Alvin's DIY Summer

When it comes to Summer, DIYs make the days fill with fun and creativity!

Summer days are a great opportunity for restyling and repurposing old pieces of furniture. 

Most times, people in the neighborhood are having garage sales to sell things from the rooms of their now-college-aged children who now live on campus or have changed their space at home to a more mature environment. It is a great opportunity to find things that can easily be recreated into something that has a new use! 

My daughter is now a young adult attending college; when she decided to put her beautiful desk up for sale, I was heartbroken. Partly because it meant that soon, it would be time for her to officially find her own dwellings, making her father and I very close to empty-nesters. The other thing was that this desk represented a grand effort 15 years ago to create the perfect bedroom for a little girl who loved pretty flowers and ballerinas; we spent a boat load of money on her furniture, of which the desk was one of the most expensive pieces. I shuttered at the fact that someone could very possibly walk away with this investment for pennies. So, I kept the desk to repurpose and keep in the family.

I always wanted a gardening bench. I would peruse through Pinterest, looking at pins of the many beautiful potters' benches and the different ideas for turning dressers, tables, bookshelves and other pieces of furniture into useful gardening areas. When the desk became available, I could not wait to turn it into something amazing that I could enjoy in the backyard!

I used paint from previous home projects we have worked on over the years, which made putting this bench together relatively inexpensive. The only cost I had was the 60.00 I spent to buy the trellis I used to create a back wall in order to hang tools, gloves and hats. 

So far, I have repotted several plants in and around the house, as well as planted sunflowers for the upcoming fall season. I enjoy waking up and going out into the yard in the cool of the morning, putting my hands in the dirt, listening to the rush of the water from the garden hose, and planning my day with a cup of tea on the small table next to the bench. It is a wonderful time to be alone and at peace! 

When the surfaces are wiped clean of dirt and the gardening tools are put away, this potters' bench can also be used as a beautiful outdoor bar area to serve beverages and light snacks. The colorful, whimsical designs can brighten any backyard event any time of year!

To watch the transformation of this beautiful creation, visit my YouTube Channel, or click on the video below! 

I truly enjoyed working on this project and giving something old a new life again. ! What DIYs have you done lately? Share in the comments below!