Love My DIY Home

The Cobbler’s Children Have No Shoes

Too often I hear of furniture artists who have been putting off refinishing or redesigning their own furniture…so focused on the business of painting other people’s pieces, they neglect their own home. I determined a long time ago to not be the one who personifies the saying, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” I want to walk from room to room smiling as I see my own works of art. This video is a walk through of our home where you can see several of my own pieces of furniture art. I don’t have every piece the way I want them, for I got very tired of the wood look everywhere, but I’m making great headway. I still have two end tables, a highboy to paint and dresser to finish for my home, along with a new set of nesting tables I’ve not decided whether I’ll keep or sell. I … Read more

4 Sided Decor Tin for Staging

A DIY 4 Sided Decorator Tin for Staging Furniture Combining Saltwash, Retique It Ultratique, & Southern Blenders I created a DIY decor series for my Blueprint members a while ago. This is one of the projects I included and I’m sharing it today with you to encourage you to do a bit of DIY to help your bottom line. Ya know…there are more ways to make money besides raising our prices, like finding ways to cut our expenses. Save some $$ by creating your own staging decor. This tin is just one example of a really inexpensive piece you can change with paint – or in this case, paint and Saltwash. Click the picture below and it will take you to the tutorial on my YouTube channel where you can find more tutorials and reviews. Do you DIY? If so, what have you done? Leave a comment and tell … Read more

[VIDEO] Product Review – Phone Camera Lens Kit by Isaac Jones

Isaac has been working with me creating videos for 5 years now. Believe it or not, his first set of videos were when he was 12. He helped me put together a course for kids, demonstrating how to redesign furniture – CREATIVE KIDS FURNITURE ART. He was pretty amazing back then – but now? WOW. He’s a pro at age 17. This video is his review of tiny little lenses you can add to your phone to enhance your photos. In my case, I use them when I stage my redesigned furniture. I’ve bought and or downloaded several products, apps and programs he’s recommended because he takes the time to learn them and finds the ones that are the best price for the quality. Take a look. If you love photography and would like to take some cool shots or need to extend the usability of your phone, this kit might … Read more

Fall Tablescape – Seven Days of Tips 7

What about the kids? Until now, I’ve shown you MY fall tablescapes. Today I’m going to share some links from other sites. I just saved you a couple of hours searching online for ideas. I don’t want to give away my plan for this year but suffice it to say that our kids table is going to be as interesting as the adult table – and much more fun! It will be my focus this year. Let’s consider “kid boredom.” While we are finishing up the mashed potatoes and whipping out the gravy lumps, the kids are thinking, “I’m going to starve to death!” I suppose the big kids (our DHs) are probably thinking the same thing. If you give them some appetizers and games all their own, you will not only make them happy, but give you a bit of peace while you finish up dinner prep. It’s OK … Read more

Fall Tablescape – Seven Days of Tips 6

Cohesiveness cohesive [koh-hee-siv] adjective cohesiveness, noun 1. characterized by or causing cohesion : a cohesive agent. 2. cohering or tending to cohere; well-integrated; unified: a cohesive organization. Find your most prominent shape – in this case, circle, and carry it throughout your tablescape. Use what you already have. Use colorful items as accents. Add items from the great outdoors. Use candles. Lots of candles. Get creative and use different colors, textures and shapes. Add a little silver or gold spray paint for some glam. Vary heights and layer. Carry the prominent shape throughout Here I chose a leafy tablecloth to extend the fall theme across the table and under the round tableware. Cohesiveness. When your guests sit down at your table, you want their eyes to travel – see the round pumpkin, on a round pedestal near a round candle in a round holder? Off … Read more

Fall Tablescape – Seven Days of Tips 5

Fall Inspiration The other day I said to my DH, “DH, look at that mountain (we have a little mountain here called Granite Peak), doesn’t it look like a patchwork quilt with all that yellow, orange and red?” In his creative artistic visionary way he replied, “Looks like a bunch of colorful trees to me.” Isn’t he amusing? Bring Fall Inside A fall tablescape isn’t just for your dining room – how about your couch table, bedside table, or front door accent table? So many tables. So many ideas. Use them all. This fall arrangement is on a buffet at my front door. You know, I’ve found it gathers much less, “junk” when I’ve decorated it for the season. I suppose it’s because the “junk” so detracts from it’s prettiness that I’m much better at keeping it cleaned off. The bottle above came from the limo … Read more

Fall Tablescape – Seven Days of Tips 4

Has anyone ever told you, “This is a no-brainer?” or… Ramble on with the instructions like you’ve done it all your life? Have you ever called tech support and had to call time out because they told you to copy that, type this and insert it there and you had no idea what they were saying? I don’t really speak geek; do you? Here is a quote from an email sent to me by a friend. I’ll call her “Sally.” “All your DIY ideas are great. And I love Pinterest for that as well, but like you said, time is one of the big issues and with me I have to add the word “talent”, “eye for it”, etc. I don’t have what it takes. I sometimes have ideas but I don’t have the time, money, know-how, energy, etc. to actually do it. I guess I’ve started too many projects … Read more

THANKSGIVING Tablescape {Love My DIY Home}

Fall Tablescape – Seven Days of Tips 3

Bring in a touch of the outdoors for your fall tablescape this year. Pine boughs, pine cones, pumpkins, berries, leaves, even rocks are a good choice. And of course, it doesn’t hurt that it’s free. Time to get creative. Think outside the box. I like free. Free is good. Plus, candles work well with the outdoors because they are made of natural products. Who doesn’t like candles? Look through your serving pieces and pair them with your candles and lanterns filling in with the natural things you scarfed from your yard. I found this “pumpkin” at Goodwill for $3.00. The berries were clearanced at Jo-Anns for under a dollar. Pine boughs – front yard. You can even spice up nature with a little silver spray paint. Click here to read about it. Think of how things are laid out in nature – layered naturally. … Read more

Fall Tablescape – Seven Days of Tips 2

Happy fall, y’all! It’s been snowy and cold here in Wisconsin. So cold. But it’s also B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. This is what I see on my way home every day. Of course, when this is our inspiration – we want to bring this beauty into our homes. But first, let’s talk texture. What do glass, wax and vegetables have in common? Well, nothing until you bring them all together into a sweet little tablescape. Pop Quiz: What do you put on top of a candlestick? A Pumpkin, of course! One key to keeping your tablescape interesting is to mix your textures. Put soft with hard, bumpy with smooth, round with square…OK, that’s not a texture, but you get my drift. Get creative. Use what you already have on hand. Go outside and see what free stuff you can use to beautify your home. Then put it all together … Read more

Fall Tablescape – Seven Days of Tips

Creating a fall tablescape is easy and inexpensive if you use what you already have on hand. Join me for 7 days of tips on how to bring it all together. NOTE: These 7 tips were published a couple of years ago, but if you’re looking for ideas, you’ll see these again here on LMDH, three a day and one on Thanksgiving morning to help you decorate this year too. Drag out all your decor you have stored around the house – stick it all in a pile on your kitchen table and play around with it! You’d be surprised at what you an come up with. Grab a candle stick here, a basket there, see what you can put together and then And there ya go… You have a super fancy tablescape unlike any other! Serving Bowl, Coffee Beans & a Candle Here I put together a plain … Read more