home decor | Like a Saturday - DIY, Crafts, Recipes, Shenanigans

May 13, 2013
by likeasaturday 11 Comments

Craft Caddy : Fun with Washi Tape

Did everyone have a great weekend and a happy Mother’s Day? May always seems to be a month full of celebrating! Graduations, birthdays, weddings, Mother’s Day….so many festivities!

Are there any other washi tape addicts out there? It makes me a little nostalgic of my Lisa Frank days. It’s just so much fun.

{side note : I still have my trapper keeper with this dog and cat wedding on it. It does not get anymore 90′s than that. Lisa Frank? Check. Trapper Keeper? Check. Full of my elementary school drawings and hopes and dreams? Double check.}

{source}

I tried washi out for the first time this past Christmas and added a some red and green tape to our Christmas card envelopes. It was really cute and added a little something special to the plain white envelopes. I hadn’t ever really thought much about washi beyond stationary and gift wrapping, but there is so much you can do with it! I bought a pack from Pick Your Plum a while back, and now I’m trying to washi everything. It’s a disease.

I snatched a metal utensil caddy from Target a few weeks back, thinking it would be a perfect caddy for craft supplies {They have them with the summer picnic supplies in the kitchen section. They had a few other colors as well.}. I’m a mobile crafter. Sometimes you’ll actually find me working in our office/craft space, but more often than not you’ll find me on the couch, on the floor, at the kitchen table…whatever works, yunno? I’m also a messy crafter. It’s pretty much incredible how quickly one spot can explode with hot glue and felt and paper scraps and buttons. And then, suddenly, it’s midnight and my eyes will.not.stay.open and the mess stays while I slip off to dream.

I needed some kind of caddy that I could keep items that are often needed, and also my work in progress. This utensil holder fit the bill perfectly! It is a really good size – it has 3 smaller spots to keep scissors, pens, etc. and then a larger area to keep my masterpiece in progress. I could easily throw my things in here when calling it a night or moving to a new spot.

It just needed a little pizazz! Enter : washi tape. I wanted to add a few stripes of washi around the middle to give it a little color. I started by taping of the top section with masking tape. I did this to help me keep the washi tape straight.

I decided on colors and a pattern and went to town taping, using the masking tape as my guide.

Once I was done taping, I removed the masking tape to reveal my final product.

The entire thing took me no more than 7 minutes, and that was only because I had a dog in my face the entire time. Washi taping is a really quick way to add some quirk and color.

A caddy like this would also work really well for kids’ art supplies or for a homework station. It could easily be stocked with what each child needs and moved out of the way when needed. Colors could be personalized to each child’s preference, and would even be a fun project for them to work on!

Are you a mobile crafter, too? Or do you stick to your desk or kitchen table?

May 8, 2013
by likeasaturday 5 Comments

DIY Garden Hose Hanger {Pinterest Challenge : Spring Edition}

Hi there! I’m excited to be participating in the Pinterest Challenge : Spring Edition with Sherry, Katie, Emily, and Renee! It’s all too easy to pin a million things and never get around to doing it. The Pinterest Challenge is the swift kick in the pants I need sometimes to get to gettin’!

We’ve been doing a lot of work this spring to spruce up the back yard. One thing we were missing was a place to store the garden hose. It was usually stretched over the lawn until it was mowing time and it got tossed on top of my newly planted flower bed. Not cool. I was definitely in need of a solution.

I had pinned these two ideas forever ago. The first from Thistle House and the second from Mini Manor Blog. I was inspired to build my own garden hose hanger. I loved the idea of having a free standing post. I thought it would be prettier than the usual hose holders you can purchase from a home improvement store, and would take up less space.

I stopped by The Home Depot to gather my supplies. I bought a notched 4 x 4 post and a post holder spike deal {that’s a technical term} to hold it in place, and some white spray paint. I already had some double hooks that I bought on clearance from Ikea. They probably wouldn’t be large enough to hold a standard hose, but I ditched my heavy garden hose and bought a pocket hose! It’s one of those “as seen on TV” deals that is actually completely awesome!

I spray painted the post and top of the spike thing white, and then drilled the hooks onto the front. I hammered the spike into the ground and then placed the post. Voila!

I also hung a small galvanized bucket from the bottom hook to hold all of my small hose attachments. I used to just keep them on top of the a/c unit, but they were always getting knocked off and I’d have to dig for them.

It’s so much better than having to pull the hose out of the flower beds! And the light weight, expandable hose has changed my life! I still just need to find a solution to hide the ugly a/c unit.

Ok – Now it’s your turn! What have you pinned that you need to get on already?

May 7, 2013
by likeasaturday 27 Comments

Miniature Terrariums

I told y’all you would see more terrariums, didn’t I? You can’t say I didn’t warn you! Sure enough, after making my first venture into terrarium-hood, I was hooked. I took a different approach this time and made miniature terrariums. These tiny little worlds are so fun and great to scatter here and there around the house.

