Decorating Archives - Page 12 of 67

Cheerful Hello Spring Plaque

Cheerful Hello Spring Plaque

Hello, Pretty Handy readers! It is Anika from Anika’s DIY Life here with a fun new project to get your home’s decor ready for spring!

While we are impatiently waiting for spring, I thought we could create a colorful plaque to welcome spring with open arms. I love creating seasonal decor, but don’t like spending too much money (as it gets changed out too often.)

This simple and cheerful spring sign is made from scrap wood and the only thing I had to buy were the flowers!

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.)

Scrap wood or pre-cut wood sign
Jigsaw (if cutting your own shape)
Paint for base color
Paint for the letters (I chose a coral acrylic paint)
Faux flowers (you can find some pretty ones at the Dollar Store too!)
Hot glue gun
Sawtooth hangers
Ribbon

Instructions:

Step 1 – Cut out your wood shape from scrap wood. I cut a pentagon shape, but feel free to buy your own pre-cut shapes.

Step 2 – Paint the plaque in a base color of your choice. I chose [amazon_textlink asin=’B018HBN2OE’ text=’Americana Decor Chalky finish paint in Refreshing.’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’prett-wp-001-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’d466e4bf-272b-11e8-b3c4-9bb32c38ba1e’]

Step 3 – Transfer the “Hello Spring!” onto the wood shape using transfer paper. To make it easy, here is a free printable available for you to print out and trace.

Download the Hello Spring printable here

Step 4 – Paint the letters using a fine tipped round brush.

Step 3 – Attach sawtooth hangers to the back of the wood shape and thread ribbon through them. (If you don’t have hangers, you could staple the ribbon to the wood (just make sure your ribbon is strong enough to hold the plaque and your staples are strong enough to hold both the ribbon and plaque.)

Step 4 – Attach the faux flowers to the front of your plaque using hot glue.

That’s it! You just made yourself a colorful, cheerful sign for spring! It makes a great alternative to a traditional wreath or wall decor.

If you enjoyed this, and are looking for a more traditional wreath on a budget, be sure to check out my simple spring wreath. You might also enjoy this fun spring decor I made from old spice bottles.

~See more of Anika’s tutorials~

If you liked this spring plaque, you’ll definitely love this button flower spring wreath:

or 71 Practically FREE Scrap Wood Projects:

Pin for later!

March 14, 2018/2 Comments/by Anika Gandhi

arts and craft, decor, Decorating, vase

DIY Wall Mounted Test Tube Vases

DIY Wall Mounted Test Tube Vases

Happy Valentine’s Day! Hi all, I’m back again from Anika’s DIY Life. I am sharing this super easy and quick tutorial to make DIY wall mounted test tube vases. The best part is they look really cute on the wall and can be displayed in any room!

Personally, I hung mine in the guest bathroom that is currently being updating. These simple vases bring in much needed color and also ties in with the dark vanity.

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.)

Test tubes (20 x 150mm glass test tubes)
2″x 2″ board – A small piece of scrap will do.
7/8″ spade bit
Drill
Miter Saw or hand saw
Paint or stain of your choice
Hot glue
3M Command Strips

Instructions:

Step 1 – Measure and mark 1 ½” on a 2″ x 2″ board. (2″ lumber is actually 1 ½”. To cut out a cube, you need to cut at 1 ½”.) Find the center (at 3/4″) and mark the location for the hole.

Step 2 – Clamp the 2″ x 2″ to the workbench and use a 7/8″ drill bit to bore a hole through the board.

Tip: You may need to make a small pilot hole first with a small drill bit to keep the spade bit from wandering.

Step 3 – Once the hole is drilled, cut your board at the marked location using a miter saw or hand saw.

Step 4 – Paint or stain the cubes in the color of your choice. (I used a Java colored gel stain to match my bathroom vanity.) If you would like to use fresh flowers and water in these test tubes, be sure to add a durable coat of polyurethane on the cubes to protect from splashes.

Step 5 – Add a line of hot glue about 2″ down from the top rim of the test tube. Place the test tube inside the cube to glue it in place.

Step 6 – Trim mounting strips to size if they are longer than the cubes. Mount the vases on the wall using 3M Command Strips (removes without damaging walls when you are ready for a change) and add your favorite real or artificial flowers. These vases are very light so the strips work great! Even if you are using fresh flowers, the command strips make it easy to take them off the wall and dump out the water.

I decided to add 3 of these on the bathroom wall. They are so easy and quick to make. You should make as many as you like to fill an entire wall or gift to friends!

Don’t they look pretty? Come follow along with the bathroom remodel on my blog as I share all the little and big projects that went into it!

If you love easy scrap wood projects, I have a whole bunch of them on my blog. Be sure to check them out!

~See more of Anika’s tutorials~

Also, you might love these simple and creative flower vase projects Brittany created:

These hanging beaded vases are my favorite!

