Friday, November 29, 2013

Large DIY Outdoor Christmas Trees from Tomato Cages


This Christmas I'm taking my front porch up a notch.  The icicle lights and wreath are just not gonna cut it this year.   Along with my Pottery Barn-inspired 'Be Merry' sign, I'm decorating my Christmas front porch with three DIY lighted Christmas trees - all of which I made from tomato cage and dollar store garland.  I shared my impromptu mini potted Christmas Tree earlier this week....


Well now, I have the details on how to make large lighted Christmas trees.  If you're looking for inexpensive DIY Christmas decor (for inside or outside) this is your project!  The tall tree are 54" and cost me about $15 each to make - a major bargain considering how much tall lighted Christmas trees sell for..think triple digits for a pair.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving & Thank YOU!

Here's to wishing you all the happiest of Thanksgivings! I am thankful for so many things including all of you for helping me make this little blog such a success in such a short period of time.  

 photo 23de5266-91bc-4226-85c8-8c74cb4c20ee_zps1313e4f5.jpg


Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Furniture Painting Tips: Polycrylic vs Polyurethane

Let me start off by saying...I ain't no furniture painting expert.  I'm just a girl, a SAHM, a wife, and DIYer who can't sit still so I started painting furniture.  And then I started selling my painted furniture...and with each piece I paint, I learn more and more about painting furniture.

One of the biggest quandaries I had was about finishes and top coats.   People always say 'poly' and my question is always 'poly what??'  I think most people assume polyurethane, but there is a time and place for polycrylic, too!

I have found they are both essential in painting furniture - sometimes on the same piece.  It was
recently when I was selecting my finishes for a piece with a stained top and a painted base that I realized sometimes the two must have a play date.

And so since I think I have finally wrapped my head around many of the pros and cons of both, I thought I would share what I have learned and that way others may have an easier time deciding the answer to "Polyurethane vs Polycryclic?"

Monday, November 25, 2013

The PINcentive Blog Hop (Week 12) & $175 GIVEAWAY!

Ahhh!!! Finally I can share my big news! This week we're co-hosting the totally awesome, unbelievably huge, (did I mention awesome?) PINcentive Blog Hop.  I could not be more excited to have my Pottery Barn Knockoff Wood Sign featured last week and now this week join the team as a guest...along with my Link It or Lump It Party co-host Amy @ Delineate Your Dwelling (how cool is that?!). 

Alright so let's get down to business, because these girls at the PINcentive Blog Hop mean business...I'll let Elena from Cropped Stories take it from here....

Not here for the giveaway?  No problem.  Don’t feel bad in scrolling right past this to The PINcentive Blog Hop to get your party on!

For those interested in FREE prizes; it’s your lucky day!   Our giveaway is still up, running, and just waiting for you to enter for a chance to win $100 in PayPal cash, a $75 Amazon Gift Card, and free ad space on Cropped Stories!  Only it closes in less than 4 days, so  don’t delay!  And if you wanted to, feel free tell your friends!  I’m just sayin’! 
So have at it, and GOOD LUCK!

How to Make a {No Sew} Burlap Bow in 30 Seconds or Less

When I shared my mini tomato planter Christmas tree earlier this week, I promised I'd shared a quick and easy tutorial on how to make a burlap bow and so, my friends, here it is.  This burlap bow takes like 30 seconds to make...a minute tops and has to be up there with one of the easiest DIY bows ever.

8 Tips for Cost Effective Home Decor {Guest Post}

I am so excited to welcome a Jessica to Two It Yourself today.  She's our guest blogger today from 4 Interior Design - a UK-based DIY and Home Decor blog.   You guys are gonna love all the tips and tricks she has up her sleeve for decorating on a budget!  (Who doesn't love that!?) So I'll hand it over to Jessica...

Finances are tight all round as the world slowly starts to recover from the global economic meltdown of 2009, and often, it seems as though there is nothing left over to make your house into a beautiful and comfortable home. However, with a little ingenuity and few pounds in your pocket you CAN make changes to your home, step by step transforming it into the elegant haven of your dreams. The following eight tips can help you get there.

