Showing posts with label diy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diy. Show all posts

Thursday, October 20, 2016

DIY: How to Build a Corner Desk


I finally did it. I made myself a 'Command Center" to keep all of the school papers out of the kitchen, and have somewhere QUIET to work! I used a (previously) sad little corner in my small, master bedroom and made it into a very useful desk. What used to be in that corner? My dirty laundry. So I would open my eyes and see that every morning. Now, I wake up and see something I've made with my own two hands.


I still have things I want to do, like buy a beautiful new chair and decorate ABOVE the desk with shelves. I'll get there! In case you want to make something like this, I'll describe how I did it below! 

Before I stained the desktop
For the base of the desk, I used two cube organizers from Target. The basic outline of the desktop is shown below. I used 1 by 6's and just measured how long I wanted each leg of the desk to be. I laid out the pieces, cut them to size, and glued them onto plywood, which I cut into two long strips to backup the 1 by 6's. Then, I bought a 4-pack of braces and connected the plywood with those. I love how the corner looks woven! A little tip, I numbered the pieces after I cut them, so when I laid them out- it would be obvious where each one went! If you are going to try this, send me pictures of your end result- please! And good luck!




Friday, January 22, 2016

GUEST POST: Cheap Ways to Make Your Kids' Room Look Styled


This guest post was submitted by Ryan Miller of Modernize.com, Remodeling Ideas to Increase the Value of your Home.

Dreaming of decorating the whole house? If you’d love to live with a stylized décor, there may be one thing stopping you—money. Here at Modernize, we understand how to do chic on a budget, so here are a few tips to stylize your child’s room without breaking the bank.

Say Yes To Color
When we think of childhood, we think of playing, having fun, being full of energy (sometimes too much) and being carefree. That fun part of youth can easily be incorporated into an affordable décor. You can go a long way with paint color, so choose a color that adds a fun and energetic pop, but doesn’t overwhelm the space. Try using complementary colors for a cohesive look.

If you’re not ready to paint the walls orange just yet, why not go for a neutral color and use decorative accents for that pop of color? Paint wooden or paper letters from the craft store and spell out your kids’ names. This fun, decorative DIY option will usually cost you less than $50.  You can also wrap the letters in yarn, or comic books or magazine pages for an eye-catching design.

The trick to creating a stylized look with color is to coordinate accessories, such as rugs, fabric organizer bins, and any personal trinkets.


Control the Chaos
No kid’s room will ever stay clean. It’s a rite of passage as a child to make a mess. But that doesn’t mean you have to live with it! Organize toys in a decorative toy chest, or save money by utilizing fabric and plastic bins. You can even slide these bins into a cubby system for easy access and cleanup.

If you have a closet in your child’s room, use all the space you can by hanging a shoe organizer over the door and storing shoes, toys, craft supplies and more. This reduces clutter in the room, and gives your kiddo more space to play. You can also install a simple shelving system in the closet to utilize vertical space.


Give Old Items New Purpose
Need more storage? Try repurposing what you have. A shelf can easily become a bench with storage underneath. Just give it a fresh coat of paint and a decorative cushion. Then you can store all those toys in cute fabric bins.

Look around your house (and the garage) to see what you’re not using. Don’t like that end table? Repaint it and replace the drawer knob with something fun that your child will like. Recover undesirable cushions and pillows. The sky is the limit! Thrift stores and donation centers often have hidden treasures just waiting for you to breathe new life into them.


Make the Room Interactive
It’s not true that a fun kid’s room has to cost a fortune. You can incorporate a slide into a room with a few scraps of wood, some paint. and plenty of cushions. Build a reading nook with a curtain, a lamp, and some bean bag cushions or floor poofs. Another great idea is to paint a wall with chalkboard paint. Kids already want to write on the walls, so why not let them do it? Design spaces for your child to play around the room and interact with her environment. Not only will it create a safe and exciting space, it will make your design look crazy expensive (we won’t tell anyone that it wasn’t!)

If you’re not sure where to start, just listen to your child. What colors does he/she love? What toys does she like to play with? Incorporating your kiddo’s personality into the room creates a uniqueness that money can’t buy.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Easy Co-Worker Gift ~ DIY Marble Magnets


As I was trying to figure out what I could make for my co-workers for a Christmas gift, I remembered that when I made the chore charts- I made cute little glass magnets. I figured I could make Christmas-themed magnets for the ladies that I work with. First, I gathered my supplies.


