30 Brilliantly Easy DIY Fire Pits To Enhance Your Outdoors

1. Cheap And Simple Rock Bowl Fire Pit

This is a smaller take on the traditional fire pit, and it's perfect for smaller yards or patios. You use quickset concrete to create a bowl which will house the fire pit. Then you'll need rocks – maybe river rocks or even rocks that you dig up out of your garden – as well as a chafing dish gel fuel pack, and a few other supplies. Use a large can to make the hole in your concrete bowl, which is where you will put the flame. I love how simple this is and it's small so it is completely portable.

Tutorial: b3hd

2. DIY Glass Top Fire Pit Table

Maybe you prefer something more modern when it comes to your fire pit. This glass top fire table is perfect for your patio, and is just beautiful when it is completed. The base of the table serves to hide the propane tank which fuels the fire. I positively love the tiles on top of the table, but you could forgo those if you wanted. This is the perfect choice if you don't have much of a backyard but still want that cozy fire to sit around at night.

Tutorial: moderustic

3. Easy Patio Paver Fire Pit

If you want a more traditional fire pit, this patio paver version is great. You dig a hole in the ground, fill it with pebbles and then add patio pavers to the sides of your metal base to create the pit. This is great if you have room in the backyard for it and you can build this one to hold real wood if you prefer that to gas. It's a little more work than some on the list, but you should be able to easily finish it in a day – maybe a weekend depending on how hard you work at it.

Tutorial: bowerpowerblog

4. Easy And Inexpensive Tabletop Fire Pit

This tabletop fire pit is cheap and easy to make. You use a can of gel fuel to light it and the box looks much like those gorgeous tabletop water fountains that you see, complete with beautiful stones and a glass encasement. You can make the entire thing for around $25, and that's if you have to purchase all of the materials. Imagine how much you can save if you have a few of the necessities already on hand! It's a smaller, more personal fire pit, but a fire pit nonetheless.

Tutorial: theartofdoingstuff

5. Homemade Steel Box Fire Pit

If you prefer something a bit more indestructible, this steel box fire pit is right up your alley. It is built with sheets of 12 gauge hot rolled steel and costs just about $100 for all of the materials. It's also a relatively easy and pretty quick fire pit to build. There is some welding required for this one, and it may rust – although that would just lend to the rustic style of it – but it's virtually impossible to destroy so it's there for the long haul.

Tutorial: the-brick-house

6. DIY Cinder Block Fire Pit

You don't have to have a fire pit form to create this accessory for your backyard. You can build the form out of a number of things – such as cinder blocks. Here's a great fire pit that only requires you to dig a shallow hole in the ground. Then, you fill the hold with cinder blocks in the pattern or size that you want. This entire project, including the cinder blocks, paver stones that sit on top to give it decoration, and the concrete mix only costs around $75.

Tutorial: caroleknits

7. Decorative Concrete Fire Pit

This decorative DIY concrete fire pit is really gorgeous and pretty cheap to make, too. You will need some gravel, a fire pit metal bowl in whatever size you want your fire pit to be, and some flagstone for the decorative top. You'll build a wooden frame to mold the concrete, which is not nearly as difficult as it sounds. All in all, this is a really easy fire pit to make and you can have it finished in less than a weekend. It's really elegant with the square shape and the flagstone on top, too.

Tutorial: diynetwork

8. DIY Patio With Included Fire Pit

This project is for the entire patio area with a fire pit in the center. The patio is created with pavers and it's simply gorgeous. As you are building in the patio, you start preparing for the fire pit and the center of the round patio holds your fire. Imagine having a totally new patio with a fire pit built right into it! This would solve your problem of where you should put the fire pit and it's really beautiful when it's finished.

Tutorial: countryfarm-lifestyles

9. DIY Stone Fire Pit

e an old wishing well that you would see in a fairy tale with the stones that are used. It's not terribly time consuming, but the stones are a bit more expensive than some of the other materials that you could use. It's a gorgeous concept, though and one that you may just want to consider.

