Search results for DIY

5 Important DIY Tips For First-Timers

This weekend was my first crash course in DIY.  While I did love it, and the instant gratification was awesomeness, the work was not always fun, or easy. That being said, while I was was up on a ladder with pieces of ceiling falling on my head, I began making a mental list of lessons for you my dear readers, so not only can I warn you about the perils and triumph of parenting, I can now warn you about the perils and triumph of DIY!  Behold, my 5 greatest lessons learned about DIY so far.

                                               

1. DIY requires the whole-ass.  There is no half-ass on a good DIY job. There is no slap on spackle, quick sand and paint. Oh, No. It's fill the damn hole, wait for the spackle (aka. Damn Hole Filler Stuff) to dry, THEN sand it. THEN wipe the dust away. THEN paint.  I have to admit, it does look much better when you take the time to read the directions (or for me, listen to FTD). Again, no half-assing DIY.

2. It's a labor of Love. If you love what you are doing, then it's not nearly as bad when it requires hard labor. When I stopped looking at the project as a task on the list, but as an opportunity to make my house more beautiful, I slowed down and enjoyed the job. With one million and one more DIY projects left to do on our 1920's fixer upper, I am glad I learned this lesson early on.

Even though I had to go over the yard like ten times,
 it was so awesome to see all my hard work pay off!
                                               
3. Kid's can be a DI-Don't! This past weekend, FTD and I were not able to find anyone to look after the wild-child, so we made do. We traded off watching him while the other did their task, or gave him a dry paint brush to paint a dry wall, or a broom to "help" sweep.  (Read: Make a bigger mess.)  When DIY-ing with a child have plenty of activities planned out to keep the little one busy.



4. Do the Research before going to the Hardware Store to save time and money.- Know what you need, and price check it before stepping foot in the store. There are so many apps available now that can price check multiple stores for you. You can save a ton using them, also look for coupons and rebates online. I learned this because FTD said go get white exterior paint. So, off I went... to what I now fondly (or not) refer to as the wall of confusion. I was certain the words were not even English until I asked for help.


5. Sometimes it's best to seek out a professional opinion before you DIY.  I inherited a huge yard of overgrown somethings. I also inherited a very large tree that looks to have a very large disease. But before completely writing it off and cutting it down, I have asked a professional to come out and help me figure out how to save it, if possible.

I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of professionals who will come out to consult on a project and only charge a small fee and sometimes even do it for free!

Poor tree.  It's sick in only that one spot!
I am determined to save it.
Just in case you are wondering if FTD--The very well seasoned DIYer-- has any lessons he learned over the weekend to share, he does! But only one...

Don't leave a new DIY Dumbasser alone with a new job until you are sure she has a clear understanding of what she is doing.  I was left to paint a 'sofit,' but painted the trim around the sofit instead. Whoops! Whatever, it all looked extra pretty by the time I was finished.


After this weekend, I am so excited to start working on more projects. I am DIY-hooked!  Do you have any lessons you have learned that you can share?

If you are just joining the 1920's fixer-upper saga... please read, We Bought A 1920's Fixer-Upper! Why, Yes... We Are Completely Nuts!


#DIY for Dummies: It's All About The Vision... And Epic Fails. I'll Show You...


I'm so jealous of those #DIY people who can make a masterpiece out of Duct tape and egg shells. #bitches 

I want so bad to make my own masterpieces out of garage sale finds. I live on a tight budget, so my only hope of having a fabulously decorated house hinges on my ability to get on my DIY game. In an effort to become one of those DIY Divas, I attempt the odd #DIY project from time to time... With most times ending in one of those Pinterest 'Nailed it' fails. 


One day I WILL make a bowl full of these damn balls!!!!
My latest endeavor, making a bench seat for an old trunk, is by far my bravest #DIY attempt to date.  You see, I had a vision and I was determined to bring it to life. Only, I had no clue how to do it!  So, like any #DIY dummy, I turned to Pinterest and YouTube for tips and tricks to bring my vision to life.

