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Crap I’ve Made

Crap I've Made

Homemade Holiday – Thanksgiving

I love creating memorable spaces for my family to celebrate holidays. But, that gosh darn budget seems to always get in my way. So does time, energy and time (wait, did I say that already?!)

I am always looking for ways to add a fresh, fun take to our celebrations without breaking the bank. These adorably sweet silverware holders are just too cute for words and they are fast to put together. And, to quote my kids, they make our table “so fancy”.

These are completely no-sew, the supplies are very inexpensive and they can also be used as napkins!

I found this fabric bundle in the clearance aisle, but you can find them almost anywhere there’s a craft section. Fabric bundles are squares of fabric placed together with coordinating colors and designs.

What’s even better is that the folds of the fabric from packaging can be used as your cutting lines!

fabric silverware holder perfectlydestressed.com

1. Start by cutting the fabric in half lengthwise.

2. Next, cut width-wise leaving 2 squares top and bottom (a total of 4 pre-folded squares).

3. At this point, the cut fabric can be laundered if you are planning on using them as napkins. Once they are washed, you will fold them back into their original fold lines. The fabric will be folded twice in half.

4. Next, use a sharp utility knife to make small openings through all of the layers of fabric. Make the size of your slit based on the width of the ribbon you are using in the next step.

5. Cut your ribbon approx. 12″ long. Pull the ribbon back to front through each slit.

6. Run your fabric through.

7. This is a view of the back of the fabric with the ribbon attached.

TIP: When using ribbon in a project, a small flame briefly placed along the edge of the ribbon will create a heat seal and prevent fraying by melting the ribbon edge.

This next DIY flatware holder has a natural and “green” feel. It brings a woodsy element to your tablescape and is equally as easy to make and just as easy on the wallet as the fabric bundles.

Using burlap ribbon, cut approx. 18″ ribbon pieces. I chose to “fray” my burlap to give a more rustic feel by pulling apart the strings running the width of the ribbon with a seam ripper. Folding your ribbon about 6″ up, hot glue on each end. After sliding your silverware into your burlap ribbon pouch, wrap and tie a piece of twine in a bow. I tucked in a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and eucalyptus to my final bundles.

Dried floral stems or even some faux fall leaves would be equally as adorable.

Crap I've Made

Farmhouse Kitchen Awning

Farmhouse Kitchen perfectlydestressed.com

Easy and Inexpensive DIY Farmhouse Kitchen Awning

I made these DIY awnings for my farmhouse kitchen for over the windows, but really they would be great anywhere –

playroom, bedroom, etc.

I started with 2 of these crazy inexpensive shelving support brackets. I found mine at the ReStore, but you can get a pack of 2 for under $6 at Home Depot. You will need 2 for each awning.

The bent end piece (the left end of the bracket in this picture) is what I used to attach the awning to the wall. It lets the awning hang at the perfect angle!

We had some extra pieces of white vinyl soffit left over from our front porch project, but it’s inexpensive to buy new at Home Depot (stock photo). I chose to use these because I really wanted the awnings to be lightweight and they were already the perfect width. I cut them lengthwise easily with a sharp utility knife.

Because I was going for a Rustic/Farmhouse feel, I used some old screws and a few pieces of old fence post wood roughly painted white (just make sure you are using lightweight wood) and cut to size for the top and bottom of the awning.

This is the underside of the awning (the picture was taken underneath).

I screwed straight through the bracket and into the soffit as well as through the old wood pieces and the bracket.

In an attempt to save money, I used screws I already had so they were a bit too long for my project.

But, you can’t even tell that they stick out once the awning was hung as they stick out on the underside.

The old fence pieces help cover up the bracket piece attached to the wall as well as the bracket portion left in front of the soffit piece that was still visible.

I just love the Farmhouse Style they bring to my kitchen! Don’t you?

Have you seen my DIY Halloween Spell Books?

You can also find my complete tutorial for these Farmhouse Style Awnings on my Hometalk Page – Here!

Crap I've Made

Halloween DIY Spell Books

These ‘Spell Books’ were a fun DIY to add to my kitchen Halloween decor.

