DIY giant cross-stitch on a canvas

I learned how to cross-stitch in my preteens. I didn’t stick with it for long because I found it tedious. My mind wandered out of boredom, and soon I’d discover that I’d made a mistake five stitches back, and I’d have to pull it out and start again.

And the cutesy-folksy cross-stitch […]

2021-07-10T11:53:13-07:00July 6, 2021|

DIY advent calendar with tins & handmade ornaments

I know, I’m late. An advent calendar on December 9? This project took way longer than I anticipated. Just drawing my designs by hand and editing them on the computer took weeks. I probably should start Christmas crafts in June next year. But I’m glad I stuck with it. My husband […]

2021-02-24T16:10:08-08:00December 10, 2020|

DIY Lazy Susan = sunburst mirror

When I originally made this, sunburst mirrors from the 1960s-1970s were making a comeback in a big way, and I’ve yet to see their popularity fade. Sunburst mirrors are ubiquitous, and rightly so. They’re usually gold or silver, pricey, and generally designed to make a big statement on a wall.

This one […]

2021-03-05T02:41:42-08:00September 29, 2020|

Mail sorter & key holder makeover

I bought this mail sorter on clearance at Target a couple years ago. It’s seen better days, and it’s not exactly the look I go for anymore. To quote my sister, it’s “really ugly.” So I gave it a makeover. A little paint, two label holders, and three cup hooks […]

2021-03-05T02:39:20-08:00September 21, 2020|

DIY Lazy Susan = two wooden clocks

I wanted a big, bold clock to make a statement on my wall, but I couldn’t find anything like what I imagined, so I made my own. I started with a $7 Snudda Lazy Susan from Ikea (now $13). And — surprise — I got two clocks […]

2021-03-05T02:40:45-08:00September 3, 2020|

DIY navy blue feature wall

Whenever people tell me they love painting, I’m suspicious. If you do the job right (protect the floor, clean and prep the walls, tape off moldings and edges, and start with primer), painting is anything but fun. And that doesn’t even count cleanup. But it’s worth the hassle because paint (or […]

2021-01-31T01:54:43-08:00February 1, 2014|

Painting my house

To say that choosing paint colors was difficult for me would be an understatement. Each color looked completely different depending on lighting, which I found to be extremely frustrating — especially now that days are short and sunlight is limited.

Two months, 22 paint samples, and multiple splotchy walls later, I finally […]

2021-03-07T17:24:42-08:00November 15, 2013|

Plain bookshelf = DIY fancy china cabinet

This small unfinished pine bookshelf was shuffled from room to room. I planned to paint it, but never did. I was on the verge of kicking it to the curb. (This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a small commission. You can […]

2021-03-05T02:16:27-08:00October 16, 2012|

Chandelier makeover: the tutorial

My apologies to everyone who has been waiting since last summer’s blog post for me to share this chandelier tutorial! Life got in the way and delayed my ability to pass on this information. First there was girls camp, and then I got a new job, and […]

2021-01-31T05:54:03-08:00August 6, 2012|

Paint colors & tips from the pros + a giveaway

Remember last year when I mentioned that I would share my brother Troy’s painting tips? Well, now is as good a time as any to follow through — especially because Sherwin-Williams has proclaimed this National Painting Week.

All this week Sherwin-Williams is offering […]

2021-02-10T21:37:18-08:00April 19, 2012|

DIY painted lampshade + finial

You probably remember this lamp. Its first makeover was four years ago. Frankly, the fabric-covered lamp shade was a disappointment, and brass just wasn’t my thing. I still loved the white lamp base itself, so I decided to spray paint the brass base, rewire the lamp with nickel-plated hardware, and […]

2021-01-31T02:11:54-08:00March 15, 2012|

DIY recycled Christmas card advent calendar

Remember when I told you three years ago that I was going to make an advent calendar the same way I made my hanging postcard collage? Well, I finally did it! Apologies for posting so late in the season. You probably already made or bought an advent calendar this year. […]

2021-01-31T02:12:29-08:00November 30, 2011|

Carol’s DIY decoupage plates

Last week, I blogged about Carol Endler Sterbenz’s new book Homemade: The Heart and Science of Handcrafts. This week, I’m honored to welcome Carol as a guest nester! This decoupage plate tutorial is just one of the many fabulous projects in her book. Carol writes, “Of all the […]

2021-02-25T16:31:53-08:00November 9, 2011|

Craftiness with X-Acto knives + a giveaway

I have been using standard X-Acto knives for decades, but X-Acto sent me a few of their latest craft knives, and I like them even better. Especially the fat pink Designer Series #11 craft knife in the photo above. In exchange, they asked me to […]

