Here's a fun project that I've been working on... Awhile back I decided I needed some markers for my rosebeds. I have seen some posts of creatively painted rocks with the name of each rose on them. Others have suggested buying markers relatively cheaply online at Harlane.com...

Well, I finally came up with my own solution that fit my budget for all 60+ roses I will be owning! This is what I used:

-Old clothesline wire

-1 X 2 x 8's Cut into 4" lengths

-Tools I happened to have on hand

1.) I cut wire into 2 1/2 ft lenths

2.) And cut the 1X2 pieces of wood to the size I wanted

3.) Then, used drill bit (the diameter of the wire) to make a hole in the bottom of the marker for the wire to fit into

4.) The hardest part was to stencil/burn the name of each rose onto marker with a pointed solder gun tip.

Tip: I make sure to have plenty of ventilation. (i.e. mask and fan) It can get to be a real headache breathing smoke from burning wood!

5.) Applied 1 - 2 coats of sealer/protector to wood for a natural finish.

6.) Assembled markers, and voila!

It does take some time to burn each marker, but hey, that is what winter is for!!

Cheers,

Mark