1. Make Your Own: Raw materials are almost always cheaper than the finished product, and the satisfaction you gain from making something by yourself to use in the home is priceless. Buy fabric, wool, art suppliesand pieces of equipment as and when you see them on sale or as part of a good deal. If you wait until you have a project planned you are unlikely to serendipitously find the supplies you need for a low price. Keep your supplies securely locked away, protected equally from the elements and your children! You can even make your own furniture, if you so desire, by buying offcuts and odd lengths of wood from DIY stores.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

$2 DIY Small Potted Christmas Trees from Patio Tomato Planter

This is one of those projects that just sort of hit me. I wasn't planning on making a small potted Christmas tree - as I am in the middle of making two 4' artificial trees for my front porch - but when I spotted my very sad looking tomato plant on my patio I had an 'ah ha' moment, as Oprah would say.

Link It or Lump It Link Party #15 (Plus Features)

Hi! Welcome (back) to the Link It or Lump It Link Party.   There's some exciting news around these parts...we've got a new co-host! Amy from Delineate Your Dwelling is joining me and Allison from Dream A Little Bigger to co-host this awesome party every single week.  We are beyond thrilled to have her!   I hope you'll give her a big ol' welcome with us.  PLUS, we're looking for weekly guest co-hosts.  If you're interested in joining me, Amy and Allison email me or leave a comment!

Here's a quick look at what we were up to around Two It Yourself last week...as you can see it's been B.U.S.Y!

Alright, moving on to some features from last week...

Since I am a fan of all things Christmas tree, Mom Projects Danish Style Felt Christmas Trees immediately caught my eye.  Aren't they just darling?


Homecoming shared a beautiful Thanksgiving table scape with gold accents.  It has the perfect touch of glam, plus you'll never believe how they made the $1 table runner!

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Recipes, Food and Cooking shared a great recipe for Sweet Potato Cheesecake. I feel like there's no better excuse to eat your veggies than when they're turned into dessert!


If you were featured go ahead and brag a little - grab that "I was featured button" and show it off all proud! You deserve it! 
Two It Yourself

Not a feature this week on 2IY? No worries, go check out the features picked by:
 
 Allison from Dream A Little Bigger

And don't forget to head on over to 2IY's Link It Love it Pinterest board where we are sharing our top 10 picks of this week - and every week!  We pin from the original source so traffic is driven back to your sites.



 Now let's get to the party. The more the merrier so go ahead, show us what you've been up to by sharing a link or two or three to your best blog posts (please link to posts and not your blog's homepage)! Click the "Read More" below to start linking up!

Friday, November 22, 2013

How to cut burlap without fraying (and straight)

It only took me countless burlap projects and even more times emptying my burlap fuzz-filled vacuum cleaner to figure this out - but I have finally found the trick to cutting burlap without it fraying.  What's even better is this method also guarantees a straight cut on this notoriously hard-to-cut fabric.

Lay the burlap out on a flat surface and use a tape measure to determine exactly where you want to cut the burlap.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

20 Beautiful & Easy Christmas Decorations

http://www.hometalk.com/b/1310790/simple-and-beautiful-christmas-decor
I'm semi-hiding from the Thanksgiving police as I write this post, because I fully recognize it's not even Turkey Day yet I've been sharing DIY Christmas ideas.  Well, this one I'm blaming on Hometalk

The fine people over at my favorite home and gardening website asked me to curate a board of Simple and Beautiful Christmas Decor after my square pine cone wreath (see after below) caught their eye.  Lucky for you, I'm sharing these great DIY Christmas Decorations with you, too. 

All of the Christmas decorations are homemade and they're all uniquely different and beautiful in their own way.   In my search for the best of the best on Hometalk I've found everything from a stunning 'Joy to the World'-themed light mantel marquee to Christmas trees made out of books, burlap, and paper to festive holiday signs and Pottery Barn knockoffs. 

You can find the full tutorial for each of the projects by clicking on the link in the description of each of these simple, easy-to-make, and beautiful Christmas decorations below.  {Read more to see the full list...}

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

9 Tips for Selling Painted & Re-finished Furniture


I'm no pro, but I have painted and sold enough refinished furniture to have learned a thing or two about what will sell and what will sit.  So here goes...
  • Be Picky with your Pieces:  Pick pieces of furniture to refinish that are versatile.  Not everyone has room in an entryway for a table, but if you refinish a piece that could be used as an entryway table or a sofa table you double your chances of selling it.  The same thing goes for a buffet which could be also be used as an entryway table in one home or a TV console in another. 
  • Accent Pieces Rule:  Certain pieces of furniture are going to be tougher to sell than others.  A dresser, for example, is a piece that many people already have because it's an essential piece of furniture. It will be tougher to sell a stand alone dresser - especially one that has been painted and doesn't "go" with their pre-existing bedroom decor.    But accent pieces are pieces that add character, charm, color, and storage to a home's decor.  They're non-essentials which means someone will have to fall in love with it to buy it - but since it's something they won't already have, they're not actually faced with replacing one piece for another. 

