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    Crap I've Made

    Rainbow Table Centerpiece

    perfectlydestressed.com

    I love that there are so many rainbow decorations popping up everywhere. It’s like my childhood dreams of growing up to be Rainbow Bright are finally realized! But, I love a good, cheapo DIY even more than a revisit with my kidhood.

    And the other day while putting away my daughter’s hair ties and accessories (that were scattered all over the sink like they are every.single.night – sigh), I noticed that her headbands were all bunched together in a pretty way. Which led me to thinking how much it resembled a rainbow. Which led me to imagine how cute it would be surrounded by a bunch of round white clouds. Which led me picturing it sitting all pretty on the dining room table. Which then led me to this project. <— I swear, this is actually how my “artsy-crafty” brain works. It’s kinda scary-ridiculous, I know.

    So, I dug out rainbow colored headbands, grabbed a handful of her little teeny tiny black hair ties, a thin wood piece for the base, 2 small corner braces (same ones I used here), my trusty hot glue gun and I got to craftin’!

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    First I stacked up the headbands in the order I wanted them to be in (ROY-G-BIV – obvs.)

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    Next I attached them together with the little hair ties.

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    After attaching the headbands to the corner braces on each side with more hair ties, for additional stability I hot glued each corner brace to the interior bottom of the stack of headbands.

    Using a screw driver and a small screw, I attached the brace bottom to the wood base.

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    Gently pull the headbands apart so they ascend into an arch. Lastly, using different sized white foam and white felt balls, I hot glued them around the base of the braces to create exaggerated, puffy clouds.

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    Bonus! It even looks good with dinosaurs!!! And I consider that a Win-Win!!!

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    Crap I've Made

    DIY Book Ledges

    perfectlydestressed.com

    The simplest way to DIY a book ledge for any wall!

    Honestly, this project was completed months ago. I made sure to take clear, quality pictures of each step at the time of construction. And then somewhere between then and now, the amazing step-by-step pictures have been lost in the wide world of the interweb.

    Sooooo, I took crappy pictures of an already finished project to try my darndest to explain how the heck I made these things.

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    Honestly, these DIY Book Ledges are a pretty simple concept. I used 1″ x 2″ furring strips, outside corner moulding and brass corner braces. That’s truly all it took. But, in an attempt to help you better understand the process, I will proceed below with my subpar pictures and most-likely even lower standard of explanation….

    You’re welcome (and I’m sorry!)

    The first step was to measure the length of the wall I wanted the ledges to hang on as well as how many layers of ledges there would be. I also needed to make sure I knew the width of the books I was planning on displaying as I was hoping to use outside corner moulding pieces (these are traditionally about an inch or so in size) and a thicker book wouldn’t fit. These particular vintage books were a find on Facebook Marketplace and were all fairly thin, so my idea was perfect.

    Once I knew the length of the wall and width of the books. Off to Home Depot I went!

    After picking up 4 furring strips and the outdoor corner moulding (that I had found in the clearance section because they had been previously cut and each had a warped edge), I found the braces that were also the correct width to fit the moulding.

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    I waited in line for quite a while on a Saturday morning to have these bad boys cut for me. I have my own saws at home, but it was rainy and cold and it seemed like an easier option to have Home Depot cut the trim pieces instead. It’s actually a pretty sweet service they offer at no cost to the customer and saves loads of time on your projects! Just make sure you are 100% sure of your desired length – otherwise you’re stuck with a wrong size wood piece that you’ve already purchased and brought home.

    The first step to actually constructing the ledges was to attach the furring strips to the wall. I decided to paint these white first (so they would blend in with the already white wall) and stain the corner moulding pieces to give the ledges a ‘warm’ look. Our walls are stucco and completely thin crap. Seriously. It’s a crazy pain to even find a stud and anything, heavy or not, must be attached to a stud. The function of the furring strips was to allow a foundation for the ledges that could be drilled into a stud and then be fully covered with the corner trim.

