We love a good DIY project so, of course, it comes as no big surprise that we automatically think DIY when it comes to gift-giving, as well. It's so fun to see a resurgence of all things handmade, and trust me, your friends and family won't miss that scarf and mitten set from one of those big box stores. I've rounded up 11 fun gift ideas for everyone on your list- most of them are easy to do and under $20. Let's get started!
1. DIY Color Pop Cord Lamp from Vintage Revivals. Leave it to Mandi to come up with something totally awesome. And get this, she made the lamp base out of a vase!
2. Marbled Paper Box from Centsational Girl. This project is what inspired me to hang marbled paper art in my dining room. The possibilities are endless with these boxes and could be customized for every recipient.
3. Sharpie Art Gift Mugs from Whipperberry. Super cute and easy. Love. Enough said.
4. DIY Washer Necklace from By Wilma. I'll be honest, I know nothing about making jewelry, but this tutorial makes me think I could tackle this one! I might just have to make one for myself… as a sample, of course. Ahem.
5. DIY Recipe book from 36th Avenue. This is a really simple upcycle of a cheap notebook using paint, paper clips and cute scrapbook paper. Totally doable, and cheap, to boot!
6. Double Wine Gift Bag from Infarrantly Creative. We always pick up a few bottles of wine for hostess gifts and this bag would be a perfect addition!
7. DIY Rope-Wrapped Hurricane Vase from us! (hehe.) I wasn't joking when I said I wanted to make one of these for all my friends. The cost for all of the materials is around $10, and that will make several of these vases!
8. Chalkboard Art Ornaments from Clean & Scentsible. We've been seeing chalkboards are all over the place, (for good reason- they're awesome!), and I love this version as ornaments! Aren't they cute?
9. Christmas Potpourri Neighbor Gift from Landee See, Landee Do. Nothing makes me happier than a house filled with Christmasy smells, so this gift is right up my alley. Comes with cute printable tags, too.
10. DIY Farmhouse Doll Bed by Ana White. My daughter is getting an American Girl doll from my mom this year, and you better believe I'm having my hubs make this adorable bed to go with it.
11. DIY Wooden Matchbox Car Race Track from Pretty Handy Girl. I can't forget all the little boys out there, and so this gift is for them! I love that this race track can be completely customized with their favorite colors and name.
I hope this round-up of awesome gift ideas gets you inspired to give something handmade this year! What's your favorite, easy DIY Christmas gift? Please share!
One of the most fun parts of the CWTS contest is getting to see the fun projects linked up in our weekly link party! The girls in this contest are seriously talented, but guess what?! So are YOU! If you want to get a burst of inspiration, check out the fab upcycle projects that were linked up right here.
We were immediately drawn to this end table when we saw it in the party since we're both HUGE fans of rustic industrial style furniture. Allison from The Golden Sycamore put some serious effort and time into this piece and it tells! It's absolutely gorgeous! Well done, girl.; )
As I mentioned a few weeks ago on my blog, I'm really into the industrial look right now. I seriously can't get enough of it! While I was playing around online one day, showing my husband all these cool industrial tables, he got an idea in his head: Why not build one ourselves? One thing led to another and now we have our own custom industrial end table for our living room! (You can see the reveal post {here}). This was our inspiration for the table …
My husband and I are really happy with how our table turned out and I'm excited to share this project with you, but I want to warn you, this particular DIY project is not for the faint of heart. This project is a bit of a process and can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing and aren't careful. PLEASE do not attempt this unless you feel very confident in your abilities. Please be sure you take all safety precautions when using a power tool or dangerous chemicals or objects and read the instruction manuals before using them. I am not a trained professional. If you are uncertain, please consult an expert before attempting this or any projects on this blog. I will not be responsible for any injuries or damages caused by any attempts to recreate this or any projects posted on this blog.
Alright, now that that's out of the way, onto the tutorial. Aging Galvanized Metal
SUPPLIES: 8 — 3/4" x 10" galvanized pipe ($29.60) 16 — galvanized floor flanges ($116.16) 48 — 1/4" x 1" galvanized lag screws ($22.08) HCl / toilet bowl cleaner Plastic container Small map gas torch ($41.97) Heat safe gloves ($4.46) Vegetable oil Beeswax Metal pan Metal pliers PROCEDURE: Start by putting your galvanized metal plumbing supplies in a plastic container. Add enough HCl / toilet bowl cleaner to cover all the metal and let sit for 2-3 hours. This process will remove the zinc coating off the galvanized metal. **DO THIS PART OUTSIDE OR IN A VERY WELL VENTILATED AREA — YOU DON'T WANT TO BE BREATHING THESE CHEMICALS IN!! (This is a picture of the screws in toilet bowl cleaner. We did them separately, but you can just put everything together.)
After a few hours, rinse all your metal pieces off. Pour some vegetable oil in a metal container. Wearing heat safe gloves and holding your piece of metal with a pliers, heat metal with torch until it is hot enough that it turns orange. Once it is thoroughly heated, dip in vegetable oil. Then reheat the piece of metal to orange hot. Once it is hot enough, set in oil to cool for about 30 seconds. **AGAIN — USE CAUTION. DO THIS PART IN A SAFE AREA AND HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEAR BY IN CASE OF FIRE!!
The metal will still be very hot, so take the piece of metal out of the oil with a pliers.
Cool the metal with water.
Once it's cool to the touch, scrub off burned oil residue with water and a wire brush.
Lightly heat metal again with torch (about 30 seconds) and coat with beeswax. Once coated, rub with cotton rag while still warm.
Let cool before handling. Metal will still be hot for a while.
And that's it! Haha! I know the process is intense, but if you really want the aged look, it's worth it! Here is what your finished product should look like. Repeat process for all your pieces of metal.
Now onto the wood shelves.
SUPPLIES: 1 — IKEA Numerar oak butcher block countertop ($129.00) — we used a little over half the length, so the cost of what was used was roughly $70 Tape measure and pencil Circular saw Straight edge clamp Router Orbital sander and sand paper Stain Silhouette Cameo and stencil Paint and paint brush Mineral oil PROCEDURE: Start by measuring your Numerar butcher block to the size you want your shelves and mark where to cut. Our shelves measure 19.5" wide x 24" deep.
Set up your straight edge clamp so that your saw will cut on your measured line. You'll probably have to set it to about a half inch over to allow for the width of the saw.
Cut butcher block with circular saw. Repeat this process for second shelf.
Run orbital sander along the edges to ensure a smooth finish. Then router the edges of each shelf — remember to do the top and bottom sides to keep the look cohesive.
With your orbital sander, sand the finish off the top and bottom of both shelves.
Using Minwax Dark Walnut stain, wipe on stain and immediately wipe off to get a slightly darker color, but not too much penetration. If you desire a darker stain color, either leave the stain on longer before wiping off or apply more layers of stain to darken it.
I don't have pictures of this part, but if you wish to add numbers to your top shelf, here's how to do it. Choose the style and size of numbers you want and cut them out using your Silhouette Cameo. If you don't have a Cameo, you can always print numbers out on your printer and then cut them out by hand. Once you have your numbers, arrange them on the shelf the way you want them and then trace around them using a white or black colored pencil. Once your numbers are traced, use craft paint and a small paint brush to paint inside the lines. Let paint dry and sand lightly with sand paper to desired distressed look.
Once you are done with your numbers (or if you skipped that step) wipe both shelves with mineral oil (or some other sealant like wax or polyurethane) to seal the shelves.
Now to put it all together. SUPPLIES: Drill Wrench or impact driver All your metal pieces Both shelves Level PROCEDURE: Drill pilot holes in each shelf. You'll drill four holes per flange. Drill holes in the bottom of the top shelf. The bottom shelf will get holes drilled in both sides — top and bottom. Make sure to stagger your holes on the bottom shelf so that they don't meet up with each other through the wood. Using your wrench or impact driver, on the bottom shelf, attach 4 flanges with your lag screws on the top side of the shelf. Screw pipe into the four flanges. Attach flanges to the bottom of the top shelf with lag screws. Screw those flanges to the pipe that is already attached to the bottom shelf. Attach flanges to the bottom side of the bottom shelf. Screw pipe into flanges and screw final flanges to the bottom of the pipe — these are the table's"feet". Check to make sure the table is level. If it isn't, screw or unscrew pipes until the table is level.