Monday, November 18, 2013

Clementine crate crafts: How to make a 'darling' table centerpiece

Isn't this little Christmas table decoration just darling?  Pun intended because that crate was actually filled with Darling Clementines until about a week ago.  That is until I dumped them all in the fruit bowl so I could put the wood clementine crate to (better) use.

I'm not gonna say I bought a five pound box of clementines just for the crate...but I mean it may have had a little something to do with it.

Regardless...I think it was a good decision because now look at Mr. Crate.  All I did was use a little goo gone to remove the paper and adhesive before spray painting two coats of black paint all over the box.  


Then I filled her up with goodies I had around the house...

Sunday, November 17, 2013

DIY Large Christmas Sign {Pottery Barn 'Peace' sign Knockoff}

If you've been following Two It Yourself regularly you know I love a good knockoff - especially when it's a Pottery Barn one and especially when it saves me oh...$129!  I kid you not, this 54" Pottery Barn Peace Sign - as gorgeously hand painted as it is - is triple digits.  Well, guess what my friends....I just made a DIY large Christmas sign for FREE! (Even if you don't have any supplies you can make this for just a few bucks...for the paint and stain.)  I may be bias, but I think my DIY version is equally as charming.

As much as I love me some PB, I decided to use the sign as inspiration, but not completely knock it off.  Instead of PEACE I went with BE MERRY and I have a different finish.  That's what's great about this large wood Christmas sign - it's completely customizable.

Link It or Lump It #14 (And Features)

Hi, all thanks for joining us this week for another great Link it or Lump It party - hosted right here on Two It Yourself and Dream a Little Bigger! I don't know about you but I've been on overdrive here... since I'm honestly crunching to get this up let's get right to it.

First up the most popular link up of the week was Penny from Penny's Treasures Vintage Christmas Trees.    What a wonderful and easy to make Christmas decoration!


Now for some features...because everyone likes a little extra love, right?

How precious are these turkey ribbon shirts made by Hope of Hope Floats and More for her daughters?!   I think they are just precious and a perfect way to get into the Thanksgiving spirit!

I just can't get over this stenciled shower curtain from Our Secondhand House.  From graph paper to master piece - what an awesome DIY project (and a great nod to Movember)! 


I can't be the only one drooling over this unbelievable narrow entryway table (that would be perfect for my narrow entryway...hint, hint).  Can you believe  Marie at Fort Ledbetter built this one-of-a-kind table out of pallets? Unbelievable!


And finally Squeaky Clean Design shared a delicious looking cranberry apple crisp dessert (for two) that there's no way we'd want to share! 



If you were featured go ahead and brag a little - grab that "I was featured button" and show it off all proud! You deserve it! 
Two It Yourself

Not a feature this week on 2IY? No worries, go check out Allison at Dream A Little Bigger's picks and then...head on over to 2IY's Link It Love it Pinterest board where we are sharing our top 10 picks of this week - and every week!  We pin from the original source so traffic is driven back to your sites.



 Now let's get to the party. The more the merrier so go ahead, show us what you've been up to by sharing a link or two or three to your best blog posts (please link to posts and not your blog's homepage)! Click the "Read More" below to start linking up!

Friday, November 15, 2013

DIY Burlap Christmas Pillows

So me and burlap are like BFFs right about now.  We've been spending some major time together...most recently I created these cute burlap Christmas pillows.   They were super easy and fast to make and they're great for both indoors or outdoors.

Of course, I turned to my trusty Powerpoint to create the design. There are tons of free Christmas fonts out there on the good ol' WWW... so find your favorite, download it and install it into your font book...then get to work.  

I started with the 'Jingle' pillow inspired by Pottery Barn's jingle bell pillow.   When you're creating your design, leave a little space around the outside so you can sew it onto the pillow without stitching on the design.

When my design was ready to go, I printed it right on a piece of burlap.  If you're a loyal 2IY reader (you aren't? You totally should be!!!) you know the drill by now about how to print on burlap.  If not, it's cool I forgive you just go >> here << and learn how to print on burlap using your home printer.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Thrifted Kitchen Chairs Makeover


A few weeks ago we shared with you all the details on Stephanie's $35 kitchen table makeover.  It went from drab to fab with the help of a stained top and a white painted legs.   Inspired by this $800 version, Steph's $35 table really was fabulous - if only you could sit at it.


