This DIY Shou Sugi Ban picture frame marries the ancient Japanese art of wood charring with my love of the South African bush. After discovering the technique on Pinterest, I couldn’t resist giving it a go, even as a complete beginner. I kept things simple; I chose a Shou Sugi Ban picture frame as my first project. I used dramatic burnt timber to frame a ‘Walking in Savannah’ canvas sponsored by Photowall, bringing my bedroom to life.
DIY Upcycled Toddler Craft Table with Storage turned an old veneer table into an art station that my great‑niece loves. The craft desk offers a dedicated spot for all her art supplies, keeping the mess contained in one area. A built‑in kraft paper roll lets her draw or paint, then tear off the used sheet for a fresh canvas. I also added a whiteboard for her felt‑pen sketches and a play‑dough station that keeps squishy dough off the carpet.
DIY Shou Sugi Ban House Numbers with Unicorn Spit Stain merges the time‑honoured Japanese wood‑burning method with vivid Unicorn Spit colour to create a truly eye-catching outdoor sign. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to craft a wooden house number with a Shou Sugi Ban textured finish and single‑colour stain that reveals stunning colour variations—perfectly suited to modern rustic décor.
In this DIY Resin Bowl: Shape Resin Around a Wooden Stump tutorial, I’ll guide you through moulding colourful epoxy resin into a unique bowl that hugs a wooden base. Our International Bloggers Club challenged us to work with resin, and although my first bowl’s colour didn’t excite me, the technique inspired this project. Choose your pigments and create a bespoke bowl that suits your style.
Workshop benches bursting with free timber offcuts left me with barely any room to work. To clear the clutter, I designed the DIY Black and White Recycled Wooden Wall Hanging. Using every scrap of wood, I crafted and assembled each layer by hand, improvising shapes for a one‑of‑a‑kind effect. Painting contrasting black and white stripes across the recycled pieces added a fresh, modern twist. This simple but creative project didn’t just reclaim my workspace—it turned scrap into sustainable art.
In this DIY Boho Mixed Media Cow Skull Wall Art Tutorial, I got a Facebook message one day from a friend asking if I could breathe new life into a couple of sun‑dried cow skulls. It sounded odd until I remembered the Instagram‑worthy painted skulls I’d seen on Pinterest. As much as I love painting walls and furniture, detailed skull art was new territory—yet my knack for mixed media transformed a rustic skull into a fashion‑forward statement perfect for a boho‑style home.
From the moment I imagined my Cast in Concrete: DIY Zen Garden Decor, a peaceful accent gracing my yard, I knew I wanted a splash of colour and a reflective focal point. My new puppies, however, had other ideas—excavating every flower bed until nothing remained but bare soil. Instead of despairing over their enthusiastic digging, I decided to harness the chaos and create a small, vibrant structure crowned with a gleaming silver orb to catch the sun’s rays and restore harmony to my yard.
As a self‑taught DIY enthusiast with a passion for learning how to restore an antique dresser, I’ve built many pieces of furniture by improvising rather than following plans, because sometimes creativity thrives in chaos. While I lack formal training, I have a knack for spotting hidden potential where others see only rubbish.
Old study desks seem to have lost their charm in today’s market—they’re bulky, outdated, and often hard to sell. But with a little creativity, they can be turned into something both beautiful and practical. When my daughter recently bought herself a “beauty bar” (as they’re commonly called here in Australia), it sparked an idea. I had an old desk sitting in storage, and rather than let it go to waste, I decided to give it a new life. In this post, How to Repurpose an Old Desk into a Makeup Table/Vanity Table, I’ll show you how I transformed that tired old piece into a stylish and functional vanity that neatly stores all your beauty products in one organised space.
When my daughter moved into her new home on a tight budget, she needed furniture for four bedrooms, and new pieces weren’t an option. That’s why transforming an old headboard with a DIY geometric design became the perfect solution. In just one day, I turned a discarded four-poster bed headboard into a modern masterpiece that instantly elevated her master bedroom’s style and saved us hundreds of dollars.
I’m thrilled to share my Personalised PVC Pipe Photo Planters project, which earned runner-up honours in a recent PVC pipe challenge on the instructable website I regularly contribute to. Inspired by my great-niece’s enthusiasm for watering plants—and her sometimes overly enthusiastic approach—I crafted these upcycled succulent pots for her to call her own. Each planter features her adorable photo, making it easy for her to identify and care for her plants while adding a charming touch to our garden.
