Making It Australia

Spray the larger wheels, the rake, the T-hinges, and any other decorations you plan on using, in the colour of your choice. We used bright orange to make ours look like a goldfish.

Then, grab a piece of strong paper or cardboard and cut out a series of arch shapes in a repeating pattern. This will be the stencil for your fish’s scales. Hold it up against the sides of your largest wheel and spray paint over the stencil. We used blue paint.

When the paint is dry on your largest wheel, cut or drill a hole in the centre of the tread. The hole needs to be a little smaller that the diameter of the rake’s handle. To make the stand that will hold your fish upright, cut off the end of the rake’s handle and stick it into the hole in your wheel.

To create your fish’s tail, cut a slit on the rear of the wheel and, using glue, put the small end of the rake head into the slit.

To make the fins, screw your painted T-hinges directly into the wheel – one on each of the sides and three directly on top.

To make your fish’s lips, grab the other smaller rubber wheel, cut the tyre off its axle and cut it in half before screwing both halves onto the front of your big tyre.

Next, screw your smallest plastic wheels above the lips to form the fish’s eyes.

With your tyre fish all finished, fill up a big pot or half barrel with fresh soil and long, reed-like green plants. Stick the long, rake handle deep into the pot so the fish looks like it’s swimming among seaweed, and give it a home in your backyard.

Find a large metal drum, bucket or any container that can be opened on one end, and paint it white with black spots. This will be the body of your cow letterbox.

Using a drill and screws, attach the star pickets to the bucket to make the legs of the cow. (You’ll be able to stick these pickets into the ground to secure your letterbox.)

Drill or glue the mop head to the rear to form the tail of the cow.

Paint black spots on your small white bucket as this will be the head of your cow. Then, screw the lid to the front of the body and glue the bucket lid on.

Attach the orange roof flashings to give the cow its udders.

To make the cow’s ears, paint your plastic scrapers white and use pink paint to mark out the inside of the ears.

Cut two slits in the top of the bucket and push the handles of the scrapers into the small bucket leaving the part of the scrapers with the pink the ears standing out.

Paint your utility hooks and screw them into the top of the cow’s head in front of the ears to form the horns.

To finish, cut out a rectangle from the side of the drum to attach the steel letterbox plate.

Find some timber pallets you can upcycle and some new timber in various lengths. Take the pallets apart carefully and sand them to refresh the timber.

Screw pieces of the timber together to form the tall walls of the body of the windmill. We had ours wider at the base and we layered the pieces for detail.

Once you’ve built the four walls, fasten them together with screws to complete the body. We ran a strip of timber around the base and used a square of fake turf for decoration.

Cut a portion of your timber into smaller lengths and create a box that matches the dimensions of the opening at the top of the windmill body you’ve just created.

Cut two triangular pieces and, using smaller lengths, create the roof shape for the top of the windmill.

Drill a hole on the face of the windmill for your wheel axle. This will hold the blades of the windmill later.

Cut out some details in each side to decorate the blades. Then, find a drill bit that matches the diameter of the whole in your small wheel and drill through the two long pieces in the same spot.

Screw the top section of your windmill to the body and thread the blades and wheel over the wheel axle, screwing the wheel to the blade to lock it in.

You’re now ready to decorate your windmill in any way you like. We used red paint, garden gnomes and a house number!

Find two old bicycle wheels and paint them the colour of your choice (we chose black).

Fasten the three chains equal distance apart to the outer edge of the spokes on one of the wheels, using wire or cable ties.

Tip: Don’t forget to trim off the excess to keep it looking neat.

Use a Bow or D shackle on the other end of the chains so you can hang it up to complete your build. You’ll also want to hang it up somewhere once you’re finished.

Once you’ve got your top wheel suspended, hang your lights from the axle on the underside of this wheel. It’s easier to put these in now and build around them.

Tip: Check your lights are working before you hang them.

Now, using your PVC Yard Mesh, start at one point on the rim of the wheel and work your way around the whole wheel fixing the mesh on with zip ties. Try to keep the mesh as tight to the wheel as possible for the cleanest finish – the more ties the stronger it will be. Cut the mesh at the length required once you make it all the way around the wheel.

Follow the previous step with your second wheel, attaching the wheel to the bottom of the mesh. Try fixing the mesh at opposite points so it hangs safely while you go around and put all the ties on – think 12, 3, 6 and 9 on a clock.

With your frame set up and lights already contained within, you’re ready to start adding your pegs. Starting from the top or bottom clip your pegs on to the horizontal bars of the mesh – the more the better. We recommend having the pegs angled down as this creates more coverage from the outside and looks great.

Once you’ve got all your pegs attached, you’re ready to go. Hang it up in your desired location and turn the lights on!