Category: DIY


Jul
2020

Fun With Tote Bags

categories: Crafts, DIY

We all have things, lots of things.

Things we need and must carry with us.

I carry a small purse, so I usually take a tote bag along with me in the car.

My tote is filled with extra glasses, pens, notebooks, pills, and now hand sanitizer and face masks.

Just things I may need when I am out and about.

I bought some canvas bags at Michaels with a 50% off coupon, and started thinking of ways to decorate.

I love Rae Dunn products, she is an American artist using a simple farmhouse lettering.

I have always loved her products, although they can be a bit pricey, so when I saw Rae Dunn look alike stencils on Amazon, of course, I had to have them.

So very happy with the outcome of these bags I completed using my new stencils.

A simple saying, so cute!

Again I used my Rae Dunn stencils on this black and white canvas bag.

Couldn’t resist this little pouch too!

So cute and whimsy!

I love them.

On this next one, I tried for a little Bo Ho style using a tricolor pack of pom pom balls, again from Michaels for $1.99.

Using my glue gun, I glued the balls in a row on both sides of the bag.

What a cute stocking stuffer idea, totes for many folks on your Christmas list.

Roll the bags up and tie a red ribbon around them, don’t forget to add a cute tag, homemade of course!

Yes, Christmas is only 5 months away.

Time to get started.

This last bag is the one I am currently using.

Stenciled with lemons! I love all things lemon.

It just says “summer”.

Totes are great to take along to a farmer’s market or craft event to carry all the goodies you buy.

Before I end this post I want to say something about stenciling.

The most important thing is to use an almost dry brush, you can always repeat if needed.

Too much paint will cause bleeding outside the stencil.

If you want to shade an area on your stencil, go back, after the first coat has dried, with a darker shade.

Just use your craft paints, they work fine.

I have a dear friend, Denise, who is a wonderful sewer.

If I could sew like Denise, I would make tote bags, in beautiful, colorful fabrics, using the simple pattern on the video below.

Get busy Denise, I expect one in my stocking.

Since my sewing machine hates me, I will have to settle for stenciled bags to fill the stockings of all my loved ones.

Hope you all are being creative, staying busy and staying safe.

Hugs.


Jun
2020

3 Step Projects #2

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

This is my second post featuring simple thrift store finds, upcycled to be used again.

The definition –

upcycled

-reused in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original.

Hopefully, you all can see that in these three projects.

I found this large wood bowl for only $2.00.

It was in great condition.

I cleaned it, and cleaned it again.

Sanded all around.

Last step was a new coat of stain.

It turned out beautiful, such a great display piece.

So nice on my kitchen table filled with apples, lemons, small pumpkins in the fall, pine cones and greenery in the winter.

A really fortunate find.

I love it!

I have been wanting a new entry chandelier for so long, my old one had a bit too much “gingerbread”, and was over 25 years old.

Hard to justify spending for a new one right now, so when I saw this for only $6.00, it came home with me.

Cleaned it thoroughly.

I touched up the chain with a bit of gold spray paint.

After shining up all the glass, and adding some new bulbs, it was ready to hang.

Beautiful.

So very pleased with the look as you enter my home.

Simple lines, which is what I wanted.

My next project was inspired from this Pottery Barn wood crate, on clearance for $35.00. The original price was $55.00.

I immediately thought of this small wood crate I had in my garage.

Smaller, with a darker stain, but the same old nails and printing on the side.

All I needed to complete this project was to clean, and cut 4 wood legs from some scrap wood.

I stained the wood pieces and glued to the crate.

Pleased with the outcome.

As the Pottery Barn ad shows this crate can be used two ways.

A perfect piece for magazines, or turned upside down a great riser for a table.

Quoting Pottery Barn, “Organize your space or put seasonal decor on display – the possibilities are endless”.

Thank you Pottery Barn for the inspiration.

Hope you all are safe and healthy.

Don’t forget to wear your masks!

Love and blessings to all.


Jun
2020

It’s Summer on the Porch

categories: DIY, My Simple Home, Summer

The most popular blogs are all showing their porches and patios for summer.

