Furry Furnishings If you’re looking for something warm to cuddle up to this winter, Rita Hill’s furry throws are easy to make and cost a fraction of the price of ready-made, shop bought ones. With the right fabric they can look spectacular, and they feel...
Garden Flags Decorative flags look great in the garden on windy days, and they are easy and cheap to make. Rita Hill made long flags or pennants about 3m long x 50cm wide using bright cotton fabric and poles made from bamboo or other suitable materials. You’ll...
Glass Painting Rita Hill gave some old glassware a fresh new look by painting it, then baking it in the oven! You will need glass jars, tumblers, pitchers or vases porcelain glass paints (45ml) porcelain outliner pens (20ml) stencils felt-tipped pen Step by step...
How to Hang A Door Backyard Blitz builder, Scott Cam, demonstrated how to hang a door when the doorframe is not square. In a perfect world, hanging a door would be a simple matter. You’d buy a door the right size from a hardware store or building supplier, take...
Scott Cam demonstrated how easy it is to change the washer on a leaky household tap. (Note: In some parts of Australia it is illegal to change tap washers – you must call in a licensed plumber to do the job. Check with the water supply authority in your own...
Mosaic Stepping Stones Rita Hill showed how to turn a boring concrete paver into a beautiful piece of garden artwork. You will need: ready made concrete stepping stones Bondcrete (1/2 litre does one stepping stone) old plates, tiles, glass tiles or mosaic tiles old...
Noticeboard The telephone area in Rita Hill’s home was a disaster. Whenever her friends rang she couldn’t find a pen that worked or any notepaper! Rita solved the problem by making a noticeboard to hang on the wall next to the phone. The noticeboard is...
We’re right in the middle of a pebble revolution! Pebbles and gravels are still used in the traditional way on driveways and in Japanese gardens, but they’re also being used as paving, garden mulch, and even as feature walls. Now Rita Hill has taken these...
Peppermint Foot Rejuvenator – The French Alternative If you’re a no-shoes person at heart, you may need Jackie’s Peppermint Foot Rejuvenator to keep your feet in tip-top condition. Ingredients 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp full cream powdered milk 2 tbsp...
Pool Room Makeover Several weeks ago on Burke’s Backyard we completed one of our best makeovers ever. A weed-infested site was cleared and then planted with fabulous tropical fruit trees and colourful foliage plants. An aviary resembling a Thai temple was built...