Spring D.I.Y. projects

To make a wreath base ring, on the corrugated cardboard, trace around two bowls or plates to mark outer and inner circles (ours are 44cm and 21cm in diameter). Cut out using a craft knife. Apply a coat of white paint to the base ring using a paintbrush and leave to dry.

Measure and cut nine 3.5m lengths of rope. Use duct tape to secure the top ends of the rope onto a sturdy surface. Plait the rope, using three strands in each section, making sure the braid sits flat. Secure both ends with elastic bands and trim to tidy.

Start arranging the rope braid around the outer edge of the base ring, attaching it with hot glue applied to both the underside of the rope braid and the base ring. Press firmly to adhere. Continue until the base ring is completely covered, then cut off any excess rope. Leave to set.

Trim the stems off the artificial flowers. Position the flowers and foliage to conceal the end of the rope braid and, when happy with the arrangement, attach using hot glue. Leave to set.

Working on a drop sheet, sand the entire table using a medium grit sanding sponge, then wipe away the dust with a damp cloth; let dry. Apply a coat of 3 in 1 primer with a paintbrush and leave to dry. Apply two coats of acrylic paint to all surfaces of the table except the top, leaving to dry after each coat.

Place the tiles face down on the drop sheet and use a hammer to gently break them into small pieces. Position tile pieces around the edge of the tabletop and, once you’re happy with the design, apply tile adhesive to each piece with a palette knife and attach in place. When the border is done, use a spreader to apply adhesive to the tabletop and fill in with tiles, breaking up smaller pieces to fit all the gaps if needed. Leave to set overnight.

Mix the grout with water until you achieve a toothpaste consistency. Work grout into the tile joints with a float, scraping off excess. Leave for 15 minutes. Clean off excess grout with a damp (not wet) sponge, working across the joins. Frequently rinse the sponge in a bucket of clean water, changing it often. Leave to cure overnight, then buff off the grout haze with a clean cloth. Spray the tiled surface with grout sealer, leave for five minutes, then wipe off excess with a clean sponge and leave to dry.