Beautiful, expensive outdoor furniture, amazing decks, yards, and many with unbelievable pool areas.

For many of us, just a dream.

If that is what you are expecting in this post, you need to click out now!

But, maybe, just maybe, the most of us want and have simple lives, with little money to spend on such things.

We love what we have.

I know I do.

So here’s my crooked back porch tour for this summer.

Same outdoor furniture for the past 8 years, it is perfectly fine.

Changed up the color with pillows as I do every year.

This year a whimsy bright flower pattern in turquoise.

I purchase most of my pillow covers on Amazon, the prices are very reasonable and good quality.

Again this year, I used red geraniums with the turquoise, love them together.

I used the same wood box planter I made, painted white, with an old knob.

You will see a new birdhouse, thanks to a Mother’s Day gift card from my sweet sister.

My DIY wind chime hangs above, along with a beautiful Dauphin violet hanging basket.

My Shasta daisies are blooming, spreading around the bunny next to the porch. So cute!

The birdhouse I made several years ago is still standing, surrounded by Vinca vine, growing wild on the side of our house.

Well folks, that’s my crooked little porch tour for this year.

Nothing expensive, just loving and using the things I have.

It’s wonderful to us.

Beautiful, peaceful, just ours, a part of the home that we love.

We need nothing more!

Hope you all enjoy your summer.

Blessings.


Jun
2020

DIY Plate Chargers

categories: Crafts, DIY

Hey folks, today I am sharing a simple idea from Pinterest.

DIY plate chargers.

To be honest, I did not know what plate chargers were, or at least that they were called “chargers”.

An inexpensive project, just using scissors, cardboard, fabric, glue and a glue gun.

There is no sewing, no painting.

The first step is to cut out a 12″ circle from a piece of cardboard.

I took a shortcut and used some 12″ cake boards I had from my old cake decorating days.

You will need about a 14″ x 14″ piece of fabric for each charger.

I had fabric left over from a previous project so I used what I had.

It is a lemon pattern, that I love.

This is a large pattern, smaller patterns will allow more color around your plates.

I ironed each fabric piece first, then laid the fabric piece face down, and traced around the cardboard.

Cut out the circle piece, leaving an extra 2 inches all around for turning the fabric up and over the board.

Using your hot glue gun apply a strip of glue on the edge at the top, then turn the fabric up and over the board securing, take care not to burn your fingers.

Repeat at the bottom, left and right sides, pulling the fabric tight as you work around the board.

Continue applying glue all around, securing the fabric.

Trim the edges on the back, if needed, and remove any threads or glue strings.

That is it!

So simple!

I love them!

I finished 4 chargers in less than an hour.

If you are having a special lunch or dinner, impress your guests with your creativity.

The fun part is choosing your fabric, or maybe you have an old print tablecloth you could cut up and use.

Hope you all enjoyed this project, give it a try!

Love this little quote,

“If life give your lemons, make lemonade”

I have sure had a bunch of lemons in my life, how about you!

Blessings.


Jun
2020

Don’t Throw That Away!

categories: DIY, Summer

Well, this was almost thrown out in our trash.

Oh, no, no!

I still see life, a new life for this old basket that has been in my garage for so many years.

The lid is gone, no matter, don’t really need one,

The color has faded, no matter, a new coat of stain or paint will fix that.

It is still sturdy, lots of useful life ahead.

Could be used for many things, but I saw a picnic basket for two!

First step was to clean, really clean, especially the inside.

I then gave it a new coat of stain inside and out. When completely dry, I painted the outside area a medium shade of gray, leaving the handle and trim the brown stain.

So pleased with the finished look.

I filled it with some plastic outdoor dishes, an outdoor tablecloth, plastic glasses, all things needed for a lunch outside.

I keep my basket in a handy place, where I can just grab it on those beautiful days when being outside is a must.

We have a wonderful large shade area in out backyard, perfect for a mid-morning brunch, or lunch.

