re-purpose – Love My DIY Home

From Gun Cabinet to Display Cabinet – Upcycle, Don’t Toss!

We go to garage and estate sales looking for deals or just something fun for our house, our kids or to flip. I guess you could call us “PICKERS.” I don’t usually have anything in mind. I can look at something and envision something else. DH can’t do it at all. I’ll say, Oooh, wouldn’t that look good in blue with a dark glaze and he’ll say, “Ok, if you say so.” He’s learned to rely on my vision. I rely on his ability to size something up that needs repairs and know whether it’s a good buy. After all, he’s the one who will be fixing it. I’m fortunate. He’s pretty good at fixing things. We saw this gun cabinet turned shelving unit at a garage sale. I’ve always looked for narrow cabinets. Too often they are very wide and take up too much space. This one was narrow … Read more

[VIDEO] A Cat Condo for Two – Part 4

A Cat Condo for Two – Part 4 Welcome back! This is my fourth video tutorial for my project, A Cat Condo for Two. This was a big project with many different designs and techniques, so I split it up into four videos. If you’ve not seen them yet, go to the first one and make your way through. Here are the links to the first three tutorial videos: A Cat Condo for Two – Part 1 A Cat Condo for Two – Part 2 A Cat Condo for Two – Part 3 This video is a quick look at how I decorated the other side of this Cat Condo for Two. Since it’ll be in my office for the time being, I won’t see this side. It’s next to the wall, but that’s OK since I tend to move things around in my house. I took the opportunity to … Read more

[VIDEO] Part 3 – A Cat Condo for Two

A Cat Condo for Two – Part 3 Welcome to the Third “A Cat Condo for 2” Video Series! To see the first two videos in this series, A Cat Condo for 2 – Part 1 and a Cat Condo for 2 – Part 2, where I show you the first two stages of this redesign, and the changes I made when I didn’t like my first attempt. Come along with me as this dresser turns into my Mia and Max’s beautiful Cat Condo for 2. Here’s the BEFORE: In this video, I show you how I redesigned the right side of the piece: creating a decorative background, embellishing the raised stenciling with metallics, plus color blending techniques on the top and bottom drawer. The two sides of the Cat Condo are different…just for fun. When you create for yourself, it’s easier to experiment and do things differently because in … Read more

[VIDEO] A Cat Condo for 2 – Part 2

This is the second video in my Cat Condo for 2 series. Click the link to see the first video, Cat Condo for 2 Part 1 where I show you the beginning stages of this redesign. I didn’t my first attempt, so I started over – I’m inviting you to come along as this dresser turns into my Mia and Max’s beautiful Cat Condo for 2. In this video, I show you how I changed course from my original plan of using a green distressed look to a much better design using completely different paint colors and techniques: raised stenciling, stenciling, and color blending. If in doubt…don’t. Sometimes we don’t like the course we are on and need to change it. Just do it. You’ll be happier in the end. Some of the Products Used in this Project: Retique It Gothic Grey, Spiced Cider, Willow, Camelot & Midnight Black Ultratique All-in-One Paint Retique It Royal … Read more

[VIDEO] A Cat Condo for 2 – Part 1

A Cat Condo for Two – Part 1 Originally I had a little kitty tower that I created for my cat, MIA that sat next to me in my office where she would be with me during the day and hopefully curtail her walking on my keyboard as I worked. For the most part it was a great fix, and we both enjoyed being together most of the day, though she often asserted herself when she felt it was time to feed her by walking back and forth in front of me as I typed. I’m a totally obsessed cat lady, so when we got a second cat, MAX, from the shelter, I had to do something different for my office. More on that in the video… MIA was one of three sisters dumped at our vet’s. I’d not had a cat in YEARS, so it was a real treat … 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

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