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

arts and craft, autumn fall decor, Birdhouse, bloggers, DIY, Do It Yourself, Gift Ideas, gifts, Make It May, power tools, Tutorial, Upcycling

DIY Log Bird Feeder

Hello readers, I’m Larissa coming to share with you a nature-inspired DIY project. Today, we’ll learn how to create a special DIY Log Bird Feeder treat for our feathered friends. The best part is that this can be a family fun activity to do AND to give as a gift for anyone who loves bird watching.

DIY Log Bird Feeder

We are avid bird lovers in our home and were delighted when a friend of mine gave us this bird feeder made from a piece of firewood and rope. How easy is that?

What a delight it is to see our tree clinging birds (nuthatches, tufted titmice, and woodpeckers) come for a visit and see their excitement at the treat they’ve found, especially the birds that overwinter. Did you know that migratory birds will remember your home the next time they’re passing through and will come back again year after year if you continue to provide nourishment for them? It’s like a reunion each spring and winter. Fun!

So, let’s grab some materials and get ready to create a DIY log bird feeder!

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.)

a log (can be firewood) about 3-4″ diameter and 16″ long or as long as you like
1/4″ diameter rope
scissors
drill
1″ spade bit
5/16″ drill bit

Picking Your Log:

We are blessed to have a fireplace, so we always have a stash of firewood on hand. For your log, you can use a downed branch or head to your own stash to grab a piece of wood.

The tree-clingers prefer a chunky bark, but any tree variety will do.

Instructions:

Clamp your log and keep your hand clear from the drill bit. Wear appropriate eye protection.

To start, use a 1″ spade bit to drill a hole approximately 1/2″ deep, 2 inches down from the top.

Drill a second hole on the same face about 6″ below the first.

Roll the log a quarter turn and drill in the next face starting with the first hole about 5″ from the top and then a second hole 6″ below that one. (This does not have to be exact and gives a more rustic feel when randomly chosen.)

Repeat those steps until you have two sets of matching faces on opposing sides.

Drill your rope hole using a 5/16″ bit. Starting on the face that has the first hole 5″ down, drill your rope hole 2″ from the top, making sure to go completely through the log.

Cut a 2′ or longer piece of rope and thread it into the hole. If you turn the rope in the direction of the braid (counter-clockwise) while inserting it, that will help the rope go through smoothly.

Once through, tie the rope ends together using a basic knot.

On to the fun part! Birds burn a ton of protein flitting about, so they need to store up as much as they can. We prefer to use chunky peanut butter and then roll it in seeds like this.

Grab a tablespoon of peanut butter and place it in a bowl of birdseed.

Then sprinkle the peanut butter with seed.

After coating with the seed, press the mixture into the holes using the back of a spoon, or if you’re nutty like me (catch the pun?) it’s more fun to use your fingers.

The kids love this part!

You’re done and it’s ready to hang. Yay!

For a fun twist, and if you’re feeling handy, you could also add dowels for other species to be able to roost at each hole, but for this project I kept it simple.

Got questions? Please feel free to ask.

If you enjoyed this project, do pin and share!

Pin this project for later!

Liked this project? Then you’ll love these birdhouses:

May 4, 2020/6 Comments/by Larissa Prodigal Pieces

Build It, Home Maintenance, Millie's Remodel, repair, Tile, Tutorial

How to Waterproof Floors in Any Room

Today we’re prepping to tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. Having seen firsthand how much damage water can cause to a home, I want to show you this tutorial for How to Waterproof Floors!

Waterproofing Floors in Any Room

Renovations are finally moving forward at Millie’s Remodel. This is the point where I feel like we already hit rock bottom and now we’re finally on the rebound. You might remember we used a self-leveling concrete in the kitchen last week. Now it’s time to waterproof the floors to prevent damage from ever happening again!