I found the floral dishes at my local Dollar General store for $2 each. They are really nice.

Picked up the salad bowl for $3.50.

I have other plastic dishes and outdoor tablecloths, but I could not resist the colors in the floral plates.

Today we are going to have a beautiful day, 80 with low humidity. A perfect day for hubby and me to head outside.

Don’t just throw old things out!

Take a look, make sure you don’t see life with just a bit of work.

Until next time, thanking God for this beautiful day.

Blessings and love.


May
2020

Colorful DIY Wind Chime

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

Hello everyone!

I pray you are safe while we are all staying apart.

With God’s help and love, we will all be together again soon.

“Together”, sounds so good.

I have been cleaning, and working on getting my back porch ready for the warm weather.

Sitting on our back porch is one of the joys of our retirement years.

Wanted to add extra color to the porch area with pillows, pots, and flowers.

I remembered seeing an idea for a wind chime that I loved, it was so colorful, and I loved it’s simplicity.

The wind chime was made from wood spindles.

I found some spindles at the flea market, so I had to try it!

There was a handwritten note on the bundled spindles, “used for replacement parts on an old screen door”.

I remember those vintage screen doors with a row of spindles across the middle, do you?

For the top of the wind chime, I used the top from an old wood pedestal I had in my thrift store stash.

My first step was to drill a hole horizontally across the top of 8 spindles, and 8 holes evenly spaced on the top piece.

I painted the spindles and top piece with my craft paint. You could also use spray paint, whatever you have on hand.

The next step was to run fishing line though the holes on the spindle tops, allowing line on each side of the holes, and then up through each hole on the top piece.

I left extra fishing line at the ends for securing and hanging.

Tied off the ends, and slipped all onto an “S” hook.


To finish up I added a lovely glass knob to the top.

It turned out so nice, I love it.

Love the soft sound when the wind blows. love the sun shining on the glass knob.

Just simple.

Just colorful.

Just whimsy and beautiful hanging on my back porch.

It has been a beautiful day today, so sunny, and 79 degrees.

I have enjoyed looking at my creation as I worked about my yard, and especially when I sat down on my porch for a bit of rest.

What a wonderful gift today has been.

Be safe.

Blessings to all!


Apr
2020

Our Easter Blessing

categories: DIY, Easter, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting


Hope you all had a blessed Easter.

Our family was surely blessed.

My niece Carrie, had a beautiful baby boy on Easter Sunday, weighing over 9 lbs.

Such a blessing during all the suffering and deaths in our country from the Covid-19 virus.

Heartbreaking.

Me and my sister planned a beautiful baby shower for Carrie.

We planned every detail for months, wanting it to be something really special for her.

After all was in place we unfortunately, only a week before the event, had to postpone the shower due to the social distancing and for the safety of everyone.

We were all disappointed, but when this is all over we will have the shower for Carrie and baby Josh, and it will be just as special.

I needed a tray to serve coffee with cake to our guests, so I decided to make a tray from a thrift store frame.

Took the frame apart and of course, I painted it white.

Printed out old childhood photos of me, my sister, and brother, and a few of my son.

Made a collage on the frame backing with all the photos.

Secured the photos with a bit of glue and added some gold handles to the tray.

Assembled the back of the tray to finish.

Perfect for serving coffee.

My tray is all about family.

I’m sentimental, and mushy, and loving, so when I can use old photos, you know I do!

Love this project so much.

Costing very little to make, but so valuable to me.

Would make a lovely Mother’s Day gift.

Love you all, take care.

Blessings.



Oct
2019

DIY Dollar Store Fall Pumpkin Sign

categories: Autumn, DIY

As I mentioned in yesterday’s blog, today I want to share an easy, so easy, DIY fall pumpkin sign.

I recently had lunch with a dear friend and she took me to a fairly new Dollar Tree store in my area.

How happy I was when I spotted this pumpkin foam piece!

I had seen this project on Pinterest and thought it would be simple.

I searched my cluttered garage for some wood pieces I might use for the sign.

