My maiden voyage in the DIY department.

In the interest of starting somewhere, because we all do, there are four projects I’ve completed, all from different DIY “categories” so to speak, that I’d love to share with you. There are a few future creations on the docket that will be using aspects of the following and since I've done them before we won’t be learning together, exactly, and I wanted to be totally transparent. Since I never imagined anyone other than myself would be seeing these photos, I only took a couple throughout the projects and I most definitely did not keep track of the steps it took to make them.

Project 1: Kitchen light fixture replacement and DIY.

Before I did anything.

After I did something.

Just in case we have a difference in opinion regarding light fixtures (I'm being completely serious here), the photo on the right shows the new light fixtures that I created. My dad kindly gave me two very old tin buckets/bins from his family farm in Michigan and it was the perfect opportunity to put one of the “someday maybe Pinterest pins" to work. The idea to make light fixtures out of random buckets and bins is certainly not my idea, but the method in which I executed the process and creation of these is, most likely, quite unique as I stumbled my way though it with an incredible amount of trial and error whilst pulling out my hair at intervals and leaning heavily on YouTube. However… I learned an enormous amount because of this and I’m very grateful, as it’s provided me with a great foundation so that I may better repeat and improve the process for the next light fixture creation (I have two more ideas currently rattling around in my brain).

Project 2: My first wall mural. Ever.

So this mural is smack-dab in the middle of my dining area/kitchen. My husband was out of town for the weekend and I decided that my wall was looking pretty boring and needed some cheer while I was sitting at the kitchen table eating a meal alone. You should have seen his face upon entering the kitchen after getting home. He's warmed to it now… I think.

I must say in all honesty that this project was an absolute delight and there was something so liberating about painting a whole wall rather than just a canvas. It really gets the body moving and the heart racing. It makes you feel daring and alive. I firmly believe that every single person should try this at least once in their life. Pure freedom awaits.

Project 3: Thrifted coffee table makeover...is a makeover just supposed to be about makeup?

Okay, this one might actually be my favorite. It certainly took the longest of all my projects to date. Finding the individual placement of each shatter tile piece was extremely time consuming, and the grouting portion of this project was my least favorite by far. It was dreadfully messy and I did a horrible job by professional standards…but I was quite happy with the end result. This was another project where I did at least eight major things “wrong” and learned a minimum of fifty-three new things. I had never done anything like this before, no furniture restoration projects for me, thanks so much, that sounded much too hard. Being post-project, though, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will certainly be doing a lot more of it in the future. Also, shattering tiles was so incredibly fun and rather therapeutic.

Project 4: Last and most important!

My Halloween costume from two years ago. Okay, I'll explain. Since this is a new blog and no one generally understands my sense of humor... this is a complete joke, okay? I’m making fun of my very own post -haha! Although, I thought I made a half-decent, creepy, DIY, last-minute Cinderella for my sister’s Halloween party. No worries if you don’t share the same sentiment. To each their own!

All silliness aside, thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I do hope you enjoyed it, at least a little. ON that note, please do feel free to leave your favorite part and any constructive feedback in the comments below. There's always room for improvement.

See you next time!

iP Justine