Alright, if you've made it to the end of this post, I applaud you! I told you it was intense! I definitely can see why our inspiration piece was almost $700! Not only are the materials relatively expensive, but it is also quite labor intensive! In the reveal post, I said that the table cost us about $300 to make. We had a lot of the tools on hand, but we had to purchase most of the supplies. In this post I've added up the supplies we bought and calculated our total cost (using about half the countertop cost since we can use the remainder of the countertop for another project). The total came to $284.27. If you add MI tax, it comes to $301 and some change. That's a pretty good estimate on our part, if you ask me!: ) If I didn't explain something well enough or you have any questions, PLEASE feel free to ask! I'll do my best to help you out! Thanks so much for reading my loooong tutorial!: ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Isn't that incredible?! Seriously, so good. Thanks for linking up, Allison! Don't forget to check back at midnight tonight to see the Contestants Round 3 projects!
I'm so excited to introduce you to one of our biggest DIY Projects ever! Over the next weeks we're going to be taking you step-by-step through our DIY Patio Project. I was thrilled when Stone Depot and EP Henry decided to partner with us on this crazy adventure.
So, here's the plan, each week I'll be giving you an update with info and tips on what we've completed. You're going to be amazed at how do-able this DIY really is (just LOTS and LOTS of work- husbands, please don't send me hate mail!) and don't worry, for those of you that definitely don't want to tackle this as a DIY, I'll hook you up with the pros at Stone Depot and they can help you out. I'm way impulsive, so for a Big-Mama DIY, I needed a plan to keep me focused and doing things in the right order (or I would drive my hubs nuts!)
Step #1- Plan Patio Layout This was honestly very, very tricky. I learned a few things… As I planned, my patio mysteriously got BIGGER and BIGGER and planning is not as easy as I thought it would be. I had a few requirements 1- A large space for a BIG Dining Table (I feel another DIY table coming soon!) and 2- An area for a fire pit and sitting. Here was brainstorm number one… Now, remember I'm NOT an artist or a landscape designer. This looked pretty on paper, but having an opening for stairs off the patio only about 3 feet away from the opening for the walkway was weird.
Brainstorm Number Two looked like this… Still had the weird stairs/walkway combo and I also added a bump out area. Why you ask? Well, I love sitting in the sun! The way the sun crosses our house, that little area would have sun 24-7 (Well, not really, but you get the idea). Eventually I talked myself out of that because it was weird and made me seem a tad vain (enter the Carly Simon music).
The Final Plan is different than both of our initial ideas, but it's clean, simple, and big enough for all my requirements!
Now, it looks kind of small in these pictures, but it's about 600sq/ft and will be perfect for parties and lots of outdoor fun. DIY PATIO TIP: Use leftover spray paint to draw out your design on the grass to make sure it's what you really want. I had about 7 colors going on at one point.
Step #2- Choose EP Henry Stone from Stone Depot Once we had our plan, we headed off to Stone Depot in Perkasie. They have a HUGE selection and their guys know their stuff! We were able to walk around outside and see actual patios and samples of each of the different paver options and colors.
Here's what we picked! Bristol Stone in Blue Spruce. I think the color will go really well with our house.
Here's a better picture, but in a different color. We're going to have sitting wall, like this, along the back and we're going to add fun lighting too!
I love how the stone sizes are varied and I like that they're larger than traditional pavers. At our old house we had Old Town Cobble, which is nice, but the Bristol Stone has a more contemporary feel to me. The next step is measuring and planning outside the house. Here's a picture to give you a general idea. Next week I'll give you all of our tips for the measuring, trust me we learned a thing or two along the way! DIYing with my hubby is a tad different than DIYing with Jess! HA!
So be honest, are we CRAZY for taking on this DIY? Any tips or advice?
I didn't know Jess was going to mention one of our favorite blogs yesterday, but it was the perfect lead-in for my post today. Layla and Kevin from The Lettered Cottage have a wall that I love and want to create something similar to.
Now, their wooden walls were hiding out under the drywall, because they have an old home, but I'm going to have to bring in wood to create this look. Eric and I were talking about where to get inexpensive old, wood flooring, but then we thought about pallets. They're free, they're easy to aquire, and I think they just might work. Thus began my search for pallet inspiration.
This wall is not my style and I think the TV is completely out of place, but I was able to get some good tips from this DIY project. I'm pretty sure I want to whitewash or colorwash my wood.
Moma and Her Drill During my pallet search I found tons of other ideas and creative uses for pallets… I'm learning that they're all the rage right now! Children's Headboard
Apartment Therapy I really love this headboard. I'm not sure if I love the headboard or just the fact that it's in my favorite colors and my style bedding.
House Tweaking This reading nook is adorable! I need to find a spot in my house to create one for my kiddos! I might need to wait until we finish the basement, but I'm saving this project idea for sure!
Kojo Designs I'm not a big coffee table fan (perhaps because we have four kids and have had a toddler around for the last 9 years) but this is a cool idea and I think you could give it a rustic or very polished look.
DIY Ideas A Sweedish company makes interrlocking furniture that doubles as art. This is just a sample of their colors, but check out the link below to see how it's used functionally. So cool!
Sibylle Stœckli How fun are these bright outdoor chairs? This company sells them, but there are tons of DIY directions online. They would be fabulous in an urban backyard or patio.
Inhabitat Lastly, an adorable idea that my kids would love! Seriously, what little kid wouldn't love to play inside this… of course I'd add some fun accessories and a pop of color, but the idea is awesome.
Tiny Pallet House What do you think of these Green building ideas? I think I'm all about it and I just need to decide which room I'm going to attempt it in… I'm between Callen's bedroom and the Master Bathroom. We're leaning towards Cal's room because the master bathroom has really high ceilings and is a much bigger project for the hubs. Currently"Pallet Wall" is about # 4 or 5 on the Honey-do-list… Eric's Honey-do-list… 1. Hang DIY hardware in kids bathroom (I'm pretty sure he's doing that now. I hear banging!) 2. Build Dining Room Table (we're in the planning and researching stage still, but making progress) 3. Assemble the kids' new swingset (a Christmas present, but we've been waiting for grass to grow) 4. LANDSCAPE this crazy yard (the builder is re-seeding this week and then we can start!) 5. Create Pallet Wall I'll keep you posted on our projects, and until we get to #5 on the list, I'll just keep being inspired by other people's DIY ideas. What cool Pallet Possibilies can you think of?
We've been crazy excited about this post since our friend Staci agreed to partnering with us! From time to time, we revisit our Be Intentional series. Staci's story is one that we hope encourages you to set goals in your life (in any and all areas) and then take intentional steps to achieve them. We love this girl, we're so proud of her, and are honored to share her story today!
Meet our friend Staci… ********************************************************************************** I am going to be honest. I am"no good" at home decorating and DIY design and crafting. To be brutally honest, I flat out stink! Oh, believe me, I have dreams about a beautifully decorated bedroom and a warm and cozy living room with amazing wall colors and fresh flowers in beautiful vases accented on my tables and shelves. But, I am just not good at putting everything together to transform a room. So, thankfully, I am NOT writing this post to give you tips about DIY design! Really…you should be thanking me!!! Haha! On the other hand, I thank God for making us all unique and designed for the purposes HE designed us for. So, you may be wondering who am I and why have I been given access to writing to an audience of DIY pros and creatives?!?! I may not be good at DIY design and transforming the rooms of my living space, but I have been on a little DIY transformation…in my body and in my life. My name is Staci. This is me in January of 2010.
I know what you are thinking. Oh goodness. Yikes. I am thinking it, too. "Did she stuff her shirt with melons?""Did she put pillows in her pants?""Is she a really grouchy person?""She looks angry." All to which I can reassure you…NO. I did not put melons in my shirt. I didn't add pillows to my pants. And no…I am not grouchy nor angry!!! Okay, maybe you weren't thinking"exactly" that, but when I look at these pictures of who I was 2 years ago, I can hardly believe that was me. The reality is, I was 260 lbs. of hurt. 260 lbs. of frustration. 260 lbs. of failed diets. 260 lbs. of zero confidence. 260 lbs. of someone I never, ever wanted to become. Sad, unhealthy, embarrassed, lonely and hopeless.
