2IY: The Best DIY of August (and a sneak peek of what's working in September)

August was a busy month for us here at 2IY.   Aside from the ongoing $100 bathroom makeover which included the pallet wood hanging bathroom shelf and a Pottery Barn inspired rope-wrapped dollar store trash can we also managed to fit in a few other fun DIY projects.   Here's a quick recap of some of our favorite from the past month.

Melissa's personalized wood pallet sign makes a huge statement in her dining room and for very little cost.   The best part of that project was making the homemade chalk paint which proved a huge success for this project and the painted nightstand-turned-hall table makeover.   

Dollar store trash can makeover

What do you do when you're working on a $100 bathroom makeover and you want a dollar store trash can that doesn't look like a dollar store trash can? You buy a $1 trashcan and you cover it in leftover rope...at least that's what I did.

GIVEAWAY: Pin it to Win a set of Monogrammed Chevron Notecards

We're celebrating and when we celebrate we go by the rule: It's better to give than it is to receive. So, to celebrate Back to School, Labor Day, and the End of Summer (okay, we're not really celebrating that)...we're giving away a free set of Monogrammed Chevron Notecards!!! Who's excited?


We're calling it the 'Pin It to Win It" Giveaway because you can come back as many times as you want and pin it to gain entries.  Don't pin this << image...(well, you can if you want, but it won't count...it will just get the word out about the contest) be sure to pin the the image below in the actual giveaway form.

You can also follow us on Facebook, share on Facebook, Tweet, become a Twitter follower, and visit our growing Etsy Shop (where the cards are for sale in case you don't win) to earn extra entries! Plus, you'll get 5 extra entries every time you share the giveaway on your Facebook or Twitter.

What are you waiting for...get started below and remember to keep clicking the > for extra opps to win!

Small Bathroom Storage: DIY Pallet Board hanging shelf

And here's another sneak peek into how my $100 powder room makeover is going.  The great thing about this guy is he cost me next to nothing!  I used all pallet wood and I had the screws and stain on hand.  I did have to purchase the rope and the hook at the top, but you can actually make this without either.  (My little secret is they're just for decoration, they're not actually keeping the shelf on the wall.)

The lovely ladies over at Shanty 2 Chic inspired me to make this shelf.  They built a similar one for that odd wasted space over the toilet.   The only difference is mine is pallet wood (free) and they paid for their boards (better quality).  I believe she said she still made it for about $10...which is still quite the steal.

Mr and Mrs Pillows and '&' Pillows

In addition to getting my kid on the school bus for the very.first.time today, trying to get this blog (and another) off the ground, and finishing my $100 powder room makeover (yes, it's still in a state of incomplete) I'm also trying to build up my Etsy shop, Cuteness Cubed.  That's part of why I've been a little thin over here...I've been working over there while trying to keep my two mini bosses happy. ;)

I'm really excited to show you what I've been working on...and yes, I've been keeping my sewing machine busy! 

I love the rustic feel of them and how they can be personalized.  The neutral tones of these babies (did I mention they're Pottery Barn knockoffs?!) lets them fit into any style and color scheme.

DIY Tree Branch Candle Sticks (Pottery Barn inspired)

I'm starting to think about my fall mantle and I know I want to incorporate some things from outdoors inside.

When I looked out my window a few weeks ago to see a large tree branch on the ground, I instantly knew what I would make -- a set of tree branch or log candle sticks.

Pottery Barn Painted Birch Candles

I had seen Pottery Barn's birch painted candles and knew I could make them for a lot less than their $20-$30.  (How about FA-REE!!)

These babies are pretty straight forward.   I found a pretty straight part of the branch and used a saw to cut it into three sections of varying lengths.

DIY Beach Throw Pillows on the cheap and easy

Of course it's the end of the summer and here I am finally getting around to making a couple of beach throw pillows for my in-law's new beach house.  But better late than never, right?

I really had no plan for how this was going to go, except that I knew I wanted to involve navy and coral.   My first thought was to somehow use mod podge to transfer the prints onto the pillows.  However, cutting out all that detail in the coral and around the letters just didn't work so I had to find another way.  That's when I had a light bulb moment - why not print on the fabric.  When I say "print" I literally mean feeding the fabric through my inkjet printer.

Heart wall photo gallery and other picture galleries made easy

Kids art wall gallery

I love wall photo galleries.  I like being able to display a bunch of photos without it looking like kodak threw up all over my entertainment center (and so I don't get accused of chucking all my kids' artwork) Plus, they're ideal in so many other ways, too:

• Wall galleries are a great way to decorate a large wall on the cheap 
• They allow you to display a lot of large photos 
• You can easily change the photos to get a new look without redoing the entire wall. 

I have had a large wall photo gallery in my house for several years.  The pictures, frames, and sizes vary, but I keep them all unified by using all black frames with black and white photos.  (I'm a sucker for black and whites.) Recently I added the kids art gallery above in my basement play room. 

