DIY Projects

Kitchen Utensil Art

I’ve always had a thing for old kitchen utensils. First, I think the craftsmanship is just beautiful. Second, I always think of all the loving hands that have touched them, all the birthday cake batter they’ve mixed, the biscuits they’ve made. It just seems like such a shame to toss them aside when they’re no…

Croquet table

I have a long, loving relationship with croquet. We played it as kids, I was croquet chairman of my eating club (it’s a Princeton thing), and we had croquet at our wedding. I love the game, probably because it’s about as non-sporty as a sport can get…plus you get to wear snazzy clothes. That being…

Leather Mason Jar Koozies

I wanted to create a fun drinking glass for us to use this summer. I love drinking from mason jars (we served cocktails in them at our wedding), but wanted a way to give them a little extra umph! So, Idecided to make leather koozies of course. You can make them as simple or decorative…

Pegboard Cross Stitch

I love it when old school crafts take on a new school format. Using pegboard as a base for cross-stitch gives it a scale that elevates it to modern art. It looks impressive, but is actually very easy to do…even if you’ve never cross-stitched.

Drawer Planter

I love a challenge – so when presented with a car load of dresser drawers my mind raced. After much head scratching this is the result, a multicolored drawer stack perfect for welcome spring.

Hypertufa Planters

Hypertufa is a man-made rock meant to simulate tufa. Now, you ask, what exactly is tufa in the first place? Well, it’s a natural accusing permeable limestone that’s often found near water sources like springs, waterfalls, etc. For hundreds of years it’s been used in Alpine gardening both because of it’s aesthetics because plants love…

Floral 3-D Portrait

If a grand Dutch masters oil painting of a still-life of flowers is a little too stodgy for you (or, huh, you don’t have a couple of millions around to buy one), try this modern tongue in cheek version. Perfect for that narrow spot where there’s not enough room for a table with flowers, or…

Floating Bed

I’ve made a few of these floating beds over the years and I always love them. I’ve played around with different methods of building them and different ways of hanging them. This is I think my favorite. It’s definitely the easiest to build and I think the rope work makes it the best looking as…

Backyard Scrabble

I must say, we’re a little obsessed with Scrabble these. On boards, on our phones….so why not in our yard? With outdoor fun just around the corner, this outdoor set will make for hours of family fun as well as good lessons in spelling for the younger set.

Spring Animal Coats

I’ve never liked putting the kids in their winter coats in the spring. Sure, it’s still cold outside, but those heavy winter coats just seem to insure that winter will never leave. So this year I got some cute spring coats on line and turned them into cute spring creature coats for the kids. With…

Tea Cup Wreath

I love old china. Just thinking of the hands that have cradled it, the tables that it’s set, the milestones that it’s celebrated, who’s wedding registry it was on years and years ago. So when I see it sitting chipped and abandoned with a $1.00 price tag, it’s hard to walk past. This wreath takes…

Nesting Tables

Nesting tables have been around since the 1700’s when table’s voluptuous curves slimmed down a little so you could actual fit one under another. Back then every parlor needed a table for tea, embroidery and, of course, cards – why not slip them all under one another when not in use? Well 300 years later,…

Carrot Fire Starter Bundles

Just because it’s cold enough to have a fire in the fireplace, it doesn’t mean you can’t start celebrating spring with a basket full of carrots. These carrots are made of grapevine with fresh rosemary greens – toss them in the fireplace under your logs for a quick start, or leave them in a basket…

Bunny Planter Stand

Not only a great way to celebrate the coming of spring, also a great fix for those of us that may not have actual garden space! These bunny planters can be made out of one piece of pine board and come together in absolutely no time.

Embroidery Hoop Urns

One sees these in every designer shop these days – lovely old world orbs. They’re perched on top of books, nestled in a planter with ivy, or perched upon a candlestick. Well, here’s how you can get that same look at home for merely the cost of a few embroidery hoops.

Beaded Snowflake

I’ve always loved the clean lines and natural woods of Scandinavian design. There’s something so modern and refreshing, even in the most rustic of designs. These wooden bead snowflakes have that feel and once you get the hang of it, you can make them in as many different ways as there are snowflakes.

Wedding Invitation Shadowbox

I was so honored to help out a viewer who found her parents’ wedding invitation not long after her mother passed away. Not knowing how to honor her parents more than 50 years of marriage, she wrote to me. Here’s my solution, I liked it so much I may even dig mine out and do…

Dog Feeder Dresser

Before kids, we were happy pet parents. With two dogs and a cat we were always tripping over bowls, leashes and bags of food. Well, the next time we go down that path, boy will things be different! I’ve figured out this all in one pet food and bowl holder that keeps everything in one…

Butterfly Domes

Nothing says lazy summer day like a gently floating butterfly. In an effort to keep those lovely days in mind all year long, I’ve created a butterfly cloche to remind myself that those summer days are never too far off. Easily done and completely customizable to match your decor they’re a wonderful little fantasy piece.

Yarn Storage Art

A viewer wrote to me with a dilemma. Her yarn supply was getting out of control and although she had it all stored neatly in bins, she couldn’t see everything she had. Not to mention that getting to some of the yarn involved shuffling bins around and copious amounts of digging. So here is…