Have you ever been at your rock bottom? The place where you feel that you are never going to get out of? The place where you feel that no one understands? The place where you feel so far away from where you truly want to be? That was me 2 years ago. I don't exactly remember what it was that sparked a deep desire in me to change once and for all, but I was really starting to think that God didn't create me to be any of the things I was becoming. And he surely didn't desire for me to be trapped in a body that I was ashamed of, embarrassed about and so hurt to be in. Although, one post is not nearly enough to share with you all that has gone on in my life and my transformation over the past 2 years; I will share with you where I am today and the main reasons I am where I am.
I reached my final goal in November 2011. This is me today at 135 lbs.:
Never in a million years did I believe that this was possible. I still look at my before and after photos and I cannot believe that was me and now this is me. You can only see the images, but I can see the hurt and defeat in the before photos. And I can see the strength and hope in the after photos. I haven't just transformed physically, I have transformed emotionally as well.
This picture of my old jeans is a clear reminder of where this journey started! Staci would love for her story to reach and help anyone that might need encouragement. So, you have her permission to Pin her pictures and share it with anyone that could use some encouragement and motivation!
When people hear of my success or they see it for themselves when they see me, there is always one question that gets asked: WHAT DID YOU DO TO LOSE THE WEIGHT?!?! At first, I used to give people my simple cookie cutter answer of what I did: I started eating right and exercising daily. And I prayed. Sometimes minute by minute. But, after seeing the sometimes disappointed looks back at me because for some reason or other, when people give us the straight up hard truth (even though it is common sense), we somehow think that we could never do that. We believe the lies: "I could never do that."
"I don't have that kind of willpower." You know what? I am not crazy motivated. I don't have any more"willpower" than you. I don't have a magic formula and I sure don't have a magic potion. But, I do have intention and a God who never gives up on me. Even when I give up on myself. Jess and Mon talk often about"Being Intentional". For me, being intentional means doing things even when I don't want to because it is what I need to do. Being intentional means having a plan at all times. Being intentional means setting goals. I am not speaking of having plans and setting goals because I believe I have my future all figured out or that I can truly control what happens tomorrow or next week, but I desire to have a plan and set goals because it is one of the ways that lives can change. It is one way that people can move from an undesirable place in life to a place of freedom and the ability to fully live the life they were designed for! By setting goals, I had to make choices as to"how" I could get to that goal. I set a 6 -week, 90-day, 6-month and"end of year" goal. If the scale wasn't moving, I had to assess what I was doing. And change something immediately. There was no time to go off the path I needed to take if I wanted to meet my goals. This was me about 1/2 way through… I was around 190lbs.
In addition to setting goals, I also had to learn what I needed vs. what I wanted. Monica and Jess have talked about wants vs. needs in decorating. Well, I may have wanted to go out to my favorite restaurant for a big burger and fries, but I truly didn't need a big burger and fries. See the difference? I know, I know…it still seems like it is a willpower thing. But it really isn't. It's looking at my plan. If I want to weigh 10 lbs. less in 6 weeks, a burger and fries isn't what I need. Does it mean I will never be able to have a burger and fries? Not at all. But right now, that isn't part of the plan.
Bottom line, I am not here to tell you what to do and how to do it. I am merely trying to tell you that you CAN do it. Do what works for you. Do what you know you need to do. Even if you don't have to lose weight, it is still important to fuel your body with healthy, nutritious foods. And it is so important to take some time out of your day to get moving. Find something that you enjoy and get moving! Be intentional. And above all else, remember that you were created for a purpose. By taking care of your body; physically, emotionally and spiritually…you are unleashing a power within that no one can take away. And you are unleashing the power to connect and encourage others around you! When I am struggling or having a day where my wants seem to be trying to overpower the intention of my needs, I cling to the words below. Maybe it is with eating, maybe it is trying to get through an intense workout, maybe it's facing the daily pressures of life. Here is what I hold on to:
" I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.For I can do everything through Christ,who gives me strength." ~Philippians 4:12-13
In the midst of the depth of all of this; the tears, hard work, the defeats and the triumphs, I have made every effort to maintain a attitude of openness and realness with others as well as a level of humor. So, I will leave you with one last photo. It is my favorite one of all!!! This is my mom and I in my old pants…yes,two of us!: -) 125 lbs. lost and gone forever!!! I am forever changed!!!
P.S. I must share that I am a recovering sweets & desserts addict! So, I will share one of my absolute favorite treats that I make almost daily for myself! Enjoy! Quick Chocolate Oatmeal(adapted from my absolute favorite dessert blog Chocolate-Covered Katie) 1/2 cup quick oats 1 small banana (broken up into small chunks) 1 1/2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Applesauce 15-20 drops of Liquid Stevia 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3/4 cup of Light Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk or Light Vanilla Soy Milk dash of salt 2 Tbsp. fat free cool whip (optional) Spray small saucepan with cooking spray. Combine all of the ingredients together in the small saucepan. Stir everything together until thoroughly mixed. Turn heat to high and continue stirring oatmeal until oatmeal starts to bubble slightly and thicken. After oatmeal starts to slowly boil, turn heat off and continue stirring for another minute or so to finish heating all the way through. Pour into a bowl and enjoy! For an extra treat, add some fat free cool whip on top! *You can also add a Tbsp of Peanut Butter to the above recipe for a Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup bowl of oatmeal!My husband's favorite!: -) *********************************************************************************** So how's that for some intentional living? I don't know about you, but Staci has encouraged, inspired, and motivated us big time! Staci recently started blogging about all things health,fitness, and nutrition, so check out Musings of a Wellness Hopeful for all kinds of recipes, motivation, and more!
Got questions for Staci? Leave a comment and she'll get back to you!
Only following on the blog? You're missing out. Use the buttons below to join in on all the fun!
If you didn't hear our BIG announcement, stop reading right now and take a look here. We are excited beyond words and are so grateful for your support and encouragement! And to think…it all started right here!: ) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Remember that little contest we were a part of a couple weeks ago? It was a great contest run by Homes.com for an awesome cause- creating projects for a chance to win $5000 for your favorite charity. Well, sadly, we didn't win, but, we're pretty thrilled with our entry and wanted to share this super happy space with you guys.Let's get on with the project shall we? I (Monica) have had this project in my mind for a few months now. It was inspired by a printed pattern I had seen in the window of a shop. I couldn't remember exactly where I saw it, but I was pretty sure it was a cool shop we had passed when we were in London in November. Great story right? Crafty DIY project inspired by a European city… Then, two weeks ago it hit me… It was JCrew at our local mall! I just about died laughing when I put it all together! Well, JCrew or London, I sure am glad it inspired me… For under $20 we created DIY Wood Shim Wall Art
I wanted something with BOLD color, and a modern feel, that married well with a bit of industrial flare!
How's that for a Before and After? Who knew our dumpy oak piano could be such a show stopper? (You can read all about that little makeover right here. )
Here's a peek at the details- the DIY light isn't my entry, but man I love how it works with the Wood Shim Art!
Even though it looks pretty complex, the process was super simple and the longest part of the process was waiting for the paint to dry. Here's how we did it:#1- Purchase Long Wood Shims
We bought 5 packs of these from Lowes for $3.84 each. They sell two sizes, so make sure you go with the longer of the two 11 7/8" (yellow package). #2- Cut the ends at a 45 degree angle. I used my miter saw and cut each piece- I started with one at a time, then did a little math in my head, noticed it would take an eternity, and then started cutting five at a time. Worked like a charm!
#3- Paint Your Shims I created a little spray paint zone in my basement and used all my leftover spray paint colors. When you're painting, just make sure that you put half with the angle to the left and half with the angle to the right or you'll be stuck with one sided arrows!
After they had dried I was left with this awesome assortment of color!! I used about 13 different colors, but I also think doing the whole project in various shades of one color could look pretty epic too!
