Fire-Pit Fountain 2013

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Well for the Summer of 2013 the Fire-Pit fountain was kept pretty simple. I just used the plain old flower pot vessel and the flat rocks I had drilled holes in.

Over the weekend the little pump, after over ten years of use, finally bit the dust.

My tiny water-garden was setting beside the fountain and the Summer days have begun to get really hot so I decided to combine the two. 

I just want you all to know if you love a fountain and a water-garden, you don't have to spend a lot of money to have both.,

Mine are simple but I enjoy them a lot......

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog........take care

Birdbath Fountain

I stopped at the grocery store the other day and they had these pretty birdbaths setting out front. Last Summer I found this flower pot at a yard sale and I just knew they were a match. A fountain was not necessarily what I had in mind, but, but, but........

The pump is one I've had for years. It's really a neat little pump it has a light.
I had to set the flower pot up on something the light would shine through  and the only thing I could come up with was this old light globe,

http://www.lowes.com/Search=plumber's+putty?storeId=10151&langId=-1&catalogId=10051&N=0&newSearch=true&Ntt=plumber%27s+putty#!

http://www.artisticdelights.com/pumandligcom1.html

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Adding Philodendron and Lights to a Fountain

This is a post I did a few weeks ago but I was so disappointed in the format flip book I thought it should be redone.

I have a large Philodendron plant I've had for years. As the runners get long, I cut them and put them in water to sprout.
I had several so I added them to this fountain.

 I had ran across a pin on Pinterest about keeping your fountains clean with Hydrogen Peroxide.

I had added the HP to
 this fountain a few weeks prior and I was amazed at how sparking clean the fountain became without any residue that stopped up the pump and kept  the water sparkling.

 What I didn't know was the affect the HP would have on plants used in a fountain. The Phoilodendron have been in the fountain for over a month now and are thriving. I will use this method this Summer in my outdoor fountains w/plants as well and write an update.



To use the Philodendron cuttings in the fountain I wrap the roots in gauze to contain the roots and keep them out of the pump. Philodendron is the only "house plant" I use in my indoor fountains. Roots can be a real mess for the pumps.

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The vessel of this fountain is a birdbath and the bottom is round so  I had to use two large flat rocks for a flat surface. I drilled holes in them and ran the pump tubing up through the rocks then set the flower pot on the rocks.

Now, back to tucking the cuttings under the rocks.....as I tucked the cuttings under the rocks and into the water, I intertwined a tiny string of underwater lights. 

To accent the lights I placed some large clear-green floral rocks
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 The tiny lights shinning through the water rocks softens and magnifies the light.

* the website to get fountain pumps is at the bottom of the page. ARTISTIC DELIGHTS

Decorative stones from Michaels

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Make a table-top fountain for your Kitty

The other day I walked into the room and my 19 year old kitty, Squeek was drinking form the fountain I keep with the seedlings. If you  notice, it's on a stand, and not at all safe for her to be climbing on. She's always loved playing in and drinking from the table-top fountains I've had through the years, so I decided to make her one of her own in a little more safe environment.

I you would like to make a simple easy-to-make .fountain for your kitty or for you, here's what you'll need.

A Vessel, this will be your fountain. it can be ANYTHING you want to use. I'm using a (yard sale find) glass vase 6 inches in diameter and 5 1/2 inches tall.

A tiny fountain pump. There is a web site at the bottom of my blog page where you can buy tiny pumps. I've bought from artisticdelights.com  for years. This pump is actually over ten years old and has been used off & on for years..

River Rocks, glass beads or anything to conceal the pump. In the floral department Walmart usually has an assortment of beads & rocks.

The wine glass.....I'm going to use mine for my Grandson's little plastic fish he has to have in every fountain. They used to float, but they've been used for so many years, I think their little floats have deflated, but we still have to use them. In many of my fountains I've used the wine glass for candles or fresh cut flowers. Really makes a pretty arrangement.

A vine of Phlodendron.   As for live plant's in table-top fountains, don't use anything but a cutting of Philodendron because other plants have too many roots and that's another post. I prefer to use an artificial vine, simply because the fountain is easier to keep clean. I will write a post about keeping and cleaning your fountain, but since my Squeeker kitty will be drinking from this one I don't want anything in the water that might make her sick. It will have to be cleaned often, if your making one for your use and enjoyment this isn't an issue.

Place the pump in the vessel. Your pump will have a piece of clear tubing and a flow adjustment valve. Read the pump instructions. Before you start assembling the fountain set the pump in the vessel, fill the vessel with water and turn the pump on. Your going to be checking the flow of the pump. If you want more or less water outflow, adjust the pumps little flow valve. This may take a few times of changing the water flow setting and finding the water flow you want for your fountain. At this point too if your tubing is too long, cut it off. This tubing is only about 1 1/2 in. long, just long enough to stick above my water level. (how much water I want in my fountain) I highly recommend doing this in your kitchen sink....it can be splashy & squirty !
 If your using a new pump it will have tiny suction cups to keep it in place. As I said, mine is old and the suction cups are gone. I've set the wine glass and pump where I want them. you can use floral tape and tape the glass down, but I'm going to cover the glass bottom and pump with the river rocks, and they will stay in place.

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Yard Sale Finds 2012

Well, September has arrived here in mid Missouri. I am just a bit  behind in my postings, but I've been really busy. 
Here are a few of my Summer finds..............

