You don’t see it, do you? Well, that’s kind of the point. The foam pad is white to match our white Ikea nightstands. Why, you ask? Let me give you the background.
I have a metal bottle of water on my nightstand every night so I can take a sip of water […]
My only bathroom is almost a hundred years old. The shower/tub combo is outfitted with square tiles, a unique sun mosiac, and antique, corroded fixtures (none of which are my taste, but remodeling the only bathroom in the house during the Covid shutdown is out of the question).
To […]
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 […]
In case you haven’t noticed, my day job has been eating up my blogging time for the last year and a half. So, I thought I’d share a little of my day job with you.
Recently, I took a business trip to Salt Lake City, Utah, and I stayed in a lovely […]
I tend to hoard craft supplies. Glue, duct tape, wood, carpet samples, lamp parts — you name it. I keep all of it neatly stored in labeled boxes and bins so I can access everything easily and often.
I’m also kind of anti plastic bins. Partly because they look cheap. Partly because […]
One of the comments I often see on blog posts describing particularly difficult or time-consuming DIY projects is something to the effect of “Why?”
For example, recently Raine@Bucilla asked in regard to my mini side table, “This is a cool idea, and very ingenious, but wouldn’t be easier and […]
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 […]
When I first picked up Homemade: The Heart and Science of Handcrafts
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 […]
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
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 […]
This tip was one of those aha! inspirations for me. Ever need a straight edge to measure and cut a large piece of fabric, cardboard, or paper? Forget cheap yardsticks (you’ll only slice slivers of wood off when cutting) or expensive T-squares (that for some reason are never really square) or […]
I am pleased to offer my first book review and giveaway here at Crafty Nest! And what a worthy title to start with: ReSew: Turn Thrift-Store Finds into Fabulous Designs
I am excited to share the news that I’m teaching my first craft workshops next spring at Sharon Art Studio in San Francisco! I’ll be teaching three classes in February/March. 1) Paper Lantern Making, 2) Duct Tape Wallets, Cases, and Bags, and 3) Fabric Flower Brooches. If […]
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 […]
As promised, here is my wish list inspired by Victoria magazine. Vintage bicycles, feminine hats, and luxurious toiletries were mainstays of Victoria. You could always find classic fashion and luggage too.
The magazine also hosted a few artists- and authors-in-residence. I’ve included works by two of them: a book […]
This post is a departure from my usual, but please bear with me. It’s dedicated to Mack Lundstrom, who taught me to write from the heart.
In a recent attempt at simplicity and minimalism, I’ve been cleaning out extraneous belongings that have cluttered up my apartment — and thus my life. But […]
In lieu of a project this week, I’m posting some photos I took during one of my walks around my neighborhood in Menlo Park, California. It was an idea inspired by sfgirlbybay. Instead of beautiful, transporting images (I’m not the photographer Victoria is), I shot items that […]
Sometimes the easiest decorating project can be gathering scattered items around your house that are similar and grouping them together to create a focal point. In this sparkly vignette, I mixed my mom’s antique oval mirror with a couple of large mirrors I found on Craigslist. For […]
I just had to share this: If you need to make a last-minute mend of a fallen hem or a temporary patch of a tear, reach for your first-aid kit. 3M Micropore first-aid tape works remarkably well in wardrobe mending emergencies. It even held through multiple washings […]
