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Eileen

50+ Creative Gift Ideas for Kids

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I love looking at gift guides to help me think of creative ideas for birthdays and the holidays.

A few days ago, my son and I were looking at some toys on Amazon, and were loving all of the creative kits and toy options!

It led us to creating our own gift guide for creative kids! 

Below are 50+ creative gift ideas that include STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and math) ideas, craft ideas, building and construction ideas as well as general creative gifts.

STEM Kits

These STEM kits are so fun! From the solar system models to the robot-making, almost all of them are on my son’s holiday list this year. Using these STEM kits are a wonderful way for kids to learn and explore. And, it’s less toys around the house to clean up 🙂

Dino Digs

Rocket Blast-Off Kit

Solar System Models

Mini Planetariums

Solar Power Car Kits

Crystal Growing

Craft Kits

I love giving my kids opportunities to be creative – whether its through paper and markers or something fancier. The below kits are all wonderful ways of learning and being creative through artwork. 

Scratch Art Books – Here is a fun holiday ornament one too!

String Art – Here is a fun unicorn string art kit – and there’s even a panda-corn!

Stamps and Ink – Here’s a dinosaurs and vehicles one – and there’s a princess and friendship one.

Nature Art Book – Tons of ideas for crafty kids to make with nature.

Sticker Scenes – This one has 14 scenes!

Rock Painting – This is a fun little kit.

Building Items

Kids love to build! Here are creative building ideas that you don’t always see in the stores. 

Magnetic Sets

Lego Chain Reactions

3D puzzle kits – castles, pirate ships, etc

Creative Lego Sets, like lego ship in a bottle and winter villages

Gravity Mazes

K’nex

Creative Items

Last, here are a few more creative items for kids – including some art-related items and creative thinking gifts. 

Huge Fold-Up Coloring Sheets (or roll)

How to Draw Books – Unicorns, animals, people

Cool gel pens or paint pens

Blank Story Books or Blank Comic Books

Color Your Own Puzzles

Puzzles made from Pegs

Last, there are monthly subscription kits that you can buy (or gift), where kids receive a box full of activities in the mail each month. These can be craft-related, construction-related, or science-related. These are awesome gift ideas!

I hope these help you with your holiday shopping this year!

Easy DIY Macrame Christmas Tree

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This post will show you how to make an easy DIY macrame Christmas tree decoration – perfect for decorating your mantel or bookshelves.

I just love this time of year.

And, there’s something so fun about making your own holiday decor.

You get to be creative, save money, and do something you love.

This week, our theme is 2-hour holiday decor. If you’re just joining us, every week for the month a talented group of DIY crafters and bloggers are sharing weekly themed projects.

Last year, I made this buffalo check wooden Christmas tree decor, and this year I’m sharing how to make this easy macrame holiday tree decoration.

Be sure to scroll to the end of the post to see all of the amazing holiday decorations that everyone made. I know you’ll be inspired 🙂

Macrame cord christmas tree using wooden dowels  

Homemade DIY Christmas tree decor using macrame and wooden dowels

Use macrame cord and wooden dowels to make your own DIY holiday Christmas tree

How to Make a Macrame Christmas Tree

This is a super simple DIY that anyone can make. You don’t need any fancy skills to do this – just a desire to make something.

If you like working with your hands, it’s the perfect craft for you, and it’s wonderful to create something from nothing using your hands.

If you don’t want to make this into a stand, you can make this into a wall hanging or even an ornament.

And stay tuned to the end – I have a fun modification for kids!

Holiday Christmas Tree DIY from macrame cord

Materials for the Macrame Christmas Tree

materials for making your own DIY macrame Christmas tree decor for the holidays

Making the Macrame Tree

First, take two wooden dowels and place them together at a point (think top of a triangle).

Take a popsicle stick and place it at the bottom to make the bottom of the triangle.

Using wooden dowels to make a DIY macrame Christmas tree

Then you’ll want to hot glue the bottom of the wooden dowels to the popsicle stick with a drop of glue on each side.

Make sure the dowels are still keeping the triangle shape at the top as the glue sets.

Then place a drop of hot glue and between the top two dowels.

You don’t want to glue one dowel on top of the other – you want the dowels to come to a point. Gently hold the dowels while the glue dries.

Using wooden dowels and hot glue to make a DIY christmas tree

Next you’ll take one more wooden dowel and you’ll glue this to the middle of the triangle. You’ll want to have some stick out at the bottom to be your tree trunk.

wooden dowel Christmas tree decor DIY

Wrapping the Macrame

Next, you’ll start wrapping the macrame around the wooden dowels to make the DIY Christmas tree.

You can just wrap the macrame around and around, or you can do a pattern, like I did. Play around with the macrame and see what you like best.

To begin, I unwrapped a portion of my macrame ball and cut it, in order to work with a smaller ball of macrame. This way I could loop it better.

If you look at the materials picture at the beginning of the post, you can get a feel for the amount I used.

First, I just wrapped the macrame around the top inch or so of the tree. You can use a drop of hot glue to hold the string at the top.

Wrapping macrame cord around wooden dowels to make a christmas tree

After that, I started looping the macrame in a pattern.

Here’s the pattern I made:

Once your macrame is on the right side, take your ball of macrame over and place it through the left side of the triangle.

Then, pull the ball of macrame from the back.

Now, your macrame will be on the left side. That’s one loop.

Next, take the ball of macrame and place it through the right side of the triangle.

Wrapping macrame cord in a pattern around wooden dowels

Pull it from the back. Continue this pattern.

The pattern should look like this (before you tighten it up):

Making a wooden christmas tree using macrame cord

Here’s what the pattern looks like a little farther down:

Making a macrame Christmas tree from wooden dowels  

Once I got to the end of the tree, I needed to supplement with a little hot glue to hold the macrame in place, especially as I went around the popsicle stick.

I just did a simple loop here to hide the popsicle stick. 

Embellishing and Adding the Tree Stand

With the macrame finished, I just had to decorate the tree and add the tree stand. I found this little wooden star I added to the top. 

Using wood rounds, macrame, wooden dowels, and macrame to make a Christmas tree

Of course, I adorned it with some rhinestones first. 

Using rhinestones to decorate homemade DIY christmas tree decor

Once the tree was done, I added strands of gemstones to act as holiday lights. I spaced these out evenly and alternated pearls and light pink rhinestones.

Make this easy DIY macrame Christmas tree with this easy tutorial! #holidaydecor #holidaycrafts #christmascrafts

Then, I added a drop of hot glue to the middle of a wood round. I held the tree in place until the glue dried.

 

DIY wooden macrame Christmas tree that is homemade with gemstones

I love how simple but elegant it looks.

DIY homemade macrame christmas tree

You can make a whole bunch of these in different sizes and patterns to create some fun holiday mantel decor for cheap!

