A DIY Crafter's Secret Weapon

From hot glue guns to X-acto knives, there are a number of essential items that every crafter should always have around for their DIY home decor projects. You're surely already the king or queen of versatility when it comes to your creative creations so, make sure your supplies are up to par. Enter your new secret weapon. Mod Podge.

Every Pinterest fan and craft guru has heard of mod podge, but it's truly a craft supply that wears many hats - your ultimate all-in-one. Need a reliable glue? Have any sealing needs? Want that glossy-finish? Mod podge is your answer - and it's not just for you. Mod podge is even great for your craft-loving kids. But before I start to sound any more like a running advertisement, here are some awesome home decor craft ideas to get the ball rolling. Stop reading and just get out there and get creative!

Rustic DIY Shelf

As most of my posts suggests, you would be really surprised what a little creativity and upcycling can do in terms of home decor. Not only are you saving big bucks by recycling junk, you're guaranteed to house some unique one-of-a-kind pieces. Here's one shelf that's just as sturdy and stylish as their pricey counterparts.

We used the same leftover pieces of redwood

 that we used in our "Fisher" wedding gift.

After we stained and sealed the wood, all it took was one quick trip to the hardware store for shelf brackets and nails. Redwood is nice color and style-wise because it's simple yet adds a rustic touch to any room. Most major hardware stores carry a wide variety of brackets so feel free to add a personal touch to your shelves with color and style. We chose a simple set of black brackets that also has an added hook feature for hanging small purses or necklaces.

Similar items easily run in the $200's and are often painted to look "old" or "rustic". Upcycling old junk ensures that you'll get that genuine rustic look every time. Get creative!

Upcyling a 100 year old Treasure

My boyfriend works for his family's construction company and often comes home with a lot of cool scraps and treasures from the homes they work on. We're both a big fan of upcycling so those scraps usually always get reinvented into something new. To us, upcycling not only supports sustainability, but it often yields a lot of cool rustic looking home decor pieces.

We love going into cool furniture stores like Pier 1 and Pottery Barn but are usually always appalled by the high prices. While we love the style of furniture they have, we like trying to recreate them for a fraction of the price. The best part? While most of their furniture has been painted to look older, we find the true joy is in the treasure hunt for really unique older pieces that actually show true signs of wear and tear. Enter the 100 year old windows.

After a long day of renovation on a local home, my boyfriend and his brother came home with twenty run-down windows. I assumed they were just scraps headed to the dump but was pleasantly shocked to find out that they were in fact 100 year-old windows torn down from a old house in Alameda, Ca. The paint was visibly chipping on every window and every imperfection just added to the true value of these windows.

We decided to add a sheet of burlap on top of a square piece of cork board. We secured it onto the back of the window and created an upcycled picture frame/cork board.

The best thing about burlap? 

All it takes is a simple black Sharpie and it gives it a burnt or branded look.

This picture frame is cool because of its cork board backing. Now you can easily change and mix your photos without going through the hassle of sizing or measuring. We sealed the wood frame to ensure that the chipping paint would stay in place and to preserve the rustic look. The possibilities are endless so think twice before throwing out old junk!

Homemade Wedding Gift - Part 4 of 4

TAH-DAH!

300 nails later, we have our final product! Not to mention two very happy newlyweds.

We knew our friends were moving into their new home a month after their actual wedding day so we waited to give them our handmade gift. The day of the big move, the happy couple asked us and a group of close friends to help out. After unloading the last of the boxes into their garage, we all gathered in their brand new, freshly painted kitchen for lunch. The parents of the bride and groom were also present for moving day so as the whole group finished up their sandwiches, we knew it was the perfect time to present the gift.

Earlier in the day, I posted a Facebook photo of the gift wrapped in a bed sheet to announce that our wedding gift would finally be delivered to them and challenged them to take some guesses. Completely stumped, our friends were even more curious when they saw us both carrying in a large heavy object. With their closest friends and family members by their sides, we revealed our DIY wedding gift. 

After seeing the large pile of wedding gifts the bride already set aside to return, my boyfriend and I were both relieved and ecstatic that she was speechless. With some teamwork and a lot of love, we were able to create a memorable DIY wedding gift our friends will always cherish. The piece now hangs proudly on the wall of their living room and adds a great rustic touch to their new home. 

Want to give your newlyweds a wedding gift they will never forget? It's easier than you think! Just roll up your sleeves and get creative!

Homemade Wedding Gift - Part 3 of 4

Go ahead and pull off the cut-out of your design:

Now that you finally have all of your nails in, it's time for the string! I recommend you purchase sturdy crochet thread that's made out of 100% mercerized cotton. Also, be sure to choose a color that will really stand out and pop! Try to stay away from neutrals that might blend into the color of the wood.
Here's our pick:

Can be found at your local craft store. 

