DIY Gifts for Gardeners: Garden Markers

     The Holidays are coming and if like me you have big plans to make your gifts yourself then now is the time to get crafting. The wonderful thing about home made gifts is they can be as personal as you want- for example with this easy little gift I had my mom in mind- she is a gardener and so what a perfect stocking stuffer these garden makers would be! Very easy for the novice crafter- perfect for making with the Littles- these are sure to make any gardener smile in the middle of the winter!

Garden Markers

The Goods:

acrylic paint- I chose Martha Stewart Colours in a Satin finish
paint brush
large size popsicle sticks
letter stamps and a stamp pad
                or
coloured Sharpie of your choice
an outdoor sealant or varnish- I used
Jo Sonja Polyurethane varnish

The Deal:

- to start paint your popsicle sticks with two or three coats of the Satin paints- don't be shy- really make sure the paint is thick

- while the paint is still slightly tacky* start stamping in your words- I chose to put different herbs on my garden markers- because the paint is still tacky the stamps will emboss into the paint giving the project a bit of dimension

- allow the stamped letters to dry for an hour or so before coating them with a weather proof sealant- you can either dip the entire garden marker into the sealant and hang to dry or you can paint it on one side at a time- allow the sealant to cure- this could take up to 24 hours.

        Pair your garden markers with some GMO free seeds like these from the Strathcona 1890 Urban Seed Collection and some wee starter pots for the perfect gift for the frustrated winter gardener! Every garden needs a pop of colour- even in areas with flowers like the herb garden these little multi coloured markers will pop out of the foliage!

* if you are hand printing your words on with a Sharpie please make sure the paint is thoughrally dry before proceeding with the rest of the steps.