- 4
How To Build a Chalet Cottage Birdhouse
Step-by-step instructions with photos for building a chalet style birdhouse that the birds will actually use. Adding a few extra details adds character and makes your birdhouse unique.
- 1
How to Build a Duplex Condo Birdhouse
Two birdhouses in one unique design! Step-by-step plan for building a birdhouse with two separate nest boxes, each with its own entrance.
- 5
How to Build a License Plate Birdhouse
Unique ideas with plans for making decorative birdhouses using old license plates. These are functional birdhouses that birds will actually use to raise their families.
- 4
DIY Platform Bird Feeder Plans: How to Build a Rustic Country Store Bird Feeder
Build a platform bird feeder that is designed to look like a rustic Country Store.
- 1
How to Build a Simple Dovecote Style Birdhouse
This Dovecote Birdhouse is built for the birds! Simple to make, the six-sided birdhouse looks great in the garden and it is designed to attract bluebirds.
- 2
Tre Amici: Growing Companion Plants for Tomatoes
Planting beneficial flowers in the veggie garden to attract beneficial insects, deter pests, and look good too.
- 4
How to Grow Blueberry Bushes
Tips for planting blueberry bushes, and growing blueberries in your backyard.
- 2
How to Feed Birds in Winter: Bird Feeders, Shelter and Drinking Water
Winter Bird Feeding Tips: Bird Feeders, Shelter and Drinking Water
- 31
How to Build a Rustic Decorative Birdhouse
These decorative birdhouses are built for the birds! Birdhouses designed with the birds in mind have a higher chance of attracting tenants, and adding a bit of whimsey makes them look good too!
- 6
How to Make a Nautical Wooden Whale Carving
A simple, silhouette whale carving. Handcrafted folk art that anyone can make.
- 1
How to Grow, Divide, and Plant Water Lilies
How to plant and divide hardy water lilies for bigger blooms.
- 44
The First Blooms of Spring: How and When to Prune Forsythia Bushes
How and When to prune forsythias for the most and largest blooms, year after year
- 12
Winter Landscape Design Ideas: Adding Interest to the Winter Landscape
For year-round interest, design your northern garden with all four season in mind. When the blooms fade, a well-planned winter garden still looks great.
- 0
How To Make Christmas Memory Ornaments
Turn a Christmas photo card into a handcrafted ornament that captures the holiday magic and displays the memories year after year. Christmas Memory Ornaments make great gifts for friends and family.
- 0
3 Ways to Improve Your Contractor Table Saw
My contractor table saw came with a stamped steel fence. Replacing the factory fence with a Biesemeyer fence dramatically improved its performance, safety and enjoyment factor.
- 0
Choose The Right Birdhouse: Attracting Birds With Birdhouses
Not all birdhouses are made for the birds. Always choose a birdhouse that meets the bird's basic requirements.
- 0
Drill Press Sanding Drums: Turn Your Drill Press into a Sanding Station
Product Review: Increase the versatility of your drill press by adding a sanding drum attachment.
- 3
DIY Arts & Crafts: Is a Brad Nailer Right for You?
I'm an experienced woodworker and craftsman who uses a brad nailer. Here are my thoughts on whether having one would be useful for your arts and crafts endeavors.
- 15
Driftwood Art: How to Make a Driftwood Birdhouse
DIY craft project for making a decorative birdhouse from pieces of driftwood. This is a functional birdhouse that birds will actually use.
- 5
Raising Chickens for Eggs: Our Urban Chicken Coop
Tips on raising backyard chickens for eggs that are healthy and taste great. There really is a difference between the fresh eggs from your own backyard flock of chickens, and eggs from the store
- 0
Whale Cutting Board Plans: How to Make a Whale Cutting Board
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions for making a cutting board with a whale shaped insert.
- 7
How to Build a Lighthouse Birdhouse: Decorative Birdhouse Design Plans
DIY Birdhouse Plans with step-by-step instructions to build a decorative birdhouse that resembles a lighthouse.
- 20
How and When to Prune Buddleia Butterfly Bushes
Tips for pruning Butterfly Bushes to produce the most blooms, year after year.
- 4
Designing a Rock Garden: Landscaping With Rocks and Boulders
When the Landscape Gives You Boulders and Stones, Create a Garden that Rocks! Using rocks and boulders to create interesting garden designs with year-round appeal.
