Designed to attract barred owls, I used scraps of cedar fence and pine tongue & groove cutoffs to build the big birdhouse.
Picked up at a flea market for $1 and painted by a previous owner, this classic Matchbox van from 1956 was the perfect candidate for a restoration.
Step-by-step instructions for building an interesting little elephant planter box from scraps of mahogany.
This attractive hanging platform bird feeder is simple to make and offers a seed tray to attract a wide variety of birds including cardinals, chickadees and bluebirds.
Built for the birds, this interesting birdhouse design has three separate units and has fledged several families of bluebirds and wrens. A few repurposed and salvaged bits add whimsy and transform a basic birdhouse into a unique piece of yard art.
Building your own guitar pedal board doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. This simple rack is easy to make and built sturdy to take abuse, and it keeps your stomp boxes organized with the cables tucked neatly underneath.
As winter approaches, birds seek shelter from the cold. A roosting box provides protection from the harsh winter weather and allows several birds to huddle together to conserve energy by sharing body warmth.
This unique birdhouse is handcrafted from rustic barn wood and repurposed pine. Made for the birds, the birdhouse will make a great home for a variety of cavity-nesting birds, including chickadees and wrens.
Turning pieces of driftwood into sculpture is fun, challenging, and rewarding. Half the fun is finding driftwood while walking along Humarock Beach. The other half is fitting the pieces together to create a driftwood whale sculpture.
Step-by-step instructions for building an interesting multi-unit birdhouse with three separate nest boxes. Built for the birds, this design has fledged several families of bluebirds and wrens. A few repurposed and salvaged bits add character and whimsy, transforming a basic birdhouse into folk art.
Watch as the birds build their nest, lay eggs, and raise their babies. Step-by-step instructions make it easy to build a hanging birdhouse with a clear plastic window to see inside the nesting box.
Turn a vintage sewing machine stand into an interesting and useful table. I purchased the base for $10 and made the top from pieces of salvaged lumber (free!).
DIY plans with photos and step-by-step instructions for building a robin nesting shelf.
Our favorite collection of Bruce Springsteen covers of other artists' song, captured live in concert.
This simple bird feeder for holding suet cakes is easy to make. The extended tail prop makes it easy for woodpeckers to balance while feasting on the suet.
This article contains step-by-step instructions with photos for building a stylish bluebird birdhouse that the birds will actually use. Adding a few extra details adds character and makes your birdhouse unique.
Two birdhouses in one unique design! A step-by-step plan for building a birdhouse with two separate nest boxes, each with its own entrance.
Unique ideas with plans for making decorative birdhouses using old license plates. These are functional birdhouses that birds will actually use to raise their families.
Build a platform bird feeder that is designed to look like a rustic country store.
This unique birdhouse is built for the birds! Simple to make, the six-sided dovecote style birdhouse looks great in the garden and it is designed to attract bluebirds.
Enhance your vegetable garden's health and appearance by incorporating companion flowers and herbs that attract beneficial insects, repel pests, and enrich the soil.
Ever wanted to grow your own blueberries? Not sure how? It's possible, don't worry! Here are some tips, tricks, and methods for planting blueberry bushes and growing blueberries in your backyard.
Here are some winter bird feeding tips on bird feeders, shelter and drinking water.
These decorative birdhouses are built for the birds! Birdhouses designed with the birds in mind have a higher chance of attracting tenants, and adding a bit of whimsey makes them look good too!
This charming little whale sculpture is an easy project that is great for beginner wood carvers. Cut out the blank shape, sand, and then mount to a piece of driftwood.
Complete instructions and tips for how to plant, grow, and divide hardy water lilies for healthier, bigger blooms.
How and when to prune forsythias for the most blooms as well as the largest blooms, year after year.
For year-round interest, design your northern garden with all four season in mind. When the blooms fade, a well-planned winter garden still looks great.
Turn a Christmas photo card into a handcrafted ornament that captures the holiday magic and displays the memories year after year. Christmas Memory Ornaments make great gifts for friends and family.
My contractor table saw came with a stamped steel fence. Replacing the factory fence with a Biesemeyer fence dramatically improved its performance, safety and enjoyment factor.
Not all birdhouses are made for the birds. Always choose a birdhouse that meets the bird's basic requirements.
Product Review: Increase the versatility of your drill press by adding a sanding drum attachment.
I'm an experienced woodworker and craftsman who uses a brad nailer. Here are my thoughts on whether having one would be useful for your arts and crafts endeavors.
This is a DIY craft project for making a decorative birdhouse from pieces of driftwood. This is a functional birdhouse that birds will actually use.
