Rain on a Tin Roof

Category: DIY Projects

Budget DIY projects to give your home a high-end custom look, but on a budget.

How to Install Nucore Flooring
Want to save money and install your own luxury vinyl flooring? That’s exactly what we did. This Nucore flooring installation guide will walk you through the process step-by-step.

YOU GUYS.

The 70’s Landing Pad is actually starting to not look like a construction zone.

Well, it’s starting to not look like a construction zone in the living room, dining room and hallway anyway.

After getting paint on the walls week before last, we’ve been putting down the new flooring in the hallway, living and dining rooms. This flooring will also go in the kitchen, stair landing and in the downstairs foyer as well, we just haven’t gotten that far yet. I’m finally moving past the point of “Oh my word, what have we gotten ourselves into?” to “Oh my word, it actually looks like a house and it’s pretty!” We still have quite a ways to go in the overall renovation, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel, y’all.

This post is sponsored by Floor & Decor, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

The flooring we are using for the kitchen, dining room, living room, hallway and all those other places where there’s going to be a lot of foot traffic is NuCore from Floor & Decor.

NuCore is an engineered floor that has a tough top layer of luxury vinyl adhered to a stable, rigid, and waterproof core. I’ll be the first to say there isn’t a thing about this flooring that looks cheap or even like vinyl – I’ll also admit I had my doubts in the beginning. I partnered with Floor & Decor on the flooring and after a slew of emails full of questions about NuCore between myself and Sarah from Floor & Decor, we finally opted to go with the NuCore Cocoa Oak Handscraped Planks.

One of my doubts was how easy installation was supposed to be. Word on the street was that it snapped together (tongue and groove), no glue or nailing required and it could go over most any existing floor, with the exception of carpet.

Word on the street was accurate.

How to Install NuCore Flooring

You’ll need:
- NuCore Flooring
- Speed Square
- Rubber Mallet
- Utility Knife (use new, sharp blades)
- Measuring Tape
- Jigsaw & Drill (Needed only for cutting around door frames and other odd edges.)
Step 1

Unlike hardwood, NuCore does not have to acclimate to your home’s temperature before being installed. You can start as soon as you get it.

You can install NuCore over most existing flooring. Carpet is an exception. If you want to put it where carpet currently is, you will need to remove the carpet first, which is what we had to do. Pull up any staples that are left from the carpet pad and remove any carpet tack strips.

For your first row, you will simply snap the short edges of the flooring together, which easily lock into one another. After finishing the first row, place a few pieces of the flooring vertically along the baseboard of the room. Put your first row flush against these pieces. This will keep your first few rows of flooring from sliding in the beginning.

Step 2

For the second row of flooring, you will snap the tongue and groove into each other.

Simply hold a piece of NuCore at a 45° angle and snap it into the piece in front of it.

Step 3

Use a rubber mallet to secure the joints.

You do want to make sure you stagger your joints as shown below.

You will have to cut pieces in order to do this sometimes and obviously you will have to cut pieces as you get to the end of rows. To cut NuCore, measure to determine what length you need, mark it on the plank, score it with a utility knife and snap it at the cut.

Super simple.

After installing all the flooring, you will want to trim out around the edges with quarter round molding to cover the small gap. If you have to go around door trim or jambs, you can cut the wood with a jigsaw. Mark where you need to cut, drill a small hole to get you started, then use the jigsaw to cut the flooring.

Grunt Labor and I made a quick video to show you how to install NuCore.
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”EmAIvJzB” upload-date=”Wed Jun 29 2016 14:23:39 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Rain on a Tin Roof – How to Install NuCore Flooring” description=”How to Install NuCore Flooring by Rain on a Tin Roof”]
It is really as simple as it looks. And when it’s installed, it looks just like hardwood. It’s gorgeous. I’m also pretty pumped about the fact that it’s waterproof, so that when the Circus doesn’t tell me she spilled her juice hours later, it won’t be that big of a deal. 🙂

UPDATE: I DID A REVIEW OF OUR NUCORE FLOORING ONE YEAR LATER. YOU CAN READ ABOUT IT HERE.

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January 26, 2016
DIY Agate Slice Lamp Finials
Y’all.

I’m kinda of really super duper especially excited about this project.

It was one of those where I cooked it up in my head and I was like OMG. THAT IS AN AWESOME IDEA, JENNA.

And then I was like. Wait. Will it really work?

And then I tried it.

And I was like OH. MY. STARS. IT REALLY DID WORK. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.

I really hope you can sense all this excitement I am feeling by my overuse of bolded capital letters.

You can also picture me with this face:

source

So in the whole realm of things, this is like a really small (literally) and simple project and I’m probably just over-reacting about it.

It’s the little things in life, y’all. Literally.

I made these.

DIY Agate Slice Lamp Finials

Well, not the agate itself, but I made them into finials. I think I would have to be God to make agates.

And the icing on the cake is that this is part of Stacy at Not Just a Housewife’s Styled X3 series. Stacy sent myself and Allison from Two-Thirty-Five Designs the same agate slices and she got some for herself as well. Today, all three of us are showing how we styled them. Cool concept, no?

Here’s how I made my agate slices into lamp finials…

Supplies:

Affiliate links may be contained in this post.
- - Small Agate Slices
- - Lamp Final Bases
- - E6000 Glue
- - Gold Acrylic Paint
- - Small Paintbrush
- - Small Bowl of Rice
- Mini Clamps (Super helpful, but not necessary)
Step 1:

Choose which agate slices to use. You want to try and use smaller-ish ones with either a pointed end somewhere or a narrow end – those work best. With the small paintbrush, carefully paint the edges of your agate slices gold and let them dry.

Carefully open up the prongs of the finial bases as shown in the image above.

Step 2:

Place a small amount of E6000 glue into the base of the lamp finial just within the prongs. Place one end of the agate slice into the finial where the glue is and push the prongs around the agate slice. Firmly hold / push the prongs onto the agate slice with your fingers.

A small amount of glue may squish out. That’s ok. When it dries, you should be able to easily scrape it off.

Step 3:

This is when those mini clamps come in handy. At this point, you can either go turn on your favorite television show and watch it while you are still firmly holding the prongs against the agate slice or you can clamp the prongs onto the agate slice. I highly recommend the clamp method.

Just clamp right where the prongs are, then rest the finials in a bowl of rice to steady them.

I let my finials dry for a full 48 hours before putting them to use.

I’m kind of smitten.

And also, I now want one in every single color.

Don’t forget to go see what Not Just a Housewife and Two Thirty Five Designs did with their agate slices!

You are probably going to want to see these projects too…

How to Make a Crystal Lamp Finial

How to Make Lamp Tassels in Five Minutes

How to Make Your Own Lampshade and Finial

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December 9, 2015
DIY Wagons in 10 Minutes from Crates
Create your own “custom” wagons from crates in just minutes using this tutorial. It’s so simple and perfect for kids, holiday decorating and more! Find out how to make a wagon that can be used for all sorts of things below!

The Circus loves to carry things on herself.

Have you ever seen a kid with a pink turtle zipped up in her jacket with its head popping out like it was a baby in one of those wrap things?

Well, you could have all day yesterday.

She also likes to load up a doll, perhaps a stuffed animal or two, her juice cup, probably a cash register as well and a few other random items in boxes, clothes baskets and other “carrying” devices and drag them across the house.

So if I told you that these wagons were still on the front porch and decorated just like this, I’d be lying.

However, I can say that these wagons – made out of crates – are quite easy to make and really do make pretty holiday decor when loaded up with various holiday items sans a princess cash register.

This post is sponsored by Crates and Pallets, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

How to Make a Toy Wagon

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Materials & Tools Needed for the Wagon:
- Crates – I used an Extra Large Crate, a Large Crate, and a Medium Crate.
- Paint or Stain Colors of Your Choice – I used Vivid, Modern, and Baroque.
- Wheel Casters – Four per crate
Step 1:

Paint the crates your desired colors and let them dry.

Step 2:

Attach the caster wheels to the base of the wagon with your drill. Use a small drill bit first to drill a hole to prevent the wood from cracking, then attach the wheels with the 3/4″ wood screws.

The screws may come through the bottom slats just a bit, so don’t put anything that you may not want snagged in these. You could also purchase shorter screws and use them rather than using the screws that come with the caster wheels.

Set aside the wagons and start making the handles.

Related: See how I made a DIY Lemonade Stand using these same crates too!

DIY Wagon Handle

Materials and Tools Needed for the Pull Handle:
- 1/2″ x 2′ PVC Pipe (It comes pre-cut in this size at Home Depot.) – I used four of these in total. It takes about one and 1/4 of another one per wagon.
- 1/2″ PVC Tee (One per wagon.)
- 1/2″ 45° PVC Elbow (One per wagon.)
- 1/2″ 90° PVC Elbox (One per wagon.)
- 1/2″ PVC Caps (Three per wagon.)
- 1/2″ PVC Straps (One per wagon.)
- PVC Cement
- Black Spray Paint
- Drill
- Saw (Circular or Miter Saw – I used my miter saw.)
- 3/4″ Wood Screws
Steps

Step 1:

Take one piece of the 1/2″ x 2′ PVC Pipe and cut four pieces that are approximately 1″ – 2″ in length. The length doesn’t have to be perfect on these. Lay out your pipe as shown in the image below.

