DIY Projects & Ideas

How to Make a Concrete Fire Pit

This article will show you how to make a fire pit for under $50

Wood Fence Upgrade

Last year we happily removed the old chain link fence in our backyard and replaced it with brand new wood fence. It was an interesting project because we had multiple trees on the property line to work around! Here's the lovely finished product :)

DIY Deck Gate Tutorial

I’ve got 3 kids, and 3 dogs, 1 of each currently falls in the “less than 2 years old” category, and let me tell you something that 1 year olds love to do.
They love to break free, run wild, and basically be anywhere that “adult” eyes or hands won’t catch them or see them.

DIY Garden Fence Using Picket Fence Panels

The deer were eating our tomatoes! We originally put a border around our garden using 2 x 8's, but we needed something more. Using picket fence panels to make a garden fence not only helped to protect our bounty from deer and such, but also added a pretty (and nostalgic) factor. Purchasing pre-assembled picket fence panels seemed the most cost effective way for us to fence in our vegetable garden area. Here's how we did it:

DIY Picket Fence Fireplace Cover

Add some whimsy to your home with this simple picket fence fireplace cover. ***The instructions are fairly detailed. Lots more pics on our site plus you can grab a FREE printable instruction sheet on our link at the bottom.

DIY Pallet Bridge

Our foot trail crosses a small creek which made it unusable parts of the year. A few pallets, beams, and precast pier blocks made an easy foot bridge and allows us to use the trail year-round while keeping our feet dry (although the kids seem to still end up in the mud ). We've even seen deer crossing on our bridge.Be sure to watch the video at the end of this post for a project time lapse.

Baby's Breath Submersible Centerpiece

Decorate your table with this beautiful submerged flower centerpiece. Complete with delicate baby's breath and romantic lighting, this arrangement is ideal for a wedding, dinner party or event.

How to Make a Semi-Natural Evergreen Wreath

Can you BELIEVE that before photo was hiding underneath that beautiful wreath? Love the look of fresh evergreen wreaths but hate the huge price tag? Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own. It's super simple AND your hedges can get trimmed as a bonus! You can transform a fake Christmas wreath into something wild, sloppy and organic with evergreen trimmings from your yard. Get ready to dust off those old astroturf wreaths and turn them into something amazing!

Deck The Halls - Pallet Art for Christmas

I made this pallet art as part of my Christmas decor. Click the link below if you want to see how I did it. I hope you enjoy it!

Snowflake Wreath

A simple wreath to make out of dollar store snowflakes.

Simple Snowman DIY Christmas Ornament

What a sweet little cutie! This simple little snowman is perfect for inexpensive gifts, on your tree, and as part of a package wrapping! Step by step tutorial is included!

driftwood christmas trees

dreaming of a simple natural white christmas with driftwood trees i made and handstamped gift tags.

Clean and Lube Your Tower Fan to Keep It Running

Did you know that your tower fan needs regular maintenance to keep them running? Tower fans are upwards of $40 and more and are great for circulating air in the summer. I have 3 fans that run from June through October and boy do they get nasty with pet hair and dust!
I have one tower fan that is over 9 years old! and the one I used for this post is over 6 years old. Truth be told it stops working when the dust and hair gunk up the fan blade motor. It is not hard to take apart these fans and clean and lube them.
UPDATE: I ADDED A YOUTUBE VIDEO ON TAKING OFF THE BACK FOR ANYONE HAVING TROUBLE REMOVING THE BACK AND PUTTING IT BACK ON ...

Easy Grill Cleaning Hack by Recipe

This Grill Cleaning Hack Is Genius

DIY Automatic Dishwasher Tablets

Combine citric acid, washing soda, baking soda and essential oils to make these simple tablets to make your dishes shine!

Dishwasher Not Cleaning Properly? 5 Quick Tips to Make it Like New

There's nothing worse than seeing gritty residue at the bottom of your drinking glass.
This is especially true if you have company at your house, it's the holidays, and your wife is the one who spotted the problem. So what's the solution?
Here are a few tips that helped us with our dishwasher's efficiency ...