Tips on raising backyard chickens for eggs that are healthy and taste great. There really is a difference between the fresh eggs from your own backyard flock of chickens, and eggs from the store
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions for making a cutting board with a whale shaped insert.
DIY birdhouse plans with step-by-step instructions to build a decorative birdhouse that resembles a lighthouse.
This article will provide tips for periodically pruning butterfly bushes to produce the most blooms, year after year.
When the landscape gives you boulders and stones, create a garden that rocks! Learn how to use rocks and boulders to create interesting garden designs with year-round appeal.
Got mosquitoes? Trying to get rid of them without going out to buy traps? Use these plans to make a DIY organic mosquito trap. The secret of this homemade trap is the addition of yeast to the bait mixture! It's easy.
DIY plans with step-by-step instructions, photos and diagrams for building a ladybug house. Plus, ladybug facts and tips for attracting ladybugs into the garden.
Our woodland garden is filled with a variety of native plants including Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Indian Pipes, and mixed with ornament shrubs and flowers that attract birds, bugs and other critters.
Here are some tips for landlocked salmon fishing on East Grand Lake (Maine) using spoons or flies.
DIY plans with step-by-step instructions for making a mason bee house.
Winterizing a lawn mower isn't difficult or time-consuming and only requires a few basic tools. Follow these simple DIY tips for winterizing a lawn mower, and your mower will start more easily next spring.
This list includes the original 16 Hot Wheels cars first released in 1968, plus fun facts about the die-cast toys.
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions for building this toy wooden bulldozer.
Why are bats associated with Halloween? Learn some quick history on bats and the role they play in our favorite macabre holiday. Includes fun facts and myths about bats.
A brief history of Wampum, and collecting Wampum shells on the beach
A brief history of bottle caps and the bottle opener designs to remove these new fangled caps from our favorite bottled beverages.
Welcome to our goat pen! Meet Oliver and Delilah, our pet Pygmies, and see how we built our new goat pen to provide shelter from weather and predators.
Patterns and step-by-step instructions for making a simple shorebird decoy. Start with this basic decoy carving blank, and then add details
Take a tour of my HO model railroad. Set in the 1950s, my mid-sized layout features around-the-wall construction and a good 'nuff level of modeling. Mostly, it is a lot of fun.
Nutsedge is a invasive, glass-like weed that spreads quickly through the lawn. It is also very difficult to control. Here's how we stopped the Nutsedge invasion.
5 Classic Martini Recipes
Margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails. Here are five classic recipes for mixing the best-tasting margarita.
An ongoing log of the many different visitors in our backyard. This time, it's reptiles and amphibians.
Use these DIY planter box plans with step-by-step instructions to build a window box yourself!
Make a compost tea brewing system from a few basic materials, then make effective compost tea from kitchen waste, leaves, and other organic matter. While there are many commercial products available, making a simple and effective compost tea brewing system is an easy DIY project.
Three Easy Steps to Cooking Better Pan Fried Burgers
Plant a rain garden to catch runoff from rainfall and melting snow. I'll show you how I made one, along with tips for your own rainwater garden.
DIY step-by-step instructions with photos for how to sharpen your lawn mower blade. Save money by sharpening it yourself.
DIY plans for building a nest box designed for barn owls, with step-by-step instructions for building the owl box
How and when you prune your lilac bushes has a direct impact on the number and size of springtime blooms. This article tells you everything you need to know.
I offer tips for growing figs in northern climates, where the winter cold can kill the fruit trees. Try growing the figs in containers and moving them inside for the winter.
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions to build a kestrel nesting box.
DIY step-by-step instructions for restoring and refinishing metal projects.
This article contains a simple cooking technique for a delicious, pan-seared steak.
Ideas and inspiration for making several different types of wooden bird boxes.
An overview of the different types of mouse traps available in the market today, and how to use them to catch mice and get them out of your home.
A collection of songs written by Bruce Springsteen that were recorded by other artists, including 10,000 Maniacs, Bono, and Ed Sheeran.
Preparing your pond for fall and winter—tips for getting your pond, fish, and plants ready to survive the cold weather.
Tips for collecting vintage Lionel trains, with photos of my Lionel train collection and O-scale layout.
A DIY crafting project for making a toad house from a flower pot, and then adding Wampum to decorate the outside of the toad abode.
This guide provides tips and tricks for pruning raspberries properly for growing more fruit every season. Includes advice on general care for these wonderful plants.
Carnivorous plants have specialized growing requirements and interesting eating habits. Here is basic information on growing these bug-eating plants.
Patterns, photos and step-by-step instructions for creating simple Folk Art decoys. Start with a basic carving blank, and then add details and paint to finish your own shorebird decoy.
This article includes seven steps for dealing with angry customers and improving your customer service skills.