2021-02-22T23:39:45-08:00October 29, 2011|

Book reviews: DIY Kitchens and 100+ Paint Projects + a giveaway

I have always been a fan of Better Homes & Gardens’ Do-It-Yourself magazine, so when I heard about two of their new books, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them. Do It Yourself Kitchens: Stunning Spaces on a Shoestring Budget and

2021-03-24T10:41:57-07:00October 14, 2011|

Camp craft: painting birdhouses

I learned my lesson last year at girls camp. I spent the entire week teaching step-by-step instructions for most of the crafts, which left me exhausted and sick of my own voice. So this year I chose a few crafts that didn’t require constant instruction from me. Birdhouses was one […]

2020-11-24T07:46:25-08:00August 18, 2011|

DIY dining room makeover: the after + a giveaway

American Express asked me to make over a social space using merchandise available through Membership Rewards points. I chose to make over my dining room. Deciding what to buy with 150,000 Membership Rewards points and dozens of fabulous merchants to choose from was a challenge. […]

2021-03-24T10:57:21-07:00June 20, 2011|

Dining room makeover: the chandelier

I am happy to report that most of the work is done on my dining room makeover that American Express generously sponsored. Unfortunately, however, I ran into a few snags. The dishes I ordered using my Membership Rewards points arrived broken, and […]

2020-09-29T07:00:24-07:00June 8, 2011|

DIY dining room makeover: the plan

Wow. I should ask for your input more often. You gals shared some great ideas! I didn’t think it was possible, but you changed my mind about some of my original ideas for this dining room makeover sponsored by American Express. After […]

2021-03-23T20:12:19-07:00May 31, 2011|

DIY studded tile mirror

I have a history with tile mirrors. The house in which I grew up had a rustic fireplace with 1970s tile mirrors glued to the wall above it. Painted in the center of the grouping of mirrors was a tall ship. It had a face. I swear I could see eyes […]

2021-02-21T22:53:26-08:00May 6, 2011|

Home decor & lighting tips

My Sylvania room makeover taught me a few things about the difficulties of turning one small room into a multi-functional space that serves as a craft room, an office, and a guest room. I wanted to share what I learned with you. Here are my top five small-space […]

2021-03-22T22:04:48-07:00April 12, 2011|

Sylvania DIY room-makeover challenge: the after

This is the first whole-room makeover I have attempted on Crafty Nest. What an undertaking! I had been planning to make over my office/guest/craft room for some time. The makeover involved a ton of DIY — which is definitely why I had procrastinated the job. Then Sylvania […]

2021-02-18T23:15:22-08:00April 11, 2011|

DIY red doily matchbox

When I discovered that my matchbooks fit perfectly into this old unfinished cigar box, I knew it was a DIY matchbox in the making. I wanted to step up the fancy in a subtle way, so I could leave the dingy box out in plain site. I like showing off doilies […]

2021-01-31T05:54:43-08:00January 24, 2011|

Plastic wardrobe = spray-painting tent

Check out my new spray-painting “tent.” I don’t have a garage, and I don’t like to spray paint inside my apartment. Spray painting outside is also problematic because of the lovely ocean breezes. Then I found a plastic wardrobe discarded on the side of the road. It […]

2020-10-06T08:36:57-07:00November 15, 2010|

DIY frame within a frame

I adore this “bird cage” illustration by Emma SanCartier. And I wanted to make this small piece of art stand out. I could have mounted it in an up-sized frame with generous matting. I decided to make a frame-within-a-frame instead, mostly because I already had all the […]

2021-01-31T05:55:17-08:00November 11, 2010|

Abby’s DIY wallpapered dressing table

Introducing a new guest nester! Australian Abby Matthews used to blog about the things that inspire her at Two Little Dicky Birds. Abby’s remake of this tired, chipped pine dressing table reminds me of my wallpapered cart, but she used an entirely different (and better?) process, so […]

2021-01-31T06:01:20-08:00March 31, 2010|

DIY salvaged patchwork bulletin board

Whenever I speak to my dad on the phone, he always asks, “Miss me?” This past month I’ve been getting concerned emails, so apparently some of you missed me — or at least my weekly blog posts. I’ve missed you too. I think I just needed a break. But I’m happy […]

2021-01-31T06:01:59-08:00March 16, 2010|

DIY giant craft-stick snowflakes

I could hardly wait to show you this Popsicle stick craft! These snowflakes are fun, easy, and so inexpensive to make. The smallest snowflake is 12 inches across; the largest is 24 inches. I had some rhinestones left over from my Christmas tree advent calendar, so I glued some at the […]

