Eileen

DIY Baby Shark Halloween Costumes

October 21, 2019 by Eileen Leave a Comment

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

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

Hot glue gun and glue

Instructions

Lay out everyone's outfits, so you know you have everything you need.
Start cutting out eyes. Cut white circles for the eyes, along with blue and black circles for the inside (see pic).
Glue eyes to the caps. Use Zots (optional) to place them.
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.
Cut a fin out of cardboard or cardstock. Cover this with white felt on both sides, and then glue down.
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.
Cut a white circle for the bellies and glue or tape down. (Tape if you want to make it non-permanent).

10-Minute Floral Embroidery Hoop Wreath

October 7, 2019 by Eileen Leave a Comment

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

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

Large embroidery hoop
Two bunches of greenery
Wood craft beads
Burlap ribbon
Watercolor paints
Twist ties
3M hook for hanging

Tools

Instructions

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.
Take your wooden beads and lay them out on the greenery to gauge about how many you'll need.
Paint your wooden beads (or leave them wooden if you prefer).
Once dry, hot glue your beads to the greenery.
Use hot glue to attach the greenery to the wreath. Clip any stems or ends of the greenery that are unnecessary.
Use green twist ties to hold the the upper greenery in place.
Add a ribbon in the bottom middle. Tie it into a simple bow.
Hang up and enjoy!

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

September 30, 2019 by Eileen Leave a Comment

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

September 15, 2019 by Eileen 3 Comments

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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):

Painting the Bunny

I used Decoart white acrylic paint to paint the bunny.

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.

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.

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.

See more $20 DIY Decor Projects

10 DIY Projects You Can Build with 2x4s

September 1, 2019 by Eileen Leave a Comment

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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?!

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.

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!

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!

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.

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

August 13, 2019 by Eileen 1 Comment

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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)

August 6, 2019 by Eileen Leave a Comment

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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:

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.

7 DIYs You Can Make for Your Walls (In Under Two Hours)

July 31, 2019 by Eileen Leave a Comment

Decorating your walls can be tough sometimes.

There’s so many choices to make – the arrangement, the colors, the size.

What I have found in decorating my walls is to DIY it. You can create custom things for your space, making your wall art exactly the way you want it.

It’s easier and cheaper than buying from the store, and you’ll have so much pride in the fact that you created something beautiful for your home.

Today I am sharing 7 DIY ideas for your walls and guess what? You can make any of these in under 2 hours! So if you are pressed on time (as we all seemed to be these days), if you can set aside just a few hours then you can create any of these beautiful pieces for your walls.

7 DIY Ideas for Your Walls

If you're looking to fill some blank space in your walls and you have two hours of time, check out the below 7 ideas for your walls that you can DIY yourself in just under two hours. From pretty wall art to framed out mirrors to window cornices, these creative ideas will get your wheels spinning.

No-Sew Easy Embroidery Wall Art

Photo Credit: www.shrimpsaladcircus.com

This gorgeous embroidered work of art is made without sewing. Lindsay from Shrimp Salad Circus shares how she made pretty piece in just one hour!

DIY Mirror Frame

Photo Credit: www.livingletterhome.com

I love the idea of making a gorgeous wooden frame for a simple mirror. Carmen from Living Letter Home framed out her bathroom mirror and it looks amazing. You can do it too - in just under two hours!

Easy Seashell Wall Hanging

If you are racking up the seashells from your beach trips, make a pretty wall hanging with your special shells. Perfect for hanging in bathrooms or guest rooms, you can make any shape or wording with this easy tutorial.

Homemade Entryway Signs

Photo Credit: www.pinspiredtodiy.com

Christine from Pinspired to DIY shares how she used her woodworking and crafty skills to make these gorgeous custom signs for her entryway. She shares all the details on you can make them too in under two hours!

Paint Pouring Wall Art

Photo Credit: abbottsathome.com

If you are thinking about creating an custom piece for your walls, definitely check out Stephanie's (from Abbotts at Home) tutorial on how to create paint poured artwork! She gives wonderful tips and tricks on how to achieve the same results!

Wood Window Cornice

Photo Credit: thediydreamer.com

I love this idea from Christine at The DIY Dreamer. She had a kitchen window where she couldn't use curtains and created this pretty wood window cornice. It turned out gorgeous!

Sea Shell Monogram

Photo Credit: meeganmakes.com

Here's another creative seashell idea - Meegan from What Meegan Makes created this pretty monogram for her door with her grandmother's beautiful seashell collection.

So many great ideas, rights?! So put down that phone, set aside two hours, and pick your favorite to do! In no time, you’ll have a beautiful DIY piece for your home.

How to Make a Seashell Wall Hanging

July 15, 2019 by Eileen 10 Comments

Learn how to make an easy seashell wall hanging for your home using your shells from the beach.

When my little guy started preschool last year, every day he came home with something from nature – leaves, acorns, sticks. You name it, and he brought it inside.

I finally put a nature bowl in the mudroom where he could drop off all of his goodies when he entered the house.

Wherever he goes, he always finds something for his nature bowl.

This year we were lucky to vacation by the beach, and my son collected more seashells than even his nature bowl could hold.

While we were on vacation, I set my kids up to do some seashell crafts and figured I would do the same.

After all, the seashells were so pretty and would make for nice memories from our trip.

Seashell wall art was also perfect for this month’s DIY challenge.

Each month we have been collaborating with a talented group of DIY bloggers, and this month’s theme is any 2 hour DIY project.

How to Make Seashell Wall Art

Making this seashell wall art was super easy! You just need a few crafty things to throw it together.

As far the the seashells, you want to find seashells that are a good size for the wall art that you are making.

