diy projects Archives - Darling Darleen

Heart Shape Flower Box

DIY Heart-Shape Flower Box

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and you know roses are the way to a girl’s heart and a sign of love and friendship. I’m such a sucker for flowers and always love receiving and giving them! So I was looking for something extra special to make to give to my love ones for Valentine’s Day. This DIY heart-shape flower box is just the one that I know my girls will love or even a friend who needs a little cheering up over the love holiday. If you are planning a Galentine’s breakfast or even just a romantic evening with your lover, these heart-shape flower box would also make a perfect centerpiece. So many fun ideas.

Supplies:

Heart Shape Box or Paper Mache box (spray paint for desired color)

floral wet foam

wax paper

fresh flowers

scissors

knife

Take your foam block, using your knife cut it about 1.5″ thick. Then use the bottom of the heart box to cut the foam in the shape of the heart. I had to use two 1.5″ foam blocks to get the entire shape of the heart. Don’t worry if it is not perfect. You just need a general heart shape.

2. Put your foam blocks in water and let it soak for a bit. While it is soaking, take wax paper and cut the width of the box. Gradually push it down to fully cover the bottom and the sides of the heart shape box, while making sure the paper doesn’t tear or rip. You may have some extra paper hanging over the sides. I just cut the paper with scissors around the shape.

3. Gently place the wet floral foam blocks in the heart-shape box, making sure the bottom is fully covered. You can add additional water in the box at this time.

4. Next is the fun part, adding the flowers. Simply trim and push the stems in the wet foam block. Start on the edge and work your way to the middle of the box. My boxes used about 10 stem roses. If you’d like put the top on the box, then make sure to cut the stems short so the flower heads are below the top of the box. I kept my longer because I am using them more for display and wanted the flower heads peeking out. If you are planning to give them away, add a ribbon around the box and flowers!

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How to Make a Maypole

How To Make a Maypole

May Day is just around the corner (May 1st), and is a traditional Spring holiday in many European countries in celebration of Spring through dance. Learn how to make a Maypole for your May Day festivities. Usually we go around on May Day and hang a bouquet of flowers on neighbors’ door knobs. And this year, I thought it would be fun to dance around a maypole! The maypole dance is not just for May Day. It can be celebrated all throughout spring and into summer. How fun would it be to have a maypole at a Mother’s Day tea party or a summer picnic or a little girl’s garden birthday party? Children (or mamas) can dance around the pole, braiding the ribbon by going under each other, over each other or cross each other’s path. I will show you an easy way on how to make a maypole that will last for many summer parties to come.

Supplies for How to Make a Maypole

Two wooden dowels-1 1/4″ x 72 ”

Drill

Afloral assorted silk flowers–the flowers I used were mini silk ranunculus bush, magnolia silk bush in blush, waxflower spray in white and mauve pin and 25″ ranunculus spray pink

1 x dowel screw

Round wooden rosette with blunt screw

12 rolls of assortment of silk ribbon 1″

staple gun

wood glue

hot glue

hand saw

Instructions for How to Make a Maypole

1. Take your wooden dowels and drill a hole, slightly less than the diameter of your dowel screw, through the center of the top of the dowel on one side of each wooden dowel.

2. Squeeze wooden glue in one of the drilled holes. Then take the dowel screw and screw it in the dowel all the way. Let it dry for a few hours so the screw will be firm in the dowel, preferably 24 hours. When you assemble to poles, you will screw the dowel with the screw into the other drilled hole on the other dowel. Once assembled, the pole will be about 12 feet tall. This will make it easy to transport the maypole and take your maypole dancing to the park, friend’s backyard or any open grassy area.

3. Take the other wooden dowel that does not have the dowel screw in it. The opposite end of the drilled hole, use your saw to shave down the edges to make it have a point or a V-shape so it will be easy to hammer the pole into the ground.

3. Now take the other wooden dowel that does have the dowel screw in it and drill another hole on the opposite side. Put wood glue in it and screw in the round wooden rosette with the blunt screw in the dowel. Let it dry.