If you want to make the handle shorter, cut down the main piece of 1/2″ PVC pipe. I left it full length on one wagon and cut it down a bit on the other two.

The second photo above shows how everything will fit together. Before fitting everything together, apply PVC cement to the joints as shown below and then fit them together.

Don’t try to put the cement on all the joints all at once – do it one joint at a time and fit it together, then move onto another joint. Let the handle dry for a bit and then you can remove the excess cement with a baby wipe.

Step 2:

Spray paint the handles and PVC strap for each wagon black.

Step 3:

After the handles and straps have fully dried, attach a strap to the side of each wagon. I attached mine lower, however if you wanted your handles to be higher up, you can attach them higher.

Attach the strap on one side only first, then gently lift the un-attached side and slide the handle under the strap where the small piece of PVC is between the cap and 90° PVC elbow and screw the other side of the strap into place.

Load ’em up with whatever your little heart desires…

Also, I am proclaiming that wrapping paper rolls be designated as holiday decor even if it isn’t on a present. I mean – those rolls are essentially out all season long (at my house anyway) so why not put them into multiple use?

And yes, those are real, live wrapped presents. Like actual gifts – not just boxes I wrapped up. I’m on top of my gift-giving game. #winning Fantastic and unique gift ideas are HERE!

I think it would be really fun to fill these up with gifts for people who you gift more than one present or for couples. If it’s not for a kid, you could leave the handles off and then the person has a handy little crate to use as part of their gift too.

These could also make fantastic garden carts for gardeners! Load them up with a few gardening essentials and you’ll make their day!

Any other ideas you have to put these wagons to use?

Looking for more creative DIY upcycles?

DIY Faux Jadeite – looks just like the real thing, but uses thrift store finds.

DIY Kitchen Island – using reclaimed barn wood and old porch posts.

Locker Baskets turned Shelving – vintage metal locker baskets turned decorative and functional shelving.

How to Make a Lamp Out of a Bottle – did you know you can pretty easily turn just about any bottle into a lamp? Here’s how.

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November 17, 2015
How to Add Feet to a Box Spring and Get Rid of the Footboard
When we set out to makeover Bill’s Room / The Guest Room / My Office, we really needed to relocate my desk so it wasn’t a focus in the room. Our best option was to move the desk to the small wall opposite the bed. However, it was relatively tight there. We needed to get that footboard out of the way to open up the space. In order to do that, we needed to figure out how to add feet to the box spring so we could eliminate the bed rails, and thus the footboard.

We figured out how to do it – and y’all I’m so mad I didn’t do it sooner because it was so easy and made a huge difference in the space.

Here’s the room before:

You can see how the desk is to the right of the room – it was the first thing you saw when you went in the room.

And here’s the space now:

Huge difference and on top of freeing up space, it lowered the overall height of the bed which allows you to see more of the gorgeous wood headboard against the black wall – not that black and woodgrain is a favorite combination of mine or anything. 😉

How to Add Feet to a Box Spring

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Materials & Tools Needed:
- Six Table Legs – we used these, but you can use any style or height (although I wouldn’t go for those 12″ long legs because it would be too high and probably unstable because it’s so high).
- Six Furniture Leg Attachment Plates
- 4″ x 4″ Wood Pieces (This is for added support under the box spring.)
- Drill
- Saw (to cut the 4″ x 4″ – you can use a circular saw or miter saw.)
Step 1:

If you want to stain or paint your table legs, do so now and let them dry. We stained ours.

Flip the box spring on its side against a wall. Attach a furniture leg attachment plate with your drill in each corner of the box spring and one in the center of each long side of the box spring.

You can see from the photo above that I was only able to get three screws in each plate as there was nothing for the 4th screw to grab onto. That’s fine – it hasn’t effected the strength of our bed legs at all.

Step 2:

Screw a table leg into each attachment plate.

Step 3:

Flip your box spring back over and place it wherever it will be in your room. You need to add a little extra support to your box spring / bed by cutting some 4″ x 4″ pieces that will go in the middle of the box spring under it. To do this, measure the distance from your floor to the wood frame of the box spring underneath. Its probably going to be close to whatever size legs you used. Cut six pieces of 4″ x 4″ to this length. If you have a king or queen sized bed, you would need to cut more. A twin size bed may require less.

While your box spring is in place where you want it in the room, have someone slightly hold it up as you place the 4″ x 4″ pieces under the box spring in the locations shown below. It’s next to impossible to get a picture of this in action, so I hope you can understand what I’m saying to do with the picture below. The X’s mark where your 4″ x 4″ pieces should go under your box spring. Just reach under the box spring and place them there while someone is holding the box spring up. You don’t need to attach them to the frame or anything, as long as they are placed under the wood supports in the box spring.

Make sense? If not, let me know and I’ll try to explain it more. Basically, those X’s are where your 4″ x 4″ pieces should be under the box spring.

After your 4″ x 4″ pieces are in place, place your mattress on top of the box spring and dress the bed.

You can see a bit of the leg in the photo above – the furry rug likes to be the center of attention instead of letting the bed legs be seen. 😉

If you wanted to, you could even nix the headboard as well. This is a great solution if you don’t want to buy one of those metal bed frames – especially if you don’t want to do a bed skirt that would cover the ugly metal frame.

You might wanna see this too…

Masculine Bedroom Makeover

How to Use a Drill

How to Use a Miter Saw

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November 16, 2015
Semi-Winning The Tablescape Game: DIY Stone Embellished Napkin Rings
This post is sponsored by Birch Lane, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

I am not a tablescape person.

To be blunt, I suck at them.

It’s just too much thinking – there are too many things that have to be on a set table for me to also figure out what to use as a centerpiece, place cards, etc.

Now, doing one of those things solo without having to think of all the other jazz – I’m good.

Like last year – I had really cute, or really cute in my opinion anyway, also cheap, little painted pumpkins that doubled as place card holders.

And this year, I’m rocking one single element of the tablescape – the napkin and napkin ring.

Now, just let me say this is not too frou-frou. I’m not a frou-frou person and frou-frou just stresses me out. So if you were expecting a perfectly color coordinated full place setting to go along with that napkin and ring, I’m not your girl.

However, if you want pretty stone embellished napkin rings (done in under 10 minutes), then I’m totally your girl. 😉

Also, coincidentally, I managed to color coordinate these napkin rings and napkins in Grunt Labor’s fraternity colors – purple and green. He was very proud.

I didn’t tell him it was 100% unplanned.

Materials:
- - Various Colored Stones (use any color and sizes you would like, although you don’t want them to get too big.)
- - Pretty Napkin Rings (Mine came from Birch Lane)
- - E6000 Glue (I told you this glue and I were starting a torrid love affair.)
- - Clear Gloss Spray Paint
- Small Width Painter’s Tape
Step 1:

If your stones are a bit dirty (mine were), rinse them off well and let them dry. After they are dry, give each stone you intend to use three light coats of the clear gloss spray paint. This is going to make them more shiny and polished, rather than looking like you just pulled them outta the dirt. Let the stones fully dry.

Step 2:

Tear off a piece of painter’s tape that could wrap around the napkin ring several times and set aside. Place a small amount of E6000 Glue on the flattest side of each stone, then place the stone on top of the napkin ring. While holding the stone in place on the ring, wrap the painter’s tape around the top of the stone and around the ring to keep it in place while the rings dry.

Place the rings in a box with paper towels smushed between them to keep them upright or in a bowl of rice or beans. Don’t worry – the rings don’t fall over when they are on a napkin – I just needed something to keep the rings from falling down against each other while drying. Let them dry for a full 24 hours before using them.

In an unexpected twist, I opted for plum colored napkins to go with the napkin rings. I have to say – I’m really digging my signature green with the plum…

Maybe those fraternity colors aren’t too bad…

What do you think of the combo?

Since this is only one little part of the table, there are more bloggers lined up to show you the rest!

Monday

Everyday Enchanting | Maison de Pax | The Wood Grain Cottage

Tuesday

Rain on a Tin Roof | Making Home Base | Life on Virginia Street | Migonis Home

Wednesday

The Blissful Bee | House by Hoff | The Happy Housie | Just a Girl and her Blog

Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with Birch Lane. However, all opinions and admittance of not being able to pull off a complete tablescape is 100% mine.

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November 3, 2015
DIY Selenite Knobs: Super Easy, Super Cheap, Super Pretty
During our staycation two weeks ago due to the hurricane, we visited the Land of the Gnomes.

Its not really the land of the gnomes, but that’s what I like to call it. I’ll tell you all about it in another post…

At every staycation stop, we let the circus get something from the gift shop to attempt and make up for not going to the beach.

Ok, I wanted something from just about every gift shop too.

In the Land of the Gnomes gift shop, I found a display of stones and gems.

They were pretty. And shiny.

Therefore, I was immediately sucked in.

Mainly because they were shiny.

After deliberating 10 minutes about which stones to buy and what I could do with them, I finally settled on a few small bars of selenite.

And I came home and made the prettiest, and cheapest, hardware knobs you ever did see…

Of course, their beauty is amped up by like 1000 because they are against my favorite shade of green too.

You can make these in less than five minutes and for $1 each.

That’s right, one dollar each.

