DIY Life

Whoa, nelly. This is my kind of DIY project. With the leaves beginning to change color, I'm dreaming of late nights by the fireplace... with my trusty chai tea, of course. I'd love to own a one-of-a-kind tea set, and it looks like Re-Nest has made that possible -- and on a dime, no less!

All you need are a few key materials to get started. Aya found her tea set at a local thrift shop and scored two saucers for $1.99 and two cups for $2.99. Major score! For paint colors, she used Pebeo Porcelaine 150 in Turquoise and a Pebeo Porcelaine 150 pen in black. Of course, you can get as creative as you'd like with colors, but I think these look smashing together!

From there, you'll need a paintbrush, tissue paper and a jar for water. That's it! Aya has some awesome how-to instructions for how she created her pattern, but if you like to doodle, why not try it free-hand? You'll be guaranteed a unique, custom look that your guests will eye with envy.

Good shoes are so expensive! Great fit and great price ... but the looks don't thrill you? Buy 'em. Maybe you can give them a DIY makeover. Same goes for comfy but boring shoes you already own. Vintage earrings, stencil cutouts, spray painting, crochet and collage. Get some inspiration and get to work.

Blogger Vera Sunshyne's inspired and adorable Mary Janes were made from a $6 pair of garden clogs purchased from Big Lots. A little clever stenciling and cutting, superglue and embellishments of choice (rhinestones or beads look great) and look at the result. I would need a generous dose of patience to do this craft right, though.

Shoe fanatics have started a Flickr photo pool dedicated to shoe makeovers. Shoe Refashion: Refresh Your Step is a Flickr group that anyone can view, although you must be a member to add photos. These people know how to have fun with shoes. Take a peek.

Today's how-to video comes from Home Depot, and I love some of the tips shared in this helpful tutorial. Although I'm not a massive fan of sponge painting or glaze, I love the look of color blocks, argyle and stripes using just a bit of chalk and painter's tape. Check it out!:


My favorite decorative painting technique? Stripes on stripes. Choose your favorite shade of paint in both matte and hi-gloss and tape off some vertical stripes using painter's tape. Alternate between hi-gloss and matte paint for a beautiful effect that adds both dimension and drama to the room. The look works great in a home that may need a boost in architectural elements.

The possibilities are endless with a can of paint and a few tools, and paint is one of the fastest (and cheapest!) ways to transform a room. Get to work!

So, it's time to paint over that bold red in the kitchen that has become a bit... much over the years. But how do you choose the right paint color when there are dozens of different shades, all under the umbrella of what you and I would label to be nothing more than white?

Our AOL home decor expert Kelly Edwards suggests grabbing a sample of a paint swatch you like, painting a foamboard of poster board and affixing it to the wall you'd like to paint over for several days. You can see what your wall will look like in the morning light and evening dusk -- a change that can make or break a space.


Want more killer painting tips? View the above video for more tips on how you can choose the right paint for your room... every time. And don't worry if you mess up; you can always join our Messy Paint Mishaps gallery and bask in your disasterous fame!

I have a horrid coffee addiction. For some reason, I can't quite focus in the morning without my daily cuppa. I usually stop there, but it's not pretty. Needless to say, at one point, I had dozens of these frappuccino bottles rolling around in the backseat of my car (did I tell you I'm a reformed slob?). If only I'd saved them for a tutorial as good as this one...

What You Need:
(1) Starbucks Frappuccino bottle
(1) White and (1) Clear can of spray paint
(1) Set of colored paint for your letters
(1) Fine paint brush
(1) Pencil
(3) Sheets of carbon paper
(3) Print-off sheets of your choice words

That's it! A quick and easy tutorial with a big result. I'd love to use these for as party centerpieces, as they're cheaper than most vases, and come on -- the coffee inside is just icing on the proverbial cake!

And while we're talking spray paint, don't forget to check out Kelly Edward's foolproof spray paint tips right here!

Boring flooring is one of my personal pet peeves. It's as if I'm walking into a space with white walls and no drama whatsoever. Why not jazz up your normal flooring with a few coats of paint? Our friends at ShelterPop wrote about the benefits of white flooring last week, and we couldn't agree more.

White not quite your thing? Take a cue from Maryam and her daughter Skylar and paint your floor with a concrete base and pattern for a lovely lace effect. You can purchase the pattern the pair used right here for $199, or create your own with a sheet of plastic, Xacto knife and some creativity!

The project requires a bit of patience and attention to detail, but the result is so worth it. You'll have the coolest floors on the block!

But please, be careful. If not, you may just end up in our Messy Paint Mishaps gallery!

Theodore Roosevelt once said: "The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who never does anything." Heartening words, my fellow DIY'ers. Because every man or woman who has ever wielded a paintbrush or screwdriver also knows the taste of failure. It's good to remember that those failures make us better at what we do.