They were made from old cookbooks (mostly diet books – I mean, this Mama of 8 survives on coffee and sugary junk to get me through the day and wine to get me through the night, if we’re being totally honest – no diet books needed ’round here, my friends!)

These are pretty self-explanatory but I am going to add some pictures to show you what I did.

Basically, you take brown craft paper (or grocery paper bags) and wrap your books old school and secure them to the books with tape.

Next you paint them black (I chose spray paint but craft paint and a foam brush work just as well) and finally you add your titles with a white paint marker.

That’s it! So easy and simple!

I woke up to a dark and dreary morning. The weather was making me feel quite “witchy” (or it was the lack of sleep from so many darn kids) but, for this story, we are going to blame it on the weather.

It just sounds better.

SOOO, I decided to craft some Halloweeny junk to make the bad mood spell disappear.

Because it was raining (and mostly because I didn’t want to put pants on), I used things I already had at home.

Crap I've Made

Faux Fall Chalkboards

If loving paper plates is wrong, I don’t want to be right, my friends.

Be prepared to see the only DIY you will need for your FALL decor this year!

Aaaaaand, it’s crazy simple and crazy cheap!

I am about to blow your mind.

For really real.

I made these faux chalkboard fall chargers today and I HAD to share them with you. Cause It’s Fall Y’all!

I picked these babies up at the Goodwill a while back. I made a Sunflower out of a few of them a few months ago (you can see it here), but I still had a handful of chargers left.

Don’t mind the straw all over. I was in my “process” of crafting which requires making a huge mess of items I will not even use…it’s how I roll.

So, these are plate chargers. Which got me thinking, what if I use plates inside of them for a craft?!🤔

Believe it or not, this is actually thinking BIG for me right now!

I have Mom Brain guys (Don’t judge. It’s a real thing. Look it up😏).

Craft paint and a small brush would totally work for this step, too.

But, my life revolves around cleaning the house & washing, drying and folding laundry for my crazy huge family.

I’m like Cinderella over here – only older and squishier.

Anywho, spray paint was the fastest method for me.

After the spray paint was dry, I took one of these fun white colored paint pens to make my faux chalkboard pictures on the plates.

I added a pea sized amount of hot glue to the back of the plate to help hold them on the charger. Enough to secure it, but still be able to easily remove the plates if I wanted to change out the “chalkboards”.

Anything goes here!

Words, pictures, whatever tickles your fancy, fellow crafters.

Side note:

This would even be a great craft for the kids – wouldn’t these be cute around the Thanksgiving table with turkey handprints and handwritten names by those same tiny hands? Aaaaaah! So cute!

I tied little strings of twine through the gaps of the charger for hanging.

Seriously, so in love ❤

Aren’t you?

Crap I've Made

Art Supply Storage Solution

Farmhouse Dining Room Table perfectlydestressed.com

Most days my house looks like the Crayola Crayon Factory exploded (threw up?) on my dining room table. This is my super simple solution.

This took 10 minutes, was completely no cost for me and solved the ‘messy coloring supplies all over my table all of the time’ issue we seem to constantly have.

Full Disclosure:

this ‘mess’ was created by me. I wanted an aesthetically pleasing mess for my post. In real life, it would be crazy chaos on this table. Serious crayon carnage, people!

I dug out these 2 metal trays from my pile of office supplies in the basement. You know, from back when I was a big girl that put on actual pants everyday and had a paying job (AKA before I had 8 kids and started staying home).

These particular trays are connecting. Which was perfect – I knew the metal tabs would be ideal for attaching them to the table.

With my trusty metal pliers, I bent back the tabs so they were somewhat flat.

Here’s what they looked like ‘all bent out of shape’ 😂

Sorry, I had to!

I needed shorter screws to go into the wood under the table. But, the heads of the screws were too small for the width of the tabs. So, I scrounged up some washers to fix that problem.

The washers hold the screws in place and keep them from going through the tab.

You may need a hand holding the trays up while you attach the first screw. I suggest getting yourself an adorable helper ❤

The underside of my table.