DIY Reclaimed Wood Wall Vase

February 14, 2018/2 Comments/by Anika Gandhi

Crafts, Decorating, Holiday decorating

PVC Pipe Heart Decoration

Who knew PVC pipe could look this good? With some paint and hot glue, you can easily make this heart decoration for Valentine's Day!

PVC Pipe Heart Decoration

Hi there, Pretty Handy Girl readers! I’m Vineta from The Handyman’s Daughter, back with another tutorial! I was in the hardware store the other day, and I was inspired to create something using the many different sizes of PVC pipe. With Valentine’s Day coming up, I must have had hearts on the brain. That’s why I created this cute PVC pipe heart decoration for my mantel!

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.)

White PVC pipe of various diameters (1/2″, 3/4″, 1″ and 1 ¼” interior diameters)
Acetone
80 grit sandpaper
White spray paint
Pink paint
Flat artist brush
Hot glue and glue gun

Instructions for Making a PVC Heart Decoration:

At the hardware store, look for a rack with 2 foot long precut pipe. It was a relief to not have to haul home 10 foot long pieces for this small project! I grabbed one of each size.

Most PVC pipes have letters and bar codes printed on the side of them. To remove it, just wipe down each piece with acetone.

Once the PVC pipe is clean, mark 2″ sections and cut with a miter saw, jigsaw, or hand saw. You can also use a pipe cutter like Brittany shows in this video:

Cut more than you think you’ll need. You might find you’ll need more of some sizes and less of others to make your heart shape.

Give each end of the cut pipe a brief sanding with the 80 grit sandpaper to remove any rough edges. Wipe the cut pipes down with a damp paper towel to remove any dust.

Set out all the pieces with a little space in between, then give them a few coats of white spray paint.

Once the spray paint is dry, paint the inside of each pipe with bright pink paint using a flat artist brush. Be careful not to get pink paint on the outside edge!

Arrange the pieces until you achieve a symmetrical heart shape. Don’t get frustrated, it took me a few tries to achieve the perfect heart. Make sure each piece is touching at least two other pieces so they can be glued together in the next step.

Apply a bead of hot glue to the sides where the pvc circles touch each other. If you get a big blob of glue, it’s easy to peel off and try again. Remove any strings of glue as you build your heart decoration.

Now your PVC pipe heart decoration is ready to display!

I love the pop of color, especially on these gray, dreary winter days!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Don’t forget to stop by and visit me at The Handyman’s Daughter for lots of woodworking projects, home improvement tips and DIY home decor ideas!

~ view more of Vineta’s projects ~

Want more Valentine’s Day decor ideas? Here are 10 Unique Ways to Decorate for Valentine’s Day:

Or make this beautiful light up Valentine’s Day sign in no time!

February 7, 2018/3 Comments/by Vineta Jackson

arts and craft, Decorating, faux finish, mirrored glass, Painting & Antiquing Techniques

Can You Make a Mirrored Window with Spray Paint?

Can You Create a Mirrored Window with Spray Paint

Can You REALLY Make a Mirrored Window with Spray Paint?

I have to admit, I was skeptical when I picked up a can of Krylon Looking Glass spray paint. According to the directions, you can Make Your Own Mirrored Glass with Spray Paint. I decided to give this “magical” spray paint a try, and I’ll let you know how well it works. Luckily, I had the perfect project to use it on: a faux window on the back of our garden shed.

When I built this cute garden shed, I was very concerned about the view from the neighbors’ house. The plans were to build the shed on the side of our property, but the back of the shed was facing my neighbor’s driveway. I wanted to make sure they had something pretty to look at instead of a big gray shed butt. I toyed with the idea of installing a trellis with a pretty climbing vine. But, that side of the shed gets very little sun. Ultimately my decision was helped by a trip to our local Habitat ReStore. While there I stumbled across a pile of old windows that were $10 each. Yes, $10! If you haven’t been to your local Habitat ReStore, you need to go right now. (Well, maybe wait until you finish reading this tutorial.)

Mirrored Window with Spray Paint 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.)

Old window
Krylon Looking Glass Spray Paint
Clean rag
Windex
Clear exterior caulk sealant
Caulk gun
Scissors to cut caulk tube

Optional:

Mirrored Window with Spray Paint Instructions:

Clean the window with windex to get rid of any dust, dirt, and grime. Pop out the glass panes (if the glazing is super old and cracked it should come out easily. If not, use a utility knife and/or a 5-in-1 Painter’s tool to cut out the glazing and then remove the glass.) Unsure which side of the window is the glazed side? Look for the smooth side vs. the wood profiled side.

Set up an area to spray your panes of glass. Shake your can of Krylon Looking Glass spray paint for at least 2 minutes.

I finally tried this HomeRight Spray Shelter pop up tent. It definitely helps control the spray and makes clean up easy. Plus, the shelter folds down into a little bag to store in small spaces. (Disclosure: HomeRight sent it to me to try out ages ago. I just got around to using it. But, I’ll be using more often now.)

To get the best results with the Looking Glass spray paint, spray several light coats onto the back side of your glass. While the paint is drying, it will have a mottled look (do not panic.)

