DIY

How to Apply Wall Decals in a Pattern

April 25, 2018 by Bre 20 Comments

In order to brighten up our foyer and stairwell, we recently painted it Seapearl by Benjamin Moore. While we love the updated look, parts were looking a little stark for our taste. So, I added vinyl wall decals to create an accent wall, and I can’t wait to show you how to apply wall decals in your own home!

You might be wondering why I chose vinyl wall decals to create an accent wall instead of removable wallpaper (like I used in my new home on my removable wallpaper built-ins makeover). The reason is because it would be really tricky to put removable wallpaper around the window AND it would have been much more expensive!

So, if you’re wanting that wallpaper look but intimidated by the process, you should consider applying vinyl decals in a pattern instead!

First things first . . . I have to show you what the accent wall looked like after its paint job but before it got the faux wallpaper treatment. SO plain, and I was so over that metal wall decor over the window.

Supplies Needed to Apply Wall Decals

Thank you to Kenna Sato Designs for providing the wall decals you see in this post. The project and opinion are my own. Also, this post contains affiliate links. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Vinyl wall decals (I used these gold leaf wall decals)
Vinyl or wallpaper smoother
Laser level
Pencil
Tape measure
Ladder or step stool

How to Apply Wall Decals

After surfing Etsy one night, I fell in love with the adorable, unique, and custom vinyl decals from Kenna Sato Designs. It hit me that these decals would be the perfect solution for my boring wall! I narrowed it down to about five patterns, and then settled on the Autumn Leaf Wall Decals in Matte Gold. I figured that these leaf decals would be the perfect ones for my house – whimsical but not over the top.

I got five sets of decals for my wall, and they arrived in large sheets.

I cut them apart, grabbed my laser level (you DEFINITELY want a laser level for a project like this!), tape measure, and a pencil, and got to work!

Step One: Find the Center of the Wall and Apply the First Decal

I started right above the window and placed my first leaf decal in the center of the wall. To apply the decal, I pressed it against the wall, rubbed over it with the wallpaper smoothing tool, and removed the backer paper. You can see that process well in the video in this post.

I then placed leaf decals along my laser level line eight inches apart – alternating their direction up and down.

Step Two: Apply the Next Row of Decals, and Repeat

After I finished the first row, I moved three inches down and started the next row. I continued the same process across, and then the same process down. After I finished the bottom row, I moved up to the top (the hardest part of the job – I saved the worst for last – ha!).

I spread out my wall decal application for a few days so that I could take my time and minimize mistakes. I think that made a big difference in the quality of my work and led to an awesome finished product!

So . . . are you ready to see how my wall decals have made a huge difference in the look of my stairwell? I think they definitely look like wallpaper! (Hey . . . if you prefer a hand-painted accent wall, check out this post, too!)

Some people say that wall decals are tacky, but I don’t agree. I think that there are some that can be tacky, but if done right, wall decals can add personality in a classy way!

These gorgeous leaf decals paired with my new DIY Wall Art and Wall Art Hangers and wicker elephant planter have made this space one of my favorites in my home! I keep stopping at the top of the stairs and admiring it.

And, in case you’re wondering, these wall decals do not damage walls upon application or removal! You really just peel them off and there is no damage to the wall.

I am thrilled with how these vinyl wall decals transformed the look of my stairwell! This accent wall has so much personality now and it makes me so happy! If you have any bare walls that need a quick pick me up that requires no commitment (seriously – you just peel off the decals when you tire of them, and they won’t damage your paint!), I one-hundred-percent recommend Kenna Sato Designs’ wall decals to you!

Let me know what you think of my patterned wall decals in the comments below. I love to hear from you!

DIY Poster Hanger: An Easy and Affordable Art Idea

April 22, 2018 by Bre Leave a Comment

Learn how to make a DIY poster hanger or wall art hanger for thin canvases. You’ll never buy these again!

Sometimes you need an inexpensive way to hang a poster or printed piece of artwork – am I right?

