Hello Spring! It’s nice of you to join me inside my house. Maybe you wanna think about venturing outside. Finally. You stupid, stupid spring.
It’s a good thing Easter is particularly late this year, because there’s nothing more depressing than finding the Easter Bunny starving and frozen solid on your front porch. It’s hard enough for kids to maintain their wide eyed innocence when you had to explain why Santa smelled like whiskey and Drakkar Noir last year, let alone having to explain a dead bunny.
There’s a few more weeks until Easter so we may still have a shot at a live, romping Easter Bunny.
Two days ago I showed you a simple trick to use a Waxed Paper Transfer to print any photo on wood. This planter box is just one of the bazillion things you can do with that little trick.
The great thing about a simple box like this is anyone can do it. There are no mitre cuts, it isn’t particularly straight, and the worse it looks the better. I used a circular saw to cut my boards to length but you could easily use a hand saw.
The other great thing is, once you’ve finished using as a planter box, you can use it to store garden tools, oils and vinegars on your countertop or seed packets throughout the year.
You can make your box any size you want. Think of where you might want to put it and then build a box that will fit in that space. Or, if you’re really nervous about measuring and math and hammering things, just make your box the same as mine, following the measurements I’ve given.
I’ve made my box large enough to fit a 6″ pot of tulips (although you have to squish the top of the plastic pot a bit to smush it in)
If you want your box to have a rustic look, and I think you should, you don’t need to have actual old barn board. Any dirty old looking wood will do. Scrounge around your house, basement, garage looking for the most beat up looking boards you can find. If you can’t find any go to your local lumber store and they’re sure to have some old grungy wood hidden somewhere that they may even be willing to part with for free.
Your box is going to be made up of 4 sides and a bottom.
What I’m showing you is the easiest way to make a planter box, not necessarily the right way to make a planter box. I wanted to make it as easy as possible so that absolutely anyone could make it.
For the base of my box, I’ve used a thin piece of wood, because that’s what I had that would fit. I really just made this out of pieces I could scrounge. Your base can be any thickness you want.
If you’re copying my box, the measurements for your base will depend on how thick of boards you use for the sides. If you also use 1″ thick boards, then you can do the base the same as mine. 21″ x 5 1/2″. If you don’t happen to have boards the exact same size as mine just put your box together, measure the size of the space in the bottom and cut a board to fit.
Putting the box together only involves hammering a few nails in. You can use finishing nails but make sure they’re the spiral type because they grip better and your box is less likely to fall apart. Not that it’s likely to at all, but you know what I mean.
The beauty of making a rustic looking box like this is that if things don’t line up perfectly it doesn’t look like a mistake, it looks authentic. So if you’ve never made anything before don’t be intimidated. You can’t make a mistake.
Hammer all your sides together with 2 or 3 nails on each end.
Now you have a box. You’re a genius! I’ll give you a second to scream and dance a little. Maybe call your 9th grade teacher who said you’d never amount to anything.
The only problem with your box thus far, is it doesn’t have a bottom. And like most things in life, it’s much sexier with a nice bottom.
This is when you can either measure the space you need to fill and cut your bottom board, or put your pre-cut board into place.
To attach the bottom to the rest of the box, flip everything upside down and hammer through the sides into the bottom. This is the one point where you really have to pay attention to make sure your nail is going in straight. If it doesn’t go in straight it will come shooting out either the inside of the box or the bottom of it.
Then you’ll have to call your 9th grade teacher again to let them know you are indeed a failure.
Hammer in enough nails along each side to secure the bottom well. I’d say 3 nails on the short ends and 5 on the long.
Now all you have to do is fill it with spring potted bulbs and put it in a spot where the most amount of people will see it and compliment you on it. That part is really quite important.
Sick of looking at your printed transfer? Flip the box around. If it has a knothole, all the better. Just fill it with some moss.
This sized box cost exactly $20 to fill with 4″ potted flowers.
In return they will fill your heart to bursting. Holy shit. I can’t believe I just said that. Apparently spring is in the air.
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Great project! Can you use the same wax paper technique on light colored painted wood?
Probably not Liz. This technique works because the ink soaks into the open grain of the wood. With paint it would just sit on top and easily wipe away. However, if the paint is old, old, old, it’s possible it’s porous enough to work. ~ karen!
Just received the latest Lee Valley Gardening Newsletter, which features the above article on printing on wood. Nice!
I know! I wrote it for them, lol. Glad to hear you’re reading the newsletter and keeping me in a job that actually pays. ;) ~ karen
I have two questions about the printing process.