Tutorial: diynetwork

10. $10 Upcycled Fire Pit

I love this idea! The entire fire pit will only cost you about $10 if you already have the main material – which is the drum out of an old washing machine. Even if you have to buy the drum, it won't cost much to get a broken old machine. You use the drum as the actual pit which has these amazing little holes all through it so your fire will glow beautifully. If you're looking for a really inexpensive way to build one, this old washing machine drum fire pit is perfect.

Tutorial: houseandfig

11. Shopping Cart Fire Pit

If you're really in a pinch for cash and you need a fire pit quickly, this shopping cart version is great. While it's not something I would prefer, it does get the job done. I think this one would be wonderful for camping. You'll need an old shopping cart, and that's about it. Put a screen on top and you're all set. You even have a space underneath to store extra wood and supplies.

Tutorial: instructables

12. Rustic Wheelbarrow Fire Pit

An old rusty wheelbarrow, the metal kind, makes a great choice for a creative and unique fire pit. You can place the wheelbarrow on a concrete surface to make it safer and then just fill it up with wood to light on fire. Choose a steel wheelbarrow, which you can get at most flea markets for around $5 or so, and make sure you use one with a steel wheel – you're looking for an old-fashioned style.

Tutorial: misseffiesdiary

13. DIY Fire Pit From Tree Rings

You can typically pick up concrete tree rings for around $2 per section. These make the perfect base for your fire pit. You just add a small round grill to the center and you're practically all done. The total cost of this entire fire pit, including decorative stones to finish it off, is only around $50 or so depending on the specific stones you choose. It's a really easy project, too.

Tutorial: instructables

14. DIY Brick Fire Pit

Along the same lines as most of these fire pit projects, you can use bricks to create a beautiful accessory for the backyard patio. Just dig your hole and then line it with bricks. If you have bricks leftover from another project, this one won't cost you anything. Many times, you can get bricks really cheap – even free in some cases – if you find someone tearing down a building that has them. Once you're finished layering the bricks, just add gravel to the center of your pit.

15. Large Squared Fire Pit

This DIY fire pit is rather large – much larger than some of the others on the list, and requires quite a few materials. When it is finished though, it is absolutely phenomenal. If you tend to entertain larger groups of people then you definitely want a fire pit that leaves room for several chairs around it. This one will give you plenty of room for everyone. If you don't need it this big, you can always cut it down a size or two.

Tutorial: rachelferrucci

16. Self-Feeding Fire Pit

This self-feeding fire pit is genius. If you need a fire pit rather quickly and you need to be able to entertain instead of sitting there watching the flames all night, this is perfect. With the right amount and the right type of wood, this thing will burn for up to 14 hours! You just need to create a wood holder – or you could use a circular firewood holder – and then light the bottom. As the fire burns, the wood will rotate downward. While this may not be your choice for a permanent backyard fire pit, it is certainly the perfect one for camping!

200+ Easy To Make Freezer Meals That Save You Time And Money

Probably one of the trendiest things online these days is freezer meals. I mean, making up a number of meals to place in the freezer and then having all of your dinners practically fixed for you – sometimes for an entire month. If you've ever thought of getting into the freezer meal craze, now is definitely the time, and I've got more than 200 great meals that you can prepare and freeze to save yourself some time and money.

The great thing about freezer meals is you make them up whenever you have time and then they're ready when you don't have time. Honestly, these make ahead meals are a busy mom's dream come true. You can literally make up a month's worth of dinners and then all you have to do is just throw the frozen meal into the crock pot or oven to cook it. Imagine having wholesome, nutritious meals every single night of the week – no more fast food for your family. You're going to give them homemade every night! And speaking of wholesome family meals, be sure to check out this amazing cheesy cabbage casserole that I guarantee the family will love.

Okay, so if you aren't too familiar with freezer meals, you'll need a few things to get started. First, you'll need freezer space. If you don't have a deep freeze, that's fine. You can make up several meals and put them in your regular freezer. Most of these go into freezer bags, so they won't take up much room anyway. You'll also want to be sure that you make an ingredients list and take that to the grocery store with you when you're shopping for your freezer meal foods. This way you don't forget anything and when you get started on your meal preparation, you won't have to stop to run out for something that you've missed.

