Favorite Buys on Amazon Even if They Aren't on Prime Day Sale!

Amazon Prime Day is known for its incredible deals and irresistible discounts, but there are certain items I'd buy on Amazon even without the allure of a sale. Whether it's because of their exceptional quality, daily utility, or the joy they bring into my life, these products are worth every penny, regardless of any special promotions. From essential gadgets to home comfort items, let's dive into my top Amazon picks that are worth the splurge any day of the year.

0

DIY Projects You Can Tackle Yourself

Whether you’ve just purchased a new home or your home of 10+ years could use some sprucing up, it can be overwhelming sometimes. If the list of house projects is starting to give you anxiety, this is your opportunity to tackle some DIY projects, even if you feel like the least handy person around the home. You don’t need someone to paint your walls or tile a backsplash! With patience and a little time, you can tackle all of these yourself! Making practical and stylish additions to your home can feel intimidating. But these DIY projects are simple enough that you can tackle them yourself!

0

The Best Thrift Shops in Tacoma, Washington

I've been shopping at thrift shops for decades. In a world of fast fashion and disposable trends, I love that there is a shift towards second hand. Not only is it great for the environment, it can also be a great way to save money too. Many of these shops are a fun treasure hunt for one-of-kind pieces while embracing sustainability and maybe getting a deal too! I love exploring the thrift shops in my area and thought this blog post from 2013 needed an update! We will also explore the differences between each of the different retail destinations from resale boutiques to consignment and vintage shops. I'll even share my local favorites. No gatekeeping here! Come along for the ride!

0

How to Make Bohemian Decor Earthy and Modern

You don’t have to be born before the 80’s to be a hippy girl at heart. When it comes to home decor, I love the earthy bohemian look however, my husband prefers a more modern look. As this is our home, I immediately found myself on the hunt for fun ways to combine both our styles under one roof. If you are looking to have a bohemian look while still keeping those modern home decor pieces that your husband insists on, here is how to make bohemian decor earthy and modern.

0

Is Removable Wallpaper Really Removable?

I am no stranger to wallpaper. Some of my earliest DIY memories were of hours spent scraping off layers of wallpaper from the walls in our historic home before I had to use two hands to count my age. It was tedious work. Small chunks of paper would come off and it was the slowest process. If you were lucky, you'd have that one huge strip you'd have to stand back to pull and there would be triumphant cheering. That was the exception, not the rule. So many people my age have similar horror stories where we all promised ourselves "never again". So when wallpaper started making a comeback all of the OG DIY'ers did a collective groan. I heard you. And I did the same. Looking back at the blog post I wrote back in 2019 when I shared this post "Is Removable Shiplap Wallpaper the Right DIY Project For My Home?" by the end, you can sense my hesitation to jump on the wallpaper bandwagon. I think my final recommendation was "eh". 
Just last week, as we prepared for a remodel project, I took down the removable wallpaper from our downstairs half bath. I was bracing for the worst and hoping for the best. I'm going to do my best to answer one of the BIGGEST questions I get from this post and I'm going to share the answer to, is removable wallpaper really removable. Brace yourself. You aren't going to believe the answer!

0

Fixer Upper Decor for Less on Amazon

Who doesn’t love the classic Joanna Gaines’ inspired fixer upper style? We all want that timeless farmhouse decor that you see on her show, but it’s easier to get than you think. You don’t need to go all the way to Magnolia Market in Waco to get these great Fixer Upper finds. Here are my favorite Fixer Upper Decor for less on Amazon.

0

How To Decorate Your Home for Free

If you have just moved into a new place or you are looking for ways to redecorate your home, you don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of new decor pieces and furniture. There are plenty of creative ways to use what you already have on hand or create something with materials to create a fresh and updated look for your space. Here is how to decorate your home for free.

0

Creating Boho Bedroom Decor with the Cricut Explore Air 2

This post is brought to you by Cricut. All opinions are 100% my own.
We are in a transition phase of our life where we have more bedrooms that are empty than full. We've got young adults who are moving out on their own {and even buying their own houses!} and while I've had a few naysayers tell me to save room because "they'll be back," I'm pretty sure the only time the big kids of mine will be back is to visit. I recently transformed one of the kids' bedrooms into a boho guest room using my Cricut Explore Air 2, and it's slowly becoming my favorite room of the house. I didn't have a huge budget to work with, but it's easy to DIY on the cheap making something custom you love using the Cricut.