Last year I took two Schluter classes and learned about waterproofing, uncoupling membranes, and tips and tricks to keep your tile job looking flawless for a lifetime. What I learned over the four days blew my mind. I learned why and how shower systems fail. But, most importantly, I learned how to properly prepare surfaces for tile using waterproofing membranes. Today we’ll just be talking about waterproofing a floor, but I’ll have another tutorial for you soon so you can learn how to waterproof walls too.

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.)

Why should you waterproof a floor?

Before we get started, I want you to fully understand how waterproofing a room can actually save you money and save you from the headache of having a leak in your home.

If you have a kitchen or a bathroom, chances are you’re going to have a leak in your lifetime (or your home’s lifetime) if it hasn’t already happened. One of the best things you can do is to install waterproofing materials so water can never damage your floors or floor framing again. I believe so strongly in the Schluter products, that all the properties I’m working on (including my own) will have Ditra installed on the floor before tiling.

By using the Schluter Ditra uncoupling and waterproof membrane in conjunction with Kerdi band around the perimeter of the room, I can waterproof the entire floor. Which means I don’t have to worry about rot or mold happening. Any little leaks will sit on top of this membrane until I see it because the water will rise instead of seeping into your floor or walls.

Ready to get started? Let me show you how to waterproof any room in your house!

For your convenience, I made a video to help show how to install Schluter waterproofing products and how to fully waterproof a room!

Instructions:

Cut open your roll of Ditra and roll it out onto a scrap piece of wood or something you can cut on.
Measure the room you want to waterproof and transfer the dimensions onto your Ditra membrane. Use a straight edge and a sharp utility knife to cut the Ditra. You might need to make a few passes with the knife to cut completely through the Ditra membrane.
Test fit the Ditra in your room. Cut out a hole for your floor vents by pressing your knife through the membrane where the vent is and remove the material up to the edges of the duct. Cut the rest of the pieces to fill the room. Do not overlap the Ditra material.
Now it’s time to mix the thinset. When using Schluter Ditra it’s highly recommended to use the Schluter All Set. This mortar is specifically manufactured to cure against the waterproof membrane. Read the instructions on the packaging and mix your thinset as directed.
Use a wet sponge and clean water to clean and wet the subfloor. Spread the thinset onto the floor using the Schluter Ditra trowel. Make sure you have good coverage on the floor.
Then use the notched trowel to comb through the thinset at a 45° angle.
Lay the Ditra membrane on top of the thinset and use a smooth float to press the membrane into the thinset. In the beginning, you should roll back a corner of the Ditra to make sure you have full coverage onto the backing of the membrane. Place the Ditra back down and use the float again to make sure the membrane is pressed into the thinset.
Use a wet sponge to clean out any mortar that has squeezed out the seams or edges.
Once all the Ditra has been installed into the subfloor, you’re ready to seal the perimeter and seams. Grab a Kerdi corner piece for each corner of the room. Using the Kerdi trowel, apply thinset mortar to the inside corner of the room. Use the notched side to comb through the thinset. Place the Kerdi corner into the thinset and use the flat side of the trowel to embed and scrape along the Kerdi.
Now you’re ready to install the Kerdi Band on the straight sections of wall. Be sure to cut your Kerdi band so it overlaps the corner pieces by at least 2 inches. I like to pre-fold my Kerdi Band by creasing it in the middle so it’s easier to install in the corners. Apply the Kerdi Band to the wall and floor using the same technique as the corner.
Clean up any excess mortar leaving a smooth surface for tile installation.
Now it’s time to complete the waterproofing of the room by sealing the seams between the Ditra sheets. Cut your Kerdi Band so it overlaps any perimeter band by at least two inches. Apply the thinset over the seam, use the notched trowel to create ridges in the thinset.
Then embed the Kerdi band into the mortar and run the flat side of the trowel over the band to smooth the thinset and embed the band.
Clean up any excess and allow the thinset to cure before tiling.