If you are making a big piece, you can use larger seashells or a combination, but if you are making a smaller piece, you’ll want to use smaller seashells, so you can make tight lines with your shape.

Materials for Seashell Wall Art

Seashells (see above tip for size)
Wood – You can buy this from the craft store or use scrap wood or drift wood. I bought mine from Hobby Lobby. Here’s a similar one.
Glue – I used hot glue because that’s what I had at the time but mod podge would work well
Pencil
Scrap paper
Scissors

Instructions for Heart Shaped Seashell Art

Below are the instructions for making seashell wall art for your home.

Clean Your Seashells

First, you’ll want to clean your seashells well.

I rinsed the seashells with dish soap and water to get the sand off.

Then I let them sit in a bucket of one part water and one part hydrogen peroxide.

No need to use bleach!

Choose or Make Your Background

For my wooden background, I picked up a decorative piece from Hobby Lobby.

It was pallet wood that had a drift wood look, so it was perfect.

You could make the background with scrap wood too.

Choose Your Shape

I decided to do a heart because we just love the beach.

To get the shape, I drew half the heart on a piece of scrap paper.

Then, I folded the paper in half and cut. This way both sides of the heart were symmetrical.

Next, I cut out the heart and traced it onto the background wood.

Arrange Your Seashells

The next step is to arrange your seashells onto the shape you drew.

I started by doing the perimeter of the shape.

I lined up the curves of the seashells with the curves of the heart, filling in smaller seashells where I needed.

Glue Down the Shells

Once you are happy with the arrangement, you can start gluing down the seashells.

Again, start with the perimeter of the heart and work your way around. This part is a little tedious, but it’s fun to see it come together.

Time and Cost of the Seashell DIY

The seashell wall art took me less than 2 hours and the cost was just the background wood – which was around $6.

It was a very simple DIY and I love the way it turned out. It’s a fun way to remember our wonderful trips to the beach.

Be sure to check out the other projects you can do in two hours!

See more 2-Hour DIY Projects

5 Name Brand End Tables You Can Easily Make for Less

June 28, 2019 by Eileen Leave a Comment

Do you ever find the perfect piece of furniture only to look at the price tag and gasp?!

It happens to me all the time.

Until I realized that we could make our own furniture and save money while doing so.

My husband and I got into DIY to fix up our home. We started with small projects and worked our way up to larger ones. Somewhere in between, we realized that we totally could build our furniture.

This month, we co-hosted the Build It Cheaper Than Buying It Furniture Challenge with Megan from Two Feet First, and we built a simple stool that can also serve as an end table.

Today, I’m sharing four more amazing end and side tables that you can totally build for much less than the cost in the store.

Prepare to be inspired, my friends!

Round Stool End Table

Here is the DIY round stool we made, inspired by West Elm.

It can serve as a stool, a plant stand, or a small end table.

We made it for just $15!

Storage Basket Side Table

Is there anything better than furniture that also serves as chic storage?

I am loving this storage basket end table from Casey at House by the Bay Design.

Hop on over to her post to see exactly how to make this simple table.

Chic Side Table

How gorgeous is this Serena & Lily inspired table from T. Moore Home?!

I love the color, the build, and how she prettily styled it.

The best part? She saved hundreds on building it herself! Check out all the details on her post 🙂

$Serena and Lily inspired blue console table with textural wallpaper - an easy DIY project that costs a fraction of the original #diyhomedecor #knockoffdecor #serenaandlily$

Modern End Table

For less than $30, Toni from Girl, Just DIY made this Crate and Barrel inspired end table.

It’s so pretty, and she tells you exactly how to make it yourself.

You’ll save a pretty penny and get a gorgeous new pice.

Rope Spool End Table

This rustic spool end table is absolutely stunning.

Rebecca from Zucchini Sisters had plans to make this Ballard Designs inspired spool table from a bucket – but lucked out in finding a free spool.

Check out all the details on her post.

The brand name stores offer beautiful furniture but lots of times it’s not very affordable.

If you’re in need of a new end, side, or console table for your home, definitely think about making it yourself. You’ll save tons of money and have a beautiful custom piece to take pride in.

If you’re looking for inspiration, look at the furniture your favorite stores offer. When you find a piece that you absolutely love, start thinking about how you can make it yourself.

You’ll be so pleased to have spent a fraction of the cost, you can easily customize it (with your own color, dimensions, natural finishes, etc), and you’ll have so much pride in the fact that you made it yourself.

Check out all the entires in the At Home DIY furniture challenge here – there’s tons of great ideas that are easy to incorporate into your home.

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Eileen

How to Make No-Sew Shark Family Halloween Costumes

Choosing the Clothes for the DIY Shark Costume

Gathering a Few Materials for the DIY Sharks

Cutting and Gluing the Felt Pieces

Starting with the DIY Shark Costume Hat

DIY Shark Eyes

DIY Shark Teeth

DIY Shark Fin

DIY Shark Belly

Time and Cost of the DIY Shark Costumes

Materials

Tools

Instructions

How to Make an Embroidery Hoop Wreath

Gather Wreath-Making Materials

The Floral Component

Replacing Flowers with Beads

Attaching Flowers & Beads

Adding Ribbon

Hanging on the Wall

Time and Cost

Materials

Tools

Instructions

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All About the Sun Shade Sail

Various Shapes & Configurations

Single or Multiple Shade Sails

Two Type of Shade Sails

Standard Sun Shade Sails

Waterproof Sun Shade Sails

Sun Shade Sail Hardware

Making Your Own Sun Shade Sail

Buying Your Shade Sail

Set Up & Take Down

DIY Sun Shade Sail Installation

Determining the Location

Think about the Sun

Think about the Size

Determine Anchor Points

Work Around Obstacles