- 9
How to Make a Homemade Mosquito Trap
DIY plans for making an organic mosquito trap. The difference with this homemade mosquito trap is adding yeast to the bait mixture.
- 10
Ladybug House Plans: How to Build a Ladybug House
DIY plans with step-by-step instructions, photos and diagrams for building a Ladybug House. Plus, lady bug facts and tips for attracting lady bugs into the garden.
- 5
Native New England Plants in Our Woodland Garden
Our woodland garden is filled with a variety of native plants including Jack-in-the-Pulpit and Indian Pipes, and mixed with ornament shrubs and flowers that attract birds, bugs and other critters.
- 5
Spring Fishing In Maine: Trolling For Landlocked Salmon
Tips for fishing on East Grand Lake (Maine) for Landlocked Salmon
- 8
How to Make a Mason Bee House
DIY plans with step-by-step instructions for making a mason bee house.
- 7
Weather Safety Tips: How To Prepare For Snow Storms, Winter Weather and Power Blackouts
Get prepared for winter storms: Plan ahead for deep snow, high winds and electrical outages
- 1
How to Winterize a Lawn Mower
Winterizing a lawn mower isn't difficult or time-consuming and only requires a few basic tools. Follow these simple DIY tips for winterizing a lawn mower, and your mower will start easier next spring.
- 7
How to Make a Baked French Toast Casserole
This simple Baked French Toast recipe is great for feeding a crowd at breakfast or brunch
- 0
Classic Copper Weathervanes: The Original Wind Tracker
Which way does a weathervane point? With the wind, or into it? A brief history of weathervanes.
- 7
The Original 16 Hot Wheels Cars From 1968: The Redline Era
Hot Wheels Cars List: The Original 16 Hot Wheels Cars From 1968
- 6
How to Make a Toy Bulldozer
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions for building this toy wooden bulldozer.
- 10
Bats in Halloween Folklore and in the History of Halloween
A brief history of Halloween, with the symbolism of bats to the Halloween holiday
- 10
10 Best Bruce Springsteen Songs
Readers Poll: Our picks for the 10 Best Bruce Springsteen songs of all time. Don't agree? Add your vote for your favorite Bruce tune.
- 19
What is Wampum? Searching for Wampum Shells
A brief history of Wampum, and collecting Wampum shells on the beach
- 0
Bottle Opener History: From Cap Lifters to Speed Openers
A brief history of bottle caps and the bottle opener designs to remove these new fangled caps from our favorite bottled beverages.
- 10
Pet Pygmy Goat Care and Building a Goat Pen
Welcome to our goat pen! Meet Oliver and Delilah, our pet pygmy goats, and see how we built our new goat pen.
- 5
How to Make a Shorebird Silhouette Decoy: Rustic Handcrafted Folk Art
Patterns and step-by-step instructions for making a simple shorebird decoy. Start with this basic decoy carving blank, and then add details
- 17
My HO Model Railroad Layout
Take a tour of my HO model railroad. Set in the 1950's my mid-sized layout features around-the-wall construction and a good 'nuff level of modeling. Mostly, it is a lot of fun.
- 10
How To Control Nutsedge In Your Lawn: Nutsedge Weed Killer
Nutsedge is a invasive, glass-like weed that spreads quickly through the lawn. It is also very difficult to control. Here's how we stopped the Nutsedge invasion.
- 2
How To Make A Great Martini
5 Classic Martini Recipes
- 1
How to Make Blueberry Pancakes from Scratch! Our Delicious Homemade Pancake Batter Recipe
This simple Blueberry Pancake Recipe is so easy to make and tastes so good, there's more no need to buy any more of that mix in a box.
- 31
How To Make A Great Margarita
Margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails, and here are five classic recipes for mixing the best tasting margarita
- 8
The Snakes in Our Gardens. Toads and Salamanders Too
Looking for snakes in my backyard. And Finding Toads, Turtles and Salamanders too!
- 26
Window Planter Box Plans: How to Build a Window Box
Use these DIY plans with step-by-step instructions to build a window box yourself!
- 25
How to Make Compost Tea: The Organic Energy Drink for Plants
Make a compost tea brewing system from a few basic materials. While there are many commercial products available, making a simple and effective compost tea brewing system is an easy DIY project.
