Upcycling DIY home decor, woodworking and Crafts
It amazes me that I have yet to curate my favorite Sharpie projects! With all of the 50+ round-ups I have brought to you, seems like I would have covered this by now. You will be blown away at the beautiful DIY home decor projects you can make with these popular markers, and there are loads of handmade gift ideas just in time for the holidays.
A creative friend introduced me to gelli printing, and I am hooked. I think you will be too! Today I will show you how to use leaves from your yard and die cut leaves to create beautiful one of a kind fall art prints. Use gelli printing for your art journal and mixed media backgrounds, for handmade greeting cards or frame them for instant art!
Gelli Printing Plate; I purchase this 8×10 inch plate (*this is my Amazon affiliate link)
Brayer
Acrylic Paints in fall reds, oranges and yellows; I used DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics
White Card Stock 8.5 x 11 inches
Rubber Stamps, bubble wrap or other texture materials
Leaves from outside
Die cut leaves
Drip paint in yellow, orange and red as shown. It doesn’t take much paint to cover the gelli plate.
Use the brayer to spread the paint over the gelli plate.
Create texture in the wet paint with bubble wrap, stamps, combs, etc.
Place the real leaves or die cut leaves over the texture you just made. Now you are ready to lift your first print!
Place the white card stock over the gelli plate and smooth out with hands, ensuring contact all over the card stock.
After lifting the first print, and removing the leaves, you are left with this, which creates a cool second print.
The left is the first print and the right is the second print after removing the leaves.
Here I followed the above steps, but used leaves I die cut from cardstock with the Sizzix Tattered Leaves Die instead of real leaves.
I love this technique, and the DecoArt Media Fluid Acrylics are great to use for it. I tried a few other paints, but got blurred lines with the leaf outlines. I am excited to do more gelli prints!
My sweet friend Jordan came over to learn how to build, and we started with this simple DIY Coat Rack from Shanty 2 Chic. I love when people have an interest in learning how to work with power tools, especially women. It is so much easier than most would think, and there is not much more fulfilling than creating your own beautiful pieces from a pile of wood. We followed Ashley’s steps, substituting pallet wood everywhere except for the 4×4 and the furniture foot on top of the coat rack. That made this project super cheap, and Jordan mastered the Kreg Jig, compound mitre saw, drill and air nailer! I think she is addicted, just like I was after My First Woodworking Build.
Here are the pallet wood legs that attach perpendicular to the bottom of the 4×4.
I was so glad the Shanty 2 Chic instructions suggested to make a line around the bottom of the 4×4 using the width of 1×3 scraps attached to the underside of the legs. This made attaching the legs to the 4×4 super simple. Jordan used the Ryobi Air Strike cordless nailer to attach the pallet scrap “feet” to the underside of the legs. This tool makes building way faster and easier!
Jordan attached the legs to the 4×4 using pocket holes she created with the Kreg jig, just like Ashley did in the Shanty 2 Chic tutorial. To attach the angled supports, she used the Ryobi Nailer again.
To finish up, I cut a square from pallet wood and drilled a hole in the middle of it, using a bit just smaller than the diameter of the rebar on the furniture foot I picked up at Lowes. (Jordan had to take off for an appointment, so I finished up the project that took just a couple of hours start to finish).
I applied Minwax Wood Conditioner, followed by Rustoleum Wood Stain in Mineral Green. Since I used wood that was different to start (the purchased, unfinished 4×4 and the weathered pallet wood), the stain took differently. To unify the piece, I went over the stain in aging wax by Plaid.
Once that dried, I placed the furniture foot in place on top, and added 4 hooks purchased from Lowes.
The piece stayed at my home for a few days before I took it to Jordan. I got attached. That is why I am no building my own! It is a perk of creating with others… this isn’t a piece I would have thought of for my space, and now I must have it. Thanks Jordan!
Sweaters, pumpkins, orange, leaves, hay rides, these things make me happy. That is why fall is my favorite time of year. I couldn’t resist the urge to search out and share over 50 of the best pumpkin recipes out there. If you have a favorite fall pumpkin recipe that I missed, leave a link in the comments after this post and I will add it to the collection. Enjoy!
