My DIY King-sized Headboard

I've been having an idea brewing in my mind for some time now.  Yesterday it all came together.  Here's how I made this inexpensive  upholstered headboard (if you follow me on pinterest, you probably knew this was coming).


This is the board, soon to be beautiful.  In case you are wondering, I made mine 31 inches high, and 73 inches long.  It took me some figuring to decide how tall to make it, and I think 31 inches high was a good choice.

There's the bowl I used to trace the circle cut out in the corners.  If only I could tell my later self - I should have used a pizza pan then and there.

I cut out a curve on the top corners to make the "belgrave" style.  You can  check out this link for  types of headboards, to see what would work best for you.

While I used math to find out where to drill the holes for the buttons, Katie drew hearts in the sawdust.

I used some camping mats I got at a yard sale for the foam.  They cost me $1 each.  For the foam at the fabric store it was $34.99 per yard.  No thank you.  I used the glue gun to attach the mats.

Next, I covered it with batting (also $1 from a yard sale).  Pull it taught while you staple it into place.  I work from the middle of the sides, out to the corners.

Then I covered the buttons (with a kit I got at the fabric store) and the headboard with fabric.

I thought I was done!  Then when I woke up I realized that I wanted to make the cut-out in the corners a little bigger. 

I popped out the staples and, with a jigsaw, took out a larger section of the board. I made my own template from a pizza pan this time.

Now, I stapled it all back together.

I hung it on the wall, using D rings directly into studs.

It was a good day.  

Here's the breakdown:

Board- $12

Fabric- $20

Button kit (14 buttons)- $6

Foam/Batting (yard sale finds)- $3

D rings- $3

$44 total- Win!

Like what you see?  Follow me on facebook by "liking" my facebook page, thanks for visiting.

Re-purposed Candle Jars

Don't throw away those old candle jars anymore!  Here's what I did with mine:

First, soak the candle in hot water to loosen the wax and labels.

Clean it out with a paper towel.

I use "Goo Gone" on a cotton ball to get rid of the stubborn parts of the label.

Lastly, clean by hand, or just put it in the dishwasher.  It will come out nice and shiny.

Here are just a few ideas for how your new jar can be used.

Like what you see?  Follow me on facebook by "liking" my facebook page, thanks for visiting.

DIY Pearl Framed Mirror

What do you do when you have a bunch of pearl beads left over from a wedding?   Here's what I did.  First, I strung them into long threads of beads. Then I used a glue gun to attach the rows of beads around this thrift store mirror (after painting the frame white).  This looks so pretty in Jenna's room.

Like what you see?  Follow me on facebook by "liking" my facebook page, thanks for visiting.

My Secret Cupboard

This is by far one of my favorite projects to date.  I am so so happy with how this turned out!  This cupboard is so functional, and yet such a bit of decorating eye-candy. 

I wish I had "during" pictures to go with this post, but this was before my days of blogging.

So, here's my tiny bathroom.

And here's my solution to finding more storage for this bitty space.

I simply used the space between the 2 by 4's in the wall, to create this one of a kind medicine cabinet.  While we were building our home, I took pictures of all the walls (after the electrical work was done), so I would know if there were any wires back there.  Just in case of projects like these.

I cannot tell you how much I love having all these little cluttery items hidden away!  I also love how the painting is the perfect disguise for the cabinet.  Such a great alternative to the standard mirrored-pop-out-of-the-wall medicine cabinets.

Close up of the painting.
 I wanted to go with something neutral so when I redecorate,
this will always fit the color scheme.

Like what you see?  Follow me on facebook by "liking" my facebook page, thanks for visiting.

Diaper Cake Tips

You've all seen those adorable diaper cakes on pinterest.  Most all of them have one thing in common, individually rolled diapers.  To save a lot of time, use the "swirled diaper" technique. 

Place the diapers in a circle.  Then use your hand to help guide them into a swirled shape.  Use ribbon or tulle to cinch the diaper mass together.  I've found this way to be a lot quicker than rolling each individual diaper.  I also like the look of it as much or more than the rolled diapers.

Another great tip:  Use double-sided tape to stick the layers of "cake" together.  I used an extra wide tape that was meant for holding rugs in place. I also used double-sided tape to adhere the bear into a cuddly position on the cake, it added the perfect finishing touch!

Like what you see?  Follow me on facebook by "liking" my facebook page, thanks for visiting.

Gold Dipped Vases

Here's how I turned these cheap yard sale vases, into a beautiful gold dipped delight.

Here's what you'll need:  Masking tape, paint brush and brush on gold leaf.

Mask off the area you don't want to be painted.  Make sure to run your fingernail over the tape really well, to help prevent the tape from leaking under the tape.

Simply brush on the gold leaf (I used 2 coats) and enjoy.  I love these quick and easy projects, that make a big impact!

Like what you see?  Follow me on facebook by "liking" my facebook page, thanks for visiting.

LOVE Chalkboard

Remember these cute chalkboards I made over Christmas?  I used the same easy technique to make this one for Valentine's Day.  Works like a charm!  Click here for the full tutorial.

Here is my fun spray-painted birdcage, all decked out for Valentine's Day.  The amazing thing is, everything in this shot came from yard sales (for under $10)!

Like what you see?  Follow me on facebook by "liking" my facebook page, thanks for visiting.