For the record, watching those DIY videos on YouTube is not only intimidating, it's a constant reminder of how ill equipped I am for DIY projects. Not only do I lack the crap needed (sewing machines, industrial glue guns and enough fabric to cover an entire house twice), I lack the skills.  

HOWEVER, I don't lack the vision! Which, I am happy to report, is more important than all of that sewing machine and glue gun crap!

Here, I'll show you...
1. The vision: Clean pretty seating over an old antique truck in my living room





2. The Supplies Needed: According to the videos I watched, a bunch of shit I didn't have; including a sewing machine. Still, I was determined to make my vision come to life without needle and thread. Again I say, 90% is all about the vision.... 

 I went to the local craft store and picked out fabric, foam, quilt batting, pillow stuffing stuff, and a small glue gun. I WAS DETERMINED! 

                                                

3. The Plan: Bring vision to life! I watched how-to videos on making "no-sew" seating and pillows.  It looked easy enough... 

1. Measure the top of the trunk and cut foam to fit. 
2. Glue the foam together with glue gun
3. Wrap the foam seat in the quilt batting
4. Fold fabric, print side facing in, then glue three sides of fabric to form seams.
5. Once the glue has dried turn the fabric right side out pushing the corners out.
6. Stuff the foam seat in the fabric and seal the last side with glue gun.
7. Enjoy!


If only...It took 52 Epic fails and quite a bit of improvising to make it through steps 1-7.
1. Measure and cut foam... yeah, I need to go back to Kindergarten and learn to cut a straight line.
2. Hot gluing foam together is a joke! I ended up busting out the Gorilla Glue.
3. The damn batting wouldn't stick down! Again, the hot glue sucked.  So I got bandage tape to hold it in place since it's soft and won't crinkle when someone sits on it.
4. I'm pretty sure the part about glue three sides of the fabric closed, didn't mean when the hot glue failed to work, grab the Gorilla glue and glue your fingers together. But I did it anyway, and it worked like a charm! 

Thankfully, staying focused on my vision and not giving up helped me stay on track. After quite a bit of Gorilla Glue and cussing, I managed to stuff my batting covered foam block seating contraption into the fabric case.
At this point, I was doing internal cartwheels! 

 I grabbed the end, folded the fabric in on itself, smothered it in Gorilla Glue and sealed it (and my fingers) shut!

 LOOK!!!!!   I DID IT!!!

HOLY CRAAAAAAAAP! I DID IT!!!!  No, it's not perfect, but it's really great and totally my vision!!!



Since I was feeling all accomplished, I used the left over fabric to make a pillow to tie the room together!!!


 I'm going to make another pillow for the couch, and a solid color pillow or two for the trunk seating! 
You see! It's all about the vision...

Even though, no DIY person in their right mind would tell you to make a no-sew seating cushion with bandage tape and Gorilla glue, I'm here to tell you, IT WORKED!  If you have a vision, follow it and if you have to use unconventional methods, then have at it! Just what ever you do, don't let go of your vision! 

*If you need more encouragement (or a laugh!), checkout this post full of Pinterest 'Nailed it' fails.

Update: If You're Wondering How The Renovations Are Going... INSANE #DIY

Oh my friends... Who knew Renovation and Operation New Lawn 2014, would be so intense! Since I last week's post on the next phases of DIY and Renovations, I have not finished one thing!  NOT ONE!  That being said, I have been working like a woman on a mission since!  How does that happen you ask? I'll show you...

1. Toddler mayhem in the mix
2. Painting a room with six windows. SIX!
3. Watering my lawn two times a day. TWO
4. My husband is Australian.

Allow me to explain... and show you what I have managed to accomplish... And give a few tips about my DIY dumbassery I've learned along the way!

Oh where to start?!

The lawn...

