This is my grandmother who was the queen of DIY long before Martha Stewart came along.
by 4554290
Who inspired you to DIY?
+6
It was really difficult to limit the pictures to include in this post as my grandmother 's influence has inspired all my décor projects. She was very thrifty as most were during the depression. Nothing was wasted. Her décor style was classic and comfortable. It would still be relevant today. Hope you get some good ideas for your own DIY projects.
This is one of her Tole painting projects. She added her original designs to rocking chairs, dining chairs, dressers and more! She also was an accomplished oil painter.
My grandmother loved nature especially the lake and of course, re-purposing furniture. This is her cedar canoe that my father cut in 1/2. My sister has the bottom 1/2. It needed to be stripped - that was the tedious part.
Here's a close-up of the shelves - just plain pine with a Minwax antique oil finish.
She did yoga, gardened, baked, made preserves, yoghurt and granola . She enjoyed all her grandchildren. My fondest memories are playing Spite and Malice - a card game that she could play for hours on this cute little pine table. It had been a drop leaf dining table that she cut the legs off to convert to a coffee table. That's the inspiration for this table that I paid $35 for. It needed lots of stripping. I kept the legs and turned them into candlesticks. I gave those away for a Christmas gift.
Here's another dining table turned coffee table. Reduce, re-use and recycle!
Hope you will be inspired too!
9 answers
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![Hillela G.]()
Hillela G.
on Feb 06, 2017
Wow, she sounds like she was amazing! Thank you so much for sharing her beautiful story! -
![4554290]()
4554290
on Feb 07, 2017
Thank you, Hillela. -
![Ann]()
Ann
on Feb 07, 2017
My family runs more to doctors and professionals but has artists as well. My biggest inspiration was my lack of cash, no lie. No budget decorating was my catch phrase and I can always figure out how to get what I want in a thrifty way.Now we've got three generations of artists and crafters and diy creatives all working on their own homes, gifts, celebrations, projects and etsy shops. Can't wait to see what is next with this crew! -
![Naomie Moore aka baileyanddaisey, Castaic CA]()
Naomie Moore aka baileyanddaisey, Castaic CA
on Feb 11, 2017
Awesome story! So happy you shared with us. 😊 -
![4554290]()
4554290
on Feb 12, 2017
Thanks so much, Naomie. -
![Lori Kelly]()
Lori Kelly
on Feb 12, 2017
Thank you for sharing your sweet memories of an amazing woman! My granny made quilts, dresses, kitchen towels, pillow cases, aprons, etc. from feed sacks. -
![Feekie]()
Feekie
on Feb 12, 2017
I loved your story about your grandmother. My mom never did any type of sewing or crafting, but her sister, my Aunt Mayme, did all sorts of interesting things. Two people could not have been more different than my mom and my aunt. Mayme sewed, knitted, crocheted, made stuffed animals and dolls, including "period" dolls, which she dressed in authentic clothes (which she also designed and made), crafts of all kinds, upholstered furniture, played several musical instruments and occasionally, throughout many feline generations, made clothes for her cats (much to their chagrin). She participated in marathon dance competitions, (the ones that lasted for 24+ hours), during the depression years and even won several local dance contests in the 1940s (which horrified my mom). She was a petite red-haired high-spirited woman who was feisty and funny and talented and someone I wish I had gotten to know much better than I did. -
![4554290]()
4554290
on Feb 13, 2017
Your Aunt sounded pretty fabulous too! Thanks for your comments. -
![4554290]()
4554290
on Feb 13, 2017
I love the "waste not, want not" philosophy of that generation. Thanks for sharing.
Hillela G.
on Feb 06, 2017
Ann
on Feb 07, 2017
Naomie Moore aka baileyanddaisey, Castaic CA
on Feb 11, 2017
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