#4- Make (or use) a Plumb Line Once we decided where we wanted our center point, we needed to get a straight vertical line to follow.
We took a nail, some bakers twine, and a socket to DIY a little old plumbline. Nail it in and voila!
#5- String Line your Vertical I love my string line… seriously, I use it all the time! We put it at our top and bottom marks (created using our plumb line) and then snapped that baby to give us a guide line.
#6 Determine your Pattern This step saved us major time. Use the floor to get your layout right and then installing it on the wall is a breeze. We wanted our pattern random and we wanted varying lengths and heights.
#7- Glue it on the Wall Rather than using 300 tiny nails (that could very easily splinter the shims) we opted for Gorilla Wood Glue. It was simple to use, will hold securely, and won't damage my walls completely (the way liquid nails would).
Following our pattern, Jess glued and I placed the arrows. Shims are very imperfect, so I had to be okay with tiny gaps and just kept using the center line to keep things straight.
Even before it was finished, we knew we were obsessed with it!
We finished it off with some fun accessories and the coolest light fixture ever, and called it a day.
There were a lot of DIY elements around our Crafting for Charity project, so to find out details about other projects, you can check 'em out below., We'll be posting more about them in the next few weeks, so just hold tight.: )
Even though we didn't win, we hope you'll still check out Worthwhile Wear, which was founded by our close friends Dan & Steph. They've committed their time and talents to make it their life's work.
Jess and I both have daughters and we couldn't imagine any of them having to endure human trafficking. We love Worthwhile Wear's mission… Worthwhile Wear exists to rescue and restore girls from forced prostitution, and more importantly help prevent girls from ever entering it. We target highly trafficked areas both internationally and domestically, and offer women the opportunity to overcome two primary factors which are at the root of sex trafficking; poverty and lack of education. This solution is offered through vocational training centers which teach women how to make wears, such as jewelry, handbags, and clothing, which are sold to provide them employment. Additionally, the women are offered free education, a safe place to stay, and restorative programs geared toward encouraging personal growth and re-establishing self-worth.
That beautiful face is not a stock image. They're from Dan's last trip to India a few months back. The work Worthwhile wear is doing is critical and we hope you'll check out their site and follow along with them on Facebook. What do you thinkj? Could you paint a piano green? Or glue shims to your wall?
Ok, are you ready for our last guest post for the Summer? We are thrilled with all of the projects our bloggy friends have shared with us, and this one from Christina of Christina's Adventures, is no exception! Christina is a local girl and has a sweet heart and some serious DIY skills. And oh my goodness, this nautical summer wreath of hers made my heart skip a beat. A.dor.a.ble.
She's a regular commenter on our posts, for which we are eternally grateful! Welcome, Christina!
Hey East Coast Creative readers! I’m super excited to be here! I live just a short drive away from Jess & Monica – and I share so many of their DIY passions! I have a blog (Christina’s Adventures) where I share my stories about thrifty decorating, DIY upcycling, and creative living.
I am a former Autism Support teacher (just resigned from my job in June!) who lives with my husband & “dog baby” in an apartment attached to my parent’s house while we save money to buy our own house (so we can have real babies)! This summer has been filled with all things wedding! I am a bridesmaid in one wedding, attending a great friend’s wedding next weekend, and my brother is getting married in a few days! We hosted a shower for my brother and his fiancée, and I had a lot of fun decorating for the shower. One of the guest’s favorite DIY items was this trough:
And YOU can easily make your own! Seriously! Added bonus – no power tools are required. Here’s how I made mine: I have been dying to make a trough for flowers for ages, and then I saw this one from Thrifty Décor Chick and I fell in love! I just needed the occasion/space to put the trough. When we were looking for something to fill the space at the kitchen table for the bridal shower, I knew this was my opportunity! I first planned out how big I wanted to make it. Our table was just about 6 feet long, so I decided to make this trough 4 feet long. I went to Lowe’s, and found some cedar wood in their lumber section. What I love about Lowes, is they will cut your wood for you! Just give them the measurements, and they’ll cut it. Seriously – best thing ever.
Here were the measurements I used:
2 planks: 3/4” x 7 1/2” – 4 feet long
1 plank: 1 1/2” x 5 1/2” – 4 feet long
2 squares (cut from the thicker piece): 1 1/2” x 5 1/2” – 5 1/2” long
I will be honest – the awesome lumber man from Lowe’s helped me out a lot with this part – he made sure they all fit together correctly and “shaved” off parts so they were even. I first glued them together with some Liquid Nails, and let that sit overnight:
In the morning, I hammered in some nails at the seams, just to make sure it was secure. I then roughly filled in some of the bigger cracks with wood filler, and sanded it down. I didn’t want this to look perfect – I knew I was going to paint and distress it, so I wanted imperfections.
I picked out a blue color I had in my stash (originally an “oops” can for $3). I didn’t prime the surface since I painted right onto the bare wood.
I let that dry, and then I painted with a very light gray over top (the same gray I used on this desk). I did not do this meticulously – I tried to leave some spots where you could see some of the blue coming through:
I then had some fun with glaze and sandpaper. There’s no science to this – I sanded down in certain spots, glazed over areas, and wiped down with a damp cloth. I like to use this glaze, which can be found at Lowe’s or Home Depot. Finally – I let it dry, and it was ready to be filled! I would have *loved* to fill it with fresh flowers, but it just wasn’t practical. We knew we wanted to keep the decoration in my mother’s living room after the shower, so she bought fake flowers from Michaels. I usually hate fake flowers, but these look surprisingly pretty!
What I love about this project is that it wasn’t just a “shower decoration”, but we are now able to use it in my mother’s living room (come follow my blog to see the full make-over of her room – coming soon!)
A few more glamour shots:
What are your thoughts? Have I convinced you that you can easily make yourself one of these as well? If you want to see more projects like this, come follow my blog! We have so much fun over there, and I’d love to get to know you better!
If we win, Homes.com will give Worthwhile Wear Five Thousand Buckaroos! For a new organization like theirs, that could be a major game changer and we really hope we can win it for them! (If you want to skip the project and just vote you can! lol Click HERE to Vote) You can read all about our project first, but then you have to pinky promise to follow the voting directions at the bottom of the post okay? Ok! Thanks! Wood Shim Wall Art I (Monica) have had this project in my mind for a few months now. It was inspired by a printed pattern I had seen in the window of a shop. I couldn't remember exactly where I saw it, but I was pretty sure it was a cool shop we had passed when we were in London in November. Great story right? Crafty DIY project inspired by a European city… Then, two weeks ago it hit me… It was JCrew at our local mall! I just about died laughing when I put it all together! Well, JCrew or London, I sure am glad it inspired me… For under $20 we created the coolest DIY Wood Shim Wall Art
(You could go vote NOW since you've seen it! Click Here!) I wanted something with BOLD color, and a modern feel, that married well with a bit of industrial flare!
How's that for a Before and After? Who knew our dumpy oak piano could be such a show stopper?
Here's a peek at the details- the DIY light isn't my entry, but man I love how it works with the Wood Shim Art! (Light tutorial coming soon!)
(Or you could vote now?)
Want to know how we did it?? You've gotta head over to Homes.com for the full tutorial (but only after you've voted!) Click HERE for the full tutorial
There were a lot of DIY elements around our Crafting for Charity project, and we'll post about all of them over the next week or so!
And now for the really important stuff! We're blogging for a charity that we love and are so proud to support. Worthwhile Wear was founded by our close friends Dan & Steph and they've committed their time and talents to make it their life's work.
Jess and I both have daughters and we couldn't imagine any of them having to endure human trafficking. We love Worthwhile Wear's mission… Worthwhile Wear exists to rescue and restore girls from forced prostitution, and more importantly help prevent girls from ever entering it. We target highly trafficked areas both internationally and domestically, and offer women the opportunity to overcome two primary factors which are at the root of sex trafficking; poverty and lack of education. This solution is offered through vocational training centers which teach women how to make wears, such as jewelry, handbags, and clothing, which are sold to provide them employment. Additionally, the women are offered free education, a safe place to stay, and restorative programs geared toward encouraging personal growth and re-establishing self-worth.
