How to make DIY coasters with pictures (Several techniques with varying results)

Looking for great Father's Day gift idea?  DIY coasters with photos is a great one for a grandfather from the grandkids because it's cheap, easy and they can actually help (they can use a foam brush, right?)!  The best part is how personal you can make coasters with pictures.

Hopefully, you're not too last minute - but if you are I have a quickie version of the photo coasters for the last minute DIYers further on down.  There are actually a couple of different ways you can do this and I've tried four different versions here so you can see all the results.  For all of them you'll need:

• 4" x 4" tiles (found at the hardware store) I use tumbled marble which cost me about $4 for a box of 10 tiles 
• Mod podge (either the original gloss or matte or the mod podge photo transfer medium) 
• Foam brush
• computer and printer 
• small felt or cork pads 
• patience...

The first thing you need to do is crop your pictures down to about 4x4 on your computer.   I found it's best to use rather close up images and photos that don't have a whole lot of small detail.  You can use a program like iPhoto or even Power Point to do this.  If there is any wording on the photo, flip the image so the words don't turn out backwards on your coasters. 

DIY Bird bath from Clay Pots

A friend of mine sent me a picture of her new DIY birdbath and I was instantly in love.  I tweaked her design a little and waa-la now we have our own birdbath.

This project is really easy and if you're like me it won't cost you a dime. I dug around the garage and found three large terracotta pots.  Since mine were all the same size I stacked them one on top of each other with the two bottoms glued together and then two tops together.  If you have various sizes, you can stack them all facing the same direction in a tier with the largest pot on the bottom.  However, depending on the size of your pots you may need more than just three.

Free printable labels: Thought bubble labels in two sizes

Who doesn't love them some free printable labels? I created a set of super cute thought bubble labels that can be used in a variety of ways.  I mod podged them to glass jars and use them for craft supply storage, but you can use them however you want.

They are available in two sizes and I two different sets - one let of printable labels that are pre-filled with craft related items and another blank set that you can customize.

You could use them for kids art supplies, on canisters in the kitchen, in the pantry or to labels storage boxes in a medicine cabinet or linen closet.

 

I'd love to see how you use the thought bubble labels.  Just share a link to you blog post with a picture in the comments section below. 

As always, thanks for stopping by 2IY. 

Posted by: Melissa

How to turn glass jars into DIY pharmacy jars with labels

I've been stockpiling glass jars for weeks now - saving everything from peanut butter jars to salsa containers and spaghetti sauce jars.  The reason for my hoarding?? I need cheap, see-through storage with lids for my growing craft supplies.  Storage containers aren't necessarily expensive, but when you can make them for free or pennies, why not especially when they look like these cool pharmacy jars.

The easiest way to turn glass jars into storage is to soak them in water and then use a sponge to peel of off the label.  It can be that easy and if you're just getting started or have no desire to make them fancy - then by all means stop there.

But I'm into cute and "collections" and so I needed a way to bring my hodge podge of different size containers together.   Plus, I wanted to take the cuteness factor up a notch on the scale...you feel me??

DIY Craft Organization Caddy from a lazy susan

As I continue my craft room makeover, I've been doing a bunch of smaller projects to help with organizing all the stuff that comes along with crafting....you know the markers, paint, thread, needles, stamps, sponges, pencils, ribbon and on and on and on.  Not everything can be tucked away in my new DIY canvas-covered storage boxes.  During a recent trip to the thrift store I picked up this $2 lazy susan with the intent to make it the base for a tall floor lamp/shelf my daughter already has...turns out it's too heavy for the appropriately named lazy susan.  

Not to worry, I had another idea for this old kitchen staple.  I thought I'd turn her into a DIY craft caddy to hold all of my jars of "stuff."  But I also wanted to get my thread and ribbon organized, too, so I thought I'd add some dowels.

I started by removing the base of the lazy susan to make it easier to work with.  Then I used my drill to drill four holes in the top of the lazy susan.  I made one large hole for the dowel and on the other side three smaller holes for wooden skewers for thread and bobbins. The dowel cost me .50 at Walmart (I only used a small piece of it) and the skewers I dug out of the back of a kitchen drawer.