For those just joining, I am working with TruGreen as an ambassador to completely overhaul my lawn. When I say Overhaul, I mean completely replace it!

Three weeks ago, TruGreen came out and sprayed the lawn with roundup to kill it off. ALL OF IT! A week later, when all of the grass was dead, they "power seeded".  The next step was to water it, twice a day! And since not one freaking drop of water fell out of the sky over the last two weeks, it's been up to FTD and I to water.

I LOVE IT!
I have to admit, I was worried about this process, but I kept telling myself, TruGreen knows what they are doing... On the 10th day, the lawn started growing like CRAZY!  It's about 80% filled in. I have been assured by next week, it will be 99% filled in. Can you believe it?  Watering regularly totally sucks, but OMG so worth it!!

Now... on to the real DIY and Reno... IT'S INSANE!!

Again, for those of you just joining, I am working with Havenly as a brand ambassador to redesign my very large and long front room. It's 40 feet long by 11 feet wide with our front door smack in the middle. We had no idea what to do with it... after working with Shelby, the head designer at Havenly eInterior Design, we decided to have the dining room on one side, and the sitting area on the other. My friends, that was the easy part...


The hard part has been trying to make the room look like the designer renderings...

The room has SIX windows, one detailed front door and miles of base boards... holy shit. I will NEVER paint this room again. EVER! I have been working day and night for the last week on painting and designing the room. I am about 75% finished, and truth be told, the hard work has paid off.

I LOVE IT!  

The room is really coming together beautifully. Most of all, FTD and I LOVE the wall and trim colors so much, we have decided to carry them through the entire first floor!  

Here is a sneak peek...


As you can see, the 'Rookwood' fireplace tiles are still being cleaned... which is taking FOREVER! And if you look in the reflection of the mirror, the windows on the other side of the room are taped and waiting for paint. I just had to put the mantel back together so I could see something finished.

OH, and the part about having an Australian husband being a problem with getting things done... he is happy to sit and look at a project for six months... seriously. He has NO sense of urgency when it comes to ANYTHING!  I on the other hand, live by the saying, "Shit or get off the pot!"

I'm pretty sure no explanation is necessary about the Toddle Mayhem part... If so, see the past year's posts... It's constant mayhem in my house.

It's funny how I have all of these ideas for this beautiful 1920's fixer-upper, and completely unrealistic ideas for getting it done in a month or two. It's clear from just the front room, it's going to take the rest of my life to renovate this place.

To read a few of the highlights from the house, DIY and renovations since purchasing it last May, click a link below...






  •  5 Important DIY Tips For First-Timers a.k.a 5 DIY Lessons I learned the Hard Way.
  •  Do You Know Why Wallpaper Is Called, Wallpaper? #DIY
  • I just want people to love my yard, is that too much to ask?
  • I'm killing 90% of my Lawn on purpose, and I am SO SO SO excited!
  • The Concepts Are In From The Interior Designer... I Need Your Help.
  • 1920's Fixer-Upper Update: The Renovations And #DIY Are In High Gear!



    • Someone Get Me A Hot Glue Gun. I'm Totally Ready! #DIY

    As some of you know, my friends insist when it comes to me and crafts, "DIY" stands for, Dumbassery Imminent You... poor thing. I want so bad to be crafty. I would love to have the ability to walk into a craft store and see the possibilities in the rows of fabrics, yarns and crafty things, or go to garage sales and find treasure in old furniture.

     In an effort to change my craft-fail fate, I spent the weekend DIY-ing this thing I found in my shed left by the former owners of the house. I call it a thing, because I have no idea what it's called.  When explaining it to friends and neighbors I call it an..."Iron screen folding three panel thing..."  See, I told you I'm helpless, I can't even name the thing I am trying to fancy-up! So anyways, here is what I'm talking about...

    Cute, right?  I will say this, I knew what I wanted to do with it the minute I saw it, so maybe I am not as DIY- hopeless as I thought...

