A Tisket, A Tasket, Everyone Needs Awesome Baskets

Laundry

Vases

 

Cleaning Supplies

I love how a basket can nicely store just about anything. It keeps everything in one spot. It looks good doing it. And it is easy to access. Looking at a neatly organized basket makes my heart happy.

I recently worked on tidying up my laundry closet. Matt thought I was nuts and it looked fine but I still saw room for improvement. So I added a few baskets. One was to hold an assortment of laundry supplies and another was to replace a cardboard box my vases were in. I also decided to keep our extra hangers in the closet, which makes it very easy to hang items up as they come out of the wash. I also like having a spot to hang my cleaning rags, which I use frequently to clean and polish our granite countertops.

Easy DIY Storage Update

Updated with frosted drawers

For several years now I have been using Sterilite Drawer Carts as storage solutions in many places, including nightside tables, but being that I am an anti-clutter freak, I never liked how you can see what is inside the clear drawers. So yesterday a light bulb went off in my mind and being the crafty woman that I am, I asked my husband to run to Home Depot (with one of our wedding gift cards) and pick up some Rustoleum Frosted Glass spray paint. I prepped the three carts we have and then spent the afternoon painting two of the three, following the instructions on the can. I wish that they would have been a little more frosted but I am still happy with the change. I still have one more to do but I will finish it next weekend. In the picture below you can see the cart on the left has been frosted and the cart on the right still needs to be finished. And yes, in my house GasX is a must. Having people be able to see these items is just one of the reasons I wanted to obscure the view! Haha!

One tip: cut paper and take it to the sides and bottoms of the drawer that you do not want paint on, otherwise the spray paint will blend onto those areas. If you don't care, then don't worry about prepping to that extent. 

DIY Scrapbook Project 2

DIY Cute Whiteboard

This was another idea I got from the amazing Pinterest. All you have to do is grab a picture frame, a piece of scrapbook paper, and a white board marker.

Step 1: On my trip to Michaels (as mentioned in the previous DIY post) I also spotted a white picture frame which was on sale for 50% off. I also grabbed a piece of scrapbook paper (3 for $1 sale) and I grabbed a package of white board markers (clearance bin for $1). Many of you probably have all of these things laying around your house but since I just moved I needed to restock.

Step 2: Put the piece of scrapbook paper in the frame. Easy enough.

Step 3: Hang the frame on the wall. Once again I used the Command hangers. All you have to do now is write on it with your white board markers.

I love how you can change out the paper to update the look and how much cuter it is than the typical white board. I hung mine by our calendar for an easy information area.

DIY with Scrapbook Paper

Inspiration from Pinterest

My DIY version 

Canvass Artwork
There were a few spots in our home that I felt were suffering from the terrible BBD - Bare & Boring Disease. To rectify this dilemma I hopped onto my Pinterest page for some ideas. 


(Side note: Pinterest is a website where, like a bulletin board, you can pin pictures and ideas and quotes and things you like. The pin then directs you back to the original website for full information. All in all, AWESOME.) 

I ended up finding this great little DIY project that I thought would fit perfectly and be budget friendly. So address in hand, I hopped into my car, plugged in my GPS, and headed off to find my nearest Michaels. When I arrived I found they were having a huge sale. SCORE! That made this budget friendly project even better! Here is the step by step of my DIY artwork. Please forgive the low quality pictures I took with my iPhone. (Who makes those things anyways?)

Step 1:

Get some 8x10 canvasses (or a different size depending on the space you want to fill). I found a package of 10 on sale for $19.99 and they were thin, which was perfect for the space I needed. I also bought a basic brand of white acrylic paint and a basic brush. You take each canvass and paint the edges and just over the front, about 1 inch. You could also use spray paint, as well as other colors, depending on the look you want. Then let dry.

Step 2: 

For this project I also purchased 10 sheets of color coordinating scrapbook paper. Since it was my lucky day I was able to get them all on sale, 3 for $1. When I got home, I cut the paper to a size that was about 1/3 smaller than my canvass. I also needed an adhesive. There are a lot of spray adhesives on the market but I find them messy and smelly. One of my favorite products is called Mod Podge and in this project I used it to glue my paper to my painted and dried canvass. In this picture you will see I have glued (using Mod Podge) one piece of paper to a canvass. 

Step 3:

After finishing my gluing, I then took a piece of fine sandpaper and sanded down the paper and edges of the canvass. This made for a smoother edge and finish. You don't want to sand too much though because obviously it can wear away all of the paper. 

Step 4: 

Finally I sealed the fronts and edges using my Mod Podge. I did several layers to ensure they had a strong seal. I also choose a Mod Podge that had a glossy finish versus other types for Matte or even Metallic finishes. It's important to let them dry between coats, and to not stack them, as they can get stuck together. 

Step 5: 

Once they are all dry and complete, you then want to find the layout you want to hang them in. Command has started making these new picture hangers, which act like velcro, and are my new preferred way to hang things. I put one strip at the top of each canvass. 

Step 6: 

We measured and laid out a rectangle with painters tape to hang the canvasses. My inspiration piece had 9 and was hung in a square but since I had 10 I decided on a rectangle. We hung them all following the instructions on the Command packaging, and we're really happy with the outcome!