It ain’t pretty – don’t judge me. I mean, who paints the underside of their table? Or cleans it? (Obviously not me. Anything to cut a corner around here 😏)

If crayon carnage isn’t an issue at your house, these trays are versatile.

Really, anything could be stored in these. Napkins, plates, silverware, etc.

This is basically the same idea as a school desk.

Nice and neat!

Crap I've Made

Book Decor

Our local thrift store was giving away books! I was like WHA????????

So, of course I ran over there and got me some!

They weren’t books I would read (and trust me, I love to read!) and most of them were ripped, stained or somehow destroyed hence making them unreadable.

But, I knew I could use them for something!

(PSST! – I’m always making crap like this! Follow along @perfectlydestressed)

And they were free books – so why the heck not, right?!

I decided to make a decor piece for my mantle. I have seen so many cute pictures with shelves of painted books floating around the Pinterest world, but I personally never had any books that I felt comfortable painting.

Until now!

I grabbed the thickest hardcover books I could find. I also tried to grab them in different heights.

The point of this piece is that is not wide and only appears to be full books. This is handy when the shelf you want to use the display on is narrow. It’s also lighter and easier to move around. Plus, it’s decor. I am painting them and NOT actually reading them ever!

Note: I used my circular saw to cut the spines from the books against my better judgement. I did not really measure. I simply cut the spines off in “around” the same places on each book.

I wanted the end result to look realistic and imperfect. Just like me!

Would I say this is the easiest way to do it? I’m not so sure. It was definitely messy. And would I say I *may* have clogged my saw’s dust bag and caused my saw to overheat which resulted in me having a complete panic attack?

Yes, yes I would.

Next I built my frame.

My husband and I are no-shame wood hoarders. We keep any and all scrap wood from projects.

It comes in handy so often and honestly, we’re too cheap to throw away something we paid good money for!

I gathered up a few scrap pieces, cut them to size with my saw and screwed them together. The bottom strip is to hold the book spines and the side pieces are cut 2×4’s that will serve as anchors to keep the entire piece together.

Here is the finished frame. Nothing professional here folks. Just a bit of book decor fun on a budget of FREE!

I kept 2 books off to the side for the end pieces. I was lucky enough to find 2 of the exact same books so I just used those.

I removed the hardcover jacket completely from the book pages. This was crazy easy and really just involved ripping it off.

Hindsight – I probably could have done this for all of the books, used wood pieces to “fake” the inside of the books and avoided causing unwanted damage to my saw

(for those of you concerned, she still works. Just needed a bit of time to cool off -whew! I got out of explaining that one to the hubby!)

I measured how wide I wanted the end books to be, marked with a ruler and used a box cutter to remove the unwanted portion of the book jacket.

I wrapped the cut-to-size spine ends around the wood piece. I did choose to screw these pieces in to make sure they were secure.

I just screwed straight through the jacket into the wood.

I attached everything from this point on with hot glue. It’s mostly attaching cardboard and paper to other pieces of cardboard and paper so superglue works perfectly fine!

Each book was glued on both sides to the book next to it.

Once they were glued together, I painted the whole piece white.

Note: the finished piece is top heavy. But, it’s a decor item meant to sit back against a wall or shelf back.

I distressed the paint a bit with a sandpaper block because that’s the look I like. I am undecided if I will add any sort of numbers or lettering to the spines. For now, I kind of like it as it is. The original hardcover colors show through in the distressed sections and I am loving the contrast.

In true disclosure, I will most likely change my mind……many times!

Crap I've Made

Sofa Headboard

We have a long, narrow family room with only one true full wall for furniture. This means we have had to be creative with our furniture arrangement. One of the things we did was make our own sort of sectional with a couch and an ottoman. I made the Sofa Headboard to go behind the ottoman and prevent bonked heads and to give a comfortable place to lean back and relax on.

This was a twin bed headboard given to me by some great neighbors. I love repurposing and upcycling items I already have lying around. Because I have 8 kids and stay at home, it’s always a fun challenge to myself (and a necessity) to try to spend the least amount of money as possible when making my DIY home decor items.

