ShareCinco de Mayo is only three days away! You may think there isn’t any time left to throw a fiesta, but the beauty of this holiday is you only need three key things — drinks, drinks and a piñata. You can make your own traditional piñata, or turn it up a notch and make a floral orb version. Either way, it’ll be the focal point of your party (maybe break the piñata before you serve the drinks).
Get the Simple Instructions Here>>
Serve These Flavorful Cocktails
ShareOkay everyone, I have a confession to make: until a week ago, we didn’t own a working lawn mower. Thanks to our assortment of spring flowers, we got by for a while on the excuse that our yard was “cottage style.”
But then a storm came through in the middle of the night. We woke up to a yard full of scattered tree branches and flower petals. On top of that, it seemed like the rain caused the grass (and weeds) to shoot up two feet! With visions of Cinco de Mayo festivities dancing in our heads, we knew it was time to clean outside of the house. With help from a dear friend, we are now proud owners of a fully-functional lawn mower and a tidy lawn.
If you’re like us and have been neglecting your yard, now is the perfect time to give it a makeover just in time for summer – barbecue season, anyone?
Start with the gutters. The rule of cleaning from top to bottom still applies outdoors. Cleaning the gutters will remove any debris that built up over winter.
ShareToday’s crazy craft material was a suggestion from commenter DBB, who asked: “Can you show us some crafts with refurbishing old picture frames?” Well, DBB, it’s taken me a bit of time to work my way through my list to get to your request, but I think my finds were worth the wait. (Hopefully you will, too!)
ShareBeing a DIYer doesn’t have to mean gutting a bathroom or installing new tile flooring. DIYing covers a wide range of topics, from upcycling to gardening. DIYNetwork.com‘s revamped blog, Made + Remade, helps you create the lifestyle you’ve always dreamed about, and it’s conveniently divided into four categories to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
Make It - For those of you who love to tackle all kinds of projects, big or small, this section is for you. Bloggers, including DIY staffers, share step-by-step instructions to help you complete projects no matter what your skill level.
Fix It – Do you feel guilty throwing away your grandmother’s old dresser? Learn how you can upcycle the things you already have instead of trashing them.
Learn It – If you aren’t sure what type of tile works best in your bathroom or what flowers to plant, this section will teach you valuable skills to help you with DIY projects and crafts.
Find It – Not sure where to buy the best wood for your pergola? Go to this section to find resources for materials and tools for your next project.
Check out the blog, and share your thoughts and tips!
ShareWith the rocking sheep and paint treatment complete, the biggest projects for my nursery decor are complete. And it’s a good thing, we are closing in on my early June due date. This week, I’m waiting on a few things to be delivered, so I’m keeping busy washing teeny baby clothes and filling up my new dresser. I have some really cute stuff, but you can’t have too many onesies, so this week I’m printing off these adorable freezer paper stencils from The Alison Show to make a few myself (congrats to Alison on her newest arrival!).
I am so enamored with freezer paper, my mind is already spinning with a dozen ideas to use it (hello, Weekday Crafternoon!). What do you think of these homemade onesies?
Got baby fever? Catch up on all of The Nursery Files!
ShareMother’s Day is always a struggle for me. I always want to get my mom something special but she says she wants a leaf blower or a new filter for something or some kind of tool that I have to Google before I get to the store. This year, I’m putting my foot down and honing my crafting skills. Mom, sorry, but you’re getting something handmade and from the heart. If you’re in the same boat as me, then you’re in luck. We have tons of beautiful, DIY gift ideas that Mom will love, from jewelry boxes to tote bags. And for the culinary Mom, try customized utensils in her favorite hue.
This project is so fast and easy, you’ll want to make a set for all your friends (including yourself). All you need are wooden utensils, craft paint, painter’s tape, a foam paintbrush and a food-safe sealer and shellac. For the paint, I chose to paint each handle a different shade of pink to create an ombre look among the six utensils. You can mix in white paint, however, if you want to create an ombre look on the handle itself. Get the Full Step-by-Step Instructions >>
More DIY Mother’s Day Ideas:
Block-Print Napkins With Simple DIY Stamps
Make a Simple, Floral Mother’s Day Centerpiece
Hand-Painted Wooden Bracelets for Mother’s Day
Make a Fingerprint Table Runner for Mother’s Day
Make an Easy-to-Sew Lined Tote Bag
Easy-to-Craft Handmade Jewelry Box
ShareLooking for a way to spruce up a room for the spring season without the hassle of a complete makeover? Give any space a quick face lift with new curtains.