So, we're going to be making so many meals and have them at the ready. I've included meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as some healthy options, gluten free meals, and some that you just throw into the crock pot to cook. Speaking of breakfast, this spinach and bacon frittata is also really easy to make, and so delicious!

All of these freezer meals are easy to put together and you just won't believe how much time you'll be saving when you prepare and freeze them ahead of time.

1. 20 Delicious Breakfast Freezer Meals

Your day will begin so much easier when you don't have to rummage through the fridge to find breakfast. These breakfast freezer meals make those hectic mornings so much less stressful. There are 20 breakfast meals in this collection, and they're labeled for vegetarian options. These delicious breakfast options include smoothies, cinnamon rolls, breakfast burritos, pancakes, french toast sticks, and even homemade pop tarts. You just can't go wrong when you start your day with a delicious and wholesome breakfast, and these freezer meals will make it so easy to do just that.

Recipe Links: http://frugalitygal.com/2017/01/20-breakfast-freezer-meals.html

2. 25 Lunch Box Freezer Recipes

These lunchtime freezer meals are great for kids and parents alike. One of the things that used to take me so much time in the mornings was getting the kids' lunches together. When you have them all organized into delicious freezer meals, you save so much time and you ensure that your kids get a nutritious lunch. There are a number of tasty options in this one, including pizza rolls, grilled cheese rolls, soup, and even a copycat Lean Cuisine Chicken Margherita. Not only do these lunches save you time, they save you money because you can take your lunch as opposed to buying it every day.

Recipe Links: https://onceamonthmeals.com/blog/recipe-roundups/25-lunch-box-freezer-recipes/

3. 50 Dinner Freezer Meals

Dinner is the meal that most of us fall short on – particularly when you've worked all day. As much as I would love to feed my family homemade dinners every night, sometimes it's just not feasible. If you're the same, you may find these 50 freezer recipes for family meals a huge help. The crazy part? You can make all of these in one day – and have enough meals for over a month already done! There are so many delicious recipes in here from homemade pot pies to broccoli chicken alfredo and even soups and pastas. The point is – you make all 50 of these meals in one day and stick them in the freezer. They're great for when you just don't have time to cook a wholesome meal but you still want to serve your family something homemade.

Recipe Links: http://happymoneysaver.com/making-50-freezer-meals-in-one-day/

4. 70+ Healthy Freezer Meals

When it comes to feeding your family, the healthier the better, right? Here are more than 70 freezer meals that are as healthy as you can get. There are meals in here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and all of them are prepared with healthy ingredients and in the healthiest way possible. From baked beef ravioli to whole wheat pumpkin pancakes, you're sure to find a meal – or several meals – that you and your family will enjoy. There's even a vegetarian section with meals that are perfect for the vegan lifestyle.

Recipe Links: http://thrivinghomeblog.com/healthy-recipes-index/healthy-freezer-meals-recipes/

5. 31 Gluten Free Freezer Meals

So many people these days are forced to follow a gluten free diet. These 31 freezer meals are gluten and dairy free – so if you have someone in the family with allergies, these are pretty perfect. These are basically dinner recipes and include everything from southwestern pork chili and honey bourbon chicken to orange shredded beef. There are recipes for just about any nationality of food that you may crave, and they are all really easy to put together, and they can all be cooked in the crockpot so you can save even more time when putting dinner on the table.

Recipe Links: http://newleafwellness.biz/2015/10/19/31-gluten-free-dairy-free-crockpot-freezer-meals/

6. 31 Crockpot Freezer Meals

Some freezer meals can be baked and others can be cooked in a slow cooker. The slow cooker option is probably my favorite because it saves so much more time. Here are 31 freezer meals that are all cooked in the crockpot. You just prepare and freeze your meals and then just pop them in the crockpot on the day you want to cook them and they'll be done in just a few hours. These are perfect for those busy weeknights when you're running between soccer games or PTA meetings. Another great thing about these is there's no cooking needed ahead of time. You just put the raw ingredients into freezer bags and they're all set to cook when you need them.