DIY glass bottle or mason jar soap dispenser

Another project from the $100 bathroom makeover file...this one is a cute little soap dispenser made from a mason jar.   I actually liked the way it turned out so much I made a second one - but instead of using a mason jar (I didn't have any more), I used a glass food jar that otherwise would have gone to recycling.

Entertainment center to DIY storage bench

Hey guys Steph here...

We recently got a new entertainment center, but I had trouble selling my old one.  Instead of just throw it out I decided to re-purpose it into a DIY storage bench with storage slots underneath for baskets.  It's the perfect addition to our playroom and workout area.

The entertainment center was made of that really heavy - but not super great quality - fiberboard.  We actually disassembled it and then used some of the pieces to build a homemade storage bench.

The great thing about doing this is we could customize it to our liking - and all the pieces were already cut to size for us.

DIY Wood panel and burlap monogram

While trying to figure out what to put above my small entryway table, I remembered a pin I had seen for a wood and burlap monogram and I instantly knew how I would make it.

I had purchased a wood stepper for a few dollars a few months back at Christmas Tree Shoppe, but my original plan for it didn't work out so I've been using it for scraps. 

I apologize in advance that I don't have many pictures of the process.  I was working so fast and furious that I never picked up my camera until I was done.  (Bad blogger, bad!)

Refinished small entryway table with DIY chalk paint

The entryway in our 50+ house is not exactly screaming for a table or bench..it's small and there's no real place to put anything.  A table in the hall would take up most of the walkway and with two little ones chasing each other 12 hours of the day I don't really want to risk it.

I recently got a small wood nightstand from my late grandparent's estate and fully intended to paint it and use it in my daughter's bedroom.  But when it came to painting it I made a rash decision and changed my plans.

DIY light switch covers: Update and coordinate with scrapbook paper

Another little peak into my $100 bathroom makeover.  This update to the light switch covers didn't cost me a dime, but it makes a big impact.  I love how they add a pop of navy and coordinate with my new blue and white bathroom. 

Here's how I did it.  First I removed the light switch plates and cleaned and dried them really well.  Then I found some coordinating scrapbook paper in my stash (wrapping paper would work, too). 

DIY mason jar light fixture (on the cheap)

I can't wait another minute to show you my new bathroom light.  To say I am excited would be a vast understatement.

I told you last week how I was planning a challenge to myself to redo the powder room for $100.  Well...my husband is out of town and my kids spent the weekend at the beach with the grandparents and so...I had 36 hours to transform this teeny tiny space and I have made some major headway!   I'm not ready to make the big reveal yet, but I can't wait any longer to show you my mason jar light.  I made this baby for $3.87...and that my friends, is how you keep a $100 budget!

We had this this hideous brown tri-globe light fixture and I just about hated it as much as I hated the yellow paint.  But a whole new light fixture wasn't in the plans on my shoestring budget.  Since I have been wanting a mason jar light I thought the bathroom would be the perfect spot for it.

Small bathroom makeover: $100 budget challenge

We have 2.5 bathrooms...and lucky for me (okay, not so much) all of them need some updating (don't get me started on the demo needed in the master or the total reno needed in the kids/guest room bathroom).

The main floor powder room will far and away be the smallest project and really just requires some DIY TLC.  The Mr. is all about hiring out - but I'm not trying to spend my kids' college fund on the rooms where my kids pee and poop all over.  So...I've set a very tight budget for the powder room: a mere $100.  Yes, I recognize the craziness of this, but I figure if I set it low and plan ahead I can do it.  Pretty much everything is cosmetic and I am pretty sure I can do it all myself.

Okay, so here's what the bathroom looks like now. (I was literally standing in the coat closet across the hall to take this picture.) It's the same as it was 2.5 years ago when we moved into our home (I do have an excuse for not updating it until now and that is that my youngest was born 3 WEEKS after we made the out-of-state move.)

DIY Chalk Paint...way cheap and just 3 ingredients

Have you ever used chalk paint?  Not chalkboard paint just chalk paint.  Annie Sloan is the go to for this thick paint that goes on easy and smooth and doesn't require hardly any prep work like sanding or primer.   It's ideal for painting furniture because it covers well and is great for distressing. 

However, for all the good there is one big downfall: the stuff comes with a pretty steep price tag.  Think around the $40 mark for a fairly small container.

Anyway, I decided before I shelled out the big bucks for some Anne Sloan Chalk Paint I would try the DIY version.

DIY personalized wood sign from pallet wood

I am a pallet virgin no more! I have finally completed my first ever pallet wood project and it's this awesome personalized wood sign that's now hanging in my dining room.  I got the pallet board from my aunt and it's been sitting in my garage for months waiting for me to make just this very thing.