With the crazy price of frames, knowing how to make your own DIY poster hanger or wall art hanger can be a definite budget-saver! It’s so easy, and you can make pretty-yet-affordable art display hangers in no time.

Supplies Needed for a DIY Wall Art Hanger

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

Wood trim pieces
Stain or wood stain cloths (these are my favorite for no-mess and no-odor!)
Hand saw with miter box
Hot glue gun
Permanent mounting tape
Scissors
Twine, ribbon, or string

How to Make a DIY Poster Hanger

Purchase a piece of thin wood trim at the hardware or home improvement store. I bought 3/4″ wood trim with embossed leaf detailing to give my poster hanger a little “something extra.”

If you prefer a simpler look, you could use a flat profile screen trim instead!

Cut the trim in two pieces to be slightly longer than the art piece you want to hang. (My photo shows four pieces because I was hanging two pieces of art.) All you need is a hand saw and miter box to cut thin wood like this!

Then stain the wood trim the color you like. I love to use wood stain cloths because they’re so much easier to use than regular stain. They also have no odor, which makes them perfect for using indoors!

Once the stain is dry, hot glue a piece of twine to the back of the top piece of wood trim. Glue it a couple of inches in from both ends of the wood trim.

Next, place permanent mounting tape on the back of both pieces of wood trim. (Note: if the mounting tape you use is wider than the piece of trim, apply it and then cut along the top or bottom edge to remove the excess tape.)

Remove the protective layer that remains on the mounting tape, and press into place along the bottom edge of the art.

Repeat the process with the top piece so that the twine, ribbon, or string is hanging freely at the top to allow the art to hang.

Press the pieces into place one more time and hang your art.

I Think You’ll Like These Other DIY Ideas!

I just love how this inexpensive art adds a fun touch to my upstairs hallway.

This “art” is actually decorative wrapping paper sheets (unfortunately these specific prints are no longer available).

Can you believe it’s that easy to make a DIY poster hanger?

When I get tired of it, I will just swap it out and re-use the DIY Wall Art Hangers to hang other art!

How to Paint a Mirror Frame Without Removing the Mirror

April 4, 2018 by Bre 13 Comments

Last week was spring break for my kids and we had a lot of fun with little adventures and taking it easy at home! Being on more of a relaxed schedule gave me some extra time to get little projects done around the house, like repainting the mirror that hangs in my foyer. Here’s what it looked like, pre-paint job.

I purchased that mirror right before my daughter (first child) was born – thinking that once she arrived I would never again have time to go to a store in my life. So I rushed into the purchase and bought the first thing I found to fill the wall. Needless to say, the faux silver finish wasn’t really doing it for me anymore (ever, really!), and with our foyer freshly repainted and new brass ceiling light on the way, I needed to give the mirror some pep!

The problem was that I couldn’t get the mirror out of the mirror frame! I tried really hard but it just would not budge. Whoever made it did a great job with the glue. Having spent a lot of time trying to get the mirror out, I was invested at this point and ready to paint! So I figured out a SUPER EASY way to paint a mirror frame without removing the mirror, and I didn’t even damage the mirror in the process!

You won’t believe this trick. I rubbed Aquaphor all along the edges where the mirror met the mirror frame.

The reason I used Aquaphor is because it’s what I had on hand. You could absolutely use Vaseline or petroleum jelly, which is cheaper than Aquaphor! (Funny note about Aquaphor: I became addicted to it in college when I went on Accutane for my major acne problem. It saved my lips and my skin from burning to a crisp! Now I always have it at home, and I use it for everything!)

See that nice line of Aquaphor all around the mirror? It saved me during this mirror painting project!

Now that you know the trick of how to paint a mirror frame without removing the mirror, let me show you how I repainted my mirror and another fun way I used Aquaphor in this project! I started by painting the mirror with a red chalk paint. Notice that I got some paint on the mirror, but on the parts where the Aquaphor covered the glass.