2021-01-31T06:03:00-08:00December 8, 2009|

DIY craft-stick Christmas tree advent calendar with “origami” boxes

I was given a box of 1,000 craft sticks, and I had no idea what to do with them. I wasn’t about to start building 1980s Popsicle stick jewelry boxes. I eventually came up with some Christmas ideas. This is my first craft stick project. Click here for my giant […]

2021-01-31T06:04:19-08:00December 1, 2009|

Window frame + free botanical illustrations = DIY art

I know: Monica, you need to get your seasons straight, right? I’m celebrating Spring in November because I couldn’t wait four months to share these beauties. Besides, red and green makes it almost Christmasy. You might recognize this window. Earlier this year, I filled each window pane with

2021-02-13T23:00:49-08:00November 20, 2009|

Maria’s DIY table, frames, vase & votives redo

Our new guest nester, Maria Romvari, transformed this corner of her house for her Hungarian blog A Hoover-gáton is túl, and she’s sharing her tutorial with us! Maria used ordinary thrift store items — side table, vase, and mismatched frames — totaling $10.67 to create this stunning vignette. […]

2021-03-26T13:13:25-07:00October 23, 2009|

Sunburst mirror revamp

What a difference a little color makes! I decided my white sunburst mirror that I made in 2007 was a little boring. It only looked good from an angle, where the shadows would emphasize the shapes. Straight on, it looked more like a plain white circle. So I […]

2021-03-25T09:12:54-07:00October 7, 2009|

DIY mini framed magnetic board

What can I make with an old picture frame that’s missing glass, a free fabric sample from FabMo, and an 8- x 10-inch LoRan magnet board that my friend Chris gave me? Another friend, Kristi, had an idea: a mini magnetic board.

If you add a […]

2021-03-26T19:22:47-07:00September 30, 2009|

DIY silver stenciled library side table

I love metallic-finish furniture, and I thought this little library table was the ideal piece to try my own metallic finish. I bought the table on Craigslist last year for $15. I adored its cute shape, but it needed lots of repairs. I pulled 21 (mostly bent) […]

2021-01-31T06:05:31-08:00September 10, 2009|

DIY salvaged wood pencil & pen caddy

I had a scrap 4×4 piece of wood sitting around and decided to put it to use. Drilling the holes in this desk caddy was a bit harder than it looks. This was my third try. It made me wish for a drill press. But, if you have a steady hand […]

2021-03-25T15:40:38-07:00August 28, 2009|

Outdoor bistro table & café chairs DIY makeover

I picked up this table curbside last year. The wooden top was weathered, cracked, and warped, and the base was rusted but sturdy. Then I found these French café chairs at Ikea, a replacement tabletop at The Home Depot, and exterior paint on

2021-03-26T17:03:10-07:00August 21, 2009|

3 Ikea mini chests = DIY paper organizer

I told you I had a plan for the Ikea Fira mini chests that were leftover from my DIY rolling toolbox. I had a plethora of printer paper and envelopes and nowhere to store it all. The solution: stack three mini chests together, add molding, casters, and paint […]

2021-02-22T04:36:20-08:00August 7, 2009|

DIY crafting tool station with wall organizer

This project is what Elizabeth would call “finding crap on the curb and making something fabulous.” I found this mint-green wooden railing (from a crib?) in a pile of debris. Add some galvanized wall-pocket planters (on clearance at Joann for $1.50 each), a […]

2021-01-31T06:05:43-08:00July 31, 2009|

Old dresser = DIY rolling tool chest

I outgrew my toolbox end tables, but I refused to pay hundreds of dollars for one of those ugly, manly Craftsman tool chests. And the gorgeous white ones are even more expensive. This chest of drawers cost me $10 on

2021-01-31T06:05:51-08:00July 29, 2009|

DIY rewired & painted table lamp with matching finial

My friend Julie Chai, garden editor at Sunset magazine, gave me this lamp base as a project. (Watch Julie teach you how to make your own compost bin here.) Southwest isn’t my style, plus it had rusty hardware and a tattered, taped cord. As soon […]

2021-02-17T06:36:46-08:00July 15, 2009|

Plant stand + Lazy Susan = DIY mini side table

I decided to try a different take on the tray table I made nearly a year ago. This time, it would have a more practical permanent top. Plus, it’s an ideal opportunity to use more of my furniture nails, which I love, and some fabulous lime green spray paint. […]

2021-01-31T06:06:16-08:00June 24, 2009|

DIY starburst mirror

I am sorry for the suspense regarding my toolbox dresser project. I haven’t made much progress on it yet. In the meantime, I decided to make a starburst mirror. This project was a cinch because I learned from the mistakes I made on my sunburst mirror. The basic […]

