Tutorial Archives - Page 20 of 43

Centerpieces, Contributor, decor, Decorating, DIY, Holiday decorating, party, Tutorial, Uncategorized

DIY Lollipop Stand

Happy Spring folks! Jaime here from That’s My Letter back to share a fun DIY party decor idea: make your own lollipop stand. I promise it’s fast and easy and adds tons of charm and sweetness to any party.

This lollipop stand holds a ton of lollipops – 52 to be exact! You could probably even use this stand for cake pops. (The tutorial for the ‘celebrate’ script sign can be found here.)

Materials:

1 – 1 1/4″ wood dowel x 11″ long
1 – 1×5 cut to 4 1/2″ (or any scrap wood 4 1/2″ square x 3/4″thick)
white gloss spray paint
sandpaper
1 – 2″ wood screw
countersink bit
5/32 drill bit
pencil
tape measure
drill
glue
scotch tape

Instructions:

Step 1: Mark the center point on the 4 1/2″ square wood base. Read more

April 16, 2014/2 Comments/by Jaime Costiglio

Contributor, decor, Decorating, DIY, Do It Yourself, gifts, Home Decor, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, Plants, Tutorial, Uncategorized

Knock off Garden Table

I often find myself searching online looking at furniture and decor on sites that I consider full of unique items. I recently came across the Anthropologie Partridge Garden Table and fell in love. The creative use of old mismatched legs was awesome. Then I saw the price; a mere $ 148.00. As cool as it is, spending that much for a plant stand is way more than I could ever justify. I knew I could make it cheaper and am excited to show you how to make your own!

Materials

3 different banister Spindles or table legs
10″ clock face round
Wood Glue
Nail Gun
Wood Filler
Painters Tape
Three different colors of Paint
Sliding T-Bevel Square
Miter Saw
Spray Paint (Rust-Oleum Rustic Mist)
Spray Paint (High Gloss Sealer)

Instructions

1. Lay out the spindles and decide which sections will be used for the legs. Read more

April 9, 2014/6 Comments/by Jacque Knowlton

Aged, craig's list, distressing, Furniture, Glaze, Home Decor, kitchen, Lowe's Creative Idea, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, ReNew, Tutorial

How to Faux Finish Weathered Wood Grain

Faux Weathered Gray Wood Grain Tutorial | Pretty Handy Girl

Do you love the Restoration Hardware tables that have that beautiful gray (driftwood-like) weathered wood? Me too. But, I can’t justify spending thousands of dollars on their furniture. Instead, I found a Craig’s List pedestal table that had the right shape and size for our kitchen. It was a cherry veneer finish, but after some paint you’d never know!

And then, I created my own Faux Weathered Gray Wood Grain top. All you need are some Valspar paint samples, some wood grain tools and a dry brush to achieve this look.

Ready to get started?

Faux Finish Weathered Wood Grain 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.)

3 empty containers
Wood Grain tool (I also used Martha Stewart craft comb for the sides of the table top)
Valspar 6006-1A Woodrow Wilson Putty
Valspar 6007-2A Arid Plains
Valspar 6005-1A Asiago
Clear mixing glaze
4″ chip paint brush
2.5″ Paint brush
Wet wipes for clean up and mistakes
Paper towel or dry rag
Minwax wipe on Polyurethane (the paint on will be more durable, but takes much longer to dry)
Optional: Minwax Natural Oak Finishing Wipes

Faux Finish Weathered Wood Grain Base Coat and Glazes:

Before you begin creating your wood grain, you should paint your surface with Valspar Woodrow Wilson Putty and allow it to dry.

If you are painting furniture, lightly sand the piece. And be sure to use Valspar Paint + Primer in one. This will allow you to paint directly onto the furniture and skip the primer. Read more

April 4, 2014/71 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

accessories, Aged, Before and After, copper, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, ReNew, sander, Spray paint metal, Trash to Treasure, Tutorial, Upcycling

Upcycled Plant Cart Saved from “Above the Rim”

Upcycled Metal Rolling Cart Plant Stand | Pretty Handy Girl

This past summer I spied a metal cart in a dumpster. To be frank, I have never truly actually participated in dumpster diving. The thought of actually climbing inside a dumpster has never been on my acceptable things to do list. But, this metal bar cart was floating on top of the trash pile. It was (to quote a Seinfeld episode) above the rim! And it was begging to be upcycled into a beautiful plant cart.

So, I convinced myself it was okay and wasn’t officially dumpster diving. Feel free to debate this fact in the comment section.

I brought it home and knew I could do a quick makeover with some spray paint. But, first it needed a good cleaning and some prep work. The tops of the shelves were very rusty:

Upcycled Plant Cart Saved from “Above the Rim”

And the undersides were filthy. But, the end product was worth it! Here is how to upcycle your own little metal rusty bar cart into a beautiful plant stand!

Materials:

1 Discarded rusty bar cart (rescued from above the rim)
Socket set
Hammer for coaxing rusty bolts loose
Can of Rustoleum Heirloom White spray paint
Can of Krylon Copper Spray paint
Sander/sanding block
Fine grit sand paper
Wire brush
Rag and/or damp wipes
Painter’s tape
Drop cloth
Scraps of wood to elevate while painting
Optional: Drill

Upcycled Plant Cart Instructions:

Loosen corner bolts with a socket wrench or drill and socket bit. Hammer out any that are too rusty to budge. Read more

March 31, 2014/36 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

bathroom, DIY, Fix It, Home & Auto Maintenance, Home Maintenance, pliers, Plumbing, repair, Tutorial

How to Easily Install a New Shower Head

Raise your hand if you have a sad excuse for a shower head! Is it drippy, rusty or clogged? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I’m about to show you why there is no excuse for you being able to install a new shower head yourself! It’s super easy.

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.)

New shower head
Vise Grip Pliers (or other wide mouth pliers)
Plumber’s tape

Optional: Shower arm & flange, rag to protect new shower arm

Instructions:

1. Remove the old shower head by unscrewing it from the pipe arm. Use pliers to help get it started.

2. Unscrew the old shower arm if it is rusty or won’t match the new shower head. Remove that rusty flange (now is the time to do it! Don’t put it off any longer.)

3. Replace the old shower arm with new one by screwing it into the plumbing pipe in the wall. Then slide the new flange over the arm.

Wrap the end of the shower arm with plumber’s tape (wrap it clockwise to keep it from bunching up when you attach the new shower head.)

4. Screw the new shower head onto the end of the shower arm. Hand tighten the head. Then put the rag over the spot base of the shower head and use the pliers to tighten it 1/4 turn.

5. If your shower head has an extension hose, attach that at this time by screwing it onto the shower head and attaching the other end to the body sprayer.

Turn on the water and test the spray! Beautiful! No drips or clogs? If you have some leaks anywhere, give an extra 1/4 to 1/2 turn to tighten it the shower head or hose.

I installed the Delta In2ition shower head in the Topsail Beach Condo we renovated. I’ve been intrigued by this shower head and after trying it out, I love it!!!

Because who wouldn’t love a shower head that sprays from the top even when you want a body spray too?

The interior head is fully removable and nests back into the outer ring when done body spraying.

The only initial drawback I found was getting used to setting the body sprayer back into the ring. Once I realized you have to push it in and down firmly, there was no problem.

Wasn’t that easy? Go on and replace your shower head today if you’ve been putting it off!

Disclosure: No disclosure necessary. I wasn’t paid or provided with the Delta In2ition shower head. My stepmom paid for it to be installed in the beach condo. I chose this shower head because I wanted to try it out.

Pin for later!

March 21, 2014/7 Comments/by Brittany Bailey