Tag: DIY Crafts


Oct
2018

Junky Pumpkins!

categories: Autumn, Crafts, DIY

My goodness, I cannot believe it is almost November!

I feel as if I blinked and missed September and October.

Today I want to share a fun wood project using various 2 x 4 pieces.

“Junky Pumpkins”.

My son cut the 2 x 4 we had in our garage, I sanded, painted all orange, using a sponge brush and simple craft paint.

Now the fun begins!

I gathered up all the small junk drawer pieces I could find, buttons, tacks, screws, washers, handles, knobs, to create whimsy, quirky, and maybe a bit scary, faces.

Played with all the pieces, moving them from one wood piece to another, until I found just the face I loved.

Simply glue the pieces in place, using wood glue, or in some cases, for the heavier pieces, E6000 glue.

Here they are, my “Junky Pumpkins”!

As I say when sharing most of my projects, “love them”, so much fun to put together!

These two are my favorites.

Just simple!

I used thin wire, curled, a knob, and also a stem from an old plastic pumpkin, on the tops.

Love the smile made by using an old handle.  So cute!

What a great project for older kids on a cold rainy weekend day.

Just a happy simple project!

Have fun with your junk drawer finds!

Love you folks!

 

 


Oct
2018

Painting Faux Pumpkins

categories: Autumn, Crafts, DIY

Just love the simple look of white pumpkins in the fall!

I especially love using the mini ones here and there throughout my home.

My preference is to use faux pumpkins inside, and real ones outside.

Unfortunately, really nice faux white pumpkins can be a bit pricey, so this year I tried painting my own.

Found these foam type mini pumpkins at Walmart for 98 cents each.  Two cents cheaper than the dollar store, and the selection was really good, so many different shapes.  Every penny saved is a good thing!

I did splurge for a larger one at $1.98!

Using my favorite paint for the look I love, Rust-Oleum, Linen White, chalk paint, I simply removed the stems and painted each with several coats, using a foam brush.

Replaced the stems, after painting each one with a dark brown craft paint, to finish this simple project.

Love them!

Quite a difference, don’t you think?

So lovely in a wood bowl with a bit of greenery.

Also love the farmhouse look in my thrift store wire basket.

White pumpkins can be mixed with others, like these grapevine ones, surrounded by traditional fall leaves.

Love that I can just pack up my painted pumpkins and use again next year.

So many ways to display this time of the year, and into Thanksgiving.

Cute to place one on each plate at Thanksgiving.

Just a fun, simple, project!

My pumpkins may be faux, but the joy I received from putting this project together was real!

So thankful for you folks!

 

 


Aug
2018

Making Candle Holders

categories: DIY, My Simple Home

For such a long time I have been wanting a set of wood candle holders, but the cost for three different sizes, just too pricey for me!

So you all know what I did, I made my own!

From this…

A basket full of various wood pieces and chunky chair legs.

To this….

Creating and gluing the wood pieces together.

To this…Love them!

After deciding on the placement of the different wood pieces, and gluing them together, I painted all with white chalk paint, distressed a bit by sanding, and sealed all with clear wax.

Topped with battery operated candles to finish.

So simple.

In the end, I was able to make all three for a little over the cost of buying just a small one.

The wood pieces I purchased at Michael’s and Hobby Lobby, using my 40% off weekly coupons.

I purchased the wood chair leg pieces at Home Depot, under $4.00 each.

They will be so festive for the upcoming fall and Thanksgiving season, surrounded by pumpkins and leaves.

When surrounded by evergreens and red berries at Christmas, they will make a lovely, amazing centerpiece.

Candle holders can be used so many places in a home, tables, dressers, buffets, side tables, and painted many colors.

So fun, so simple, and so pleased with the results, and the money I saved by making my own.

Also, so pleased and thankful, that God has given me a bit of creativity.

Creativity to fill my days with projects that give me so much joy in my heart, and add lots of enjoyment to my everyday life.

So blessed!

With love, until my next project!

 

 

 


May
2018

Whimsy Flower Boxes

categories: Crafts, DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects, Spring

Just loving the weather we are having!

I remember, in the cold of winter, looking out my kitchen window, longing for the warmth, the green, the colors, the sounds, of this glorious time of the year.

It’s here, I am so pleased and thankful!

Love to add whimsy things to my porch and yard, simple fun things.

Found this plain wood box at the thrift store some time back, stashed it away, I knew I would find a way to use it eventually.

I also found this old flower box in my garage, from years ago, when I displayed at craft fairs.

It was a popular item I made and sold some 20 years ago!

Both boxes just needed a bit of sanding, some paint, and little time to turn into two whimsy flower boxes.

Take a look at my old boxes now!

Love them!

