If you are anything like me, you have picked up something at a garage/estate sale or Facebook Marketplace thinking “I can do something with this” and then time goes by and you never get to it. Well, this project started out like that and when I finally got to it, the end result was a unique feature in my kitchen. What I Used Marquee Letters (I found these at an antique shop, but these are at Hobby Lobby, JoAnn’s etc.) Spray Paint (because everything gets pretty with a can of spray paint) Painter’s Tape Rub and Buff STEP ONE Spray...
DIY Projects
Bathroom Makeover on a Budget
Bathroom makeovers can be daunting and expensive but totally doable with some diligence in sourcing materials and some elbow grease. My rental property was built in the late 1990’s and the bathroom was original, builder grade and in need of an update — on a budget. Here is a “before” photo. Materials Tile There are so many affordable tile choices nowadays, it was easy to find options that were well-suited for a rental and resale, meaning a classic tile. I found a marble-look 9 x 11 wall tile at Menards for $.99/ square foot for the bathoom shower and installed...
TV Tray Refresh
Ever find yourself needing extra table space? Take those plain-Jane TV trays and give them some color, fun and function! This DIY was so easy that I made a few pairs of trays and gave them as gifts. SUPPLIES TV Trays (I found mine on Facebook Marketplace, estate sales, Craigslist – average price was $5/tray.) TSP Cleaner All Surface Enamel Latex Primer All Surface Enamel Latex Paint (2 colors, one for base and another for lettering) MinWax Polycrylic Protective Finish Paint roller (small, foam) Paint brush Make up sponge Stencil Paint tape STEPS 1. Clean the TV Trays with TSP...
Personalized DIY Gifts Ideas
Gift giving is one of my favorite things to do and thoughtful gifts are my favorites to give! Over the years, I’ve made some several gifts for family and friends that were so fun to give and receive. Below are some of my favorite gifts put together with love! T SHIRT QUILT My son, Kevin, was an avid baseball player from a young age through college. He had a large collection of t-shirts from his baseball teams sitting in his closet. Last Christmas, I pieced together the t-shirts and had it quilted. For more details, here is the T Shirt Quilt...
Christmas Cookie Plate for Santa!
For all of you with little ones and love Christmas traditions, this Christmas cookie plate ticks the box! I made this plate more than 25 years ago for my sister and she still puts it under her tree even though her boys are old enough to have children of their own. The markings on the plate have faded over the years and she asked me to freshen it up for her. It is just as simple to make a new one as well SUPPLIES Corelle dinner plate (should be available at stores like, Walmart, Target, Meijer, Dollar Stores) Paint Pens,...
Laundry Room Refresh
Tile, paint and molding are the key updates taking this laundry room from dated and dull to current and fresh. This laundry room is from my daughter, Kelly’s, townhouse and it was one of several rooms that needed updating. This is the room “before” the update – builder basic with white walls, linoleum flooring and 2 inch molding. TILE The floor tile is Montalcino Dimarmi Bianco Stone Look Porcelain Tile from Floor and Decor. This tile is super affordable at $1.99/square foot. The tile has hints of taupe and grey with some movement to add interest and it affords flexibility in carpeting...
Christmas Scrabble Letters
I decided to plan a “sister, cousin, daughter, niece” get together and thought it would be fun to make a Christmas craft together. For some reason, I forgot no one is really crafty. Hmmm. I wasn’t going to let that get me distracted! Some how I landed on large Scrabble letters with Christmas-y words for the craft project. Pinterest and YouTube are always good resources to me started and I improvised along the way. Supplies: Wood: 1 x 5 (back); 1 x 4 (bottom); 1 x 2 (front); 1 x 6 (letters). I purchased 8 ft boards as I was...
Sewing Machine | Refinished
This little beauty was a great $50 find at an estate sale. It was a solid piece and the wood was in good condition. It really just needed a new finish. I just don’t have the heart to paint over pretty wood, especially antiques – so, I stripped and stained it. No new or fancy techniques. I just used stripper, denatured alcohol, a palm sander and went to work. Not a fun job – but, always so satisfying when it’s done.
Easy Banister Update
Oak banisters and railings can really date the look of a home. Replacing or even sanding and refinishing the banister are both costly update options. So, how can you tackle the update on a budget? Gel stain! This is the banister from my daughter’s new townhome – one of many projects we tackled on a budget! I lightly sanded it down and applied three coats of General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel Stain. It really takes three coats to get good coverage. I applied a coat of poly to finish it off.
Upscaled Buffet with Paint and Hardware
Paint and hardware can totally transform any piece of furniture. I purchased this buffet at an estate sale for $30. To be honest, it wasn’t a great quality piece of furniture, but it had tons of storage. And, I wanted to experiment with using SW Naval on a piece – so, this was a low risk opportunity to do that. The paint color was the biggest factor in transforming the piece. (SW Naval) One of the drawers had a broken corner that needed to be “camouflaged”. I looked on Pinterest to see what I could do. I found these L...
Fireplace Surround and Mantel Update
The fireplace mantel and surround in my investment property needed an update! The original had builder grade materials from the 1990’s and with a few new tiles, a chunky mantel and a can of spray paint, it looks totally new! The original fireplace had 4 x 4 white tile and classic trim and a thin mantel. I removed the trim, mantel and tile and started again. My daughter picked out this fun tile which worked well with the carpet and paint color. To make the mantel, I used the plans from Shanty2Chic and it was easier than I thought and...
Mid-Century Modern Buffet Makeover
A project piece with good bones makes for a great makeover! I found this little mid-century beauty on Facebook Marketplace and loved its clean lines and scale. The piece itself was solid, just in need of a little attention. The top had some damage but shaped up with some sanding, stain and polyurethane. I painted the sides gray and used a black glaze to give it some dimension. I used gold Rub n Buff on the drawer pulls and casters!