Have you ever noticed how many uses there are for chicken wire?
I have started on a few of my own DIY chicken wire projects to add to our own home recently,
and thought I would share with you all a few of my favorite inspirations from fellow bloggers!
1. This beautiful little cloche from THISTLEWOOD FARMS is one of my absolute favorites.
Who knew making a cloche would be so easy? I might just have to make one (or three) of them for myself!
2. This chicken wire plant stand from THE NORTH END LOFT is such a great little project!
I love how it can sit on your kitchen table year round. Not only great for holing fruit, but imagine how many other uses it can have as decor during holidays, it would be great in a baby's room to organize baby items or to hold favors for birthday parties! Endless possibilities!
3. We all have seen the many uses of old vintage windows,
but this window chicken wire picture frame from LIZ MARIE BLOG is a great one!
4. Another favorite of mine is this window picture frame from THE HOUSE OF SMITHS
I love that it is enclosed in glass & if you have little kiddos, this is genius for keeping little fingers
off of cherished pictures & keepsakes!
5. If you know me, you know that I am obsessed with mason jars. You can see them all over my house used for many different things, and after coming across this idea from ALWAYS NESTING I couldn't believe I didn't think of it myself first, duh.
6. I have seen countless chicken wire baskets in magazines and have always loved them,
but as Calli from MAKE IT DO shows us in her tutorial, it is super simple to make your own.
7. This last project idea was one I found on an image search, and unfortunately was unable to find the source, but I love the idea of using an old picture frame and some chicken wire as a jewelry organizer. So easy & your jewelry becomes art!
So get to your local hardware store asap and pick yourself up a roll of chicken wire and get to crafting! These projects are easy enough for anyone to do :)
[[ & keep a look out for a new blog post coming soon featuring my own DIY chicken wire projects ]]
Do you all remember [THIS] beautiful little shabby chic rosette lamp shade from my daughter's nursery?
Well, for the past year I have been dying to make one for our living room & finally got around to doing it! After going back to look at my last DIY tutorial on this lamp shade (that was tremendously popular), I realized that a few little details were missing... so here is a NEW full tutorial with step by step instructions
- 3 to 5 yards of: GAUZE FABRIC BY THE YARD
(depending on the size of your shade)
- LARGE LAMPSHADE
(make sure to click on the LARGE drum shade option when ordering)
- LAMP BASE
- Hot Glue Sticks & Glue Gun
- Scissors
STEP #1:
Roll out your fabric measuring 3.5 to 4 yards in length (for a large size shade)
STEP #2:
Make small cuts in your fabric (lengthwise) approx. 1 inch apart
STEP #3 & #4:
Seperate and start to tear your fabric by holding the larger portion of the fabric with your left hand and ripping the strip with your right hand. When you cut fabric lengthwise, it naturally tears into a straight line since it is going with the seams/ thread.
STEP #5:
Tear all of the fabric into strips until you end up with a large pile like this
STEP #6:
Take an individual strip of fabric and ball up one end of the fabric by pinching the fabric in between your thumb and index finger, then wrap the strip of fabric around it. You will start to get a small rosette look as you keep pinching the fabric and twisting it around itself (like a cinnamon bun). Once you have the start to your rosette, make a small dab of hot glue and place the fabric over it.
STEP #7:
After you have twisted the beginning of your strip of fabric, place it on a table, with your hands on either end of the strip. With your left finger, hold the end of the left side of the strip down. With your right hand, wrap the remainder of the strip of fabric around the center starting point (while keeping it twisted). This should create a cinnamon bun effect. To hold the flower securely together, place dots of glue using a hot glue gun every so often while assembling it together.
TIP: To create various sizes of roses, take your torn strips and cut them to different lengths.
STEP #8:
Keep twisting the fabric, you will use the whole length of the fabric strip.
Your rosette will end up looking like this. Once you come to the end of the fabric, glue the excess amount onto the back of the rose, holding it all together & giving it a more finished look
STEP #9:
Make A LOT of rosettes! You will end up needing approx 50 to cover a medium size shade, and over 70 to cover a large size shade.
Then, start hot gluing them into your shade. Tip: use a lot of hot glue!
I am not going to lie, this project is VERY TIME CONSUMING!
One lampshade of this size takes approx. 5 straight hours to finish & if you happen to have little ones running all over the house... well, I would prepare yourself to spend a few days on this project!
But once it is finished, it is SO worth all of the work that went into it!
Happy crafting!
Don't forget to check out the smaller Shabby Chic Rosette Lampshade that I created!
How can it be?! My baby is not-so much a baby anymore...
After becoming a Mother, and holding that tiny little baby in my arms, it seemed like everywhere I went, anyone who was a parent kept telling me "Cherish it while they are little, they grow so fast!"
Being the first time Mom that I was, I brushed it off. I thought to myself, "Sure... I am just longing for the day where I get a full night's sleep, or a shower lasting longer than 10 min."
Little did I know how fast that time truly would go.
Being a Mom is the best 'job' by far that I have ever had. Yes, being a stay at home Mom does have it's own set of challenges but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Staying home, I have been able to experience every single one of my daughter's firsts, I have been there to see her grow and watch her change. This past year has flown by, now my (not-so) baby is walking everywhere, climbing stairs and getting her hands on anything and everything she can get into. It is amazing that a year ago she was just a tiny little 6 week old! You can never get time back, so take in every moment with your children. Our (not-so) baby M is now an active, happy and curious 1 year old, growing and changing every day that passes. I couldn't be any happier being her Mommy. She puts a smile on my face every morning with her silly faces and melts my heart every night with her goodnight kisses. I am so blessed.
