DIY Copper Hanging Planters

9 NOVEMBER 2014

I love plants. They can bring a room to life, making them feel so much more homely. After moving in to our new house, I didn't really feel at home until our very first plant - a peace lily donated by my lovely mum - was nestled safely on our dining room table. It sounds silly, but that little bit of fresh green brings a smile to my face whenever I see it.

I've had this idea in my head for ages, but bringing it together has taken me a little longer than I thought it would. Those of you who know me will know about my obsession with copper. Well, guess what? This little project hasn't escaped that obsession.

I was desperate to find copper bowls to hang some little succulents in for our living room, but after hours of fruitless internet searching, I had to come up with something else to satisfy my want for copper. I found these stainless steel hemisphere snack bowls on a trip to Ikea (what can't you find in that place?!) I sprayed them with Rust-Oleum metallic spray paint to create a mock copper effect - not bad as a substitute to the real thing! If you want to find out how I made the woven hangers for these little planters, scroll down to the method below...

METHOD:

For each hanger you want to make cut 4 lengths of twine approximately 1.5 metres long. Knot together a small hoop roughly an inch in diameter to support planter and form the base of your woven hangers. 

To weave the hangers, double over each 1.5 metre length of twine, looping 4 of these lengths around each central hoop. This should leave 8 strands of twine, in 4 pairs, coming off each central hoop as shown below.

Take one strand in each hand from two neighbouring pairs, and tie a standard knot roughly 10cm from the central hoop. Do this 4 times to use up all 8 strands. Repeat this process twice more and trim the edges to complete the hangers. 

Choose a plant for each of your planters. Gather all four loops together around one of your planters and hang somewhere pretty. I chose to hang mine on my bookshelves to bring some green to my living room, but you can hang the anywhere as long as it provides the right conditions for your chosen plant. 

PATIENCE PAID OFF

13 JULY 2014

It's been a little while since I've written on here, but to tell you the truth I've been in a bit of a whirlwind. 

You may remember a few months ago that I told you about my experience of being a first time buyer and trying to find our first home in a competitive market full of cash buyers. I decided to take a step back and employ some patience - our perfect home would come along eventually. And it did.

Here's our gorgeous little home. Not the biggest in the world, but it's ours, and we couldn't be happier.

We picked up our keys on 26th June and walked through our front door to find the house immaculately clean, the garden tended to and a vase of flowers and a card on the table. Feeling a little overwhelmed at such a sweet and thoughtful touch, we went round to visit the previous owners to say thank you.

The owners were executors for their parents' estate who had been looking after the property since their father died in January this year. We were welcomed into their home, and as we sat and drank tea with them, they shared their stories about our home - the home they grew up in and which their parents had bought as first time buyers in 1952.

We left with a feeling of warmth knowing that our home had been dearly loved over the last 62 years. It was an emotional experience for them, selling the home in which they had been raised, and I think it put their minds at ease to have met with us. For us, we feel blessed to have bought a home that has borne so many happy memories.

We are now in the process of decorating pretty much every room, so get ready for plenty more posts as our design project unfurls!