DIY macrame Christmas tree tutorial - using wood rounds

Time and Cost of the Macrame Christmas Tree

I spent under $10 on the materials, and it took me about 2 hours to make.

Alternative for Kids

My son loves doing crafts together, and he always wants to make something similar all on his own.

So while I was working on this macrame craft, I set him up with a popsicle stick tree along with green yarn. He went to town and made this cute little Christmas tree. We glued it down to a little wooden stand and now he and his sister have a Christmas tree for their dollhouse. 🙂

I love giving my kids opportunities to be creative – and this was a fun one for him!

DIY yarn christmas tree for kids

Be sure to check out the other DIY holiday decor projects this week! And, I’ll be back next week sharing another fun holiday project.

See More Holiday 2-Hour Decor Projects

More Projects You’ll Love

Nativity Scene Embroidery Wreath (That’s No-Sew)

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It’s that time of year again!

Time for our annual Deck the Home Holiday Challenges!

This year, we have an amazing group of DIY bloggers creating all things holiday! For the next five weeks, every week has a new theme.     

 This week’s theme is door decor. Last year, we made a simple wooden star and this year we made a nativity scene embroidery hoop wreath – that’s double sided!! If you flip it over, there’s a Happy Harvest theme.

And the back of the embroidery hoop:

Be sure to check out everyone’s projects. They truly are awesome! There are so many incredible ideas- and each one links to a full tutorial, so you can make it yourself. 

How to Make a No-Sew Nativity Scene Hoop

I absolutely adore nativity scenes – they just warm my heart. I knew I wanted to include a nativity scene in my holiday DIY projects this year. So, I was able to do so by making this fun little embroidery hoop. It’s super simple and no-sew! Here’s how I made it:

Materials

  • Embroidery hoop
  • Holiday fabrics (Christmas one and Thanksgiving one)
  • Adhesive gold rhinestones in various small sizes
  • Burlap ribbon (I used a thin one for the stable and a thicker one for the cut-outs – see pic)
  • Thanksgiving (or any holiday) scrap book paper or embellishments
  • Scissors ( and squiggly scissors if you have them)
  • Pen/pencil
  • Hot glue gun and sticks OR mod podge and foam brush OR zots (adhesive glue drops)

What are zots? Zots are little adhesive glue spots that work really well for craft projects. They are helpful in laying out your scene to see how it will look – but you can easily still move it around. They are very sticky and effective. 

Front – Nativity Scene

I love walking the craft stores for inspiration and for their on-sale bins! I found both of these cute holiday fabrics (the gray background with the tree and the orange leaves) in the dollar bin at A.C.Moore. Definitely check the ends of aisles and their holiday sections for sales and inspiration.

Attach Fabric

To the make the nativity scene, first, separate your embroidery hoop circles. Place your fabric down on the smaller circle, place the larger circle on top, and tighten.

Pull the fabric from the back to make it tight – and adjust the screw again if you need to.

Cut and Attach Burlap

Next, cut strips of the burlap ribbon for the nativity. Cut out Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus from the burlap. If you aren’t great at drawing, just google “outlines” with your phrase and you can print and trace – or attempt to draw it from the outline. 

Lay everything out. I centered the nativity horizontally, but I placed the nativity more in the foreground to have a bigger starry sky.

Use mod podge or zots to attach the nativity to your fabric. I used zots – they worked well!

Add Embellishments

Now it’s time for the rhinestones. Place the gold rhinestones in the sky as stars. You might need to use mod podge (or hot glue and tweezers) for these if the adhesive isn’t enough stick. 

I put the largest rhinestone above the nativity and scattered the rest throughout.

And, the front side is finished!

Back Side – Happy Harvest

First, I flipped over the embroidery hoop and trimmed down the fabric on the back. I left about an inch or so.

Then, I placed about an inch of hot glue on the inside of the embroidery hoop (see pic) and pulled the fabric tight and stuck it to the glue.

I continued around the perimeter of the hoop gluing and sticking the fabric until I reached the end.

Next, I liberally traced the inner hoop on my second fabric. This fabric was the one being used on the back side.

After that, cut out the fabric on the line you drew.

Next place the fabric right-side-up on the embroidery hoop (where you intend for it to go), and place the larger hoop on top.

This step will take a few minutes.

If the edges of the second fabric are sticking out on the first side (see below pic), then you’ll need to readjust.

So you’ll want to take the outer hoop off, trim the fabric, and try again.

It takes a few tries, but it’s definitely worth it to have dual sided holiday décor.

Once you have the fabric on the back side, you are ready to start decorating your second side.

The fabric I had was such a busy print that nothing with too much of a pattern would work.

So, I simply used Thanksgiving scrap book paper and made a two cut-outs that I liked.

I used squiggly scissors to make them look fancier.

I also cut out some scrap bown paper to frame the pumpkin cut-out.

Last, I used Zots to stick them on, and couldn’t be happier with the results.

This easy DIY flip wreath is doubled-sided and you can create one side for Thanksgiving and one side for Christmas.

It’s super easy to make, there’s no sewing required, and it’s a fun DIY for the holiday season. 

 

DIY Baby Shark Halloween Costumes

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This post will show you how to make DIY shark family halloween costumes in less than an hour! If you’re kids have loved the baby shark hit as much as ours have, these DIY costumes are perfect and easy.

If there was ever a song of the summer for our family, it was this year.

It wasn’t a Taylor Swift song or even a pop hit.

Its popularity grew on You Tube – and it’s called… Baby Shark.

Our daughter listened to it all summer, bopping her head and attempting to sing the new sounds.

Our preschooler giggled at the lyrics and mimicked the dance – and thought it was hysterical that Grandma and Grandpa lyrics were in the song. We spent some of the summer visiting the kids’ Grandma and Grandpa at the beach.

So this year for our family costumes, baby shark seemed to fit the bill. 

This costume was super easy to make – even easier than my diaper box fire truck! 

The best part?

This baby shark family costume involves no sewing! Just a trusty mama (or papa) with a glue gun!

How to Make No-Sew Shark Family Halloween Costumes

I can’t emphasize enough just how simple these costumes were to make. I make family Halloween costumes every year, and this took me the least time.

And, I actually didn’t make these the same day as Halloween, as I did in the past!

You’ll only need a few materials, and you might already have some of them. I bought some hoodies and hats, but everything else I had. 

And, the hoodies and hats can be reused if you use the tip below!

Choosing the Clothes for the DIY Shark Costume

First, you’ll want to think about clothes. Gray is such a popular color that most people already have gray hoodies or sweatshirts. You’ll want to make sure you have sweatpants or joggers that are the same shade of gray as your sweatshirt, so your shark has a cohesive look. 

