Unfinished wood birdhouses are really easy and fun to decorate.   I let my grandkids paint the roof and bottom and since they are going to be covered with scrapbook paper it doesn’t matter if they get paint all over.  There are so many different papers to choose from so you can do almost anything you want.

Step 1.

I turned my grandkids loose and let them paint the tops and bottoms of the birdhouses.  It doesn’t have to be neat because you will be covering the front, back and sides with paper.

Step 2.

Put the paper on the front of the birdhouse and then press around the peg to mark the paper.

Step 3.

Fold the paper over the edges of the birdhouse and crease.  Turn the paper over so the lines will be easier to see and cut out your pieces.

Step 4.

Put the paper on the front of the birdhouse and press down around the holes to make a line for cutting.

Step 5.

Paint the birdhouse, one section at a time, with glue that is thinned down a little with water.  Place the pieces of paper onto the birdhouse and gently press down to smooth out any bubbles.

Step 6.

I cut out birds from scrapbook paper and glued them on the fronts of the birdhouses for a finishing touch. If you want to use them outside you can coat them with a clear polyurathane or something like that.

I had to find a way to secure my cell phone as it charges while keeping it out of the reach of my puppy so I made a pouch that hangs on the wall.  I hung it high enough that Sawyer cannot reach the cord or the phone.  Now if I could only find a way to keep him out of the other stuff he gets into…

Materials

• small piece of fabric (1/4 yard should be enough)
• small piece of heavy weight fusible interfacing
• 1 large eyelet

Step 1.

Make your pattern pieces using these dimensions or you can make it smaller or bigger to fit your phone.

Step 2.

Cut a piece of stiff fusible interfacing to fit pattern piece.  Apply it to the inside of the back piece.

Step 3.

Hem top edge of pocket piece. Put pattern piece back on pocket and use pins to mark where your pleats are going to be.  Fold pleats as shown using pins as a guide and then pin them into place. Stitch them into place using a basting stitch. Remove pins.

Step 4.

Pin pocket to the front piece by placing the inside (wrong side) of pocket on the right side of the front piece. Now place the right side of the back piece on top of the front piece (right sides together) and pin into place.

Step 5.

Start at the bottom and stitch around the edge leaving an opening at the bottom to turn to the outside. I used a half inch seam allowance.

Step 6.

Turn to outside through opening on bottom. Hand stitch bottom closed.

Step 7.

Apply eyelet as shown.

These wine glasses are so easy to make and can be personalized with initials, holiday symbols, or anything you like.  You just need a stencil, spray glass frosting, and the wine glasses. These would be fun to make for birthday parties or other special occasions.

Materials:

• wine glasses (I got these at Wal Mart but you can get great prices on wine glasses at Ikea.)
  
• can of glass frosting spray paint  (You can purchase this at any craft store.)
• tape and plastic wrap
• stencil

Step 1.

Tape stencil to wine glass making sure it lays flat.

Step 2.

Cover the wine glass with plastic wrap taping it securely around the stencil.

Step 3.

Spray the stencil with the frosted glass paint.  Let it dry well before you remove the stencil.

I really love college football so I decided to put my tree up for thanksgiving and decorate it with big orange T ornaments for the rest of the season. These are really easy to make and can be easily adapted to your favorite team.

Materials:

• Wooden letters (I got mine at Hobby Lobby)
• paint
• glitter
  
• cord to hang letters

Step 1.

Spray paint your letters.

Step 2.

Drill a hole in the top of each letter as shown.

Step 3.

Spread glue in letter and then sprinkle with glitter.

Step 4.

Stick a cord through the hole and tie.

I was shopping recently and loved the decorative bathroom towels but the price was more than I’m willing to spend.  I headed over to the craft section of  Wal Mart and found some great ribbon to use as a border and then picked out inexpensive towels and made my own.  This is so easy to do that even a novice seamstress could do it.

Materials:

• towels
• two sizes of ribbon that contrast (The amount you need will depend on the size of your towels and how many you want to make.
  

Step 1.

Pin the wide ribbon onto the border portion of the towel.

Step 2.

Stitch along upper edge of ribbon first.  This edge needs to be done slowly and carefully so it stays even as you sew.  Now stitch along the bottom edge of ribbon.

Step 3

Pin the bottom ribbon along the bottom edge of the wider ribbon. Overlap it slightly.

Step 4.

Stitch along edges of narrow ribbon.  I match up thread color using a color that matches the towel on the bobbin and a color that matches whichever ribbon I’m sewing on the top.  It’s a hassle but it’s worth the trouble because it gives it a finished look.

Material:

• 1 yard of solid color fabric that coordinates with your bed set.
• 1/2 yd of felt
• 1 yard of contrast fabric for back of pillow
• zipper or velcro to fit one end of pillow
• fusing fabric
  

Step 1.

Place a piece of tissue paper over your bed cover on top of the pattern you want to copy. Trace the pattern with a pencil.  You will need to place it on a hard surface to do this.