3 Tips for Cleaning the Dishwasher

Even though I’m now in my third trimester, certain smells still make me a little nauseous, including–believe it or not–our dishwasher. I’m thrilled that we have a fantastic state-of-the-art dishwasher, but I’m not thrilled by the smell, especially right before it’s time to run a cycle. Now, you may be thinking, “Well, of course your dishwasher smells when it’s full of dirty dishes,” but I’m pretty sure this has never been an issue in the past. Therefore, I just couldn’t resist trying out these fantastic quick tips for cleaning the dishwasher–a household chore that has become a lifesaver during my pregnancy.

9 Things You Can Wash in Your Dishwasher

Dishwashers aren't JUST for cleaning your lasagna off your dinner plate. I taking you inside my dishwasher to show you 9 things you can wash and sanitize in your dishwasher.

Quickly Remove Heat Stains From Wood!

You’ve seen them before. White splotchy heat stains that cover what used to be perfectly pristine wood furniture, and if you’re reading this, you probably have one or two of these marks in your home right now.

How to Remove Dried Paint From Clothing

If you are a DIYer, you probably have some clothing with dried paint on them. Here's how to remove it - for real!

Where Are My Keys ? NO MORE! $15 Solution

Ok.. It may be possible that I may be the only one… BUT I don't think so. I hate seeing keys on a counter rolling around with no assigned location. I also don't really like having them “exposed” on a key hanger. (specially since I don't have a “Mudroom” or something like it. I wish I did.) In my case they would just hang there in my middle of one of my entry ways, looking into my OCD soul. Too much? Ok.. well, you may be right, but I really don't like them just hanging there. Doesn’t really fit in the decor.. Sometimes I feel it take aways from the great looking key hanger out there.I ramble just to justify.. My great James Bond idea. HA! “Why don’t just hide them behind a frame.” The key (no pun intended) is finding the right frame. It’s has to be at least 1½ inches in depth. This way the keys will hide behind behind the frame without damaging it or not allowing the frame to close properly. The deeper/thicker the frame the better. It was really pretty easy and I think I may customize a bit more by adding fancier hooks, and maybe replacing the elastic with a small wood plate but I just couldn't wait to share. I hope you guys like it and maybe you can customize it to fit your needs, hopefully I gave you a head start. Check it out ! I had most of the materials which allowed my cost to be minimal.

6 Quick Fix-Facelift Ideas for Builder Grade Bathrooms ALL Under $120

I'd like to share some bathroom face-lift projects we tackled a few months ago. EACH can be done in 6-12 hours, some less some more (if paint is involved) but nothing over a day. When I know I can finish a project in a day (or so) I am definitely quicker to start/try it. Our '06 builders grade bathroom was plain old ugly and odd! They put carpet in the vanity area & a one piece "acrylic" counter with single sunken sink (should be two) plus oak dbl cabinets.We would rather go on vacation than fund a full remodel, so a face-lift was all we could do on our modest income. Everything we did was under $120 total...and that was spent mainly on flooring & paint. ( I wasn't planning to post. I had painted the cabinets before I took my BEFORE Photo.)

We Have Just One New Years Resolution for 2018...

Thank you for a year of inspiring, encouraging, sharing and creating together with us on Hometalk! We can't wait to reminisce about all the amazing things we've done together this year, but before we get carried away...Our New Year's Resolution:

Repurposed Handy Dandy Bird Seed Scooper Duper

Good news: I am no longer a klutz when filling the bird feeders.This is a simple idea but it sure took me a long time to think of it!
1. Cut the bottom off a large plastic pop/soda bottle. Keep the lid on.
2. Use it as a scoop to gather bird seed from the bag....

Gorgeous Colorful Planters to Brighten up Any Small Garden.

I live in a Victorian semi-detached house with a lovely but small walled garden. There isn't much space for growing plants, so I tend to grow things in pots that I can then stack on a stand.I love to make colorful vertical planters for the garden and last year I made an amazing Morrocan one out of a pallet, which you can see here.This time I used tin cans and instead of Morrocan I went all Nordic (Finnish) with my styling!