DIY Selenite Knobs

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Materials Needed:
- Brass Knob Making Base ($0.59 each)
- Selenite Sticklets (10 come in a pack for $4 = $0.40 per stick)
- E6000 Glue (If you don’t have this on hand, it will cost about $7, but trust me, its well worth it and you will get a ton of uses out of it.)
- Dried Rice or Dried Beans (This will make sense in a minute.)
- Small Bowl
(I didn’t include the cost of the glue, rice or bowl in the per knob cost. I’m figuring some of you will already have that on hand.)

Step 1:

Unwrap one of the knob making bases. Apply a small amount of the E6000 glue to the side that has a hole, but does not have threadings for a screw (you’ll easily be able to see what I’m talking about). Then, immediatley place a selenite stick on the glue/knob.

Let me just say, this was my first time using the E6000 glue and I’m hooked. Quite frankly, it pisses me off that I didn’t discover it sooner. Its clear and significantly less messy than hot glue. It’s also about 100 times stronger than hot glue. I see this glue and I forming a beautiful relationship as we DIY our way into the sunset.

Step 2:

Put a small amount of the dry rice or beans in a bowl and carefully nestle the knobs within the rice/beans. Let them stay here for a minimum of 24 hours to dry. (The glue says it may take up to 72 hours to dry.) If you don’t have a circus running around, there’s a good chance the knobs will be ok just balancing themselves while drying. We weren’t taking chances around here though.

Step 3:

After the knobs are dry, screw them onto your furniture.

I told you they were cheap and easy.

But most importantly, pretty.

I may or may not have plans to do this with any other stones and/or gems I can get my hands on…

What do you think would be a pretty one to try out next?

You can read about the beautiful green drink bar here…

IKEA Tarva Hack: Drink Bar

And you might also like…

How to Make Faux Crystal Knobs

How to Make Faux Crystals

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October 19, 2015
How to Raise Cabinets
So sometimes during a big project or after I finish a project, I start looking at all the little projects that made up that big project and I decide that some of those little projects probably wouldn’t be that interesting to you.

So I don’t bother too much with pictures and I don’t post about it.

But then months later, someone will ask me something specific about that small project that helped to make the bigger project possible and I will realize that I probably should have posted about that.

Does any of this make sense? Its late and I’ve been drinking. And apparently that makes me use the word projects too much.

So there’s that.

Anyway, if you remember way back in January, Grunt Labor and I finally finished his man cave.

In order to deem the man cave livable, he had to have a beverage center (a.k.a. a fancy name for a mini refrigerator). But when the beverage center arrived, it was a bit taller than the opening we had for it, thus we needed to raise the cabinets or get a new refrigerator.

Raising the cabinets was cheaper and faster than getting a new beverage center.

So you can guess which option won.

How to Raise Cabinets

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First, let me say that these cabinets were not in our kitchen or around any sort of plumbing. I definitely think that you can do this with your kitchen cabinets, however you would have to remove the countertops and possibly create a few new holes in the back of the cabinets for plumbing. It would be a bigger job than what we had to do.

You will need:
- 4 x 4 Post
- Saw (We used our miter saw and a table saw, you could also easily substitute the miter saw for a circular saw.)
- Drill and Screws or Hammer and Nails or Nail Gun (We used our nail gun.)
- Trim for the bottom of the cabinets (most likely a 1 x 6 piece)
Step 1:

Determine how much you need to raise your cabinets before moving them.

Step 2:

Remove your cabinets from the wall and flip them upside down. Before cutting the 4 x4 post to the height you need to raise your cabinets, look at the bottom of your cabinets.

Most all cabinets have that “base” or “frame around the bottom. Your 4 x 4 pieces are going to need to fit in that frame, but extend out of it the height you need to raise your cabinets. Does that make sense? So, you should cut your 4 x 4 pieces the height you need to raise the cabinets plus the height of that frame. Cut the 4 x 4 post to the appropriate length you need – we did 5 of these for each cabinet – one in each corner and one in the middle.

Step 3:

Secure the 4 x 4 pieces to the cabinet with nails or screws. For each of the corner pieces, just go through the frame. On the middle piece, just use wood glue to secure it, otherwise a screw or nail would probably go through the bottom.

Step 4:

Put your cabinets back into place.

It will now look like you have “feet” on your cabinets – although not pretty ones. To fix this, you need to trim it out. Measure the space that you have to cover and cut trim to fit, then secure. We had about 5 inches to cover (height wise), so we bought a 1 x 6 x 12, cut it down to the appropriate length, then ran it through a table saw to get the six inches down to five inches. We secured it with finish nails. Paint it whatever color matches your cabinets.

Beverage center catastrophe averted.

You can see more of the man cave here.

Have you raised cabinets before? Did you use a different method?

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September 14, 2015
Power Tools 101: The Ultimate Guide to Using a Paint Sprayer

I had a revelation the other day.

A hold-the-phone-shut-the-front-door-smack-myself-on-the-head revelation.

I realized that for two years I’ve been showing you all these awesome (if I do say so myself) furniture makeovers that I’ve completed with my paint sprayer, but never once have I actually told you how to use the paint sprayer from start to finish.

See why I smacked myself on the head?

So here it is. The ultimate guide for how to use a paint sprayer from set-up to cleaning.

Sorry for the two year delay.

This post is sponsored by HomeRight, however all opinions are 100% mine. Affiliate links may be contained in this post.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

How to Use a Paint Sprayer

First off, let me say that the directions and tips in this post only pertain to the HomeRight Finish Max paint sprayer – the sprayer that I have used for the past two years. While other paint sprayers, may operate similar to this one, I can’t give exact instructions for those as I can this one. And yes, I am a HomeRight Brand Ambassador, but even if I weren’t, I would still use and sing the praises of the Finish Max. You are talking to the girl who tried three paint sprayers prior to finding the Finish Max and every single one of them went back to the store and she swore off paint sprayers forever.

And then she ate her words.

But it was worth it.

Before you get out your paint, first setup your painting area.

The Spray Shelter is a ~~little~~ big gem. While there isn’t as much overspray as I’ve seen with other sprayers, there is still some with the Finish Max and this baby helps to contain it. Setup is easy and takes less than 10 minutes. The spray shelter doesn’t have a “bottom” so to speak, so if you are concerned about getting paint on your floor, you’ll want to put a tarp down under the shelter. As you can see, I don’t worry with that. A rainbow garage floor never bothered me.

Also, if the piece I’m painting is smaller, I will set it up on sawhorses so I don’t break my back bending over.

Now, let’s get down to business.

Step 1:

Unscrew the paint container from the sprayer and fill it with paint. If your paint is old (like a month or more), you will want to strain it.

Once paint has been opened, it can sometimes get lumps that dry up in it and if not strained, those lumps will clog your sprayer. To strain my paint, I just use a cheap $3 strainer that I found at Target, I think.

Fill the container about 1/2 to 3/4 full depending on the size of your project.

Step 2:

Thin the paint.

To thin the paint, all you need to do is add water. I usually try to have a cup of water nearby. Add a little at a time. Start with about 1/4 of a cup of water for thinner paints and 1/2 cup for thicker paints – you can always add more. Stir as you add water.

The big question is always, “How do I know if I’ve thinned my paint enough?” Ya know what? That used to be my question too! One more reason I love this paint sprayer is because it takes the guesswork out of thinning.

The Finish Max comes with a little tool called a viscosity cup. Once you’ve added water to your paint and mixed, dip the viscosity cup in the paint cup and time how long it takes the paint to run out of the cup. If you’re using a basic enamel paint, the paint is thinned enough if it all runs out of the viscosity cup in 25-40 seconds. If the paint doesn’t run out of the cup within that time frame, add more water, mix and test it again. Repeat until your paint is thinned properly.

Let me stop here and talk about other materials you can use in the paint sprayer and whether or not you should thin them.

You can use:

Oil Based or Latex Based Paint – Needs to be thinned, 25 – 40 seconds run-out time.

Clear Sealer (Polycrylic) – No thinning required.

Polyurethane – No thinning required.

Primer – Needs to be thinned, 30 – 45 seconds run-out time.

Stain – No thinning required.

Varnish – Needs to be thinned, 20 – 50 seconds run-out time.

Its also important to note that many oil based paints recommend thinning with something besides water. Be sure to check the material’s label to see what it says about thinning the paint.

Step 3:

Adjust your spray pattern.

To adjust the spray pattern, turn the air cap on the front of the sprayer that has the “wings” as I like to call them.

Turning the wings horizontally will give you a vertical spray pattern and turning them vertically will give you a horizontal spray pattern. If I intend on spraying something up and down as I spray, I use a horizontal spray. If I intend on spraying something from side to side, I use a vertical spray.

You can also turn the wings at a 45 degree angle and spray horizontal or vertically, but honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever used that method.

Step 4:

Plug in the sprayer and paint.

Another one of my favorite features of the sprayer is that it doesn’t need an air tank – just an extension cord.

When you start spraying, hold the sprayer about 5-10 inches away from the piece you are painting. Pull the trigger and start painting. You want to move your entire arm – not just your hand – as you spray, and keep your arm in constant motion. Don’t stay in one place for too long.

The sprayer won’t magically cover the entire piece in one coat. Typically, I have to do 2-3 light coats, but it takes far less time to spray those coats than hand paint them. There will probably be some small spots that don’t have paint on them the first go around – that’s ok – you’ll get them next time. You can tilt the sprayer to get into hard to reach places, just try not to tip it anymore than 45 degrees. Let the paint dry between each coat. You can protect your paint job with a topcoat (see thinning instructions above), using the sprayer exactly the same way.