- 15
How to Pan Fry a Burger
Three Easy Steps to Cooking Better Pan Fried Burgers
- 3
The Best Sausage, Pepper and Onion Recipe
Grilling sausages and growing peppers is a family tradition. This is our recipe for making a delicious sausage, onion and pepper sandwich.
- 9
How To Cook A Baked Stuffed Lobster
An easy recipe for cooking a New England style baked stuff lobster: fresh lobster stuffed with scallops and lobster meat
- 14
How to Build a Rain Garden for Catching Rainwater
Plant a rain garden to catch runoff from rainfall and melting snow. Our rain garden captures runoff from our house and landscape, and channels the excess water into our rain garden.
- 23
How to Sharpen Lawn Mower Blades
DIY step-by-step instructions with photos on how to sharpen your lawn mower blade. Save money by sharpening your mower blade yourself.
- 2
How to Build a Barn Owl Nesting Box: Barn Owl Nest Box Plans
DIY plans for building a nest box designed for barn owls, with step-by-step instructions for building the owl box
- 17
How and When to Prune Lilacs for Bigger Blooms
How and when you prune your lilac bushes has a direct impact on the number and size of springtime blooms. This article tells you everything you need to know.
- 36
How to Grow Fig Trees in Containers
I offers tips for growing figs in northern climates. Where the winter cold can kill a fig tree, try growing the plant in containers. When it gets cold outside, move the fig inside for the winter.
- 9
How to Build a Kestrel Nesting Box
Find DIY plans and step-by-step instructions to build a kestrel nesting box.
- 2
How to Repaint Metal: Restoring and Painting a Rusted Metal Project
DIY step by step instructions for restoring and refinishing metal projects
- 8
How To Make A Peanut Butter Sandwich and the Secret to Avoiding Jelly Soaked Bread
How to make a proper Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, the recipe for Elvis's favorite Peanut Butter Sandwich, plus a list of other ingredients to make a special PB&J
- 17
How to Cook the Perfect Rib-Eye Steak
A simple cooking technique for a delicious, pan-seared steak.
- 8
Make A Pilgrim Sandwich: Thanksgiving on a Roll. And Turkey Pot Pie Too
The Pilgrim sandwich is the ultimate sandwich recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers.
- 9
How to Shuck Oysters
Tips for using an Oyster Knife to shuck oysters efficiently and safely, a simple recipe for tasty cocktail sauce, and a few fun oyster facts.
- 3
8 Tips for Organizing Emails: Improve Your Email Efficiency
Overwhelmed by your Inbox? Try these tips to reduce email clutter and increase your email efficiency
- 3
16 Ideas for Birdhouses, Feeders, and Nesting Box Plans and Designs
Ideas and inspiration for making several different types of wooden birdhouses.
- 7
10 Tips For Writing Effective Email Messages
How To Write Powerful and Effective Emails that are Concise and to the Point
- 8
Mouse Traps That Work: How to Trap a Mouse
An overview of the different types of mouse traps available in the market today, and how to use them to catch mice and get them out of your home.
- 3
Cover Me: Our Favorite Covers of Bruce Springsteen Songs
A collection of songs written by Bruce Springsteen that were recorded by other artists.
- 10
How to Winterize Your Pond
Preparing Your Pond For Fall and Winter: Tips for getting your pond, fish and plants ready for winter
- 29
Collecting Lionel Trains
Tips for collecting vintage Lionel trains, with photos of my Lionel train collection and O-scale layout.
- 42
How to Make a Toad House
A DIY crafting project for making a toad house from a flower pot, and then adding Wampum to decorate the outside of the toad abode.
- 11
When to Prune Raspberries: Planting Raspberry Bushes
Tips for pruning raspberries properly for growing more fruit every season
- 13
Growing Carnivorous Plants That Eat Bugs
Carnivorous plants have specialized growing requirements and interesting eating habits. Here is basic information on growing these bug-eating plants.
- 11
Shorebird Decoy Patterns: How to Make Folk Art Decoys
Patterns, photos and step-by-step instructions for creating simple Folk Art decoys. Start with a basic carving blank, and then add details and paint to finish your own shorebird decoy.
