic fire pots that I got for my birthday! Somebody really knows what I like!

They use gel fuel to create an instant fire feature….so fun!
Whenever we lit them…..I would think to myself-  there has to be a way to do a knock off version.
I researched the Internet and the only thing I could find was
the bigger fire pit version that
Karen at The Art of Doing Stuff  posted last September.

I you haven’t visited Karen’s Blog….I highly recommend you do so soon…she is sooo funny and does some amazing projects!

But back to my project!

 The purchased fire pots are ceramic with a metal insert in a narrow opening to hold the gel fuel.
 hmmmmmm

I knew I needed something ceramic that had been fired and glazed.

Oh yeah….remember all that mid-century pottery I buy at GW?

 I have a whole collection of ceramic vases…..all colors and shapes….so that was no problem.

 Now for the metal insert
                    hmmmmmmmmm

Every morning we feed the cats some Fancy Feast cat food that comes in a nice little can.

Good Start….
I just had to be patient while Maxine finished her breakfast!

 Next……some river rock from the front yard to put around the can in the pot.That worked but it was a little unstable because the rocks were such different sizes.

Off to Home Depot for sand….Standing at the sand display at Home Depot, I spied the Pea Rock…Perfect!
 $2.97 for 40 Pounds….Let the nice young man heft the big bag into the trunk and I was on the way to making a fire pot for less than  three bucks!

I put it all together….you probably don’t need to see me pour pea rock into the pot and put the can in….you are smart enough to do that without me showing you how!

The Gel Fuel is the most expensive element in the whole deal.

It comes in a plain version like this….
And with citronella….nice!

You might want to do a little reading about using gel fuel before you do this….it is a little dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing….but hey we are pretty smart and can follow directions right?
And this is one time when you really do want to read the directions…(that was my teacher voice you just heard…so do it!)

Here are a couple of articles I found if you are curious about it!
NFPA Gel Fuel Info

See how it turned out!

I just need to figure out what I could use for a cover like the purchased ones have….anybody got any ideas? Leave me a comment if you do.

Related Posts:

No Fuss Deck Lighting

Partie I like to visit”
Centsational Girl
Women who do it All!
Savvy Southern Style
My Girlish Whims

The Trendy Tree House

Linkin’ With Luna
Handyman Crafty Woman

Thrifty and Fabulous
504 Main
Thrifty Groove
The Answer is Chocolate
Craft Envy
A Round Tuit
A Diamond in the Stuff
Funky Junk Interiors

 Six Sister’s Stuff
Anne Marie’s Brie Blog
The DYI Show Off
Trophy Wife
Tuesday Trash To Treasure
Kissed by a Frog 
The CSI Project
Tea Rose Home

Handyman Crafty Woman

DYI Ceramic Firepots!

I just love these two little ceramic fire pots that I got for my birthday! Somebody really knows what I like!

They use gel fuel to create an instant fire feature….so fun!
Whenever we lit them…..I would think to myself-  there has to be a way to do a knock off version.
I researched the Internet and the only thing I could find was
the bigger fire pit version that
Karen at The Art of Doing Stuff  posted last September.

I you haven’t visited Karen’s Blog….I highly recommend you do so soon…she is sooo funny and does some amazing projects!

But back to my project!

 The purchased fire pots are ceramic with a metal insert in a narrow opening to hold the gel fuel.
 hmmmmmm

I knew I needed something ceramic that had been fired and glazed.

Oh yeah….remember all that mid-century pottery I buy at GW?

 I have a whole collection of ceramic vases…..all colors and shapes….so that was no problem.

 Now for the metal insert
                    hmmmmmmmmm

Every morning we feed the cats some Fancy Feast cat food that comes in a nice little can.

Good Start….
I just had to be patient while Maxine finished her breakfast!

 Next……some river rock from the front yard to put around the can in the pot.That worked but it was a little unstable because the rocks were such different sizes.

Off to Home Depot for sand….Standing at the sand display at Home Depot, I spied the Pea Rock…Perfect!
 $2.97 for 40 Pounds….Let the nice young man heft the big bag into the trunk and I was on the way to making a fire pot for less than  three bucks!

I put it all together….you probably don’t need to see me pour pea rock into the pot and put the can in….you are smart enough to do that without me showing you how!

The Gel Fuel is the most expensive element in the whole deal.

It comes in a plain version like this….
And with citronella….nice!

You might want to do a little reading about using gel fuel before you do this….it is a little dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing….but hey we are pretty smart and can follow directions right?
And this is one time when you really do want to read the directions…(that was my teacher voice you just heard…so do it!)

Here are a couple of articles I found if you are curious about it!
NFPA Gel Fuel Info

See how it turned out!

I just need to figure out what I could use for a cover like the purchased ones have….anybody got any ideas? Leave me a comment if you do.

Related Posts:

No Fuss Deck Lighting

Partie I like to visit”
Centsational Girl
Women who do it All!
Savvy Southern Style
My Girlish Whims

The Trendy Tree House

Linkin’ With Luna
Handyman Crafty Woman

Thrifty and Fabulous
504 Main
Thrifty Groove
The Answer is Chocolate
Craft Envy
A Round Tuit
A Diamond in the Stuff
Funky Junk Interiors

 Six Sister’s Stuff
Anne Marie’s Brie Blog
The DYI Show Off
Trophy Wife
Tuesday Trash To Treasure
Kissed by a Frog 
The CSI Project
Tea Rose Home

Handyman Crafty Woman