The addition of a knob from Hobby Lobby gave the plain box, now painted white, that little extra it needed to be special.

The picket fence box didn’t need much, I still loved the primitive look from so many years ago.  Just repaired the mini birdhouse on the fence, sanded and cleaned.

Adding flowers was the final touch.

Oh my gosh, to me, they are so beautiful!

Do fun, whimsy things today!

Giggle and love today!

See ya!


May
2018

A Last Minute Gift Idea

categories: DIY, Mother's Day

Sharing a sweet, thoughtful, simple, gift idea with everyone today.

A gift with meaning, to give for almost any occasion, even a last minute Mother’s Day gift!

Taking photos is a big part of all of our lives today, so for this gift, simply choose a favorite photo, a double frame, a quote, saying, poem, or in one of my examples, song lyrics.

Choose words related to the photo, or words that have sentimental value to the recipient.

Since tomorrow is Mother’s Day, I made this one for myself.

My favorite photo of my son, very small, framed with a beautiful thought on having a son.

It sits in my bedroom, next to a photo of me and my husband, on our wedding day, the three of us, many years ago, my family.

Oh my, love it!

You can see the simplicity of this gift idea.

Here’s one I made for my sister and brother-in-law, for their anniversary.

Such a silly photo taken on a family vacation.

We all had to make tin foil hats as part of a game. So many laughs!

I paired the photo with song lyrics that captured the photo, song lyrics, that have special meaning to my sister.

Selected a whimsy font when I typed the lyrics, whimsy and fun like the photo.

It’s so cute!

My last example, a birthday gift, expressing love for a special little boy, a sweet boy, my nieces love so much.

The little boy, the son of one of their best friends, has been in their lives since he was born.

Again, I hope that you all can see how simple, and easy.

Print the photo, the words, and frame, that’s it!

What I really love about giving this as a gift, is that hopefully, the recipient sees the thoughtfulness, and love, that went into putting it together.

It’s a keepsake!

Love, family, friends, that’s what this idea is about!

Please don’t forget your Moms tomorrow, and those ladies in your life who are special.

So much love in my heart for all today!

 

 


Feb
2018

“Love” Filled Sunday Project

categories: Celebrate, Crafts

Sunday afternoon I went back years, experiencing one of the joys I remembered as a little girl.

Enjoyed those little girl feelings, felt from so long ago!

I loved paperdolls, always taking pride in cutting them out, as best I could.  Carefully turning my scissors, trying to be perfect with every cut.

With Valentine’s Day upon us, I worked on a sweet “love” filled project, making a wreath from vintage valentines.

Some years back, I saw this idea at Williams-Sonoma, loved it, but too pricey for my budget.

Never forgot how cute it was, so I searched Pinterest, found some adorable old valentines, printed them out, and started to make my own wreath.

Used a styrofoam ring as my base, a cutout cardboard base would work too!

I glued some red paper heart doilies all around the base, placing them here and there.

What fun I had selecting from my valentine collection, deciding which ones to place around the heart filled base.

I used glue dots to attach the valentines to the doilies. These dots have glue on both sides, and also helped raise the valentines up a bit.

Added red ribbon to hang, that was all needed to complete.

Some craft folks use glitter and other embellishments, but I love simple, just the old valentines.

“Love” it!

Oh my gosh, it is so cute!

Loved looking at all the old sweet valentines!

A simple fun project with such a memory.  You all know I love memories!

After Valentine’s Day has passed, I will carefully pack up my wreath for next year, just as I packed up my precious paperdolls, in a shoebox, as a child.

Love, XO

 

 


Jan
2018

DIY Buffalo Check Tray

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting, Home Projects

Oh my gosh, I am so finished with winter.

We have gone through snow, ice, and freezing temperatures, lasting for weeks.

Brrrr…………!

This weather has been horrible, a birthday spoiler, a cabin fever maker, a junk food eating enabler!

I did manage to pull myself away from our warm fire to work on a few projects, and also to have a bit of much needed alone time.  Love my husband bunches, but being together all day, everyday, for weeks, is difficult at times!

It only took one simple completed project, to get me feeling so much better.

You all know I love trays, and another favorite of mine is buffalo check things, especially black and white.

Using, of course, a thrift store frame, a small piece of leftover wrapping paper, and some Hobby Lobby handles, all that I needed to create and complete.

The first step was taking the frame apart and giving it a thorough cleaning, inside and out.  It was in new condition, so I did not need to paint the frame.

I did sand the edges, all around, so it did not seem so perfect, and added a bit of stain to my sanding.

The buffalo check paper was cut to the size of the inside mat, and a bit of glue added to secure.

Added the galvanized handles with some shallow screws from the inside, reassembled, and my project was complete!