Recipe Links: http://www.thirtyhandmadedays.com/31-crockpot-freezer-meals-for-busy-weeknights/

These Vegan Burritos Are The Perfect Low Fat High Protein Snack

I love a good protein snack that is also low in fat. Actually, these vegan burritos also make a wonderful dinner idea. If you love Mexican food as much as I do, you will also love these burritos. There's no meat or cheese so they are completely vegan and that also cuts down on the fat just a bit. They are really delicious though and so easy to make. They'll be a must for your next taco night.

The protein comes from brown rice and white beans, which are both good for you. There are so many flavorful ingredients in these. My family absolutely loves them and has begged me to make them again. They also have mushrooms, peppers, onions and of course, avocado. They will save you quite a few calories over regular burritos so you can enjoy this luscious lemon glazed zucchini bread without guilt.

These burritos also have a wonderfully flavored homemade sauce. They're sure to be a hit for family dinner or you could make them up ahead of time to take for lunch at work. They're low in fat and have wonderfully flavorful ingredients. If you are watching your fat and calories, these are certainly a treat anytime of the day or night. Also, if you're looking for a good family dinner idea you have to try this seasoned bacon baked chicken and potatoes recipe. It's a hit with everyone at the dinner table.

Whether you're having taco night or you just want something a bit spicy but not filled with fats, these burritos are sure to be a hit. They're easy to make and only take about an hour or less from ingredients to table.

Fresh ingredients make these burritos taste wonderful.


Homemade sauce gives them an extra kick of spicy flavor.


Vegetables are sautéed together before beans and rice are added.


Layer each tortilla with delicious filling and avocado slices.


Bake burritos, covered in sauce, for less than half an hour.


A delicious low fat burrito with all the flavor you want.

Calories

377 cal

Fat

12 g

Carbs

58 g

Protein

11 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Vanessa Beaty

Serves 8.8 oz

These Vegan Burritos Are The Perfect Low Fat High Protein Snack

20 minPrep Time

25 minCook Time

45 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

Burrito:
• 4 flour tortillas
• 2/3 cup of cooked brown rice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 3.5 oz. (100 g) of cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2/3 cup of canned white beans
• 2/3 cup of canned corn
• 2 avocados
• 1 tsp. of paprika
• 1 tbsp. of lemon juice
• 2-3 slices of pickled jalapeno, minced
• 2 tbsps. of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tbsps. of olive oil
Sauce:
• 1 cup of tomato sauce
• ¼ tsp. of powdered cumin
• 1 tbsp. of fresh cilantro, chopped
• Tabasco sauce to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
2. Combine ingredients for the sauce together.
3. For the burrito filling, heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add garlic, jalapeno and mushrooms, season with a pinch of salt, lemon juice and paprika. Continue cooking until all the excess liquid from mushrooms evaporates.
4. Stuff each tortilla wrap with a heaping tablespoon of rice, corn, beans and sautéed vegetables. Slice one avocado and add a few pieces on top of each burrito. Add some chopped cilantro and roll the tortillas into burritos.
5. Place burritos in a greased baking pan seam down. Top with tomato sauce and bake for 25 minutes.
6. Garnish with leftover avocado (mashed) and fresh greens.

Cuisine: Mexican | Recipe Type: Main dish

7.6.2

37

http://www.diyncrafts.com/24719/food/recipes/vegan-burritos-perfect-low-fat-high-protein-snack

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These Vegan Burritos Are The Perfect Low Fat High Protein Snack

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15 DIY Patio Fire Bowls That Will Make Your Summer Evenings Relaxing And Fun

1. Easy DIY Flaming Centerpiece

This is a gorgeous little fire bowl and it's so very easy to make. You will need a container of some sort that is fireproof. You can use a galvanized bowl for this and paint it a nice bright color or something that matches your patio color and décor. Then, just add recycled tempered glass chips and a can of gel fuel. Just light it up and it will stay lit for hours – until the gel fuel runs out.