4. If you’d like, you can spray paint your maypole. Or keep it natural.

5. Take your ribbon and staple gun and staple one end of each ribbon at the top of the round wooden rosette. Unravel the ribbons and then gently wrap the ribbon around the pole.

6. Grab your Afloral.com silk flowers and pull the flower buds off the stems. Hot glue the larger flower heads on the top of the round wooden rosette and then the smaller flowers.

7. With any of your leftover silk flowers, make flower crowns for your dancers.

You are just about ready to dance around the maypole! Before you head out, grab a hammer. You will need it to hammer the bottom pole in the ground. Hammer it in a few inches in the ground to make sure it’s secure. Then screw the top dowel into the bottoms dowel. Unravel the ribbons. Each dancer holds onto a ribbon and then dances around the maypole!

Thank you Afloral.com for sponsoring this post!

Styled Photography: Melissa Udall Photography

Thank you to these cute mamas and their babies for helping out on How to Make a Maypole post–Melissa Erickson, Candice Munk, Lizzy Nielsen

Round Leather Bag Tutorial

DIY Round Leather Bag Tutorial

A recent obsession and current trend is the round leather bag clutch. It’s a modern take on the classic bag styles you would see in the 1960s. Retro vibe but it still has a simple look, the round leather bag is a fun accessory to incorporate in your summer style. Another trend is the metal round handle. I’ve been seeing many European bag with that style and it will definitely be making it’s way to the States. With all these new trends, I thought it would be a good idea to do a round leather bag tutorial that is easy and simple for a novice, which I am in the leather-making category. This round leather bag tutorial is also a quick tutorial and took me about 30 minutes to make. So if you are in the need of a new going-out bag that is budget friendly, this is the one for you!

Supplies for Round Leather Bag Tutorial

a plate or something that is round

pencil

Ruler

Scissors

Sewing Machine

Instructions for Round Leather Bag Tutorial

Roll out your leather and fold in half, putting the wrong-sides together. Place a large plate face-side down on the leather. Use it as a template to draw a circle. Then cut out the circle. You should have two circles.
Place a ruler on the upper side of the circle about two inches down from the top. With a pencil, lightly mark a line on each side and mark the middle of the ruler. The move the ruler up a little, centering the ruler on the mark lines, then do mark another line all the way across on the bag.
Pull out your sewing machine and set it up to be able to sew on leather. Make sure you have upholestrey thread. Sew the two circles together starting and ending at the short lines marked from the ruler.
Cut out two squares in the leather that are about 2.5 inches in width and height
Take your leather hole puncher and punch where you marked the center of the bag. Then using your scissors, cut where you marked the line all the way across. That will remove the excess leather, and the round circle will now be flat on top.
Take each square and fold. Using the ruler, mark the center just a few centimeters from the edge of the square. Then punch out with the leather puncher.
Grab your rivets. Place the metal ring behind the round sewn leather and take the small square and feed the rivet through and secure with the other side of the square’s hole. Hammer in place so the rivet can’t be separated.
Repeat on the other side, and then enjoy your new bag!

To go along with the round leather bag tutorial, here are some other round leather bag options:

DIY: Spa Kit with Recipes and Printables

DIY Spa Kit with Recipes and Printables

I love homemade bath products, and often throw together a mixture of salts and essential oils before I take a bath or when I am under the weather. So, I’ve been wanted to put together a post for a DIY spa kit with recipes and printables, and the good excuse finally came when my daughter had to donate an item for an auction. I thought this would be perfect since it had to be a donation she made or something she could complete. All the items we used to make the bath products are natural and organic. And if you make your own, I strongly encourage you to get organic and raw items. This is your body so use the best items to put on it! We also threw into our spa kit Uprooted Skincare face masks because they are simply THE best and they use the best organic, natural clay and therapeutic essential oils to make your face shine! The FREE printables are listed at the end of the post with editable labels. The recipes included in our spa kit are for bath bombs, body butter, body scrub and bath salts. My kitchen turned into a spa-making factory over the weekend while my daughter and I had so much fun putting together this DIY spa kit with recipes and printables! This is a fun craft to do with teens.

