Wednesday’s Word About…
Sweet Something Designs
August 4th, 2010
Came across a fabulous diy by Michelle over at Sweet Something Designs that I just had to share!
She took a drab looking tray and transformed it into a colorful, retro-hip coffee server.
Here’s the before…
After spray painting bottle caps…
And a few extra steps (click HERE for full tutorial)…she created this…
LUV IT!
{If you have a diy project that you would like spotlighted on daily d, send over a message!}
daily d diy…Living Herb Wreath
May 17th, 2010
Celebrated my friend’s birthday over the weekend who I have known for almost 20 years. I wanted to come up with a different gift for her this year and I decided to make her a living herb wreath.
It’s a great gift for someone who likes to cook. It would even make a great teacher’s gift. Here is how I did it.
First you will need a wire wreath form (2 sides), floral pins, floral wire, sphagnum moss, potting soil & fresh herbs.
In order for the herbs to thrive, you will need sphagnum moss to help retain moisture and potting soil.
Soak your sphagnum moss in water.
Squeeze out excess water and then place into 1 side of your wreath form.
Tightly pack in the potting soil on top of the moss.
Using the floral pins, wrap the moss that is hanging outside the frame around soil section. Then secure top frame onto the bottom frame with floral wire.
Now you are ready for your herbs. You can do a combination of herbs like I did, or just pick 1 herb like thyme and make a thyme wreath.
Using any small, flat tool, create a little hole in the potting soil to plant each herb.
Once all your herbs are “planted”, keep outside in the sun on a flat surface and water regularly for about 5 days until the herbs are rooted. Hang in a sunny area. You could even hang a pair of scissors from it for easy herb retrieval.
daily d Q & A
January 19th, 2010
Thanks for your message Lauralee. I do have many ideas for you! Thinking outside of the box and repurposing items is one of my favorite things to do! Here are some ideas!
1. Attach a row of chrome key hooks and use it to store your keys near the door. You could attach vinyl letters or stencil with paint to personalize it. Attach picture hanging hardware on the back and you are ready to go.
2. In the same vain as my 1st idea, create a coat “rack” or robe/towel storage with a door. Attach large hooks like the one pictured below.
3. Create art for your wall and decoupage squares of a wallpaper with a bold graphic.
4. I do like your magnetic paint idea. If you still want to see some of the wood just tape out a smaller square or rectangle and apply the paint to that area only.
5. My final idea was actually one I posted about last spring. Monica from Craftynest shared how to transform a cabinet door into a tray.
Click HERE to get the how-to on that. Good luck and let us know what you decided to do!
daily d DIY…Cool Clipboards
January 8th, 2010
As we embarq on a new year many of us want to start fresh and one way of accomplishing this is to get organized. As a mother of 3, it is hard to keep all school papers organized and easy to find. For very little money, I was able to easily make stylish clipboards for each child and help stay on top of all the school papers. Here’s a quick DIY tutorial…
What’s needed? basic clipboard, scrap paper, mod podge, craft paint, embellishments (I chose cardboard cutouts with letters printed on them to let the kids know which clipboard is theirs), I also had decorative tape that in the end I decided not to use and of course a paint brush, a foam brush and scissors.
For any section of the clipboard that would not be covered with paper, I painted to give a finished look.
STEP 2: Cut paper to size. Then apply mod podge 1st to the clipboard and then on top of the paper. For 2 of the boards I also applied an extra band of a coordinating paper on top and applied more mod podge.
With a dab of hot glue I embellished each clipboard with each child’s 1st initial.
After attaching twine to each clipboard, I hung them together.
Now our house is a little more organized and the kids have everything they need to get ready for school.
DIY Style
October 21st, 2009
Camila from New York sent me some great diy projects that I had to share. She is the blogger behind
One of her projects was for her master bedroom. She created her own fabric headboard that is simply stylish. Take a look.
Click here for the diy instructions. Another project that I think came out great was a folding chair makeover.
The chair went from this…
to this…
See how she did it by clicking here! You know I love to see everyone’s pictures! Thanks Camila!
Creative Clocks
October 6th, 2009
A clock is one of those accessories in your home where you can really get creative. Using a clock kit you can try to make a clock out of almost anything. My latest favorite is a clock made out of a beautiful plate like the one below. Check out all the other fun ideas too!
