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Galvanized Tub Storage Bench with Furry Upholstered Lid {Lowe’s Creator Idea}

Boy's Red, White & Blue Themed Room | Pretty Handy Girl

Galvanized Tub Storage Bench for Kids | Pretty Handy Girl

Every month Lowe’s challenges me to create another unique project to share with you. This month’s challenge was creative storage ideas. Have kids? This is a unique storage solution using a galvanized tub and a furry upholstered lid. It’s the perfect place to store and corral all that kid clutter in your child’s bedroom. The storage tub doubles as a bench and a step stool. Don’t be deterred if you don’t have children, the storage bench could be used for magazine storage and much more!

Grab these materials and tools and follow along with me (and my 13 year old assistant.)

Creating the Galvanized Storage Bench and Lid

(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.)

Materials for the Galvanized Storage Tub and Lid:

Galvanized Tub Storage Bench for Kids | Pretty Handy Girl

 

Instructions:

Turn the galvanized tub upside down on the plywood. Use the sharpie to mark approximately 1/2 – 1″ out from the edge of the tub. Read more

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Warm & Cozy Chocolate Gift Basket

Chocolate Gift Basket

Warm & Cozy Chocolate Gift Basket

I love making my own gift baskets. They cost less than a store-bought version. Plus, they don’t need to be wrapped! (Call  me lazy, but I prefer a pretty gift basket to a wrapped gift any day. And I’ve been known to pop a gift in a gift bag for an even easier “wrapping.” But, today I want to show you how to create this super simple and quick Warm & Cozy Chocolate Gift Basket.

If I ever quit blogging, I need to find a job where I can make gift baskets for a living ;-). Or maybe a job where I can sniff sawdust and drink coffee all day. Do you know of a job with those perks?

My last trip to the grocery store had me wandering down the seasonal aisle where I spotted warm fuzzy scarves for $6.99! (If you have a Kroger near you, look for them!) I thought they’d make great teacher gifts, but by themselves they seemed a little…errr meek? But, add some chocolate, gourmet hot cocoa mix and a mug and the recipient might just exclaim…Eeeeeek!

Chocolate Gift Basket 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.)

Chocolate Gift Basket

 

Non-Candy Warm & Cozy Gift Basket Fillers:

I get it, you may not want to fill your gift basket with sweets. No problem, here are a few warm and cozy ideas that don’t involve sugar.

  • Tea
  • Coffee
  • Mittens
  • Hat
  • Throw blanket
  • Hand warmers
  • Ear muffs
  • Mugs

 

Chocolate Gift Basket Instructions:

The key to a beautiful gift basket is creating layers and propping things up so you can see everything.

Chocolate Gift Basket

Start by using tissue paper (bubble wrap and recycled cardboard under tissue paper can help hold heavier objects.)

Fold the scarf neatly inside the bottom but let the ends hang over the bin.

Chocolate Gift Basket

Work from tall to short putting the taller items in the back.

Chocolate Gift Basket

Add the rest of your gift items: hot chocolate mix, filler candies, basket filler, etc. If you have a paper shredder or pasta maker you can shred your own paper. Brown paper bags look like nest material when shredded.

Chocolate Gift Basket

Write on an ornament or tag using a permanent marker or ink pen to create a unique gift tag.

Chocolate Gift Basket

Prop up any items that sank and fill in any holes with more candy!

Chocolate Gift Basket

You can buy cellophane bags to protect your gift basket, but I prefer the eco-friendly option of just leaving the basket as is.

Chocolate Gift Basket

These Warm & Cozy Chocolate Gift Baskets look so cozy, warm, and —who am I kidding—YUMMY!!!

Chocolate Gift Basket

I hope this quick Warm & Cozy Chocolate Gift Basket took some of the stress off your gift-giving tasks this year.

Chocolate Gift Basket

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Summer Calendar and Our Bucket List

I don’t know whether to be excited or dread that yesterday was the last day of school for my boys. I have some summer camps lined up for them, but frankly our summer schedule is all over the place. So much so that I need help remembering where the kids are going and when.

I thought it would be a good idea to display the schedule so the boys could see what was coming up (to avoid the inevitable anxiety from different camps for different weeks.) To give them a little control over the schedule, we sat down and brainstormed our bucket list for the summer. Ice cream, swimming, and Carowinds are only a few of their bucket list items. I thought it was especially sweet that they wanted to spend time with our longtime sitter one or two days ;-).

While I was contemplating this displayable schedule, I received a box of goodies from Plaid. The boys were home when it arrived, so naturally they hovered like eager vultures as I opened it. And of course they immediately wanted to make something with the supplies. Sometimes timing is a serendipitous thing.

I set up the kitchen table with all the supplies and a plastic cover over the table. When I looked up, my oldest son had disappeared! I found him like this:

Read more

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Aged Painted Pail Tutorial

Faux Chippy Painted Metal Pail with Liner

I was strolling through our local Goodwill last week looking for goodies donated by people trying to claim a last-minute tax write-off. I came across a bucket with a $1 price on it and knew I could transform it into a beautiful aged painted pail.

DIY Aged Painted Metal Pail Tutorial

Aged Painted Pail Tutorial

Recently I found myself browsing our local thrift shop looking for a last-minute gift idea for a friend. I spotted a dated pail for only $1 and quickly grabbed it and ran to the register.

little red buffalo check painted pail

The pail had the original $9 price tag still on it, so I prayed the cashier wouldn’t scrutinize the major markdown to one dollar!

$1 markdown on pail with $9 original sticker

I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Miss Mustard Seed’s aged painted pails have been stored in my memory banks since I first saw them in August. (And that is saying a lot, considering I can’t remember what I ate for lunch today!) Marion used crackle medium, but I remember seeing a tutorial for crackle medium using regular Elmer’s glue mixed with a little water instead. Me being the frugal DIYer I am, I decided to give it a go. Are you curious to see if it worked? Me too.

How to Create a Faux Aged Paint Technique on Metal:

hand painted "A" monogrammed pail

Let’s gather a few supplies and get to work creating a beautiful bin for storage or a gift basket.

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:

adding elmer's glue to empty jar

I only used enough H20 to water down the glue so it would be easier to paint on.

mixing glue with water

I brushed it all over the outside of the pail (bottom too!) And let it dry.

painting watered down glue onto pail

Next I pulled out leftover flat white paint that we use on our ceilings and painted one coat on the pail. I had to work quick, because the paint got gooey quick and you don’t want to keep brushing over the paint when it starts to dry (trust me on this one.)

closer up painted chipping pail

After the white paint dried, I took out some acrylic paints and painted some stripes, flowers, and a monogram.

hand painted "A" monogrammed pail

To protect the paint from chipping off, I added a coating of matte mod podge. I have to admit, I’m still amazed a little Elmer’s glue and water worked to create a chippy crackle finish!

Isn’t it cute? Much better than the original.

Faux Chippy Painted Metal Pail with Liner
Purple print pants hanging on a hanger.
Can you believe it? That cute liner used to be a pair of second-hand pants.
pants leng hanging out of painted pail
The liner was super easy to make, tutorial HERE.
Spa-themed gift bucket on hand-painted chippy pail
This Aged Painted Pail can be filled with anything, but I chose a spa-theme for this gift basket. What would you put in this vintage painted pail?
Want more ideas for gift baskets? Here are 31 Last Minute Gift Basket Ideas!
31 last minute gift basket ideas social media images
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