Step 5:

Clean-Up.

After you are done painting, first clean out the paint container cup and the paint pick-up tube. If you did any tilting of the sprayer, you’ll also want to clean out the area where the container cup gets screwed on. Set the cup aside, but re-attach the paint pick-up tube. To clean the rest of the sprayer, attach the black faucet attachment end of the Rapid Clean to your water hose and the tube end to the pick-up tube. Clamp both ends.

Turn on the water, pull the trigger and let the water run through the sprayer until it runs clear.

And that’s it – the Rapid Clean makes cleaning the sprayer so easy.

Have any of you used a Finish Max paint sprayer before? Any tips or tricks you can share with us?

Want to come back to this paint sprayer guide later? Just pin the image below!

Are you an accent wall fiend?

You might also like these then...

I did end up painting the pink ceiling in the bathroom white. It was just clashing way too much with the green.

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August 20, 2015
9 Simple and Easy Bed Makeovers and Hacks

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve ran across DIY headboards on Pinterest.

I’m confident DIY headboards could run Pinterest all by themselves.

Now, I’m not bashing on DIY headboards at all.

If you have patience and an insane amount of upholstery and tufting skills, then by all means make your own headboard.

However, I don’t.

I’m in favor of using what I’ve got.

This could also mean that I’m cheap. That’s cool too. I’ll own it.

I can paint a headboard faster than I can build one and cheaper too.

No, it might not look as chic as a velvet upholstered one would, but if it looks like any of these bed makeovers, I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it.

This post is sponsored by HomeRight, however all opinions are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Simple and Easy Bed Makeovers and Hacks

Americana style, anyone?

That red. Oh my. Makely Home killed it with this bold red headboard. Gail from My Repurposed Life went with a classic navy for this twin headboard makeover. Navy is always a good pick – it will never fail you. Both of them used their HomeRight Finish Max Sprayers to makeover the beds.

Shades of Green

I love the lines of Refresh Restyle’s headboard makeover, but I am also totally digging the bolder green hue on Jesse Coulter’s makeover.

I know. Jenna likes the green. Imagine that.

Play It Safe White

Play it safe with a classic white like Finding Silver Pennies and 11 Magnolia Lane did.

When in doubt, go for polka dots.

I’ve never been able to resist a good (and really easy to paint!) polka dot. After I sprayed this bed with my Finish Max, I popped on a few polka dots.

And if you just have to make your own headboard…

You can use these ideas to repurpose your old bed.

Domestically Speaking made a charming bench from an old bed and My Repurposed Life made simple coat racks. So clever! They both used their paint sprayers to get in the nooks and crannies with ease.

So are you a bed makeover or a DIY bed kinda person?

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August 6, 2015
DIY Headband Holder for $5
Swimming in a sea of headbands for your little girl and not sure how to store and organize them? Then, learn how to make a headband holder below! This DIY headband holder is a perfect (and easy!) solution for headband storage.

Remember our Aunt Rochelle?

The aunt that you wanted for yourself?

The one who sends the circus ensembles complete with matching shirts, pants, dresses, cardigans and even sunglasses.

Well, that amazing Aunt Rochelle, she also sends hair accessories to match every single outfit she’s ever bought for the circus – mostly of the headband variety.

She’s pretty much any little fashionista’s dream.

She is 100% the reason why the kid wins best dressed at preschool every year.

Well, there really isn’t an award for that, but if there was, she’d have it in the bag.

While the circus will wear, and love, every shirt, shorts, dress, sunglasses and everything else Aunt Rochelle sends, she isn’t always a fan of the headbands.

So I had a brilliant idea when I made her dress-up station.

I would also make a headband holder so the circus would easily spot her headbands and in theory, want to wear them.

DIY Headband Holder

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

By the time I got to this addition of the dress-up station, funds were low, so I was scrounging around for cheap materials for this. I managed to make it for about $5 total – and you’re never going to believe what I used for the actual headband holder part…

Materials Needed:

*Ignore the Mod Podge in the image – I ended up not needing it.
- Paper Towel Roll, preferably about 1/2 – 3/4 used. (yep, not kidding.)
- Wood Base / Plaque (mine came from Michael’s – don’t forget to use a coupon!)
- 5/8″ dowel – cut down to about 8 inches or so. You can easily make it shorter or taller if you wish, just cut the dowel accordingly.
- Wood Glue
- Drill and Drill Bits
- Gold Spray Paint or another color of your choice
- Fabric – about a 24″ inch square or so. You’ve probably got scrap laying around you can use.
- Hot Glue Gun
- X-Acto Knife
- Scissors
Step 1:

Mark the center of your wooden plaque. Attach a drill bit that is the same size as the wooden dowel and drill a hole through the wooden plaque where you marked the center.

Step 2:

After you have cut your dowel down to your desired size, place a little wood glue around the bottom of the dowel and insert it into the hole that you just made.

Wipe away any excess glue from around the edges and let it dry for about 30 minutes.

Step 3:

While the glue is drying, cut a hole in the center of the paper towel roll using the X-Acto Knife. You want to go through one side of all the paper towels and the cardboard roll in the middle, but not all the way through the roll.

I found it easiest to punch a hole through the roll with the knife first and then kind of carve out the circle.

Step 4:

Spray paint the wooden base and dowel.

Step 5:

While the base and dowel are drying, wrap your fabric around the paper towel roll. Start by hot gluing an edge onto the paper towels where you made the hole and then wrapping around the other edge. Put a small line of hot glue along the edge that will be seen and fold it over so you have a clean edge, then hot glue that onto the paper towel roll just covering your first edge.

Use scissors to cut a small hole in the fabric where the hole in your paper towel roll is. For the ends of the fabric, put a little hot glue inside the paper towel roll edges, then just shove the material into the edges.

Step 6:

After the base and dowel is dry, slide the covered paper towel roll onto the dowel.

And now you have an adorable way to store and organize all those headbands!

And ya know what, even though the kid now has this adorable little headband organizer, she still doesn’t wear all her cute headbands.

Nope.

She wants me to wear them instead.

Most days, you can find me sporting a huge pink bow on my head.

Update: Just in case you were wondering, it’s now been nearly four years since we made this headband holder and we’re still using it! Paper towel rolls are pretty sturdy when they need to be!

Will you be making a headband organizer?

Looking for more great accessory storage ideas for your kiddos?

This DIY sunglasses holder is a fun way to display all the kid’s shades.

They will adore having their own dress-up closet! Psst….it’s easy to make too!

And be sure to see these six pretend play stations for kids – they’ll even learn while they’re playing at the stations!

Want to come back to this headband holder later? Just pin the image below!

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August 3, 2015
DIY Sunglasses Holder for $5
There are few things in this world better than a great pair of sunglasses. Make this DIY sunglasses holder to both store and display your sunglasses.

We have an Aunt Rochelle.

I hope you have an Aunt Rochelle too.

You see, Aunt Rochelles always send the good stuff.

It is not uncommon for multiple packages (sporting color coordinated designs & patterns) to arrive on the front porch anytime of the year.

It may be Christmas.

Or it may not.

It may be a birthday.

Or it may not.

Said packages will contain not one, not two, but multiple ensembles for the circus.

Each ensemble is complete with a top, pants, cardigan, usually a skirt, socks, matching beret, and my favorite – matching sunglasses.

And during the summer she gets multiple swimsuits with matching cover-ups, hats, and sunglasses.

The kid has Jackie O sunglasses, pink sunglasses, movie star sunglasses, Iris Apfel sunglasses, floral print sunglasses, checked sunglasses.

If she has an outfit from Aunt Rochelle, then she has the matching sunglasses.

See why we love our Aunt Rochelle?

We also love her because she’s just a load of fun too.

With this vast assortment of sunglasses, it felt wrong just putting them in a drawer and only bringing them out as needed to complete an ensemble.

No, no, no, no, no – sunglasses like this should be displayed.

So Grunt Labor and I came up with this version of sunglasses storage so that the kid could enjoy her shades even inside.

I know.

Freakin’ adorable, right?

It costs right around $5 to make this display piece and is a pretty easy build as long as you know how to use a drill.

DIY Sunglass Holder

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Supplies Needed:
- - Wood Base/Plaque (I got mine at Michael’s – use your coupon!)
- - 5/8″ Dowel (Mine came from Home Depot)
- - 3/8″ Dowel (Mine came from Home Depot)
- - Wood Glue
- - Gold Spray Paint or another color of your choice (I used my favorite gold spray paint.)
- Drill & Drill Bits
Step 1:

Drill a hole into the bottom of the wood base that is slightly smaller than the largest dowel rod, then set aside.

Step 2:

Determine how tall you want your DIY sunglasses holder to be. Ours is 11 inches. Cut the largest dowel down to this length, then set aside.

Step 3:

Cut the smallest dowel into three inch lengths, then set aside. If you are doing this for adult sized sunglasses, you may need to make them longer.

Step 4:

Place the largest dowel in a vice or have another person hold it securely down. Drill holes down the dowel that the smallest dowels will fit snugly into. Our holes are two inches apart from center to center. Once more, you may need to make these larger for adult sized sunglasses.