Tutorial/Source: bhg

2. Beautiful Customized DIY Fire Bowl

The thing about DIY is you can literally make things look however you want them to look. Take this gorgeous DIY fire bowl for instance. You make it yourself from concrete and a bowl for a form and then add decorations while the concrete is setting – like leaves for imprints. Hosta leaves look beautiful but you could use anything that you want to give your bowl the look you want it to have. Then you add your filler and a can of gel fuel and you've got a beautiful customized tabletop fire bowl.

Tutorial/Source: glenda-jsworld

3. Simple Ceramic Bowl Fire Pit

Building your own tabletop fire pit doesn't have to be difficult. You can use any number of materials so long as they are fireproof. Just get a ceramic bowl – you can get these at most hardware or home improvement stores – and fill it with aquarium or pea gravel or tempered glass. This really is the easiest way to create your own little fire bowl and it will only take you a few minutes to put it all together.

Tutorial/Source: birdsandblooms

4. Cheap And Easy Personal Fire Pit

Cheap and easy – two of my favorite words. This personal tabletop fire pit is both and you'll love the gorgeous design. For this one, you'll be creating your own little glass box and when it's finished, it really is the perfect fire for your patio table. You fit the glass box over a square metal planter and then add river rocks or other stones and your fire source, which can be any number of things, although the can of gel fuel really is the easiest fire source.

Tutorial/Source: theartofdoingstuff

5. Lovely Orchid Fire Pot

This tabletop orchid fire pot isn't so much a DIY project as something I found on Etsy but it is certainly worth considering. It's a beautifully artistic fire pot that would look beautiful on your patio table. Most of the fire bowls in this list are going to cost from $20 to $40 depending on the materials that you need. You can get this lovely orchid version for $99 and it's made from fire glass and steel.

Tutorial/Source: etsy.com

6. DIY Fire Bowl From Planter

A concrete or ceramic planter is perfect for creating your own tabletop fire bowl. Just fill the planter with river rock or any other suitable filler and add your fire source. This is one of the easiest tabletop fire bowls on the list and you can get all of the materials to make it for around $20 or so.

Tutorial/Source: todayscreativelife

7. Easy $3 Dollar Store Fire Bowl

If you just don't have the budget for a more expensive fire bowl, you'll love this one that's made completely out of Dollar Store supplies. All the supplies together shouldn't cost you $3 or maybe just a bit over depending on your preferences. You'll need a medium sized flower pot – not a plastic one – a chafing fuel cup and a bag of those assorted mini stones. That's it. Just put it all together and you have one of the easiest and cheapest fire bowls you could possibly make.

8. Easy DIY Concrete Tabletop Fire Bowl

This DIY tabletop fire bowl incorporates two different bowls which gives it a great look. You'll need nesting bowls and some lava rock. You'll create molds of your bowls with concrete and these will be your fire pit bowls. One bowl will fit inside the other and you'll fill in the edges with lava rock or other stones. Then add your fuel source and you're all done.

Tutorial/Source: instructables

25 Fun And Creative Ways To Upcycle Empty Laundry Detergent Bottles

1. DIY Ball And Cup Game

Those empty laundry detergent bottles are the perfect shape for this great ball and cup game. Just clean them up, cut the side out – leaving the handle intact – and get a ball. Kids are going to adore playing with these and it's the perfect outdoor game for spring and summer to get the kids out of the house and on their feet.

2. Easy DIY Beach Bucket

You can also turn those empty detergent bottles into beach buckets. If you're planning a beach vacation – or you're lucky enough to live near the coast – this is a great way to get the kids a bucket without spending money. Since they're made from something you would probably throw out anyway, it doesn't really matter if they break them or forget them at the beach. Just cut away the top and you have the perfect scoopable sand bucket for hours of beach fun.

Source/Tutorial: funinthemaking

3. Repurposed Laundry Bottle Bird Feeder

Clean up that empty laundry detergent bottle, paint or decorate it if you want and then cut a hole in the center of the front. Here, you can put bird feed and little birds can easily get to their dinner. The jug itself is large enough for smaller birds to climb right into so they can enjoy their meal out of the rain and bright sunlight. You can then just place your bird feeder on the porch or hang it from a tree. Don't forget to add a dowel or wooden pencil for a perch.