Also, if you have more blue clothes, you can definitely be a blue shark. That’s a thing 🙂

Next, I ordered some gear from Shirts In Bulk. They have really great prices and tons of color options. I ordered all of my Sesame Street t-shirts from them, and they worked out perfectly. I’ll link the exact pieces that we ordered below. 

Their shipping is super quick – usually two-day, so you definitely have time before Halloween to make these.

Gathering a Few Materials for the DIY Sharks

In the meantime, you can gather the rest of your materials. It’s basically felt, hot glue,  a piece of cardboard or card stock, and scissors. For felt, I used several white sheets and a little bit of black and blue.

Also, if you want to reuse your shirt or hats, definitely check out these adhesive glue spots called Zots. They give a really good stick and they can easily be removed after. 

For our costumes, I glued down the kids’ things (so their costumes wouldn’t fall apart at school), but I used Zots for my husband’s and mine. That way, we could still use our hoodies again.

Once your new clothes come, you’ll probably want to wash them first. Then, you’re all set!

Cutting and Gluing the Felt Pieces

From start to finish, this step took about 45 minutes for all four costumes.

Starting with the DIY Shark Costume Hat

I started by laying out my first article of clothing, which was the hat.

I used gray winter hats for the kids (it’s usually cold on Halloween here) that I got from Shirts in Bulk for a few bucks.

For my husband and me, I used two darker gray ball caps, which were also a Shirts In Bulk find. 

DIY Shark Eyes

I cut two white circles for eyes. Then two smaller blue circles and then two small black circles. 

If you are worried about perfect circles, find things around you to trace.

I glued these three layers together for the eyes. 

Then, I used Zots, the adhesive glue dots, to place them on the hat.

Remember the knit hats will stretch, so the eyes will looker farther apart when the hat is on.

Using the Zots gave me the opportunity to move the eyes around while my son was modeling (without the permanence of them being glued down).

Once I had the eyes placed where I wanted them, I did use hot glue to attach them well (on the kids’ hats). 

DIY Shark Teeth

Next up were the teeth!

I use two strips of white felt about an inch or two wide. Then, I made one angled cut after another to easily clip them into triangles.

If kids are helping you with the costumes, the teeth is a great job to delegate to them, as long as their kiddie scissors will go through the felt.

Then flip about an inch of the knit hat inside out.

You’ll glue the teeth to the inside. Start putting hot glue on the hat (or the teeth) and stick them down. 

If you are using ball caps, you’ll glue the teeth to the inside of the hat’s brim.

DIY Shark Fin

Once the teeth and eyes are on, you just need a fin.

I wanted to make sure my fin didn’t flap, so instead of just using felt, I glued card stock inside of the felt.

This will keep the fin sticking out. The card stock that I used was pretty thin, but it did the job perfectly. 

So first, I cut a basic fin shape out of brown card stock that I had.

Then, I glued white felt to each side of it.

Make sure you used enough glue on the edges so your felt doesn’t flap or so your card stock doesn’t show. 

Then, you’ll carefully line the back of your hat with a thick line of hot glue and stick the fin onto the hat.

Hold it carefully (or rest it on something upright) while it dries. You might want to put a little extra glue on the beginning and end.

The hat is done!! 

DIY Shark Belly

Last, you can cut a big oval out of white felt and stick this to the belly of your sweatshirts or hoodies.

Again, use Zots to make it a non-permanent stick.

That’s it!

It’s a very simple costume, right?!

Time and Cost of the DIY Shark Costumes

It took about 45 minutes to make all four of the costumes.

The cost was just in clothing, as I had the felt and hot glue. Super inexpensive, right?!

With these costumes, your family will be all set to trick or treat on Halloween as the infamous shark family from the baby shark you tube hit!

And if I know my husband, he will definitely be playing the song from his pocket 🙂

P.S. I totally glued my son’s fin upside down (see below) 

Yield: 4 Family Shark Costumes

DIY Baby Shark Halloween Costumes for the Family

DIY Baby Shark Halloween Costumes for the Family
Here's an easy print-out sheet of how to make these DIY shark family Halloween costumes.
Active Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Materials

Tools

Instructions

  1. Lay out everyone's outfits, so you know you have everything you need.
  2. Start cutting out eyes. Cut white circles for the eyes, along with blue and black circles for the inside (see pic).
  3. Glue eyes to the caps. Use Zots (optional) to place them.
  4. Cut white triangles for the teeth. Fold the inside of the hat up (or for ball caps, flip the cap over). Glue the teeth to the inside and then flip back.
  5. Cut a fin out of cardboard or cardstock. Cover this with white felt on both sides, and then glue down.
  6. Attach the fin to the hat by placing a thick line of hot glue on the back of the hat or cap. Hold in place until it dries.
  7. Cut a white circle for the bellies and glue or tape down. (Tape if you want to make it non-permanent).
© Eileen
Category: Crafts

 

10-Minute Floral Embroidery Hoop Wreath

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Learn how to make a floral hoop wreath in just 10 minutes! Perfect for a simple seasonal wreath or for wedding decor.

I have to admit that this was the first wreath I’ve made (although I did make this pretty cool holiday star last year).

I always see all these gorgeous how to make a wreath tutorials on Pinterest and Instagram, but they always seem so complicated.

However, I had a huge embroidery hoop taking up too much space in my craft closet that I was determined to make use of it.

The embroidery hoop was from a display at my sister’s wedding.

In fact, all of the materials I used for this floral embroidery hoop wreath were items I found around my house. 

I love a use-what-I-have project 🙂

In making this wreath, I wanted to make a fall wreath but with more modern colors than your typical deep reds, oranges, and browns.

Not that I don’t love those colors, but I wanted to make something lighter and fun.

This floral embroidery hoop wreath with wood bead accent made for the perfect fun fall wreath.

How to Make an Embroidery Hoop Wreath

If you haven’t made a wreath before either, this is so super simple!

If I can do it, you can too!

It just involves some snipping, some gluing, and a little watercolor paint.

Gather Wreath-Making Materials

First, I gathered my materials.

My materials for this embroidery hoop wreath consisted of the embroidery hoop, two bunches of flowers, wood beads, ribbon, watercolor paint, and twist ties. 

I also needed my hot glue gun, glue, and heavy duty scissors for snipping the stems.

At the end of this post, I have an easy print-out of materials and instructions, so keep reading for that!

The Floral Component

For the flowers, I had these pretty flowers that I also used for my sister’s wedding. They were from one of the craft stores.

I love the leaves because they almost have the feeling of felt. However, the flowers were red, and I wanted this wreath to have a softer look for fall. 

So, I clipped off the red flowers and used them for another project (making a 3D cardboard tree with my son).

Replacing Flowers with Beads

Once I removed the red flowers, I decided to hot glue wooden beads to the spots where some of the flowers were.

