How to Decorate a Garden Party With Toolshed Supplies

Next time you host a backyard barbecue or garden party, turn to your toolshed rather than the party store for decorations. Many garden supplies, including terracotta pots, wheelbarrows and burlap can do double duty as party supplies and decorations. Here are a few fun, inexpensive ideas for your next get-together.

Instructions

1. Turn your wheelbarrow into an impromptu bar! Simply rinse it out, fill with ice and nestle an assortment of canned or bottled beers and sodas into the ice. Tub trugs-big, colorful rubber tubs-also make great coolers!

2. Cloches (plastic or glass bell-shaped jars) typically help keep individual plants warm in cool spring weather. Repurpose cloches at your party by using them to protect food from flies and wasps. First, wash the jars in soapy water, give them a rinse and then buff them dry. Place the jars over the food you want to protect.

3. Small terracotta pots make excellent food containers and utensil holders. You can either buy new pots and then reuse them for a later project or line used pots with craft paper. Place knives, spoons and forks handle-side down in the pots. For an outdoor movie, line a larger pot with tissue paper and then fill it with popcorn.

4. Try this fun idea for utensils: simply roll them up inside a cloth napkin and then tie a little piece of sisal twine around the napkin to hold the utensils in place.

5. Burlap is an effective weed barrier when used under mulch, but this attractive, natural material also makes a super cute table covering. Consider covering your table with a white tablecloth and then cutting a piece of burlap to serve as a runner, or drape the entire table with a wide piece of burlap.

6. Have a lot of extra seeds? Use them as party favors! Buy several small manila envelopes, pour a few seeds inside each and attach a cute label. Pile them into a terracotta pot or put one at each place setting.

7. String Christmas lights between bamboo stakes to add a special glow to your party. To make each stake, simply screw a small hook into one end of an 8-foot tall bamboo pole--then drive the stakes into the ground at regular intervals around your patio or in the yard. String the lights between the stakes, making sure to wrap the lights around the hook on top of each stake.

Resources

• DigginFood