The Champagne Life on a DIY Budget Since 2007

Posts from the ‘DIY’ category

shoestring DIY door headboard austin restore habitat reveal featured after

DIY Repurposed Door Headboard with Habitat ReStore

Making a headboard out of an old door is something that I’ve always wanted to do, since way way back in the pre-Pinterest days when we still used to tear sheets out of magazines and file them away in clear sleeves and binders and check DIY project books out of the library for inspiration. So when the team at Habitat for Humanity ReStore reached out about teaming up on a few DIY projects, I knew exactly where we were going to start. Check out my step-by-step tutorial and all the before, after & process photos!

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MAKER MOMENT: Hester van Overbeek, Furniture Hacks

When I first was introduced to Hester van Overbeek, author of Furniture Hacks and DIY maven behind the popular British home decorating blog Hester’s Handmade Home, I was also eyebrows-deep in two of my own “IKEA hack” upcycling projects. As fellow new homeowners, Hester shares my Shoestring philosophy of not sweating the idea that yes, you can make something big from scratch with very little experience or previous skills, and that you don’t have to spend a fortune filling your home with beautiful things that exude your personal style, so I’m super excited to introduce her to you in this week’s Maker Moment.

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Homemade Chamomile Lavender Baby Wipes

earlier this year, with several baby showers imminent, I decided to do a (very scientific) Facebook survey of all my friends with kids in order to find out exactly what it was that made their lives easier in those first few weeks after welcoming a human cub into their world. The overwhelming top answer of meal delivery wasn’t that surprising, but the second most popular new-parent gift was: Baby Wipes. LOTS of them. so I decided to take to the kitchen and recipe test dozens of homemade, organic baby wipe recipes from Pinterest and elsewhere around the internets. I don’t think I’ll ever buy commercial wipes again, it was seriously that easy!

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MAKER MOMENT: Chelsea Laine Francis

You may have noticed a big shift on Shoestring these last four months: the posts are maybe a bit more frequent again; the mood might be a little more upbeat; and, of course, you may have noticed a visual shift from getting-the-job-done to gorgeous. All of that is thanks to our new staff photographer, the relentlessly positive and boundlessly creative Chelsea Laine Francis.

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TGWIF: My Summer Uniform

I brought dozens of souvenirs from home to tide me over until my next trip back in the fall, but by far the best of them all was this perfect summer uniform, thrifted from Goodwill and Uptown Cheapskate with a pair of totally destroyed DIY denim cutoffs tying it all together, and it works for the Cape, the lake, the city, the humidity, and the blazing sun.

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Shop Local: Bolt Fabrics Summer Sale

If you’re looking for material, or need inspiration, for projects to keep you sane during these dog days of summer, head over to Bolt Fabrics this weekend for their clearance sale! Everything in store is 15% to 65% off (though a little bird tells us some fabrics may be more than 65% off!) now through closing on Saturday, including deep discounts on ready-made pillows, like these perfect poufs made from Texas tea towels.

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Sore Muscle Bath Soak + Reusing Tequila Bottles

To inspire me (and my house guests) to enjoy more health-boosting baths, I like to package my recipe for homemade sore muscle soak in pretty containers just like I would if I were gifting them. My favorite (FREE) container of all is an empty Patron tequila bottle, perhaps left over from a batch of spicy watermelon margaritas - packaging worth displaying prominently without spending a cent.

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South Awesome: Love Ding

Tucked into a generic row of warehouse spaces just after popular, sprawling Way South Austin (aka SoChaca) nightlife destination Moontower Saloon sits Love Ding, an unassuming bright spot of domestic gorgeousness with a definitively Austin mix of midcentury vintage, vintage-inspired, and curated handmade modern furniture, decor, and home accessories.

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DIY Pendleton Stripe Mail Sorter

In the spirit of Throwback Thursday, I wanted to finally share this DIY project I created for Home Depot & Crafty Allie over the winter. It’s been so hard keeping this one under my hat, especially since you know about my long history and love affair with all things Pendleton. Enter: my Yakima Camp Blanket striped mail sorter made from an old shutter from Habitat ReStore and a slew of Home Depot paint samples.