I thought the wooden beads would look so nice with the wooden embroidery wreath. Unfinished wood has such a pretty look to it, doesn’t it?!

And, I love these wooden beads. I’ve been incorporating them into so many DIYs lately.

Even though I loved the wooden beads, I wanted to add a little bit of fall into this wreath.

So I decided to give some of the wooden beads a light coat of watercolor paint in orange and brown. 

I just used my kids’ watercolor paints, which were perfect for this light coat of paint. I used mostly water – just a dab of the color.

Don’t you love the way it turned out?!

My kids joined in and helped paint too. I love giving them opportunities to be creative, and they really enjoy it.

Attaching Flowers & Beads

Next, I was ready to start attaching the flowers to the embroidery wreath.

I had a feeling I would want to reuse the embroidery hoop again, so I didn’t want to go overboard with the hot glue.

Also, I grabbed a few green twist ties from the kitchen to help hold the flowers together. 

I wanted to hide the tightening part of the embroidery hoop, so I flipped the wreath so this would be at the bottom (see below pic). 

Next, I laid the flowers down on the wreath and snipped a few stems here and there that wouldn’t be worth gluing down.

I placed both stem bunches on the embroidery tightening box and overlapped them (see below). 

After that, I hot glued a few spots (bottom on the tightening box, bottom left, and bottom right).

I used the twist ties to keep the higher parts of the flowers attached and hid the twist ties with the  greenery. 

Then, I started laying out where the wooden beads would go. I tried to scatter them here and there.

The beads are a little heavy, so you’ll want to choose areas where they won’t dangle (unless you are going for that look). 

Once you are happy with the placement of the wooden beads, you can hot glue these on.

Adding Ribbon

Last, I cut a strip of burlap ribbon and tied it into a bow. I actually used the inside of burlap ribbon that I had.

The ribbon was a little too much, so I just used the other side.

Since the wreath was so simple, I didn’t want a bow that was too extravagant – hence, the inside out ribbon.

Hanging on the Wall

To hang the embroidery wreath on the wall, you can use 3M command hooks and just rest the embroidery hoop on the hook (see below).

Or, you can cut a piece of ribbon and loop it on – whichever look you prefer!

Time and Cost

The embroidery hoop wreath with wooden beads took only ten minutes to put together.

I had all the materials, so it was a no-cost project for me!

However, if you need to purchase all the materials, it would probably cost you $15-20. Be sure to use a coupon at the craft stores!

Once I was finished with the embroidery hoop floral wreath, I hung it on the inside of my front door.

I love coming down the stairs and seeing it in the morning – it definitely makes me smile.

That’s what I love about DIY projects. Not only are they fun to make, but you get to create something that you’ll enjoy!

Even though I love how the wreath turned out, I’m trying to live more simply with less stuff!

So I have a feeling I’ll be removing these greens and turning this into some kind of holiday wreath next 🙂

I’m sure I’ll reuse those beads and flowers too.

Stay tuned for that tutorial!

Below you can find an easy list of the materials and instructions for how to make the floral embroidery wreath tutorial. 

10-Minute Floral Embroidery Hoop Wreath

10-Minute Floral Embroidery Hoop Wreath
Here are the easy instructions for how to make this simple embroidery hoop wreath - perfect for fall and for wedding decor.
Active Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Difficulty Easy

Materials

Tools

Instructions

  1. Lay out your greenery on your embroidery hoop. If you have a tightening box, position this on the bottom - to be covered with the greenery.
  2. Take your wooden beads and lay them out on the greenery to gauge about how many you'll need.
  3. Paint your wooden beads (or leave them wooden if you prefer).
  4. Once dry, hot glue your beads to the greenery.
  5. Use hot glue to attach the greenery to the wreath. Clip any stems or ends of the greenery that are unnecessary.
  6. Use green twist ties to hold the the upper greenery in place.
  7. Add a ribbon in the bottom middle. Tie it into a simple bow.
  8. Hang up and enjoy!
© Eileen
Category: Crafts

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10 Amazing Decor Items You Can DIY for less than $20

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Check out these amazing home decor items that you can make yourself for less than $20. 

Home decor items can get pretty expensive.

It’s easy to just avoid buying home decor because just a couple items can definitely add up.

That’s pretty much what I do.

I have a soft spot for throw blankets and pillows – but anything else I usually fawn over, and then talk myself out of it because of the price.

However, one thing I am learning as I lean into this fun little DIY world is that you can DIY so many home decor items. 

Not only will this save money, but you get to be creative – which is an amazing and productive feeling (one of my first home decor projects was this three-piece world wall art which I still adore). 

If you’re looking for DIY home decor ideas or you are looking to save money while decorating, I’ve compiled such a fun collection of home decor that you can DIY.

These projects are amazing! After you see the creativity, you’ll definitely be inspired to create anything.

From gorgeous DIY laundry bins to side tables to bookends, each of the home decor projects cost less than $20 to make and shows you the full step-by-step tutorial on how to make it yourself.

And yes, I definitely should learn to make pillows covers and throws 🙂

Gorgeous Home Decor You Can DIY for less than $20

Looking to decorate your home and save money? Check out these gorgeous home decor creations that were all DIYed for less than $20. Most projects cost around $10 or less.
1
Rolling Laundry Bin Made From Fencing

Rolling Laundry Bin Made From Fencing

Photo Credit: happilyeverafteretc.com

This beautiful, rustic rolling laundry bin was made from wire fencing and canvas! Betsy from Happily Ever After Etc shares all the details on she made this gorgeous laundry bin for less than $10.

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2
Simple Wood Lantern

Simple Wood Lantern

Photo Credit: www.creativeramblingsblog.com

These beautiful wood lanterns were made from wooden plaques from the craft store! So creative, right?! Sarah from Creative Ramblings shares all of the details on how you can make these easy lanterns too for less than $10.

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3
Side Table with Antique Legs

Side Table with Antique Legs

Photo Credit: www.diybeautify.com

How gorgeous is this side table?! CIndy from DIY Beautify made this round side table with antique legs and then stenciled a beautiful quilt pattern on the tabletop - all for less than $20!

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Decorative Pillow Covers

Decorative Pillow Covers

Photo Credit: www.twofeetfirst.net

I am loving these DIY pillow covers from Megan over at Two Feet First. She shows you how to sew these covers. Pillow covers are such a great way to not end up with 100 pillows 🙂 Her instructions are so thorough - you can easily make these too!

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5
Multipurpose Side Table

Multipurpose Side Table

Photo Credit: thediydreamer.com

This easy side table cost less than $20 to build, and you can use it in multiple ways - including as a laptop station pulled up to the couch! Christine from The DIY Dreamer shares all the steps - be sure to check them out!