Looking for a super simple 15 min project?
Using just two items and less than 15 min, how could this project get any easier, seriously.
I started by taking a board off of some old pallets that we have sitting in the back of our house.
The hooks came from Lowes and cost just under $4 each
After spacing them out on the board, I just screwed them on and attached two hanging brackets on each end of the board on the back & that was it! Now we have a new place in our laundry room to hang coats, clothes, hats, whatever we need. Plus I just absolutely love the rustic feel mixed with the traditional style of the hooks. A whole new coat rack for less than $20!
LINKING UP WITH:
Being a military family, we never know where we might be uprooted next and never know how long we will be there. We grow a custom to living day to day without stability or knowing where "home" may be next. Many of us military families live in base housing or rent & let's be honest, being in a rental isn't exactly many people's idea of a 'dream home'. For us, owning a home is quite a few years away until Mr. C is out of the military and we can decide on where to settle down and plant our roots. But until then, I still want our 'rental' to feel like "home", not only for my husband and I, but for our daughter. Now having a family, priorities have changed. We may not have control over where life may take us, but I want my husband and child (and hopefully future children) to have a safe haven to come home to at the end of the day, no matter which state or what kind of home we may live in.
Being in a rental has it's limitations, meaning that you have to live with the structure that you see, AS IS.
Many times this means no painting or changing out any of the fixtures. Some rentals are better than others... but many are not ideal. So whatever you may have to live with in your rental, work around it & make it your own!
Here are a few of my decorating tips & ideas for those of you who are decoratively restricted
and also want to keep as much money in your pocket as possible through the process...
1. BRING COLOR INTO YOUR SPACE WITHOUT PAINTING
- Pillows: by using bright pillows or bold patterns, it is an easy way to
change up the decor in your home without spending a fortune!
[source]
change up the decor in your home without spending a fortune!
- Fabric Covered Canvas: Use a large canvas or even a piece of wood and cover with fabric.
When hung on a blank white wall, it will instantly bring interest and color into your home.
[source]
When hung on a blank white wall, it will instantly bring interest and color into your home.
-Bring in Color with Accessories: By using pops of color in your accessories, it will tie the whole room together without using even a drop of paint on the walls!
[source]
-Painted Furniture: When painting isn't an option, painted furniture can bring
in you favorite color into any room and make it feel warm and inviting
[source]
in you favorite color into any room and make it feel warm and inviting
-Add interest to a plain wall with a patterned headboard: A large headboard covered in fabric brings in a touch of color and focus' your eyes somewhere else other than on bare walls
[source]
-Add a pop of color using painted frames: Another great way to bring in color without
spending more than a few dollars is by painting inexpensive frames
[source]
-Add a pop of color using painted frames: Another great way to bring in color without
spending more than a few dollars is by painting inexpensive frames
2. SPRUCE UP YOUR WINDOWS
-Take down the old ugly blinds and replace with curtains: Many rentals come fully equipped with those oh so wonderful vertical blinds. Take them down! It is a quick and easy fix, just make sure to replace them back up before moving out.
3. ACCESSORIES
- Bring your eyes away from the stark white walls and ugly fixtures, accessorize with items that you love,
take attention away from unpainted walls by layering accessories
take attention away from unpainted walls by layering accessories
- Mirrors bring in light & make the space look bigger: Use a collection of various mirrors on a wall to make a small apartment or condo look larger!
[source]
- Pattern, textures, colors, finishes, height, shapes, layers & sizes create interest & tie everything together:
Sticking with a neutral color scheme, use a rug, or pillows of different patterns and textures to make a room come together. All of these items can make any ugly rental feel like home and can easily be switched out or taken with you to a new home.
Sticking with a neutral color scheme, use a rug, or pillows of different patterns and textures to make a room come together. All of these items can make any ugly rental feel like home and can easily be switched out or taken with you to a new home.
4. STORAGE
Small Spaces Need Lots of Storage!
- Baskets: If you live in a small rental, you know that any storage space is a luxury! Take advantage of every wall, use hanging baskets in a bathroom if you don't have much cabinet or counter space.
[source]
-Hutches: Some rentals come with minimal closet space.
Using large pieces of furniture creatively allows for more storage options!
[source]
Using large pieces of furniture creatively allows for more storage options!
-Storage Ottomans: If you have kids, you NEED one of these! Living in a small rental, there isn't much room for all of those wonderful toys that come along with having children. Storage ottomans are a great solution and are so much prettier than a toy box ;)
5. DRESS UP THE FLOORS
- Add an area rug over old carpet: Rental carpets can be old, ugly and worn.
With no option to replace them, use a large area rug right over the existing carpet!
[source]
With no option to replace them, use a large area rug right over the existing carpet!
6. PAINT ACCENT WALLS (ask first)
- Fabric wall decals: Follow the link below for a great tutorial on how to apply fabric straight to walls!
[source]
7. CREATE INTEREST WITH WALL ART
Don't be afraid to take decorating risks even if you are a renter! Select pieces that you can take with you as you move on your way, to one day, your 'dream home'
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