Tag Archives: Wood

Wood Stamp Storage and Organization Tips

Wooden stamps have been around a very long time, long before scrapbookers were using them in their albums. So how do you store these little wooden items? It isn’t as cut and dry as the acrylic stamps since wooden stamps tend to take up so much more space, and if you have a lot you are looking at some serious space needs. For years I have been looking for that perfect solution, but long ago I realized that it is totally a personal choice. So what might work for me, might not work for you and so forth. Here is … Continue reading →

Free Wood Pallets

Wood pallets are a great resource that can be had for free and yet used for some many practical applications. Here are some ideas about where you can get free wood pallets and what you can do with them. Wood pallets are used at retail stores and places of businesses to hold goods, usually during shipment. It isn’t cost effective for the owners of the good to send the pallets back to their suppliers, so usually they are just thrown away. This is such a shame, because they can be valuable and save you money. Ask your local home improvement … Continue reading →

New Uses for Old Doors

You read that right, old doors. If you’re like us, you have at some point acquired, sitting out in your garage, an old door or two. And if you don’t, consider yourself lucky, or maybe not once you see what fun things you can do with them. Table My favorite use for an old door is to turn it into a table. You can create craft tables, or use them for when company comes to eat (just set the door on two even items at either end). We created tables for our garage sale out of them by placing two … Continue reading →

Family Key Rack Project

Working on projects as a family is not only fun, it is also a great way to teach kids how to work together. This is a neat project that you and your kids can put together and then hang up to show off. What you will need: Craft wood Sand paper Saw tooth picture hanger Mug hooks (any small, self-drilling hooks) Paint Paintbrush Decorative items or stencils (optional) What you will need to do: 1. When you’re looking for craft wood, check out the many shapes and styles. You can go with a plain, rectangular piece or find a cool … Continue reading →

Firewood 201

I live in the northern part of the United States and currently we have been experiencing winter-like temperatures (surprise, surprise). I don’t know where you live, but I’m freezing. Which is why I decided to blog about firewood. In my previous blog: Firewood 101, I discussed some basic considerations to keep in mind when shopping for firewood. Even if you are no where near the point where you would consider lighting a fire in your fireplace, believe me, your Indian Summer could bottom out before you know it and you too will be longing to get toasty in front of … Continue reading →

Firewood 101

I live in the Great Lakes region of the United States, where the majority of homes have at least one fireplace. This is in stark contrast to the real estate featured in the state where I was born and raised—Hawaii. Needless to say, the only fireplaces I saw there were in books. When I moved to Wisconsin I got a crash course in fireplaces and in firewood. For those of you who buy supermarket bundles and presto-type logs, this blog’s for you: Types of Firewood One of the first things I learned about fireplaces in Midwestern homes is that they … Continue reading →

Crafts for Teens

While teenagers tend to have a lot going on in their lives, they also get bored easily when they don’t have specific plans. These craft projects will help keep teens busy and will allow them to make cool stuff for their rooms. Curling Iron or Hair Straightener Holder Purchase two rectangular shaped potholders. Remove the little loop on the corner of each one, being careful not to split the seam. Place the potholders so the printed sides are facing each other. Start at the top corner and sew down the side, across the bottom, and up the other side. Cut … Continue reading →

Build an Ottoman with Storage

Building an ottoman is as simple as building a wooden box. Cut the pieces to size or have them cut down at the home improvement center. Run a bead of wood glue down the edge of one piece and place another piece snugly against it. Nail the two pieces together. Continue until you have the frame of a box. On the inside, screw “L” brackets into each corner, top and bottom for support. Measure the top opening from the inside edges and cut a piece to fit. This will be the bottom. Cut another piece about one inch larger all … Continue reading →

Three-Dimensional Wooden Artwork

Here are some project ideas using simple painted wooden cutouts and dowel rods to create three-dimensional artwork for your home. Anyone can make these projects, because they can be made from pre-cut wood, if you’re not up to cutting the shapes out yourself. The first one starts with an 18″ length of 1″ x 2″ painted the color of your choice. Next, you will need to paint various sizes and lengths of dowel rods, pulling other colors from the color scheme of the space in which the artwork will appear. Lay the wood flat, and secure the dowel rods to … Continue reading →

Handmade Artwork

Adding your own touches to your decor by creating handmade artwork makes your house feel homey. These ideas work great in any space and they are easy to make. Fabric Patchwork Here is another easy fabric wall hanging, much like the one described in the previous article, Projects from Leftover Fabric. The best part is that this one is even simpler to make. Simply cut squares or rectangles from fabric and attach them in an alternating pattern as shown in the images below. The shapes can be cut from fabric you already have or you can purchase fabric remnants or … Continue reading →