Sweetbriar Nature Center’s butterfly house is breathtaking. They host hundreds of gorgeous, diverse butterflies. Entering the nature center is free of charge, but the butterfly house costs a few dollars - very well worth it.
About the last two photos in the set:
We got to see a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis! I learned that a new butterfly needs to chill out for a few hours while before it can fly, as their wings are too soft.
And the last pic - I tried so hard to get a clear picture of this butterfly. That species was HUGE - as big as your hand, and the top of their wings were an awesome bright blue. They were rarely still - and when they were, their wings were closed! Wish I got a better shot, oh well.
- Danielle
It’s been unbearably hot lately on Long Island but this weekend’s weather is beautiful - low 80’s, breezy and sunny.
Today I went to one of my favorite (and free) places on the island, Sweetbriar Nature Center. This amazing organization rehabilitates injured animals, mostly birds. They also have a huge, gorgeous garden - very peaceful. My favorite part of the nature center is their absolutely stunning butterfly house. Pictures of that soon :)
- Danielle
Hollowed light bulb hanging flower pot tutorial!
I reblogged this photo months ago, and couldn’t find the original source or any tutorial associated with it. I knew I wanted to make it either way, so I snapped some pics and decided to piece it together for you.
You’ll need:
- Flowers & Dirt
- Pliers
- Light bulb(s)*
- Twine
- Wire
- Not pictured: Poker or needle
- Not pictured: A hook to hang it from
- Optional: Decorative rocks
* Only use incandescent light bulbs for this project, DO NOT break open a fluorescent light bulb (the curly ones), they are very toxic!
This project requires breaking glass and handling glass… so be careful, kids.
Step 1: Hollow
Cover the light bulb with a cloth and grip it gently.
I took my needle-nose pliers and went at it. There is a piece of foil/metal on the very end of the light bulb, that can be pulled off with ease, exposing a small hole. Then you sort of just need to start digging in there. The black part is the hardest to get off, but once you crack it you should be able to clean the rest of it easily. After that, you need to break the filament and pull it out.
Click here for a more thorough explanation of this step.
Step 2: Poke Holes
Once your light bulb is all cleaned out and you’ve discarded any shards of broken glass, twist a poker or a sewing needle against the sides of the light bulb to poke two holes through the metal.
If your light bulb has a stamp or text printed on it, use nail polish remover to take it off if you wish.
Step Three: Create a Handle
Cut a piece of wire (I used jewelry wire) and thread it through the holes. Leave about a inch of wire exposed on either side, and wrap the ends around the top to secure it.
Step Four: Get Dirty
I put these pretty rocks on the bottom to give it some weight, and filled about a cup of dirt from the potted plant into the light bulb. If you have a funnel, it will make this step easier.
Step Five: Add Flora
Transfer your plant carefully, do not scrape the stems onto any sharp edges on the inside from where you removed the filament, or it will damage your flowers.
Tie a sturdy piece of twine around the handle and hang it up!
I love beautifying my dorm with these simple projects. Click here to learn how to create the autumn leaf heart vine pictured above.
Inspired by:
http://colormekatie.blogspot.com/2011/07/something-old-to-something-new.html
Autumn is my favorite season, so I decided to make these cute heart-leaf vines that I previously posted here.
The original tutorial didn’t include thorough instructions, just pictures. My version is a little different and requires some extra steps, so hopefully these tips will help anybody else who wants to DIY these adorable vines as well.
I collected the prettiest fallen leaves and used a heart punch to cut out the shapes. To preserve the colors, I painted some Mod Podge onto each side of every heart. This should prevent the leaves from deteriorating.
At my schools art co-op, I found some wires covered with green thread that were perfect for this project!
I bent the wires into the desired curved shape and hot-glued the leaves along the wire, alternating the position of each one.
I also glued another leaf to the other side of the wire so they can be seen from the outside of the window as well.