- 19
7 Steps for Handling Customer Complaints
Tips for dealing with angry customers and improving your customer service skills
- 4
Feeding the Birds: Attract More Birds to Your Backyard
Offering different types of bird feeders filled a variety of wild bird seed increases the number and variety of birds searching for a meal
- 45
How to Catch Blue Crabs
Simple Techniques and Tips for Catching & Cooking Blue Crabs
- 34
Installing A Pondless Waterfall Kit: Build A Disappearing Waterfall
Tips for installing a DIY Pondless Waterfall Kit
- 18
Rubber Band Catapult Plans: How to Make a Rubber Band Powered Catapult
DIY plans and step-by-step instructions for make a model catapult that really works and actually flings small objects
- 1
Catching Stripers with Sea Clams: Striped Bass Fishing Techniques
Tips, tackle and technique for catching striped bass by drifting pieces of clam.
- 11
How to Build a Wood Duck Nest Box
DIY Plans with photos, diagrams and step-by-step instructions for building a nest box that is specially designed for wood ducks.
- 14
Living With the Locals in a Wildlife-Friendly Landscape
Our backyard is a NWF-certified backyard wildlife habitat, providing the local wildlife with their four essential requirements: food, water, shelter, and places to raise their young.
- 10
Displaying Vinyl Records: How to Make Album Cover Frames
Album cover frames are perfect for displaying the cover art from your favorite LP records. This article shows you how to make your own DIY album cover frames with photos and step-by-step instructions.
- 14
Making Wooden Birdhouses: Birdhouse Ideas, Plans and Designs
Birdhouse designs, plans and inspiration for building handcrafted wooden birdhouses and nesting boxes. These birdhouses are made for the birds!
- 3
How to Make a Paint Brush Holder and Portable Crafter Table
Repurpose and up-cycle a tin container into a unique and useful paint brush holder for your favorite artist. Our step-by-step instructions uses an inner stand to keep your artist neat and organized.
- 3
How To Calculate A Board Foot: Buying Lumber by the Board Foot
Using simple math to calculate a board foot of lumber: 12" long x 12" wide x 1" thick = 1 board foot of lumber
- 15
How To Plant Grass Seed In Bare Spots: Spot Seeding A Patchy Lawn
DIY tips for patching and seeding an established lawn
- 11
Cat Scratching Post Plans: How to Make a Cat Scratching Post
Save Your Furniture and Woodwork with an Inexpensive and Easy to Make Cat Scratching Post
- 13
DIY Metal Trellis Plans: How to Make a Garden Trellis from Copper Pipe
DIY plans, diagram and step-by-step instructions to make a garden trellis from copper pipe
- 24
How to Hang Bird Feeders
Attract more birds to your yard by hanging the right bird feeders and offering the right birdseed.
- 16
Screech Owl House Plans: How to Build a Screech Owl Box
DIY plans for building a screech owl nesting box. This article includes diagrams, photos and step-by-step instructions for building and hanging a owl house.
- 73
Building a Small Backyard Pond Around Rocks and Under Trees
A slope, rocks and trees didn't stop us from building an unconventional garden pond. And the results were worth the effort!
- 16
Birdhouse Ideas: Three DIY Birdhouse Plans
DIY plans with step-by-step instructions to build three different and unique birdhouses
- 14
DIY Closet Organizer Plans: Customize Your Closets
DIY tips for designing a custom closet, using materials from any home center
- 29
Rustic Birdhouse Ideas: How to Use Salvaged Wood, Reclaimed Lumber, and Old Pallets
Reusing found lumber and wood scraps to make rustic-looking birdhouses is great and affordable method. These birdhouse ideas include DIY plans, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions for you.
- 12
Butterfly Gardens: How to Attract Butterflies to Your Garden
Attracting Butterflies: Flowers And Plants For A Butterfly Garden
- 91
DIY Scrap Wood Projects for Reclaimed Wood and Salvaged Lumber
Reclaim, re-use and re-purpose to give new life to old lumber.
- 61
Chickens and Cold Weather: Caring for Chickens in Winter
How we feed, water and care for our chickens during the cold northeastern winter
- 5
Table Saw Push Stick Plans: How To Make A Push Stick
DIY plans with step-by-step instructions for making your own push stick
- 3
5 Tips for Creating A Good Voicemail Greeting
Tips for creating a professional voicemail greeting that increases productivity.
- 2
How to Attract Hummingbirds With Plants and Flowers
A guide on choosing the right plants and flowers to attract hummingbirds.
- 27
Butterfly House Plans: How to Build a Butterfly House
DIY plans with photos and step-by-step instructions for making a Butterfly House. Our version of the butterfly box is made from pieces of salvaged mahogany.