Step 5:

Place the small dowels into the larger dowel. These should fit pretty snugly and not need glue, but if some are loose, put a drop of wood glue in the hole before putting in the smaller dowel. Wipe away excess glue.

Step 6:

Place wood glue into the bottom of the wood base / plaque and place the large dowel into the base. Wipe away excess glue.

Step 7:

Spray paint your sunglasses holder whatever color your little heart desires, then deck it out with sunglasses.

Our new DIY sunglasses holder is actually residing atop the kid’s new dress-up closet, however, I couldn’t resist photographing it in front of the leopard print wall.

P.S. Aunt Rochelle, can I get some sunglasses in my size too? I’ll take complete outfit ensembles as well. 😉

P.P.S. Sorry folks, we won’t share her.

Want more great ideas for the littles in your life?

DIY Headband Holder – and it only costs $5 to make.

DIY Kids’ Play Table with Storage – this bad boy is the perfect surface for playing farm, race cars, dinosaurs and more.

DIY Children’s Stage with Hidden Dress-Up Storage – this stage is a simple build and will provide loads and loads of fun for your kiddo.

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June 30, 2015
DIY Flamingo Wreath in under an hour
Want to dress up your front door for summer? What better way than with a DIY flamingo wreath! The best part? It’ll take just an hour to make!

It’s the official symbol of summer.

I don’t care if you think its tacky or not.

All hail the pink flamingo.

I can’t get enough of this pink feathered friend of mine, therefore I am proclaiming it to be the official symbol of summer.

I fully realize I may be the only one involved in this proclamation.

That’s ok.

I’ll own it.

It started with the DIY Flamingo Sprinkler.

My fun friend has recently shown up once more.

In the colorful screened-in porch.

On a wreath.

This fun and colorful wreath fits in perfectly with the rest of the porch.

It will also lend a fun touch to a summer party – it practically insists you have a drink complete with a mini-umbrella.

Or at least that’s what it told me.

How to Make a Flamingo Wreath

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Here’s what you need to make your own pink flamingo wreath:
- Wreath Form (I used a 14 inch straw wreath)
- Astroturf (You can go to your local home improvement store and buy the minimum that you can off the roll for about $5 or so and that should be plenty. I used scraps leftover from a project.)
- Pink Flamingo
- Drink Umbrellas – check your local Dollar Store or Dollar Tree for these during summer!
- Hot Glue Gun
- Scissors
Step 1:

Cut the astroturf into long strips about three inches wide and three feet long. Wrap the strips around the wreath form securing with a dollop of hot glue between the astroturf and wreath as you wrap it. Continue until the wreath is covered with astroturf.

Step 2:

Poke the mini drink umbrellas into the bottom of the wreath and a little up the sides.

Step 3:

Hot glue the pink flamingo to the wreath. I did this by putting a good sized glob (love my terminology?) on the back of the neck and rear end of the flamingo, then immediately pressing and holding the flamingo onto the wreath. So far, its held up perfectly fine.

Step 4:
Use another strip of astroturf to hang the wreath from or a ribbon.

Isn’t she just so fun?

Are you in a summer lovin’ kind of mood yet?

Want to come back to this flamingo wreath tutorial later? Then, just pin the image below!

Want more colorful summer project ideas?

Creating a Cut Flower Garden for Beginners – ready to have fresh flowers every single day! It’s not as hard as you may think!

12 Outdoor Furniture Makeovers – ideas to refresh your outdoor furniture rather than tossing it!

DIY Outdoor Daybed – spend lazy summer afternoon right here!

10+ Creative Flower Pot Ideas – things you never knew could be a flower pot!

And get more inspiration for all your outdoor spaces HERE!

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June 2, 2015
Black & White Gallery Wall
I have visions.

Not like psychic visions – but that would be really cool.

Room visions, project visions, idea visions.

And in my head – they are fan-freakin-tastic.

In real life, they don’t always turn out so fan-freakin-tastic though.

In my head, this black and white gallery wall was fan-freakin-tastic.

In real life, its better than fan-freakin-tastic.

In fact, I can’t even come up with a word for how awesome it is and how much I love it.

This wall totally took my living room to a whole new level.

To get the full effect of how far this wall has come, here’s what it looked like before:

It wasn’t terrible, but let’s be honest, it doesn’t hold a candle to the new accent wall.

The best thing about this project is that its so easy. All you need is a little paint, FrogTape®, frames and art.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

DIY Black and White Gallery Wall

I used:
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 0.94″ width
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 1.88″ width
- Black & White Paint (or other colors of your choice)
- Paint Roller & Tray
- Paintbrush
- Ruler
- Craft Knife
Steps

Step 1:

Use the FrogTape® 1.88″ width to tape off baseboards, any crown molding, or other trim around the area that you don’t want to get paint on.

Step 2:

Paint all four edges of the wall white (or other color of your choice). I edged with the paint brush and then rolled about 2-3 roller widths wide along the edges.

Step 3:

After the paint is dry, tape off the “frame” for your gallery wall. I waited a week or so before taping off my frame, so I used the FrogTape® Multi-Surface, however if you don’t want to wait long, you can use FrogTape® Delicate Surface.

I came in five inches all around the wall and taped off a rectangle using the wider width FrogTape®. After that, I came in 7 1/2″ all around the wall and taped off the second rectangle within the larger one using the smaller width FrogTape®. Of course, your wall will most likely be a different size than mine, so you can adjust the measurements as needed.

Step 4:

Trim up the edges of the FrogTape®.

I use a ruler and craft knife to do this. After you have trimmed up all the edges, take your fingernail or a credit card and run it firmly along the edges of the FrogTape® to fully adhere it to the wall.

Step 5:

Paint the rest of the wall black (or other color of your choice).

Two coats was all I needed.

Step 6:

Remove the FrogTape® immediately after painting your last coat.

After the wall is good and dry, you can decorate it however you want.

I opted to go with simple white frames that popped off the wall, but showcased the art, along with gold sconces.

I used these 16×20 white frames with artwork in 8×10 sizes. I added these sconces (spray-painted gold) to either side of the television to bring in a touch of metallic and another element besides the frames.

See more of the new living room in my latest home tour and find out how I stripped and re-stained the buffet here.

Need more gallery and accent wall ideas?

Indoor Lattice Walls– it’s not crazy, it’s gorgeous!

9 Accent Walls for $30 or Less – Big Bang for your buck.

Easy Confetti Accent Wall – fun. on a wall. seriously.

Criss-Cross Accent Wall – a classic design that will work with any decor style.

7 Wall Treatments that Aren’t Shiplap – let’s give shiplap a break, y’all.

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April 27, 2015
Mid-Century Modern Lamp Makeover (A.K.A. I Dream of Jeannie Lamp)
I watched reruns of I Dream of Jeannie when I was a kid. It wasn’t one of my favorites, but I thought Barbara Eden was so pretty. And while Larry Hagman will always always always be J.R. Ewing in my mind, he was still pretty great in I Dream of Jeannie.

Well over a year ago, I found a lamp that screamed “I Dream of Jeannie” at a yard sale.

It was $2.

It came home with me.

And as most things do around here, it sat for a while until I had a great idea for it.

And finally I did.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen this image where I asked YOU to tell me what to do with the lamp…

Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with Velvet Finishes. However, all opinions and love of bright and cheery color schemes are 100% my own. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

You guys were just full of ideas.

So many ideas that I was even more confused as to what to do to the lamp.

Some of you even said to leave it as is, but that wasn’t an option – there were lots of chips in the finish and you know me – I needed some color.

As I was pouring over my paint swatches stressing over what to do, the part-time child, Will, who insists on being called Bill on the blog (I know – I have no idea why either) walked over, played with the paint swatch for a while and said let’s do these colors…

I looked at the colors and wondered how in the hell a 17 year old boy could come up with that great color combination in under five minutes.

So we started painting.

To do this lamp makeover, we used:
- - Velvet Finishes Ready
- - Velvet Finishes Bold
- - Velvet Finishes Exotic
- - Velvet Finishes Minimalistic
- Paintbrushes of various sizes
After sitting in my craft room for a year, this lamp was pretty dirty. So, to start with, we cleaned it up really well with Ready, which also primes pieces at the same time.

I just sprayed the Ready onto a paper towel and wiped the lamp down. You can also spray it directly onto a piece, let it sit, then wipe it down.

I gave the lamp a little while to dry and then started painting.

With all the nooks, crannies, and designs going on with this lamp, we used a variety of paint brush sizes. And I won’t lie, since we were using three different colors, it took a while to finish this lamp. I worked on it on and off for 30 minutes or so each day over the course of about five days. First, I painted all spots I wanted Bold, then I went back and painted the spots I wanted Exotic, and finally finished it off by painting some of the small details Minimalistic.

It wasn’t as hard as it looks to paint all the trim and details. When you use a small paintbrush, its actually pretty easy. I did have baby wipes on hand to quickly wipe up any paint if it got where it wasn’t supposed to be.

I haven’t decided where I will put it just yet, but I’m thinking its the perfect color scheme for an outdoor living space – maybe the porch?

It also seems very Lilly Pulitizer-ish to me, which I won’t even get started on that whole Target fiasco.

What do you think about this bold color scheme?

Need more lamp makeover ideas?

Don’t miss these 16 lamp ideas and makeovers – they are so good.

Find out how to make a lamp out of a bottle here.

And see how easy it is to make your own gorgeous agate slice lamp finials here.