After that paint dried, I used Aquaphor to help create a distressed finish on the mirror frame. Watch this video to see just how easy it is to distress painted furniture with Aquaphor or Vaseline!

Although the section I distressed in the video isn’t very dramatic, you can definitely use Aquaphor or Vaseline to make the distressed areas more prominent, like on other parts of this mirror.

After all the paint dried, I used a flat head screwdriver to gently remove any paint that made its way onto the mirror. It came up instantly because of the Aquaphor! I just wiped it up with a paper towel and then used glass cleaner to remove any residue.

It was so easy to remove the metallic finish on this mirror and give it a new look. But hey, guess what? I’m not sure I like the new look so I may repaint again!

Even though I’m undecided on the actual paint job, I can’t believe how easy it is to paint a mirror frame without removing the mirror! So, I’m not all that worried about repainting it if I still don’t love it after a month or so.

What do you think? Do you like the two-tone distressed finish, or do you think it would look better as a solid color?

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

-Bre

Easy DIY Canvas Art

October 25, 2017 by Bre 4 Comments

Raise your hand if you’re guilty of hanging art on your walls that is too small. Or not hanging any art at all. (Hand raised. Head hung in shame.) Until recently, I had two prints hanging in my master bedroom that I knew were totally the WRONG size for the wall, but I was too lazy to do anything about it. That all changed when I got a dash of inspiration and created this easy DIY canvas art with my secret decorating and DIY weapon – luxe wrapping paper!

I’ve used wrapping paper on other projects (like these Upgraded IKEA Bookshelves and this Trash to Treasure Table), and its versatility never ceases to amaze me!

This time I turned it into pretty canvas wall art, and I’m convinced that anyone (yes, anyone!) can make DIY wall art for their homes with this trick!

Supplies Needed to Make Easy DIY Canvas Art

This post contains affiliate links. To read my full disclosure policy, please click here.

Canvas panels (I used 12″ x 24″ panels)
Luxe wrapping paper (this is the print I used. Make sure to use a heavyweight wrapping paper for less chance of wrinkling and tearing)
Mod Podge in finish of your choice (I used matte)
Foam brushes
Optional: brayer
Scissors
Acrylic paints in colors of your choice (I used this color, this color, and this color)
Liquid gold leaf
Artist’s paint brushes
Double-sided permanent tape
Optional – For Wooden Frames (follow this tutorial, which requires 1″x2″ pieces of lumber, hand saw, brad nailer, 3/4″ corner braces, and wood stain)

How to Make Easy DIY Canvas Art

Aaaah I’m so excited to show you how to make your own large-scale canvas art! You’ll feel like an artist when all is said and done – I just know it!

Step One: Cover the Canvas with Wrapping Paper

I began by cutting my wrapping paper slightly larger than the portion of the canvas that I was covering.

Then I applied a thin layer of Mod Podge to the canvas, and pressed the wrapping paper onto the canvas – removing air bubbles as I went. I used a brayer to help with this part, but if you don’t have one, it’s not totally necessary (just helpful!).

Step Two: Paint the Canvas

While the Mod Podge was drying, I painted the empty part of the canvas in this color, which is a pretty navy blue. I left a little gap between the wrapping paper portion of the canvas and the blue paint because I knew I’d be painting that part of the canvas gold.

Once the paint dried, I used gold acrylic paint to add a border between the navy paint and the wrapping paper.

I bet you’ll enjoy this post on 7 Ways to Decorate with Wrapping Paper, too!

Step Three: Fasten the Wrapping Paper to the Back of the Canvas

Once the paint was dry, I flipped the canvas over and attached the wrapping paper to the sides and back with double-sided permanent tape.

Step Four: Topcoat with Mod Podge

Then I flipped the canvas over and put a thin layer of Mod Podge on top of the wrapping paper for extra adhesion and protection. You probably don’t have to do this – especially if you like the texture of the wrapping paper as-is – but I wanted to make sure these pieces of art are durable!

