Tag Archives: diy blogger

How to Upgrade Cabinets for Under $15 | DIY

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As many of you know our family appeared on HGTV’s House Hunters earlier this year. When we began filming we weren’t even close to being ready to move in. While we were still prepping, I was able to knock out small projects that were fun, easy to do and inexpensive. Let’s be real, renovations are not cheap so I was definitely looking for projects that would make a real impact for not a lot of cash.

This easy DIY helps you provide a serious upgrade to your cabinets that are easy to change anytime you want. Our home was built in the 1920’s so everything isn’t perfect but it will last forever. Our cabinets don’t have backing so to spice it up a bit I created patterned backings to make the bare wall look amazing. To start gather large card board boxes, scissors, fabric of your choice, a tape measure and a hot glue gun.

  1. Measure the length and width of the inside of your cabinets.
  2. Once you have those measurements, cut out card board pieces in the exact measurement and shape of you cabinets.
  3. Take your fabric and make sure too cut a section that will cover the front of the card and slightly fold over the edges and corners.
  4. Use your hot glue gun to glue the fabric to the card board on all four sides and let it cool.
  5. Carefully insert the covered part so that your fabric is visible inside the cabinet.
  6. Press it firmly into the back of the cabinet until its snug.
  7. Repeat these directions until you cover all or part of your backings.

I hope you found this cabinet upgrade simple to do. It can pack a real punch in an otherwise ugly or boring cabinet. Leave me a comment and upload photos to show me how this easy DIY worked for you. Enjoy!

House Hunters Episode Information

Yarn Earring DIY

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Ready for another fabulously easy fashion DIY? Well these beautiful yarn earrings cost next to nothing and take about 15 minutes to make. The great thing about them is that they are so easily customizable. You can make them in any color yarn comes in to match any style. I know y’all would expect me to go for black and white yarn so I went for the opposite just to spice it up. Light, bright and contrasting colors look best for these earrings. The only materials you need are yarn, scissors, and jewelry wire.

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Materials: Yarn, scissors, and jewelry wire.

1. To begin take one color of your yarn and cut 8 equal pieces that are about 7 inches long each. 

2. Take your jewelry wire and cut about 7-8 inches from the roll. Gather the 8 pieces of yarn together and wrap the wire around the center section of the bundle of yarn. Leave the left over wire sticking up in the center. That will become the part that goes in your ear. 

3. Take the next color of your yarn and from left to right start wrapping it around the wire to cover it. When you first begin wrap the yarn directly on top of itself so that it doesn’t unravel. 

4. Once all the wire is covered hold both bundles of yarn together and wrap around both of them to create a circular loop at the top. 

5. Continue to wrap the yarn around both ends until you like the amount of color showing in the earring. 

6. To end it, tie a loop pull it and repeat the loop one more time. 

7. Cut the access yarn from the earring and at this time of you want the hanging strands to be a bit more even you can trim them as well. 

8. Lastly, take the remaining wire and bend it to the desired length and cut off any access wire. 

Done!! I hope you enjoyed this fashion DIY, leave me a comment about how you may style these cool yarn earrings. Enjoy! 

DIY Statement Necklace

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You should give this DIY statement necklace a try because it’s easy, beautiful, cheap (free) to make, bold, and super comfortable! You know I’m all about comfort. The necklace is made from cotton so it fits my life. Lol

Materials

  1. T-Shirt yarn
  2. scissors
  3. clips (binder clip, paper clip)
  4. Needle and thread

 

My inspiration for this necklace came from the skirt that Lupita Nyongo is wearing in her recent Instagram post.

 

 

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If you’re not sure how to make t-shirt yarn check out my How to Make T-Shirt Yarn instructions.

Start with your t-shirt yarn and decide how long you want the  necklace to be. [Tip: Go for longer pieces because once everything is sewn together it will appear much shorter] Cut the yarn about 1/3 longer than you want it to be. Braiding it will make the length a bit shorter. Cut 2 more equal length pieces of yarn for the braid. (3 total)

Get a clip ready and be sure your pieces of yarn are facing the same direction as pictured above.