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6
Easy Wooden Bookends

Easy Wooden Bookends

Photo Credit: www.justmeasuringup.com

These bunny bookends we made turned out so cute, and you can use any shape - it doesn't have to be a bunny! Yet, the bunny is super cute for kids rooms and nurseries. This was a no cost project for us because we used all scrap wood.

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7
Throw Blanket with Chunky Tassels

Throw Blanket with Chunky Tassels

Photo Credit: www.savvyapron.com

This gorgeous DIY throw blanket is homemade, and Sherry from The Savvy Apron shows us exactly how! She found a great deal on fabric and created pretty throw for her son's room. Definitely check out her thrifty and creative tips.

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8
Easy DIY Painted Wood Sign

Easy DIY Painted Wood Sign

Photo Credit: thefrugalhomemaker.com

I am loving this wooden sign from Christina at The Frugal Homemaker. She made the sign with carbon paper and printed letters - no stencil or cutting machine! It turned out so pretty - be sure to check out all the details on this easy wooden sign.

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9
DIY Framed Leaf

DIY Framed Leaf

Photo Credit: www.bitterrootdiy.com

How adorable is this beautiful leaf centerpiece?! Tylynn from Bitterroot DIY found this adorable ornament at the craft store and built a beautiful stand for it.

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10
Schoolhouse Wall Hooks

Schoolhouse Wall Hooks

Photo Credit: www.tmoorehome.com

This gorgeous modern hook rack not only holds so much, but it's absolutely stunning. Teri from T. Moore Home created this with modern schoolhouse style in mind. Be sure to check out her post for all the details on how to make this and about this gorgeous style.

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How inspired are you right now?!

These DIY home decor projects were so creative – and employed the use of so many ingenious things – from the wood plaque lanterns to the laundry basket made with fencing. 

With the holidays around the corner, there are definitely some great gift ideas in there too! It’s hard to find gifts for less than $20, but making one these creative home decor DIYs not only would save money but it would be a special gift for someone. 

 

How to Make Easy DIY Wood Bookends

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Learn how to build DIY wood bookends with this easy tutorial. These DIY bunny bookends are perfect for keeping kids’ books organized  – and it was a zero cost project!

Lately, I’ve been noticing just how much my kids adore creative time. 

The first thing my preschooler said today was, “Daddy, can you go the store so that Mommy and I can do a fall craft?”

I laughed as I overheard it, but I absolutely love how much he values his craft time. 

In addition to giving the kids plenty of time for crafts and creativity, my husband and I also have started creating things just for them.

They see us constantly building and creating things for the house. So it makes them feel so important when we make them something special.

We just made this sand and water table for their birthdays, which was such a hit! So funny how much kids love sensory tables.

Today, we are sharing how we made these simple bookends for our daughter’s nursery.

DIY wood bunny bookends with kids books

Closeup of a DIY bunny bookend with an easy tutorial

Nursery Bookends

Our daughter’s nursery needed a little love.

We previously painted a heart accent wall, but other than that she got a lot of leftover things from her brother’s nursery.

I was recently in Hobby Lobby and saw these cute star and moon bookends. I decided to make own using bunnies.

My daughter adores all animals but especially bunnies.

I also knew bookends would be a simple project that I could handle making.

My husband has tons of wood leftover from all our projects. I knew he wouldn’t miss it.

Plus, he loves when I work in the garage because I always leave it neater than it was before – he’s a mess!

At Home DIY

With our At Home DIY challenge being home decor this month, I figured it was a great time to make something special for my daughter’s room.

For the At Home DIY challenge, we’ve collaborated with several talented DIY bloggers and we all create a project with the same thing each month. This month’s theme is to make any home decor for less than $20. Be sure to scroll to the end of the post to check out all the projects. 

How to Build Wood Bookends

This DIY bunny bookends project was super simple, and it was a no-cost project. I love creating something out of things we have. 

Choosing and Cutting Wood for the Bookends

I first found scrap ¾” thick boards I found that would be perfect for the DIY bookends:

Scrap wood to be made into DIY bookends

To create the book ends, I needed to cut out four pieces – 2 pieces of 4.5”x4.5” and 2 pieces of 4.5”x5.25”.

I figured this size would on the smaller side (less clunky) and perfect for small kids books. 

The two different sizes of boards would be attached perpendicular to each other.

I brought the scrap wood pieces over to the table saw to cut them to size.

Making DIY bookends and cutting scrap wood with a table saw

Attaching the Wood for the DIY Bookends

With the pieces cut, I applied some construction adhesive and finishing nails to make a book end.

A bar clamp also came in handy to hold the wood in place while I drove some nails in.

Using wood clamps to make DIY bookends

Sketch Your Shape

At this point, I took the bookends up to my craft room to figure out the bunny.

I traced the “L” bookend shape on a piece of scrap paper. 

I freehand drew a sketch of a bunny and kept refining it until I was happy with the outline and the size (compared to the “L” of the bookend).

After you’re finished and happy with your sketch, cut it out and hold it up to the bookend to make sure you’re happy with it. 

Drawing Tips

If you are stuck on how to draw your shape, google the shape you’re making and the word “outline” i.e. dog outline.

Then, you can focus on just the perimeter and not get caught up in the details. Or, if you’re using a bunny, feel free to grab the outline out of our resource library.

Making the Bunny Wood Cut-Out

Making the wood bunny was pretty simple, but it did take a little time. 

Trace the Cut-Out 

Once back in the garage, I traced the outline of the bunny onto the wood twice – one for each bookend. 

Sketching a bunny to make DIY bunny bookends

Using the Scroll Saw for the Wood Cut-Outs

I opted for the scroll saw to cut out the wood bunnies. I wanted to preserve all the details of the bunny outline, and a scroll saw was perfect to get accurate cuts.

Cutting out bunnies for DIY bookends using the scroll saw

Here are the cut out bunnies resting in the book ends:

Making DIY bunny bookends for creative kids rooms

Finish and Paint for the Bunny Bookends

Because I’m so indecisive it took me a while to figure out what I was doing with the bunny and the bookends paint-wise.

I debated about painting the bookends white and the bunny light brown.

I started to paint the bunny light brown; however, I just wasn’t happy with it.

Then I decided to leave the bookends wooden and paint the bunny white. 

Tung Oil for the Bookends

Happy with the painted white bunny decision, I used pure Tung oil on the wooden bookends.

Here are the bookends halfway through the Tung oil process (oil applied to the left bookend, and nothing yet applied to the second one on the right):

Difference between tung oil bookend and wood bookend

Painting the Bunny

I used Decoart white acrylic paint to paint the bunny.

Painted white bunnies for DIY bookends

Then, I painted the inside of the ears with a pink shade I made from red, and I drew on the face with a sharpie. I also did a little pink heart shape on the bunnies nose with the acrylic paint. 

Drawing the face on DIY bunny bookends

Attaching the Bunnies to the bookends

With the bookends stained with Tung oil and the bunnies painted, it was time to attach the two. 

