Tag Archive for: diy

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

Hello everyone! I’m Brittany from by Brittany Goldwyn, and I’m back to bring you another easy and stylish tutorial! Last month I shared a tutorial on how to frame out a mirror using wood. This month I’m working with wood again to build a plant caddy.

One look at my Instagram feed and you’ll see that we probably have too many plants for our house, but plants make me happy, and I find that they are just the easiest way to decorate without spending a ton of money. We have quite a few big plants and moving them can be a beast. That’s where a rolling plant caddy comes in handy. Luckily, they are pretty easy to make. I made mine out of scrap wood that was left over from previous projects. I hate letting things go to waste, so I love a good scrap wood project!

If you’d like to learn how to make a rolling plant caddy, read on.

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.)

Lumber:

  • (6) 1×2 pieces cut to 12 inches each
  • (2) 1×4 pieces cut to 12 inches each

Tools and hardware:

Other:

Instructions:

Step 1: Cut and polish your pieces.

Use your saw to cut (8) pieces of lumber: (6) pieces of 1″ x 2″ cut to 12 inches each and (2) pieces of 1″ x 4″ cut to 12 inches each. I used pine for my plant caddy, but you can use any type of lumber you like. Cedar would be a good option if you plan to use your plant caddy outdoors.

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

Use medium or fine grit sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges on your pieces. Give each piece a good sanding to ensure it is polished.

Step 2: Stain the wood.

I have a lot of unfinished pine furniture and decor in my house, so I chose Minwax “Natural” stain. Feel free to choose the stain color you like. (For great instructions on how to stain and finish wood, check out this detailed post.)

Step 3: Assemble the caddy.

Once the pieces are dry, use wood glue to glue the 1″ x 2″ pieces to the 1″ x 4″ pieces as shown below.

View of the top:

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

View of the bottom (the side you’ll attach the caster wheels to):

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

Add just a bit of glue for the side of each piece. Don’t use too much glue, or it will ooze out the sides when you assemble the caddy. Allow the glue to dry completely.

Step 4: Attach caster wheels. 

Flip the caddy over and screw a caster wheel in each corner. Make sure to buy caster wheels that are graded for the weight you’ll need. (I used (4) casters rated at 20 lbs each.)

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

Step 5: Finish with polyurethane spray.

Use Minwax polyurethane spray to finish off the caddy and protect the wood from any water spills. This is actually my first time using an aerosol can of polyurethane, it’s much easier than brushing on the polyurethane and worrying about getting into the nooks and crannies of the caddy.

You can see the bit of added sheen in this photo:

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

After the polyurethane is completely dry, place your plant on the caddy and enjoy being able to move your plant easily!

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

DIY Rolling Plant Caddy by Brittany Goldwyn-1

If you liked this project, you might like my tree stump side table, my indoor succulent care tips, my teacup planters, and my hanging indoor garden! I’ll see you next month but in the meantime, you can always visit  me on my blog to see what I’m up to. Until next time!

~ Read More of Brittany Goldwyn’s Tutorials ~

 

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DIY Rolling Plant Caddy Tutorial | Pretty Handy Girl

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Hello everyone! I’m Brittany—the creative behind by Brittany Goldwyn, the weirdest cat person you’ll ever meet, and the newest monthly contributor for Pretty Handy Girl! As a long-time Pretty Handy Girl reader myself, I’m so excited for this opportunity to work with Brittany (should I call us Brit 1 and Brit 2?) to share my projects and connect with all of you. I hope we’ll get to know each other more, but in the meantime, here are a few things about me: My dad is a licensed contractor and has taught me most of my building, home improvement, and general DIY skills—you might even occasionally see him pop in to some of my tutorial photos when he’s helping with a project. My husband and I just bought our first home—a lovely townhouse—and we’re hard at work making it our own.  My style tends to be modern. I love decorating with neutrals and plants.

Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Right now on my blog I am working on a series of entryway makeover posts: first I painted, and then I built a shoe cubby (grab the free build plans here). Today I’m sharing the next step in my entryway makeover: a tutorial for building a wooden mirror frame. This was my first time framing a mirror, so I’ll also be sharing some tips and tricks from along the way. Shall we get started?

Wood-Framed Mirror 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.)

Frugal Tip: Save some cash by replacing the frame on an existing mirror or by picking up a cheap mirror at a thrift shop. Most frames are attached using staples. Simply remove the frame by using pliers to pull out the staples and any other backing that is preventing you from accessing the mirror.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial Instructions:

Step 1: Cut pine pieces to fit your mirror. 

The measurements will depend on your mirror size and how you want to frame it out. You can chose to cut mitered corners if you like. Or straight corners (like I did) for a super modern look.