Have you entered the Giveaway Contest Yet?
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT THE DETAILS!
Select images for source information.
The Big Reveal
June 24th, 2009
Back when I had DIY Mondays in May (click here), I was inspired to start my own diy project. So I decided to tackle the makeover of our casual dining table. It is used everyday and was beginning to show some wear and was in desperate need of a facelift. Here are some before pics…
One of my goals was to modernize the mostly country-style table. The light colored stain had to go. I came up with a concept of staining the table with a dark stain so the wood grain will still be visible. Then for the modern touch, paint a modern design on top in a bright white. After some power sanding and hand sanding, I removed all of the original finish from the tabletop. Then I applied 2 coats of ebony stain.
Here is a close up of the tabletop with the new stain.
Now a lot of people would have stopped there and called it a night. I wanted to take it a step further and make a unique look by hand-painting a design on top. I looked at modern wallpaper designs to get some ideas and then with chalk in hand, I sketched out several different looks until I came out with one that worked.
Once I decided on the final design, it was time to get out the paint. I used leftover white latex paint that we had from another project and purchased a few quality art brushes. Following the chalk outline made this step super easy and the possibility of making a mistake less likely. It took about 3 coats of the white paint to get the look I wanted.
Now the only thing left was to apply 3 coats of polyurethane. This step took longer than I wanted because for the majority of the month of June we have had super soggy weather (hence the delay of the reveal). But, finally I am very excited about the final results and ready to tackle the next project!
So there you have it a little country with a little modern makes a great look. This gives me a little boost to continue to slowly update this old country house into a modern country look. Hope you like it too.
The Wallpaper Evolution
June 23rd, 2009
Today I have more wallpaper love to share. Wallpaper has truly evolved in recent years to be a stylish element in modern homes. Although I personally have yet to take the wallpaper plunge, (still have memories of scraping wallpaper in past) I continue to admire and think of ways to incorporate it into my own home. For those of us who still have yet to overcome our fears of wallpaper, we can take baby-steps and use wallpaper in small doses. Here are a couple of ideas to ponder…
This I can handle. I have 4 bookcases in my family room that I plan to wallpaper.
So many creative uses for wallpaper–luv it!
A divider makes a statement with a little wallpaper. Little effort…big impact!
Revive a dresser!
Give storage a little personality.
Forget the walls…wallpaper the window shades for a designer look. Another way to make wallpapering a little more palatable is to wallpaper a focal wall instead of the entire room. Here are a few beauties that can stand hang alone.
So many possibilities! The stigma of wallpaper is gone. Designers are creating the most fabulous designs that can improve the look of your home.
Select image for source information.
Better Late Than Never…DIY
June 1st, 2009
I know DIY Mondays in May is “officially” over but I had to just squeeze in one more great idea from Sarah at Thrifty Decor Chick.
One of her projects is so simple and easy with impressive results I just had to share. Sarah is a big goodwill shopper and finds all types of fantastic steals and transforms them into great decor. She purchased some glass jars…
and some sisal twine…
Brushed the jars with clear glue then wrapped them with the twine and project complete! Check it out…
Or try it on a clear glass vase for a great look too!
Click HERE for more great ideas from Sarah’s blog. Stay tuned for my big diy reveal (coming real soon)!
It is our last Monday for DIY Mondays In May series and I have to say there is a lot of talent out there! I want to thank all my fellow bloggers for sharing their super creative ideas! We are certainly ending our series with a bang today. Our 1st featured blogger has soo many diy projects it is hard to pick just 2. Check it out…
Furniture makeovers are my all-time favorite. Kate is able to see the potential in some neglected pieces and bring them back to life. Go see what I mean…
How did she do that you ask?
1. Remove old cushions and fabric. May need a screwdriver and pliers to get the job done. 2. After a quick sanding, prime and paint with a handy-dandy spray paint gun attachment. 3. Recover seats with new foam and fabulous new fabric. 4. Cover your own buttons and then create a tufted cushion with the buttons. For a real detailed tutorial click HERE. With a little effort you can own a chic bench like Kate’s below.
Now Kate’s talent doesn’t end with rescuing and revamping old furniture…she is a crafty one to boot! Check it out…
Watch out Martha Stewart! Centsational Girl might steal your title of Queen Crafter from your hands with this idea! Want the same look? Check out the how-to.
