DIY blog - onegirlmanyideas

ORGANIZATION // rolling storage bench

3/6/2018

DIY rolling storage bench / shoe rack

The worst of the worst happened to me recently. Okay, maybe not the worst of the worst...but pretty bad. I either misplaced my beloved hand-me-down circular saw or it was stolen. I realized this when I wanted to use it to build a fancy mid century modern planter. Out of pure frustration and determination, and because, well...makers gonna make, I made the planter anyway. It was a total bust.

DIY // easy pinecone wreath

11/8/2017

A quick, easy and mostly free tutorial on how to create a pinecone holiday wreath. Great for fall and winter!

I officially bullied my way into doing a tutorial in Madison County Magazine! I so wish emojis would show up on here because I'd definitely use the smirky side grin face right now :)

DECOR // geometric hanging shelf

6/8/2017

Easy DIY tutorial with examples of total fails.

DECOR // budget friendly address numbers

4/24/2017

Simple video tutorial on how to make home address numbers for under $14!

Here's a quick tutorial on how I created our house numbers for our METAL door.

Pinterest caught me with their "suggested pins" of BEAUTIFUL front doors with amazing, modern address numbers here and there. I loved anything I saw with these great modern brushed metal letters.

DECOR // floral wreath

3/10/2017

A simple technique for a quick door wreath.

In my last post I said it was the easiest DIY I've ever done. This floral wreath is a close second.

I've no idea what the "proper" way is to make a wreath. I actually never know the proper way to do things. I legit trial and error EVERYTHING I do. I think the only thing that could make my wreath DIY difficult is the glue gun. Some people just can't do it. They get stringy glue all over the place and burn the tips of their fingers off. Fortunately, I love my glue gun. I can't say I've never burnt the tip of my finger off though...

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

hot glue gun and some glue sticks
fake flower buds (mine were left over from a wedding project. Check the Dollar Tree)
wreath form (also from the Dollar Tree)
greenery (I didn't originally have the greenery, but decided it would add a "pop" against my red door)

WHAT TO DO:

start gluing! Don't stop till you're done!

Thanks for watching!

DIY // dipped wooden utensils

2/26/2017

Easiest DIY ever! 3 easy steps for dipped wooden utensils

This is probably the easiest DIY I've ever done.

What's better:
A) Under $10 for four painted wooden utensils, or B) a DIY project in under 30 minutes?

How about BOTH!

What you need:

A paint brush or two
Wooden utensils - I have a whole hoard of wooden utensils, but of course...I got new ones from the DOLLAR TREE. Obviously, this was the inspiration for this project. The majority of utensils I already have were gifted to me from amazing places like Africa and Greece. I didn't want to taint their integrity with paint. You might have different feelings about your current wooden utensils.
Paint - I used generic/cheap acrylic paint I already had. Alternately, it costs anywhere between $0.50 and $1 each at Hobby Lobby. I factored this into my less than $10 guesstimate.
Painter's tape or masking tape
Cookie rack - this is optional. I used mine to hold the utensils up for drying. You could also use a cup.
All purpose sealer - this is to help seal the acrylic paint. If you're just using these for decor, don't worry about it. If you're planning to actually cook with them or use them, I suggest sealing it. Some tutorials suggest food safe shellac. I was in too much of a hurry to hunt that down, so I settled with the sealer. I definitely plan to hand wash...aren't you supposed to hand wash wooden utensils anyway? Sealer is around $3.

What to do:
Drum roll please...

Easiest DIY ever! 3 easy steps for dipped wooden utensils

There you have it! The easiest and quickest DIY ever. I hope you enjoy your dipped utensils. Don't forget, handwash only!

PictureEasiest DIY ever! 3 easy steps for dipped wooden utensils

Pair them with some colorful dish towels and a cutting board for an easy wedding or housewarming gift!

Easiest DIY ever! 3 easy steps for dipped wooden utensils

THIS TO THAT // rolling table + cutting board

1/25/2017

Step by step tutorial on how to turn these in to that!

Does anyone else have a ridiculously hard time getting back in the swing of things after the holidays??? It's literally been over a month since I've posted. This is the beginning of the downfall. I am so sorry.

Just kidding, we're gonna make this thing work, BECAUSE! I have so many projects I want to do, and I need an excuse to do them. For example: this rolling cart that I really don't have room for in my house.

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Erm, a rolling cart. I don't know that you'll be able to find one exactly like mine, but anything metal with an icky top will work!
Screw Driver
Sand Blaster OR Sand Paper
Spray paint primer
- I used Krylon Color Maxx Primer
Brushed metallic top coat spray paint (or color of your choosing)
- I used Krylon Cover Maxx Brushed Metallic Oil Rubbed Bronze
1 ridiculously awesome old cutting board
Short wood screws
- I used #6 1-1/4" flat head screws from Lowe's

ESTIMATED TIME:

1 long afternoon.

THINGS I'VE LEARNED:

So through this tutorial I have learned quite a bit, but two very major things.