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    This is a really odd angle of the underside of the moulding trim.

    Next, after waiting for the stain to dry on the wood trim pieces, I attached them to the furring strips using the braces. I used 3 corner braces per ledge – one on each end and one in the middle. Learn from my mistake and be sure to use a drill bit extender or else you will jack-up your wood like I did here.

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    I personally consider these mess-ups to be a signature of sorts. Like, they say: “handmade slightly imperfectly by Kristin.”

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    Crap I've Made

    Lamb’s-Ear Christmas Tree

    perfectlydestressed.com

    These trees are so stinking unique. Unlike anything I’ve seen at the stores and actually very simple to put together! Using a handful of easy-to-find supplies (some even straight from your backyard), you can make these rustic and adorable Lamb’s-Ear Christmas Trees too!

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    A wood slice, a stick, some twine, lambs-ear garland (dusty miller or eucalyptus both would look cute as well! I like anything that has a flocked-look), hot glue and floral tape are all the supplies needed.

    *tip*: I have 8 kids. So Mama don’t have money to throw around (I also haven’t slept in over 18 years but that’s a whole ‘nother subject). When making anything faux floral, if possible, buy the garland instead of the separate flower sprigs. It’s less expensive for more of the same thing! This message brought to you by a mother that has perfected the art of penny pinching, dumpster diving and making crap from junk.

    “Any way you want it

    That’s the way you need it

    Any way you want it”

    Make ’em tall, make ’em wide, make ’em any way you want!

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    I made these for a stage presentation that lasted 30 minutes. I was done each time in about 15 minutes. Seriously. That quick. I wouldn’t lie to you, friends. I mean, who doesn’t love a quick Christmas DIY?!

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    Start with a wood slice. You can find these at the craft store already dried and clean, or you can find them in your backyard or local park or trail for free (especially if you have a wood-burning fireplace and a husband that is crazy about picking up every downed tree within a 25 mile radius of your home for free burning wood….) Find your stick (again, either from the craft store or from the backyard) and drill a hole into your wood slice the same width as your stick. Add hot glue inside your drilled hole to hold your stick in place – make sure it’s straight-ish.

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    Your stick height will be your tree height, so keep that in mind when picking out a stick as well as making sure you have enough lamb’s-ear for your project. I’ve made trees as tall as 28 inches high and 1 lambs-ear garland was plenty.

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    Next, you will want to measure (I use that term loosely. By “measure” I mean hold up your garland and figure out approx. how long each piece needs to be)

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    Using wire cutters, floral scissors or hedge clippers, cut the garland pieces to size. These pieces will be hanging upside down to create a more “tree” look, so make sure to leave an end piece of a few centimeters on each sprig for attaching to the base stick.

    With a dab of hot glue, adhere each sprig to the stick. I typically use 3-4 sprigs around the stick.

    If you get hot glue on your fingers during this step, I give you full permission to curse like a sailor if it makes you feel better. This here is a judgement-free zone. No one knows the feeling of 3000-friggin’ degree hot glue burning through the skin of your tender digits until they’ve actually had it happen.

    Tip: Some trees I use only one tier of sprigs. Others I layer up 2-3 tiers for a fuller tree.

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    Once they are all glued on the stick, use the floral tape (in this case I used white floral tape to match the white stick) to secure the sprigs of lamb’s-ear onto the stick.

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    Cover up the exposed floral tape with a line of twine secured with hot glue.

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    This tree was made with a backyard stick and I love how it “leans” a bit. Not perfect, but totally cute. I also used 2 layers of lambs-ear for this one. A shorter layer on top and another longer layer underneath. The floral tape is hidden under the top tier. Both layers were attached in the same method described above, but I didn’t need to cover the second tier’s tape with twine since you couldn’t see it.

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    I also added a string of twine along 3-4 inches on bottom of some of the taller trees for an added layer of texture. With or without the bottom twine, they are pretty.