Lay your 1″ x 6″ pieces onto the mirror. Mark and cut each frame side to fit.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Dry fit the pieces over your mirror.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Step 2: Drill pocket holes at one end of each piece.

This is how you’ll join the frame pieces and finish your frame. If you’ve never used a pocket hole jig before, check out Brittany’s tutorial for how to use a Kreg Jig.

Tip: Use a pencil or pen to mark where the pocket holes will go. This is especially important if some pieces line up better with specific pieces or if you prefer the wood grain on one side of a board. Things can get confusing when you head to your Kreg Jig and all of the pieces suddenly look the same.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Step 3: Assemble the frame.

Use 1 ¼” pocket hole screws to join each side of the frame together.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Tip: If you don’t have a partner to help you hold your pieces, use clamps to hold the frame pieces on your workbench while you assemble the frame with screws.

Here is the front of the assembled frame:

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

And the back so that you can see how the pocket holes look. The corner with four pocket holes was my mistake, but that corner is super strong now. 😉

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Step 4: Polish and finish the frame.

Once assembled, use fine-grit sandpaper to polish the frame, smooth out rough spots, and break down any edges. Before staining, it’s helpful to set your frame on painter’s pyramids to elevate the frame off your surface.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Stain and finish the frame to your liking. (I used Minwax Special Walnut and two coats of semi-gloss polyurethane.)

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Need some tips on how-to stain and finish wood?  You can check out my tips and tutorial for wood staining here if you’re not familiar with how to finish wood.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Step 5: Cut the plywood backing.

Cut the plywood piece about ½” smaller than the frame on each side. This prevents plywood edge from peeking out from behind your frame, but it will still provide plenty of support. You can also stain the edges of the plywood backing to match your frame.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Step 6: Attach the mirror to the backing.

Before adhering your mirror to the plywood backing, dry fit the frame, mirror and backing to ensure everything lines up.

Apply clear silicone adhesive to the center of the plywood backing. (Do not use standard construction adhesive as it will mess with your mirror’s reflective side.)

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Mine looks quite messy because the tube literally exploded on me, and I ended up mashing the adhesive around like finger paint. Sometimes you just have to go with it, right?

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Center the mirror onto the plywood backing.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Apply weight evenly to ensure the mirror adheres well. Here’s where my husband’s garage gym actually isn’t a pain in my butt. His weights worked perfectly, and a piece of extra plywood helps to protect the mirror and distribute the weight. Let dry according to the adhesive instructions.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Step 7: Attach the frame to the mirror and backing.

Use Heavy Duty Liquid Nails to attach the frame to the backing, and then use a brad nail gun to drive nails around the backing and into the back of the frame.

But wait!

For full disclosure, here’s where I hid a snag, so I didn’t do step 7 as described. I had calculated my frame piece measurements so that the finished frame would cover the beveled edge that ran about 1″ around the mirror. That means that when I set my frame on top of the mirror and backing, there was a small gap between the backing and the frame, which foiled my plans to simply use Liquid Nails and a nail gun to attach the frame to the backing. Ugh! You can avoid this by making sure your frame fits snugly around your mirror and doesn’t sit on top of it. If you do that, just skip to step 8!

To fill the gap, cut pieces of scrap 1/4″ plywood to act as spacers around the mirror.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Then glue the scrap pieces down using Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Construction Adhesive. Add more Liquid Nails on top of the spacers, and carefully place your frame on top of the spacers.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

After making sure your positioning is correct, use weights to apply pressure all around the frame. (Put scrap wood between the weights and the frame to protect it.)

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Once the adhesive has cured, flip the entire framed mirror over and drive a few screws through the backing and into those glued scrap plywood pieces.

Step 8: Screw your D-rings to the back of the mirror and hang. 

If your mirror is anything like mine, you’ll need to give the frame and mirror a good cleaning after hanging it. It’s been through a lot.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

Tip: Remember to hang the mirror on screws that are driven into wall studs or use drywall anchors rated for a weight that can handle your mirror.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

I’m really happy with how it turned out.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

What do you think? I think it adds some more dimension to a room that was in desperate need of something extra.

DIY Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial

I’ll see you next month here on Pretty Handy Girl, but in the meantime, I’d love to have you visit my blog by Brittany Goldwyn to my entryway! I’ve painted, shared free build plans for a shoe storage cubby, and revealed the final space.

DIY shoe cubby build plans

Oh, and I’m finishing up a $100 powder room makeover next week, because apparently 2017 is the year I don’t sit still. Until next time!

Wood-Framed Mirror Tutorial~ Read More of Brittany Goldwyn’s Tutorials ~

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

Hi everyone! This is Lindi, visiting again from Love Create Celebrate! I’m really excited to show you how you can make your own Rustic Home Sign. You’ve probably seen something similar in a home decor store, but didn’t want to pay big bucks for one. You’re in luck, I’m going to show you how to make your own Rustic Home Sign using a scrap of wood you might have sitting around. If your scrap wood isn’t wide enough, you can glue two pieces together.