Clip the 3 pieces together with your binder clip.

Gently braid the 3 pieces until you reach the end. Don’t pull the yarn too tight because it will result in a very thin braid and you want it to be thicker.

Repeat the same process 3 more times making each braid shorter in length each time.

One side of the braid will look simple and the other side will look more intricate because of the rolling of the fabric. Decide which side you want to appear in front and flip it over. You are going to want to sew the side that will be unseen.

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When you sew down the loose ends it’s best to do so by layer, sewing one strand of the braid down at a time. It will look messy underneath but the visible side will look awesome.

Start with the 2 longest braids. Center the shorter braid in the middle of the longest braid. Use a thread color that is close to the fabric color. Thread your needle and tie of the end with a simple knot. Remove your clip from the shorter braid and overlap the loose ends onto the longest braid. Use a simple “over and under” stitch to connect the braid together at the edges where they meet. The trick to making it look seamless in being careful not to sew into the front side of the braid. Since the fabric is rolled there is lots of wiggle room.

Be careful to keep the “U” shape as you connect the braids.

 

Repeat this same process for the last two braids. Remember to sew close to the edge where the braids meet. To connect the back of the necklace simply remove the clips, overlap the ends and do a few neat stitches on the underside that won’t be shown. No clasp needed! Just put it on like a t-shirt.

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Done! People are going to want to know where you got your necklace from. Smile and tell them it’s a hand made original. Enjoy!

 

DIY T-Shirt Yarn

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I’m beyond excited about a DIY statement piece necklace that I made for FREE! Yes, FREE!!!! All I used was scissors, a t-shirt my husband didn’t want anymore, a needle and thread. I made the statement piece necklace from t-shirt yarn so in this post I will show you how to make T-shirt yarn. Once you have t-shirt yarn the possibilities are endless. You can make so many different things with it and its free or cheap. Just tell your friends and family to give you any of their unwanted t-shirts:-)


If your t-shirt has any graphics on it that you don’t want on the yarn just cut below it to separate that portion of the shirt from the rest. You will be left with a “tube” that will become your t-shirt yarn.

 

Lay the tube flat, pick a starting point and cut up and parallel to the opening. I chose to make my strip about 1 1/2 inches wide to ensure that my yarn will be thick enough to craft with.

Continue to cut parallel until you run out of t-shirt.

Lastly, pull the strip taut to encourage it to roll over on to itself and not fray.



Easy enough right?!?! Stay tuned for the statement piece necklace. Enjoy!

Easy No Fuss DIY Head Wrap

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Who else adores head wraps but are a little intimidated by how to actually do the wrap? (Me!!!) I mean, they are so cute, very stylish, and can fix a bad hair day like non other. I decided to fix that problem for free by making this no fuss DIY head wrap from a T-shirt that I got from my husband. (Go Rockets!) This size is a mens extra large.

 If the T-shirt has any print on it just cut below it to detach the solid color from the top of the shirt. That amount also happens to be the ideal amount of shirt I needed for my hair wrap.
 Once you have cut the bottom portion completely off you should be left with a “tube” that will become your new no fuss head wrap.


You can wrap your hair 3 different ways and even make a mini infinity scarf with your “tube”.

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  1. Mini Infinity Scarf– Place the tube around your neck and loop it 1 time. Adjust the length as desired. 

2. High Knot– Place the tube around your head.Lay it flat around the back of your head and pull the length up. Twist it in one direction to create a “rope”. Coil the rope around itself and tuck in the end.

3. Crown Wrap-Place the tube around your head and loop it 2 times. Lay the first layer flat and gather the other top layer near your forehead to form a “rope” or crown.

  

  

4. Low Knot-Place the tube around your head.Lay it flat around your forehead and pull the length down. Twist it in one direction to create a “rope”. Coil the rope around itself and tuck in the end.

I hope you like this simple but useful DIY. Leave a comment and post pictures of your version of he head wrap. Enjoy!

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