SuzelleDIY Versus Justina Blakeney: a DIY Face-off
A couple of months ago Justina Blakeney uploaded another one of her interesting DIY tutorials that forms part of the Eye on Design series hosted by the popular POPSUGAR Home channel.
While watching the Justina’s video I recalled that SuzelleDIY did a similar DIY last year. In fact, this particular DIY is Suzelle’s most watched video with over two million views. Both videos centre around cement cinder blocks and how you can use them to create quirky outdoor features that will spruce up your garden.
So let’s have a little DIY face-off shall we! Here are both Suzelle and Justina’s cinder block DIYs – you tell me which you prefer….
How to Make a Cinder Block Bench:
Suzelle used her cinder blocks to create an outdoor planter bench. She had the right idea by inviting Marianne to help the bench take shape as those big cement bricks can be quite heavy.
Suzelle taped off sections of each cement brick and applied colourful spray paint to the exposed sections.
Alternating the direction in which the blocks are stacked, Suzelle managed to create not only seating space with flower planters above but also handy little cubby holes to store gardening tools.
It is a good idea to use cement glue to fix the blocks together as Suzelle suggested. The last thing you want is your bench falling apart while someone is sitting on it. #safetyfirst
Lastly, Suzelle planted some happy flowers in the cinder block holes and added seat cushions and quirky scatters to her bench to jazz it up.
How to Make a 80s-Inspired Outdoor Planter:
In Justina’s DIY clip, which took inspiration from the style of the 80s, she creates a stacked cinder block planter.
Like Suzelle, Justina also opted to paint part of her cinder blocks in bright and bold colours. Both ladies chose a triangle shaped design which allows the rough cement texture and colourful paint to form a nice contrasting effect.
It looks like Justina did a proper job. She used three coats of outdoor paint on her bricks which is far brighter and more durable than Suzelle’s quick spray paint job.
Justina also took the time to create wire mesh “baskets” to insert into her cinder block that will ensure that the plants have sufficient support and drainage. However, the process of cutting the wire mesh to size sure seemed tedious and unnecessarily laborious. Can you imagine repeating that process half a dozen times?
What appeals to me about both Suzelle and Justina’s creations is that something as uninspiring as a heap of cinder blocks can be transformed, with minimal effort and money, into a quirky and happy garden feature.
Like Suzelle said: “D.I.Y? Because anybody can make outdoor furniture out with regular ugly (and disgusting) cinder blocks…”
The Design Tabloid 
That was so entertaining, I watched our local lass Suzelle twice and decided to go with her. It looks one helluva lot simpler to put together. Not nuts about the bench thing, but still a lot more functional. I have to admit, it weren’t easy deciding between the two. Justina’s Cinder Block planter sculpture was different. But that cutting of the mesh – that put me right off. I am sure one can replace it with simple shade cloth. But, somehow I wish that both of those chicks would break into a bit of a sweat. All that hard work, and still looking so cool – is that possible!