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April 23, 2015
DIY Countertops: 10 Countertop Makeover Ideas on a Budget

Looking to update your countertops without breaking the bank? Give one of these DIY countertops a whirl then! These totally doable and cheap countertop makeover ideas will give your kitchen a whole new look in a weekend!

I dream of marble countertops.

I dream of having them in my kitchen and bathrooms.

The dream is cut short when I realize two things:

1. The high maintenance that is required to keep marble counters pristine.

and

2. The cost of marble countertops.

New countertops, particularly stone counters, are expensive.

The words “large” and “budget” are never put together when it comes to projects around our household.

Since doing my faux soapstone countertops (link just below), I have found that the internets are filled with awesome DIY Countertop Makeovers. With these ideas, you can redo kitchen countertops without breaking the bank, but while still getting a whole new look in your space.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

DIY Countertop Ideas

These kitchen home improvement projects only look expensive…

How to Make Your Laminate Counters Look Like Stone

When Grunt Labor and I made over his man cave, we couldn’t afford a new countertop for his built-ins. Instead, I figured out a way (for only $15!) to turn them into “stone.” All you’ll need is a little elbow grease and some countertop paint!

DIY Upholstered Countertop

Give your countertops an unexpected twist with upholstered countertops. Of course, this option is going to work best for built-in cabinetry countertops, not kitchen counters.

DIY Faux Carrara Marble Countertops

There is nothing Diane from In My Own Style can’t do. Seriously – she is just amazing. Case in point, this faux carrara marble counter. Is that not stunning? And she painted it! If painting faux marble seems too daunting, you could always opt for marble contact paper like this.

How to Redo Countertops Out of Wood Doors

Yep, those are actual doors. This kitchen counter makeover is sheer genius. The Mustard Ceiling made those counters out of wood doors. Nope, not even kidding. And aren’t they beautiful? I love a good piece of stained wood! Salvage yards often have doors for cheap!

A Kitchen Countertop Makeover that Will Cost You Pennies

Ashley from Domestic Imperfection is the queen of repurposing items. Not only did she use paper bags for flooring one time (for real!), but she also made a countertop from pennies. Pennies, people!

DIY Painted Countertops

One of the more popular budget kitchen countertop options is to just paint them. Jacque and Matt, the husband and wife duo from The DIY Village, used an easy kit to take their counters from blah to bold. If you don’t have any DIY experience at all, then often a countertop kit is the way to go. I’ve used this countertop kit before and it’s really simple to use!

Glossy Countertop Makeover

Designing Dawn got super creative with her cheap countertop makeover. She used a mixture of different paints and products to get a glossy countertop. It’s gorgeous! Glossy finishes always grab my heart and runs with it every single time!

Granite Look Countertop Makeover

Gail from My Repurposed Life gave her countertops a chic black stone makeover. The end result looks so much like the granite we had in one of our previous homes. This countertop paint kit will give you a similar look.

Cheap Countertop Ideas in the Bathroom

White Painted Countertop Makeover

I’m Flying South painted both her vanity countertop and sink. I love the clean, crisp white. It gives the entire space a fresh, clean feel. So fresh and so clean clean. 😉 I’ve used this countertop paint before to give counters a uniform color.

DIY Concrete Countertops

Tasha over at Designer Trapped in a Lawyer’s Body updated her vanity counter with concrete for a whopping $20. I’m generally not a huge fan of concrete in home decor, but I have to say – these look good!

Do you have any cheap countertop ideas? Share them in the comments below!

More budget kitchen and bathroom projects you might want to see…

7 Kitchen Island Ideas You Haven’t Thought Of Yet.. – genius ideas for kitchen islands!

10+ Kitchen Ideas for Decorating, Organizing and Storage – functional, but still pretty kitchen ideas!

Bathroom Remodel Ideas on a Budget – nine different ways to save loads of money without compromising on style for your next bathroom remodel.

High Style Low Budget Home Decor Projects – for when you’ve got champagne taste, but the beer budget.

Want to remember these counter ideas for later? Just pin the image below!

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April 16, 2015
Power Tools 101: How to Use a Sander

After a month hiatus, I’m back with another round of Power Tools 101.

This month is an easy one – How to Use a Sander.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

There are lots of different types of power sanders, but my go-to pick is a sheet sander. Its very versatile and unless you have a huge job, it can take care of just about anything.

I personally own and use a DeWalt Sheet Sander. I bought mine after having borrowed a friends. I loved it and knew I wanted my own.

How to use a Sander

To use a sander, you really just need to know how to attach the sandpaper to the sander.

First, locate the metal (usually, metal) locks on the sides of the sander. Pull down and out on each lock.

When you pull down and out on each lock, you will release the end clasps which will hold the sandpaper in place.

Take a sheet of sandpaper and tear it into fourths.

Take one of the fourths and place it onto the bottom pad of the sander.

Tuck the sandpaper under each end clasp and lock down.

My sander’s power button is on the top.

Plug it in, flip the switch and you are ready to go.

Sometimes the biggest struggle in using a sander is determining which grit of sandpaper to use. Here’s a breakdown:

Fine Grit (180 – 320 Grit)

• Use between topcoats to get a very smooth finish

Medium Grit (100 – 150 Grit)

• Surface Leveling & Smoothing

• Sanding door edges that don’t close properly

• Distressing furniture

• Preparing furniture for paint

• Rounding wood edges

Rough Grit (60 – 80 Grit)

• Paint Stripping

• Remove rust

Do you have any tips or tricks for how to use a sander or other uses for it?

Need more Power Tools 101 posts?

How to Use a Drill

How to Use a Circular Saw

How to Use a Miter Saw

How to Use a Heat Gun and 15 Things It Can Do

The Best Tools for DIYers at Any Level

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April 6, 2015
Easy Confetti Accent Wall
Have you been introduced to my new favorite wall?

Its shiny, its gold, its fun, and it was so easy to make.

My favorite thing about it? There’s no way you can screw it up.

Meet my Confetti Accent Wall.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

This baby made its debut in my recent entryway makeover – ya know – the makeover that was totally unplanned and random?

I have done quite a few accent walls in my time and I have to say that this one was by far the easiest I’ve ever done. There’s no measuring needed and bonus – it only cost me about $25 to do this wall.

Easy Confetti Accent Wall

Materials Needed:
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 0.94″ width
- FrogTape® Multi-Surface in 1.88″ width
- Paint Colors of Your Choice (I used one quart of white wall paint and one large bottle of acrylic gold metallic paint.)
- Small Foam Roller
- Regular Size Paint Roller
- Paint Brush
Steps

Step 1:

Before the confetti wall, this wall was a very dark navy. Since I was going with a much lighter color on the wall, I first needed to prime the entire wall. Using the wider width of FrogTape® Multi-Surface, tape off your edges and trim, then prime.

Step 2:

Using a small foam roller, roll on random strips of your “confetti” color. I opted to do gold.

Step 3:

After the confetti color has dried, place strips of the smaller width of FrogTape® Multi-Surface onto the confetti color.

Use a credit card or something similar to burnish the edges of the tape.

Step 4:

Paint your desired wall color over the entire wall.

Step 5:

After your final coat of paint, remove the FrogTape® Multi-Surface, while the paint is still wet.

Let the wall completely dry before you put anything on it or near it.

I love having this wall in our entryway – it lets guests know that we are fun and easygoing – or at least I hope that’s what they think about us…..

Do you have a fun accent wall in your house?

Looking for more great accent wall ideas? That’s kind of my thing…

Cane Inspired Accent Wall for $25 or Less – gorgeous, not too hard and a classic design.

Black & White Gallery Wall – a simple accent wall that disguises your television!

Criss-Cross Accent Wall – another classic design, but on a larger scale.

9 Accent Walls for $30 or Less – high on style, but low on budget.

7 Wall Treatments that Aren’t Shiplap – please, simmer down on the shiplap, ya’ll.

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February 19, 2015
Painting 101: How to Paint Walls In Less Time With Less Mess

No one ever taught me how to paint walls.

I learned how to paint completely by trial and error after my Pap died and I had to paint every wall and ceiling in his house with two coats of primer and two coats of paint.

My uncle handed me a five gallon bucket of primer, a five gallon bucket of paint, some rollers and left.

I called in reinforcements.

My friends and I painted Pap’s entire house over the course of a couple months all while wearing his XXL overalls that we duck taped in the back to hold them up on us.

That’s one of my favorite memories and a couple pairs of those overalls are safely tucked away now.

Needless to say, after all that painting and all the painting I’ve done in my other homes, I’ve learned pretty quickly how to paint walls – and how to do it in less time with less mess.

Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with HomeRight. All opinions and self taught stellar painting skills are 100% mine. This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Now, as we all know good and well around here, I tend to not always do things the “professional” way.

I prefer the Jenna method.

Therefore, others may critique my methods, but this is what I do and what works for me.

How to Paint Walls

Step 1.

Tape off around any trim as needed.

I typically only tape off around my baseboards. I can usually edge pretty easily around door casings and the ceiling. When I don’t tape the baseboards, it never fails that I end up accidentally running the paint roller over them a few times.

Also, lay out an old sheet or blanket to protect against any paint splatter. I am a cheater and don’t always do this because I’m impatient and just want to get started. If you don’t put down a blanket and do get some splatter, either wipe the paint up immediately with a wet paper towel or wait for it to dry and then just scrape it up with your fingernail, it comes right off. However, that method only works on tile and hardwood floor, so ALWAYS put down a cover over carpet.