Plant flowers in burlap and landscape cloth lined baskets

I bought lots of really cheap baskets, all shapes and sizes. I'm sure I didn't pay more than 50 cents for any if them. I lined them with landscaping cloth and filled with good potting mix. Some of them I used burlap along with the landscaping cloth, for the effect, They were all so pretty. The best part of using the cheap baskets, I'll just toss them in the trash and get new and different ones next spring !

I HAVE  AN ABUNDANCE OF PURPLE  Hyacinth  SEEDS FROM 2012 SEASON 

An old saucer or bottom tray of an old plastic flower pot. This one is 24 inches in diameter.

.My favorite YS find was this big plastic bottom from one of those cheap huge flower pots. I guess I should have called it the tray. The first thing I did was drill a lot of holes for drainage. Now Ladies, if you don't own your own battery  drill by now, you have to do that.  Then I used a small drill bit and drilled holes in the lip of the tray. I drilled 4 sets of holes, each set had 2 close together, then I strung jute through the holes and as we did back in the macrame days, I used the jute as the hanger and hung it from my deck. In the evening when dark came, I placed small flame less candles all through the foliage. It was beautiful.

The vine trailing up the light post is Purple Hyacinth, an annual. I have lots of seeds Free. Contact me if you would like some. They are very easy to grow and love full sun.

 

This is a close up view of the light globes I used in this setting.

Along side the old light fixture globe I  used 16 gage wire to hang this  blue wine bottle. I drop a blue glo stick  inside the wine bottle. It is so pretty lit with the glo stick.

Old ceiling light fixture globes make really pretty lighting in the garden.

 I bought all of these that I could find, and were under $1. I tied jute around them, there's a little lip on them, and hung them from the deck on large cup hooks. I lite tea candles and place in them.

My curtain was made out of burlap I found in Walmart's garden department. $7. for  72 sq ft. of it. The pkg. said it was to tie root balls for transplanting trees and shrubs.....well, I went back and bought several rolls, after all, Christmas  will be coming to town.

 The curtain rod was those small cheap cafe curtain rods. ( found a pile of those at a yard sale for 10 cents each......yep.....I bought all she had.

Every Flower grouping has to have a Fountain

Fountains, I love fountains and make my own. I bought all kinds of interesting flower pots and made fountains with them. 

This one, I used an old "Home Interiors" bird bath, I've had for years.  The bird bath had a bowl, so I set the tiny pump between two flat rocks, down in the bowl. set the flower pot on the flat rocks and ran the pump hose into the flower pot. To hold the fountain hose  in place and keep water from leaking back out the hole I used "plumber's putty". I have used floral putty and it works, but it's a little sticky.

 Plumber's putty comes in a small can and  can  be purchased  Lowe's or Home Depot, in the Plumbing Dept.  Once the the flower pot was in place and level, I covered the flat rocks and pump with river stones.  Any questions leave a comment.

Keep your fountain clean by using Hydrogen Peroxide 
Pour one cup of peroxide into your fountain once a week.
Depending on the size portions and how often may vary

Old Aquarium Plants

I have a huge retaining wall made of  RR ties I buy all the aquarium plants, you know those cheap plastic ones all yard sales have inside the aquarium , that's for sale. 

 I put them in flower pots filled with sand,  set  them among  the real plants and honestly, everyone thinks they are real ! 

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Make a Water Fountain using a Copper Fire Pit

Every Flower grouping has to have a Fountain

Fountains, I love fountains and make my own. I bought all kinds of interesting flower pots and made fountains with them. 

This one, I used an old "Home Interiors" bird bath, I've had for years.  The bird bath had a bowl, so I set the tiny pump between two flat rocks, down in the bowl. set the flower pot on the flat rocks and ran the pump hose into the flower pot. To hold the fountain hose  in place and keep water from leaking back out the hole I used "plumber's putty". I have used floral putty and it works, but it's a little sticky.

 Plumber's putty comes in a small can and  can  be purchased  Lowe's or Home Depot, in the Plumbing Dept.  Once the the flower pot was in place and level, I covered the flat rocks and pump with river stones.  Any questions leave a comment.

Keep your fountain clean by using Hydrogen Peroxide 
Pour one cup of peroxide into your fountain once a week.
Depending on the size portions and how often may vary
(this tip came from Pinterest. No Blog or web page, just a pic w/instructions.) Wish I could give credit where credit is due.

I made a fountain, using the old copper fire pit we had, last year and enjoyed it all Summer, here is this year's fountain.

I used large flat rocks from around the yard to build a pit to place the pump. The large rock, I also had in the yard. 

1)   Buy a fountain pump. ( I use the small table-top size.) Amazon sells them as does many other web sites. Google; table top fountain pumps.

2)  To drill the hole in the rock a 12" , 3/8" masonry bit was used.

3)  I used clear tubing ( you can get at Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart). I used what fit on my pump and up through the rock, about a 11" piece.  

4)  I used river rocks as a filler and stabilizer  for the flat rocks as the bottom of the fire pit is round.
5) At night I throw in one of those little "floral" under water &  battery operated lights..........really pretty. 

I'll be happy to answer any questions & help you get your fountain going. I'll post this on Pinterest so let me know if I can be of any help.

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