I considered using just construction adhesive to secure the bunnies, but this sounded two permanent.

I was toying with the idea of swapping out the bunnies with other designs throughout the year (Santa bookends anyone?)

But, I ended up just using two screws underneath the bookends to attach the bunnies.

I made sure to pre-drill two holes centered on the base of the bookends. Then held the bunnies in place while I inserted two screws. DIY kids bookends with bunnies Easy and creative DIY bookends for the nursery - wood bookend with bunny DIY bunny bookends with children's books - easy gift idea

Time and Cost for the DIY Bunny Bookends

Making these bunny bookends took about 3 hours, and it was a no-cost project. We used scrap wood and paints we already had! Can’t beat that 🙂

My daughter absolutely loves the DIY bunny bookends. They look adorable in her nursery. Of course, my son adores them too and asked if we could make him skunk bookends. 🙂

If you’re up for a simple woodworking project, definitely try your hand at making DIY bookends. If you’re not up for the woodworking aspect, make something else for your kids or with your kids. I’m sure they’ll adore the creative time. 

And if you are wondering if my son and I ended up doing our fall craft – we did. We made a 3D fall tree that he adores. We’re still gluing on the leaves and flowers, but if it turns out nice, I’ll share that too.

DIY bunny bookend with tung oil wood and painted bunny

See more $20 DIY Decor Projects

More Posts You Might Love

  • Need a few things for your kids’ walls? Check out these easy DIY animal prints that you can make on a budget. 
  • This is another fun project you can make with or for your kids. It’s a giant jigsaw puzzle – perfect for outdoor parties!
  • These easy no-sew felt finger puppets are perfect for an activity with your kids!

DIY bunny bookend tutorial - how to make easy bookends

how to build wood bookends for kids rooms

10 DIY Projects You Can Build with 2x4s

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In this post, you’ll find 10 amazing projects that you can make using 2x4s.

Ever wondered what you can build with 2x4s? 

2x4s are a cheap wood, and you can build a lot of simple things with them quite easily.

We’ve used 2x4s for tons of projects including garage shelving towers, workbenches, and most recently a sand and water table for our kids.

Today I’m sharing 10 DIY projects that you can make with 2x4s. Each project is a full how-to tutorial so you can make these too!

 

10 DIY Projects You Can Build with 2x4s

From picnic tables to curtain rod shelves to outdoor tables, check out these amazing DIY projects made from 2x4s. Not only are they creative but they are cost-effective too! Each project is linked to the how-to tutorial with all the details on how they used these 2x4s.
1
Kids Picnic Table from 2x4s

Kids Picnic Table from 2x4s

Photo Credit: www.bitterrootdiy.com

This adorable picnic table was built by Tylynn from Bitterroot DIY. It's made entirely out of 2x4s and she explains every step so thoroughly!

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2
End-of-the-Bed Wooden 2x4 Bench

End-of-the-Bed Wooden 2x4 Bench

Photo Credit: www.savvyapron.com

I am loving this adorable end-of-the-bed wooden bench from Sherry at Savvy Apron. It only took her a couple of hours to build and it looks absolutely gorgeous.

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3
Porch Pumpkins Using 2x4s

Porch Pumpkins Using 2x4s

Photo Credit: www.diybeautify.com

I can't believe this beautiful pumpkin decor was made from 2x4s! Cindy from DIY Beautify did an amazing job with these creative, festive 2x4 porch pumpkins. Find out how you can make these rustic porch pumpkins too!

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DIY Fall Wood Sign from 2x4s and Vinyl

DIY Fall Wood Sign from 2x4s and Vinyl

Photo Credit: www.creativeramblingsblog.com

Here's another fun 2x4 project for fall! Sarah from Creative Ramblings made this stunning fall wood sign from 2x4s and vinyl. Her wood signs are awesome, and this 2x4 sign no exception - be sure to check out her DIYs.

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5
Water and Sand Table from 2x4s

Water and Sand Table from 2x4s

We made this fun sand and water table from 2x4s! Water tables and sand boxes are always such a hit with kids, so we combined those concepts into this fun table. It fits two large plastic containers, for ease of use.

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DIY Wood Color Block Table Top from 2×4’s

DIY Wood Color Block Table Top from 2×4’s

Photo Credit: abbottsathome.com

My friend Stephanie from Abbotts at Home made this gorgeous color block table using 2x4s! Isn't it beautiful?! Her DIYs are so fun and artistic, and this is definitely one of my favorites. Who knew 2x4s could be so pretty?!

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DIY Farmhouse Outdoor Patio Table made with 2×4’s

DIY Farmhouse Outdoor Patio Table made with 2×4’s

Photo Credit: thefrugalhomemaker.com

This one is show-stopper for sure! Christina from The Frugal Homemaker made this farmhouse outdoor table from 2x4s and it cost less than $60! It's absolutely stunning, and the price tag on this is nothing short of amazing.

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DIY Kids at Play Yard Sign with 2x4s

DIY Kids at Play Yard Sign with 2x4s

Photo Credit: www.shrimpsaladcircus.com

How adorable is this Kids at Play sign?! Lindsay from Shrimp Salad Circus made this DIY traffic sign. Such a good idea - and she makes it look so easy!

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Outdoor Dog Cabana with 2x4s

Outdoor Dog Cabana with 2x4s

Photo Credit: diydanielle.com

Danielle from DIY Danielle made this creative outdoor dog cabana with 2x4s. It's so adorable and perfect for pups (or kids) who need shade outside. I love creative DIY, and Danielle has so many of them!

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Curtain Rod 2x4 Shelf

Curtain Rod 2x4 Shelf

Photo Credit: kenyarae.com

I've never thought of putting a shelf above my curtains - but wow, such a great idea! Kenya from Kenya Rae shows you exactly how to make this simple and efficient DIY window shelf. Perfect if you need more space or love to decorate.

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Such creative ideas, right?!

So get on your way to Home Depot, grab some 2x4s, and start building!

You’ll save money, and create something pretty cool with construction lumber.

Everything You Want to Know About Sun Shade Sails

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A sun shade sail is a large fabric canopy that is suspended in the air for shade in outdoor areas. It’s a thrifty solution for enjoying your outdoor space without worrying about the sun and its heat.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about shade sails. If you are looking for specific installation instructions, check out on how to install a sun shade sail tutorial. 

Sun shade sails are growing in popularity because they are a quick and cheap solution for the hot summer sun. When compared to awnings, a sun shade sail provides you with hundreds of dollars of savings.

When buying our sun shade sail, we researched all kinds of outdoor shade options, including an awning, pergola, and even a covered porch.

The sun shade sail was the best option for us because of the cost – as well as the flexibility and ease of putting it up and taking it down. We’ve had our sun shade sail for years now and are so pleased with it.