DIY Spa Kit : Bath Bombs

ALL NATURAL FLORAL BATH BOMBS

4 oz. baking soda

2 oz. citric acid

2 oz. corn starch

2 oz. Epsom salts

1 1/2 tsp of coconut oil

1 1/2 to 2 tsp of water

1 tsp or about 20-30 drops of essential oils

1 to 2 tsp of dried floral

Bath Bomb molds

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and stir with a whisk. Place all the liquid into a cup and stir until well mixed. Make sure the coconut oil is melted so it mixes well. Slowly add a little liquid to the dry ingredients while whisking. The mixture should begin to clump together when squished. Be careful not to add too much liquid or it will ruin your bath bomb. Once the wet ingredients are combined with the dry, you should be able to squeeze it together. If it’s too powdery then add a tiny bit of water and mix until it holds and sticks together. Add your dried floral and mix in. I used lavender essential oil with dried lavender. And ylang ylang essential oil with dried rose petals. Then pack your mixture into the molds and press the two sides together. Squeeze the mold to create your sphere and press firmly to prevent it from cracking. Rotate the mold and tap slightly around the mold to remove any excess moisture and to help loosen the mold. Gently remove one side of the mold and allow it to dry out for about 10 minutes. Then gently remove the other side of the mold. Place the bath bomb on wax paper on top of a fluffy towel. Let them dry for about 24 hours before you use them or pack them up.

FLORAL BATH SALTS

1 cup of epsom salts

1 cup of pink Himalayan salt rocks

10-15 drops of essential oils (I used serenity oil blend)

1 tablespoon of coconut oil (warm)

Dried floral and herbs

Optional: Add bentonite clay to the mix for added health benefits!

Mix all your ingredients in a bowl. Make sure the oil is evenly mixed through the salts. Transfer to a glass bottle and seal tightly.

Bath Salts are so easy to make and very therapeutic and beneficial to the bath when taking a bath! Sprinkle under warm running water and soak your body in it for 20 minutes.

ROSE BODY SCRUB

1/2 cup of finely ground pink Himalayan salt

1 tsp of melted coconut oil

1 tsp of Vitamin E oil

4 drops of essential oil (I like serenity oil blend or ylang ylang)

Dried rose petals

Mix these ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to a glass bottle and seal tightly. Or use it immediately and scrub your body with it!

BODY BUTTER

1 cup of organic, raw unfiltered coconut oil (solid, not liquidified)

2 tsp of vitamin E oil

10 drops of lavender essential oil

Add all the items in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixers or handheld mixer and whisk for about 5 minutes until it is light and airy. Spoon the body butter into an airtight glass jar. Apply everywhere! I even use it on my face.

After we made all the items for our DIY spa kit, we packaged it up in pretty glass container and placed them in a wooden crate. I printed up the labels on clear adhesive labels

DOWNLOAD SPA KIT PRINTABLE WITH WORDS

DOWNLOAD SPA KIT PRINTABLE EDITABLE

Hope you enjoyed this DIY spa kit with Recipes and Printables!

DIY Copper Clothing Rack

DIY Copper Clothing Rack

Lately, I’ve become a little obsessed with copper pipe projects like my recent copper blanket ladder ! Working with copper pipes is actually really fun and the results are clean and modern. I hope to bring you a few more copper pipe DIYs, but today I am showing you have to make a DIY copper clothing rack. This project is so easy and you really only need one tool. Assembling the copper pipes takes just a few minutes. I like this DIY copper clothing rack because it’s pretty enough to have it exposed in a room and could be used for a pop-up shop or coat rack. You can dissemble the DIY copper clothing rack when it is not in use and assemble in just a few minutes. All the details and instructions of the DIY copper clothing rack is listed below. Don’t forget to PIN this project! 🙂

DIY Copper Clothing Rack

Cost: $80

Time: about 30 minutes

Results: a furniture-like clothing rack

Supplies: All these supplies can be found at your local hardware store. This project is not the cheapest but cheaper than buying a copper clothing rack online or at a store. Also, if you have a copper pipe cutter than the total price will be less since I had to buy one.

