Article By: Mirna Cacic

We just love anything shabby chic, and this cute chair planter is no exception! Raid your local thrift store or garage sale for an old wooden chair that you can turn into a planter for cheap! This is a great way to dress up your porch, patio, or garden if you’re on a budget. Paint the chair a fun color or add whimsical designs to it to dress it up and match it to your garden decor. This project is great because you don’t need any special power tools to get the job done, and it can be done in less than an hour!

Supply Checklist:

1) Old Chair

2) Paint

3) Sand paper

4) A planter with a lip, wide enough to fit inside your chair (the lip will help hold the planter in place)

5) Polycrylic

6) Screwdriver

7) Damp cloth

8) Plants and soil

Step #1:

Sand your chair using the sand paper. This will help remove any varnish that will prevent the new paint from sticking to your chair. Sanding the chair will roughen up the surface so the paint can stick better.

Step #2:

Take out the seat from the chair. You can do this easily by removing any screws using a screwdriver.

Step #3:

Get a damp cloth and wipe down the chair to get rid of any dust before painting. When you’re finished, paint your chair your desired color.

Step #4:

To make the new paint on your chair last longer, give it a few coats of polycrylic.

Step #5:

Add your soil and plants to your planter, then place the planter into the spot where the chair seat originally was. Now place your new shabby chic planter anywhere you like! Try it out on your patio or porch, or place it in your garden amongst your flowers!

Photos: DIY Cozy Home, Love This Pic, Moonstruck Vintage.

Article By: Mirna Cacic

Save your money and be environmentally-friendly at the same time by making these DIY dishwasher tablets! These tablets are much safer than store-bought tablets, and contain 0 harsh chemicals! They’re also Borax-free for those who are having a hard time finding Borax at the store! Each load of dishes will run you about $0.09! Make these today and make buying your own dishwasher tablets a thing of the past!

Supplies (makes enough for about 40 loads):

1) 1 cup baking soda

2) 2 cups washing soda – If you can’t find washing soda at the store, you can make your own! All you need to do is bake baking soda for about 1 hour at 450 F! That’s it! You can now make washing soda whenever you need it!

3) 1 cup citric acid

4) 1/2 cup salt

5) 1 tsp liquid castile soap

6) 1/2 cup white vinegar

7) 20 drops lavender essential oil (optional)

8) 2 ice cube trays

Step #1:

Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix them together.

Step #2:

Add in the vinegar a little at a time. You will see some fizz, but don’t worry! This is to be expected.

Step #3:

Add in the castile soap and mix. You can also add in the essential oil now if you like.

Step #4:

Press the mixture into the ice cube trays. Leave them to dry for 24 hours before taking them out of the ice cube trays. Store the dishwasher tabs in a container with a tight lid.

Photos: Mom 4 Real, Pins and Procrastination, Hello Natural.

Dryer sheets can get pretty pricey, and they also make a lot of garbage. If you’re looking for an alternative to store-bought dryer sheets, this is for you! Keep your clothes smelling great and soft to the touch by making these homemade dryer sheets! All you need is a kitchen sponge and fabric softener to make these babies, and you’re ready to go! Take a look at the easy tutorial below and make your own today!

Supplies:

1) Fabric softener of your choice

2) A few kitchen sponges

3) A plastic container with a lid

4) Water

Step #1:

Fill the container about 2/3 of the way full with two parts water and one part fabric softener.

Step #2:

Take your sponges and cut them in half. Place them inside the container to soak up the fabric softener.

Step #3:

Place the lid on top of the container. Store your homemade dryer sheets in the fridge to prevent mold from forming.

Photos: Hometalk.

On a decorating budget? No problem! Dress up your bookcase or coffee table with these shabby chic wire baskets! So easy to make and put together, you don’t need many tools or time to make them. They’re great for those on a budget, and they work for any occasion! Use them as part of centerpieces for weddings, as gift baskets, or just to dress up and organize your home. Take a look at the tutorial below!

Supplies:

1) Woven wire or hardware cloth (you can find this wire at the hardware store in rolls with 1/2″ or 1/4″ openings)

2) Tin snips

3) Needle nose pliers

4) Metal or wood ruler

5) Graph paper and pen

Step #1:

Draw out your pattern on graph paper that has a 1/2″ grid. This step is optional, but it makes it easier to see where you need to cut the wire.

Step #2:

Cut your pattern out of the wire using the tin snips. Leave the wires long on alternating edges so you can use them to hold your basket together.

Step #3:

After cutting out the pattern, use your ruler to help you bend each side of the basket up.

Step #4:

Bend the long ends of the wire and loop them around using the pliers to hold the corners in place.

Step #5:

When you’re working on the top edge, bend over the cut tops to make a loop that curls toward the inside of the basket.

Step #6:

Now that you’ve finished your basket, you can decorate it any way you wish! You can line it with fabric, add tags, and fill it up with desk supplies, mail, or anything you need to keep organized!