Backyard with sun shade sail over patio and wooden sun shade sail posts

All About the Sun Shade Sail

It’s amazing how much cooler our patio is in the middle of the summer.

Sun shade sails help block UV rays, keeping an outdoor area 10-20 degrees cooler. The shade sail fabric is breathable, enabling the hot air to rise through the fabric.

While we have ours on our patio, you can use a sun shade sail anywhere.

It’s perfect for decks, play areas (such as swing sets or sandboxes), pools, or even on top of pergolas. You can even use them as a car canopy or for vertical privacy shade in the middle of the yard.

Before sun shade sails become popular residentially, they were commonly used professionally and commercially in many public outdoor areas to beautify shade, such as outdoor seating at restaurants or picnic areas at splash parks. Rectangle and triangle sun shade sails hanging over a dock

Various Shapes & Configurations

Sun shade sails come in a variety of colors and different shapes, most commonly rectangles, squares, and triangles. When choosing colors, keep in mind that lighter color shade sails will block more UV rays.

You can hang sun shade sails in a few different ways – they can be lower in the middle and higher at the anchor points. Or, you can alternate high and low at the anchor points for a more creative look.

We went with a simple off-white, rectangle sun shade sail. We hung our higher at the anchor points and lower in the middle.

Single or Multiple Shade Sails

Sun shade sails are definitely a great alternative to simple-looking shade structures – they’re very geometric looking, like a work of art.

You can start off with just a single sail in your configuration (like us), or you can use multiple sails if you are feeling creative. For an even more creative touch, consider mixing different sun shade sail shapes. If you sun shade sail is curved, there might be a gap in between the sails.

Overall, sun shade sails are multi-purpose shade that you can use for any outdoor area that you need shade for. They’re fairly easy to set up and really durable.

Sun shade sails are also made so that you can easily take the shade sail down whenever you need to.

Two Type of Shade Sails

When choosing your sun shade sail, you’ll want to think about what type of sail suits your needs. There are standard sun shade sails and waterproof sun shade sails.

Regular sun shade sails are not waterproof. The porous material of fabric lets the water run right through.

However, as shade sails took off in popularity, some companies started making a second type – waterproof sun shade sails or partially waterproof ones.

There are benefits to both of these types of sun shade sails, so you’ll want to determine which is best for you.

Standard Sun Shade Sails

Standard sun shades are porous, letting water run right through. Even though your outdoor area will get wet, there are quite a few advantages for standard shade sails.

A big advantage to buying a standard sun shade sail is that the water will not pool at the top of the sail. This puts less strain on your anchor points.

Even though this type of sun shade sail lets the rain through, it does a great job not of letting the sun through. When compared to waterproof sun shade sails, the standard one makes for a cooler area because the fabric is breathable, allowing the hot air to rise through the shade sail.

We have the standard (not waterproof) type of sun shade sail. I don’t mind the rain coming through because the point of the sail was to block the sun. It’s also great because my plants still get the rainwater.

I also like how the water runs right through because it doesn’t create any pooled water anywhere.

Different size and shape sun shade sails hanging in public park area with boardwalk deck

Waterproof Sun Shade Sails

The obvious advantage to waterproof sun shade sails is that they keep your outdoor area dry. This is great if you have furniture or table settings that you don’t want to get wet. This is also similar to a porch setting, as you can sit out and enjoy the rain without getting wet.

The main disadvantage is that the waterproof shade sails will put a lot more strain on your anchor points, so this is something to definitely consider when making your decision on the type of sail and anchor points. You want them to be really sturdy.

Waterproof shade sails are usually more expensive (they are made with a different fabric and coated with waterproofed materials), and they are usually smaller in size, due to water pooling.

In addition, some sails are partially waterproof. Read the description and the reviews on the shade sail you are interested in to make sure it’s aligned with what you have in mind.

Keep in mind, if a sun shade sail is completely waterproof, it will keep more heat in – as it can’t escape through the breathable fabric.

Sun Shade Sail Hardware

When you buy your shade sail, you’ll want to see whether it comes with a hardware kit or not. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to purchase one.

We definitely recommend getting a sun shade sail kit (as opposed to buying individual hooks) because the kit holds the hardware you need to attach to the sail and your anchor points.

Installing a Shade Sail - A Cost-Effective Alternative to Awnings

Making Your Own Sun Shade Sail

It is possible to make your own sun shade sail. You’ll want to make sure you research the fabric and see if there is UV protection. You’ll definitely need to know your way around a sewing machine, and your sewing machine will need to endure tough fabrics.

Buying Your Shade Sail

You can buy your shade sail at so many places including Costco, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Amazon. We got ours on Amazon – love the convenience of Amazon prime! The cost will vary depending on the brand, the size, and the materials, but overall sun shade sails are very cost-effective.

Set Up & Take Down

Once you get your sun shade sail installed, it’s very easy to set up. It takes 5 minutes to put up or take down – it’s super quick.

For us, we put it up during the spring when the sun starts to get hot, and we take it down in the fall. If there’s a heavy storm coming, we’ll take it down for that. Our sun shade sail requires very little maintenance. If your shade sail gets dirty, you can just hose it down. We’ve had our sun shade sail for 3 summers, and it’s holding up great. Check with the sun shade sail that you purchase, but most are supposed to last for 10 seasons.

DIY Sun Shade Sail Installation

When installing your shade sail, think about the below factors and how they relate to the area you have chosen for the sun shade sail.

White rectangle sun shade sail hanging over patio, installed with two wooden sun shade sail posts as an alternative to an awning

Determining the Location

When deciding where to put your sun shade sail, you definitely want to pick an ideal location. There’s a lot to think about in terms of the sun’s location, the size of the sail, the anchor points you’ll use, and any obstacles in the way.

Think about the Sun

Ideally, you’ll want to orient your sail so that it follows the path of the sun. 

For example, if the sun rises to the left of your house and sets to the right, you’ll gain the most benefit from you sun shade sail by running it from left to right. If you get the angle of the sun rays right, you’ll get your shade to be in an ideal spot for the majority of the day.

So, definitely take note of where the sun rises and sets in accordance to your house.

Think about the Size

Think about the size of the area you need to cover and see if it’s practical to get by with just one shade sail or if you need multiple sun shade sails. 

We needed to cover a BLANK BY BLANK AREA so we got the BLANK BY BLANK.

Your anchor points will have to go further apart than the size of your sail. So your shade sail should be a little smaller than the area you want to cover.

Determine Anchor Points

Next you’ll establish some anchor points for the corners of the sails.

For our sun shade sail, we anchored to sides to the house and two to wooden posts that we installed.

Ideally try to find existing anchor points such as strong posts or your house or shed. Trees should only be a temporary solution. Flag poles and lamp posts are generally not strong enough and would likely bend or break, especially on the windy day or during heavy rainfall.