     Get this, the former owner had it in the GARDEN! It was so super dirty when I pulled it out of the shed...

    First, I washed all kinds of dead vines, dirt and bird crap off of it. I guess she was trying to get something to climb through it.

     To bring my vision to life, all I needed to do was spray paint it black. The only obstacle was the yellow gem like things. How do I spray paint it, and not them, AND not spend hours taping them?  My friends, the light bulb went off, and genius came through... teacher stickers...
    You know who was more than happy to help!
    Once the stickers were in place I sprayed the hell out of the screen.  Two and a half cans of spray paint later, my masterpiece was STUNNING!!!  I DID IT!!!

    My sticker idea worked! 

    Are you ready to see what this was all about???  



    LOVE IT!!!


    Isn't it beautiful?!  I am so freaking proud. I did it.  I had a vision, that actually worked out. 

     HOLY CRAAAAAP!!!!!!!  


    You all, I am hooked!  I want to DIY and paint EVERYTHING!  I also need a hot glue gun, because I hear that's when DIY gets really fun.  

    Are you DIY hopeless?  Come along and learn with me, I am going to try to do a project or two every month!


    Wordless Wednesday- DIY for Dummies Vol. 2

    It's back...
     by popular demand... 

    DIY For Dummies Vol. 2 
    Wordless Wednesday edition!

    For those of you who do not know about the awesomeness going on here...

    I am a DIY dummy through and through.  I burn myself with hot glue guns... I... basically am all thumbs when it comes to crafts.  Which really sucks!  I like to paint! I like to bedazzle stuff!  I like to get all Martha Stewart around the holidays... but unfortunately my fingers turn into thumbs at the sight of glue guns, paints, and popsicle sticks.  So, in an effort to be more crafty I have searched high and low for easy crafts that even I can pull off... preferably just by looking at the photo.

    That's right, we are talking two or three step crafts that need little to no explanation! 

    So Here goes... Wordless Wednesday- DIY for Dummies Vol. 2  (I will put a link to VOL 1 at the bottom of this post so you can check it out of you missed it)

    I'm NEVER Painting With Oil Based Paint Again! #DIY #Dumbasery (1920's Renovation Update)

    If you've ever painted even one brushstroke of oil based paint on your wall/door/trim, then you know, IT SUCKS!  It is thick, stinky, takes FOREVER to dry, shows every freaking brush stroke, and when you go to clean it off your paint brush and body, you burn yourself with a Magic Eraser! Ok, maybe not the Magic Eraser part, because who else could pull off such an epic feat of DIY dubassery than the queen of DIY Dumbassery herself, me.


    Let's kick this weekend's 1920's House Renovation and DIY Update off with the bad news...


    OIL BASED PAINT SUCKS!

    Being the complete novice painter that I am, I had no idea painting latex based paint over oil based stain would cause a HUGE mess and headache.

    Nothing like learning the hard way...

    I should have known when the first coat of latex paint went on so smooth and easy, something was wrong. The second coat actually PULLED off the first coat.

    DIY Dumbassery Tip #1: Latex paint does not stick to oil based anything.

    DIY Dumbassery Tip #2: When you run into a situation where you have to use oil based paint, proceed with extreme caution.


    The oil paint was thick and messy and near impossible to wipe off unless I got the drip or drop up immediately. Thank you baby wipes!

    DIY Dumbassery Tip #3: DO NOT try to wash the paint off your brush with water... or a magic eraser.

     WHAT A MESS!

    Imagine my surprise when I put the oil paint soaked paintbrush under the running water in my kitchen sink, only to have the paint transfer to my hands, AND STAY THERE!  Holy crap, my hands looked like I had white gloves on. I tried soap, scrub, panicking... none proved effective at getting the paint off. Frustrated, I threw the paint brush away and grabbed a Magic Eraser sitting near by. To my delight, it started taking the paint off my hands and arm. Then, my arm started burring.  It dawned on me that I was probably not supposed to use this magic piece of cleaning miracle on my skin.  Sure enough, I have a burn.  FAIL!