I grabbed a long body pillow we had in the basement for the kids to lounge on, a scrap piece of fabric from my stock pile and a sharp pair of scissors.

Next, I cut the pillow to the desired length I needed. I made sure to make it a bit longer so it would “puff” up and be thicker in the middle.

First I placed the fabric good side down on the floor, then the cut pillow piece and finally the headboard on top.

I pulled the fabric tightly around the bars of the headboard.

Using my electric staple gun (best DIY accessory ever!) I stapled the fabric in place.

The tops and bottoms were a bit tricky. I just pulled and tucked and pulled and tucked until the fabric was taut.

Here is what the back looks like. Not pretty, but this goes against the wall, so it doesn’t really matter.

The front of the Sofa Headboard before I pulled and adjusted the top and bottom a bit more. It takes some tweaking. But, total, I spent about 30 minutes on this. I love a quick DIY!

The end result is exactly what I had hoped! I did not need to attach it to the wall as the ottoman pushes up against the legs of the headboard and provide plenty of support to keep it in place.

Crap I've Made

Farmhouse Pendant Lighting

Farmhouse Light Pendants perfectlydestressed.com

When we bought our house, the kitchen had been somewhat updated. One of the additions to the kitchen was the Pendant Light Strip above the breakfast bar. Although it wasn’t horrible, it’s never really been my favorite thing.

*I would love for you to join me on IG @perfectlydestressed

But, when you live in a house with a small tribe (8 kids, 1 husband, 2 dogs), things like this aren’t a priority.

You learn to deal.

And if necessary, to disguise them until the time comes you can fix it.

While at Hobby Lobby, I came across these pendant light covers on clearance and I *think* I may have squealed! $2 and change?! I can definitely do that! I guess good things do come to those who wait?! Seriously though, usually I am entirely too impatient to see if this holds true!

These pendants were made to go on the corded light swags you see all over Pinterest right now so I knew I would have to modify them a bit.

Using metal pliers, I broke off the 3 metal strips and circle in the middle of each pendant. This was very simple and only took a few minutes.

With metal pliers, I broke off the 3 metal strips and circle in the middle of each pendant. This was very simple and only took a few minutes.

Using the hardware from the glass shades I removed, I attached the new metal shades to the light cords.

In less than 15 minutes I updated my lights for under $9!

Love it?

Follow along with me as I make more crap for my house!

@perfectlydestressed

Crap I've Made

Simple Slipcover

With a family of 10, you could say our furniture is well-loved (and that would be putting it nicely). For as hard as I try to keep it clean and in good shape, it’s starting to show it’s age and is not quite as comfortable as it used to be. Although I have dreams of new sofas, the reality is, that we have to make due for now (or, most likely, for a long time) So, I decided to add a large pillow to the middle of the couch to add a bit of extra cushion and support.

The original pillows are still on the sofa, just off to the side to try to disguise that really uncomfortable wood piece that seems to be bulging out of each side.

Using items I had at home already (my favorite way to DIY!) I added a bit of life to a saggy sofa.

If you like this DIY, join me on IG @ perfectlydestressed! I am always up to something!

First I found my bit of fabric from my scrap supply. After ensuring it was the proper width and length for the large pillow I was covering. (Sorry. I forgot to snap a picture of the pillow. It was actually a dog bed I found on clearance at the pet store years ago that my kids used as a floor cushion in the basement!) Repurpose, repurpose, repurpose!

I knew I wanted the slipcover to be removable and washable because, you know, 8 kids and 2 dogs…..

I decided to use these metal grommets I had in my craft crap. After sewing together 3 sides of the fabric, I placed the grommets where I wanted to install them. Note: I did this by eye. Might be good to measure and mark to make sure it’s lined up correctly! I tend to skimp on these types of steps and wing it – doesn’t always turn out so great!

Next was to solve the conundrum of what in the world to use to hold the grommets together. I needed something easily removed, but sturdy enough to withstand constant use. I decided to go with these brass fasteners we had in the office supplies.

Seriously so easy!

Sometimes it’s the simplest hacks that are the best!