Have you ever had a problem with your printer feeding the waxed paper through?
Since the wet side of the waxed paper is placed next to the wood, would it be necessary to reverse the image to make any text easier to read?
Thanks for the great ideas.
Hi Joe – Yes, you definitely need to reverse the image. I think show that 2 or three pictures down in the post. My particular printer hasn’t had any trouble feeding through wax paper but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will go as smoothly for you, lol. But it should. :) ~ karen
Thank you for the reply. Later I found the answer about reversing the image in the first article about printing on wood, but never saw a picture showing that. Maybe didn’t look in the right place.
My printer has problems feeding many kinds of paper, especially if the paper is the least bit uneven or wrinkled. Not sure if it is not too stiff. I think it’s worth a try some time.
I was very interested to see a post about a flower box, as I made one in Woodshop lo these many years ago. More interested to see you only nailed the box because: the parts of my box that *only* had nails fell apart, while the parts of the box that were glued together held. Would you say then that this box shouldn’t go outside? Won’t watering the plants warp the wood? Thank you for any advice!
Celia – That’s why I specify you need to use spiral finishing nails. They grip in a way that regular straight nails don’t. You can use wood glue as well if you like but it really isn’t necessary because this isn’t a real planter box that will go through a lot of wear and tear. I wanted to keep the project as simple as possible for people who have never done anything like this before. In terms of watering, you won’t actually be planting the plants in the box, just resting the pots in it. So just if you plan on using the planter box a lot, always keeping it full of plants, remove your pots, water them, and place them back in the planter. Or, if you’re only going to use it occassionally for plants, do as I did which was to put your planter into the bathtub/utility sink, water, let drain and dry, then put it out again. You won’t have a problem with warping when you’re just doing this occasionally and if you allow the wood to dry out. ~ karen!
I have been wanting planters along the driveway for years. It’s really not that hard, is it? I have to remember to water more this year! What would be good do you think? Peppers, tomatoes. Will cucumbers & zuchinni climb or would I have to tie them up to avoid them getting run over?
I thinks this should be a giveaway. It is hand made by someone we actually know. It is very unique and a perfect gift and I am not handy and would love one of these. Just sayin
Thanks Maggie. It’s funny you should say that, both my mother and pink tool belt sister saw it and said … you should sell those on your site, lol. Lots of ideas, just not enough time to execute them. I need a manager! ~ karen
OR going even simpler, make a box with no bottom using it like a slipcover!
Your knot hole reminds me of a friend who, after crafting all morning, made a mad dash for her gyn appointment. During the exam, her doc said “my aren’t we festive today” and she had no idea what he was talking about until the exam was over and she was in the restroom and discovered she had glitter in her “knot hole”. I do love your mossy view and will be using that idea – thanks!
That is hysterical!!!!!!! I’ll bet he (her doc) shared that story with his wife over dinner!
What other blog but yours has people reading the comments??? That’s because the people who love you are just as funny and irreverent as you are. You always start my day off with a laugh or a guffaw.
love this project and the attack pigs
I know. I have the most committed, best readers/fans ever. It’s like I’m a country star! ~ karen
I love this idea Karen and I’m sure all of us who’ve had a horrendously hard winter would love that spot of colour and fragrance in the house. I shared this on my Facebook but it doesn’t show up with the picture of the flowerbox. I was really hoping it would so my FB friends would be enticed to check out your blog. Any way to change the share so it shows people the actual picture of what we’re sharing?? I just want to help increase your readership cause you’re that good :) You sure help my have a happy start to my day.
Hi Maureen! I’m not sure why the picture isn’t coming up. :( THe one thing you can do when you link to one of my posts is to add your own picture. So you would copy one of the pictures from my post and then click insert picture on Facebook when you’re adding the link. I’ve even had to do this the odd time when pictures don’t cooperate when linking. And thank you for sharing. It makes a huge difference when people regularly share my site and posts. ~ karen!
Very cute project! I need to fill my heart to bursting too! Mindy, you are one funny girl! I almost had coffee coming out my nose when I read that one, and the sad thing is, it is so true!
Great project and I love the crack/hole comments, lol. Why everyone in the world doesn’t read this blog I’ll never know! Maybe when I take a break for sanding kitchen cabinets this weekend I’ll make a planter box! The weather should cooperate, it’s supposed to be 80 degrees here in NC again today.
Thanks Melissa! JEALOUS of the 80 degrees! And in answer to your question … I think they probably just don’t know about my blog. :) Feel free to change that. ~ karen!