2– 3/4″ x 10 feet copper pipe

1– 1/2″ x 10 feet copper pipe

6–3/4″x3/4″ 90 degree elbows

2–3/4″ copper Tee

4–3/4″x3/4″x1/2″ copper Tee

4–3/4″ end caps

copper pipe cutter

black sharpie

tape measure

E6000 glue (optional, but recommended)

nail polish remover (for cleaning the pipes)

Instructions: Don’t be intimidated to cut copper. It’s SO easy! I actually had my younger son help me out with this project. And he cut the copper! The first thing to do is clean you pipes. You probably have red ink markings on the sides. Take a rag and nail polish remover and just rub it off. Nail polish remover easily takes it off.

Now that you have clean copper pipes, take your 10 foot pipes and measure and mark what you will cut. Here is the breakdown:

Take 1 of the 3/4″ diameter copper pipe and measure and mark 5 feet so basically right in the middle of the pipe. Once it is cut you will get 2 x 5 feet 3/4″ diameter copper pipes. These will be for the sides of the clothing rack.
Next take the 1/2″ diameter 10 foot pipe. Measure and mark 41″ twice. You will need two 41″ 1/2 diameter pipes. These are the ones that run on the bottom of the clothing rack and will hold up your shoes. You will have extra 1/2″ diameter copper pipes left over. Save it for another project!
Then take your other 3/4″ diameter 10 foot copper pipe. First measure 41″ and mark. This will be the bar that goes on the top and holds the clothes. Then measure 8 x 3″ lengths and 4 x 2″ lengths.

Now it’s time to cut! It’s so easy. Take your copper pipe cutter and place over the pipe where the mark is. Tighten the cutter so it is secure. Then rotate the cutter around the pipe clockwise 3 times. Tighten cutter again. Rotates counter clockwise 3 times. Tighten the cutter again. Rotate clockwise 3 times. Tighten. Repeat until the pipe snaps. It’s that easy!

Once you are all done cutting your pipes, this is what you should have! Now you are ready to assemble.

To assemble your DIY copper clothing rack, I would start with the base. I would also take your e6000 and glue these pieces together for a more secure clothing rack. Don’t glue the top sides of the rack; that way you can dissemble the top and the sides for easy storage when it’s not in use.

Your 1/2″ diameter 41″ pipes are the two parts that run on the bottom of the rack where the shoes are placed. Take the copper Tee’s that are 3/4″ x 3/4″x 1/2″ to secure the cross bars. Take your 2″ 3/4 diameter pipes and place them on the one sides of the T. Then place the 3/4″ Tee for the other side and connect the two cross bar together with the secure of 3/4″ Tee. That Tee should be place up and will be where you will place you 5 foot copper pipes. But before you do that, take your 3″ copper pipes and place them on the other side of the Tees and connect your elbows and then finish off the feet with another set of 3″ copper pipes and then your end caps. Make sure all your pipes are secure and pushed in all the way. If you are gluing, let the glue set before you assemble the top.

I’m loving these kate spade fushcia pink heels and bow-tie heels. So fun and festive.

Once all the bottom is assembled of your DIY copper clothing rack, now take your long bar and assemble the sides and the top securing with your last two copper elbows. Grab a helper so the long pipes aren’t hitting you in the head! Add some rubber bottoms to your rack if you have hard wood floors so it doesn’t slide around or scratch the wood. Your copper clothing rack is now ready to be used!