After drilling the holes I spray painted the top of the lazy susan and all of the dowels/skewers.  Once they were dry I put a little drop of hot glue over the hole and then pressed the dowels into the holes.  The holes were a little small, which is what you want so the dowels in place.

Then I put my lazy susan back together and loaded her up with all my mason jars. How's that for an easy and cheap DIY project?!  This functional and space saving DIY craft caddy cost me just $2.50 and half a nap time to make.

If you're not into crafting this could also be used on a bathroom counter to hold bottles of lotions and perfumes or to keep kids craft supplies neat or on a bedroom dresser as a jewelry caddy.  Pretty much anywhere there is clutter this lazy susan organizer would work. 

As always, thanks for stopping by 2IY.  If you like what you see, don't forget to pin and/or "like" to share this Two It Yourself project with the world. 

Posted by: Melissa

Sneak peek of what's ahead this week: Hint - think Father's Day

We have had lots of on-going projects recently and this week we'll finally be able to reveal some of them including an awesome DIY Father's Day gift your dad or Father-in-law or Grandfather or husband will absolutely love. Plus, we've made some major progress on the craft room makeover that you won't want to miss.

Here's a little sneak peek of what's ahead this week...

 

As always, thanks for stopping by 2IY. 

Posted by: Melissa

$99 Ikea chair: The easy hack that make it look like $999

A few days ago I showed you how I took this $99 Ikea Tullsta chair and gave it an upscale upgrade by adding upholstery nails.  Well, now, I'm finally getting around to finishing up the chair to make it better match the furniture in our master bedroom.

Original Tullsta Chair from Ikea

The chair's simple legs were natural with just a glass finish.  I knew from the start I would stain them and I finally got around to it.  It was a pretty easy project - even for a staining rookie like myself.

First, I used my new Black and Decker sander to remove the finish on the legs. You can see the difference between the legs here - the one on the right has been sanded, while the other hasn't.

Then, using a paint brush I put on the stain.   After about 10 minutes, I wiped away the excess stain and let them dry for a good 8 hours.  I decided I wanted the legs slightly darker, so I added a second coat of stain.

Once the stain was dry I finished them off with a layer of polyurethane.  That just seals the finish and makes it look extra shiny.

That's it - now just re-attach the legs and you're done with a chair that looks like a distant cousin from the original version.

That's the beauty of Ikea - so cheap and so easy to make your own. 

Turn boxes into pretty storage for pennies

With the master bedroom makeover nearly complete I've now turned my attention to the guest room which will soon be the guest room/craft room.   If ever there was a room in need of a do-over....I'll let the picture speak for itself.

I've never had a designated craft room so I'm super excited.  I've got big plans for this room and I'm sooooo anxious to start revealing them to you.  The big project is the office desk which I'm turning into a craft table by taking off the hutch and using the parts to create shelving for the room.

The shelves will be a big part of my storage space so, of course, I need storage boxes.  But do you think this thrifty sister is spending my money on boxes to store paint - ain't no way!  Next best thing - make boxes. 

DIY Construction Birthday Cake in 3 steps: Bake, Break, Ice

We just had my 2 year old son's birthday party and I got a little into the theme...okay, okay, I admit, a lot!   Like I may have been more excited about all the trucks and whatnot than he was.

Anyway among the themed food and decorations was this awesome construction/work zone birthday cake.  It seriously has to be the easiest DIY cake out there -- and I'm no cake decorator.  In fact, I usually let the kids take credit blame for cake icing jobs.

For the construction cake I just baked a chocolate box cake in two round cake pans.  I put them in the fridge to chill for a few hours before I started icing.  I iced the top of the bottom cake and then stacked the second cake on top.  As you can see, my cake's pretty rough...

Enlarged Photo to Canvas Transfer

Fin.a.lly! This project of transferring a photo onto four different canvases seriously has taken me week, but finally it's done and on the wall.

Don't get all intimidated - it was basically user error.  I ran out of printer ink...bought two different cartridges and then had to return them both and finally I got the right one. 

This all go started because I had this awesome picture of my son that I wanted to display.  I also had four 8x10 stretched framed canvases just sitting in my craft room waiting to be put to use.  Ta-da the perfect combination.