Offering different types of bird feeders filled with a variety of wild bird seed increases the number and variety of birds that will search for a meal in your backyard.
My simple, tried-and-true techniques and tips for catching and cooking blue crabs. I've even included a recipe for blue crab cakes!
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions for making a model catapult that really works and actually flings small objects!
Tips, tackle and technique for catching striped bass by drifting pieces of clam.
DIY plans with photos, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions for building a nest box that is specially designed for wood ducks.
Our backyard is an NWF-certified wildlife habitat, providing the local wildlife with their four essential requirements: food, water, shelter, and places to raise their young.
Album cover frames are perfect for displaying the cover art from your favorite LP records. This article shows you how to make your own DIY album cover frames with photos and step-by-step instructions.
Birdhouse designs, plans, and inspiration for building handcrafted wooden birdhouses and nesting boxes. These birdhouses are made for the birds!
Repurpose and upcycle a tin container into a unique and useful paintbrush holder for your favorite artist. This article contains step-by-step instructions to keep your supplies neat and organized.
DIY plans, diagram and step-by-step instructions to make a garden trellis from copper pipe
Attract more birds to your yard by hanging the right bird feeders and offering the right birdseed.
DIY plans for building a screech owl nesting box. This article includes diagrams, photos and step-by-step instructions for building and hanging an owl house.
Rocks, trees and a slope didn't stop us from building an unconventional garden pond. And the results were worth the effort!
This article provides birdhouse plans with step-by-step instructions to build three different and unique DIY birdhouses.
DIY tips for designing a custom closet using materials from any home center.
Reusing found lumber and wood scraps to make rustic-looking birdhouses is a great and affordable method. These birdhouse ideas include DIY plans, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions for you.
A helpful guide for attracting butterflies to your garden, including what to put in your garden (like marigolds and colorful geraniums), what to stay away from, and the benefits of butterfly houses for your garden visitors.
Reclaim, re-use and re-purpose to give new life to old lumber.
This is a guide for feeding, watering, and caring for chickens during the cold Northeastern winters.
DIY plans with step-by-step instructions for making your own push stick
A guide on choosing flowers and plants that attract hummingbirds, plus how to use a feeder and create a hummingbird nectar that the little birds will love.
DIY plans with photos and step-by-step instructions for making a butterfly house. Our version of the butterfly box is made from pieces of salvaged mahogany.
Plants, feeders and birdhouses for attracting bluebirds in your yard -- and getting them to stay.
Build your own Peterson bluebird nest box plans with these step-by-step instructions. Entice more of these beautiful birds to visit with our tips for attracting bluebirds into your garden.
This article will provide tips for bird seed storage to keep it fresh and away from rodents. Learn about using various types of bird seed and which birds they attract.
Tips, tackle and techniques for catching stripers by trolling with a tube and a worm.
DIY plans with photos and step-by-step instructions for making a bluebird feeder. This feeder lets the bluebirds in but keeps bigger birds out.
Follow these DIY instructions for making a simple, homemade oriole feeder using oranges or other pieces of fruit.
Tips and techniques for using sandworm bait to catch striped bass, plus facts you probably didn't know about the fish species.
Tips for finding deer antler sheds, including where to look and what to look for, to increase your chances on find a shed antler.
Tips for tying fluke rigs and flounder rigs, plus tips for catching more fish
Organic gardening depends on maintaining the fragile balance between the plants and veggies against the bugs that want to eat them. The best defense is teaming up with the beneficial insects.
Installing A Closest Organizer: An easy DIY project for increased closest space
Get tips for keeping groundhogs and voles out of your garden. Remove these pests before they eat your hostas, perennials, vegetables, and other garden plants.
Practical tips and ideas in planning for an urban chicken coop, and keeping a small flock of chickens in the backyard
This article shares DIY bluebird birdhouse plans with step-by-step instructions for building a nest box.
Hostas are hardy plants and a staple in northern shade gardens. Knowing how and when to divide them can add more healthy plants to your garden.
Follow this step-by-step guide to building a DIY fieldstone fire pit that your family and friends will enjoy for many years to come.
Tips for laying down sod for a green and healthy lawn
This DIY project repurposes used kitchen cabinets into useful garage storage units.
Add a prehistoric accent to your gardens and landscape with an ambling pathway of DIY dinosaur tracks. This article includes photos, diagrams and step-by-step instructions.
One of my favorite methods for catching striped bass is drifting bait through the current. Here are a few tips for striper bait and tackle.
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions for building a homemade deer feeder.
DIY plans for building a bat house with an image of a flying bat. This article includes diagrams, photos and step-by-step instructions for building and hanging a bat box.