For the containers, I used rounded votive holders. I bought mine from Hobby Lobby for about 50 cents a piece {on sale}, but I’ve also seen packs of these at the dollar store.

Anytime I’m working with succulents, I always start with a little bit of gravel to help with drainage. They don’t need or like a lot of water, so proper drainage is a must. You can also buy soil specifically for cacti to help with drainage.

Once you’ve got your base, the fun part begins. Ad your tiny succulents, moss, marbles, or other trinkets. Get creative and have some fun with it!

In what ways are you bringing the outdoors in this spring? If you like this, be sure to check out my large scale terrarium and soup can succulents!

I hope your Tuesday is fantastic!

May 6, 2013
by likeasaturday 8 Comments

10 Awesome DIY Mother’s Day Gift Ideas {for the last minute gifter}

So, there’s less than a week until Mother’s Day, and you don’t have a gift for your mom yet. Have no fear! I’ve rounded up 10 easy, DIY Mother’s Day gifts for you last minute gifters. There is something here for all of the moms on your list! Each of these gifts can be finished in an afternoon and for under $30. You can’t go wrong there! Besides, what mom doesn’t love a handmade gift?

1) DIY Ironing Table :

If the mom in your life is crafty or loves to sew or quilt, why not makes things a little easier on her with this DIY ironing table made from a TV tray? This table makes it easy to tackle ironing quilting squares or other sewing projects without having to haul out the ironing board. It’s perfect for having next to your crafting area.

2) A Terrarium

There are so many ways to customize a terrarium to fit your mom’s personality. Get creative with the container you use, or try adding small trinkets. If she loves the beach, add a few seashells. These little worlds are sure to please, and will last much longer than the usual bouquet of roses.

3) Chalkboard Menu

For the mom that loves to cook : help her stay organized with a chalkboard menu.

4) DIY Jewelry Hanger

This DIY jewelry hanger is simple and inexpensive to make. It’s a beautiful way to hang jewelry – art and organization in one!

5) Bake a Cake

As Pedro said, “Build her a cake or something”. Every celebration calls for a little cake! Make her favorite flavor and celebrate how awesome she is! You can find my strawberry cake and cream cheese frosting recipes here.

6) Cupcake Bouquet

Bump that cake up a notch and create a cupcake bouquet! -Stephanie at 52 kitchen adventures has an awesome tutorial on how to create one, and also a great video showing how to frost in a rose pattern.

7) Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods

If you’re wanting to make her a sweet treat, but cake isn’t her thing, try these chocolate dipped pretzel rods. These are super easy to make and the perfect mix of salty and sweet. Sprinkle on her favorite colors before the chocolate dries to add a personal touch.

8) Teacup Candle

I have loved these DIY Teacup Candles that I’ve seen all over Pinterest. These would make a great gift for the mom in your life! Thrift shops, like Goodwill, often have pretty, neglected tea cups that are perfect for a project like this. Createlive has an awesome tutorial on how to make these candles out of old ones!

9) Framed Printable

If you’re looking for a more sentimental gift, take advantage of all of the free printables out in blogland. Print out your favorite, and stick it in a pretty frame. Lovely Living has this sweet Mother’s day subway art available in 4 colors.

Yesterday on Tuesday also has a vintage-inspired printable set for Mother’s Day, including a banner, gift tags, and an “All About My Mom” printable to get the kiddos involved.

10) Yarn Wreath

Make something beautiful for your mother’s home. Create a yarn wreath with felt flowers to brighten up her entry way. There are so many ways to customize these to fit any decor.

For more great ideas, you can visit my Mother’s day Gift Ideas pin board here!

Have a great Monday!

May 2, 2013
by likeasaturday 4 Comments

My New Obsessions : Money Trees and Terrariums

I’m finally figuring out what kind of plants I can have without killing them. It’s an exciting time in the Like a Saturday house. Living plants everywhere! It’s only making me want more! You may remember this little fella…the one I hired to cover up the view of the TV wires.

He has since been fired. We never really got along. I tried my best to nurture the guy, and he just never wanted to be green and lush. To be fair, I never really loved him. I kinda settled for this plant. But now! Now I have my beloved money tree!

This money tree and I shall be the best of plant friends. I will love him, and water him, give him proper sunlight and even talk to him. How can you not, when he has such a lovely braided trunk?

I was pretty thrilled to bring this guy in, and it only made me want to add some more green. I decided to dive into the terrarium trend and try that out. I had an empty vase left over from the tulip bulbs my mother-in-law had give me, and it was just waiting to be home to some living things. I picked up some stones and a bag of a variety of moss at Hob Lob.

I started with a layer of stone….

Then added a good amount of soil…

Next, my other plant love, a few succulents. I ended up just using the hen and chicks. This is also about the time I started screaming at my dog like a raging lunatic as she attacked a baby blue jay. All of my neighbors probably think I’ve lost it…but hey…I have an awesome terrarium and a money tree!

Once I planted the succulents, I added stones and moss to add some more color, visual interest and character. It would also be fun to add a quirky, non-nature item or two. I’m on the hunt for a tiny yard gnome.