Create a Pretty Outdoor Space

I tried to get outside and create a pretty area next to my back door for people to see each time they walk up to the house. I think it turned out really cute.

Wooden Salad Bowl To Succulent Garden

I love to junk and one thing I see over and over is wooden salad bowls. When I scored this beauty for $1 I knew it had a special makeover coming it's way!

New Life for an Old Farm Door

Antique Farm Door Turned Garden Art/Now Bird Nest

Earth Day Inspired Mini Crate Garden Planters

Hi there, Hometalk Friends! We have been having gorgeous spring weather here in Texas. Believe me, spring doesn't usually last long here before our early summer temperatures arrive. I'm savoring every minute and also sending warm thoughts to those of you who spring has yet to visit. Earth Day is coming up, so if you're itching to get outside and plant or start some plants indoors until your weather cooperates, today's 15 minute fix is the perfect repurposed project...

Potting Table From 100% Reclaimed Items

I turned an unused corner of my backyard from an eyesore to a usable potting area using 100% reclaimed items I've found along the way. The base of the table was created from a 6' x 4' pallet which I cut in half lengthwise to make my L-shaped table. The rest of the table was made using discarded barn wood, old barn gates and fence pieces, leftover galvanized sheets from a roofing project, chicken wire and even boxes of discarded nails and screws I found. Now the space I've avoided like the plague is used daily and now serves a purpose. All from free, recycled materials.

EASY $20 Corner Bench

Need Seating for your outdoor space? I sure did. Ok so I am the queen of repurposing and salvaging things. And often I have problems throwing things out.DIY Corner Bench
So one day I’m sitting outside on my deck and I go to place my drink on my side table. It literally fell over at my very touch. Well needless to say, I didn’t expect that. Yes, that table was 10 years old and had been repainted every year for the past 5 summers, but I was sure it had at least another 2 or 3 summers left in it. So this prompted me to inspect my seating. To my surprise almost every seat that I had purchased from the thrift store and refinished (4..ok 5 years ago) had some level of dry rot. Darn, I needed to replace everything. But instead of getting down about it I took it as a sign that I needed to redecorate. So I put my thinking cap on. Problem: I needed seating. My budget:microscopic. But what I did have was a whole bunch of 2x3s that someone so graciously gave me recently because they were downsizing. So one Saturday morning while looking at the empty space where my table once stood I came up with a plan. I’ll build a simple corner bench.

A pile of salvage + a hutch top = a to die for potting bench

My bestie, Liz has been collecting parts, pieces and stuff to create a potting bench. She has been collecting these parts over thousands of miles. When she comes to NC to visit me or in Texas where she lives. She hauled, shipped and did a carry on for those watering cans. Nothing stops her when she is on a mission and has a vision to bring to life.
The whole piece is comprised of found items. The legs are old porch columns, the top is an old chippy door. The shelving unit on top is from an antique store part of an old hutch I think.

Needed a Garden Bench

Out of necessity for deck furniture I made this garden bench. I started out with twelve cinder blocks.

My Potting Bench, Watering Can Collection & Pumps

About 15 years ago I wanted a potting bench, but they were pretty expensive, too expensive with three kids at home. I saw a work bench kit in a Menard's flyer for $39. I talked my husband into putting it together for me, and I stained it. It was pine and the boards were seconds but I thought it was perfect and rustic. It has become a focal point of my outdoor decorating.
http://organizedclutterqueen.blogspot.com/2012/07/potting-bench-whiskey-barrels-and.html

Church Pew To Paris New

I scooped up this 1940 Vancouver BC Canada Synagogue pew from a local salvage guy for $10... t.e.n.d.o.l.l.a.r.s!!! I bought 3, if I could have fit more in my truck I would have grabbed more!

How to Age a Terra Cotta Pot With Chalky Finish Paint

It's front porch sitting time...
Time to spruce up those boring terra cotta pots with a little paint and stencils.