We had the honor of working on the planning committee and doing all the decor and design for Worthwhile Wear's launch in 2012. The following images and statistics were used as artwork at the launch benefit-A Worthwhile Evening.
Those beautiful faces are not stock images. They're from Dan's last trip to India a few months back. The work Worthwhile wear is doing is critical and we hope you'll check out their site and follow along with them on Facebook. Now it's Time to Vote! There are 8 bloggers in this competition and some of them have a lot of followers, but none have the amazing fans we do! We know you guys have our back! All voting will be done via Homes.com's Facebook Page (On their Facebook Page, there's a little button that says Crafting for Charity. Click there)
Click HERE to Vote
A HUGE Thank You to Homes.com for sponsoring this awesome contest and for spreading the word about amazing charities like Worthwhile Wear. If you'd like more information about the organization and how you can help, click here.
We'll admit we're not the first ones to DIY a headboard…there are so many awesomely creative headboard ideas out there! What we wanted most for this headboard was to create a juxtaposition of old and new. You might remember the accent wall- a classic houndstooth, with a modern multi-colored flare… well, we felt like it needed a fabulous antique headboard.
What do you think? We love the end result. But guess what?? It was actually our Plan B… Plan A was a flop. And because we're all about keeping it real, we're going to show you the Plan A.
This door is amazing. The layers and layers of old, chippy paint are incredible. As soon as we saw it at Architectural Antiques we knew we had to have it. We hoped it would be enough of a contrast on the wall, but we wrong. It got completely lost with the stencil.
We headed back to Architectural Antiques and walked around their huge outdoor salvage yard. The bold blue color of the shutters jumped out at us. We loved how we'd be able to use three panels to create a solid look. We were back in business! Of course the blue wasn't the right color… Boo! That just meant we needed to DIY the doors a bit. We simply dry brushed the blue color we used in the room over the existing blue.
How To Dry Brush: 1-Put a small amount of paint on your brushDab most of it off on a paper towel 3- Quickly sweep the"dry brush" over the surface
(Late night phone picture FAIL. Sorry!) We also rubbed the paint in with a paper towel because we wanted to preserve as much of the original character of the shutters as we could. It gave just enough of the new color to make it work in the room. Installing a shutter or door headboard is really simple. So simple even a rookie DIYer can do it! Jess used this method when installing her door headboard and it worked like a charm! How to Install a Headboard: 1- Get a 2x4 piece of wood2- Cut the wood about 6 inches shorter than the width of the bed (you don't want to see the board)3- Determine the height you want your headboard and mark the bottom4- Use a level to straighten the 2x4 on the wall, where you marked it5- Find your studs and screw it in
6- Rest your headboard on the 2x47- Put a few screws in the headboard for extra stability
It took us all of about 10 minutes to get ours installed. We love an easy DIY!
So what do you think of our Plan B? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ok, so there are a TON of Shabby Apple lovers out there (we told you that would happen!), and we're thrilled to announce that the winner is:
It's your lucky day, April G.! Email us to claim your prize.: ) For the rest of you, don't forget to use the code EASTCOAST10OFF to receive 10% off your order at Shabby Apple. Thanks to everyone who entered! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No… I'm not getting all creepo on you… this is a PG blog-Our moms read it! What I'm talking about it this adorable ball of fur that's now a part of the Mangin family…
I'm seriously head-over-heels in love with her! She's a Bernese Mountain Dog that will be eight weeks old today and she has the sweetest disposition ever! Jess came over to meet her the other day and was surprised at how smitten I am, so she said,"I didn't think you were a dog person?" to which I replied,"I'm not! I just like my dog!" Ha! What can I say? It's true! So in honor of Miss Pennlyn (AKA Penn) I'm sharing some Doggy Style projects… Four Post Bed… Puppy Luxury! I first saw this bed a few years ago in a Lowe's Creative Ideas magazine, and immediately loved it. I don't think the size will work for Penn, but I love the look and idea of it.
Source: lowescreativeideas.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest You could also just find a coffee or end table, flip it over and get your DIY on, turning it into a bed. And of course, I'm loving the yellow! Crate Bed Since Pennlyn will be a pretty big dog, I'm thinking this style bed is a bit more her speed. I'm loving this DIY bed made by Home Frosting and I can't wait to make one. She used leftover 1x4s, but I think I might use some free pallets. The finish she created is fabulous!
Source: home-frosting.blogspot.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest DIY Pet Tags Leave it to Martha to come up with these adorable tags.
Source: marthastewart.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest I was about to order a generic tag from the pet store, but I plan to try this DIY this week before going the generic route. I just need to make sure it's heavy duty enough. I'll let you know how it goes! Pet Art I'm not really a huge fan of having pet pics all over the place (remember… not a"dog person") but I do think some pet art might be cool in the kids' playroom.
This took me about 30 seconds to create on Picnik. I used the"Posterize" effect and voila… Pet Art! I think I'll order it as a canvas this week. Hungry Puppy? Since we've only had Penn for 5 days, her food is just in the bag, but I do have ambitious plans to create some kind of cool looking container. The hubs thinks I'm insane and wants to know why the dog food container needs to be cute, but he knows who he's married to, so he's cool with it. Here's one fun idea…
Source: tidymom.net via The Real Housewives on Pinterest The style isn't mine, but I think I could add some of my own modern flair to it. I sorta had something wooden and rustic in mind, so we'll see… Custom Stuffies These are the funniest things ever! I think they'd make such an awesome gift! This seller on etsy makes custom stuffies for your pet. Just send a picture of your pooch and you'll get a look-a-like stuffie in a few weeks! I've contacted the seller, because she doesn't have this as an active listing right now, but I'm hoping she'll be back at it soon! Pennlyn definitely needs a mini-me stuffie! WAIT! Hold the press! Shevon contacted me and you can now buy a custom stuffie! Here's the link: Custom Stuffies (Soooo stinkin' Cool!)
Source: etsy.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
So, it looks like I have a lot of projects to get working on! Although, before I get working on my puppy projects I think I need to get Penn house-broken and doing fancy tricks (can I teach her how to go get my laptop for me?) I'll keep you posted on Miss Pennlyn and any cool projects we make for her! Oh, one last thing… She WILL NOT be owning one of these… Thundervest…No Comment!
Source: thundershirt.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest Thanks for letting me introduce my little lady to you!
WAIT! Don't stop reading! The voting for Crafting with the Stars is now open! We've entered our first project and we need your votes. We obviously can't tell you which project is ours, but we can give you a hint… look for the coolest one… that'll be ours! Nah, we really do have some stiff competition, so head over and vote for your favorite 3 projects. The winners will be announced Wednesday. Thanks! ClickHERE to see the entries and vote!
We know our posts have been off and on lately, but we hope you're still enjoying all the fun Knock It Off projects. We thought it was about time to do a fun giveaway, so we've teamed up with KILZ brand and some DIY bloggers to bring you this fun $300 Home Depot giveaway!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The wonderful people at KILZ know what a hectic time of year this can be and they want to give you a jump-start in the right direction by helping you"Get Primed For Fall".
Who's gearing up for the back to school routine? Calendars already filled to the max with sporting schedules and instrument lessons and dance classes? And we all know our own to-do lists are never complete so KILZ is here to remind us all to take some time for ourselves this fall. They've reached out to us and some of our favorite DIY bloggers so we can combine our love of priming and pinning. By following KILZ and these 7 bloggers on Pinterest you can keep up with all of the great DIY inspiration and learn invaluable priming and painting tips. By simply clicking the Pinterest buttons below and clicking"Follow All", and then confirming that you did in the easy entry Rafflecopter form below, you will be entered to win the $300 Home Depot gift card!! Woot Woot! It really couldn't be any easier. Thank you, thank you to KILZ for sponsoring this great giveaway and good luck everyone … We're already dreaming about the projects you could make with that $300!
KILZ Primers & Paints | East Coast Creative | Country Chic Cottage | Uncommon Designs
|
|
|
The DIY Village | Sew Woodsy | Remodelando la Casa | the space between
|
|
|
Click this link once you've followed each blogger! a Rafflecopter giveaway
So, follow each of these awesome bloggers & KILZ on Pinterest- then use the Rafflecopter to let us know you're done! Isn't this a great way to start the weekend??!! Good Luck!! We hope an EC2 reader wins!!