Photos: Four Corners Design.

We just love shabby chic! When our furniture looks too new for our liking, the only way to remedy that problem is to make it look like its been in the rain for years! Wear and tear is the name of the game, and this tutorial is perfect for any shabby lovers out there! Iron brackets are an inexpensive way to add a bit of flair to regular shelves, but sometimes they don’t really match the rest of our decor. This tutorial will show you how to make them look old and rusty for cheap!

Supplies:

1) Iron brackets (you can find them at Hobby Lobby)

2) Chalk paint (for this project, Annie Sloan Old White was used)

3) Sponge brush

4) Paper towels

5) Antiquing Medium

6) Clear matte spray paint (optional)

Step #1:

Take your sponge brush and paint the entire bracket. You don’t have to worry about it being perfect.

Step #2:

Take a damp paper towel and begin wiping off the paint. Don’t wipe off everything! We still want the bracket to have a weathered look.

Step #3:

Take the antiquing medium and add a small amount to a damp paper towel. Rub the antiquing medium over the entire bracket.

Step #4:

If you want to seal your brackets, you can give them a coat or two of clear matte spray paint. Allow the spray paint to dry between coats and you’re done!

Photos: From My Front Porch to Yours.

This cute wreath is so easy to make and it doesn’t cost anything to make! Grab some green scrapbook paper and hot glue to put this together and you’ve got a great St. Patrick’s Day wreath you can hang on your door or mantle! Try making mini ones and string them together using twine for a shamrock garland! If you don’t have any green paper lying around, some green acrylic paint over white paper works just as well! Get out the scissors and let’s get our craft on!

Supply List:

1) Green scrapbook paper. You can use double-sided scrapbook paper, or you can use regular white paper and paint it using acrylic paints.

2) Seven 12″x2″ strips of paper

3) Seven 10″x2″ strips of paper

4) Seven 8″x2″ strips of paper

5) Green ribbon so you can hang up your wreath

6) Some extra paper so you can make the front decoration, and you will need it for some back pieces of the shamrock

7) Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Step #1:

Take a strip of paper of each length and stack them one on top of the other. Glue the ends together on one side.

Step #2:

Take the inside piece and make a loop. Glue the other end down.

Step #3:

Repeat the same step with the other two pieces of paper. You will end up with a teardrop shape.

Step #4:

Repeat these steps until you’ve made a total of 6 teardrops. Glue them together by the ends in groups of two. You will end up with a heart shape.

Step #5:

Now it’s time to make the stem of the shamrock. You should have 3 strips of paper left. Take the 12″ strip and make a fold mark 5″ from the left edge and 5″ from the right edge. There will be 2″ between the two fold lines. The area between the folds will be centered. Take the 10″ strip and make a fold mark 4.25″ from the left edge and a fold mark 4.25″ from the right edge. There will be 1.5″ between the two fold lines and the area between the folds will be centered. Take the 8″ strip and make a fold mark 3.5″ from the left edge and a fold mark 3.5″ from the right edge. There will be a 1″ area between the fold lines and the area between them will be centered.

Step #6:

Line up all the ends and hot glue them together.

Step #7:

Put your shamrock together. Cut out a small circle out of paper. This will hold all your points as you’re gluing them together. You can add an accordion fold circle to the front center of the shamrock. It will hide all the glued points. Glue a piece of ribbon to the back and hang up your ornament!

Photos: The Craft Patch.

If you’re looking for the perfect centerpiece for your garden this spring, this disco birdbath is for you! Revamp that broken birdbath that’s been collecting dust in your garage with this easy facelift! Don’t have a birdbath? Build your own out of terracotta pots! We’re loving this easy tutorial from Patricia’s Pots, which takes you through the whole process, step-by-step. Give your feathered friends their own place to party (and recycle in the process!) by getting started on this awesome birdbath today!

What you will need:

– An old birdbath or a birdbath made from terracotta pots

– Water Weld (just in case your old birdbath has any cracks)

– Old DVDs

– Clear spray paint

– Liquid Nails Clear Seal glue

– Mapei Keracolor Sanded Grout with Polymer with Grout Boost mixed in

– An old spatula

– Damp rag

– An old butter knife

– Sandpaper

– Scissors

Step #1:

If your old birdbath has any cracks in it, you need to fill them in. Water Weld is perfect for the job since it repairs and seals cracks that are going to be wet or underwater. It’s also drinking water safe, which makes it perfect for the birds! Take the Water Weld (it comes in a tube of clay) and kneed it together well. Take your old butter knife and slice the Water Weld into smaller pieces.

Step #2:

Smooth the Water Weld over the cracks using the butter knife, making sure to push it into the cracks well. Leave the Water Weld to sit for 60 minutes.

Step #3:

Take the sandpaper and sand down the Water Weld until the surface is smooth.

