Stamped and Beaded Garden Markers

Do you have a vegetable garden or know someone who does? It's on my very long list of things to do/try, but my sister has a beautiful garden and she loved these garden markers I made for her.

Here's what you need to make a set to adorn your own garden or to give to your favorite gardener:
10" Zinc Garden Markers (I found mine at our local Bachman's garden center)
18-gauge wire (or thickness to fit your beads)
Assorted glass seed beads (size 6/0 "E")
Decorative Silver-toned beads (Butterfly and Dragonfly found at Michaels)
Metal Alphabet Stamps (I used 1/4" stamps for the markers in the photo.)
Hammer, small pliers/wire cutter, pencil, tape, and ruler.
Acrylic sealer - optional





Start by stamping your labels. You'll need a hard durable work surface. If you have a steel bench block, great. Otherwise find a concrete floor or patio. Masking tape works well as a guide for letter placement. These metal markers are pretty soft so I only needed a tap or two to get a good impression.
After you've stamped your marker, string assorted beads on the wire to a beaded length of 5 1/2 to 6 inches. To shape the beaded wire, wrap around a pencil 3 or 4 times. Carefully slide the coil off the pencil.
Attach the cut end of the wire to one corner of the marker. (See photo below.) Loop once around the wire frame then wrap the wire around itself 2 or 3 times. Cut.





Now cut the wire from the roll leaving a long enough tail to fasten to the opposite corner of the marker. Repeat the loop and wrap process to finish. Adjust the shape of the wire coil as desired.
Depending on the type of beads you used, a coat or two of acrylic sealer might give some added protection against the elements. (My sister's were out in her Minnesota garden all last summer and held up great without sealer.)





For additional tips and more photos, view the full post:






Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/14387913/stamped-and-beaded-garden-markers site