Ready for some inspiration?
And wouldn’t a pom garland be fun? Are you ready to make some poms?!
Archive for the ‘DIY’ Category
DIY: mini poms
May 17th | DIY, inspiration
DIY: Painted Rocks
May 10th | DIY, inspiration
Are you ready for another DIY? Oh this one is so sweet–and very simple! We picked up some dark, smooth stones and gold paint at Michael’s to create the personal, handmade favors for a wedding or party.
This copper paint is oil based–so a little goes a long way. It goes on super smooth and it dries beautifully. I also picked up a bottle of gold paint.
A fine paintbrush makes getting detailed designs easy. The freeform flowers might be my favorite. Or the chevrons. And wouldn’t a cursive initial be fun–one at each place setting?
Grouped together they make a stunning, artistic display.
Place one at each table setting and let the guests take them home. They make a perfect paperweight or place on top of napkins at an outdoor dinner to keep the breeze at bay.
The gold adds a bit of ‘fancy’ don’t you think?
Have you painted anything lately? I can’t believe what a little paint can do–I’m pretty sure paint can change the world 
better TV, Kansas city {DIY segment}
May 8th | DIY, inspiration
While I was in Kansas last week, I did a DIY segment for Better TV, Kansas City. It was so fun! The host {also named Lisa} was such a sweetheart. Chrissie joined me and after the segment we stumbled on some awesome thrift stores. But more on that later!
For the segment we talked about DIY nail and string art, hand-stamped towels and hand-stamped silverware.
I’m being stretched and growing doing these morning segments on local TV stations. It’s been great for me personally and a fun, new opportunity for my brand. You can watch the Kansas City segment here {scroll down to ‘Lisa hows you how to make DIY gifts’}. And the good news? I hardly felt nervous at all this time–that’s progress!
DIY: dishtowels
April 30th | DIY
I found these plain white dishtowels at Target and got totally inspired! The simplicity and price makes these towels perfect for adding a little detail–and then giving them as a gift.
For the first towels, I just cut a little flag from a linoleum block. I didn’t use a carver–I just used regular scissors. So fun!
Easy bunting adds so much fun to these little towels. It almost makes me want to do the dishes. Almost.
I thought these animal stencils were adorable. I used a sponge brush and coordinating colors to create a set of burp cloths. Aren’t they inspiring?
And how about a towel that has clean on one end, dirty on the other–that way you can tell if the dishwasher has been run or not? I found basic alphabet stencils at Michaels for this. I’m ready to create some more dishtowels and burp cloths! Any creative ideas? Please share!
On set at Studio 5
April 19th | DIY, inspiration
I was on Studio 5 yesterday and it was so much FUN! The hosts Brooke and Darin were so warm and friendly–actually the whole crew was amazing.
We did another segment on hand-stamped spoons but mixed it up with some different projects.
I love this idea of a ‘spoonful of sugar’ and a candy jar. Such a fun gift! And there are more inspiring projects to see too.
Things got pretty funny as we tried to squeeze the last letter onto the fork. Click here to watch the segment.
And we’re selling a hand-stamp starter kit! You can find it here.
Thanks for your encouragement about feeling scared and trying new things. I love being on this journey with you.
DIY: nail and string art
April 18th | DIY, inspiration
Can I just tell you how much I love this DIY? A LOT! It’s pretty straight forward with fun results. And older kids should be able to do the project as well!
All you need are a wood backer {I found mine at Michaels}, paint {if desired}, a pattern, nails, hammer and string or yarn.
For the star and heart designs, I simply drew a sketch and cut it out on while paper. For the ‘M’ monogram, I used a large, straight font and printed it off the computer. Easy!
Lay your pattern down and place nails all around. About 1/4-1/2 inch apart.
Then tie on the string to begin. It’s very free form and it’s best to work in sections. Just wrap the string back and forth until you get a nice pattern. Make sure to wrap string tightly so it won’t unravel.