Step #4:

Now you’re ready to decorate! Since DVDs are made up of two layers, you’ll need to separate them in order to get to the nice shiny side that’s inside. Take the DVD and make two cuts. Cut from the outer edge to the middle, and repeat the same process on the other side. You should now have two halves. Run your fingertip around the edges to loosen the layers. Separate the layers and you will be left with a thin, shimmery layer you can use for decorating your birdbath.

Step #5:

Cut the silvery part you saved into small pieces. This birdbath needed about 20 DVDs worth of pieces to cover it completely.

Step #6:

Take your clear spray paint and spray paint all the pieces. This will prevent the shiny part from flaking off.

Step #7:

Once the spray paint has dried, begin gluing the pieces onto the birdbath using Liquid Nails Clear Seal. Cover the rim of the birdbath first, then work your way towards the middle.

Step #8:

When you’ve covered your birdbath and the glue has dried, it’s time to mix the grout. You can use Mapei Keracolor Sanded Grout with Polymer in white with Grout Boost mixed in. When you’ve mixed the grout, take your old spatula and spread the grout between the DVD pieces. Use a damp rag to wipe off the excess grout.

Step #9:

Leave the grout to dry for about 3 weeks before placing it outside. This is why this is the perfect project to get started on while it’s still chilly out! It’ll be ready for your feathered friends just in time for spring!

Photos and idea: Me and My DIY.

We’re loving this super cute gumball machine! What’s great about it is that it’s cheap to make, and you can get the kids involved in making it! Fill it up with Hershey’s Kisses, pink and red M&M’s, or Valentine’s Day conversation hearts! Head on over to your local dollar store for supplies and let’s get started!

Supplies:

– 4″ terracotta pot and 4″ terracotta saucer

– wooden doll head

– paint

– a small round bowl

– alphabet stickers

– ribbon

– glue

– candy

The first thing you need to do is paint the pot, saucer, and the doll head. Get as creative as you like! When the paint has dried, glue the doll head to the top of the saucer. Now take your pot and turn it upside down. Glue the bowl on top of the pot. When everything has dried completely, fill up your bowl with candy (we love Hershey’s Kisses and conversation hearts!) and place the saucer lid on top.

Don’t forget to get creative with your gumball machine! Switch up the pink and white paint for black and silver, baby blue, or red. Add glitter, rhinestones, or pearls. Anything goes! This makes a great craft to do with the kids because it’s super easy to make, and we bet the kids will want to make a ton of these!

Photos: Joy Unexpected, Moms by Heart.

If your jewellery is cluttering up your room and getting tangled, make this cute arrow jewellery holder! It’s made out of a wooden dowel rod, thin wood strips, and screw hooks. Paint it to match your room or bathroom and you’ve got a trendy little organizer that can be made to match anyone’s budget!

Step #1:

Grab yourself a thin strip of wood (1/32 x 3×24″) from JoAnns or Michael’s and cut it with scissors to make a front and back piece for your arrow. If you’re unsure how to cut it, you can find lots of arrow clip art on Google Images. It doesn’t have to be too complicated, so keep it simple!

Step #2:

Take a small saw and cut a groove into each end of your dowel rod. You can find dowel rods at any craft store for about $2.49. The thin wood you cut earlier should fit easily into the grooves without a need for glue. If the wood is slipping a bit, add a dab of hot glue to hold it in place.

Step #3:

Place small screw hooks into your dowel rod about 3″ apart. The dowel rod should be soft enough for you to push in the hooks without too much trouble.

Step #4:

If you like, you can paint your arrow. In this project, Inka Gold Metallic Rub was used to match the gold screw hooks.

Step #5:

And you’re finished! Hang up your new jewellery holder anywhere you like!

Photos: Lemonade Makin’ Mama.

There’s an easy way to bring some life into thrift store vintage plates! Why not jazz them up a bit with adorable vintage bug drawings? It doesn’t just have to be insects! Try rabbits, crown jewels, or cats! You can find loads of these vintage images over at The Graphics Fairy, which is our go-to site for all of our vintage picture needs!

Supplies:

– Vintage plates

– Clear waterslide decals

– Clear acrylic coat

– Scissors

– A small bowl

– Warm water

– Paper towels

Step #1:

Print out your images onto the glossy side of the waterslide decal paper. Allow it to dry completely, then spray it with acrylic clear coat. Leave it to dry, then cut out your images.

Step #2:

Place the decals in a bowl of warm water. Allow it to sit for 15 seconds. When the decal separates from the liner, you can apply it to your plate.

Step #3:

Place your decal onto the plate with the liner still attached. Slide the liner from beneath the decal. Smooth out any folds or bubbles using your finger. Blot with a paper towel and leave it to dry for at least 1 hour.

Step #4:

Remember, these decals aren’t food safe. You cannot wash them or place them in the dishwasher. If you need to clean them, spot clean them only with a paper towel.

Photos: Honestly WTF.