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DIY Fresh Magnolia Mixed Branch Wreath

DIY Fresh Magnolia Mixed Branch Wreath

Fresh Christmas wreaths are my favorite! I try to make two fresh ones every year. So last spring I had my landscaper plant two magnolia trees in my backyard since we live in the south. Every southern home should have their own magnolia tree, right? Our house definitely needed one. But really the main reasons why was so I can make magnolia wreaths and garland during Christmas. A mature magnolia tree is huge, so we ended up planting two miniature magnolia trees because we didn’t have the yard space. Since the miniatures don’t get as big, they also don’t have as large of leaves. Our magnolia trees are still babies, so I didn’t have enough leaves for full magnolia wreath. Instead, I decided to DIY fresh magnolia mixed branch wreath, using clippings from my Christmas tree and my front yard boxwoods. If you have evergreen plants in your yard, they do great with mixing in with a wreath. Also, get thrifty and use your Christmas tree clippings by making either a wreath, garland, swag or put some in a vase for a simple centerpiece.

DIY Fresh Magnolia Mixed Branch Wreath Supplies

Magnolia leaves

Fir or Cedar clippings

Boxwood or Eucalyptus clippings

floral shears

floral wire

wreath wire

There’s not a lot of supplies to make a magnolia mixed branch wreath. I reuse my wreath wire every year. Make sure you have a good pair of floral shears, so its easy to cut branches off the tree.

Magnolia leaves have such an elegant, classy appeal with their contrasting sides. It’s no wonder that store-bought magnolia wreaths are quite expensive. If you live in an area with magnolia trees, most floral nurseries have magnolia leaves in the bundles. As you can see one stem has quite a few leaves so you can really use one branch and then wire the bundle to the wreath.

Take about 3 to 4 branches of your Christmas tree clippings. Trim so they all the same height. Cut a long piece of wire and wrap tightly around the base of the clippings leaving about 2 inches of wire on both sides.
Place the tree branches on the cross wire of the wreath wire and then wrap the floral wire tightly around the thick cross wire. Secure.
Then take one magnolia branch and place a few boxwood stems behind it, then tightly wrap the base with floral wire leaving about 2 inches of wire on both sides. Place slightly offset of the tree branches then secure to the wreath with wire.
Repeat with the tree branches and then the magnolia and boxwood leaves, placing offset a few inches down the wreath.
Continue to make mixed branch sets and work around the wreath until it is completed, placing one set from the other. I worked the wreath counter-clockwise.
Once the wreath is completed, take floral wire and wire wrap all the branches together to the wreath about every 3 inches until you complete the circle. This will make the branches more secured and from flopping around.

Then enjoy your DIY fresh magnolia mixed branch wreath. Add a bow or long ribbon to the wreath to complete the look.

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Here’s are other DIY wreaths:

Mini Wreaths

Evergreen Wreath

5 Minute DIY Flower Arrangement

5 Minute DIY Flower Arrangements

Hello Fall! Hello fall flowers too–sunflowers, daisies and mums, to name a few. With the arrival of fall and the coming cooler months, this means holiday parties and inside dinner gatherings. Decorations of all kind cover the inside and outside of the house. And with any party, tables need to be set and decorated. You can never go wrong with a pretty flower arrangement to flock a table or liven up a coffee table. Putting together an arrangement is actually really easy and fun! In the long run, it will save you money too. Preparation is the main key to a full textured flower arrangements. I am going to share a quick 5 minute DIY flower arrangement tutorial that has been a guideline for me when I put an arrangement together.

When you are at the flower market…

Know your color palette. It’s best to know what colors you want in your arrangement. What I like to do is find the main color in my large bloom and then use complementing colors in the smaller blooms.
Buy in variety of size and texture. If you are doing a simple vase, pick one large bloom as the main focal point. Whether it be roses, hydrangeas or sunflowers in my case, there are so many beautiful large blooms. If you want something more grand, then jump to three different blooms. But for a simple vase, go with one. Then buy three different smaller bud flowers that complement the main flower. I like to work in groups of odds–3’s, 5’s, etc. So then look for fillers also in groups of 3’s. In my arrangement, I used rosemary and dusty miller and blue thistle.

