DIY Cheap Chargers

Boy do I have spring fever!  I have been on a mission, lately, to spruce up my back patio.  I dream of an outdoor space where I WANT to unwind, a place where our family can spend time together and a place that I want to show off!  Of course, I also want that space cheap:)

My first plan of action was to create an outdoor dining area.  We love ourselves some cook-outs!  We purchased a patio set last summer but I never did anything decorative with it. 

***Many of you have sent emails asking where I got my patio set and we purchased it on-line at Home Depot.  It is a Martha Stewart set and I LOVE it!  It was shipped for free and 20% off!  Check out the circulars in your Sunday paper because they run great deals on patio furniture!***

Back to the Chargers!

I love the look of chargers for a tablescape but the price tag on most of them busts my wallet, especially for outdoor dining!  I had a vision and I went with it!

I picked some 1 x 12's from my scrap pile and got to work!

I cut 6 pieces at 12" (I might add that my husband was over-joyed for me to get rid of some scraps;)

I gave each piece 1 coat of Minwax Dark Walnut Stain

and followed up with 1 coat of Minwax Polycrylic.

That was it!

Seriously, that was it!  Very little time and they were FREE!

I also cut one 1 x 12 at 24" for a centerpiece and I love how it shows off my citronella lanterns!

Please excuse the mess, we are installing a pool right now (which is another reason I am ready to spruce up my outdoor area;)

If you don't have 1 x 12 scraps laying around you can purchase one 8' board at a hardware store for around $13.  That's less that $2 per charger!  To make it easier, you can have it cut for you while you are at the store.  From there, your only job is to stain and finish:)

I am so in love with these chargers!  I love the natural look of them and I LOVE that I can use them for inside dining as well!  Now, I'm off to set up my inside dining table!

~Ashley