    I yelled MAYDAY! and thankfully my mom answered her phone and told me to use mineral spirits to clean the rest of the paint off my hands.

    It worked like a charm!

    Still, the oil based paint mess remained on my window trim...

    Damn that stuff!  It smells and takes FOREVER to dry. Thankfully, I have two windows and a small length of base board to paint with the paint.

    I love my old house, there are surprises around every corner.  In one room, four windows have been painted with brown latex paint to some how match the two that are still the original stained oak.

    **Which, that's an entire other post.... Strip or paint: The hundred year old oak trim restoration nightmare. 

     Moving on to the Good news!

    I got the rug to tie the sitting area together.

    For those just joining, quick recap:

    I've partnered with a Havenly, an online "eDesign" firm to help me renovate my front room.  Here's the room and designer renderings.


    The room is nearly finshihed!!  All that's left is finishing the oil paint touch ups, adding some design accents and lighting the fire!  The final post will be up next Friday!! But here is a sneak peak on the rug and how perfectly it matches the walls!!!

    Next, a lawn update... Recap: I'm working with TruGreen to OVERHUAL my lawn. They killed the entire lawn since 90% was weeds and clover, then power seeded to give me a brand new lawn! All of this was done a month ago. The lawn is about 70% filled in. Hopefully in two weeks I will have that final post up!!



    For those of you who asked me to post an update about the Blue Fir we were desperate to save, but weren't sure it was possible...



    Good News!!

    Why yes, FTD did tie a mummy to the tree.  

    It's thriving and happy as can be!
    All it took was LOTS of food and TLC.
    FTD and I spent the summer lovingly tending to it's recovery from years of neglect. 
    The first step was to cut off the dead branches, but only up to 6ft at the most.
    Luckily, that was enough to make it happy almost instantly!
    Our tree guy said it is doing really well, and free from disease!
    I'm not sure who I am more proud of, FTD and I, or the tree...

    LAST, I have a HUGE and exciting announcement... you'll have to wait for next Friday update...
    No! I am not pregnant.
      

    I'm Killing 90 Percent Of My Lawn. On Purpose... #WeekendRoundUp #TruGreen

    That's right, I'm killing 90% of my Lawn on purpose, and I am SO SO SO excited!

    I know what you are thinking: Why? Why on earth would you go and kill your lawn, on purpose?  

    Because, it sucks!  That's why. 

    My lawn is 90% weeds, bare spots and clover. Lots and lots of clover! And all of it has to go. NOW!

    So, I'm killing it...

    It's not like there's much "grass" to begin with...

    For those of you just joining this crazy train, here is what's going on. FTD and I bought a big gorgeous 1920's house in May. We moved in the first week of June, and have been trying to make sense of the madness. Sometimes I refer to the house as the money pit, the HUGE mistake, the most beautiful place ever, the alcoholic maker, but most times, my home.  Since buying the house and writing about the perils of owning an old house that needs some serious TLC, I have been blown away buy the HUGE following and response my house posts have received. (Links to past posts at the bottom of this post) 

    So, I have decided to start a "Weekend Round up" series. I post on Friday or Saturday morning about the work we are doing on the house. Or as I like to refer to it, the DIY Dumbassery taking place. You see, I am new to the DIY and remodeling world, luckily, FTD is not.  So, together we are stumbling along... 

    We invite you to come along on our renovation journey with us.  Trust me, it's worth it for the laughs alone... Right now, I'm mostly working in the yard, because in a couple of months I will be stuck inside with plenty of time to work in the house. 

    OK, back to the great grass kill...