Love the way it turned out, it really is as “farmhouse chic” as any tray I have seen in stores and online.

I really love the farmhouse look, so popular now, wish I lived in a small farmhouse home somewhere wonderful!

Trays can be used in so many ways, love it on my wicker chest at the foot of our bed.

Less than $5 to complete.

One step, one project, I feel better now, ready to move on to other fun creative things!

It is really true, that just taking that first step, can be the beginning of changing any part of our lives needing a push of encouragement.

Now maybe I can use my own words to encourage myself to get on that much needed treadmill!

The sun just came out, around 49 degrees today, “Oh Happy Day”!

Love you all!

 

 


Oct
2017

DIY Light Fixture Makeover

categories: DIY, Home Projects

On my post today I am going to share an idea I found on Pinterest.

A DIY project of turning an inexpensive, galvanized outdoor light fixture, into a really beautiful bathroom fixture.

I have been working on a refresh of my upstairs bathroom for months. The bath is at the top of our steps and can be seen from my entry hall.

When you glance upstairs from the hall, the old, tired looking, light fixture was the first thing you would see.  An updated fixture was needed.

The galvanized fixture I used for this project can be purchased at Lowe’s for $29.00.

To complete this DIY project I only used three cans of spray paint.

RUST-OLEUM, Painter’s Touch 2x, gloss white, and flat black, and also RUST-OLEUM, Specialty Metallic, gold.

I taped off and covered each section as I sprayed on each color.

The completed project looks so nice in the bathroom.  It is simple and clean, but with an updated classy look you see today.

Added a new larger, round light bulb to the fixture.

I think you can see that this is a really dramatic DIY makeover.

The fixture is the farmhouse style I love and is so popular today.

The one tip I would like to stress is the importance of letting each color dry thoroughly before applying the next.  I waited a day between colors.  Patience is a lesson learned when using spray paint!

Hopefully, I can share the rest of my bathroom refresh with all of you soon.

Do you have a project you are working on?  Hope so!

Completing a DIY project gives you the most satisfying feeling.

I try to remember, I am never too old to learn, or to do something new!  Everyday!

Love to all.


Oct
2017

My Tin Can Pumpkin

categories: Autumn, DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

Recently I posted about my trip to the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio.

The one item I really wanted to buy was an old galvanized oil can with a pumpkin face.  Loved it, but it was priced at $68.95!  I could not justify spending that amount.  I tried to, but no!

Could not get it off my mind, so when I saw this old rusted can at the flea market for $9.50, I started thinking.

The old can was a beautiful rusty orange, perfect for a pumpkin face. I put it in my cart, it was mine!

I did not want to paint a face on my can, and I had no way to cut out a face, so I simply used a magnetic sheet I found at Michael’s, cut out the face with scissors, and placed on my can.

It was perfect!

God must have blessed my flea market trip for me to be able to find the perfect can for this project, and the fact that it was a rusty orange color was a bonus blessing.

Not sure of just where my tin can pumpkin will eventually end up, maybe near the front door with the mums and real pumpkins.

But our back porch area might be the best place.

I can enjoy “him” from my kitchen window throughout the day, and when I sit having my coffee.

Hope you all had a beautiful fall weekend.

Our weather in Ohio has been wonderful, cool mornings, and warm afternoons.

Blessings to all today, blessings great and even small ones like finding just the right tin can!


Sep
2017

Fixer Upper Footstool

categories: DIY, Flea Market Finds/Thrifting

I am not a person to sit all day, I feel guilty, as if I am wasting the time in my life.

Of course, I do sit and read with my morning coffee, but most of the rest of my day I am working on projects or doing the things needed to care for a home and family.

When my brother-in-law retired he said to me, “I work half of the day, and I rest half of the day”.  I like that, and always remember his words.

I found this footstool at the thrift store, it fits into my plan to try to take my thrift store finds to the next level.

A larger piece for me, but so easy to fix up with really nice results.

It actually appeared to be an old piece by the older type brackets and the very hard wood.

Cleaned the piece inside and out, sanded just a bit, touched up with a light coat of stain.

My original plan was to paint the stool, but after cleaning the wood, I could not justify covering it up, it was quite beautiful.

The fun part of the project for me was finding a colorful print fabric to cover the top.

Surprisingly, the top was easy to cover, a first for me.  I love first time things at my age!

Worried a bit about the corners when covering, but it looks nice.

I am so pleased with my efforts.

Cleaned, sanded, stained, covered. Boom, finished!

Love it, love looking at my accomplishment when I rest my feet.

As I have mentioned before, finding inexpensive treasures to fix up, those things someone no longer wanted, makes me happy!

We all have things we do in our spare time to relax, this is mine.

Hope you all have happy things that fill your days, things that give your life peace, and relaxation.

Till next time!