Found four rustic pieces I had purchased at Hobby Lobby some time ago for 50% off. This is something I do if I have a bit of extra money, knowing down the road I would use the wood for some project.

Laid out the four pieces, and then added two scrap wood pieces vertically to the back, to hold the pieces together. I used wood glue and also some wood screws to secure.

I sanded some of the rough spots, placed the pumpkin stencil on top, and spray painted the entire piece with white spray paint.

After two light coats had dried completely, I removed the stencil.

The results were so good!

I now have an old, rustic sign for my front door area.

How nice it looks surrounded by the pumpkins and mums I bought yesterday.

Once again let me say, “I love it”!

It was so simple, seriously, any of you could make it!

I guess I am a country girl like my Momma at heart. This old farmhouse look is what I love.

Hope you all have your porch or front door decorated for this special time of the year.

My husband is waiting for me on our back porch to enjoy some of this beautiful weather, so see you all next time.

Tomorrow we will be married 50 years, unbelievable!


Oct
2019

More Fall Pillows From Placemats

categories: Autumn, DIY

Finally, cooler weather has come to my little bit of this world.

Yesterday afternoon was wonderful, so sitting outside on my crooked back porch was the perfect time to get back to my blog.

Working on a 50th wedding anniversary party for my sister and brother-in-law kept me busy for weeks, coming up with decorations and planning every detail with my nieces.

Our hard work paid off the gathering was wonderful!

I also just returned from our annual family visit to Brown County, Indiana. We had a great time in a beautiful setting that we love.

Today I want to share a really simple fall project. Pillows made from fall placemats.

A couple of years ago I shared another fall pillow project from placemats, but this one is quite different.

I saw this first placemat at Big Lots for $4.00 with 25% off.

I loved it, it was the last one so I had to have it!

It has been probably 10 years since I stopped at Big Lots. I was pleasantly surprised by many of the fall items.

I also used a plain tan pillow cover from Hobby Lobby for 50% off, which in the end, was less than $4.00.

The next step was to stitch or glue the placemat to the front of the pillow.

I used my hot glue gun, placing a pad between the pillow cover layers so the glue would not bleed through to the back.

I added a pillow form from another pillow I had, and the project was complete and simply beautiful.

So many spots in my home I could use this pillow, but I think on my crooked back porch will be the best.

So pleased with the way it turned out, so pleased.

I also found another placemat I thought would work as well, again on sale for 25% off.

This one is a bit different.

I cut the pumpkin off from the rest of the placemat. The edges were finished so raveling was not an issue.

Using the same application on another pillow cover, here is how it turned out.

Sweet and simple.

I love it!

Today is another beautiful day, a perfect day to go shopping for a special placemat to make into a fall pillow for your home.

Hope you all enjoyed this project.

I think I will have one more cup of coffee and go out and buy some mums and pumpkins for my front door area.

Tomorrow I will share a simple fall pumpkin sign.

Hope you all will stop by!

Love to all on this beautiful fall day!


Aug
2019

Thank You, Jayne

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

I have a dear friend in my life.

She is kind, caring, loving, and thoughtful.

Knowing my love for creating, and giving life to old worn items, she bought this lazy susan at a yard sale with me in mind.

A Pottery Barn item with just some nicks here and there.

I thought of several ways I could repurpose it, but in the end, I just upcycled it!

Cleaned, sanded, and applied several coats of white paint.

To make it unique, I applied inspirational words to the rim of the lazy susan.

Words that will inspire me to create, to imagine, to dream of what could be, and believe I can do so much. Hopefully, I will smile and enjoy my creations and laugh at my disasters, but love them all!

I then combined several dollar store jars and painted the rims black to create a wonderful one of a kind piece for my craft area table.

Now I have a place to organize the items I use with most of my projects, including reading glasses, which I am always looking for!

I love it!

I love it so much.

I know it has been a while since I posted, but thanks to Jayne, always encouraging me and taking the time to read my blog, I feel motivated to do much more.

Thank you Jayne, I am truly blessed to have you in my life.

Love to all on this beautiful Tuesday.