How to Easily Age Terra Cotta Pots

Mint Wonderful Mint: How To Care For & Plant This Fragrant Herb - See

By Nell @JoyUsgarden
I love pretty much any herb. I do a lot of cooking and have a raised bed of herbs in the back yard that I can pick from all year long whenever my little heart desires. Of all the herbs, mint is my very favorite. I use it almost every day to add to a pitcher of water with sliced lemons for that added pop of flavor.

How To - Distress Pottery

Step by Step Instructions - How To Distress Pottery

Silly Painted Terra Cotta Pots

Today we decided to paint silly terra cotta pots for a few plants that I found on clearance at Walmart. If there is a mess involved my kids are there too, so we had a fun time making these.
Teacher Appreciation Day is this week and I was going to get flowers, candy or something like that but I thought this project would be fun for my son to give to his teachers. It’s always nice when the kids get to help make gifts instead of just buying something.

How To Prune & Feed Mint In Pots To Promote Growth

This is all about how to prune and feed mint in pots (or in the garden) to promote the new growth that we wait to see happen in spring.

Quick Mailbox Address With Some Character

I saw this in one of the Hometalk Slideshows and decided it was time. I didn't want decals on my mailbox, but something a bit more personal, and permanent.

Fall Front Porch Decorations

Fall decorations for the front porch and front door, using pumpkin topiaries, traditional and non-traditional decor. I love to use pumpkins of different colors. Burlap pillows are the perfect accessory for a wicker settee on the front porch. Click over to the blog to get all the details>>>http://www.houseontheway.com/fall-front-porch-beauty/

VW Camper Van Mailbox

One day all of you Vanlife Guys and Gals are going to have to settle down.Kids will come along, there will be rent or mortgages and you will hark back to your old, free life on the road.Bummer Dude!!!So here's a little project to remind you of your younger days, your former life, when you had few responsibilities and considerably more hair.When you still had Mo-Jo instead of Oh-No!!The Vanlife Postbox in all its glory

My Teensy Little Front Porch...

My dog Ryley and I are loving our favorite spot in the cottage this summer. The color scheme was pulled together with inspiration from the fabric in the pillow. I found cushions to coordinate at Pier1, spray painted the wicker, added a few accessories that were already in my stash. A few prints and a mirror give it the homey feel of a real extension of the house. Stop by, and enjoy a cold beer with me.

Mailbox Makeover

My Mailbox was in need of a makeover….really bad. I stripped off the numbers and sanded it down smooth.

Make Your Mailbox the Envy of Your Neighborhood

Follow along this tutorial and your mailbox will be the prettiest one on the street this fall!

Hose Pot Without the Hose Pot Price!

I crafted my flower pot tower earlier this summer. I loved the look but hated the curled hose at the base. It just looked ugly, and it ruined the look! The cheapest hose pot I could find that was attractive and not plain was $50! I didn't want to spend that much, because I have a hose at the front and at the back. No, I'm not spending $100 just to hide hoses. So I put my crafter hat on and bought two large pots at the local home improvement store for $10 each! Check out the results below. MUCH better!

Trash Bag Storage Dispenser/Container

Repurpose a bleach wipe container into a trash bag storage container. It's affordable, easy, cleans up all of those messy bags, and repurposes a container you might have recycled. You can see more of my crazy creations here

Hose Holder Made From Scrap Materials

My tangled hose in the front of the house was driving me crazy, so I was really happy when I came across a genius hose holder made by the talented girls over at Shanty2Chic.com. I was inspired by their design, however, I didn't want to buy any new materials. Instead, I used whatever I could find in my garage.

DIY Driftwood Hose Holder

For years my hose has been a nuisance and an eyesore in my backyard. It has laid around in numerous spots, mostly in the way of someone or something, so I finally decided to do something about it. I made myself a hose holder out a found piece of driftwood. It was easy, cheap and I think it turned out pretty darned good.