DIY Starter Kit: 10 essentials for every DIYer

There's really nothing you have to have to do DIY projects, but a few key tools and craft supplies will definitely make life a whole lot easier.  Here at 2IY life is made easier because Stephanie married a man who just so happens to love tools.  I married a man, who, I am lucky can handle a hammer.

And so if you are in the same boat as me...you may want to start with a simple DIY Starter Kit.  I'll assume you at least have a hammer and a screw driver and that's pretty much it.  Okay ready? Let's get started.  All of the items are readily available at craft stores like Michaels, AC Moore and Hobby Lobby or the hardware stores including Home Depot and Lowes.   To make your life easier I'm going to give you direct links to them on Amazon so they're literally just a click away and in T-3 or 4 days your entire DIY starter kit will be on your front door.

SANDER: This is the Black and Decker Sander with dust filter that I have...whether you get this one or not is up to you, but you really do need a sander for any type of wood or painting projects.

JIGSAW: A jigsaw is a DIY essential if you plan to cut, oh let's see, next to anything! The Black and Decker jigsaw is a good one to start with since it's lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and user friendly.

NAIL GUN: A nail gun will save you a lot of time and manicures...just get a nail gun. This WEN Nail gun/Brad nailer has great reviews for it's affordable price tag and ease of use.  It does require an air compressor to run.


CRAFT PAINTS:  Get started with a set of craft paints like these high quality satin paints from the Martha Stewart collection. You'll save yourself a lot of time from running to the store to buy a new color every time you need it. Once you discover a color you keep turning to, you can buy a larger quantity.  I say having a few key colors of spray paint on hand it also an essential although you'll be hard pressed to find them come in a set.  Heirloom White is always a popular color so should be among your DIY starter kit essentials.


PAINT BRUSHES and SPONGE/FOAM BRUSHES:  Having a collection of paint brushes and sponge brushes on hand is always a good idea. Purchasing a set of each will mean you'll have a variety of different sizes on hand for various projects.  They can all be washed and reused.
 
CORDLESS DRILL: A cordless drill will serve you on so many different levels - from easily hanging pictures on the wall or making pilot holes in wood.  A cordless drill is something no DIYer should be without.

HEAVY DUTY STAPLE GUN: 
Forget the plastic nail gun you may already have, many DIY projects require something more substantial. Investing in a heavy duty staple gun like this Stanley will serve you well on a wide range of projects including anything that requires upholstery.
SEWING & DYE CUT MACHINES: Depending on the type of DIY projects you find yourself doing a dye cut machine and/or sewing machine will make your life much easier. Sewing and creating stencils from hand is time consuming and not nearly as efficient when done without these machines. Popular Dye Cut machines including the Cricut and the Silhouette - they can cut paper, vinyls, and other materials into stencils to be used in countless ways.

MOD PODGE:  Find me a DIYer who hasn't used Mod Podge or isn't a fan and I'll call you a liar.  The gluey concoction is seriously genius and can be used in some any different ways to create unbelievable projects.  The classic decoupage has been around for 40 years and is still popular because of it's clear dry, easy to clean up, yet high quality results.  There are five different forumlas and finishes, so the Mod Podge starter pack is perfect for any DIY starter kit.

GLUE GUN: A little dab 'll do ya...sometimes nothing works better than to just break out the glue gun and get it done.  Glue guns are seriously cheap and they're so versitile which makes them an essential part of any DIY starter kit. 

What tools do you have in your tool kit that you simply can't live without? We'd love to hear what your must-have DIY tools are.

The opinions expressed in this post are exclusively mine and are based on my own experience with the products.  I did not receive any compensation from any manufacturers or retailers for this article.

Posted by: Melissa

DIY Tiered Flower Potter out of Terracotta Pots

I am so excited that I can finally show off what I've been working on over the last week.   I've been keeping hush-hush because these tiered potters were Mother's Day gifts for my mom and mother in law and I didn't want to give anything away knowing they are among some of our most faithful 2IY readers.

So here goes...I was inspired by the beautiful tiered pot stands made by Amy at Positively Splendid (definitely appropriately named).   The DIY potter is actually pretty straight forward.  For the large pot, I used a 12" pot with a saucer to fit, a brown 8" pot, and a smaller 6 inch pot for the top tier. 