- 103
How to Attract Eastern Bluebirds With the Right Foods, Plants and Nest Boxes
Plants, feeders and birdhouses for attracting bluebirds in your yard -- and getting them to stay.
- 6
How to Build a Peterson Slant-Front Style Bluebird House
Build your own Peterson bluebird nest box plans with these step-by-step instructions. Entice more of these beautiful birds to visit with our tips for attracting bluebirds into your garden.
- 9
How to Store Bird Seed
Tips for keeping bird seed fresh and away from rodents
- 0
Catching Striped Bass and Bluefish by Trolling With a Tube and a Worm
Tips, tackle and techniques for catching stripers by trolling with a tube and a worm.
- 10
Bluebird Feeder Plans: How to Make a Bluebird Feeder
DIY Plans with photos and step-by-step instructions for making a bluebird feeder. This feeder lets the bluebirds in, but keeps bigger birds out.
- 15
How to Make an Oriole Feeder
DIY instructions for making a simple oriole feeder to hold an orange or other pieces of fruit.
- 9
Catching Striped Bass With Sand Worms
Tips on fishing tackle and technique for using sand worms as bait for catching striped bass.
- 11
How to Find Deer Antler Sheds
Tips for finding deer antler sheds, including where to look and what to look for, to increase your chances on find a shed antler.
- 19
Fishing For Fluke: How To Tie A Fluke Rig
Tips for tying fluke rigs and flounder rigs, plus tips for catching more fish
- 7
The Good Bugs in the Garden: Attracting Beneficial Insects
Organic gardening depends on maintaining the fragile balance between the plants and veggies against the bugs that want to eat them. The best defense is teaming up with the beneficial insects.
- 11
Increasing Closet Space: How To Install A Closet Organizer
Installing A Closest Organizer: An easy DIY project for increased closest space
- 12
How to Get Rid of Groundhogs, Woodchucks, and Voles
Tips for keeping groundhogs and voles out of your garden. Remove these pests before they eat your flowers and veggies.
- 27
Raising Chickens in the Backyard: Our Urban Chicken Coop
Practical tips and ideas in planning for an urban chicken coop, and keeping a small flock of chickens in the backyard
- 8
Stocking A Home Bar On A Budget
Tips for stocking a home bar with the basic liquors and mixers needed to mix quality cocktails. With quality liquor, more is not better.
- 7
How to Build a Bluebird House: Nest Box Plans
This article shares DIY bluebird birdhouse plans with step-by-step instructions for building a nest box.
- 30
How to Grow and Divide Hosta Plants
Hostas are hardy plants and a staple in northern shade gardens. Knowing how and when to divide them can add more healthy plants to your garden.
- 158
How to Build a Fieldstone Fire Pit
With some simple tools, a little effort and a few safety precautions, building a fieldstone fire pit is a weekend DIY project that your family and friends will enjoy for many years to come.
- 11
How To Lay Down Sod: Tips For Laying Sod
Tips for laying down sod for a green and healthy lawn
- 4
My Woodshop Storage Ideas: Recycling Kitchen Cabinets Into Garage Storage Units
DIY project for converting used kitchen cabinets into useful garage storage units
- 11
Jurassic Path: Making Stepping Stones With Dinosaur Prints!
Add a prehistoric accent to your gardens and landscape with an ambling pathway of DIY dinosaur tracks. This article includes photos, diagrams and step-by-step instructions.
- 6
Striped Bass Fishing Techniques: Drifting Bait to Catch Striped Bass
One of my favorite methods for catching striped bass is drifting bait through the current. Here's a few tips for striper bait and tackle.
- 11
How To Make a DIY Deer Feeder
DIY Plans with step-by-step instructions for building a homemade Deer Feeder
- 23
Bat Box Plans: How to Build a Bat House
DIY plans for building a bat house with an image of a flying bat. This article includes diagrams, photos and step-by-step instructions for building and hanging a bat box.
96
I enjoy writing about topics of personal interest including woodworking, fishing and gardening. I have several hobbies (I'm seldom bored) and I enjoy the process of creating new projects and then writing about them. I especially enjoy building birdhouses and over the years, I have built hundreds of birdhouses. Many are in use around our property and were given to friends and family, and some are posted at Altorenna Woodcrafts on Etsy.