DIY Life

A set of ten boxes, nested one within the other. The largest is perhaps two feet square and a foot deep (60 cm x 60 cm x 30 cm), the smallest half those dimensions.

You can purchase the yummy unit shown at right through Seletti, or -- using instructions provided by those generous folk at Seletti -- you could make your own very personal unit, and save yourself a significant bundle of cash!

You'll need a collection of sturdy wooden boxes in various sizes, decorating materials, and two sections of heavy-duty strapping.

I really enjoy going to estate sales, garage sales; pretty much any kind of sale. What one person deems junk, I just might have the light bulb go off and think that junk could be turned into something useful and new-to-me.

Soda crates make gorgeous picture frames. All you need to do is glue your photos to a wooden frame that can be inserted into the crate holes, attach two heavy duty picture hangers to the soda crate and hang on the wall. You can change the pictures anytime you want to if you decide not to glue the frame into the box.

I've seen soda crates at many sales and flea markets, but always overlooked them, mostly because I just didn't want to hang the heavy things on my wall. They would be nice to have around just for the aspect of saying I own another something vintage, but I just can't clutter up my small already cluttered house. I think when we get into our bigger house I will definitely find soda crates and make them into picture frames.

Have you been wanting your own display cases, but they just cost way too darn much? Well, you're in luck. Go on down to your local liquor store or wine shop and kindly ask them for their wine crates. Since they generally throw them out, they should be happy to give them to you.

Curbly.com writer erinloechner has written an excellent article on how to make your own wine crate display. All you have to do is get your wine crates, pick up some gift wrap paper at the dollar store, make a trip to your local hardware store for some hanging hardware, spray adhesive, and some rubber bumpers, and you will be able to make some killer looking display cases for this weekend's project.

In my opinion, you could use some fabric scraps you have lying around your house and spray adhesive onto those before putting into the crate. I believe the display case would look just as nice. Now sit back with a nice bottle of wine, admire your handiwork, and call it another A+ project completed.