Now that I have your attention with a seriously adorable puppy and his one blue eye, I would like to show you how to make this chicken wire reclaimed wood graphic centerpiece! This piece definitely evolved as it was being made. My friend came over to see if we could come up with a centerpiece for her square kitchen table, and we started at my wood pile. We ripped some chippy painted trim, and added it to some pallet wood and wire. We thought we were finished there, but had the idea to visit The Graphics Fairy where we found the perfect vintage spoon and fork images to transfer onto the pallet wood sides. The result is just what she had in mind, and now I want to make one for myself!
Scrap wood (we used wood pallets and old trim)
Chicken Wire
Ryobi Air Nailer
1 inch brad nails
Kreg jig
1 inch Kreg Screws
Wood Glue
White Tissue Paper
Mod Podge Matte
Printer (laser jet or ink jet printer are fine)
Card stock
Painter’s Tape
Mitre Saw
Drill
Metal Snips
We knew we wanted a square crate. Starting with the bottom, we used two 5.5 inch wide pieces of pallet wood that we cut to 11 inches long with the mitre saw.
We attached the pieces together with the Kreg Jig Pocket Hole System and 1 inch screws (I showed you how to use that here: How to Use a Kreg Jig). The blue circles show the Kreg pocket holes.
We cut two pallet wood sides to 11 inches and attached them with pocket holes and .75 inch screws since the pallet wood sides were to thin for 1 inch screws.
Next we lined up the trim pieces we had ripped and marked them, cutting them with the mitre saw to the appropriate length.
Next we cut the chicken wire with aviation snips to fit the sides of the crate. We attached the chippy painted trim piece over the chicken wire to hold it in place.
We thought we were finished, but then Victoria had the great idea of adding the chippy trim to the pallet wood sides where the arrows are in the photo.
We cut the trim to fit and nailed it into place with the Ryobi nailer. This is what we were left with at that point. I decided the wood area at the arrow and the side opposite it were perfect for graphics. We chose the vintage spoon and fork graphics linked in the first paragraph and used the tissue paper image transfer technique I showed you here: DIY Image Transfer Recycled Glass Bottles.
Not bad for a couple of hours and $0 spent!
Paint storage is an issue in my new craft space. Bookshelves are not a great solution since they are so deep and tall. I like to be able to see my paints for inspiration, and to get to the colors I need easily. I decided to make my own shelves that are shallow and closely spaced so that I could fit as many as possible in the allotted area. This was a quick and easy project, made with reclaimed wood I had on hand, so I spent zero dollars.
Reclaimed wood cut to length and width you want your shelves
Shims cut from 2x wood, the same length as the shelves (mine are 24 inches), 1/4 inch thick
2 1/2 inch Kreg Screws Kreg Jig
Ryobi Air Nailer
Wood Glue
Leveler
Stud Finder
Pencil
Tape Measurer
Straight Edge
Cut shelves to 24 inches. I used tongue and groove boards that I had on hand and ripped to 3.5 inches to fit my 3.25 inch paint jars. I cut the groove edge off when I ripped them, so that the tongue edge would create a lip for the wood shims to sit on as the front of the shelf in a later step.
Find studs and mark shelf boards in 2 spots where you will create pocket holes with Kreg Jig. Create pocket holes like I showed you here: How to use a Kreg Jig. I decided to stagger my shelves, so I created pocket holes four inches from each end on half of my shelves and on the other half, 1 inch from one end and 7 inches from the other end.
Use tape measurer and straight edge to draw lines on the wall where your shelves will go. I spaced my shelves 5.75 inches apart. Use 2.5 inch Kreg Screws to attache shelves into studs on your marked lines. After placing the first screw, use leveler to level shelf, then place second screw in the other stud.
Add wood glue to the tongue lip and place wood shim, creating front of shelf. Nail shim into place with 1 inch brads in air nailer.
Attach all shelves and place paint!
So easy, and free, this paint storage solution is tops!
What do you think? How do you stay organized in your creative space?
What kind of DIY blogger am I, with my dogs sleeping on a pillow tossed on the floor? I know. That is why I thought a striped doggie bunk bed made from shipping pallets would be perfect for the “Get It, Got It, Go” Summer Blog Hop hosted by ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape and The Home Depot! This project is a wonderful upcycle that can be color customized to fit any decor, and requires beginner woodworking skills to achieve.
ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Multi-Surface with Advanced Edge-Lock™ Paint Line Protector 2093EL
Behr Marquee™ Paint in Costal Storm #MQ6-20, Recycled Glass #MQ6-18 and Aquifier #MQ6-8 colors
Wooster® Shortcut 2 in. Nylon/Polyester Angle Sash Brush
Shipping pallets
1/2 inch plywood sheets
Reciprocating saw with blade for cutting metal
1 1/4 inch Kreg® screws
2 inch wood screws
drop cloth or plastic painters tarp
Drill
Hammer
Crow bar
Table saw or circular saw
The first step in this, and any pallet wood project, is breaking down the pallets. My favorite method for this is cutting through the nails holding the wooden slats to the support beams with a reciprocating saw. Sometimes it is necessary to use the crow bar and hammer to create enough space for the reciprocating saw blade, then you just cut through the nails and free one board at a time.
Here is a quick video showing the pallet breakdown process:
To build the bottom bed, I cut two 35 inch pieces and two 28 inch pieces from the pallet wood for the sides. I picked these measurements based on the dimensions of the pillow I already had on hand. Using my Kreg® pocket hole system (I showed you how to use a Kreg® jig HERE), I attached the four sides together with 1 1/4 inch screws and wood glue. For the top “bunk”, I followed the same process, cutting two sides 20 inches and two sides 18 inches long.
To create floors for the beds, I placed the bed frames on a large piece of 1/2 inch plywood and used a marker to outline the inner edges of the frame onto the plywood. I cut along these lines using my table saw, for a floor that fit right inside each frame.
To attach the floors, I placed pocket holes every 5-6 inches around all four sides and screwed the floor into the frame with 1 1/4 inch pocket hole screws/wood glue.
After building the individual beds, it was time to join them. For this, I created three 2×2 poles by ripping a 2×4 with my table saw. Two of the poles I cut to 19.5 inches and one to 15 inches in length.
I attached the three poles to the bottom bed, using the top bed to guide placement. The shorter pole goes in the back right corner of the bottom bed, and the top bed rests on top of it (which will become clear in the next step). The two longer poles will go through the floor of the top bed, nestling up against the right front corner and back left corner of it. Once they were placed in the correct location on the bottom bed to fit where they needed to on the top one, I used wood glue and 2 inch wood screws to secure them in place. I placed clamps to hold everything in place until the glue was dry.
Once that dried, it was time to secure the top bunk in place. I needed to create holes in the floor at the right front and back left corners for the poles.
To do this, I took a scrap 2×2 and traced it where I wanted the holes to be.
I drilled a hole in the middle of the square I just traced, for the jigsaw blade.
Using the jigsaw, I cut out the square for the pole.
To finish the assembly, I just placed the top bed with the poles extending up from the bottom bed in their corresponding corners. The back right corner was secured in place with a 2 inch wood screw going through the floor of the top bed, into the top of the back right pole. The other two corners where the poles extended up through the floor were secured with 2 inch wood screws though the side of the top bed, into the poles.
Once the bed was built, I decided to paint randomly patterned stripes.
I placed the ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape and began painting with the first color. The paint coverage was great! I wanted a distressed look, so I used the dry brush technique with Wooster® Shortcut Brush.
Once the first color was dry, I taped again and repeated for the 2nd and 3rd colors. It was no problem to tape over the paint, but keep in mind that Delicate Tape is the recommended tape to use on freshly painted surfaces (24hrs).The lines were perfect, and the tape didn’t remove the paint when I taped over the stripes I had already added. There was no pattern in the colors, I just painted randomly.
For the top bunk, I dry brushed the entire bed in Aquifier.
I love it, and so do my boys! Way better than the pillow on the floor, right?!
I am proud to be a 3M, Behr®, and Wooster® – sponsored blogger, and, as part of my responsibilities, I get the opportunity to evaluate products. Opinions are my own and additional product used in the project were selected by me.
