The Champagne Life on a DIY Budget Since 2007

Posts tagged ‘pinterest’

furniture hacks shutters from old vertical blinds hester

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.

after DIY pendleton stripe shutter project

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.

thrift store DIY succulents goodwill austin

TGWIF: Succulents + Thrift Scores

Sometimes, a trip to the garden center and digging your hands in the dirt is just what the doctor ordered. Last week, I did just that, in the name of journalism and this week’s post for Austin Goodwill, and bought up dozens upon dozens of delightful little succulents, potted them in upcycled thrift store vessels in the name of Earth Day (hello, pineapple colander!) and had the funnest photo shoot with the lovely Chelsea Laine Francis.

Real Life vs The Internets

Lately, I’ve been thinking and talking a lot about real life versus the representation of it we all consume daily, hourly, on the internets, and about how much of an effect that can have not only on our happiness but even on our livelihoods, especially if you work in an image-conscious field.

Pennies for Thought: DIY Marquee Letters

Craft supplies can cost a pretty penny, which is why I’ve been obsessed for the last few years with DIY projects that use actual pennies in their design. A penny saved is a penny earned, and I’m not above flaunting my financial prowess — even when it comes to gift giving.

money saving mint ice cubes

Freezing Herbs & Mint Ice Cubes

I love mint in the summertime. The first sip of a mint julep during Derby Days in May always gives me hope that vacation is around the corner — and nothing seems to soothe a hot, humid summer swelter in the height of August quite like an iced tea with mint.