Step Five: Get Artsy with the Paint and Gold Leaf

After about 20 minutes when the Mod Podge was dry, I added random brushstrokes of a different shade of navy blue paint to the top of the canvas.

Then I added gold leaf streaks to the gold painted portion of the canvas. These little touches added some dimension and made things look less flat!

Step Six: Build a Canvas Frame

Once everything dried, I built canvas frames by following this tutorial. These frames went together really easily and gave my easy DIY canvas art a finished look!

Can you believe how easy it is to make your own art with wrapping paper?

There’s really no reason NOT to have pretty walls with art this easy and inexpensive! (I’m typing that so I remember it – trust me, I have some walls that need help!)

If you agree and like this idea, I’d appreciate it if you’d pin this post to help others find it!

So what do you think? Will you try making art for your home with wrapping paper?

-Bre

DIY Modern Desk – A Beginner Woodworking Project

September 13, 2017 by Bre 18 Comments

Build an easy and affordable DIY Modern Desk for your home office space!

As part of the (now defunct) Monthly DIY Challenge, I partnered with Kreg Tool Company to use their Kreg Jig® R3 pocket hole system in a DIY project. Thank you to Kreg for sponsoring this post!

I used the Kreg Jig R3 to create a gorgeous DIY Modern Desk for my sister, and I am THRILLED to tell you that ANYONE can build this desk (I swear. I NEVER thought I could build something like this.)!

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

The DIY Modern Desk Plans

OK, so before I show you how I built this desk, let me tell you that I downloaded the plans for this desk from Ana White’s website, where she provides tons of FREE woodworking plans!

I chose her Modern 2×2 Desk Base plan and her and her Desktop with Storage Compartments plan.

If you want to build this desk, go to those links and download those plans. Then come back here and check out my process photos as they might help you a bit.

Anyway, once I was armed with those instructions and supply lists, I headed to the store to buy my lumber and some other supplies. And I have a confession . . . I was actually really nervous to go buy the materials for this project! I was scared that I wouldn’t even be able to load the lumber into my cart or get it home.

Once I purchased everything and got it into the car, I actually cried a tiny bit from relief. Can you believe it? That will tell you how much of a building novice I am!

The Desk Building Process – DIY Modern Desk Base

With the scary supply shopping part finished, I felt a little bit better about the whole prospect of building a desk for my sister. Something about being in the comfort of my own home/garage made things seem a little better.

I started by building the base of the desk. I grabbed my circular saw and cut the pieces for the base.

Next it was time to start putting the base together, and here’s where I started to get nervous again.

I had to use my new Kreg Jig R3 pocket hole system to do this, and frankly, I didn’t know what I was doing!

Once I watched this helpful video and practiced on a few scrap boards, I got the hang of it and instantly understood why people love their Kreg Jig systems so much!

Kreg Jig pocket hole systems let you create pocket hole joints (which are very strong joints), quickly and easily, by drilling an angled hole through one board, which allows you to then drill your screw through that hole and into the other board.

In addition to pocket holes providing strong joints, they’re also really nice because you don’t have visible screws on your projects; they’re hidden!

See those holes in the wood pictured below? Those are the pocket holes that I drilled using my Kreg Jig R3 drill bit.

Once I had all of my pocket holes drilled, I fastened the base pieces together with the 2.5″ pocket hole screws that were recommended in my desk base plans.

See how I drilled the pocket hole screw right through the pocket hole into the other piece of wood?

I put them all together, fastening them with my 2.5″ pocket hole screws and ended up with two base pieces that looked like this.

Following the desk base plans, I clamped these two pieces to my temporary work table, and screwed the top bar to both of the squares in order to attach them.

Next, I screwed the footrest bar 6″ from the bottom.

And with that, the base of my DIY modern desk was finished! Because this part went so smoothly, I decided to keep going and build the desktop in the same day. I was on a roll and had to keep my momentum going!

The Process – Modern Desk Build Desktop

The first thing I did for the desktop was cut 1×3 boards with my circular saw, per the desktop plans, in order to create storage compartments within the desktop.

