Crafts Archives - Page 4 of 45

Build It, circular saw, clamps, Crafts, DIY, DIY tools, DIYCourage, Do It Yourself, power tools, Tutorial

DIY Track Saw Jig for your Circular Saw

Making large and small rip cuts doesn’t have to be a difficult or calculated process. With this inexpensive and easy to make DIY track saw jig, you will be making rip cuts quickly and easily with your circular saw!

DIY Track Saw Jig for your Circular Saw

Hi! It’s Kristen, from In Her Garage, and today I am going teach you how to make a DIY Track Saw Jig for your circular saw. It’s basically a super simple circular saw cutting guide to make rip cuts much easier for you. No more accounting for the saw’s base plate width or spending a ton of money on fancy, brand name guides. This will be an easy drop and clamp design that is foolproof! Let’s make it!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

circular saw (that you will be using this saw guide for!)
1/4″ x 2′ x 4′ MDF hardboard panel
wood glue
clamps

Instructions:

1. Measurements for the track saw base panel

Create 2 lines running the length of the hardboard panel and label them “A” and “B” as indicated in the diagram below.

“A” measures 6″ from the edge – this measurement is approximately the width of most circular saw baseplates
“B” measures 12″ from the edge – this measurement is approximately the width of the entire circular saw and will be the end width of the track saw jig.

2. Cut the excess off of the base panel

Clamp a straight edge (or any straight piece of scrap board) lined up against line “B”. Set your circular saw base plate against the straight board and cut along the length of the hardboard to cut this excess off. You will use the freshly cut edge of the excess in the next step.

3. Creat the track saw cutting guide

Apply wood glue between lines A & B of the track saw base panel (as shown above.) Do not apply the glue too close to line “A” or the glue will squeeze-out in the next step. Collect the excess piece of hardboard you just cut off and align the freshly cut edge up to line “A” of the base panel.

Clamp and apply weight over the top of the two panels. Wait approximately 15 minutes for the glue to cure and adhere the two pieces together.

4. Cut the straight edge guide

Position your panel so the 6 inch “A” section overhangs off the edge of your work surface (this is the edge you used to measure lines “A” and “B” from.)

Rest your circular saw’s base plate against the top glued piece using it as a straight guide. Make sure your saw blade will avoid your work surface when cutting. Now cut along the length of your panel.

This will create an edge that is exactly the width of the inside base plate to the inside of the saw blade.

5. Cut off the excess from the back of the jig

Flip the jig over and cut off the excess material that extends beyond line “B” shown below.

Do not cut any further into the jig than line “B” because your DIY Track Saw Jig well be too narrow. You will need this extra width to clamp the jig to any material you plan to cut. If your jig is too narrow, the saw’s motor will catch on the clamps.

Now you have your own DIY Track Saw Jig for your circular saw! How easy was that?

Using the jig is even easier. All you need to do is measure and mark the surface you plan to cut. Then align the edge of the track saw jig with these marks and clamp down. You’ll have a perfectly straight guide for the circular saw to travel along. Just be sure to take into account which side of your measurement you want the saw blade to cut on and position the jig accordingly.

Great Job!!! Now just store this jig in a place that is easily accessible because you will use it A LOT!!

Helpful tip from the Pretty Handy Girl: Buy a panel of foam insulation from a big box store and cut your plywood on top of it. The foam panel provides a firm surface for the entire piece of plywood and eliminates any falls, pinches, or board balancing you may need to do.

If you enjoyed this tutorial check out my DIY Toy Chest and 1 Drawer side table. The DIY Track Saw Jig will come in really handy for making these gorgeous pieces.

About Kristen:

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Between being a wife, mom and, registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible. My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the pieces we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Since then I have started a side business building furniture for the people in my community. I love hearing my clients talk about the pieces they wish they had whether it be a rustic buffet table, a one drawer side table, or a toy box and then making it a reality for them. While starting my small business it made perfect sense that I would document my building journey so I simultaneously launched the In Her Garage blog and I love sharing my plans, tips and tricks.

Making something beautiful with your own two hands through a little preparation and determination is an amazing feeling and I hope to bring inspiration and know-how to those looking to tackle a big or small project.
I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube to see what I am working on right now.

May 20, 2020/3 Comments/by In Her Garage

art, arts and craft, Crafts, framing, Gift Ideas, gifts, Tutorial

Easy Pounded Flower Gift Ideas

Spring is here and there are countless flowers awakening from the cold winter slumber. When it happens you can pick some blooms and turn them into easy gift ideas. Today I’ll show you how to make easy pounded flower art.

Easy Pounded Flower Gift Ideas

The results can be used for a framed quote, a paper-wrapped vase, notecards, and much more! I’d go so far to say, the results are close to high end (and expensive) handmade pressed flower paper.

Ready to make some beautiful pounded flower paper? I am (because I could also use an activity to get a little frustration out 😉.)

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Watercolor paper (or thick paper)
Hammer
Painter’s tape
Fresh picked flowers
Scrap board
Scotch tape
Twine
Chip brush

Instructions:

First, you’ll want to collect some flowers. Smaller colorful flowers work best. But, you can collect larger ones and experiment.