We bought ours at Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores for about $3.

Start at any nail and make sure to tie a solid knot around it. You can add some hot glue to the knot to ensure that it won't come apart. From here, you can begin creating your pattern. The technique isn't all that complicated - just weave across from one nail to another. Make sure you are pulling tight enough to avoid any slack.

Make sure each nail is involved when weaving. 

You will likely double or triple up on most nails in order to fill up the design.

Just about finished!! What are my final touches?

You've made it this far, don't miss part 4 of 4 - coming soon!

Homemade Wedding Gift - Part 2 of 4

Want to try your hand at some string art? Well, you'll need the logistics. Depending on how big your designs is and what you decide to do, the amount of nails you will need will differ. But here's what we used for our design (see previous post for reference):

We bought 4 packs of 17 x 1-1/4" stainless wire nails. 

We recommend that you use a smooth-faced hammer to avoid scuffing the nail heads.

Now we can start adding nails to outline the cut-out of "Fisher". We decided to use a marker to make sure each nail is the same width apart and all nails are the same height. You don't want the nails to be too close together and having them too far apart would make it harder to make out what the design is actually supposed to be. We've found that having the nails 3/4" high and 3/8" apart was the best - here's a good tip to keep it consistent.We folded a piece of masking tape two ways to use as markers.

For the width: Take a piece of masking tape and fold it the long way. (Photos are clockwise).

For the height: Take a piece of masking tape and fold it the short way. (Photos are clockwise).

Now start nailing! Tip number 2? Patience. 

Four packs of nails later, our outline is done!

You're halfway there! Now it's time for the string. Not sure what type of string to buy? Having trouble picking out the color? Well, don't miss Part 3 of this homemade wedding gift!

Homemade Wedding Gift - Part 1 of 4

Wedding season has just about begun! Registries are always helpful when it comes to looking for the perfect wedding gift, but how about a homemade gift? While getting the couple something they have asked for is always courteous, nothing says "best wishes on your new life together" like a personalized DIY project for their home. With about a month away until my friends officially get married and move into their new place, my boyfriend and I decided to start our gift to them. Enter string art. (Click here for a general idea.)

Step 1: Board together three 2''x 8''x 36" pieces of red wood. 

Step 2: Add some hanging wire to the back 

(50 pound rated, can find at your local Michaels or craft store).

We decided to do a string art of their last name so I painted "Fisher" on a large 36'' x 24" piece of vellum of paper. 

Step 3: Once painted, I cut out the outline of "Fisher" and taped the 

cut-out onto the wood for guidance. 

Now it's time to nail. What size nails should you buy? How far apart should they be? How many nails do you need? Make sure to check back in for Part 2 for those answers and more! 

Recycling a holiday favorite

Recycling isn't just good for the environment, it's also good for unique and sentimental home decor projects. This ones traditionally a holiday hobby but with the right adjustments, it can be cute and trendy year round. Enter the snowflake. More importantly, enter its upgrade.

With the right patterns and display method, some scissors and an open mind, your snowflakes will go way beyond a craft for your kids. Here are some basic instructions for those of you who haven't had your hand at a snowflake since grade school. The choice of paper is up to you, but I typically opt for off-white or tan coffee filters to enhance the "recycled" look.

Snowflakes were gently spritzed with water from a spray bottle 

and flattened between some books overnight.

These can be displayed in a shadow box or just hung in a collage style on top of a bright colored wall. The possibilities are endless and the choice is yours!

Knowing your space

Before I go into more specific posts about room layouts or DIY home decor projects, I'll start with one of the most important steps to rearranging: knowing your space. Coming from a twenty-something college student who shares a room with a sixteen year old teen, my space is limited. So, understanding how much space you actually have to work with is key. This will help visualize what is actually do-able and what isn't.

Step 1: Clean-out
All it takes is the need and desire for change. Once I've confirmed that, I usually start combing through all the junk and proceed to throw out anything I no longer use to make some extra space. This particularly applies to my closet. Anyone else hoard their clothes? Here's one persons remedy.

Step 2: Draw-out
Time to get visual. I can get really indecisive when it comes to rearranging so I like to draw and re-draws my future layouts on a mini whiteboard.

Step 3: Priorities
Sometimes I hit a wall and find myself uninspired for hours. But I realized that most of that comes from a lack of priorities. Try starting out with one simple goal: to rearrange a practical room that makes the most sense for your lifestyle. The placement of your bed, the distance of your bed from your book case, the mirror by your closet. As long as your room is functional and makes sense, the personalizing and styling will come naturally.

So, now that we have some logistics down, be sure to stay tuned for some inspiration!