Every year, our small town runs a Christmas light competition. Homes light up the streets, and many displays raise money for local charities. It’s a magical time and one of our favourite traditions.
My sister joins the competition each year, and this time she wanted something a little different — a giant “Santa Stop Here” sign for her front yard. The store-bought versions were all too small. So, she asked me to build her a custom sign.
Working in a residential care home for the elderly, one thing I’ve learned is that routines and visual cues are incredibly important. Many of our residents live with dementia or memory loss, while others simply lose track of the day from time to time. We’re often asked, “What day is it today?” more times than you’d expect. I wanted to create something practical yet beautiful—a large perpetual calendar that could be clearly seen from across the room and help residents stay oriented.
Working with Unicorn SPiT Gel Stain & Glaze had been on my wishlist for a long time. After seeing it used on countless DIY sites I follow, I was itching to give it a go. My very generous husband treated me to the full colour range, and from the moment it arrived, I was on the lookout for the perfect piece to experiment on. Since I was new to Unicorn SPiT, I wanted to start small. What really caught my attention was how the wood grain stays visible through the stain, creating a beautiful layered effect.
If you love a tidy desk and a bit of gamer-style ambience, this DIY LED Headphone Stand with Perspex Glow is a winner. I first built a simple stand for my husband’s headset; this version takes it up a notch with remote-controlled LED lights that plug into your computer via USB. The layered wood and Perspex create a gorgeous edge glow so your headphones look like they’re floating—day or night.
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll know that most of my projects are made using recycled materials, and wood is no exception. I hate wasting even the smallest offcut. So when my scrap wood pile starts to get out of hand, I like to come up with quick and useful ways to put it to good use. That’s how this DIY Wooden Planter Made from Scrap Wood came to life. It’s a simple project that’s perfect for beginners, and a great way to turn leftover timber into something beautiful and practical for the garden. I made mine to display my succulents, but you can easily adjust the size to suit your own plants and space.
Every bride dreams of looking beautiful on her wedding day—but comfort matters just as much. When my daughter got married, her reception was held on a cruise showboat on Sydney Harbour. She was nervous about tripping in high heels on a moving boat. Not one for fancy footwear, she also knew her sparkly bridal vision didn’t suit stilettos.
There’s something special about bringing vintage furniture back to life. I found this antique rocking chair on a local buy, swap and sell group for just $25. The shape and detail caught my eye immediately. I already had some leftover fabric from a previous project, so this felt like the perfect opportunity to practice and improve my furniture restoration skills without spending much.
When a friend asked if I could restore his office desk, I hesitated. Most of my DIY projects use recycled or rescued furniture, where mistakes are part of the charm. But this time, I had to work with someone else’s professional piece—and that meant getting it right. In this post, How to Restore a Leather Top Desk, I’ll show you the challenges I faced and the solutions I used to breathe life back into this tired piece.
If you’ve never tried Unicorn Spit Stain and Glaze, you’re seriously missing out on one of the most vibrant and fun crafting products out there. This non-toxic, gel-based stain can be used on wood, metal, glass, plastic, ceramic, and more. While it’s often used for colourful wood finishes that let the grain shine through, my favourite way to use Unicorn Spit is on glass, and now, plastic Christmas baubles!
With the rise of USB drives, memory cards, and streaming services, CDs and DVDs have quickly become relics of the past. These days, most of us are downloading or live-streaming our favourite music and movies. So, if your home is anything like mine, you’ve probably got a dusty stack (or several) of old discs just lying around.
As someone who loves crafting with recycled materials, I couldn’t bring myself to toss them in the bin. So, I did what many crafters do when looking for inspiration—I went straight to Pinterest. I stumbled upon a beautiful mosaic birdbath project made from broken CDs and DVDs and instantly fell in love. However, it felt a little ambitious for my first try, so I decided to start with something smaller and more manageable: a custom house number plaque.
If you’re wondering how to build a target shooting game that’s simple, fun, and engaging for seniors, this DIY project is perfect. As an aged care nurse, I often step in as the activities officer when our regular coordinator is on holiday. During one of those times, I decided to create a homemade target shooting game for the residents in our aged care home. It turned out to be a big hit!
One fun way to join in the Halloween spirit is by making your own DIY LED Halloween shadow box, which doubles as both a decorative piece and a glowing signal to little trick-or-treaters that you’re ready with treats. It’s a simple and fun Halloween craft project that’s perfect for adults and families alike, and ideal for lighting up a window or entryway.