Lay one sheet of paper on top of the block of wood. Arrange your flowers on top of the paper and tape down any strands that don’t cooperate. (The flowers I picked are from a money plant that grows in our woods.)

Lay a second sheet of paper on top of the flowers.

Pound the hammer around the paper until you have squished all of the flowers beneath. (This doubles as a stress relief exercise, trust me!)

Peel apart the papers and you’ll have a pulpy mess.

Remove the flowers and wipe off the excess bits and pieces with a clean chip brush.

Look at that! You got two prints that are a mirror image.

Print out a quote or type a message on coordinating paper and tear around it. Tape it onto flower paper.

Put your verse artwork into a frame for a sweet gift to your sister, your mother, or a friend.

Take the other sheet and wrap it around a can, mason jar, or vase.

Wrap some twine around the paper to hold it in place. Add water to the vase and pop some fresh flowers in it.

Quick and easy gift idea, right?! Give a vase to brighten someone’s day. The best part of this gift is it only cost a pound! (Get it? Like a British £? I know, I have a corny sense of humor. You can blame it on my Dad, it runs on his side of the family.)

Maybe I’ve also been hammering a little too much lately. Leave me a comment if you have any corny jokes to share!

Do you have any creative ideas for using this pretty flower paper? I set some up for the kids and they had a blast pounding flowers.

May 18, 2020/15 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Crafts, DIY, wreath

DIY Faux Succulent Wreath

Make your own faux succulent wreath and add a little greenery to your home. Use a few supplies from the dollar store and this simple tutorial to make this beautiful DIY Faux Succulent Wreath!

DIY Faux Succulent Wreath

I’ve been itching to add a little more greenery to our home lately. It’s finally green outside, so I wanted to bring some of that green into the house too! I was digging around in my craft stash and found a whole bag of faux succulent stems. These were leftover from another DIY project from long ago and were taking up space in my craft closet.

This past weekend was the perfect time to use up those supplies and add some greenery to our home by creating a simple wreath. Let me show you how easy it is to make your own DIY faux succulent wreath with supplies that can be found at the dollar store or online (or in your stash)!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

I am using a grapevine wreath that I picked up several months ago from the dollar store, but I decided to paint it white for this project. If you prefer to leave yours natural, feel free to skip step 1.

Instructions:

Step 1- Spray paint grapevine wreath

Spray paint wreath form using a quality spray paint in the color of your choice. The best tip for painting a grapevine wreath is to spray from different angles, using short bursts of paint. This will help get the paint into all of the nooks and crannies. Keep in mind it may take several coats to get good coverage.

Step 2- Attach succulents to wire

If the succulents you are using have long stems you may not need the floral wire in this step. However, the wire does help secure them to the wreath form better.

To attach, simply wrap a piece of wire around the base of an artificial succulent. It may be necessary to use pliers to help with this step. Snip off excess wire with wire cutters. You will be left with something that looks like this.

Step 3- Arrange larger succulents onto the wreath

Attach the succulents to the wreath by either tucking the floral wire into the grapevine wreath or wrap around to the back of the wreath.

It’s best to place the larger succulents first to create a good foundation layout to work with.

Step 4- Add smaller faux succulent stems to fill in empty space

Once the larger succulents are placed, fill in any gaps with smaller succulents. You could also add in small sprays of artificial eucalyptus or even some moss. Be creative!

Step 5- Finish with a ribbon to hang

To finish off your faux succulent wreath, choose a ribbon to hang it with or just simply use some jute twine. Since my wreath is hanging on our DIY chalkboard, I chose just a simple organza ribbon with no bow. Finish it off how you’d prefer.

Personally I prefer my wreaths to be simple, so less is more. If you prefer filled out wreaths, then by all means, fill that baby up with all of the faux succulents!

Using multiple colors and styles of faux succulents will give you the best contrast and wow factor, so stock up on several varieties!

What do you think? Will you be making your own faux succulent wreath for your home?

I’m Amanda, and I am the creator and voice behind the food and DIY blog, Domestically Creative. What started as a place to share updates with friends and family after we moved from Illinois to Tennessee and then to Texas, turned into a passion for finding creative and frugal ways to feed us and decorate our homes.

I have always had the “make it myself” attitude and I’m not afraid to bust out the power tools or get creative when it comes to decorating our home on a budget. You can usually find me scouring the local thrift stores, garage sales and estate sales looking for my next makeover (like this litter box cabinet), or dreaming up ways to make our new house feel more like home. My most recent project was giving my home office a much needed facelift. Some of the plans included creating a fun inspirational accent wall and adding pegboard to store my craft hoards.

I currently call Missouri home, where I live with my husband, dog, and 2 cats in a pretty dull, late 90’s split level. My husband and I both love to travel the U.S and recently purchased a small travel trailer to tag along in our journeys. In our free time together we can usually be found working together on a home project, exploring a new place, or just lounging with our pup, Delilah.

I’d love for you to connect with me on social media via Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter!

See all of Amanda’s tutorials HERE.

