DIY: My Attempt at Being Creative

If you would of asked me a year ago if I liked to "craft" I would of said, " I am terrible at stuff like that!" Well, now that I am at home I have extra time and not very much extra money. So that is where the DIY comes in. No money to decorate...DO IT YOURSELF!

I have done a few things since summer started for me three weeks ago. The first one was a framed out peg board I made to organize my jewelry.

I went and bought a piece of pre-cut pegboard from Home Depot, grey spray paint, wood glue, and the hooks that you use with pegboard. Then I went to Hobby Lobby and got this wood that you can connect together to make a frame around a canvas. I think each piece was under $2.00. Also at a random trip to Wal-Mart that week, I picked up some picture hanging hooks to attach to each side of the frame. I did all these errands that first week home because Judah would not sleep and I refused to sit at home while he fussed and screamed. Being out seems to help calm him down.

I did not take pictures of the steps because I really had no idea I would ever write about any of my attempts at being creative, but here are the steps if you want to make one!

Step 1: Put canvas frame together attach to peg board with wood glue. After I attached it, I flipped it over and put books on it to help it set.
Step 2: Spray paint the entire pegboard and frame your desired color.
Step 3: Attach picture hooks to each side and hang on the wall.

Super easy! Now everything is where I can see it! Downside....I realized my jewelry is outdated and I need more!!!

My second project, was a chalkboard for my guest room. Which I also decorated while I was off that week. I know what you are thinking...aren't you spending too much money for someone about to lose a second income?? I thought that too, but honestly all of these projects were really simple and not very expensive!
Here is my chalkboard that I created using an old and ugly painting I had from Goodwill. Make sure if you do this, you buy a painting that was done on something hard enough to write on!

Sorry these pictures are so horrible! I took them with my phone :( The steps required for this are so easy it is ridiculous! I also made one for my husband's mom for her birthday!

Step 1: Paint chalkboard paint onto the surface vertically. Let dry 1 hour. Paint chalkboard paint onto the surface horizontally.
Step 2: Once the chalkboard paint is dry use painters tape to tape off the chalkboard part so you don't get any other paint color on it.
Step 3: Choose your color for the frame and paint away!

My whole house is teal, grey, black, and yellow. in many different combinations!

My third project was very difficult! I had no idea painting chevron stripes would include so much measuring and touch-ups! I love the way it looks but I had to have my accountant hubby come in and help because you have to make sure all the stripes are even at the points and evenly spaced apart! Yuck! I would check other blogs or Pinterest to get the steps :) I finished the whole thing only to peel the tape up to find my grey paint had leaked under the tape. Sad face! I had to sit there with a tiny paintbrush and repaint the yellow part with a darker yellow by hand. Not my favorite way to spend two hours, but hey I think it looks alright!

This last one is my favorite because it literally took 6 minutes to do both of them! I love photos, absolutely love them. Most interior design does not include mass amounts of photos, but I don't care! I love having pictures around, and with these photos I was able to do something a little different that spiced up my wall of frames. DIY photo canvases! Getting a photo printed on a real canvas can be very expensive, and the faux ones they do at Wal-Mart are not that great. So I stole this off Pinterest and went to work!
Here is what you will need:
Mod Podge
Black Paint
Canvas
Photo
Two Brushes
Step 1: Paint the edges of the canvas, and about half an inch inside the edges of the canvas.

Step 2:Apply a pretty decent amount of Mod Podge to the canvas and the back of your photo. (Make sure your black paint is dry, you don't want it to get on your mod podge brush).

Step 2: Press your picture down using a wash cloth. It glides easier and helps you not get the Mod Podge everywhere.

Step 4: Seal the picture by apply the Mod Podge in the same direction over the picture and the edges. It dries clear, and glossy which makes it look great! Here is what mine looked like!

 I love this picture! I am doing two from each of Judah's professional pictures he has had this year at newborn, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months!

See even the least creative people can create some awesome stuff in a short amount of time! I love everything I have done, and I think it has made my rental feel more like a home! Good Luck!