Hey guys, let me tell you, it's SO nice to be back to the land of the living. I got hit with the flu HARD! 12 days of a fever is lameo to the max! Now that I'm alive again, I'm excited to share a hidden treasure with you. Before I dish, I've gotta tell you that I'm SO NOT a girly-girl. Nope, I am sneaker and jeans girl through and through. Every time Jess and I have to dress up for an event or TV, she's excited to put together an outfit and I'm like,"Jess, can't we just make sneakers and jeans cool??" (Imagine that in a seriously whiny voice) Thankfully, she makes me put my sneaks aside and usually I'm glad about that in the end… So recently, I crossed over a little into girly-girl land and I'm never going back!
Let me introduce you to Oasis Nail & Day Spa. (Umm what? Isn't this a DIY blog?) Yup, we're all about DIY here on the blog, but until about 3 months ago, wherever I went, my DIY projects went with me… under my nails! Gross! There was paint under my nails 24-7. I wouldn't bother painting them, because the same day it would be chipped off from one project or another. After hearing about it for a year, I gave in and tried getting a Gel Manicure…
Guys, this is stinkin' revolutionary! Seriously! So, they claimed it would last for at least 10 days, but for three months straight each application has lasted a full 4 weeks!! I painted, scrubbed, hammered… there's nothing I didn't put my nails through. I wanted to see if they could handle a hard-core DIYer and they could! Now, I'll only vouch for Oasis' quality, I know a few friends that tried gel elsewhere and it only lasted like 8 days. Boo! As I type this I'm on day 16 and they're still rockin'! I tend to go with a dark color to hide my DIY evidence, but there are tons of color options for the gel colors…
Let me tell you a little bit about Oasis Nail & Day Spa, because not all nail salons are created equal. This is our friend Kim, the owner of Oasis. She's awesome and knows all of her clients so well. She even embarrassed me by showing everyone our Ladies Home Journal magazine that she had out on display!
If you've ever been to Oasis, you'll know that they're famous for a few things… #1- They serve this awesome Korean Citron Tea (and you can actually buy it by the jar now!)
#2- Kim's staff gives the best back massages while your mani or pedi dries… They also will get you relaxed pre-massage with a hot neck warmer… it's so relaxing!
Jess and I are hoping to plan a DIYers Day Out this spring where we'll reserve Oasis and invite all of our local readers to hang out with us, talk about our projects, and get a little girly together!!
But, we don't want you to have to wait for us to check out Oasis. Kim was kind enough to offer EC2 readers a coupon to come in for a visit! (Print Coupon HERE)
Check out Oasis' NEW Website to find out more about their services, pricing, etc… And make sure you print one coupon for you and one for a friend. It's so much more fun to go with a gal pal! (I met 3 of my favorite girls for Friday night manis before dinner! So fun!)
Things can get a little wild at Oasis… lol
So, now that you know that I've become a teeny bit girly with my gel manicures, do tell… Will you be trying one too? What other girly things should I be trying?
While Jess has been working on some indoor projects, I've been focused on our patio, and today's tutorial actually had me fist pumping quite a bit while I was doing it. Now, you're getting a sneak peak of the patio, but I'm not doing a real reveal until it's 100% finished (We're waiting on the lights we ordered and we've already started on a little addition!) So, don't focus on the patio, just the DIY project okay?
I knew that spray painting my outdoor rug, rather than hand painting it, would save me time, but I had no idea just how simple it would be and how much I was going to love it! I wanted an awesome outdoor rug for the sitting area, but man alive, are they pricey! Jess actually found this insanely cheap outdoor rug at Home Depot for a project at her house, so I jumped on the cheap rug bandwagon and got one too! Check out that price… $17.88!!
I did a project on one of our Nate Show episodes last Christmas, and it got me thinking… I really didn't want to spend a long time painting a rug, perhaps I could try something a little easier (I'm all about the lazy-man's DIY).
To make those canvases, I just laid a reindeer template on the canvas and spray painted over it. When I peeled the template off, I was left with pure awesomeness! I decided to give that method a whirl with the rug.
1- Spray the back of your high quality stencil with spray adhesive (I only sprayed it 2x for the whole rug). I had this Chez Sheik Moroccan Stencil already from Royal Design Studios (they're our favorite!). Then, choose one corner of the rug to place your stencil in. I honestly only leveled and squared by eye and it worked out perfectly. 2- Use scrap or newspaper to cover the area around the stencil. 3- Spray the stencil with your paint. I used Valspar's Outdoor White so that it will hold up against all kinds of weather (including the million degree heat we're having right now!) When you're spraying, you'll want to spray directly down onto the rug, to prevent any bleeding, and hold your can a lot closer than you normally would. I found about 4 inches gave me quick, solid coverage.
As soon as I was done with one section, I moved onto the next. I didn't have to wait for any drying time etc.
Here's some evidence of how fast and easy this project is… Each star represents something (from bottom left) 1- I didn't bother with a drop cloth. 2- I just moved the sticks from the thunder storm to the side. 3- Child #3's scooter 4- Child #2's skateboard (I knew I'd be out of their way fast!) 5- Plywood from another DIY 6- Recycling bins I was supposed to take to the street, but hey they can wait 20 minutes for this project right? Here's the patio sitting area before…
And after…
If you're anything like me, you're wondering, But how crisp are the lines? Does it really look good or does it look like a sloppy 20 minute project?? I'll let you be the judge. I'm crazy picky and this meets the Monica standard.
After hauling 40 tons of stone and working for weeks on this patio, I needed a quick and simple DIY. This outdoor stenciled rug cost me under $30 and completely helps bring the space together. I can't wait for cool, crisp fall evenings, when I plan on spending a lot of time outside in my new space! What do you think of it?
When a close friend asks you to help re-do their bubble-gum pink, non-descript guest room, you can't say no. You almost feel like you need to stage a design intervention immediately. Everyone has a room like this one: a forgotten catch-all guest room/play room/ exercise room/ office. We decided that it was our duty to save the world (and Connie and Mark's parents!) from this room so we spruced the place up a bit. I mean, anything would have been better than that color pink, and we were game for the challenge. So.without further ado, here's our first official SuperFab Room Redesign! Update: Welcome YHL Readers! For the Stencilled Wall Tutorial and Paint colors click HERE To see the room with and without accessories click HERE For the Shutter Headboard Tutorial click HERE
Yay! Doesn't it look incredible? Over the next few days we'll be posting the tutorials on everything you see in the rooms, but for now, let's take a look at some beauty shots, huh? Obviously, the scene-stealer is the multi-colored houndstooth stenciled wall. This was a definite labor of love (we even called in some backup assistance), but it makes a huge impact in the room, don't you think? We love the mix of the classic houndstooth pattern with the modern color scheme. It definitely set the tone for the rest of the room: mixing old with new. We'll be posting a tutorial next week, but if you want to get a jump start on your own, you can visit Royal Design Studio to get this amazing stencil for yourself!
Just take it all in, people.: ) Another fav is the headboard we made out of old shutters (or are they doors? Not sure!) we found at our favorite salvage place, Architectural Antiques. We needed something that would stand out from the wall, command attention, and add some character and and this baby does that. Gorgeous!
Another fun part of the design for us was coming up with a unique way to showcase Connie's collection of old family photos. This gallery wall is super simple and allows the photos to be the main focus. We can't wait to tell you how we did it, so you can try it too. And now you know what the gears were for!: )
Connie & Mark had this dresser that we knew we could make fabulous with some paint and new hardware, so that saved us some big bucks! That blue may be one of our all-time favorite colors and changed this dresser from one that was ready to be kicked to the curb, to something that they'll never want to part with!
This little vignette makes us super happy, because not only is it adorable, but it's totally functional, as well. Since this is their guest room, we made sure to add some towels and an extra blanket to the cart to make their guests feel at home. An $8 industrial cart never looked so good! The metal cubby shelf was a great find from HomeGoods that completes this corner of the room.