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

Materials: 

  • 1×6″ wood board (as big as you want your sign to be)
  • Pencil or stencil
  • Drill
  • Scroll Saw
  • Sandpaper
  • Wood Stain

Instructions: 

Cut your wood board down to the approximate size that you want your sign to be. Mine was about 12″ long. Make sure the edge that the sign will sit on is flat. If not, sand down that edge. Sand the front and back of the board (especially if you glued two boards together.)

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

Trace the word “Home” on your board. Draw it by hand or transfer from a print out. Make sure that all of your letters are connected and that the bottom of the letters run off the bottom of the board (this way it will sit flat).

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

Using your drill, drill holes into the centers of the “o” and “e” that are enclosed. Use a scroll saw to cut around the word and within the letters. Use a very thin blade to allow you to navigate the edges and curves.

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

When you are done cutting, double check that your piece sits flat. Use your sandpaper to sand all edges. (Folded up sandpaper and a nail file will help you get into the curves.)

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

Stain your pieces using your favorite wood stain. (I used my well-loved can of grey.)

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

Let it dry, and display it proudly in your home!

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

I love how this piece turned out.

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

I can see myself using this piece on my mantle or any of the many shelves in my home!

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

I may have to make a few more or make some with different words.

Rustic Home Sign I Pretty Handy Girl

For more DIY decor inspiration visit Love Create Celebrate.

Lindi Signature

~ view more projects by Lindi ~

 

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How to make your own Rustic Home Sign using a scrap of wood you might have sitting around. | DIY wooden home sign | Pretty Handy Girl | #prettyhandygirl #rusticsign #woodsign #DIYtutorial

Industrial Display Shelves I Pretty Handy Girl

Industrial Display Shelves

Hello! My name is Lindi. I normally blog at Love Create Celebrate, but I couldn’t be happier to contribute some great ideas at Pretty Handy Girl! I love the look and style of industrial home decor. On my blog, Love Create Celebrate, I recently started an industrial guest bedroom renovation, and I’m taking you through the entire process. These Industrial Display Shelves are the perfect addition to the decor in the room, and I’m thrilled to share this tutorial with you today.

Industrial Display Shelves I Pretty Handy Girl

Materials:

  • 1″ x 6″ x 2′ board
  • 6 – 1/2″ black steel flanges
  • 6 – 1/2″ (diameter) x 2″ (length) black steel pipes
  • 3 – 1/2″ black steel elbows
  • 12 – #10 1 1/2″ wood screws (flange to wall connection)
  • 12 – #10 1/2″ wood screws (flange to shelf connection)
  • Wood Stain
  • Varnish (gloss)
  • Acetone
  • Clear coat

Tools:

  • Chop saw (or circular saw)
  • Sander
  • Drill
  • Planer (optional)

Instructions:

To begin, use the table saw or circular saw to cut the width of the board to 5″ for your shelves (you need a total of 21″ in length). If you are using rough wood, you may want to run the wood through the planer to make it flat and smooth. (If you bought wood that was straight, you don’t need to worry about this step.)

Industrial Display Shelves I Pretty Handy Girl

Grab your 1×6″ board and cut the board to 7″ inches in length.

Industrial Display Shelves I Pretty Handy Girl

Use either a miter saw (chop saw) or a circular saw for this cut.

Industrial Display Shelves I Pretty Handy Girl

Next, pick up your sander and sand down all sides of your wood. Stain the wood with any color stain you chose.  Read more

It's inevitable your little ones will get bump or bruise. Make them a Boo-Boo Bear to sweeten those tough times by Prodigal Pieces www.prodigalpieces.com #prodigalpieces

It's inevitable your little ones will get bump or bruise. Make them a Boo-Boo Bear to sweeten those tough times by Prodigal Pieces www.prodigalpieces.com #prodigalpieces

Hello PHG readers! I’m coming over from my blog, Prodigal Pieces, to share with you a sweet DIY that is easy to whip up and will make everyone smile (not to mention it makes a perfect last-minute gift!).

Do you remember the days as a child when you would stumble and hurt your knee or have some bump that required a little TLC? As a mom to 6 wonderful kids, I know how precious those times can be, and that’s where Boo-Boo Bear (a rice ice and heat pack) can sweeten those troubled times.

Boo-Boo Bear is sweet little friend who serves as a comforting ice pack that is the perfect temperature for those bumps and bruises that come along, AND he can also be lightly warmed in the microwave to soothe aches and pains. Want to make one for a special little person in your life? Read more