Once you get home…

Put your flowers in water. Don’t let them sit on your counter. Put them in warm water with flower preservative. Warm water helps blooms to open up like roses. You should also cut about an inch off of the stem. When flowers are pulled out of water, the stems close up on the bottom. You have to cut about an inch off at an angle of the stem to reopen and to allow the flower to drink water. If you don’t cut off the stem, the flower won’t last as long because its not absorbing enough water.
Prepare your vase. Make sure it is clean and filled with flower water. Get creative with your containers. Use a bowl and tape off the sections to have a shorter arrangement. Mason jars, tea cups…there are so many options.

5 minute DIY flower arrangement…

Start with the large bloom. I always start with the large bloom for best placement. Make sure to cut down the stem at an angle. Cut the stem leaving about 3-4″ from the vase rim to the bloom. Remove any leaves, greenery or stems that fall below the water line in the vase.
Small bud flower next. The small bud are really important because they fill up the empty space and provide color and variety. Small bud flowers are used as an accent with other primary flowers. They aren’t the main focal point but definitely get their sure of attention. Make sure to place the small bud flowers in between the large bloom. Cut some of the flowers longer than the large bloom and some shorter than the large bloom
Next come fillers and greenery. The fillers and greenery add texture and makes the arrangement interesting to look at. Add many of these fillers below the large bloom for full coverage. Tall stems add variety. Don’t be afraid to use herbs in your garden like rosemary or basil.

Your 5 minute DIY flower arrangement is done! Take a quick minute to examine it. Many any adjustments if needed. Place your flower arrangement away from sunlight or heating vents. Recut and add water often to help it last longer.

DIY Word Script Beach Hat

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DIY Word Script Beach Hat

Summer is coming to an end, but before it does I wanted to squeeze in this last summer craft project: DIY word script beach hat. I love the look of these word script beach hats, so I thought why not make a simple version of it. There are definitely more beach days in the near future for me so the phrase is perfect. Also, we live close to some of the best beaches…but still so far away so I am always yearning for the beach. This craft would be perfect to make for a girls weekend (similar beach hats for all your girlfriends) or a honeymoon (mr. and mrs. or the new last name for the bride) or a party favor for a bridal shower. I painted the words, but if you are good on the sewing machine or know how to embroidery, this would be a simple stitch project! I have a lot of old straw beach hats, so I just used an old one but I linked one below to craft it up. Also for more detail glue on a black ribbon around the hat base.

DIY Word Script Beach Hat

Plain Straw beach hat

fabric paint

pencil

paper

thin tip paintbrush

Instructions: Cover your work space. I used kraft paper for protection, which was great because I also used it to practice my font script. Figure out what phrase you want to say. I would suggest to keep it to four words or less. Practice your writing style on paper with a pencil. Think about spacing and height of the letters to the rim of the hat. Paint the letters so you can also get an idea of composition. Remember that paint will look a little more organic and raw when painted on a rough surface. I actually like that look but if you want something more even and smooth, then I would suggest using a paint pen or a thick sharpie marker (oil based). Once you are satisfied with your practice writing, then using a pencil write your phrase on the rim of the hat. As far as spacing, I used an imaginary line as the half way point to begin writing my phrase. I also used the hat stitches as my guide rule for the height of my letters. Then I painted the hat. Let it dry for 24 hours. And then enjoy! It was a quick project and I’m excited to wear it at the beach. In the meantime, I’m going to enjoy it when hanging out in my backyard.

Here are some other hat options:

DIY Pom Pom Bag

DIY Pom Pom Bag

This summer stay on trend with anything pom pom! Grab a few of your girlfriends for an evening of pom pom making! This DIY Pom Pom Bag is a fun craft and easy on the wallet, and so stylish. Everyone will be complimenting your tote bag at the pool! Most of the pom pom bags I’ve seen around are well over $100 (I’m obsessed with this one), but this pom pom bag can be made for under $10. During the summer months, straw/raffia tote bags can be found all over the place for a good price–dollar store, grocery store or maybe you have an old one sitting in your closet. Easily turn a boring woven tote bag into a colorful glam take on a classic beach style. Make this for your 4th of July holiday!