And a room makeover is nothing without accessories. Pulling together all of these items was our idea of a good time, and they make a world of difference. We'll show you the proof this week, trust us.
We're already planning a sleepover at Connie and Mark's.; ) We hope you enjoyed our makeover! Be sure to stop back over to see all the juicy DIY details in the next few days. Oh yeah, one more thing: You can see a whole lot more of our DIY escapades on our projects page!
And don't forget that Monica is in the running to be the New Face of Proctor & Gamble Home! Please head over and vote for her. You can vote once a day, now through October 3rd. We know voting things can be a pain, but this one is simple and man, winning would Rock our World! So thanks so much! Want more EC2? Use the icons below to follow us!
Don't Try This at Home This mother's day weekend, I had a DIY happy mother's day to me project planned. I bought two inexpensive Adirondack chairs and planned to make them fabulous.
I was all geared up for a perfect DIY, camera in hand
I planned to use this cute paper on the back of the chair and then seal it with mod podge.
However, I forgot that I am a lefty, living in a right-handed world. I stink at cutting! I went through five pairs of scissors before I realized this was NOT working out.
I actually texted Jess a picture of the blister I got from using these dreadful scissors!
Oh, but look how cute this could look. What you can't tell from this picture is that it took me nearly an hour and a half to do that one strip and I had 11 more to do! (I might have been a little OCD and trying to get it perfect!)
I did two more strips and then decided this was a DIY not to try! I quit and peeled off all the paper. Blah! Do Try This at Home! We're in the middle of the Design Challeng{ed} contest, and we want your pictures! Use the menu tab above to get all the details. Take a picture that shows your challenge room and you could win a professional design consultation by ME! What? What has this lady ever designed? Good question, and one we thought we should answer for you! Although, I now only do design work on the side, I loved the years I spent making staging and design my occupation. The majority of the homes that I worked in were vacant or semi-vacant. I used a combination of the homeowner's belongings and rental furniture. Having a staged room makes a big impact on a potential buyer. Another home looking Empty and Blah
Simple Staging and ready for buyers!
The tricky part to staging is that you're not designing the room based on your preferences, (or even mine as the designer) we worked off of the demographics of potential buyers and the feel of the space.
This room isn't my personal style, but it was the right look for this high-end condo on the Main Line.
We're really excited to work with our Design Challeng{ed} winner. We hope that this mini portfolio peek gets you excited to think about a room makeover in your home! So, my advice is to pass on the Adirondack DIY, and instead to use your time taking pictures and entering the Design Challeng{ed} contest so we can work together designing the perfect space for you! Good Luck!
P.S. Don't forget that you can enter the Design Challeng{ed} contest even if you're not in Bucks County! Virtual design is all the rage and this"cyber teacher" has all the right technology to make it happen for you!
Last week I introduced you to the huge DIY patio project we're in the midst of. (If you missed the intro post, you can check it out HERE.) Well, the past week has been full of lots of and lots of hard work, but we've made some awesome progress!
Although my mind is completely preoccupied with planning our first patio party, and all the fun accessorizing DIYs I can't wait to get started on, I had to stick to the Patio Plan and stay focused! Our last post ended with us beginning to measure and plan. Here's what we've accomplished since then!
Step # 3- Measure & Plan Now, we already had our plan on paper and even roughly spray painted on the grass, but now it was time for the dreaded exact numbers. Now, I'll admit, my hubs is one smart guy (remember, Chemist by day, DIYer by night?) but we called in the big guns for this one. Meet Mark & Connie (you might remember their guest room??)
Well these two love math and nerdy stuff, so we said hey come over for dinner and help us do patio math. They couldn't resist the offer. I'm not going to give you all the exact equations etc (because I don't understand them) but I'll just emphasize that the math does matter. We used string tied on to rebar to get straight lines.
We marked, measured, did little intersection things etc.
Then it was time to DIG! I helped with this part (some of it at least). Eric used the pickaxe and I'll shovel in the wheelbarrow and dump. Fun Times, let me tell ya.
We've had a TON of rain lately and we live in ROCKhill Township, so it took a while to get the entire thing dug. I loved seeing the outline begin to take shape!
While we were digging, look what arrived from Stone Depot and EP Henry?
We didn't have time to waste, so we were on to Step #4- Remove the Patio Grass Nothing fancy to this part, just dig away at the grass and haul it into the woods. By this point Eric was still okay with me saying,"Wait! Pose! Let me take a picture!" Not so much anymore! I knew it would ware off eventually!
Another Delivery! This is the 3/4 Modified stone that goes down first.
Step # 5- Build Boarder Wall The first part to building the wall was filling in the trench we just dug! WHAT??!! I was totally not cool with this at first. It seemed like a waste, but the wall needs a solid foundation. We filled the trench with stone, raked it, and tamped. What Eric is using is a tamp. You just bang it really hard over and over and over. Again, fun times!
My job was to bring load after load after load of stone. It was a good upper body workout!
Oops! Step # 4.5- Run Electrical Wires We almost forgot about this step. We're adding lights on the sitting wall, and four pillar lights. Eric did all the electrical himself because he's experienced in this area, but if you're a rookie, call in a pro to help.
Finally we were ready to lay some pavers! These were the first ones and I can't tell you how excited I was when they went in!
There are some definite DIY tips and tricks we've learned about building a wall, so we'll be back next week with a post chock-full of helpful tips! So, how are we doing so far? Any guesses on how long this DIY is going to take us?
From time to time we talk here on the blog about how we try to make sure that we don't become self-absorbed or too focused on our own homes and stuff etc… It's a fine line when you're a home blogger. One way that we try to do this is by using our skills to help others! You might remember our first"Design it Forward Project" I've decided that I'm a DIYer, but I like to DIY-FO too… Do-It-Yourself-For-Others And just because I'm a little gangsta, I've now coined it…
Wouldn't it be so cool if we all became more than just DIYers, if we also loved to DIY-FO-SHO!! (If you're really, really not gangsta it's a play on words"fo sho"= For Sure) I don't know about you, but I LOVE doing what I love to make someone else's day awesome! Here's the story behind the bench pictured above! So my Kenzie girl is obsessed with animals- I mean she really likes them more than people!
She has been taking horseback riding lessons from an awesome trainer (Katrina) at All Seasons Stables for the last year. If you're local we totally recommend them for lessons (tell them we sent you!) Anyhow, near the riding ring, there was this oh-so-sad looking bench that I sat on or near for about 9 months before it occurred to me that I needed to give it a little love (okay maybe a lot of love!)
I told Katrina I was going to borrow her bench and I'd have it back the next day… she kind of looked at me like I had 3 heads as I dragged it over to my car and loaded it into the trunk. I promised her it would be worth it! The hubs was 100% on board and we got right to work.
The screws were crazy rusted, so we had to use our jigsaw to cut the boards in half…
Once they were split down the center, we took a hammer and literally banged them off!
See! I wasn't kidding. I sent Katrina a picture of the bench like this just to mess with her head a little! lol
I worked on spray painting the metal frame with outdoor paint, and while it dried, we worked on the new seat and backrest.
We replaced the old, rotten wood with new 1x3s.
Instantly it was looking better!
We painted all the wood a classic barn red to match the stables, and I decided it needed a little personalization. Using my Silhouette I added their name.
I taped around the edges to avoid bleeding and then got to work with my favorite Royal Design Studio stencil brush (I swear by this thing!)
After letting it dry, Kira and I headed back to the farm to make our special delivery. She hung out with a pony named Peaches, while I set up the bench.
I think it looks a WHOLE lot better and Katrina and her family were really surprised and appreciated it so much.
It's awesome to do a simple, little project that really makes someone else's day! It doesn't have to be a huge project, but it could still make a huge impact on someone else!
So, what do you think of my new phrase? Are you ready to DIY-FO-SHO???
If you're anything like me at all (lazy super efficient), then you'll be thrilled with these tips on how to make your DIY experiences hassle-free. Let's get right to it, shall we? (Be sure to click on the link below each picture for more information on exactly what to do.) 1. Save those old, stiff paintbrushes you thought were goners. Just soak those bad boys in hot vinegar for 30 minutes and they'll be as good as new.