Then I drilled pocket holes with my Kreg Jig R3 system, and attached the pieces together with 1.25″ pocket hole screws.

Next, I laid those storage compartment pieces on top of the base piece of my desktop. I traced around them with a pencil and then drilled pilot holes in that piece of wood so that it would be easier to attach the compartment pieces to the desktop base.

Once I did that, the desktop looked like this.

I then took the other piece of plywood and cut it into three sections, per the desktop plans.

I deviated slightly from the plans here, however, because they called for use of a circular saw to cut the top piece into three sections. If you’ve ever used a circular saw, however, you know that it’s not super easy to get a perfect cut – and I wanted this desktop to be perfect.

My friend, who happens to be a skilled designer and craftsman, was over that afternoon hanging with my husband, and offered to bring his track saw over to help me get really straight cuts for the desktop.

We used that and then I knew I had to have one for myself! I didn’t even know that Kreg had JUST come out with the Kreg Rip-Cut and the Kreg Circular Saw Track, which are exactly what I could have used to get straight lines on this desktop.

(UPDATE: I subsequently bought both of those tools and use them regularly! They especially were useful for my DIY Modern Fireplace Refacing project!)

Anyway, after the desktop pieces were cut, I fastened the outer pieces to the top of the desk with hinges.

And then, not pictured here, I fastened the middle part of the desk with my super fun new brad nailer, which made attaching the desktop a breeze! That completed the building of the desktop!

The Process – Modern DIY Desk Painting and Staining

The next day, I painted the base of the desk with matte black chalk paint. This made the legs look like they are metal – giving them that modern look!

Then I stained the top of the desk with my new favorite stain color. (I first used this stain on the over-the-toilet storage I made for my Master Bathroom Makeover and fell in love!)

I gave it two coats of poly on top to protect it, and after it dried, I added decorative hardware to the front and screwed the desktop onto the base to fasten it all together!

The Finished Product – DIY Modern Desk

Once I finished building this desk, I had a sense of accomplishment unlike anything I’ve felt before. It may sound crazy, but building this desk made me prouder than graduating from law school!

I think it’s because I didn’t really know if I could actually pull this off or not. And when I did, it gave me so much confidence and determination to take on another building project.

If you’ve ever thought that you want to try building something, I really encourage you to do it. It is so gratifying to see the results of your work come together in a finished piece like this!

I have to be honest, it made me so proud to see the way my kids reacted to my DIY desk, too. Every time someone came over to our house, my daughter would bring them to the garage to see what I built.

That is an immense sense of pride and accomplishment to know that my kids are watching and excited about what I’m doing, too.

And, it felt really good to bring my sister her desk and see how perfectly it fits in her apartment.

I’m so thankful for the opportunity to have been pushed out of my comfort zone and learned how to use the Kreg Jig R3.

Not only did my sister gain a beautiful piece of furniture that is well-constructed with strong joints, but I gained a sense of accomplishment that has me dreaming up my next DIY project!

How to Build a DIY American Girl Doll Bed

February 8, 2017 by Bre 12 Comments

Even if you’re not a skilled woodworker, you can build a DIY American Girl Doll bed! This is an easy doll bed tutorial for all skill levels.

My daughter’s fake American Girl (she’s the Target-brand knockoff, Our Generation), Cailyn, needed a place to rest her weary head! So I built her one!

Building a DIY American Girl Doll bed was such a fun project that saved me a lot of money! (Doll beds on the American Girl website start at $150; this bed cost me under $20 to make!)

Also, this is an awesome beginner woodworking / power tool project because I got really comfortable with my tools and cannot wait to build something else! Trust me that even if you’re a novice, you can build this 18 inch doll bed!

Supplies Needed to Build a DIY Doll Bed

Some of these links are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no added cost to you if you purchase through them. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.