I'm just going to put this out there and admit I do not like spray painting terracotta pots. They soak up the spray paint like they're a camel in the desert....or my son getting his first cup full of milk in the morning.  It's there and then it's gone.   That's most  100% of the reason why I cheated and used a brown 8" pot for the middle tier.  By doing that, I eliminated the need to spray paint it and just built my color scheme around it.  I intended to make both of the flower potters the same, but the large burgundy pot required so much spray paint I didn't have enough left for the second pot stand.

Ikea hack: Ektorp chair gets an easy makeover

Call me crazy but I recently took both my kids (4.5 and nearly 2) to Ikea by.my.self.   Did I mention it's an hour away?  Yeah okay...obviously, I was pretty desperate and of course impatient about getting this Ektorp Tullsta  chair I had my eye on for the corner of our master bedroom.

The chair is small so it doesn't take up much space (the main reason I like it!), makes a statement, and the off white material was a pretty close match to the drop cloth headboard I recently finished.  (Here's the tutorial for the DIY upholstered headboard.) At just $99 I decided I'd rather just buy it than get an old chair at a thrift store and go through the trouble of reupholstering it.  Sometimes it's just easier (and nearly as cheap) to start with something new and hack it...in this case it's a classic Ikea hack.

DIY Beach House Decor: Summer handprint art

This is and oldie but goodie that I'm revisiting and sharing from our sister blog New Mama's Corner because of the popularity...and because beach season is just around the corner.

During the summer we spend a lot of time at my in-law's beach house.  For Mother's Day last year I had my kids create some beach handprint art to give to my MIL.   I added the details with a black Sharpie after the paint was all dry.   I framed all four of them and they now proudly hang as part of the beach house decor.

These are great as gifts, rainy day activities, or could even be made into thank you cards as a way to say "thanks for letting us stay."

 

As always, thanks for stopping by 2IY.

If you like what you see we'd love for you to share it by PINinnig it, "LIKE-ing" it, or just shouting it from the rooftops.  (Okay, okay maybe skip that last one..)

 Posted by Melissa

Vignette ideas for the master bedroom: How to add style and organization

I've been seeing vignettes all over the place recently and really love what they do to a space.  Since the master bedroom is my current project, I thought I'd create my very first one.   If you're not familiar with them, vignettes bring together a collection of what otherwise be random things to add a layer of beauty, sophistication and organization to a room.   Many times vignettes are set up on a tray to unify the items.

Here's a look at the vignette I created for my master bedroom.  I did not buy anything for the vignette except the tray which I got at Ikea for $7.  I plan to paint the tray and get a piece of plexi glass and some wrapping or scrap paper to put on the bottom so I can change up the look when as often as I'd like without repainting.

I added three candles of various shapes, sizes and heights.   All of them I had laying around the house.  I found the white candle stick at a thrift store for a dollar and sprayed it my favorite - heirloom white.  (Find the tutorial for the rope pillar candle here.)

Please excuse the cute kids in the background

On the opposite side to kind of balance out the space I added a small lamp.  Then I put a small square mirror which my husband used to propose ("This is the face I want to wake up to everyday for the rest of my life...") eight years ago and in front of that leaned up a wooden "V" which I purchased
months and months ago, but had never done anything with -- poor thing is still lacking paint. 

I also had this brown "JESUS" sign that was my grandparents.  I remember staring at it for long periods of time as a little girl trying to figure out what it said between those little pieces of wood.  When my grandparents recently passed away, I got it and it always reminds me of them.  Since it was kind of dated I decided to spray paint and sand it down a bit to make it match my motif. 

Can you find 'Jesus'?

I also included a silver heart jewelry dish that my sister gave me for being in her wedding.   The final touch was some beautiful and bright pink flowers from my yard.  I love the pop they provide.

The idea behind my vignette is things that have special meaning to me.  I wanted to display them all in the master bedroom, but separately they weren't really working.  Bringing them together on a tray as a vignette they work.

Other ideas for bedroom vignettes include:

• Family or wedding pictures
• Figurines
• Perfume or cologne bottles
• Antique figures, buddahs, etc
• Green plants such as a topiary
• Ring holder
• Small jewelry stand
• Unique jars, bottles, or colored glassware
• Orbs
• Small clocks