    Remember how I worked with TruGreen this past July to spread the word about their TRUCARE FOR TROOPS campaign, where they donated a bunch of money to the kids of Fallen soldiers to further their education?  Well, in the process they read a few of my house posts and took some serious pity on me. So much so, they sent a manager from my local TruGreen office out to see exactly how bad the situation with my yard was.  

    The manager said this...

    "I've been doing this a very long time, and I can honestly say that I have only said this to a couple of people... April, we are going to need to kill 90% of your yard. But don't worry we are going to replace it with beautiful grass." 

    I said. Um... Ok... But how long will this take? Will I have a grassless yard for months? 

    The manager said it would take about a month to kill, replace and grow my grass. He said all I had to do was water it, and the rest he would do.  

    So, crap yard to beautiful yard with all the same grass and no weeds... YES, PLEASE!

    I would have agreed regardless since my lawn is a hot mess, that really can't get much worse.

    The worst part is all of the clover in the backyard. It attracts bastard bees, that sting. I've been stung, FTD has been stung, and Ollie has been chased. NOT COOL!  So, yes, Mr. Trugreen. Kill that $h*t!

    It may look Green, but don't be fooled. It's all clover and weeds, and bare spots...


    Then when he saw the side of my house that faces the street, he laughed and said, we will be killing 100% over here. This is really bad!

    The ground cover the last owner let go wild, has made such a mess.  KILL IT!!
    I asked if grass could even grow with all of the shade from the trees.  He said, without a doubt his grass and fertilizer would have no problem.

    Well, then, have at it!

    And last my front yard.  He was not nearly as appalled by it. Only 75% of that is getting the wrath of RoundUp.  Probably because it's mostly bare spots.

    So ugly!  
    You all, I am SO SO SO excited to see what TruGreen can do to my awful lawn. I thought they only fertilized the yard. Who knew they could actually replace an entire yard? 

    Next week after my yard is dead, they are coming to power shoot grass seed. The whole yard. WHOO HOO!!!!  

    So stay tuned, I will have the after photos of the dead grass, and new photos of the power shooter. I cannot wait to see that!!

    Have you ever replaced your grass, or worked with TruGreen?  

    1920s Fixer-Upper HUGE Renovation Update- Wait Until You See These Before And Afters! #DIY

    Well, my friends, it nearly killed FTD and I, but we finished the first floor painting, and immediate renovation needs.  Are you ready for some amazing before and afters??


    Looking back on the past 6-months, I am in awe of the work we completed on the house. FTD laid floors in three rooms, we dealt with two major water leaks, put up a temporary bamboo fence in the back yard, completely killed and reseeded our entire lawn, spackled, sanded and painted seven rooms; half of which had layers upon layers of hideous wall paper (Thank you wall paper steamer for saving my sanity), scrubbed and scrubbed our Rookwood tile fireplace to restore it to it's original beauty... and replaced the blinds throughout the house.  I'm proud to say our first floor completely refinished, with the exception of the Kitchen... I have very big plans for that including blowing out walls, adding a backdoor and of course, all new appliances.  I'll let you know when I win the lottery for that...

    Thanks to Heavenly eInterior design firm offering their services free of charge for the entry way, dinning room and reception areas, the house really came to life. We decided to go with the same colors for the wall and trim throughout the entire first floor to create a nice light space and airy flow.  We also used mirrors throughout to add even more light. We'll be damned if the winter blahs are going to make us feel like we are in a cave!

    And now without further ado, my badass 1920's house renovations...

    The Entry



    Reception




    Fireplace
    The thing was filthy from years of being shined up with furniture polish, then sitting dormant to collect dust and dirt in the wax.  YUCK!
    Dining Room
    FTD killed it in this room. How he fixed the walls is beyond me...