Step 2.

Edge. Always edge before rolling. Edge around your ceiling, doorways, trim, and in your corners. If you have done a lot of painting or after you get some good practice, you might be able to edge pretty good with a regular paintbrush. I am pretty good edging with just a paintbrush, but I also like to use my HomeRight Quick Painter for edging too.

The quick painter basically eliminates the need for you to tape off around your trim as much if any. The trigger releases paint and the pull handle sucks paint into the tube, like so:

First, you remove the painting pad, dip the tip of the tube into the paint can and pull back on the handle. This draws paint into the tube. Place the paint pad back on and squeeze the trigger to get paint on the pad. Then edge away! The quick painter is really great for people who have trouble edging with a regular paintbrush – it can also save a lot of time. You aren’t constantly going back to your paint can for more paint.

Step 3:

Roll on your paint. Since I first used the HomeRight EZ Twist Paint Stick last year, it has been my go-to tool for painting walls.

The paint stick comes with a tube that you place over your paint can. You stick the nozzle on the underside of the paint stick onto the tube, pull back on the paint stick handle and paint is pulled into the tube. To release the paint into the roller, you just push up on the stick and start rolling.

Once more, this saves a lot of time because you aren’t running back and forth to the paint tray. You can also easily paint ceilings or tall walls without a ladder since the paint stick is longer than a regular roller.

Some people roll their paint on in a “W” or a “V” pattern. I don’t. I usually start rolling at the top, and just work my way down the wall rolling.

You can see how I first used the EZ Twist on my living room walls here.

Step 4:

After you have rolled on a coat of paint, go back and do another coat of edging and another coat of rolling, repeating as many times as needed.

Remember to pull up your painter’s tape as soon as you paint on your last coat of paint – do not wait for the paint to dry before removing the tape. This increases the risk of some of your paint peeling off when you remove the tape.

Do you have any tips or tricks for painting walls?

Need more Painting 101 help?

How to Paint Trim and Doors – everything you need to know about painting all types of trim and doors in your home.

What Kind of Paint Do I Use on That? – a guide to all different types of paint and what surfaces to use on each.

Painting 101: Everything you need to know about painting anything – from kitchen cabinets to furniture and more, it’s all here.

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February 17, 2015
Mohawk Lollipop Holder: A Jonathan Adler Knock-Off
This project will fall into the category with the snake bowl and the snake vase for many of you.

That’s the category classified as:

Things Jenna Loves & Most People Hate

That’s perfectly fine.

Me, my snake bowl, snake vase, and the newest addition to the category, the mohawk lollipop holder will be perfectly happy together.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

That’s right. A punk rocker lollipop holder.

How much more fun could it get?

I was perusing Jonathan Adler’s newest items a while back, plotting out which items I would buy when I hit the lottery (all of them) and I happened upon this little jewel.

The Jonathan Adler Mohawk Lollipop Holder

This is actually one of his more affordable items – its $98.

However, I couldn’t bring myself to shell out $98 for a lollipop holder.

So I made my own.

For $10.

DIY Jonathan Adler Inspired Mohawk Lollipop Holder

Materials & Tools Needed:
- Styrofoam Head (Mine came from Hobby Lobby. Use a 40% off coupon to get it for $5.)
- Round Styrofoam Disc (Mine came from Hobby Lobby. It was $2.)
- Metal Studs (Mine came from Michael’s. They were $3)
- Pencil
- X-Acto Knife
- Hot Glue Gun
- Toothpicks
Steps

Step 1.

Place the styrofoam head on top of the styrofoam disc and do an outline around the top of the head with your pencil. See #1 in the photo below. This will be your mohawk. After you have made your outline, cut out the mohawk slowly with an X-Acto knife.

Step 2:

Place about five toothpicks in the center top of the head, spread out a little shorter than the mohawk. See #2 in the photo above.

Step 3:

Push the mohawk down on top of the toothpicks. Push it slowly, so that it doesn’t break.

Step 4:

Run a line of hot glue quickly along each side of the mohawk, then push the mohawk down and firmly into place with your hand. Hold it down until the glue is dry. See #4 in the photo above.

Step 5:

Hot glue the studs around the base of the head.

Step 6:

Push your lollipops into the mohawk.

I realize mine does not look as good as his, but for $10, I’ll take it.

Wouldn’t this be so fun and quirky to have out at a party?

Is there a mohawk lollipop holder in your future?

I think there should be, but I won’t judge you if there isn’t. 🙂

Want more Jonathan Adler inspiration?

Don’t miss these 8 Jonathan Adler Inspired Projects!

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February 10, 2015
Make Laminate Countertops look like Stone for about $20
Looking for an easy DIY countertop makeover? If you’ve got $20, then you can take your laminate countertops from dated to modern beauties by using this tutorial for creating faux stone countertops!

Remember when I answered all your burning questions and you asked if I ever messed up on anything. And I was like, All. The. Time.

Ok, this project was one of those trial by error projects.

Luckily, its result was stellar – stellarly good looking and stellarly cheap as well.

And I’m aware stellarly may not actually be a word.

It is now though.

Dear friends, let me show you the cheapest and easiest way you can turn those ugly laminate countertops from yesteryear into beautiful “stone” counters.

At first glance, what kind of material would you think that countertop was made of? Stone, right?! But it’s totally not – that countertop was once a regular old laminate countertop!

Let’s back up for a second. First off, these countertops are in the man cave. I showed you the whole built-in makeover last week. Before all that though, the built-ins looked like this:

Complete with shiny brownish-burgundy countertops circa 1970.

Initially when Grunt Labor and I did a “lazy job” of redoing this space, I painted the countertop. I knew good and well it would end up scratching off, but I didn’t really care because I was pregnant and just wanted to lounge around in my fold-out lawn chair and eat chocolate while I still had a good excuse to do so.

So I did, and if you’ve been pregnant before, then don’t tell me you would have done any differently. 🙂

And what did the countertop do after it was painted?

It got lots of little scratches here and there. Just like I knew it would.

A few months back when I really committed to overhauling this space, I knew I couldn’t leave the countertop as it was. I had lots of ideas – I would clad it all in pallet wood, or 1 x 4s, or pleather with nailhead trim….. Then, I had a better idea, I wanted to make it look like soap stone. I would paint it black, then come back with a tiny paintbrush and maybe add some grayish-whiteish veining.

Pssssshhhhhh…..As if I actually have the patience for all that.

After I realized that idea was a bust, I had a thought.

I wonder what this countertop looks like underneath the laminate.

So I started tearing it off….

Painting Countertops to Look Like Stone

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Tools & Supplies Needed:
- Hammer
- Drywall Knife, Metal Scrapers, Pry Bar or something similar
- Chalkboard Paint
- Topcoat – I used wax, but if your countertop is going in a kitchen or where water is often being used, go for a polycrylic topcoat.
Steps

Step 1

Starting at a corner of the countertop or a side, gently hammer your pry bar, drywall knife or scraper under the laminate of your countertop, then pop it up.

Continue doing this until your countertop is sans laminate and all you are left with is a piece of wood. It is totally ok if you make a few nicks, scratches and such on the wood as you tear the laminate off.

Step 2

Take a look at the wood you are left with and decide if the texture is “stone-y” enough for you. If you want more texture to it, you the scrapers to scrape into it some, beat it a few times with the hammer, hit it with a chain, whatever. This is also a great stress release exercise. 😉

If the wood is too rough for you, give it a light sanding with a palm sander. I did do this, as there were a few splinters sticking up that I wanted to take care of. A very light sanding is key here though.

Step 3

Once you are satisfied with the texture of your wood, give it a minimum of two coats (but I did three) of chalkboard paint.

Step 4

After the paint is fully dry, you need to seal the countertop. I used Minwax Finishing Paste Wax. I am not a fan of using waxes usually, but I knew the wax would keep that muted look of the paint so it looked more like stone, but still protect it, so that’s what I went for.

To apply the wax, I used my AutoRight Detailing Polisher.

I put some wax on the foam applicator, applied it to the counter, let it sit for 20 minutes or so, then came back with the microfiber bonnet and buffed it. The polisher makes it sooooo easier to apply wax to pieces.

If you are doing this countertop technique on a kitchen countertop or bathroom countertop that is going to be getting a lot of use, I would highly recommend you using a more heavy duty sealant like a polyurethane or polycrylic, which would hold up to water much better.

Here’s our end result:

And another shot:

Helpful Tips and Q&A About the DIY Faux Stone Counters:

How are they holding up?

Since this project was completed, we have actually moved out of the house where this countertop is. We were there for about two years though with the countertop and it was holding up just fine! My in-laws actually live in that house now and the countertop is doing well for them too!

Could I put food directly on the countertop?

Since you’re using a wax or polycrylic topcoat, I would suggest that you not put food directly on top of the counters.

Can I use a different kind of paint?

So I used the chalkboard paint because I had it on hand and because it had that flat, black color, but a little grayed out like soapstone looks. I think that you could use a different paint, however I would definitely suggest using a flat finish paint to get that stone look.

Want more DIY countertop makeover ideas?

Here are 9 DIY Countertop Makeovers!

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February 3, 2015
Power Tools 101: How to Use a Heat Gun

This is probably the easiest tool to use – but that many people don’t have.