DIY Hose Holder and Lantern Hanger

Hubster had a couple 54″ 4×8 boards left over from one of his projects and asked if I wanted them. This obviously was a silly question, of course I did! I knew I would eventually find a purpose for these puppies! Well, they have been sitting in the shop for over a year, but I finally came up with a project for one of the boards: a DIY hose holder and lantern hanger. Any projects that help to organize or clean up in or around the house is a winner in my book!

Hose Extender

Do you have a outside faucet that's hard to reach? Here is a way to extend that water source and add a landscaping element.

Wall Lettering Made Easy

No need to go out and buy new stencils if you want to add some personalization! Michael Goins, owner of My Wonderful Walls shows you how to make your own letter stencils with a few simple supplies and add a personalized touch to any room!

Creating your own DIY Window Treatments

Learn how to stencil your own window treatments with Cutting Edge Stencils stencil patterns! Read our inspiring blog post:http://blog.cuttingedgestencils.com/using-wall-stencils-to-spruce-up-your-window-treatments.html

Create Beautiful Stenciled Scarves For Gifts (Or For Yourself)

Handmade gifts for the holidays are the best to give and to receive! We recently had a phenomenal chat about stenciled holiday presents at the Hometalk Google+ Hangout and lots of great DIY gift ideas for the holidays were shared along with some super, snazzy stencil tips. One of the guests on the hangout was none other than our friend, Brittany of Pretty Handy Girl. She shared a stenciled & dyed scarves project that had us swooning over how chic and easy-to-create they were.
Visit our website for full instructions and picture inspiration:
http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/blogs/stencil-ideas/10301865-a-pretty-handy-girl-stencils-stylish-scarves-for-holiday-gifts...

My Blue Stenciled Table. When a little Stenciling is not enough

This is my Blue Stenciled Table. I decided to cover every possible surface with stencil and this is the outcome. My Blue Festooned Table!

Painted Dandelion Wall Graphic Tutorial #WallCandy

I know some of you may be intimidated by painting something graphic on your walls. But, I'm hoping if I break it down for you it won't look so hard.
Start by sketching out your design using chalk or pencil. I personally prefer chalk, but if your walls are too light you can use pencil.
From here on I'll show you the design using black paint on white paper (because it will be easier for you to see.)

Stencil How-To: Stenciling a Lampshade

Are you looking for an easy peasy DIY stencil project that can be done in a dash AND adds a darling dose of color and pattern to an otherwise boring light fixture?? Well, look no further because we have a super simple how-to stencil project for you today: Lampshade stenciling! You can stencil on almost ANY flat surfaced lampshade, but the ever-popular drum shaped shades are by far the easiest. You simply need to wrap the stencil and pattern around the shade and dab on some color for a brilliant new look!
Visit our blog for more inspiring stencil pattern ideas and full How-to:
http://www.royaldesignstudio.com/blogs/how-to-stencil/10604681-stencil-how-to-stenciling-a-lampshade...

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Send fruit flies on a one way trip with this easy and effective solution using stuff you already have at home.

How to Get Rid of Black Mold in Your Shower Caulking

If you don't want to take the time and the expense to remove and replace your shower or bathtub caulking that is currently moldy, then this is a great way to remove the mold and mold stains that is very affordable and easy! Plus, it works amazing!

Cement Step Repair: Get Your Curb Appeal Back in One Day!

After a long cold winter we had to repair our cement steps. I'm guessing you might have to do this, too. So I decided to share how we fixed our steps in one and got our curb appeal back for the spring season!! You can totally DIY this same project and save some money for spring flowers.
For a complete step-by-step video you can also visit my blog post over on Home Repair Tutor.
Let me know if you've got any questions because I'd be happy to help :)...

Are Bugs Ruining Your Summer Relaxation Plans? See My Easy Solution!

We love spending time outdoors with the family but bugs were a total nuisance. Here's my easy DIY solution!

Material of the Week: Insulation Kits

Winter is in full swing, and while our spirits are high, temps are low! If you’ve already made your chunky yarn blanket, and you’re still feeling the chill, it might be time to consider insulating your windows. This project does not have to be an expensive one; it’s an easy DIY that will reduce your energy costs and save you money. Order our Material of the Week, Window Insulation Kits here, and follow this tutorial to draft-free windows in no time!