Source: thisoldhouse.com via Jessica on Pinterest
2. Make those free paint stir sticks work. Use them to help recall your household paint colors. Dip the stick into your paint and write the name of the paint color and it's number on the other end. Tie together with some ribbon or twine and voila! This trick was totally made for me and my impulsive, forgetful self.
Source: marthastewart.com via Jessica on Pinterest
3. Make yourself a fun holiday wreath on the cheap. Instead of buying an expensive foam wreath from a craft store, get a 6 foot long piece of foam tubing from Home Depot or Lowe's. Cut the length you want, and duct tape the ends together. For approximately $.97, you've got yourself a naked wreath, ready to be all dolled up!
Source: thepennyparlor.com via Jessica on Pinterest
4. Use paint thinner to transfer a black & white picture or text onto almost anything . Monica and I just used this method for one of our joint projects (which you'll soon hear about. I know you're already on the edge of your seats with anticipation), and it made us squeal with excitement. Hi, we're Monica and Jess and we get really excited about crafting. Anyway, simply print your text or picture with a laser printerbackwards, and lay it on your fabric or wood, or whatever you're working on. Rub paint thinner over the whole thing with a cue tip.There you have it! So much easier than making a stencil and then tracing it. (Please read the whole tutorial before attempting this! Just click here for all the details.)
Source: mademoisellechaos.blogspot.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest
5. Channel your inner Martha and create ah-mazingflower arrangements. Seriously, she isn't a millionaire for nothing. This simple trick makes all the difference! Make a grid using clear cellophane tape across the opening of your bowl. Cut your stems short, and place one or two blooms in each opening of the grid. Apparently, this helps support the heavier blooms so they don't automatically fall to the outside of the bowl. Add your greens (ie: baby's breath, ferns etc) in last.
Source: marthastewart.com via The Real Housewives on Pinterest So, there you have it! 5 easy ways to make DIY-ing a whole lot simpler. Go forth and create! ______________________________________________________________________________ And, finally, just to get your juices flowing, this is one of the submissions we've received for the Nate Show Ticket giveaway contest:
Isn't it awesome, and highly-unflattering? Oh well, all in the name of the Nate Berkus Show. There's still time to enter the contest, so hurry up and click here here for all the details. Do you have any fail-safe DIY tips? Please share!
Have you ever noticed how incredibly expensive planters are? For about $40 I could get one itty bitty planter, that's not even cute. No thanks. I decided I would DIY planters that would work perfectly with my new painted door and rockin' house numbers. I didn't want anything to frilly, or girly. I wanted my style inside my house, reflected on the outside too! This project cost me $20 each, was incredibly simple, and totally fits my style.
Here's What you'll need to DIY your own color block, tiered planters: Plastic planters (mine were from Target) 2 colors of spray paint 1 color of latex paint Dirt, Mulch, Plants, Etc. I started with these plain Jane planters from Target (find them here). You can't really tell how big they are, but they're pretty big (I can't wrap my arms around the top of the large one- I tried, so that gives you an idea and a weird mental picture. Sorry about that!) They cost $7 for the medium and $13 for the extra large.
The first step was to spray paint the middle color. I used Valspar's grey primer because I love the color.
You don't need to worry about the top or bottom at all. Just get a nice, even coat on the middle. I did two light coats on mine.
I painted the top color block with the same color I recently used on my front door. I'm a bit obsessed with it. I didn't need to tape for a clean line, because the planter had a lip that I was able to use as a guide. Also, make sure you paint down pretty far on the inside. I'm assuming your house guests will be taller than the planters, so they'll get a peek down inside.
The next step, made this DIYer do the dance of joy (remember Perfect Strangers?) because it saved me so much time! I used a paint can opener to pop the bottom of the planters. I'll warn you, it will sound like you're breaking them, but you're not! They'll pop right back on when you're done painting them.
Taking the bottom off, meant no need for tape or cutting in. Just spray paint the bottom whatever color you'd like. This was my little work station (aka messy garage).
Put the pieces all together and you're left with cool, color block planters.
They're nice like that, but I wanted to take it up a notch! I wanted some height, so I stacked them up. I didn't do any permanent attaching or anything, just fill the bottom with dirt, plant your flowers, add the next planter, and repeat. Again, remember the angle people will see them from when they walk in… mulch is a must. No one wants to see this…
I used white wave petunias on the bottom and a boxwood on top.
Here was my porch a few weeks ago. It was a sad situation… trust me, I know!
Take a look now! I think it's just a tad more welcoming don't you?
For a grand total of $40 and less than an hour, I got two color block, tiered planters that perfectly match my style and house colors. (You can see the door and house numbers Here) Now… if only I can keep the plants alive… What do you think of my DIY Planter Upcycle?
**Since my mom loved my planters, she kind of hinted around to wanting one of her own. Here's what she got for Mother's Day! Black and Red to match her house!
This weekend Jess and I got up bright and early on Saturday morning to attend a barn sale. We weren't 100% sure what to expect (the details were limited) and on the way we were laughing at the possibility of us walking it and it being all farm equipment! Thankfully it wasn't! The sale was inside and out of this cool, old barn
There were plenty of random things, but also tons of furniture, mirrors, and stuff that was right up our alley!
I REALLY wanted to buy this piece for my dining room, but it's a corner unit that wouldn't fit. I was bummed!
Jess almost bought this mantle to turn into a headboard, but I kind of talked her out of it!
We both loved this cool sign!
I spotted and scored this awesome"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall…" style mirror for $5.00!
DIY Chalkboard Mirror Have I mentioned I'm impulsive?? By Saturday afternoon I was ready to start working on my mirror project! I make my poor husband take all kinds of dorky pictures of me holding things… He accidentally got himself in this picture (don't tell him I used it on the blog!)
Here's the mirror before… Jess is in a gold phase, and liked it gold, but me… not so much…
I went to Lowes and after staring at the spraypaint choices for an eternity, I decided that blue will now be my kitchen accent color. A worker actually made a comment about how long it took me to choose.: )
Did the blue in the above picture worry you?? It just looks crazy bright in the pic, in reality, it's a really great, dark blue! Love it! If you're doing this project with a mirror, I recommend spraypainting right over the mirror as well. It acts like a primer for the chalkboard paint.
See the little cobwebs?? I clearly didn't take the time to prep the mirror. Thankfully, they wiped right off. Impulsive remember?
Next, it was time to paint the mirror surface with chalkboard paint. You can get it by the quart at any Lowes or Home Depot.
Rather than using my real painting brushes, I opted for some art brushes because I was going to freehand the edges.
It is just me or do other people like taking pictures of open cans of paint? I always think they look so cool!
Thankfully, the mirror had an easy edge to follow and I was able to get my lines nice and crisp (perfectionist tendencies!)
The chalkboard paint went on really evenly and only required one coat.
And of course I hung it before it was dry! Ahhh I love it so much!
We decided we'd use it for a countdown for this kids for now. Eventually, I'll need some kind of quote that makes me seem way cooler than I am.
Here's where it's hanging in my house…It's on a small wall area between the kitchen and living room. And look, I've been using my Key Hooks and you can see them in this picture!
So, do you have any cool frames or broken mirrors that you can make into a cool chalkboard? What do you think of my Mirror, Mirror on the Wall turned Chalkboard?
We're linking up to a few Great Blogs! Shabby Nest, Remodelaholic, Under the Table and Dreaming, Today’s Creative Blog, DecorChick, Finding Fabulous, The DIY Show-Off, Be Different Act Normal, Tatertots and Jello, Polly Want a Crafter?, Shabby Chic Cottage, Stories of A-Z, House of Hepworths, Beneath My Heart, Shanty 2 Chic, The CSI Project, CRAFT, House of Grace, Domestically Speaking, Creations by Kara, Southern Hospitality, Lolly Jane, Keeping it Simple, Somewhat Simple, Making the world Cuter, Young and Crafty, My Backyard Eden, Dittle Dattle, A Glimpse Inside, At Home with K, Brambleberry Cottage, Beyond the Picket Fence, Sumo’s Sweet Stuff, Someday Crafts, Serenity Now, The DIY Club, My Girlish Whims