0

Must-Have Thrift Store Decor Finds to Create with the Cricut Explore Air 2

This post is brought to you by Cricut. All opinions are 100% my own. 
You all know how much I love a good thrift store! Shopping second-hand is like a fun treasure hunt for me and I'm always taking the time to dig for that diamond in the rough. I love reimagining something that someone has had stopped finding joy in, and give it that spark again. I also like the price tag! I can usually DIY something with my Cricut and some imagination for a fraction of the price of something I could find retail. And there's something about taking someone's trash and making it into a treasure that is part of the real fun for me. Unique bespoke items are kind of the norm at a thrift shop, which sometimes makes it hard for me to share a project and for you all to feel like you could recreate a piece, but I have found through decades of thrift store shopping that there are a handful of staple items you'll always find easily second-hand. I'm sharing those items with you and giving you a few ideas on how you can upcycle them using your Cricut Explore.

0

DIY Painted Wood Bead Garland

When it comes to home decor, DIY is my middle name! I think it's because so often when I was younger, my mom and I would be shopping and she'd always say to me, "you could make that"! {Side note, also one of the worst things you can mention out loud at a craft fair to the vendor.} I always liked the challenge of creating something and making it my own. This mostly came out of being thrifty but it also comes out of some weird calming effect the art of mass-producing things gives me. I've seen these painted wood bead garlands all over the place, from the shelves at Magnolia Market, to the baskets at the local hobby shops. I thought I'd try my hand at making them and am sharing how you can do it too! Let's go and make some DIY painted wood bead garland!

Speaking of Magnolia Market, here are 5 things you need to know before you visit!

0

DIY Geometric Feature Wall on Textured Walls

When we moved into our current home ten years ago, there was one kid's room that was quite a bit bigger than the rest. Since our kids are far enough apart in grade and age that they just kind of trickle out, we decided to let each kid have a turn in that room, starting with the oldest. It's seen a little bit of rock n' roll for our musical oldest and then transitioned to a grey and glam bedroom for our daughter and for the past year, our youngest son has anticipated his sister moving out and has been formulating a plan for the day the room would be his! I mentioned one day that I think it would be cool to put in a geometric feature wall and he agreed! So I'm sharing how we changed a very girly glam room into a masculine teen boy room with some boards on the wall!

0

DIY Removable Vinyl Wallpaper made with the Cricut Joy

I have one space in my home that is solely my own. I don't have to share the space with anyone and other people's personal effects rarely creep into it. It's my master bedroom closet. It's been my favorite part of the house since we moved in and it's seen its fair share of transformation through the years. This latest transformation is one of my favorites. It's an idea I've had brewing and am so glad I was able to make it come to fruition. When I got my Cricut Joy earlier this year, I have been calling it my small but mighty crafting tool. This little workhorse was all I needed to create a HUGE transformation in my favorite space. And I did it in a flash!

I made my own DIY removable repeat pattern vinyl "wallpaper" with the Cricut Joy and it's something awesome. I mean, flamingos. Come on. Keep reading and see how easy it is to make a complete transformation of your space and quickly and easily personalize just about anything {including your walls!}, with the Cricut Joy.

0

6 Simple Ways to Add Fixer Upper Style to Your Home This Fall

Adding seasonal décor to your home is a great way to update the look of each room without completely redecorating. And the fall is the perfect excuse to add a little bit of Fixer Upper style to your house! From natural touches to rustic finds, adding farmhouse style to your home is so easy. Here are six simple ways to add Fixer Upper style to your home this fall.

0

Simple Paint Update on Fireplace Finials

I've been trying to inspire my readers for years to think outside of the box and look at how something old and dated that would otherwise be cast off, could up be upcycled to fit into your home. Not only is it a good way to use what you have or even to pick up something for a deep discount at a thrift shop or garage sale, but it also keeps more waste out of landfills. I found these two large wooden finials at a garage sale this past summer and knew a coat of paint would do them a world of good. Sometimes, that's literally all it takes to update an item. I'm hoping that this post will inspire you to think outside of the box and pick up something you would otherwise consider dated and give it a transformation with some paint, just like I did with these fireplace finials. 