Once the thinset has cured you can tile your room and rest easy knowing this room is waterproofed and there’s no way the subfloor will rot from a sneaky little leak. Or a big leak if you have kids that like to splash out of the bathtub. I know this risk all too well from my own boys.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful and you’ll consider using Schluter waterproofing materials before you renovate your next “water” room.

Disclosure: I was provided with some Schluter materials for this project. I was not told what to write. All opinions are my own. I am particular about the brands I represent and will always let you know when you are reading a post with complementary products or a sponsored post.

March 4, 2020/2 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

arts and craft, DIY, fabric, Sewing, Tutorial

Easy DIY Hand Warmers You’ll Want to Take Everywhere

Since most of us are in the full swing of winter, I thought hand warmers would be the perfect DIY project for your weekend. Learn how to make these Easy DIY Hand Warmers You’ll Want to Take Everywhere!

Easy DIY Hand Warmers You’ll Want to Take Everywhere

Friends! I’m so excited to be back today with a new project for you – these cozy little DIY hand warmers. This is a great way to use any leftover fabric scraps you may have laying around. Sometimes a fabric is just too beautiful to throw away.

I have tons of leftover fabric pieces that I’m always repurposing into something new. These DIY hand warmers are perfect because you don’t need a lot of fabric to make them. And they take no time at all to complete.

Read on for the full tutorial.

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.)

Cotton Fabric (I had some leftover fabric I purchased on Etsy)
Sewing Machine
Fabric Scissors
Uncooked rice
Spoon to use a scoop

Instructions:

Step One: Cut Your Fabric

Take your fabric and cut out a rectangle roughly about 3.5 inches tall by 8.5 inches wide. Don’t worry about the measurements being exact, we can even it up later. Just make sure you have a rectangle like shown above. This is the basic shape and you’ll see why in a minute.

Step Two: Fold your Fabric in Half and Sew Two Edges Closed

Now that we have our rectangles cut, take each one and fold it in half. This will make a little square. Note: Make sure the print sides of the fabric are facing each other. (If your fabric is only one-sided, you want to make sure the non-print side is facing out, and the pattern is on the inside.

Pssst: that’s why we cut the rectangle shapes in the first step – it’s just one less side to have to sew!

You will find that you have three open edges on your fabric square. Sew the two parallel edges closed. For added strength, sew each edge several times to ensure it is closed tightly.

Now flip your little square right sides out. The stitches will be on the inside. And now you have a cute little pocket!

Step Three: Fill your Fabric Pocket with Rice

Spoon some rice into the open edge of each little fabric pocket. You really don’t need too much here. Make sure to leave enough space at the top to comfortably sew the open edge closed after filling. Do not overfill your pocket.

Because I wasn’t too concerned about it looking perfect, I folded the open edge down to close it while sewing. And that leads us to Step 4!

Step Four: Sew pouch closed

We are almost done! All we need to do is close up that last open edge. You can sew it up by tucking in the raw edges and stitching over top. Or create a neat little fold and stitch on top, as I did. Just make sure it’s sewn tight so no rice falls out.

And that’s it! These little DIY rice warmers take all of five minutes to make and they are so handy during the chilly winter months!

How to Use DIY Hand Warmers

Now that we have our cozy little warmers, we need to “warm” them up in the microwave.

I heat my warmers anywhere from 10-30 seconds in the microwave. I would start with the lowest amount of time and increase the time slowly. These rice warmers can get very hot, so be careful! And please keep a close eye on them as they are heating at all times. It takes some experimentation to find out what the perfect temperature is for you.

These hand warmers can last a fairly long time. I had one still giving off some heat after 30 minutes! They will naturally cool down after a while. Just reheat them as needed.

These hand warmers are perfect to take on walks. Before you leave the house, heat them up and tuck a few in your coat pockets to keep your hands nice and toasty. Or, grab a few to take to the neighborhood park with the kids. I’m always cold sitting on the park bench watching my kids play!