Karen, I’ve been collecting driftwood flat boards on our Delaware river beaches for years.
I think they will make fantastic flower boxes.
Thank you again for the inspiration!
Oh, Karen. You make me laugh every day. Thank you for that!
bravo..a nice hit of spring
Nicely done! Especially the “fill the crack/hole with moss” trick. I must use that … judiciously of course.
Love this!
Next time you are by….I’ll tell you my “dead bunny” story…it was sad…but friggin hilarious all at the same time…not the bunny …the story!
“To attack the bottom” – Ahhhh, the very best kind of typo. One that changes the meaning to something funny.
“something a worm could have done on his fingers” – one of my favorite types of humor, the kind that makes you think just a bit and is funny for more than one reason.
Sad to hear you still have no counters, sinks or plumbing. That makes yesterdays Alleluias a tad premature now, doesn’t it?
And why must you torment me with more fabulous piggies that I don’t have?!? I think that you, too, have a pig collection and just haven’t fessed up. I feel certain that these black stacked beauties aren’t attached (or to use your word, attacked) to the (Lucite?) base they are on, but are they “attacked” to each other? Or did you just cleverly stack them to create an accessory of the needed height?
In response to my frustration with trying to find what I needed in the way of décor items in a particular height, size or color, my business partner and I have started a company that sells home accessories. We up-cycle sad old pieces into beautiful “new” pieces and we make some new items more fabulous, too. I’ll be in touch about advertising with you once we’re ready.
Hi Tigersmom – LOL, I’ll go on the hunt for the typo.. Also the pigs come from a store in Canada called Urban Barn. Great store. I have no idea if there are any in the US or not. http://www.urbanbarn.com/product/stacked+pigs.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search This link says that they’re made of wood, but they aren’t. They’re cast iron. ~ karen!
Thanks for the link! What a cool store. I had never heard of them. Now I have to go hide my credit cads from myself.
The typo is where you instruct us on how to ‘attack’ the bottom to the box. I think you should leave it. It’s fun. Just sayin’
How ironic that my response about your typo includes a typo. My credit cards are only cads when they fail to work.
LOL! ~ karen
love it! I’ve been wanting to make a flower box for under the window… you have inspired me to try it… now, where is that BROWN, not pink! alas!! tool belt????
What a coincidence, yesterday I did a post about bringing spring into my home!
I’ve been meaning to ask you, how can you stand having your comments on moderation? Don’t you get an endless amount of spam comments? For a long time I tried to avoid having a captcha, but then I just couldn’t stand the spam anymore. Do you have some trick I don’t know about? Especially with the amount of comments you get on every post!
Hi Magali – I use the Akismet Plugin for WordPress. It scans for spam. The odd time it lets one through, but not often. You definitely need some sort of spam plugin. ~ karen!
thank you!!
I second Karen’s use of Askimet. I rarely get spam and when I do, it’s so well written that it’s kind of fun to read it — and make fun of it!
Gorgeous as always and a lovely breath of spring. Yesterday, looking out at the snow melting, it was all dingy and dirty and the grass looked dead and brown. The flowers make me hope with a little more ‘stupid spring’ my yard will look as good as your planter!
Darn – I need a pink suede tool belt for a project like this. It is so pretty/rustic. BTW if you really want your own white tulip table – google it. There are scads of them, various styles and prices. And also BTW – my broccoli soup – your recipe – was delicious. I feel like the gourmet cook I’m not. How do you conjure up all the interesting projects and subjects with which you captivate your fans’ attention. I think you are genius & the more of your humor, the better I like it.
Well, I’m not a genius. That much I can tell you Mary. I just used a calculator for something a worm could have done on his fingers. But thank you. Glad you liked the soup! It’s high return for very little input. ~ karen!
You could put bulbs in an ass crack and I would have applauded. Spring is…..sort of just heaven. I love this.
HAHHHH!! ~ karen
I applauded at “bulbs in an ass crack”!
I can do this!! All I have to do is get someone to cut the wood for me cause I sorta have a fear of things that cut other things off..
Stores like Home Depot will cut the wood for you (at least if you’re buying it from them). Depending on how many cuts, it might cost a couple bucks.
So cute, Karen. You have the coolest blog. I love the little hole with the spot of moss coming through. Hey, have I missed the kitchen reveal or are you still in the process?
You have not missed the reveal. Sadly. I am still “in the process”. Still no counter, sink or plumbing. BOOOOOO. ~ karen