1

Is Removable Shiplap Wallpaper the Right DIY Project for Your Home? An Honest Opinion on the Whole Process

I love shiplap. I loved shiplap before it was a household word. I loved shiplap before I knew it had a name and people like Joanna Gaines started throwing it up left and right. I grew up in a home built in 1860. It's probably what gave me my love of old houses. I love the character and the charm of an old home. My husband, not so much. I've been begging for years to put shiplap up on a wall to which the response I always get is, why would you nail boards to the wall? I finally hit a weak moment and decided to stop thinking about it and just try a little shiplap alternative with some peel and stick textured shiplap wallpaper from Target. I'm giving my honest opinion on how I feel about it and if I'd do it again. Maybe you are considering putting up shiplap wallpaper. Is shiplap wallpaper right for your home? Read on.

2

Easy Paint Projects to Update Your Home Decor

You don't need me to tell you how much paint can transform your home. Paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to give your space an update, but it's not just limited to your four walls, my friends. Nope, you can use paint to update your home decor and create a space that is full of personality and style all without spending a whole lot of money while doing it. Now that is my kind of update! 

1

DIY Upcycle A Large Chalkboard Sign for Under $10!

My spell checker doesn't like the word upcycle, but it's one of my favorite words in all of my vocabulary. I had to look up the definition of upcycle because I wanted to make sure it wasn't just a word I made up and was hoping it would catch on. It's not. Upcycle: also known as creative reuse {side note, love that!}, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality {yep and yep} or for better environmental value. 

To be totally honest, the reason I upcycle is because I'm cheap. The environmental benefit {less waste in the landfill yadda yada} is just a good side effect of my cheapness. It's why I cloth diapered my kiddos. But I digress... This DIY upcycled chalkboard sign. It's huge. Like really big and I made it for under $10. If you want the real total it was really only $2, but I'm thinking if you want to make something similar, I would venture to guess that I could steer you in the right direction and you could DIY a large {and I'm telling you this is like 8-year-old child sized} chalkboard for under $10. Want to know how? Keep reading!

1

How to Make a Large Frame Wood Sign for Under $10!

My favorite projects are always upcycled projects. If you've been reading along for any length of time this wouldn't be a surprise to you. It's part me being super cheap and part resourcefulness. I've always had a knack for being able to see something in a different way. Back when I started to DIY and craft Martha Stewart was big on the scene. I remember one time feeling inspired to create something she had shown on her show only to be disappointed that my limited budget couldn't {and didn't want to!} afford the supplies. I tweaked the project idea Martha Stewart had featured and used supplies I had on hand. The project didn't turn out exactly how Martha Steward had shown, but it had a Rachel flare to it that I liked better. 

I'm sure this is my own memory but it's my memory {and my blog, so roll with me}. One of the projects I remember reading about in the Martha Stewart magazine I flipping through at the library pre-thanksgiving the first year after I got married, had a project that required picking berries and then using them to create a dye that you would then use to color the tablecloth that you hand-stitched. I'm not kidding. I was crafty and resourceful but I wasn't crazy! And that's why I try to focus on real projects here.

It's why the final part of my tagline is real projects {real people, real projects, real life!}. I don't want you to feel like you can't make something. I never want you to feel limited based on your abilities or in your access to materials or heck, even intimidated by the process. The crafts and DIY projects I share are one-of-a-kinds, but they should also help you feel inspired to create your own, one-of-a-kind project using similar items, like this large wood frame sign. I see these all the time at thrift stores and garage sales so I know you have too. And if you don't shop second hand we can't be friends you might just have something similar hiding in storage.  Here's how I made a large frame wood sign for under $10 from an ugly castoff.

0

DIY Metallic Mirrored End Table

I've been slowly putting together my teen daughters room. She loves metallics and silver and all things glam. I've shared several DIY projects from the room from the wallpaper to the tufted headboard to the painted bench at the end of her bed, but now I'm going to show you the metallic mirrored inlay end table I just made this week. She's been loving all of the mirrored dressers and tables we see but they are a little out of the budget. I finally found a solution and managed to make a similar mirrored table for a fraction of the price {under $20 to be exact!}.  It was an easy DIY project that I completed in a day and you can too! Come check out how I did it!

0

DIY Flocked Christmas Tree Using Supplies from the Dollar Store

Being from the midwest I am a fan of a white Christmas. It doesn't happen often around here, but I love it when it does. Couple that with childhood memories of a sweet flocked Christmas tree that was deemed "the kid tree" and I decided to try my hand at flocking my own tree this year. I walked into the local Dollar Tree {you all know how much I love that store!} and picked up all the supplies I needed for under $5. I think the end result is pretty spectacular! Keep reading to get the full tutorial on how to flock an artificial Christmas tree using supplies from the dollar store.

Don't miss my whole series on What Not to Buy at the Dollar Store

1