    Family Room
    Between the wall paper and horrifying two color trim from the former owners half ass updates, this room was the most work and last to be finished. I worked in stages: Remove wallpaper, sand the glue off, prime, paint... cry... rinse. repeat.
    SO WORTH THE HELL!!!
    It's amazing to look back and see just how much has been done! 
     FTD's Office

    This room was wallpaper hell with three layers, one that had been painted over and some crazy 1920's paste.
    **HUGE thank you to FTD's Brother for flying over from Australia to spend his holiday prying the paper off the wall!**

    I can't believe we finished just in time for the holidays and bitter winter.  Needless to say, we are hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas. And maybe one hell of a New Years Eve party too!

     So what's next?

    As much as I would like to say SLEEP, my bedroom is just not a sanctuary yet, so that's the next major renovation... it' needs a complete redo...


    It's one big square with wonky hardwood, drafty windows, and what the hell is that molding???

    Anyhoo.... wish me luck!

    To see the individual posts on the various projects, pick a link from below!




  •  5 Important DIY Tips For First-Timers a.k.a 5 DIY Lessons I learned the Hard Way.
  •  Do You Know Why Wallpaper Is Called, Wallpaper? #DIY
  • I just want people to love my yard, is that too much to ask?
  • I'm killing 90% of my Lawn on purpose, and I am SO SO SO excited!
  • The Concepts Are In From The Interior Designer... I Need Your Help
  • 1920's Fixer-Upper Update: The Renovations And #DIY Are In High Gear!

    • Super Cute Mismatched Mitten Holiday Ornament #DIY #FebrezeHoliday

    *I would like to thank SheSpeaks and Febreze for sponsoring this super fun post. All opinions and DIY-ing are all my own!

     I am so excited to share today's super awesome extra easy #DIY project with you. You know how inevitably your child will lose one of 300 different pairs of mittens every winter season?  Well, I have  good news for those mittens missing mates, make a fabulous holiday ornament out of them!


    I would ask if you use and love Febreze, but who doesn't? As a parent, my house and car would not be so delightful to the ol' nose without it. And if there's anytime of year I get crazy with the scents, it's the holidays. Oh how I love those warm autumn and winter scents. So, imagine how over the top stoked I was when Febreze sent me a box full of their amazing holiday scents and fun fall activity ideas!


    Included:
    Scentspirations box with Activities, Recipes and Home Decor Ideas.
    Febreze NOTICEables Warmer double sided Plug In
    with
    Febreze NOTICEables Warmer scents: 
    • Frosted Pine • Apple Tart • Toasted Almond • Vanilla Latte • Sugared Cranberry 
    I absolutely LOVE the Vanilla Latte & Apple Tart scents. LOVE them! I also love my box full of Scentspirations box full of holiday activities, recipes and home decor ideas. Being the #DIY novice that I am, I'm always looking for fun easy projects.  Thankfully, Febreeze has them and one I absolutely had to share with you!!!  SO CUTE!



    I didn't exactly follow the make-your-own-mitten instructions since I have a plethora of mismatched ones from last year. 

    Here's how it's done...

    STEP 1.
    Get the mittens/booties/whatever


    STEP 2
    Get the Bling

    What you may need:
    Glitter Glue Pin
    Hot Glue Gun
    Holiday bling from the decorations.

    STEP 3.
    GO CRAZY! 
    Bling out your child's mitten
    then add a ribbon loop to the top to hang it on the tree, wreath, stocking...

    Please excuse the smudges, little fingers touched it before it was dry...
    Please excuse the smudges, little fingers touched it before it was dry.  But that adds to it.  I will love and cherish these ornaments forever. Twenty years from now when I pull it out, I will wax nostalgia about how my baby's little fingers fit in the mitten once upon a time, then I will use the mitten to dry my tears.  YOU CAN'T BUY THAT IN A STORE!!!!!

    Speaking of little fingers, here is another fun family activity.



    For more Holiday #DIY ideas. CLICK HERE!

    BUY: To get your hands on some of these yummy #FebrezeHoliday scents, head over to Walmart and look for this display...



    Connect: Follow Febreze on social media, Facebook and Twitter.