As you all know, I love any excuse to make things, so I was delighted to be invited by HIBS100 to become a DIY Bostik blogger for six months. My mission, which I’ve chosen to accept, is to create a DIY tutorial on a set theme each month, and share it with you. The first theme, to my delight, was Garden Decor!
Now, Bostik make some great products for crafters – in fact, you’ll have seen some of their products in my DIYs before. The glue dots and foam pads are excellent for card-making, so I was excited to try out some of the other products in the range. To get me started, Bostik sent me a box of glue-based goodies to experiment with, including leather adhesive, all-purpose glue, white glu, blu stick (a glue stick that starts blue and dries white), fast tak spray glue, glu dots, micro dots, foam pads and glitter pens!
This summer I’ve been loving spending more time outdoors, watching the comings and goings of nature’s pollinators, so I thought I’d have a go at making my own insect house for our allotment. We have a bug hotel / insect house in our back garden, and there has been no room in the inn (as it were), since the first day it went up! As it’s so popular with flying folk, I used this design for inspiration.
To make your own bug hotel, you will need the following materials:
- Bostik white glu (PVA)
- Plank of wood – mine was planed smooth timber (18mm x 94mm x 1800mm) from B&Q
- Sheet of plywood (for the roof) – have a peek in your local wood shop’s ‘scrap’ bin (alternatively, you could use your smooth timber and have a thicker roof…)
- Outdoor paint – a Cuprinol tester pot (£2) will be more than enough
- Blue painter’s tape or masking tape (to hold your house together while the glue dries)
- Sandpaper (if you have it – optional)
- Bamboo canes (optional)
- Wooden ladybird to decorate (optional)
- Bostik glu dot to afix ladybird (optional)
Shelley Makes 