For the star and the ‘M’, I outlined with string to give them definition. Super fun!
I think this ‘M’ will be perfect for Matthias’ bedroom.
Which one is your favorite?
how to hand-stamp spoons {so fun!}
March 21st | DIY, inspiration
Hey friends! I have a SUPER fun DIY for you today. I’m going to teach you how to hand-stamp spoons! Here are the supplies you’ll need…
This set of spoons {below} says, “I scream, You scream, We all scream, For ice cream”. How fun is that?!
Or how about a fun spoon for your morning coffee or tea? The one below says ‘Hello gorgeous” I like to wake up to a sweet sentiment, don’t you?
Yesterday I taught hand-stamping spoons on the D Living morning show in Dallas. I was so nervous, but it was a ton of fun! The hosts Kimberly and Hilary were so sweet. My nieces and sister-in-law came to cheer me on. Click here {or below} to watch the segment.
homemade easter egg nests
March 19th | DIY, food & goodies
Last year we made these adorable homemade easter egg nests.
They’re kind of like rice krisy treats, but using rice noodles instead of rice krispys.
And they’re cute and pretty yummy too. I’m starting to gather a few fun things for the boys’ easter baskets and thinking about what they’ll wear to church. Are you thinking about Easter yet?
DIY vintage framed chalkboards
March 14th | decorating, DIY
Have I ever mentioned how much I love scouring thrift stores for hidden treasures? I love taking ordinary finds and making them beautiful. Lately I’ve been on the hunt for vintage thermoses {to use as vases} and old rugs. One of my favorite things to reinvent is to take old frames and turn them into chalkboards. Chalkboards are perfect for doodling and making lists–I’ve got them around my home and in the workshop. Here’s a few steps to creating your own vintage framed chalkboard.
First things first, choose a frame. It can be literally anything– a framed mirror, picture frame, or even just a piece of wood. I often stumble across a beautifully dinged up frame when thrifting and pick it up, so I may or may not have a collection going. {don’t look in my garage, ok?!} Today I’m going to use a backless teal frame. I usually paint the frame, but I liked the vintage feel of this frame so I’m leaving it be.
I found my chalkboard paint for $10 at the Home Depot, but it can be made at home as well. Since my frame had no back, I found a large piece of cardboard from my workshop and cut it using a razor & the frame for the dimensions. Be careful to not cut too small. A piece of wood works well too.
After you’ve cut out your surface, it’s time to paint! Make sure the paint is well-stirred & apply a few layers to get a nice solid coating.
Time to attach your painted surface to the frame. I simply used a stapler, but a hot glue gun or small nails will do the job just as well. The cardboard will be a little bent from the paint, so make sure you use something secure to hold it in place. You can also have plywood cut to fit your frame for a sturdier surface.
Easy, peasy, right?! Time to get creative with some fun chalk colors.
Yay! This one is hanging up in the workshop now.
Here are some of the ways I have used chalkboards to inspire me both at home and at the workshop:
Sarah from our customer care team has these chalkboards hanging around her gorgeous home. So inspiring!
And here are some from the workshop:
Chalkboards are awesome and they make the atmosphere of a room more fun. And yes, those goldfish in the background are for snacking on. Inspiration makes me hungry, how about you?
light painting
January 4th | DIY, photography
On New Year’s Eve we spent a {very} little bit of time outside doing some light painting. It was so fun but it was also freeeezing outside and everyone wanted to be inside under a cozy blanket, watching a movie.
To get set up, I used my Nikon SLR, a tripod, and a flashlight. Find a dark room or, like us, an outside spot that’s dark.
I set my camera’s ISO to 200 and turned off the autofocus. The shutter speed was super slow, which gives the subject plenty of time to draw with the flashlight while the camera captures it. To capture the word ‘love’ I covered the flashlight between letters to keep it more crisp.
So fun, right?! Don’t you want to try it??