DIY Pom Pom Bag

Straw/woven tote bag

yarn (assorted colors)

Scissors

Pick up an assortment of yarn or stick with just one color. Or as a friend who might knit if they have yarn to spare. You won’t need a lot!

Take the yarn and place over your hand, leaving one side long enough to tie off at the end
Take the other end and wrap it around your hand.
Continue to wrap the yarn over and over your hand. The more wrapping around the hand, the fuller the pom pom will be. I wrapped about 60 times around my hand! I would not do anything less than 20 times.
Once you are done wrapping, take the yarn and place it in between your two middle fingers.

Wrap it behind the yarn, and slide it back through the middle two fingers.
Then bring it back up toward the middle two fingers. Slightly pull the yarn up to your fingers from your palm
Then continue to wrap the yarn around and around, tightening the middle part of the yarnd
Once it is tight, pull it off your fingers. Tie it off with the other end of the yarn string with a double knot. Cut the shorter end with scissors. Make sure not to cut off the long string side.

Take your scissors and cut the loop ends
Pull the cut yarn strings together
Gather them together and cut the strings so they are all even.
Trim until you are satisfied with your pom pom.

Take the long string and tie to the handle of your bag. Add more pom poms in different colors! Add pom pom layers to make a tassel by tying pom poms to each other.

Show off and enjoy!

Here are some other pom pom bags that I’m obsessed with!

DIY Metal Bench Ikea Hack

DIY Metal Bench IKEA Hack

This IKEA hack is one of my favorites. I’ve been wanting a contemporary modern metal bench to go in a corner of our foyer, and haven’t been able to find one that is the right size and the right price. When friends come over usually that corner is where kids throw their shoes and bags and coats. This metal bench IKEA hack is the best because it serves as a modern storage unit and a comfortable seat. The whole piece cost me about $70, but I had fabric on hand and most supplies. But even if you had to buy a yard of fabric, you can complete this DIY metal bench IKEA hack for under $100. You might remember this DIY marble gold coffee table IKEA hack, which is very similar to this DIY hack except you add a cushion and fabric. This is really easy and you can complete this project in about 30 minutes

DIY Metal Bench IKEA HACK

Supplies

VittsJO Nesting Tables

gold metallic spray paint

Foam Cushion–3″ you might be able to get it cheaper at a local fabric store

tacky glue spray

scissors

staple gun

1 yard of fabric. I bought my fabric here and it was leftover fabric from a previous project

Directions:

Follow the directions for putting together the Vittsjo coffee table. Once you have the coffee table frame together, spray paint it gold making sure to completely cover all leg posts. While it is drying, take the wooden rectangle board and place on top of the foam to measure. Cut the foam to the size of the wooden board. Then take the adhesive spray glue and spray one side of the board and gentle place the foam down on the board, firmly securing with the glue. This will help keep the foam from shifting on the board.

Then place the foam-side of the board on top of the wrong-side of the fabric. Cut down the fabric, leaving enough fabric to cover the sides of the board and foam and about 1 inch of the bottom board. I also folded the edges of the fabric to prevent fraying.

Take your staple gun and secure the fabric by stapling it around the board. Follow this technique to staple the corners of the board.

After completely covering the wooden board, you can gently place it on the gold bench frame. You could use the metal tabs from the frame to drill the cushion part to the frame. But I just placed mine on the frame and haven’t had any problems with it moving. Then take the glass part and place it on the bottom. It gives it a clean contemporary look, and is great to place a basket on it for storage.

Easy right?! I am so in love. What to do with the other nesting table?? Simple. Spray paint it gold too and use it as a side table. Here are some other fun DIY IKEA hacks:

10 Minute Fur Stool

Gold Marble Coffee Table

Tassel Curtains

Here are some other modern gold metal benches

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