You can also use these at home. Tuck them under your feet or under a cozy blanket for a real cozy treat! I’ve actually made larger versions of these as heating pads in our home. My kids love them. It’s the perfect soother for a bellyache or leg ache. And bonus, the larger ones hold heat much, much longer.

If you like this tutorial, check out my post on making scented rice sachets.

Stay warm folks and I’ll meet you right back here next month!

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~

Hello! I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint. I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children, and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags. Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations! Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths, sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands. I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

Still have some scraps of fabric? You could make these adorable gift bags.

February 26, 2020/1 Comment/by Karen Decor Hint

arts and craft, decor, Decorating, DIY, Do It Yourself, Holiday decorating, Tutorial

DIY Jingle Bell Garland

I’m always looking for ways to simplify my holiday decorating and re-use what I have. This DIY Jingle Bell Garland project is perfect for that! Perusing the holiday collections at my favorite home stores gave me the idea of making this simple bell garland. It’s a lovely nod to Scandinavian decor if you like that style.

Hello, Pretty Handy Girl Readers! Now that the holiday season is upon us, I thought it would be fun to share an easy DIY project to help you decorate your homes this year.

All you need are two inexpensive items to make this. (You might even have them already. Hint: Look in your gift wrap stash!)

That’s right – these bells are actually cheap gift toppers from Target. Yes, they are functional and they sound beautiful (like Jingle Bells!)

This garland will take you all of ten minutes to create, and another five to hang it up. How’s that for simple, inexpensive, and quick!

Let’s get creating!

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.)

Bells (Brass gift toppers from Target or Amazon/craft stores)
Scissors
Baker’s Twine or Jute or Pretty Ribbon

Instructions:

Follow these steps to make lovely little bell garlands. I’ll include tips for hanging, decorating, and storing as well.

Step 1: Cut a long piece of string

Whether you are using baker’s twine, jute, or ribbon, cut a long piece to get started. My piece ended up being about 30 inches long. You can always snip any excess off at the end.

Step 2: Thread your bells on your string:

Time to thread those bells on! My gift toppers came with a little loop to attach them. I’m sure your bells will, too. All you need to do is tie a little knot to make sure they stay. You don’t want the bells sliding all around on you.

I decided to space my bells out a bit, but you can also string them close together. But, if you do, you’ll need more bells!

Step 3: Hang up your garland

Once all your bells are knotted and secured on the string, it’s time to hang it up.

Initially, I was using scotch tape. However, my garland kept falling! (Consequently, I’ve been hearing a lot of fallen jingles in this house today). I ended up using 3m clear light clips and they are not falling anymore. You can tie both ends of garland onto the light clip and hang it up that way. If you are also decorating with garland, this helps to hide the clips as well. It has not fallen since! Yay!

Where to hang your bell garland?

Call me traditional, but I like these bell garlands draped across a window or hung from a mantel. They feel so Christmas-y to me!

Some other ideas would be to drape them across a mirror or over a pretty piece of artwork.
Have open shelving? Drape them on your open shelving like it was a mantel!

What about storing your garland?

After the holidays are over, it’s time to pack up all the decor! But wait — how do I store this garland without it getting tangled?

So glad you asked! I found the simplest way to store these garlands is to tape one end to a piece of sturdy cardboard, then wrap the garland carefully around the cardboard and finish by taping the other end.

It’s secure and it won’t tangle on you! You might also appreciate these 9 Holiday Storage Hacks for your other holiday items!

I love the way this bell garland turned out. However, I think a nice satin ribbon in red or white might be my go-to for next year. I love the contrast between the gold bells and the silky ribbon. In the meantime, pin this tutorial to share with a friend!

Looking for more Holiday Decorating Ideas? Check out these DIY frosted votive candle holders and this rustic Christmas tree crate.

I hope you are all having a wonderful Holiday Season so far! See you right back here next month.

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~

Hello! I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint. I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children, and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags. Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations! Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths, sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands. I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

November 27, 2019/1 Comment/by Karen Decor Hint