1. All you need are a few new paint cans, spray paint and hanging hardware. 2. Create stripes with masking tape. 3. Stick on letter stickers for a cute word or initials. 4. Spray paint to your heart’s content. 5. Hammer holes in the bottom of the cans for drainage also add small rocks for drainage. Add your plant and hang from secured hardware on the fence. For a more detailed tutorial click HERE. Loving the affordability factor as well as the great look. See how stunning below!
Check out Kate’s blog HERE for more great ideas.
Now for those of you who might be a little intimidated with the previous projects, the next blogger has diy projects that anyone can tackle!
With just some custom cut pieces of lumber, some stain and a few L-brackets you can end up with the look of a platform bed without the cost. For a complete tutorial click HERE.
And for the next quick and easy diy dilemma solution from Apartment 528…
1. With sheets of window film, ruler and utility knife at the ready, cut film to fit window. 2. Spray with soapy water and get out all bubbles with a squeegie. For a more detailed tutorial click HERE.
Make sure to check out India’s blog HERE! Thanks to both Kate and India for their diy projects! And now for a sneak peek into a daily decorator diy. All this talk about diy got me doing a little diy myself. More to come on this in the near future. Stay tuned! Make sure to tell us what you think with a quick click on the comments below!
DIY Monday…featuring Craftynest & DIY Maven
May 18th, 2009
Happy Monday everyone! Today we have 2 fellow bloggers with several great diy ideas! I’m so excited about our 1st entry today because it is from one of my new favorite blogs, Craftynest.com. Formerly a magazine graphic designer for mags like O, The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple and Sunset, Monica (creator of Craftynest) has a slew of fabulous ideas for bringing high style design into your home through diy.
Check out these fairly easy and very affordable diys…
For project number 1… no she didn’t stain the table and paint over–the flower pattern is cut out of wood veneer! It is a great look and makes the pretty basic tables the centerpieces of the room! Here is a brief how-to (for the full tutorial click HERE).
1. Find an image that would be easy to cut. 2. Using a tracer projector, trace image onto paper (making a template) then transfer to veneer. 3. Cut out image on veneer. 4. Position your veneer cut outs onto surface to see what your pattern will look like. After applying 2 coats of polyurethane to each cut-out, glue to your surface and allow to dry with books weighing each piece down. And the final product…
Now the 2nd project, creating a serving tray out of a cabinet door.
1. Find an old cabinet door and prime and paint desired color. 2. Find decorative drawer pulls that would work as handles and spray paint with desired color. Drill holes on the shorter sides of the cabinet where the handles will be. 3. Either paint free-hand or stencil a design on top side of door. Attach handles and felt pads on the bottom and you are done!
For a more complete tutorial click HERE.
Oh, and did I mention that occasionally Monica will sell some of her creations that you see on her site? So make sure you pay her a visit at Craftynest.com.
This is an exciting week because we also have the very talented JoAnn from DIY Maven who is also a featured writer at Curbly, sharing her most favorite diy project. It is a 2 in 1 deal. Something that looks great but is also very useful. I call it functional art! Check it out…
Here is a brief how-to below. Click HERE for a full tutorial.
1. Find an old frame and paint desired color. 2. Measure and cut a piece of plywood or MDF veneer to fit in back of frame. Attach with staples or small nails. Mark out where you want your pegs to be and drill holes that fit the size of your pegs. 3. Attach pegs by slightly tapping them in with a covered hammer (use wood glue if the fit is not snug). Now display and organize your jewelry!
One of my favorite diy projects that JoAnn did was her craft room shelf.
LOOOVE it! I may consider this idea for my office update! Click HERE for the how-to.
Go to DIYMaven for more great ideas or you can find DIY Maven on Curbly.
Thanks Monica and JoAnn for your virtual visit today at the daily decorator and for your great diy ideas!
DIY Mondays In May
May 11th, 2009
We can’t talk about diy without mentioning the queen of diy…Martha Stewart. Here is Martha’s creative idea on how to make very unique shelving. Martha is employing the concept of repurposing materials for great design. I love thinking of different ways to use items and the daily decorator will feature the art of repursposing in the near future. In the meantime, check out these basic benches turned into stylish shelving!