A Heat Gun.

I didn’t have a heat gun until last year – and I didn’t get it out of the box for a month or so after I got it because I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it.

Let me tell you – it can do so many things.

And it is so easy to use.

How to use a Heat Gun

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

My heat gun is the HomeRight Digital Temperature Heat Gun. I have only used it and the Heat Pro Deluxe II Heat Gun. I can’t attest to other heat guns, but these have always worked well for me and are easy to use. Gina at Shabby Creek Cottage is doing her Power Tools 101 post today on using the Heat Pro Deluxe II Heat Gun.

The digital heat gun comes with a handy case and a few tools to go along with the gun:

There is a scraper for paint and nozzles that you can attach to the end of the gun to focus your heat or change its direction. Typically, I just use the heat gun as is, without an added-on nozzle.

To start, simply plug in the heat gun. This is all electric. I suggest using an extension cord if you are working on a larger project and need to move around a lot.

There is a temperature display screen and two buttons on the back of the gun.

The left button will decrease the temperature (the lowest it goes is 120 degrees) and the right button will increase the temperature (the highest it goes is 1000 degrees).

You turn it on with that switch on the back of the handle there.

Super hard, right?

The biggest question with a heat gun is what temperature do I use for what projects?

There is an instruction manual that comes with the gun and has suggested temperatures for different things. However, I typically just feel it out for myself. I start with a lower setting and work my way up until the gun has accomplished what I need it to. Its always better to start at a low temperature, rather than starting at a higher one and messing up whatever project you are working on (a.k.a. melting something into oblivion).

I recently stripped the top of a dresser. To strip the paint that was on it, I had to turn the heat gun all the way up to 1000 degrees. When I made the snake bowl and snake vase, I was more at a “medium” degree setting.

Now, the question is what all can I freakin’ do with a heat gun?

Let me tell you…..

Remove Paint from Furniture

Make a Rustic Tealight Holder

Strip Old Veneer

Make a Golden Snake Bowl

Age Galvanized Metal Roofing (and make a cool arrow sign in the process)

Winterize Your Windows

Make a Snake Bud Vase out of a Toy Snake

Remove Old Vinyl Lettering

Make an Acrylic Tray

Make a plastic animal bowl

Make an Embossed T-Shirt

Make an Abstract Plastic Bowl

Melt Crayons

Have you used a heat gun before? What do you use it on?

Need more Power Tools 101 courses?

How to Use a Drill

How to use a Circular Saw

How to use a Miter Saw

How to Use a Sander

The Best Tools for DIYers at any Level

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February 2, 2015
The Man Cave: Built-Ins Makeover

He’s waited almost four years.

He thought it was going to happen in the winter of 2011 after I got knocked up.

We tore down paneling, had drywall and carpet put in, and added moldings.

We successfully made it less scary – and then moved onto the kid’s nursery.

And the man cave became a dumping ground.

It was a waste of space.

And I hate wasted spaces.

That’s one reason I don’t like vaulted ceilings because I think they waste too much space, but that’s another blog post, now isn’t it?

Finally, Grunt Labor is getting his man cave.

One makeover at a time.

We started with the Vintage Radio turned Bar Cabinet, and now we just finished the Built-Ins Makeover.

Disclosure: This post was a collaboration with Build.com, however all opinions and lack of completing the man cave makeover in a timely manner, are 100% mine.

When we first bought the beloved foreclosure, this room (in our basement) was covered in paneling and had stepped right out of 1975 – or somewhere thereabouts. The built-in unit was there, but it was on the other side of the room, which I guess technically means its not a built-in, but whatever. Here’s what it looked like then:

The way the built-in was placed wasn’t ideal for us. As soon as you walked down the stairs, it was right there in your face. When I got knocked up and we realized that we’d better put this reno into overdrive and tore down the paneling and everything else, we moved the built-in to the other side. Grunt Labor took out the middle drawers and made them shelves. I threw some white paint on it and the countertop and called it a day.

I was growing a human inside me. I had no energy for anything else.

Eventually, it looked like this:

We started to use it more, but it wasn’t how Grunt wanted it.

And lord knows, he deserves something of his own around here.

As fate would have it, Build.com contacted me a couple months back and asked if I wanted to work together on a project. I told Grunt Labor about it and he immediately started scouring their site…plotting out his man cave.

The end result was this:

This space is now officially his. Well, except for the kid’s toys on the other side of the room. 🙂

Grunt has been dying for a refrigerator down here for months – the vintage radio turned bar cabinet I made him just wasn’t enough for him apparently.

He found this refrigerator on Build and left the rest to me. The refrigerator was actually taller than the cabinets we had, so we had to raise them – it was much easier than I thought and I’ll be showing you just how easy it was in another post.

The refrigerator holds a ton of drinks and keeps them super duper cold.

Obviously, we painted the entire unit as well. Before painting the cabinets and drawers, we added moldings around the edges to cover up the old design and give it a bit more of a modern look.

The countertop got a makeover as well.

It’s now sporting a faux stone look – you will die when you see how freakin’ easy it was to create this look. Not. Even. Kidding.

I picked out new hardware too. I went for simple modern rose gold pulls on the drawers and lion head pulls on the doors.

The school’s mascot where Grunt teaches at is a lion, so they were only fitting.

We had one issue with one of the drawer pulls – a screw broke off inside the handle and we couldn’t get it out. I contacted Build and they had me a new one delivered in just a few days. They have great customer service and even great customer resources including how-to videos, PDF instructions and more.

I did a lot of rearranging and editing on the shelves as well. Those vintage locker baskets are hiding DVDs.

I made a little vignette as a tribute to Grunt Labor’s grandpa as well. I think it may be my favorite part of the whole makeover.

The stamps were his grandfather’s and we found them in one of his old tool boxes that Grunt got. We’ve had them for a couple years now and I knew I wanted to do something special with them, but it took me a while to figure out what. I finally mounted them all in a shadow box along with a stamped paper of each one. I put the little brass golf ball there because that is one of Grunt Labor’s memories of his grandpa – him swinging golf clubs in the backyard.

Just a few more things to do and this man cave will be complete…he’s forcing me to paint a Tennessee Vols checkerboard table. I’m a Bama fan. If you’re from the south and know football, you know what this means. Send more cheap beer.

Looking for more “manly” home decor ideas? See these then…

Masculine Bedroom Makeover

DIY Half-Bath Remodel

The Jungle Room

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January 26, 2015
DIY Snake Bud Vase (Snake Haters, Avert Your Eyes)
I knew there would be many of you that would hate it.

The Golden Snake Bowl.

That was fine with me.

Because I love it.

And even if you did hate it, you totally have to give me an A+ for creativity.

I mean, I took a rubber snake and made it into a bowl.

That has to count for something.

While I was melting snakes into bowls, I also melted one into a bud vase.

You read right – a Snake Bud Vase.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

It’s totally fine – I get it if you don’t like this one either, but I still get an A+ for creativity.

Possibly an A+ for playing with toy snakes as much as I do as well.

I made this beauty out of a $1 rubber snake. It was even easier to make than the snake bowl.

How to Make a Snake Bud Vase

Supplies and Tools Needed:
- - 1 Rubber Snake (I found that the best ones to use are the long and really bendy, bouncy ones from the Dollar Tree.)
- - Heat Gun
- - Heat Safe Gloves
- - Empty metal can (I raided my cabinet and found a can of chicken gravy that was a year past its expiration date. SCORE.)
- - Gold Spray Paint
- - Toy Doctor’s Kit from the Dollar Store (this will make total sense in a little while, and no not because you will hurt yourself while making this stellar bud vase)
- Gorilla Glue
Steps

Step 1:

Make sure your metal can is clean (we don’t want a snake vase that smells like bad chicken gravy) and then coil the snake into the can.

I found the easiest way to do this was by holding the can between my feet and using both hands to tightly coil the snake in the can. Otherwise, the snake kept knocking the can over.

Side note: I also did this right on my front porch for all the neighborhood to see. If they weren’t questioning my sanity before, they sure as hell are now.

Step 2:

Turn on your heat gun (I turned mine up to high) and point the nozzle right down into the center of the can and also the center of the coiled snake.

Stop every once in a while and look in the can to see if he is good and melted together.

Step 3:

When the snake is melted together, let him cool for a few minutes, then pop him out of the can and give the sides of the snake a quick blast of the heat gun.

Keep the heat gun on high and focus the heat in between the layers of the snake. You just want to melt these pieces together – not turn it into liquid – so don’t leave it there too long.

Step 4:

After the snake is fully cool, spray paint it gold or another color of your choice.

Step 5:

Obviously, you can’t just plop a flower in this vase without something to hold water so the flower will live. Since this is a small vase, I had to get creative with this. I went to the Dollar Store (not the Dollar Tree where you got the snake, but the Dollar Store) and found this toy doctor’s kit:

I took the syringe apart and put a dab of monkey glue on the end of it where there was a small hole.

After it dried, I popped it into the bud vase with a little water and put my rose in it.

Why yes, I do know that I’m a genius. Thank you.

You can see just the edge of the syringe in the photo above.

Looking for more great home decor projects?

If you’re a gold fan, don’t miss these 40+ gold home decor projects.

And you won’t believe some of these 15+ Easy Crafts and DIY Projects!

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January 22, 2015