You will need:

  • Mod Podge (and a brush to apply it)
  • 1 inch glass marbles (got mine at JoAnn's)
  • 3/4 inch button magnets (Michael's)
  • Hot glue gun
  • Scissors
  • Magazine to cut images out of (I used Real Simple's December edition)


The first step is to use the glass marbles as a guide to measure images that you want to use. Then, trace around the image and cut it out. Put a thin layer of Mod Podge on the back of the marble (flat side), and adhere the image to the magnet.

Set it aside to dry, and finish cutting out images. Then, once the Mod Podge is dry- you can put a dot of hot glue on the back of the image that you just glued to the marble and stick the magnet on. 

How easy is that?! I love how they came out.


Then, I packaged each set of 4 in tiny take-out containers that I found at JoAnn's. It took me about an hour to complete all 11 sets! Not bad, and it only cost me about $15. 



What did you get for your coworkers or neighbors this year?




Wednesday, January 23, 2013

5 DIY Valentine’s Day Treats for Kids

baking with kids valentine's day treat ideas recipes


This Valentine's Day since Little J is in school, I wanted to put together some treats for the kids. I wanted SIMPLE, and something that we could make together. Below are some DIY Valentine treats for those important people in your life — from your sweetheart, neighbor or co-workers, even your child’s teacher. There are so many great DIY Valentine ideas this year, here are a few of my favorites:




[caption id="attachment_1084" align="aligncenter" width="240"]HeartRiceKrispiePops9 Image Source[/caption]

Rice Krispie Treats - Use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make this delicious treat into a Valentine’s Day treat.

Chocolate covered pretzels - Can you tell that my kids are into sprinkles? This is another treat that you can decorate with Valentine’s Day sprinkles.

Marshmallow pops - Instead of cake pops, try marshmallow pops! You can use white chocolate, and decorate with festive pink/red/hearts sprinkles.

[caption id="attachment_1087" align="aligncenter" width="320"]sugar+cookies Gluten Free! Image source[/caption]

Heart Shaped Sugar Cookies - Super easy, and fun for the kids to decorate.

Goody bags for any of the items above - Jaime and Jacinda from Prudent Baby have some adorable free printables up on their site. 


Get the kids involved, and enjoy this Valentine's Day!

Sunday, December 30, 2012

DIY Chore Charts

When my husband and I started discussing chores for Little J- I knew I would want a chore chart. It's just in my nature- I like clear goals and measurable success. I figured Little J would enjoy the visual aspect of the chore chart- and hopefully feel a sense of accomplishment. I don't often log onto Pinterest thinking that I can conquer a DIY project. But after doing a little research, I wanted to share how easy this project can be!

These bad boys are 98 cents each at Home Depot, in the roofing department near the rain gutters. They are 8 by 12 inches.

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Next, you'll need Mod Podge. I got an 8 oz jar at Michael's for $6.50, and a foam tip brush for $0.50.

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Then, the frames. I picked 8 by 12 inch frames, so I wouldn't have to cut the magnetic backing. I know it can be done, but I wasn't up for it! Those were $10 each at Michael's.
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I got alphabet stickers, which added $2 to the project but removed the stress of trying to write in a straight line and added some color. The background of the chart is $0.30 per sheet of scrapbook paper, and I purchased two sheets.

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You will need clear glass pebbles, about 1 inch diameter. Those set me back $2.80 at Michael's. Those are for the chore magnets.

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Also, you'll need button magnets. These were $6.99, but I used a coupon to get them at $4.19. (40% off one item)

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Here's what I started with...

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HOW TO: This was super simple!

1. Print out chore chart icons/clip art, keeping in mind that you will want them to be approximately one inch in diameter.

2. Take a glass pebble and trace a circle around your icon. Cut out the circle you traced.

3. Put a thin layer of Mod Podge on the flat part of the glass pebble and place one of the cut outs on the pebble.

4. Using a hot glue gun, glue a button magnet onto the back of the glass pebble with the paper cut out on it.

5. While those are drying, frame your magnetic backing and scrapbook sheet in the picture frame. Decorate with your child's name and stickers.

I hope that covers it. It was so quick and easy! Here is a picture of how mine came out- I spent $38 for two chore charts.

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