Tutorial

Forts made out of sheets… zippered play tents…large cardboard boxes… Kids love having their own “secret” hideaways. Christina from 2 Little Hooligans shares at The Girl Creative how she created a special retreat for her little ones using a hula hoop and twin sheets. Christina says this is a beginner project that takes just a couple of hours, and you sure can’t beat the price when store-bought play tents like this cost well over $100. It’s so stinkin’ cute that I want to crawl inside!

Like Yvonne at Stone Gable, do you go an organizing frenzy after Christmas? She whipped the built-ins in her living room into shape by organizing her books in baskets with wooden number labels. Yvonne made those lovely labels herself and shares her technique for transferring the text without a cutting machine. In addition to labeling baskets, you could also hang them on flower pots or vases for a pretty centerpiece, tie them around glass jars for creative storage, or even wrap up some silverware for a unique place setting.

With a baby on the way, Ana White wanted the perfect changing table for her little guy – something “rustic yet refined” with storage aplenty. She found just what she was looking for in a buffet from West Elm… for $1,100! That was no problem for this handy lady. At 32 weeks preggo, Ana worked alongside her family to build the perfect changing table for their little bundle of joy… for less than $100! All it needs now is a topper, and it’ll be ready for changing time.

Decorative spheres are a fun way to add interest to a bookshelf or tabletop. Shelley from Crazy Wonderful saw some from West Elm that she thought were pretty stinkin’ cool – just not at $70 for a pair! Shelley instead sculpted her own from clay and finished them in gold  just like her inspiration. I love how metallic spray paint can give an inexpensive material like clay such a beautiful, lustrous finish. You’d never know they aren’t real metal!

Jaime from That’s My Letter teamed up with Ana White to build a 100-piece solid wood block set inspired by Land of Nod. Now I know blocks aren’t technically décor, but… with the multitude of colors and pyramid design, I dare say these blocks would make an artistic statement in any play space or bedroom! Jaime even colored the blocks with food coloring, so they are safe for little ones to chew on build with. That Jaime always thinks of everything!