4. Easy DIY Book Organizer

You can upcycle those empty detergent bottles and make these amazing book organizers. Instead of spending a few dollars each for these organizers at the store, just make them yourself, and once you clean up and shape your detergent bottle, you can paint or otherwise decorate it to match your existing office decor. They're perfect for keeping books and file folders perfectly organized and aligned.

Source/Tutorial: google

5. Upcycled Detergent Bottle Book Stand

Book stands come in really handy when you need to type and look at a book at the same time. Remember those old typing books from typing class that stood up on their own? This book stand that you make from an empty detergent bottle follows the same principle. You just cut away the front of the bottle and books or folders will sit perfectly in the open space. Typing from a notebook or book will be a breeze with this stand!

Source/Tutorial: recyclart

6. Fun DIY Bubble Refill Station

Summer is nearly here which means outdoor play – my favorite time of the year. It also means that little ones are bound to be going through tons of bubbles. That empty laundry detergent bottle will make an excellent refiling station for bubbles. The spout makes it easy to fill up smaller bubble bottles without making a mess so kids can keep their own bubble bottles full. Plus, you can make your own bubble solution to go along with your bubble station – there's a recipe for that, too.

Source/Tutorial: gwennypenny

7. Faux Trophy Room Animal Décor

Let your little one feel as if they've conquered all of the big animals in the jungle with these cute little faux trophy animal heads. You make the heads from empty laundry detergent bottles and decorate with colorful bottle caps and other supplies. You can make every big game animal in the jungle with a little creativity and imagination and really give that room a makeover.

Source/Tutorial: woodwoolstool

8. Cute DIY Dollhouse From Upcycled Laundry Bottles

How adorable are these little dollhouses? You make them from empty laundry detergent bottles and they are perfect for little girls who love playing with dolls. They're also cheap and easy to make. Just cut away a section for the opening and she can play to her little heart's content. The handle makes it really easy to tote the dollhouse around – you could also do this for a fairy house and decorate your garden!

Source/Tutorial: inventandocomamamae

9. Easy DIY Dustpan

This upcycled dustpan project is great. I can never keep up with my dustpan and every time I have to buy a new one, I think that there has to be an easier and cheaper way to keep these things on hand. Well, if you cut a laundry detergent bottle just right, it makes a wonderful dustpan. This is perfect for when you've broken yours or just can't find it.

Source/Tutorial: manualidades

10. Elegant DIY Garden Light

Believe it or not, this gorgeous garden light is made from an old detergent bottle that you cut to resemble an elegant flower. You don't really need a lot of materials to make this and most of the things used are upcycled, so it's a free project if you have a couple of basic things on hand. The finished product is beautiful and would be a great complement to your backyard patio.

Source/Tutorial: instructables

11. Cheap And Easy DIY Detergent Watering Can

You don't have to spend money buying a watering can for your garden. Although designed ones are really cool, you can get the same watering effect from an empty laundry detergent bottle. Just be sure to clean the bottle well to remove any soap residue and then cut holes in the cap for watering. It works like a charm and if you really want the design, you can dress up the bottle before you use it.

Source/Tutorial: hawaiigardening

12. Upcycled Laundry Bottle Kettlebell

You don't have to go to the gym to get fit just as you don't have to spend a lot of money on fitness equipment either. You can turn a laundry detergent bottle into a great kettlebell for weightlifting that will help to tone those arms and shoulders. Either use a laundry detergent bottle that is full or if you have a couple of empty ones, clean them up and then just fill with water. This gives you a great workout and without the cost of gym equipment.

Source/Tutorial: health

13. DIY Melted Bottle Jewelry

Repurpose that empty laundry detergent bottle into beautiful jewelry. You just cut the bottle into whatever shapes you want, let the kids get to town coloring or otherwise designing them and then heat them like you do for Shrinky Dinks. They turn into beautiful jewelry pieces that you can use for necklaces or earrings. This is a great idea for an upcoming birthday party for little girls or tweens. Let them make their own jewelry to take home as a party favor.

Source/Tutorial: picklebums