Want to turn heads with a show-stopping, steampunk-inspired display? In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make feather angel wings using real feathers, recycled materials, and basic tools. These shapable wings were designed to complete my steampunk mannequin makeover, but they’d be perfect for cosplay, costume parties, or mixed-media art installations.
If you’re an artist, crafter, or DIY enthusiast, you’ll know the frustration of searching for the right paintbrush in the middle of a project. Brushes get lost in drawers, tossed in baskets, or buried under other supplies. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a DIY wooden paint brush holder that keeps every brush organised and easy to reach. Not only does it save time, but it also looks stylish on your desk or craft table.
This week’s International Bloggers Club challenge was “Hang Her Up”, and for my project, I decided to make 3D wooden wall art from a recycled 4×4 fence post. This project is simple to build but gives an optical illusion effect that truly messes with your eyes when you look at it. The best part? You can hang it vertically or horizontally to suit your wall space.
This week’s project was a special request from my daughter, who asked me to make a porch welcome sign for her front door. As a passionate dog lover and owner of four very excitable pups, she wanted something that reflected her furry family. I decided to create a custom porch sign with a silhouette for each of her dog breeds, using my Cricut vinyl cutting machine.
A new year means fresh challenges for our International Bloggers Club (IBC), and our first theme of the year is “Pallet Parade.” With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make a rustic pallet wood heart. To give it a fun twist, I used the leftover scraps to create a pair of quirky wooden robots, turning the project into a charming and unique wall hanging.
If you’re always misplacing your keys, this DIY telephone key rack is the perfect solution. Instead of leaving keys scattered around the house, I created a one-of-a-kind key organiser using an old replica telephone and a keepsake box. What started as an idea for a lamp turned into a unique vintage-style key rack that keeps our keys neat and in one place. This project is part of the International Bloggers Club (IBC) monthly challenge, where the theme was “phone décor.”
A few months ago, I posted wooden wall art panels with a distinctive abalone/snake skin effect I discovered by accident. The project quickly became one of my most popular—so many lovely compliments, though a few readers said it looked too hard. I found it easy, just very time-consuming. Today, I’m sharing how I halved the work by using a gouge ball to create this Shou sugi ban wall art.
Bird strikes and bumped noses be gone—this month’s (IBC)International Bloggers Club theme is “glass etching”, and I’m tackling it with DIY sea glass “etched glass” sliding door safety decals that look professionally sandblasted but take minutes with a Cricut. After a recent window-cleaning session left my slider crystal clear (too clear for one poor bird), I finally cracked open the sea glass etch vinyl I’d been saving and created large, elegant decals that make the door visible without blocking the view.
My mischievous Jack Russell “terrorists” inspired this week’s project: Upcycle a Bamboo Steamer into a Macramé Wall-Mounted Toilet Roll Holder. Our toilet rolls used to sit on a floor pole—easy pickings! Moving the spare rolls onto the wall solved the problem, and a big bamboo steamer made the perfect, budget-friendly base. The basket looked plain at first, so I gave it a quick macramé rope makeover. The result is a tidy, dog-proof toilet roll holder that looks like it floats on the wall.
If you follow my blog, you will know that besides DIY, I also love creating mixed media assemblage art. I am always on the lookout for interesting items that can be turned into unique home décor pieces by giving them a mixed media makeover. On a recent visit to my local markets, I came across a quirky jelly bean dispenser in a junk box. The moment I saw it, I knew this jelly bean dispenser was destined for a steampunk makeover. With a bit of imagination, embellishments, and paint, I transformed this ordinary piece into a statement steampunk jelly bean dispenser that looks right at home on a bar counter.
They have done it again! My two mischievous Jack Russell terriers managed to knock over one of my favourite pots, leaving me with a broken terracotta pot. Instead of tossing it out, I decided to transform it into a beautiful DIY planter. This repurposed terracotta pot was the perfect do-over project for our latest Do It Over Designers Blog Hop, where bloggers share upcycling and recycling ideas. If you’ve ever had a plant pot break, you’ll see how easy it is to turn it into a stunning garden feature.
Besides my love for DIY projects, I’m also passionate about mixed media art. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create hot glue gun wall art on canvas, using recycled materials, metallic paints, and wax pastes to bring out stunning textures. The beauty of this project is that it doesn’t require advanced artistic skills—just a hot glue gun, a few basic supplies, and some creativity. Once the metallic wax is applied, all the hidden details come alive, turning a simple canvas into striking wall décor.