When you have finished applying several coats (and you have achieved an opaque mirror finish), let the glass dry completely.

Flip over your mirror spray painted glass. Secure the mirrored panes back into your window. Use a line of caulk on the back side of the mirrored glass where it sits against the window. (Yes, I forgot to take a picture as I caulked the window, this is a recycled picture from my artist inspiration board. You get the idea, right?)

Hang your mirrored glass window anywhere you want a faux window.

Are you wondering how good the looking glass mirror spray works? I placed one of the pieces of the spray painted glass next to real mirror. You can see that they are both reflective. But, the Looking Glass spray has a slightly muted look.

To be completely honest, I actually like the look. It gives the mirror finish an aged appearance.

You can see a good example of the finish here:

It’s still reflective enough to act like a mirror, but isn’t a perfect reflection when you look up close.

What do you think? Will you try the Krylon Looking Glass spray paint on something?

If you still have some mirror spray paint leftover, you can follow this tutorial to make your own mercury glass decor items (using a vinegar and water mixture.)

I am still debating whether to make some shutters to go on the sides of my faux window. What do you think?

Let me know if you have any other ideas for using this fun mirrored glass spray paint.

Have a great weekend, friends.

February 2, 2018/22 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

Decorating, DIY, Gardening, Home Decor, Landscaping, Landscaping & Gardening

DIY Living Wall Planter Tutorial

DIY Living Wall Planter Tutorial

For anyone who lives in a “not so sunny” place (and needs a quick pick me up from the dull grey skies), you’ll find this easy DIY Living Wall Planter Tutorial just what you’ve been craving. Even if you live in the sunshine state, bringing the outdoors inside may have a lot of benefits for your health. According to the NASA clean air study (which was led by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America), certain indoor plants naturally remove toxins from your indoor air.

This project was inspired by our outdoor green wall. We thought it would be fun to create a wall planter for indoor use. Similar to an outdoor living wall, an indoor one gives a natural feel to any empty space in your home.

Do you have a blank wall that needs some decor? Why not dress up this space with a mini living wall? This project is easy enough for the beginner do it yourself-er, so let’s get started.

DIY Living Wall Planter Tutorial Materials:

Wall Grid Plant Hanger (look for them in organization aisle at Lowe’s)
Plastic Planters (Can be purchased at IKEA for .79 cents each)
3 small Ivy Plants ($3.99 per plant)
2 IKEA Blecka hangers (sold in a pack of 4 for $3.99)
2 – 1 inch Drywall Anchors
Level
Drill (if you use drywall anchors)
Pencil

Optional:

Spray paint of your choice

DIY Living Wall Planter Tutorial Instructions:

The wall grid we found in the organization aisle at Lowe’s Home Improvement store was under $6.00. It measures 22 inches by 24 inches. The size was prefect, but I wasn’t crazy about the color.

Spray paint the wall plant holder if you wish. You can use spray paint you have on hand or purchase the color of your choice. (I almost chose a rustic bronze to match the bronze iron farmhouse bed but decided to paint it white.) The great news is that you can always paint over it if you tire of the original paint or decide to move it to another room. Obviously, you want to spray paint in a well ventilated area. Let the grid dry. (It should dry within 30 minutes or so.)

Step 1: Eyeball or measure a spot on the wall to hang your living wall.

Hold the wall plant holder up on the wall. Use a level to make sure your holder is level.

Hold up the Blecka hooks and mark the holes with a pencil. Drill the drywall anchor into the wall at these marks. (Alternatively, you can attach the hooks to wall studs.) This wall grid is not extremely heavy, so securing the hooks to studs is optional.)

Step 2: Hang the wall plant holder onto the Blecka hooks (make sure it is completely dry before hanging.)

Step 3: Place your plants into the planters. You can leave them in the original plastic pots they came in and simply place them into the holder. (When you water the plants the water can actually drain down to the plastic holder. Periodically pour out any water that accumulates.)

Step 4: Now, for the fun part! To finish off your living wall planter, slide the plastic containers onto the wall grid. Play around with the placement of the plants until it appeals to your eye.

(Note: the plastic bins from IKEA with the wide hook on the back are perfect for this project. If you purchase different bins, you might need to add your own hooks.)

Feel free to use your imagination with this project. Use succulents, different color plants, flowers, or something totally different like office utensils if hanging in a home office.

My white living wall hanger is hung on a wall painted with Magnolia Homes Brand “Shiplap” paint. The greenery stand out on the light colored walls. Imagine what you can do with copper sprayed grid on dark or light colored walls! You can also spray paint the Blecka hooks to blend into the wall. Go ahead and get spray paint happy with the white plastic plant holders. Bright colors could really bring this project to life!

We thought a little greenery in our newly remodeled farmhouse guest bedroom would add the perfect natural element. Have fun with this quick and easy mini living wall project that brings natural elements indoors.

January 31, 2018/4 Comments/by Diane and Dean