Welcome to DIY Disasters, a brand new, very fun feature here at DIY Life. Join us each week as we explore the ways that DIY projects of all shapes and sizes can backfire! We're kicking off the series with my new photo gallery, "Messy Paint Mishaps."

Want to share your personal DIY Disaster stories? Send us a message and tell us all about it! We'd love to see your photos and/or video clips, too.

The problem with big box hardware stores like Lowe's and The Home Depot is that (outside of their garden centers) they are still catering to tradesmen when half their customers are actually women. Tired and grumpy women.

Each time I shop at either one (and, no, I have no preference), I leave asking myself: why can't these hardware behemoths be more like Target, Walmart, or similar mega-stores, where shopping is fun ... or at least easier. How so, you ask? Read on! Here's my list of requests for Lowe's and Home Depot execs:

1. Bring in door greeters and maps so we customers don't waste time walking (and walking and walking) up and down the aisles searching for that certain essential dood-ad or trying to locate the bathrooms. Would it be so hard to install mall-style store directory kiosks, stocked with printed store layout leaflets?

Last week we took a peek at ways to decorate your walls without breaking your lease's no-drill, no-nail policy. In particular, we looked at clever little stick-up products that sub for regular picture hooks. Today we continue this topic, but focus on ways to decorate the walls themselves.

Strategy 1: Negotiate! Persuade your landlord to compromise. Suggest a new paint job for the living room (or the whole apartment/house) in exchange for agreeing to the no-nail, no-drill policy. If he/she hesitates, offer to let them pre-approve your color choice.

Ask permission to install a gallery-style picture hanging rail. Emphasize that you would pay for and install the rail all by yourself, but that you would generously leave it behind for the next tenant.

The key to success here may be all in how you pitch it. Don't act like you're asking a favor of your landlord. Do not get whiney. Do sell your suggestions as improvements that will benefit the property owner.

OK, I usually don't go for the "household item" craft projects... oftentimes, they look just like what they are. The pasta necklaces? They're nothing but macaroni on a string.

Better Homes and Gardens has changed my mind, though, with their pasta tree centerpiece project. This fancy little number is hip and funky, and doesn't look like old pasta at all.

All you need are a few simple materials; BHG promises that the project will cost less than ten dollars.

I saw some very nice trinket boxes at the thrift store the other day, but I let them go without a second thought. Too bad I did, because I now want to make over one for my daughter for a Christmas present, and maybe a few as gifts for other special people.

Using cleaned and broken white egg shells, decoupage and white paint, Jane Lake over on All Free Crafts, made over a plain trinket box. Jane put the eggshells into a plastic bag and used a rolling pin to crush them into fairly fine pieces. After removing the hardware, she then decoupaged the box lid, sans where the holes for the hardware were.

Jane alternated the decoupage and the broken egg shells, then allowed the box to dry overnight. After the box was dry, she used two layers of shimmery white paint, allowing one coat to dry before she applied another. She says you can apply pearl beads to the bottom of the box. Apply the hardware, and call the makeover finished!

All homes have exterior surfaces that are designed to protect the home from the elements. There are many different types, but the two general ones are brick and siding. Some homes have a combination of the two.

If you're giving your home a face lift, you have choices. Let's talk about the many types of siding.

Cedar Siding for the Home

Western Red Cedar siding is the type most commonly used. It's a natural product, known for its beauty and durability. For energy efficiency, rigid foam sheathing may be applied prior to installing the siding. If this option is taken, kiln-dried cedar siding should be used, because of its stability.

My two local thrift stores are full of kids' games and adult board games. Most of the games are missing pieces, but that's OK with me, since I like to use them for craft projects.

Laura, otherwise known as The Scrabble Gal, is great at re-purposing materials some people would send to their local thrift store. She recently had her fingerprint mini-mosaic tutorial made from Scrabble tiles featured on Junk Creation, and sent us the link.

Laura took some old Scrabble tiles and painted them white. She arranged them in a pattern around the non-painted tiles. She then dipped her fingers in a non-toxic ink pad and transfered her prints onto the white tiles.

The possibilities of what you can create are endless. Magnets, scrapbook keepsakes, wall art: the list goes on. For more ideas on how to use Scrabble tiles, either as a kid project or made to give as a gift, check out M.E. Williams's post on making Scrabble tile coasters.

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.

We've just moved into a new house, and my boys are excitedly adding personal touches to their room to make it their very own. These personalized door hangers are a perfect way for them to express their own taste and take ownership of their new room.

In this project, your child will decorate cutouts of their own initials and hang them on their bedroom door. For their decorations, they'll be reusing cardboard, greeting cards, magazines, and other treasures they find around the house.

Take some inspiration from the gallery, and see how ours turned out. I'll share full instructions and some useful tips after the break.