2021-01-31T06:06:23-08:00June 17, 2009|

Thrift-store spice rack = DIY bead storage rack

My first project on Crafty Nest was a spice rack. So it’s fitting that, nearly a year later, I work on another one. I bought this old Spice Islands rack at a thrift store for $3.50. After dumping out the ancient spices, soaking off what […]

2021-02-24T01:29:02-08:00June 10, 2009|

Salvaged window = DIY wallpaper frames

First rule in government spending: Why build one when you can have two at twice the price?” Any guesses what movie that line is from? (Answer at the end of this post.) I loved these salvaged window frames so much, I bought both of them. This one was […]

2021-02-13T23:03:10-08:00June 3, 2009|

Ugly plastic mirror = DIY bulletin board

One of my friends referred to this as the “ugly mirror.” Another friend said, “Whatever you paid for it, you paid too much.” I get more excited about a project when I hear comments like that because I think, “Just wait till they see what I do with it. Mwahaha!” For […]

2021-01-31T06:07:37-08:00May 6, 2009|

DIY Van Gogh painting on a wine bottle

I am not an artist, so please excuse my painting skills. During my undergrad, one of my color class assignments was to copy an impressionistic painting on a wine bottle. It was the perfect assignment for a novice painter such as me. On a wine bottle, you can’t see the entire […]

2021-01-31T06:08:12-08:00April 9, 2009|

DIY wallpapered serving cart

I bought this trolley for a steal on Craigslist. You may have seen it before with my salvaged window-frame mirror. You can’t tell in the photo, but it’s banged up and rickety from years of use. My friend Peter added some reinforcement to make the […]

2021-01-31T06:08:22-08:00April 8, 2009|

Reclaimed dining chairs DIY makeover

I found these chairs curbside with a “free” sign taped to them. They have a nice shape but suffer from two problems: a shoddy paint job and cracked seats. I knew I could fix both issues. I wasn’t settled on the how part until I saw what Melissa did to her […]

2021-01-31T06:08:43-08:00April 1, 2009|

DIY decorated canvas tote bags

My apologies if you had difficulty with my site this week. I tried something that didn’t work. It’s back to the old design until I work out the kinks. While I do that, I thought I’d post a project from two years ago. I bought a bunch of

2021-01-31T06:10:20-08:00February 25, 2009|

Thrift-store candle sconce makeover

I admit these thrift-store plastic sconces look pretty good in the before photo. But trust me, they looked dated and icky on the wall. Plus they’re broken. Luckily the pieces were broken off symmetrically, so you can’t tell after a fresh coat of paint is applied. I’m tickled that

2021-01-31T06:10:55-08:00February 4, 2009|

DIY mod tissue box cover

I’m fed up with ugly tissue boxes. Even the semi-cool ones never match my decor. I used to buy the white tissue boxes from Target, but they discontinued them. So I took matters into my own hands. I found this wooden tissue box cover at a thrift store for a couple […]

2021-02-08T08:41:37-08:00January 28, 2009|

Heika’s DIY stenciled wall

The last tutorial that Heika is sharing with us is how she painted an intricate handmade stencil on her daughter’s bedroom walls. She writes, “This project was quite time-consuming, but the final product was worth all of the work. I made this stencil the same way I did […]

2021-03-10T04:26:02-08:00January 22, 2009|

Heika’s DIY stenciled dresser

Our newest guest nester Heika DeHart shared photos of her daughter’s bedroom, which was full of decor that Heika handmade herself, including this beautifully stenciled dresser. Now she’s sharing her step-by-step instructions for how she transformed the lackluster chest of drawers.

Heika bought the dresser at a university auction […]

2021-02-19T07:56:57-08:00January 22, 2009|

Heika’s DIY little girl’s bedroom

My new friend Heika DeHart shared these images of her daughter Aspen’s adorable bedroom. Nearly every decoration in the room was created from scratch by Heika herself. My favorite project is the stunning dresser. I loved the result so much, I asked her to share her instructions with all of us. […]

2021-02-19T09:10:08-08:00January 21, 2009|

Easy DIY shoebox shelves

Closet cleaning isn’t a flashy subject, but I can’t help it: I’m in full organization mode. I blame the new year. I simplified this closet by chucking old clothes and sticking with just three types of hangers: wood, padded, and skirt hangers (the latter two are on the left side of […]

2021-03-08T23:44:37-08:00January 7, 2009|

Salvaged cupboard door = DIY serving tray

I noticed this stash of cupboard doors at my local salvage yard. The white one was the perfect size to make a serving tray. The old drawer pulls — also found at the salvage yard — made ideal handles. Their swirly shape gave me the inspiration for the pattern I painted. […]