Ta-Da! They actually work perfectly! And they match the grommets which was not planned (love it when that happens!)

I have already had to remove the cover and wash it. It was SO easy to undo the fasteners. And the grommets washed up just fine.

Crap I've Made

Narnia Library Ladder

DIY Library Ladder perfectlydestressed.com

I have a confession. I’m a literary nerd. Seriously. Give me alllllll the books. Classics? Absolutely. Jane Austen? 100% (a gazillion%) YES! Children’s? Young Adult? Ummm. Of course! They are also my decor inspiration. I like to think of our spaces in comparison to some favorites. I dream of my garden being admirable to Peter Rabbit. My kids reading nook is referred to as our Neverland Corner. Now, with the addition of our library ladder and lanterns, I am feeling some major Narnia vibes in here.
There’s something so whimsical and enchanting when your home reminds you of beloved imaginary places. And this new library ladder makes me feel so “grown up”.

I have always wanted a ladder that glides across our bookshelves. When I found this vintage ladder, I knew exactly what I could do with it!

With paint, a ladder, a few L brackets, one 2×4, gate hinges, plumbing supplies, a set of furniture wheels and genuine leather straps, I created a new take on this old classic.

After putting a coat of paint on the ladder and wood pieces, I attached the wheels to the ladder. The 2×4 is to add extra support. The bookshelf is solid wood, but not very thick. I just wanted to ensure longevity. I attached the 2×4 with L Brackets as well as screws running from wood to wood.

After assembling the plumbing pieces (I chose to use 3/4″) and attaching one side to the 2×4, I added the steel bar and second flange with the help of one of my older kiddos.

The gate hinges were both a decorative touch as well as a security measure (again, thin shelves).

With the help of another one of my littles, we propped the ladder to the desired height and screwed the leather straps into place.

A bit of leather conditioner on the underside of the straps and voila! It slides to and fro smoothly and easily. And it’s so fun and magical!

The best part is that my kids seem to love it as much as I do!

Crap I've Made

DIY Greenhouse

I have seen so many amazing greenhouses lately. From Pinterest, to my favorite decor magazines, it seems a lot of people are making and designing their own greenhouses. Some are mini versions that sit on your counter while others are huge spaces that resemble glass houses more than plant growing stations. After drooling over so many, I finally decided I needed a greenhouse.

Space is a wee bit tight in these parts (you know, small-ish house with 10 people, 2 dogs, 4 chickens and a bunny…) so I decided to build myself a lil’ one to go in this narrow opening on my back deck. It’s right by the electrical outlet, so I can use special greenhouse lights this winter to keep my plants alive and thriving through the colder months without having to move them inside and take up a lot of our indoor living space. And come spring, I can finally start my own veggies for the garden!

I made this matching awning and greenhouse entirely with scrap wood from our workshop, an old window and a few slate roof pieces I was gifted from a house built in 1907. I started by lining up what wood pieces I had by size. After figuring out which ones would work the best for the frames, I started building. It took a good week from start to finish (these kids apparently need fed 3x a day and I seem to be the only one knowledgeable in the craft of clothes washing), but the end result is even better than I imagined. My favorite feature is the greenhouse door. I really wanted something unique and different. A ‘Statement’ door. I attached this cool piece of art I had picked up at the Goodwill a handful of years ago using a few vintage hinges from the workshop.

This Little Black Greenhouse and awning of mine is proof that you can build anything you put your mind to. And you can do it as inexpensively as necessary. Plus, it’s always so fun to upcycle a good piece of art!

To see more of my Greenhouse, join me on Instagram!

Crap I've Made

Cup Tray

There’s nothing better than spending the long days of summer with my kiddos. I love it when they’re home.

Any breaks or days off we can get together are the best! Snow days? I think I’m more excited than they are! Summer? I squeal with delight!

But, along with my kids being home, it also means more of a mess for me! I find myself constantly cleaning. Picking up the floor, wiping off counters. Laundry on top of laundry.

But, my summer Archnemesis?!?

Cups!

