All You Need is...Valentine String Art | Pretty Handy Girl

All You Need is...Valentine String Art | Pretty Handy Girl

All you need is some scrap wood, and maybe a little string. And a few nails. And how about a gum wrapper? If you had all those you could be like MacGyver and build some kind of cool device that would catch fire. But, since I had everything except the gum wrapper, I decided to make a Valentine art project. Follow along and I’ll show you how easy it is to make your own heart string art and engraving art for Valentine’s Day. If you need any of the materials, you can pick up most of them at your local Lowe’s Home Improvement store (probably the same place MacGyver shops because they have gum at the registers.)

(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:

Instructions:

Start by painting your wood red.

All You Need is...Valentine String Art | Pretty Handy Girl

After the paint has dried, draw a heart with chalk. Read more

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

Paint Can Hostess Gift Idea | Pretty Handy Girl

As the holiday party invites start to roll in, you might be struggling to come up with a new hostess gift idea. These chalkboard painted buckets are a quick and easy way to throw together a unique gift basket that will fill the recipient with joyful scents and treats.

Paint Can Hostess Gift Idea | Pretty Handy Girl

Hostess Gift Basket in a Paint Can

As the holidays approach, it’s a good idea to have last minute gifts ready to whip up. These paint pail gift baskets don’t get more simple. It only took me half an hour to line up a bunch of these metal paint cans and paint a stripe around the center.

Paint Can Hostess Gift Idea | Pretty Handy Girl

When dry (and seasoned) I can grab one to write a personalized message. Then I’ll fill it with a candle, DIY scented room spray, a pillow cover, lotion or soap dispenser, a gift card to Lowe’s, and of course some Hershey’s kisses! If you have an eagle eye, you may have picked up that I used paint stirrers decorated with washi tape (or painted with chalkboard paint) to use as the gift tag.

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.)

Paint Can Hostess Gift Idea | Pretty Handy Girl

 

Instructions:

Clean and dry your paint pail. Paint a band of chalkboard paint with the foam brush. Let it dry and add a second coat.

Paint Can Hostess Gift Idea | Pretty Handy Girl

After the paint has dried wait 24 hours.  Season the chalkboards by rubbing a piece of chalk all over the band. Wipe off the chalk with a dry rag. Store the pails away until you need to grab one for a hostess gift.

Paint Can Hostess Gift Idea | Pretty Handy Girl

Decorate the sides with a personalized chalk message. I love using a reusable item as a liner, like decorative pillow covers or a scarf. It’s fun to either throw a cover onto an old pillow to dress it up for the holidays.

PHGFancySign

Painted Lampshade & a Quick Guest Room Makeover | Pretty Handy Girl

Painted Lampshade & a Quick Guest Room Makeover | Pretty Handy Girl

My mom was coming to visit his month. Since she’s a repeat guest, I wanted to give the guest room a little mini makeover for her. With the addition of some new pillows, curtains and a painted lampshade I gave it a new look in an afternoon.

Here’s the before:

GuestBed

And the after: Read more

Painted Lampshade & a Quick Guest Room Makeover | Pretty Handy Girl

Easy Window Treatment Upgrades | Pretty Handy Girl

Whoa. What happened to summer? Labor Day is here and that means the holidays are just around the corner. I’ve started to think about sprucing up our guest room in anticipation of having guests. The number one complaint our guests have (not that many of them complain) is that there is too much light that comes in the window in the morning. When Lowe’s asked us to focus on window treatments in September, I realized the time had come to address this blinding light situation. Little did I know, that installing new blinds and curtains would take less than an hour!

Here is the basic window that I started with. (Yes, there’s a roller shade there, but it was hidden under a valance and frankly it’s a pain to use.)

How to Install Window Blinds and Curtains | Pretty Handy Girl

After taking a few measurements, I headed to Lowe’s to look at the options for window blinds and curtains. It was a tough decision because I really liked some of the roman shades. But, I wanted a blind that wouldn’t block much light when it was raised. I settled on the Levolor cordless room darkening cellullar shade. Not only does it have a low profile when installed, but raising it and lowering is as easy as pressing a button. Plus, no strangulation hazards because there are no external cords! I’m kicking myself for not doing this sooner.

How to Install Window Blinds and Curtains | Pretty Handy Girl

How to Install Blinds and Curtains from Lowe’s in less than an hour: Read more