Now, you could install a sturdy post and always turn this into a flag pole or some kind of lighting.

You might wonder too if the posts look odd when the sun shade sail is not up. Ours blend in with our deck, so they don’t really stand out. However, we do have plans this summer to add some solar lighting to the top of the two sun shade sail posts.

Work Around Obstacles

You’ll also want to look at the area you chose in regard to what is around it. For example, you’ll want to take into account your outdoor grill because you’ll want to leave this unsheltered.

When we installed our sun shade sail, we had a huge landscaping rock where we wanted to put one of the sun shade sail posts. It took us quite a while to get the 300 pound rock moved, but it was all worth it to put the sun shade sail in the ideal place.  

What Do I Need to Know Before Installing a Shade Sail?

There are a few things you’ll want to know before installing your sun shade sail.

Using Hardware to Attach the Sun Shade Sail

If your anchor points include a building, such as your home or shed, a really popular anchor point is a simple pad-eye with some carbineers.

As mentioned above, rather than looking for individual components for anchor mounts, they are typically sold in kits specifically for sun shade sail purposes.

The kits conveniently include carbineers, u-bolts, and turn buckles (which are essential for tensioning).

Connecting sun shade sail hardware to wooden sun shade sail posts for backyard shade

Installing Sun Shade Sail Posts

If you are installing posts, you could use steel poles or wood posts. With using wood, you should use a minimum of 6×6 pressure-treated wood.

If you are using steel, definitely don’t think you can get away with using galvanized poles, typically used in chain link fences. Those will bend in a heartbeat.

Also, if you are putting posts or poles into the ground, you’ll need that ground to be clear. You even might want to call 811 to mark your ground if you plan on digging.

This is a good idea to make sure are no buried gas or water pipes where you plan to dig. After calling 811, they will come to your home and mark your ground for free.

You can install the posts pretty quickly – it’s an easy DIY. We detailed all the steps on how to build the posts and install the sun shade sail. 

 

6 Before & After Room Makeovers (That Won’t Cost a Fortune)

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After working hard all day, everyone deserves to come back to a home they love. 

When you’re sitting on the couch flipping channels at the end of the day, you don’t want to be thinking, “Ugh I have to do something about those outdated cabinets.” Or, “those walls need a new coat of paint.”

Girl, (or guy), you can do that! Refinish those kitchen cabinets. Paint the walls a new color. Hang a gallery wall that you just adore.

There are so many things you can DIY to make you feel happier in your home.

Things that will give a room an entire new looks – like doing a stencil for an accent wall, rearranging furniture for a better layout, and painting old furniture. Anyone can do these things – no matter your DIY skill level.

The following before and after room makeovers include every skill level (from beginner to advanced); however, they are all cost-effective makeovers that you can learn yourself.

6 Before & After Room Makeovers (That Won't Cost a Fortune)

Without further ado, here are six before and after room makeovers that will blow you away.
1
Incredible Mudroom Makeover

Incredible Mudroom Makeover

This is another favorite of mine. I drew a vision on a piece of scrap paper for our awkwardly shaped mudroom. And, we made the vision come to life! We built this decked out hall tree with cubbies for every member of the family, to keep backpacks and coats organized. There's basket storage above each cubby and a drawer below each. Don't tell my husband, but my favorite part is the drawer knobs! They card catalog drawer pulls and I absolutely love them. If you think you don't have enough space to pull off entryway organization, think again. We did a lot with just an L-shaped piece to work with. Of course, we did a wall stencil and added shiplap too. Check out the details! This is another one where the before pictures will stop you in your tracks.

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2
Sitting Room Revamp with Bookshelves and a Window Seat

Sitting Room Revamp with Bookshelves and a Window Seat

You won't believe the before on this one. This was just a plain sitting room, off the master. For months, all we had in it was couch and a lamp. Yet, I could see the potential here (plus I had boxes upon boxes of unpacked books in the garage). It only seemed right to build these Beauty and the Beast-esque floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, complete with a window seat. After all the DIY projects we have completed over the years in our home, this is my absolute favorite spot. And that cushion? I DIYed that with materials from around the house, even with my horrible sewing skills. Check out all the details here!

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3
Easy Bedroom Accent Wall

Easy Bedroom Accent Wall

If you are feeling like your walls are just too plain, doing an accent wall can definitely completely change a space. In our old home, we did a striped accent wall for the nursery. In our new home, we did a heart accent wall (keep reading for pictures). Both were really easy DIYs - they broke up the white wall space and added so much character to the rooms. This is definitely a project that anyone can do - no special skills required, and it's very cost-effective.

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4
Organized Craft Corner

Organized Craft Corner

This three part makeover takes only a corner of space - and adds so much organization. We added fun painted pegboard to the walls, along with shelves that creatively fit 8 fabric storage bins, and a homemade customized cubby shelf. If you are looking to add more organization or storage to a room, this is a perfect example of utilizing vertical space!

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5
Pantry Makeover

Pantry Makeover

This one is not a full room, but it's an important space - the pantry! Before our pantry had metal shelves that I had covered in contacted paper, and it looked a mess. Instead, we took those out, added wooden shelves and drawers!! The drawers are an amazing storage to have in a pantry (plus you can hide snacks). Also, beforehand, I covered the walls with a white brick wallpaper. We never really gave much thought to our pantry prior to this, but the added storage, organization, and aesthetic has made us fall in love with this update.

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6
Thrifty Kitchen Cabinet Makeover

Thrifty Kitchen Cabinet Makeover

I couldn't stand our old cabinets. Every day I would stare at them and think how outdated our kitchen was. Refinishing an entire kitchen of cabinets was a ton of work; however, I was willing to put it for an improved look! The best part was the cost - which was less than $400 in materials (mainly the gel stain and the hardware). You can't beat that, as kitchen renovations normally cost thousands!

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In addition to the above before and after room makeovers, here is a before and after of our nursery in our new home! We replaced that crazy looking accent wall with stenciled hearts. It was easy and took minimal work (especially compared to painting the whole room – the accent wall was all it needed). 

Nursery Before

   

Nursery After

Another easy add is painting a stencil! It’s cost-effective but does take work. Here is a stencil we did in our mudroom:

Stencil and shiplap mudroom wall with hooks and an L-shaped bench

I hope these DIY before and afters have inspired you to make some quick fixes in your home that will make you feel more content in your home.

Some of the DIYs just involved painting while others also involved building; however, we were able to do all the room makeovers ourselves with the DIY skills we’ve learned.

Even small fixes like refinishing furniture or painting can make a huge impact. So, pick a room and get started on your update! 

If you aren’t sure where to start, grab our free 5-step guide for making over a room in your home! We have a workbook too that will walk you through an amazing room transformation.