Cups of all kinds. Plastic. Glass. Metal. Tumblers. Jars. Sippy Cups. Mugs. All over my kitchen. Everywhere.

Like a broken record, I would ask every day: “Whose cup is this?” “Which one’s yours?” “Where’s the one you had last time?” “Why are there so many cups?” “Is anyone listening to me?” “Clean up these cups!”

And everytime the answer would be: “I don’t remember.” “I’m not sure which one’s mine.” “They took mine.” “None of them are mine.” “I need a new cup!”.

So, instead of losing my mind daily over Disney-themed plastic cups, I created this Cup Tray to alleviate any confusion and knock our dishwasher capacity down a bit.

Summer Game-Changer folks!

Your cup on your number alllllll day!

And oh, of course, I had to give it a farmhouse feel. It wouldn’t match my kitchen if I didn’t!

It really was a simple DIY, too. I used an extra wood board from my workshop. Drilling holes in each corner, I attached sisal rope end-to-end to serve as handles. Using a mason jar, I traced the circles. I then painted the circles and numbers with a paint pen (but even a Sharpie Marker would work!) Lastly, I sprayed a thin layer of polyurethane to protect the wood and paint.

TaDa! Goodbye 200 gazillion cups, hellllllo clean kitchen!

Crap I've Made

Bamboo Sunflower

A few months back I found a pile of bamboo plate chargers for .25 cents at our local ReStore. I knew I could do something with them, I just didn’t know what at the time.

So, of course, I bought them and put them away for almost 6 months 🙂

Then it came to me the other day. I could make a Sunflower decoration out of them for my front porch! (I have no idea where these ideas come from. They literally come out of no where!)

This project was so quick and easy. It took me under 10 minutes to make from start to finish and only required a handful of zipties, twine, a small grapevine wreath, sisal rope and scissors.

First, I laid out my bamboo circles in the shape of the Sunflower.

After slightly overlapping each one, I attached the overlapped chargers with a ziptie.

These aren’t heavy, so a small ziptie is perfect.

Once the outside of the Sunflower was put together, I attached another bamboo circle for the middle. I flipped it backwards so it would stand out from the outer layer.

This was attached with a ziptie as well.

Next, I added the grapevine wreath to the middle. You guessed it – zipties!

At this point I thought I was done. It was cute, but I felt like it just needed something more. I added a section of sisal rope for a whimsical stem and it was perfect!

: Cute, but needed something more…

: Perfect!

I love this one-of-a-kind summer addition to my porch!

Perfect!

If you decide to try your own hand at a Bamboo Sunflower, let me know!

I’d love to see yours!

Crap I've Made

Simple & Quick Outdoor Curtains

Hanging decorative curtains outside is actually quite simple!

Only a handful of supplies are needed and using this method, you can easily remove the curtains for washing or to take them down during the colder seasons. This is a quick DIY – and if you follow me here, you know that I love easy, quick and frugal!

For my project, I will be hanging curtains from the side of my potting bench awning.

*But, this method can be applied to any space.*

I started with a pair of sheer panels (or fabric of your choice – I will explain a bit later why I prefer using sheer panels over heavier fabrics) and a box of inexpensive cup hooks.

You will also need clips to attach the curtains. There are really quite a few options of rings or clips that can be used for this project. These are just a handful of ideas. Traditional curtain hooks, metal ring clamps or even heavy duty clips from the hardware store will work. I chose to use the metal ring clamps.

Keeping the width of the curtain in mind, measure where you will be hanging it. Using a pencil, mark the appropriate spaces where the cup hooks will be installed.

It is much easier to predrill the holes for the cup hooks.

I definitely prefer sheer panels for this type of project and here’s why:

*they dry quickly (being outdoors, I find this a very important quality)

*they are simple to cut to size using regular scissors without fraying

*they are inexpensive and easily replaced if necessary

I tied my curtains up with a bit of sisal rope to keep them from blowing in the way of my work/potting area. It also adds a rustic touch.

I secured the sisal rope to a cup hook for a bit of added stability.

That’s it! For under $10 and less than 20 minutes, you can add decorative curtains to any outdoor space!