May 13, 2020/0 Comments/by Domestically Creative

accessories, arts and craft, Before and After, Crafts, Decorating, gifts, Holiday decorating, Home Decor, painting, Très Frugal

Painted Trays with Scrapbook Lining

Look around your house or the next time you’re at a thrift shop. Find either an unpainted tray or a tray that needs a makeover. This is a quick project to create a Painted Trays with Scrapbook Lining for a beautiful and elegant tray to display or organize things in your home.

Painted Trays with Scrapbook Lining

Today I have a really adorable and easy DIY idea for you! Scrapbook paper-lined and painted trays. These trays are so versatile, they can be used in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or anywhere you want to corral items or have a flat surface available. They also make a great gift if you want to load them up with some smaller gift items. But best of all, you can change their look in a snap.

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

As I mentioned above unfinished trays can be purchased at many places. If you want a new one, look at your local craft supply store or order one online on Amazon for cheap.

You’ll also want some decorative scrapbook paper, gift wrap, or fabric to line the bottom of your tray.

Materials:

Unfinished tray
Fine grit sandpaper sheet
Damp & dry rags
2 sheets of scrapbook paper per tray
Paint (I prefer chalk paint)
Primer (if you are using other than chalk paint)
Paintbrush
Optional:
- Antiquing Wax,
- Plexiglass cut to fit bottom of tray

Instructions:

Lightly sand and wipe off tray with a damp rag.

Prime tray (if using non-chalk paint.) Paint tray desired color. For this tray, I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in French Linen.

After the paint has dried, brush antiquing wax onto your tray if desired. Buff off excess with a dry rag.

Cut scrapbook paper to fit inside the tray. When overlapping paper, make sure to line up the repeating pattern.

For the best durability, line the tray with a piece of glass or plexiglass cut to fit inside the tray. (Ask your local home improvement store to cut or order online.) If you want it to be permanent, seal the edges of the glass with clear silicone.

The paper you use to line the tray doesn’t have to necessarily be scrapbook paper. I got this paper from Ballard Designs. It’s actually cheese paper, but I loved the design. It doesn’t quite match up, so I just rotated the paper.

When you put something on top of the tray, you hardly notice the seam.

The nifty thing about these trays is the decorative paper can be swapped out when you bore of the design. (Unless, you seal the edges.)

Once again, I’m loving this idea too much…I might be keeping this one for myself ;-).

Do tell me if you love this idea or have any unique ideas for lining the bottom.

Pin for later!

May 6, 2020/9 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

accessories, art, arts and craft, Build It, Crafts, Gift Ideas, Make It May, Mother's Day, Paintbrushes, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, storage, Trash to Treasure, Tutorial, Upcycling, wood putty

Creative Block Desk & Art Utensil Holder

Need a quick gift using scrap wood? A Creative Block Desk & Art Utensil Holder is an easy and fun gift to make and certainly a project that you can customize to meet your needs. Best of all, the kids can help with the painting step!

Creative Block Desk & Art Utensil Holder

Mother’s Day is this coming weekend! Have you decided how to show her your appreciation and love?! I did! My mother is a professional artist. She creates amazing paintings that inspire others and brightens their homes. For Mother’s Day I wanted to brighten her studio with these art utensil holders. I call them “Creative Blocks.”

Go ahead and raid your scrap pile and join us as we make these colorful and fun Creative Block Desk & Art Utensil Holders.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

1. Block assembly: Select two 2×4″ scraps cut to the same length. Spread glue on one board and sandwich them together.

Clamp the wood together and drill two small holes to countersink the heads of the screws. Drive two screws into the bottom of the wood to hold the pieces together.

Use a band saw, jigsaw, or table saw to trim off the rounded edges of the wood so you have a square block of wood with straight corners.

Putty any cracks or holes. Sand until smooth.

2. Creating the mask:

If you have a craft cutter (Silhouette or Cricut) you can create a mask in vinyl easily. But, if you don’t you can use the computer to print out your words. Lay the print out on top of a strip of Painter’s Tape. Use a few pieces of tape to secure the corners.

Trace around the words with the X-acto knife (be sure to have a few fresh blades on hand.) Transfer the resulting cut-out tape onto the block of wood. Press the edges of the tape mask to secure the tape.

3. Painting the block: Paint a base color onto the block. Then use a brush and/or palette knife to dab thick paint over the block (minus the base.) Use the X-acto knife to gently peel off the tape mask. Let the paint dry thoroughly overnight.

4. Drilling Holes: After the paint has dried completely, mark the location of the utensil holes with a pencil. Put a piece of painter’s tape on the drill bit to mark the depth of your holes. Clamp the block and drill holes at each pencil mark.

Dump sawdust out of the holes.

Wrap up the blocks in gift wrap and enjoy the look of joy as your Mom opens her Creative Block Mother’s Day gift!

You know, as an artist myself, I almost loved these too much to give them away. But, my Mom is worth it. (And I can make another set if I want ;-).)

For more last-minute Mother’s Day gift ideas and many other creative projects, check out the Gift Ideas section here on the blog.

If you liked this project, you’ll love these floating picture frames using more 2×4 scrap wood.

May 5, 2020/11 Comments/by Brittany Bailey