As an aged care nurse in a residential care home, I often step into the role of activities officer when our regular coordinator takes holidays. Knowing I’d be filling in for a full month, I wanted to create something fun, engaging, and interactive for the residents to enjoy. That’s where the idea for this DIY horse racing game came from. It’s inspired by a target shooting game I made in the past, which the residents loved.
This chair makeover was a happy accident that turned into a bold and beautiful experiment. While making a wooden stump lamp, I’d just finished applying varnish when the postie arrived. He delivered a long-awaited package—my blue mica powder for an upcoming epoxy resin project. In my excitement to open it, my knife accidentally sliced a sachet of mica, sending shimmering blue powder flying all over my still-wet varnish.
What happened next was pure magic. The powder bonded to the varnish and created a luminous finish that changed in the light. From that moment, I knew I had to test this shimmer on something else—enter the chair makeover.
I stumbled across a fireworks light bulb while browsing online, and it instantly caught my attention. I loved its colourful, glowing effect and couldn’t resist ordering one. But when it arrived, I quickly realised something disappointing: once placed inside a regular lamp with a lampshade, all the magic was lost.
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.
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.
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!
Vintage display cabinets like curio boxes often pop up on local buy-swap-sell sites, but they can be hard to repurpose. I came across a miniature one recently. It is still in good condition but far too dated to resell as-is. Restoring it wouldn’t have added much value, and these pieces don’t suit most modern homes. But rather than letting it go to the landfill, I saw its potential for something entirely different.
Want a functional way to store firewood with serious rustic charm? This DIY firewood stand uses old wine barrel rings, scrap wood, and sisal rope to create a unique statement piece for your home. It looks great beside a fireplace and doubles as practical indoor wood storage. If you’re like me and have spare barrel bands from previous wine barrel table builds, this is the perfect way to reuse them.
Tired of devices lying everywhere and taking up every power point in your home? That’s exactly why I built this custom DIY phone charging station. With five devices in regular use, I needed one central place to store and charge them without mess, clutter, or tangled cords. After experimenting with a few designs, I created the perfect solution that hides all the cables, accommodates different device sizes, and keeps everything tidy and functional. I think every home could use one of these.
If you’re looking for a practical, budget-friendly way to create furniture for little ones, this project is perfect. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make a toddler chair from recycled materials. I built this sweet little seat using leftover timber from an old desk, repurposed table legs, and reclaimed hardware. It was made to match a sandpit table I created for my great-niece, who loves playing in the sand, just not sitting in it! This upcycled toddler chair keeps her happy, dry, and comfortable while she plays. Plus, it fits neatly under the sandpit table when not in use.
Live edge mirrors are all the rage right now; they’re earthy, stylish, and totally unique. But have you seen the price of those things in stores? I decided to make my own DIY version using mostly recycled and salvaged materials. I found an old, ugly mirror for free on a local marketplace and saw instant potential. It was dated and bland, but with a bit of creativity (and a lot of sawdust), I turned it into a beautiful statement piece using a split log I got for free from a local wood mill. If you love rustic home décor and want a project that mixes woodworking and upcycling, this live edge mirror tutorial is perfect.