For more fun DIY ideas, join me on Instagram

www.instagram.com/perfectlydestressed

Crap I've Made

Birdhouse Baby Gate

Who says baby gates have to be ugly plastic?!

Using items in my workshop, I made this baby safety gate (it is also serving as a puppy gate for us as well!) for our family room without spending a dime!

The fence pieces made from left-over project wood are secured to a cut fence post that is anchored to the wall. I finally found a home for a set of vintage, rusty hinges I have been wanting to use somewhere and the copper post top was also left over from a previous project. The castors on the bottom make for easy opening and closing (and with a toddler, this gate is opened and closed a lot!) Using small scrap barn wood pieces and a large drill bit I made the birdhouse-look in the front of the post to add a bit of whimsical fun to a necessary safety gate.

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Painted HopScotch Hallway Runner

painted hopscotch perfectlydestressed.com

A few years ago I decided this narrow hallway that connects our kitchen, family room, guest bathroom, front hall and garage door (yes, you read that right. This hallways is very HIGH traffic!) needed a runner of sorts. After a few weeks of having a runner rug constantly sliding around, bunching up and causing us to trip and needing washed way too much, I decided that I what I actually needed a solution that would add a bit of decoration to our hallway but save my sanity from always fixing and washing a rug. I came up with this idea to add a HopScotch board to the hallway and my kids were thrilled!

To make it, I taped up my squares using a ruler and painters tape and the numbers and HEAVEN letters were cut using my Cricut machine – I am sure pre-cut number stickers or number stencils from the craft store would work as well! It took very little paint and a quick afternoon to put it together. Once it was dry, I removed the vinyl numbers and letters and peeled up the painters tape. I also distressed the paint a bit to fit the style of my home and to help hide the scuffs, scratches and marks from wear that were sure to come with time and constant use.

We keep a small basket of bean bags in the kitchen for whenever my kiddos (or their friends) want to hop along!

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Faux Distressed Tin Ceiling DIY

perfectlydestressed.comwallpapered ceiling

My latest DIY is probably one of my absolute favorite transformations! I found this inexpensive Peel&Stick wallpaper online and knew immediately it would fix my ceiling woes!

My dated, patched and ugly popcorn ceilings were a constant deterrent from my family room decor ideas. When taking pictures of my space I always tried to get as little ceiling in the picture as possible. Unfortunately, I knew a brand new ceiling – patch, repair and paint – would be out of our budget at this time. I needed a somewhat temporary (but possible permanent) solution that I could do on my own. This fix fit the bill perfectly! And to be honest, the textured popcorn ceiling underneath makes the distressed faux tin tile look even more realistic. The best part was the easy, clean and fast application. In under 2 days I was completely finished and because it was Peel&Stick wallpaper, there was no water or glue mess to contend with (Winning!) so clean up was fast and simple.

Tip: When hanging, I found it was easier to cut each square individually beforehand. This saved a lot of back ache and neck ache I am sure! The squares were easier to manipulate and because they have a distressed look, lining up the lines was a breeze. I also reinforced the pieces with Elmers craft spray glue to ensure adhesion due to the fact that I was hanging the paper upside down on a popcorn ceiling (I had nightmares the next few nights of coming downstairs in the morning to all of my beautiful paper on the floor! – Luckily, my nightmares never became reality!)

Crap I've Made

Lemonade Bar

What I love most about decorating for my tribe is their excitement and enthusiasm for everything I do for them. They come with no expectations. They don’t care where the decor came from, if it’s new or used, the cost or if it’s ‘trendy’. They show nothing but appreciation for the thought and love for the change in scenery.

This entire 🍋Lemonade Bar🍋 was made from items already in my home and my children are so thrilled to have the Hot Cocoa Bar become Sweetly Spring-Ready. Using scrap fabric pieces, upholstery tacks, bright contact paper and some added floral touches I have easily transformed an area in our kitchen to fit the current season!