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    A pinecone hot glued on the top can be a fun addition to the rustic feel of these sweet things.

    Crap I've Made

    Upcycled Fall Flannel Decor

    perfectlydestressed.com

    Using old ratty flannels and a worn pair of jeans from the closet (thanks to Marie Kondo for making me feel like a hoarder…) I created this one of a kind banner for my fall decor and the cost was practically nothing!

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    I started with this plain wood banner from the craft store. They typically come packaged with the twine as well. Pretty sure I bought this one clearanced, but even at full price they are fairly inexpensive.

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    Using a black marker, I traced the outline of the triangular banner on the inside of the flannels and jeans. Inside is important because it will hide your black lines on the finished product.

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    Grab that Mod Podge! Yes, there’s Mod Podge specifically for fabrics, but I’m a “use what you’ve got” sorta girl and what I had was traditional Matte Mod Podge. Plus, I was still in my PJ’s on this particular fine Saturday morning and my hair was in a not-so-pinterest-approved “messy bun” so I was avoiding a trip to the store at all costs. I mean, seriously. Who wants to get dressed and tame their mane on a Saturday if they don’t have to anyway?!

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    Using a foam craft brush, I applied a layer of Mod Podge to the wood, placed the cut fabric on top – black lined and cut side down – and applied another layer of Mod Podge over the fabric. Let fully dry. Using a screw driver or hammer and nail, make holes through the fabric that lines up with the preexisting holes in the wood banner.

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    Hang this cute banner thang with the length of twine anywhere that needs a little touch of flannel-y fall y’all!

    Crap I've Made

    Succulent Canvas

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    I made this simple DIY decor piece in less than 30 minutes. The materials are few and the directions are easy peasy. It’s totally adorable. A perfect mix of fresh and faux plants and a wonderful gift idea! The kiddos can even help with this one, friends!

    https://youtu.be/CSsnLzLuioU

    Crap I've Made

    Bamboo Sunflower

    sunflower perfectlydestressed.com

    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!)

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    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.IMG_7459

    First, I laid out my bamboo circles in the shape of the Sunflower.IMG_7460

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

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    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!

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

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    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

    Birdhouse Baby Gate

    diy baby gate perfectlydestressed.com

    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.

    Crap I've Made

    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

    lemon bar perfectlydestressed.com

    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

    chalk paint perfectlydestressed.com

    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

    Our ‘Neverland Corner’

    reading nook perfectlydestressed.com

    I read something this week that really spoke to me:

    “Your home should tell the story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love.” – Nate Berkus                    This got me thinking of all of those home projects and decor “ideas” I have that I toss aside because they aren’t traditional or they may be a bit different. It pushed me to start working on something that’s been on my mind for a long time. Here is a peek at my children’s corner they now call the “Neverland Corner”.

    It is full of bright light, architectural salvage, live plants and repurposed items. The teepee was made by Edward and I. This corner has always been a space that I have struggled to decorate. Now it’s a favorite spot to relax, play make believe and read stories for my whole collection of little people that I love so much.

     

     

     

    Update:

    I switched out the gallery wall that was originally behind the Neverland Corner. I think the new wall of refurbished wood planks, repurposed tin cans for storing “treasures” and salvaged garden fencing makes the corner look even more fun and magical.

     

    For more of my DIY’s, please follow me here on Instagram!

    Crap I've Made

    Floral Light Chandelier

    floral chandelier perfectlydestressed.com

    Today I made an inexpensive floral chandy for my hanging light. It was fast and easy!

    I attached the additional greenery and flowers using hot glue and I used floral wire to wrap the finished garland around the light and attach to itself. There was a lot of left over greenery and stems (which means more projects!)

    I decided to add an old metal basket I had lying around as well to give it a more farmhouse feel. I just removed the handle, turned it upside down, unscrewed the light bulb and reattached with the basket between the light and the bulb (the bulb is holding the basket in – hopefully this makes sense?) It’s a very light-weight basket so this works just fine for this project.

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