2021-01-31T06:13:25-08:00December 17, 2008|

Salvaged drawers = DIY modular bookcase

I picked up these drawers on Freecycle. They were salvaged from the kitchen of a 1940s house that was demolished. My original plan was to put the drawers on wheels and use them as under-bed storage. Turns out, no two drawers are the same height, which would look […]

2021-01-31T06:13:44-08:00December 3, 2008|

DIY faux-frosted glass doors

I got this idea from the plastic adhesive window coverings that Sarah Gaffney used in Sunset magazine’s 2008 Menlo Park Idea House. The window coverings (see below) from British designer Emma Jeffs are sold by Design Public. Sarah wrote […]

2021-01-31T06:14:01-08:00November 26, 2008|

Bookshelf makeover

Kelly and Sarah, two former Sunset magazine coworkers, planned to use this shabby bookshelf in Sunset’s Menlo Park Idea House last summer. After removing the doors, which were in a dire state of disrepair, they painted it. Paint: Benjamin Moore Aura Steam (AF-15) and Caliente (AF-290). Then they decided […]

2020-10-07T05:41:26-07:00November 19, 2008|

DIY mini magnetic picture frames

Instead of chucking these old mismatched frames that I accumulated from thrift stores, I painted them all the same color, attached magnets, and gave them a whole new life. If only I could give this 1980s fridge a new life — in the junkyard. But because I’m renting my apartment, I’m […]

2021-02-09T09:48:00-08:00October 8, 2008|

Sofa table = DIY piano keyboard stand

A few years ago, I achieved my dream of owning a Yamaha DX7 keyboard, the synthesizer behind that bell-quality sound of 80s pop music. But, I couldn’t just plop it on top of any keyboard stand. A former roommate gave me an old piano bench, and I found an unfinished […]

2021-01-31T06:15:33-08:00October 1, 2008|

DIY painted mirror

Ever since I saw it hanging on Vanessa’s wall in a photo of her home, I adored Ikea’s plastic Ung Drill picture frame ($25), but the cost of replacing the glass with an oval mirror was prohibitively expensive. Then I found this carved […]

2021-01-31T06:16:56-08:00August 20, 2008|

Plant stand = DIY tray table

I’ve seen many tray tables on the market recently. You know, the side tables with removable trays. They inspired me to make my own. My neighbor gave me this rusty old plant stand, and I knew it could make a perfect base for my round metal tray. All it took was […]

2021-01-31T06:17:06-08:00August 13, 2008|

DIY bulletin board with shutters

I found these shutters at a salvage yard. I loved their shape, but couldn’t decide what to do with them. Then it occurred to me that shutters were the perfect way to cover a bulletin board (which can look messy). It hangs right inside my entry — a great place for […]

2021-01-31T06:17:15-08:00August 6, 2008|

DIY fabric-covered lampshade & ball finial

I got this lamp for free from two sweet ladies on Craigslist. I love the base, but the shade had seen better days. I couldn’t find the perfect replacement, so I made my own. And I’ve been obsessed with round finials — which can be pricey. I […]

2021-02-16T23:31:42-08:00July 30, 2008|

My great grandmother’s doilies in thrift-store frames

My great-grandmother lived to be 93. And she loved to tat. She made me and my siblings dozens of doilies, collars, and hankies over the years. Her tatted doilies are so beautiful that I hated to see them packed away in a box in my closet. But I wasn’t about to […]

2021-01-30T20:58:30-08:00July 23, 2008|

DIY furniture-nail clock with strap

This is the easiest project I’ve attempted yet. It all started with an Ikea plant glide and furniture nails (which come in myriad colors and sizes). This clock is full of possibility. You could also glue on numbers or wood pieces, apply chalkboard paint,

2021-02-27T23:12:41-08:00July 16, 2008|

DIY odds & ends rack

Everyone knows necessity is the mother of invention. But, I’m here to say that mistakes can also be the mother of invention. My first spice rack attempt did not go so well. I used an old sketch and didn’t double-check the measurements. Consequently, the rack was too small to hold […]

2021-01-31T06:18:09-08:00July 2, 2008|

DIY spice rack

My old spice rack wasn’t cutting it. It only held 12 tins. I’m not a prolific cook, but even I quickly outgrew it. Still, I needed a compact storage solution because I share a small kitchen with my roommate, and countertop space is limited. I couldn’t find a spice rack to […]

2021-01-31T06:18:17-08:00June 25, 2008|
Go to Top