Homemade Flea Repellent for Home

Get rid of those nasty fleas the healthy, natural way! Make an easy homemade flea repellent for your home with a few simple, inexpensive ingredients you most likely have on hand.

Fix Cracked and Missing Tile Grout

I have been living in my apartment for years now, and there is a huge chunk of missing grout between my kitchen tiles. I've noticed it for years, but I never did anything about it. It's gotten so bad (spreading to several tiles) that I finally had enough and decided to actually fix it! Grout is known for being daunting and hard to deal with, so I was nervous doing this project, but it turned out to be really easy! Once I got the tools together, it only took me a couple of minutes! And now those cracks aren't filling up with crumbs anymore. This project was definitely worthwhile. We want to help you DIY, so some of the materials in this post are linked to sellers. Just so you know, Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.

How to Tile a Bathroom Floor With 12x24 Gray Tiles

This past month we took on the project of remodeling/redoing our master bathroom. Our house was built in 2010 so the the finishes are very brown. Since it's only 6 years old all we had to do was change out the finishes and use the existing layout of the bathroom. Here is a quick over view of how we tiled the floor, but if you want a VERY detailed tutorial on how we did it, what we used (including the exact tile we used) make sure to check out my blog post. I took lots of photos along the way :)

Bathroom Remodel

We finally completed one project in our house remodel!!!!Please see post for all pictures and instructions. http://diy-vintage-chic.blogspot.com/2017/05/bathroom-remodel.html

Make Your Grout Look Like New!

I can’t believe we’ve been in our current house for over two years. In a way, it feels like we just moved in here. It was our first single family home. We love having a spacious, private backyard for the kids. We love having an in-house washer & dryer to make laundry day a breeze. We also love our family-friendly neighborhood. However, there has always been one thing that bothered me about this place…The tile floor in the kitchen has seen better days. To be clear, the tiles themselves are in good condition, as in there are no cracks, chips, etc (although I probably would have chosen another color for the tiles). However, the overall floor in the kitchen has been a bit (a lot!) of an eyesore, mainly due to the condition of the grout.

Painting Hardwood Floors to Look Like Moroccan Tile

I've seen painted floors online and thought they were so creative. Why not paint- if you already hate the floor, and want to replace it someday anyway? So that's the story with this floor.

How to Make a Old Tile Grout Look Brand New

This is a Bathroom that will be transformed with the grout shield color seal

Ladder Chandelier Tutorial

If you're familiar with Liz Marie, you are well aware of her beautiful ladder chandelier! I wanted to create something like that but that fit in our kitchen over our island. Because we live in an old farmhouse, I wanted a primitive look, and chose to go with mason jar pendant lights. I found a light that had three pendants combined as one light with adjustable length cord and went with it!

Industrial Mason Jar Light

I created an industrial Mason jar light fixture for above my kitchen sink. I got these Mason jars from my husband's grandmother about 25 years ago and have used them in my kitchen ever since. I thought this was a fun way to use them. http://froufrugal.blogspot.com/2011/11/mason-jar-light.html

Creative Storage in Dead Space Behind Door

My New Year's Weekend get organized project. One of my business resolutions was to create an attractive, and useful work space for my home business'. I have a Dispatch Service & DIY BLOG business. I was plagued by the wasted space on this giant wall behind our door.

Storage Ladder

I've been wanting a leaning ladder for as long as I've seen them out in stores and online. My husband and I acquired several ladders over the years and I finally decided to make it useful. This was surprisingly an easy project--intimidating because of the power tools--but otherwise easy.

Succulent Gardening

I am in love with succulents. Thought I would share my version of the succulent grill. The first picture was taken today and the second was taken at the beginning of May.

From Ladder to Super Storage

Sometimes you really just need some extra storage. This easy DIY not only turns a ladder into super storage, it creates a lovely focal point in your home! Double Win!All you need is a ladder – old or new, a few extra timber battens, wooden planks for the shelves and paint for a fun twist.