Crap I've Made

Dressing Up the Piano

This piano was my first vintage piece of furniture. I bought it almost 14 years ago at an estate sale. She was in a basement under magazines, books and clothes. No one else wanted her but me so there was no auction or bid war. They even lowered her price without me even asking just to get her out! My husband has been saying we should get rid of the piano now that our family is so large and our space ‘smallish’. But I have too many memories of my oldest son playing “We Three Kings” over and over again at Christmas time in preparation for his recital and visions of each of my littles sitting in their diapers playing their version of a Piano Concerto. I decided to give her a little love and help her fit our space a little better. I used chalk paint but left some of the original finish as well.

I couldn’t commit to completely covering her up. Instead, I just dressed her up a bit.

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Crap I've Made

DIY Frugal Farmhouse-Style Light Transformation

For under $40, this kitchen light went from ‘blah’ to ‘Farmhouse-Trendy’ in just a few simple steps!

Using an inexpensive exterior wall lantern and a piece of faux copper ceiling panel (both found at The Home Depot), you can easily transform any space with this farmhouse trendy lighting look!

Gather your supplies (I found all of these at our local Home Depot – I am sure most larger hardware stores will carry comparable items)

Wall Lantern, Faux Copper Ceiling Tile, Adhesive, Utility Knife and a Straight Edge.

Gather your supplies

~After removing the existing light fixture, I cut the Ceiling Panel in 3 pieces per the measurement of my area I was covering. The reason for this step was to easily cover the hole from the previous light that was originally located above the sink. The panel was extremely easy to cut with a straight-edged ruler and a utility knife. I attached it using the adhesive as well as a few brad nails~

Now for the lighting. For safety and comprehension purposes, I am quoting more detailed directions sourced here:

These are the same instructions used for this project. In the picture below, the previous light has been removed and the new hole has been drilled.

Previous light removed, new hole drilled

Turn off the power.
In your electrical circuit panel, locate the circuit breaker control for the room where you’ll be working, and switch the circuit off.
If the circuits in your panel aren’t labeled, turn on the existing light, and turn off the power to each circuit until the light goes out. Leave the power off, and label this circuit breaker for future reference. Also turn off the light’s wall switch.
Remove the old fixture. Remove the cover of the old fixture. Remove the old wire connectors, and untwist the fixture wires from the installed wires. Remove the base or trim from the old fixture.
Tighten the screws. Check the electrical box in the ceiling where the fixture is attached to see if it’s loose. If so, tighten the screws holding it in place, but don’t over-tighten. The box must be acceptable for use with your light fixture and be securely attached to the building structure to support the weight of the fixture. It must also be grounded, or attached to a ground wire in the ceiling. If you have doubts about the suitability of the existing box, purchase and install a new one.

Connect the wires. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for matching the wires on the new fixture to the wires installed in your home.

Typically, the black wires connect to each other, and the white wires connect to each other. A grounding wire, which is often green, connects to a grounding screw on the grounding bar. Use a wire stripper to remove the protective coating of the wires on the fixture. Wrap the bare section of each fixture wire to the bare section of its corresponding installed wire, and screw on the wire connectors. Connect the grounding wire.

Secure the base or canopy. Fold the wires into the electrical box or into a void in the base or canopy. Use the included hardware to attach the fixture base or canopy to the electrical box.

Before replacement

*After light replacement with Faux Copper Paneling and Farmhouse Style Lantern – A few pieces of old barn wood trim was added to complete the look*

After replacement

I may decide to paint the ceiling tile white and distress, but for now, I am enjoying the copper look.

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Crap I’ve Made

I am always looking for ways to add a fresh, fun take to our celebrations without breaking the bank. These adorably sweet silverware holders are just too cute for words and they are fast to put together. And, to quote my kids, they make our table “so fancy”.

These are completely no-sew, the supplies are very inexpensive and they can also be used as napkins!

This next DIY flatware holder has a natural and “green” feel. It brings a woodsy element to your tablescape and is equally as easy to make and just as easy on the wallet as the fabric bundles.

Dried floral stems or even some faux fall leaves would be equally as adorable.

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Easy and Inexpensive DIY Farmhouse Kitchen Awning

This is the underside of the awning (the picture was taken underneath).

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