I love that look, especially with the cross (x) “legs” on the sides. For the “how-to” click HERE.
Real Simple has a quick diy for instant artwork that I love. Wrapping canvas with some great fabric can give a room a great, graphic punch of style!
This one is sooo simple! For the “how-to” click HERE.
And from fellow blogger, Jen at Tatertots and Jello, here is another quick and easy diy with big results! She transformed her cabinet with just adding wrapping paper to the back of the cabinet. What a difference! Total cost…$6! Check it out.
For more information on how to get this look click HERE.
If you have a diy project that you want to share, e-mail the daily decorator
at ddmail [at] dailydecorator [dot] com.
DIY Favs From Fellow Bloggers…
May 4th, 2009
Jennifer Mitchell of DESIGN HOLE is an interior designer in the Detroit Metropolitan area. Her blog gives you an insider look into the design world and she shares all her inspirational finds. Today she is virtually visiting the daily decorator and giving us a couple of diy projects to try. Check it out…
Jennifer’s 1st project is from a show house where she designed a small gentleman’s club room and powder room. Since it was a show house, she had to keep costs low and one of her pieces of art was a quick creation based on Mark Rothko’s famous art. Here is her finished room below…
Here is the origin of inspiration for Jennifer…
And here is Jennifer’s how to…
“I took an old frame from the basement and spent about 15 minutes creating my masterpiece. Here’s how to do it.
First, buy a canvas that wraps around the sides. You won’t need a frame. Or, buy a sheet of watercolor paper and frame. You’ll need 3 colors of acrylic paint and a brush. Choose any three you like to match your space, or copy a Rothko you like.
Paint entire canvas in one color. Then paint over with 2 colors, creating rectangles. Don’t be neat! If you’re feeling extra-artistic, mix a little of all the colors on a dry brush -just a little bit of paint- and brush it over the top of the rectangles. This will add depth. If you don’t like the look, paint over it again in the solid color.”
Here is Jennifer’s How to from a post she did awhile back…
Order butterflies from a site like Insect World. I won’t go into all the How-To’s here because Butterflies and Things does a much better job of explaining things than I can. Here are the basics. Butterflies prices vary according to rarity and quality. Most are very inexpensive. The most expensive one I bought was $8.00. Most were $1.00 – $3.00. Order a few more than you need because you’ll probably ruin a couple in the mounting process.
The butterflies come dried. You have to relax them in a jar or plastic container for a couple of days. Next, you spread the wings on a mounting board (I used foam core) and secure them with strips of index cards and pins. They sit like that for another couple of days. Then they’re ready for framing. I bought shadow-boxed frames from IKEA, lined them with fabric-covered foam core, and pinned the butterflies inside. Again, go to the link above for specific illustrated instructions.
Thanks Jennifer for visiting the daily decorator and your great diy designs! Check out Jennifer’s DESIGN HOLE blog for more fabulous ideas!
Decoupage Design
May 4th, 2009
O.k. it’s Monday and for the entire month of May the daily decorator will have diy monday! I’ll share some daily decorator favorites and feature some favorite diy designs from fellow bloggers! If you want to share your idea send me an e-mail to ddmail [at] dailydecorator [dot] com!
The first diy project I came across is from diyideas.com. Here is a step by step guide on how to create this beauty…
Materials:
furniture piece, cleaner, butcher paper for template, pencil, art print or poster, scissors, decoupage medium, foam brushes, water source, sponge, brayer & polyurethane
Step 1: Clean furniture piece and using butcher paper trace the shape of the furniture for a template.
Step 2: Move the template around your image to find the section that you want to decoupage onto your furniture piece. Gently trace the template over your image and cut out form.
Step 3: Put decoupage medium (you can use Elmer’s glue instead) all over area that will be covered with image using a foam brush.
Step 4: Submerge image into a sink filled with water for 10 seconds to soften up the paper. Keeping hands wet, align paper onto furniture piece.
Step 5: Using a wet sponge and wet brayer (rubber hand roller) work out excess decoupage, air bubbles and water (from center out to edges). Keep checking for bubbles while it dries. Dry overnight.
Step 6: Apply 3-5 coats of acrylic polyurethane (1 coat/hour) with a foam brush and walla you are done!
Check out diyideas.com for more fab ideas.