Thankfully, she found a set of four matching chairs on the cheap at an area thrift store.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

DIY Wood Box Centerpiece with Mini Burlap Banner (Free Printable)


I've been changing over my Halloween decor into Thanksgiving and general fall decorations recently and needed to find a replacement for my styrofoam pumpkin tea lights on the kitchen table.  One of the issues I run into on my kitchen table, is that I need a centerpiece that's easy to move for when little hands get grabby..  I also wanted something that I could easily change out for the seasons and holidays.  I've been seeing these long wooden boxes and knew it was the perfect solution.

This box is actually a really simple "build."  I used pallet wood (seriously I have never seen a nicer pallet), but if you want to buy new lumber that would work too....of course, it comes with a price tag.


I started by cutting the three long pieces (two sides and bottom) down to the same length using my jigsaw.  Mine are 25" x 4" inches, but of course this is a great customizable piece that you can make fit your table by cutting shorter or longer.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Thrifted TV Stand Makeover with Two-Tone Stain and Paint

My latest furniture flip was a look I've been wanting to try for a few months - a stained top and a painted white base.  But before I could get any stain or paint on this piece I had some reconfiguring to do.

I bought the TV console through a local Facebook group where people post things for sale.  The woman originally asked $60 for it - but it sat and sat and sat.  I took a stab and offered her $30.  She took the bait and I took home this heavy solid wood tv stand with the intention of converting it into an accent piece that could be used in an entryway, living room or even a bedroom.  She was in near perfect condition with no scratches, dents, or dings.


The first thing I did to start converting this piece was take off the back heavy cardboard piece that had cut outs for easy wire access.   I also removed the sliding drawer/shelf and converted it into a stable shelf.  The sliding shelf just screamed tv console.

Monday, November 11, 2013

Square Pine Cone Wreath with Burlap




So I finally got around to doing something with that huge basket of pine cones my kids collected a few weeks bake.  They were prepped (and by that I mean de-bugged) and ready for some fun fall craft, I just hadn't decided what.  


I was cleaning out my garage and I came across some nice scrap wood and I decided the two would meet.  

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Features and Link It or Lump It Link Party #13

Hey there mid-November - how in the frickety frack did you sneak up on me?  I guess time flies when you'r e having fun and we've been having fun on Two It Yourself lately, haven't we?  The Link It or Lump It Link Party is a huge part of that - so I want to thank all of you for linking up every week.

You may have noticed that this week I started featuring link ups on 2IY's Facebook page throughout the week.  Just things that catch my eye right off the bat.  I've been trying to pick one each day - so keep an eye on that space. You are following us on FB, aren't you?

Of course, Allison from Dream A Little Bigger and I each pick our own features every week which means twice the chance to get featured and twice the eyes on your awesome projects!! Plus, we pin our top 10 favorites to the 2IY Link It Love it Pinterest board every week!  So let's get down to business, shall we?!

First up - Ms. Popular this week is Kolture Shoq's DIY Seed Beads and Metal Necklace!   Wow you guys sure know how to make a link party newbie feel welcome!

 
Now for some features...because everyone likes a little extra love, right? 

We think Britanny over at Just B Crafty is pretty darn genius for knitting her wine bottle a sweater.  I mean the popped collar and buttons just take it to the next level for me when it comes to wine bottle sweaters.  : )



Amy over at Delineate Your Dwelling made a simply darling clothes pin nativity scene.  What an adorable gift this would make! I just love it.


And finally, Cindy over at DIY Beautify combined two of my favorite things - burlap and drop cloth to make this rustic Christmas tree.




If you were featured go ahead and brag a little - grab that "I was featured button" and show it off all proud! You deserve it! 
Two It Yourself

Not a feature this week on 2IY? No worries, go check out Allison's picks and then...head on over to 2IY's Link It Love it Pinterest board where we are sharing our top 10 picks of the week - and every week!  We pin from the original source so traffic is driven back to your sites.



 Now let's get to the party. The more the merrier so go ahead, show us what you've been up to by sharing a link or two or three to your best blog posts (please link to posts and not your blog's homepage)! Click the "Read More" below to start linking up!

Friday, November 8, 2013

Funny Kids Christmas Card Ideas

I always love it when October rolls around and I can finally say 'next month we're getting our Christmas tree'...well guess what, people, it's NOVEMBER which means THIS month we're getting our Christmas tree.  And with that I can justify sharing a fun little idea for a kids Christmas card because we all know when the tree goes up, the cards go out.

