DIY woven wine-cork trivet with loop hanger

Ten years ago, I made a bath mat out of wine corks. It took 175 corks, but I still had tons of them left over. No, I didn’t drink a ton of wine. In fact, I don’t drink alcohol at all. I gathered them from

2021-03-03T00:49:57-08:00January 5, 2021|

Carpet samples = DIY Easter placemats

This stack of carpet samples has been hanging around my apartment for three years. I picked them up for free on Craigslist. My original plan was to let the girls at camp paint them to make fun prayer rugs. The problem was that cheap craft paint […]

2021-01-31T02:10:13-08:00March 30, 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|

DIY bamboo orb pendant lights

Apologies for my long absence. A month ago I landed a full-time job (gotta pay the bills) along with a 3-hour round-trip commute. Ugh. It’s left little time for crafting. Not to worry, I’m still going to keep blogging, but it might be on a more infrequent basis. For now, it […]

2021-01-31T05:52:24-08:00September 25, 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|

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|

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 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|

Salvaged window = DIY shadowbox frame

Why anyone would paint over window panes is beyond me. But that’s exactly what someone did to this window that I bought at a salvage yard for $20. It took a couple hours to scrape away all the stray paint and caulking, but the effort was totally worth it, considering I […]

2021-02-24T00:25:51-08:00September 24, 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|

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|

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|

2 salvaged drawers = 1 rustic DIY shadowbox

Two drawers were left over from my modular bookcase project. I didn’t think they’d be useful for anything but firewood. But upon closer inspection, I began to appreciate the aged beauty of the wood — even the smattering of white paint. Combining the drawers into one shadowbox — […]

2021-02-17T09:01:05-08:00April 15, 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|

Salvaged window frame = DIY mirror

I saw this interior window frame at a salvage yard and coveted it for a few months before finally buying it. Instead of the opaque Plexiglass it came with, I inserted mirrors. I love mirrors because they can make a small space feel airy and bright. This one offers an added […]

2021-01-31T06:12:29-08:00January 14, 2009|

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 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|
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