Cell phones are the worst: I have a problem that I get super excited about a project...and I get in the zone which makes me totally forget to take step-by-step pictures. This time, I had the bright idea of recording myself throughout the entire process. Phones are great! I had it right there, easy to set up and mindlessly record. WRONG. I made the HUGE mistake of recording vertically rather than horizontally :| I do apologize. The video is low quality and grainy, but at least it's there!
Sandblasting isn't as magical as I thought it'd be: I was under the impression that sand blasting would take my arm off if I wasn't careful. Maybe I got the wrong sand blasting "gun" or maybe I just have a wild imagination. Either way, sand blasting was helpful, but not at all like I thought it would be.

I SHOULD HAVE FOUND THIS IMAGE ^ BEFORE RECORDING THIS VIDEO:

What you're seeing in the video:

Removal of all non-metal parts
Sand blasting all rust off
Wipe down with lysol wipe
Spray painting with primer
Spray painting with brushed metallic paint
Attachment of cutting board with wood screws
The end!

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

STEP 1: Remove all non-metal parts

This was actually a tad tricky. Removing the top piece was a cinch because it still had the original screws. The previous owners attached the wooden piece to the bottom...they used random screws that didn't match, both with flat head screws.

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

STEP 2: Sandblast the rust off!

As you can see in the picture below, the wheels were extremely rusty. The cart still functioned, and the wheels aren't the most important piece to be painted...so sandblasting isn't a necessity if you don't want to go through the trouble. However, you will need to sand down all parts of the cart for good spray paint bondage.

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

I should have a whole tutorial about how to buy a sandblaster. Actually, I should have read a whole tutorial about how to buy a sandblaster before buying mine.

I don't regret buying this particular blaster from Harbor Freight, because I plan to use it for more "delicate" projects in the future. It worked fine for me for removing the rusty bits off the wheels. I feel certain if I had bit the bullet and purchased a nicer, more expensive blaster, I would have been able to blast this cart with no need for painting after.

Sandblasting for beginners. PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

STEP 3: wipe off all the sanding particles

I used lysol wipes. Quick and easy.

STEP 4: spray the primer!

Thin layers, people. Thin layers. Drips are not okay! Let dry completely before step 5.

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

STEP 5: spray final color!

Again, go for thin layers. I went on and sprayed the wheels. I'll let you know how that turns out on down the line....

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

STEP 6: attach the cutting board and re-attach other shelving

Make sure your screws are short enough that they won't go through your cutting board!

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

STEP 7: all done!

PictureStep by step tutorial on how to upcycle an old rolling cart and a cutting board.

CHRISTMAS // santa wreath from scraps

12/13/2016

Easy Santa Wreath DIY

This is my FIRST EVER VIDEO TUTORIAL! Woohoo! Way to step up my game, right???

Please excuse the shakey cam and the cut off beard. It's a learning process and a work in progress.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Wreath form of sorts. Mine was metal, just because I had it left over.
Hot glue gun and glue sticks. Surprisingly, I only used one glue stick for this entire project...talk about overkill...
White/cream fabric scraps cut into strips. I had these left over from a sewn scarf.
Dollar tree Santa hat

Well, what'd you think? I'm thinking it isn't too shabby for an impromptu first attempt at a video tutorial!

Here's how I jimmy-rigged it:

If you want the play-by-play:

DIY Santa Wreath

I started by placing my hat on my wreath form to know how far your beard should go. I put it on like a hat, but I suppose you could just glue it flat to the wreath if your from is too big? Try it and let me know.

Next: get to gluing those scraps down! Personally, I love hot glue. Some people are really awful at it. Don't be awful, and don't burn yourself. It's a delicate art.

DIY Santa Wreath

After I got about halfway done with the beard, I decided to go ahead and glue my hat down. I glued the insides shut.

DIY Santa Wreath

My little santa was looking weird without a mustache. I fiddled and found the longest scrap I had to reach across and connect.

Then I decided he needed some eyeware....

DIY Santa Wreath

Seriously though, everyone has a pair of these laying around the house somewhere, right? Or am I just a hoarder?

DIY Santa Wreath

Punch out those 3D glasses and rip off those ear pieces!

DIY Santa Wreath

Add a little hot glue....

DIY Santa Wreath

and hold them in place!

DIY Santa Wreath

In hindsight, I wish I had thought to use fishing line to hang the glasses in the middle of his face...in a pench, this will do.

DIY Santa Wreath

I hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

FABRIC SAMPLES // pillow edition

12/5/2016

For a little frame of reference--I'm a hoarder. I used to work a few doors down from an interior decorator that constantly tossed fabric sample books! Much to the amusement of my co-workers, I loaded them up in the Cube. Every time I saw them. I have LOTS of fabric sample books...

Here's a handful of projects I've made with trashed fabric sample books:

The best use my fabric samples have ever had:
KITTEN NEST

Kittens: day 1 There are 4 of them--black one right above the orange looks like a shadow!

OFF TOPIC: here's the story of my surprise kittens.

BACK ON TOPIC: Here's how to sew a simple pillow.

For the full tutorial click here!

Stay tuned for more FABRIC SAMPLE tutorials!