1 x 2 lumber board (you’ll need 68″ minimum)
Plywood project panel (you’ll cut down to approximately 21″ long x 10″ wide)
2 x wood balusters (each measuring at least 26″ in length)
Pine lattice molding
Circular Saw
Impact Driver or Drill
1.25 inch wood screws (flat head, if possible)
1 inch wood screws (flat head, if possible)
Wood glue
1.5″ Ball Knobs with Flat Bottoms
Poster board

How to Build an American Girl Doll Bed

For this DIY 18 inch doll bed, I began by drawing a really rough sketch of my plan. Can you tell I’ve never done this before? (Note: don’t follow this plan. I changed some of it along the way.)

After that, here’s how this project went down.

Step One: Cut the Balusters

I started by cutting the little nubs off the end of the wood balusters. The balusters you purchase may look different than mine. That’s fine!

Next, I cut the balusters apart so that they each measured 13″ long.

Step Two: Cut the 1×2 lumber

After that, I cut my 1 x 2 lumber into four pieces: two 21″ long pieces and two 9″ long pieces.

(I don’t recommend using paint buckets as sawhorses, but it was freezing outside and our sawhorses don’t fit in our tiny work room!)

At first I was really scared to use a circular saw, but it was actually SUPER easy. It has a laser on it, which made keeping a straight line simple, and it was so easy to use. Plus I felt like a total bada** working this thing like a boss.

Once all the wood was cut, I measured where I wanted to screw the pieces together.

Step Three: Put Together the Bed Frame

I drilled pilot holes and then used my new impact driver to begin putting it all together! (Super relieved you can’t see my gray hairs in this extreme closeup.)

I started by attaching a side railing of the bed with the 1.25″ screw, and once that was in, I screwed the piece for the end of the bed onto the baluster (also using a 1.25″ screw).

Notice how I offset the placement of the screws so that the side rail screw is lower than the screw for the piece at the end of the bed. This was so that the screws wouldn’t hit each other in the baluster.

I repeated this process until the entire frame of the doll bed was complete.

Step Four: Make the Bed Rails to Hold the Mattress

Then, I cut thin trim strips to just slightly shorter than the length of the side rails of the bed (approximately 20.5″ long). These strips will be holding the bed’s base in place.

I fastened them to the inside side rails of the bed with the 1 inch screws, placing them about 1/4 of the way down the side rail.

Step Five: Make the “Mattress”

Then, I measured the inside area of the bed so that I could cut the plywood base. This was important because it wasn’t exactly equal on both ends. (Hey, I’m no expert woodworker here!)

I cut a piece of poster board into the less-than-perfect rectangle shape, and then traced that onto the piece of plywood. I cut that shape out with the circular saw and laid the plywood onto the attached trim strips with a thin layer of wood glue. It fit perfectly! (Sorry I forgot to photograph this step!)

Step Six: Add a Headboard

Then I decided that the bed needed a headboard. (Well, truthfully, my daughter made this decision because she was worried her doll would fall out of bed. I’m glad she spoke up because the bed definitely needed a headboard.)

So, I measured the space in between the balusters at the front of the bed and cut a piece of left over 1×2 wood to that size (it was about 9 5/8″ wide). I screwed it in to the balusters.

Step Seven: Add the Bed Post Balls

Finally, I used wood glue to attach the 1.5″ ball knobs to the balusters. This was the finishing touch on my simple DIY American Girl Doll bed!

Step Eight: Paint the DIY American Girl Doll Bed

After I gave the bed a coat of white paint and sewed some simple bedding in fabric that my daughter chose (she has good taste!), I put it in her room and was so happy that she LOVED it!

I’m telling you that building this doll bed was the best way for me to get comfortable with some easy building projects.

Plus, my daughter’s excitement over having a “real” bed for her doll made this whole thing worthwhile.

Not gonna lie – I’m also really happy that I spent a fraction of what it would cost to buy a real American Girl doll bed!

If you have a little girl or know someone who does, make them a doll bed! If I could do this, so can you! And please “pin” this post to share the idea!