Find the products used for this project, and tons more inspiration at the following links:
The Home Depot Consumer Program
ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Facebook
ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Twitter
ScotchBlue™ Painter’s Tape Pinterest
320 Sycamore: Front Porch Project
Simply Designing: DIY Board & Batten
Brooklyn Limestone: Farmer’s Market Display Stand
Fave Crafts: DIY Aztec Planters
Domestic Imperfection: Rusty Metal Shed Makeover
Studio Pebbles: Faux Frame Modern Art
Whipperberry: BBQ Tool Storage
Dukes & Duchesses: Color Block Umbrella Table
HoneyBear Lane: Patriotic Lanterns
Uncommon Designs: Striped Workbench
Better After: Geometric State Art
I Heart Nap Time: Striped Hall & Gallery Wall
The Pinning Mama: Oversized Painted Wall Frame
Love of Family & Home: Grain Sack Table
The Girl Creative: DIY Lemonade Stand
I picked up some mums recently and decided they needed a planter. Using Ana White’s Cedar Planter For Less than $20 Free Plan, I made just a few adjustments and built this planter using pallet wood and 2×4 scraps I had on hand.
I just grabbed the cut list from Ana’s plan and hit my scrap wood pile to see if I could make things work without having to buy any wood. I happened to have 5 1/2 inch pallet wood to use in place of the 5 1/2 inch cedar planks. Perfect!
To make the 2×2 posts for the four legs, I ripped 2×4 scrap wood into 2×2 pieces. For the 1×2 horizontal supports, I had a few scraps of 1×2 on hand and ripped pallet wood for the rest.
The biggest change from Ana’s plan is that I cut the 2×2 legs to 23 inches instead of 23 3/3. I attached the legs flush with the top of each panel, and added a “frame” to the top of the planter with 1×3 scrap wood that I mitered to fit.
As for the finish, I am just going to leave as is and seal with Polyurethane. I love the various raw wood pieces.
What do you think? What are you building from pallets these days?
These three pumpkins were made entirely with materials I had on hand, which is always a plus! With my huge pile of wood pieces from previous building projects, I am pretty excited when I can use up some of the leftovers. I used my table saw to rip scrap 2×4 into what are essentially wood shims. You can do that, or use purchased wood shims or paint stirrers. Let’s go make some free pumpkins!
Plywood (i used 1/4 inch since that is what we had on hand, but you can use thicker)
2×4 scrap pieces and table saw or pre made wood shims or paint stirrers
Wood glue or construction adhesive
Sharpie
Jig saw
Ryobi Air Strike Cordless nailer
5/8 inch brads
Use a sharpie to draw pumpkin shapes on your plywood. I made three of varying heights and widths. You can print templates and transfer your design to the wood with transfer paper too. I just wanted rustic looking pumpkins so I went free hand.
To make the wood shims, I set the table saw guide to the thickness I wanted using a shim from another project.
Then I just cut my 2×4 scraps using that guide setting.
I cut out my pumpkin shapes from the plywood using my jig saw.
I placed each pumpkin on top of side by side wood shims and glued them into place with construction adhesive.
For added strength, I nailed each shim in two places with my cordless nailer and 5/8 inch brad nails.
I added weight to my pumpkins and let the glue dry overnight.
Once dry, I cut the excess wood shims off, using the plywood pumpkin as my jig saw guide.
To finish, I hot glued twigs to the back of the pumpkin for the stem!
I finally got my hands on the Cricut Giant Flowers Cartridge, and had myself a great time! There are tons of ways to use these paper flowers in decor. I opted to make this festive fall flower wreath.
Following the instructions that came with the cartridge, I made the Lotus, Zinnia and Rose in oranges and purple Core’dinations paper.
I wanted a flat wreath form, so I made one using cardboard. I do this a lot. Just find something round in the size you want your wreath, and trace it onto cardboard using a sharpie.
I like to cut two pieces of cardboard per wreath form and tape them together…
Once I made the wreath form, I began laying out my flowers until I had the wreath full. I glued the flowers into place with hot glue.
Before gluing the last flower into place, I added a loop of burlap ribbon for hanging the wreath.
Although it was simple, it did take some time. Now I have an eternal paper flower wreath! Totally worth it.
