Many times I’ve made a handmade gift for a little. These are fun to do and really great to get your creativity going! If you’d like some inspiration for that special little in your world, take a peek at these ideas! DIY Kid’s Science Lab Table This was the perfect amount of DIY, repurposed estate sale finds and creativity! This special lab table was gifted to a science minded 5 year old! It really didn’t take too much time to put together, but boy, I had fun doing it! Dollhouse Remodel I found a vintage dollhouse at an estate sale!...
DIY Projects
Metal Railing Refresh
Metal railings fade and rust over time so a fresh coat of paint makes a world of difference! My sister has a 1960’s home and her metal railing needed a refresh! This wasn’t a simple or easy project and I can’t say I know the best tips. But, I do have some tips on what worked well and in other areas I am still a little puzzled. Here is a before photo. PREP There were four (4) different paint colors and I am not sure how many coats of paint. As much as I would have loved to sand everything...
DIY Paint Booth (Using PVC)
If you’ve painted with a sprayer, you know overspray mist is messy! Recently, I painted cabinets in a large kitchen and there was lots of spraying and the potential for a lot of overspray and dust! For this project, I made the effort to build a booth to contain the overspray. It was really quite simple! Materials 3-Way PVC Fittings (8 needed, this is a pack of 12)) 1 inch 10 ft pipe ( I purchased 8, bulk price) 2 mil Plastic Sheeting Clamps Saw (I used my miter saw but anything will really work) PVC Cuts (4) 7 ft...
Outdoor Lanai Curtains
My lanai gets lots of afternoon sun which can get too hot to enjoy and heats up the house. As my villa is a get-a-way property, I didn’t want to splurge on an elaborate solution such as blinds. So, I found an affordable curtain to filter the Florida sun. Fabric This curtain will be exposed to sun, rain and wind so I was reluctant to invest in expensive outdoor fabric. I chose drop cloth as the fabric after seeing many lovely curtains made from this fabric. And, (1) it’s inexpensive; (2) the edges are finished (I didn’t have a sewing...
DIY Dragonfly Patio Decor
This dragonfly patio decor was simple to assemble and made from repurposed fan blades and spindles. Hand-painted detail, as always, adds the beauty to the decor. The fan blades were scuff sanded, primed and painted with a white base. I had SW Snowbound on hand. Painter’s tape can be helpful in making checks. Since the surface was flat and the checks are larger in size, I used the tape to achieve more crisp lines. (Always a little something to touch up.) I sprayed varnish to protect the blades. The spindles have a black/white base as well. And, a bit of...
Bathroom Batten Detail with Towel Bar
Wood detail on walls adds such dimension even in small spaces and a little addicting. In two of my bathrooms, there is a short wall space and I was trying to use some scrap wood and I needed to add a solution to hang towels. Enter batten with hooks! My villa was originally intended to be a flip, so I painted all the walls SW Alabaster (soft white). Therefore, the walls were a blank slate with little dimension — just clean and bright. This is one of the”before” pictures, after the flooring was installed. The blank wall I added batten...
DIY Kid’s Science Lab Table
You all know I love giving vintage pieces new life. And, this DIY science lab table project was no exception! I looked on Pinterest for inspo and really couldn’t find many, if any, science lab tables, so I had to improvise! (Post contains link that generate a small commission to help fund the website. No additional cost to you!) I had a table top from an estate sale and it was the perfect scale for the table. The piece of wood was charming, showing hints of where previous owners rested their forearms along the edges. I love stuff like that!...
DIY Christmas Decor with Scrap Wood, Cricut, Hot Glue & Glitter
Hand made gifts are a great choice, especially gifting to those who aren’t crafty! And, the craft doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming! I had scrap wood on hand from a toy box I made for my great nephew. I cut these scraps to size; used Restore a Finish for a light coat of base stain; and, then, white washed (small amount of diluted paint on brush) over the stain. I used the Cricut to cut sparkly letters! This was a learning for me! This is what I learned! I used a bit of trial and error to adhere...
Vintage Rolling Pins Turned Decor
My sister and I picked up these rolling pins at an estate sale – 7 pins for $25 – and, thought these pins could be fashioned into something special! I gave these pins a good wash; a coat of primer and a white base coat! I had SW Emerald Urethane in Snowbound on hand. I added black stripes to the flat portion of the handle. I worked my way down the handle adding red, green, checks, etc! I cut sparkly vinyl letters on the Cricut! I sprayed the pins with poly! And, added some pretty ribbon with beads! These turned...
Affordable DIY Faux Marble Countertops
These faux marble countertops are a great and affordable alternative to stone. This summer, I volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity build, where laminate is the typical material used for kitchen countertops. In this case, the kitchen layout allowed for an island whereby laminate material was not deep enough to cover the island. Several of my fellow DIYers on Instagram applied a resin over a painted faux marble surface and created a beautiful countertop. I couldn’t wait to do a project with this technique. I purchased Crystal Montenegro’s ebook detailing the process and the countertops turned out beautifully! Base Countertop...
Dollhouse DIY Bathroom Details
They say kitchens and bathrooms “make” the house! Well, this dollhouse is no exception! The tile, wallpaper and vanity are DIY showstoppers! Tile This DIY tile took some effort, but was simple to make! The tile was made with the hot glue and a silicone candy mold from Hobby Lobby. Resin is also a possible material option for the tile. Hot glue is affordable and I had it on hand! The process was quick. The hot glue dries quickly! Make your best attempt to fill all portions of the mold with equal amounts of hot glue. This ensures for a...
Dollhouse Kitchen Details
The kitchen is one of my favorite rooms in the dollhouse. I love how they came together and proud of myself that I managed to build the cabinets, hood and island. So tiny!!! Cabinets I took inspiration from @dearlillie’s blogpost on how to build the cabinets. I used craft boards from the Dollar Tree. In some cases, I used a miter saw for some cuts and a coping saw for others. The board was thick enough that a knife wasn’t efficient. I think a scroll saw would have worked well. I built the refrigerator and island first. The front panel...