Step 2.

After you finish tracing your pattern pin the tissue paper to your piece of felt and cut it out.

Step 3.

Pin your felt piece to a piece of fusing fabric. Cut it out being careful to follow your pattern.

Step 4.

Peel the backing off your design piece. Cut your solid piece of fabric to fit the front of your pillow.  Place your design piece of felt onto the fabric.  Using a hot iron press it onto the pillow front using the directions that come with the fusing fabric.

Step 5.

Cut a piece of quilt batting the same size as your front piece and pin the pillow front to the quilt batting.  Hand sew around your felt design catching in the quilt batting and going through the solid color pillow front. This will make your design stand out more.

Step 6.

Cut a piece of  your coordinating fabric the same size as the pillow front. Stitch the front and back together leaving one end open for the pillow. I always finish my edges with a zigzag stitch so they don’t unravel.  You can close the pillow cover with a zipper or with velcro.  Pin your zipper or velcro into place as shown above and stitch.

I made these from some alphabet squares that my daughter was getting rid of.  ( See pictures below) You can make your own by cutting some pieces from a 2×4 and then covering them with some canvas.

Materials:

• If you have any similar blocks you can use them.  If not, just cut some pieces from a 2×4 and then take some lightweight canvas and wrap around the blocks like you’re wrapping a present.  Staple the ends across the back. I will make some soon for another project I have in mind and will do a detailed version at that time.
  
• paint
• stencil

Step 1.

Paint top and sides of blocks and let dry.

Step 2.

Stencil your design on the front of blocks.

Materials:

• two table legs
• package of candle cups ( these can be purchased at almost any hobby or craft store)
• paint and aging varnish
• wood glue
• small squares of wood ( I purchased some of the little squares that are used to frame out windows and can be purchased at Lowes or Home Depot)

I made these candlesticks from some old table legs and some inexpensive candle cups.  It only took a few minutes to make and can be made from any size table legs.  Bigger legs would make great pillar candle holders.

Step 1.

I cut one of my table legs so that I could make two candleholders from it that were different lengths.  I left one of the legs long to make one tall candleholder.

Step 2.

Glue leg onto wooden square with wood glue.

Step 3.

Using wood glue attach candle cup to top of table leg.

Step 4.

Paint the candlesticks and let dry.  If you want to make them look aged lightly sand them to remove a little bit of paint on the edges.  Now take a rag dipped in a dark stain and rub in on the sanded areas.  I usually rub a little all over to give the whole candlestick an overall aged look.

Materials:

• one deep picture frame
• two drawer pills
• paint (base color, crackle glaze, lighter color for topcoat)
• wallpaper or scrapbook paper

This tray is made from a picture frame and some old drawer pulls. I covered the bottom with some old wallpaper from a house I lived in as a child. My mom saved a roll of it  for sentimental reasons and has been carting it around for forty years. I decided if she loved it enough to hang onto it for that long I should do something with it. I remember the night she and my dad hung the wallpaper so I’m sure she will too when she sees it.

Step 1.

If you want a crackle finish you will need to apply a coat of paint that you want for the base coat. Let it dry then apply a coat of crackle glaze. Let it dry and then apply the color you’ve chosen for your top coat.

Step 2.

If your frame has a sturdy backing you can use that but if not you will need to cut one to fit from a thin piece of wood of fiber board. I get mine at Lowes but they sell it at any craft or lumber store.  Cut a piece of wallpaper or whatever you decide to use.  You can glue it on now or wait until you glue  the backing  inside the frame.

Step 3.

Apply glue to the edge of frame as shown.  Press your backing onto the glued edge and weigh it down with something heavy while it dries.

Step 4.

Apply glue to tray bottom and them press wallpaper onto the glue. Smooth it down and after it dries trim edges with a razor blade. I added some gold braid trim to the edge of mine because I wanted to bring out the gold in the wallpaper.

Step 5.

Add drawer handles to both sides of tray.

Materials:

• Cardboard letters
  
• paint
• ribbon

I bought these letters at Hobby Lobby and they were 50 % off so only cost a dollar apiece.  This is a really quick project that adds a nice touch to a childs room but you could also use them to spell out “family” or anything else you can think of.

Step 1.

You will need to cut a small opening in the back of each letter which will be used to tie the ribbon onto the letters after you paint them.   If you’re using letters with two hanging points (such as an H) you will need to cut two openings.

Step 2.

Paint the letters and let them dry.

Step 3.

Poke a hole in the top of each letter as shown.  I used my daughters meat thermometer because the end was pointed  and the perfect circumference for the holes.

Step 4.

Cut 12″ pieces of ribbon.  Put the two ends together as shown and then poke both ends through the hole at the same time.

Step 5.

Pull the ribbon out through the opening and tie a knot in the end. Now pull the ribbon back up through the hole in the top. The knot should hold it in place.