Window treatments can either fade into the background, or stand out in a crowded room. Just as the right accessories (like rods and finials) can make a statement, the fabric makes an even bigger one. Get whatever luxurious look you’re dreaming up, for a cost that won’t give you nightmares.
Fabrics That Only Look Rich
Shop these websites. You’ll need about 7 yards for two 84″ panels.
Punch Up Plain Panels
Try this easy way to fake the look of pricey window treatments: Buy inexpensive panels and add your own trim.
The DIY decorators at HGTV Magazine used an $11 faux linen curtain from Kmart and updated it with trim. You can find ribbon and other trim for as little as $1 a yard at cheaptrims.com or trimexpoonline.com. Sew, hot glue, or iron it on with hem tape, like Stitch Witchery.
Clockwise from top left: Large pom-pom trim in orange, $3 per yard, purlsoho.com; Wright’s extra wide double fold bias tape in Mediterranean, $2 for 3-yard pack, joann.com; 23mm box pleated chromspun ribbon edging in cardinal, $10 per yard, M&J Trimming, 888-849-8201; Godiva geometric trim in denim/beige, $8 per yard, M&J Trimming 888-849-8201
Excerpt originally appeared in the May 2013 issue of HGTV Magazine.
READ MORE
12 Stylish Window Treatment Ideas
The Frugal Guide to Fancy Curtains
7 Beautiful Window Treatments for Bedrooms
ShareHappy Earth Day to all my MacGyvers out there! I thought that making today’s craft material something all-natural would be a nice way to honor our planet, and what’s more natural than fruit? I also noticed that babies have been on everyone’s brain, sending searches for “baby shower decorations” spiking on Yahoo! this week. Well, it just so happens that you can turn produce into pretty baby shower decorations, so this post is a two-for-one deal. Check out my favorite finds and prepare to have your mind blown by nature’s bounty…
ShareYou may remember that I linked to this mega-adorable rocking sheep way back in my first nursery post of this series. In my follow-up post, I boldly declared my intention to attempt to make my own rocking sheep out of an old rocking horse and an Ikea sheepskin. But I’ll confess, I didn’t really have a plan beyond buying a sheepskin last time I made an Ikea run. Then, last week, I found a rocking horse on Craigslist (I wasn’t joking about being addicted to it!), so it seemed it was time.
After doing some research, I decided to paint the body of the horse with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I was intrigued by the claims that you don’t have to strip, sand, or prime furniture before painting, and that you’re left with a matte finish free of brushstrokes. I will admit I was a little skeptical, but this paint is kind of magical. I slapped it on to the beat up, varnished wooden rocking horse, and two coats later I was left with this lovely charcoal grey fella. He looked so nice I was tempted to leave him as-is, but the sheepskin beckoned so I powered on.
For the next step, I gathered my supplies: a roll of wax paper, a utility knife, scissors, a pen, a hot glue gun and plenty of glue sticks, and one Ikea sheepskin. It’s easy to see why these cuddly skins are so popular with designers (Emily Henderson just listed them as one of her all-time styling essentials), they are so thick and soft. If real sheepskin isn’t your style, they also come in a faux version that looks great.
ShareOne of my favorite things about spring is definitely the fragrance. Fresh cut grass, aromatic flowers, the smell of the rain – I could lay in a meadow and take in all the sweet scents until summer. Of course, I can’t actually skip town and camp out in the fields for two months (I have a house to spring clean, remember?), but I can invite the smell of spring into my home through the intoxicating power of homemade potpourri.
If you’ve ever tried to make your own fragrance, you know it can be difficult to get the combination just right. That’s why we followed our noses to find easy mixes for springtime scents that you can make at home – easy Mother’s Day gift idea, anyone?
Dried flower potpourri. It wouldn’t be spring without the aroma of blooming flowers. Julia from Free People mixes together dried lavender, rose petals and cloves, then arranged them in decorative jars and containers.
Happy Hour Happens: Refreshing #Memorial Day Cocktails From
HGTV Star, New Season starts June 9 at 8/7c! Watch Sneak
Love this mix of patterns? Designed by Tiffany Brooks, 2013
Mid-Century Modern, by Designer Tylor Devereaux. Browse
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