Last year I had big dreams for our family holiday card.  The tree was decked, the stockings were hung, the kids were dressed.  The only problem was my then 1.5 year old had other plans.  I must have taken 50 shots of the kids in hopes of getting one good one.  No.can.do.  While my daughter sat there precious as a little angel, my son was earning his way up the naughty list.



Wednesday, November 6, 2013

DIY {West Elm} Burlap Christmas Tree Knockoff

 
Who doesn't love a good knockoff?  There's not much I like knocking off more than stuff I am drooling over in the Pottery Barn or West Elm catalogs.  As soon as I saw West Elm's adorable burlap trees I knew I could make them for far less than $25.

This project was simple and it didn't cost me a dime because I had everything on hand.  Even if you don't have burlap in your stash at home, you can still get by making this project for less than $5 by purchasing just a scrap of burlap.  So let's get started...

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

DIY Oversized Clock (and KlockIt Coupon Code)

http://twoityourself.blogspot.com/2013/09/large-diy-wood-clock-from-fence-posts.html

A few months back I shared how I made this fun oversized clock that I made out of fence slates.   It was my first attempt at making a clock and I really had no idea what I was doing as far as the actual mechanism.  That's why, you might remember, the face of my clock sat sans hands for weeks as I researched the best movement and extra long hands.  

Waiting...waiting...waiting for the right hands
Eventually I found both - at a very reasonable price - at Klockit.  With a simple hole drilled through the middle of my clock I was able to easily install the high torque, long shafted clock mechanism and hands.  Click 'Read More' below to access the KlockIt coupon code.


Monday, November 4, 2013

DIY Napkin Holder from a toilet paper roll (Free 'Give Thanks' printable)

With Halloween now behind us the DIY blogging world - including yours truly - is taking on Thanksgiving!   Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that often gets the shaft...squeezed between the ultra-consumer driven Halloween and Christmas.  But this year folks, here at 2IY, we're giving Thanksgiving all the attention is deserves.

And with that...that's lets start with a Thanksgiving table staple! No, not the turkey...the napkin rings.  Okay, okay so maybe they're not a true 'staple,' but DIY Thanksgiving napkin rings definitely can up the ante when it comes to a beautifully decorated Thanksgiving table.

First gather all your supplies...for a setting of 8 you'll need:
Start by cutting your toilet paper rolls in half so they're each about 2 inches each.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Features and Link It Or Lump It Link Party #12

Happy Sunday, all!  Was everyone's week as busy as mine? Whew...Halloween really put me into a tailspin with parties at the kids' schools, parades, and a pre-trick or treat party.  You all were certainly busy linking up more awesome projects than we've ever had before...which means the Link It or Lump It party just keeps on growing!!

Allison from Dream A Little Bigger and I each pick our own features every weeks which means twice the chance to get featured and twice the eyes on your awesome projects!! Plus, we pin our top 10 favorites to the 2IY Link It Love it Pinterest board every week!

First up - the most popular link up of the week was this little white painted cabinet from Penny's Vintage Home.


Now for some features...because everyone likes a little special attention, right?

We think Molly over at Just a Little Creativity had a whole lot of creativity when she created this beautiful and simple 'Thankful' Sign.   A gorgeous job on a piece that has me wishing I didn't just gotten rid of a big old ugly frame that would have been perfect for a such a piece of typography art had I just spray painted it.   



Christy over at Confessions of a Serial DIYer shared this awesome headboard-to-bench project.  Didn't she just do a beautiful job? I have to admit, a few months ago I gave this project a try and it just didn't work out for me, but Christy inspired me to give it another go.  


I have to admit, I'm somewhat over Halloween.  There I said it...we're two days out, but I have seen enough pumpkins to last me until next year.  At least I thought I had...until I saw the gorgeous paper pumpkins Cathy from Vintage, Paint and More shared.  They are stunning and I can't decide if I like the decoupaged pumpkin or the page book pumpkin more.  Great job, Cathy! 




If you were featured go ahead and brag a little - grab that "I was featured button" and show it off all proud! You deserve it! 
Two It Yourself

Not a feature this week on 2IY? No worries, go check out Allison's picks and then...head on over to 2IY's Link It Love it Pinterest board where we are sharing our top 10 picks of the week!  We pin from the original source so traffic is driven back to your sites..and I've already noticed last week's projects are getting pinned and repinned nicely! 





 Now let's get to the party. The more the merrier so go ahead, show us what you've been up to by sharing a link or two or three to your best blog posts (please link to posts and not your blog's homepage)! Click the "Read More" below to start linking up!