DIY furniture makeovers

DIY project: Chair repair

Whether you’ve got an old heirloom or a tatty seat that needs refinishing, repairing a chair is a project you can tackle yourself. It’s always handy to have extra seating so here’s a step-by-step guide to repair and revamp any old chair…

DIY

5 Amazing upcycles by inspirational interior Instagrammers

If you’re tackling a home revamp this year, why not consider shopping secondhand for your furniture? It’s certainly a great way to save money and lets you put your own stamp on your interior by creating something completely unique to you. Take inspiration from these talented interior Instagrammers and their 5 amazing upcycles…

Birthdays

How to DIY a customised gift hamper for any occasion

Whether you’re heading to a wedding, looking for the ideal birthday gift or simply want to show a friend how much you care, a gift hamper is always a winner. It’s a thrifty way to treat that special someone AND it can be customised to suit their interests. Here’s how to make one yourself…

DIY

How to DIY an outdoor mud kitchen from pallet wood

Playing in the garden and getting really messy is one of the joys of childhood. So why not help your children to enjoy playing with sand, mud and water outside by constructing this DIY ‘mud kitchen’ from old pallet wood…

Sewing projects

3 Ways to create unique clothing for your Spring wardrobe

If you’ve never considered DIYing your own clothing collection for Spring, here are three thrifty ways that you can achieve a unique look through creating your own custom designs, sewing and upcycling your existing wardrobe…

Art & Photography

New years goals: How to be more creative in 2022

If your new year’s resolution is to be more creative, here are some ideas to help you bring more craft, art and creativity into your lives and boost your mental wellbeing in 2022!

FRUGAL FUN TIMES

How to DIY your own custom sequin party hats + PDF template

Whatever the celebration, a party hat is the ultimate accessory to get the party started! I’ve made a template that you can download and use to DIY your own party hats in any colour and finish to suit your theme. Here’s how…

Festive

5 Upcycled (and free!) DIY Christmas wreathes

I love to make wreathes to decorate my doors at Christmas and create something special from garden foliage or leftover materials. Here are a few ideas for different styles of festive wreath to get you started…

DIY

How to DIY a tool silhouette storage board for your shed

What do you do when you’ve got a shed full of tangled tools and a spare pallet in the garden? Why, pull it apart and build a tool silhouette storage board, of course! Here’s how to DIY your own shed hanging system to organise your essential tools…

Art & Photography

4 Ways that crafting can benefit your physical & mental wellbeing

Have you ever started work on a project only to look up at the clock & realise that 3 hours have passed? If so, you might have been in ‘flow’, which is just one benefit of crafting. Here’s how getting creative can boost your mental and physical wellbeing:

DIY

The Doorganiser: How to DIY a family organiser on a door

To make the most of the understairs cupboard I’ve transformed the door into a ‘doorganiser’ – a place to store essentials, create a weekly planner for the family & write shopping lists. Here’s how to make your own door organiser by upcycling DIY offcuts…

DIY

How to DIY a freestanding Snowman target game from pallet wood

Welcome to my festive pallet project! I’ve DIYed a friendly freestanding snowman to adorn your lawn and the best part is that he doubles-up as a family game. I’ve teamed up with DIY website ManoMano to show you how to make this dapper snowman for yourself.

Festive

How to DIY a festive star-print phone case with sticky vinyl

If you fancy personalising your mobile phone by creating a case with a Christmasy vibe, look no further than this quick and easy star phone case project. I’ve shared a step-by-step DIY video to help you craft this cute festive-inspired case in no time…

Birthdays

Easy sewing project – make your own felt device case

If you want to make a homemade Christmas gift or birthday present for your friends and family, you can easily sew this felt case for their devices or to use as a make-up pouch or pencil case. Here’s a step-by-step video to show you how…

DIY

10 Easy upcycling ideas for national Recycle Week

Seeing as the majority of items in my home & wardrobe are second-hand (or rescued from a skip), Recycle Week gives me a chance to shout about all the fab things you can make from unwanted furniture or waste materials – such as these fun upcycling DIYs…

Books

Step-by-step beaded honey bee sewing project

I feel very lucky to be able to bring you a sneak peek of ‘Weekend Makes: Hoop Embroidery’ craft book, share this cute step-by-step beaded honey bee project AND give you the chance to win a copy of the book for yourself!

DIY

Quick and easy lap tray makeover with wood-effect adhesive vinyl

If you’re using a lap tray for your lunch or to hold snacks during film night, it’ll probably get sticky & icky quickly. Even after wiping them down regularly & being careful with spills, they still ended up with little stains & grease marks on the surface. Here’s how to give a lap tray a quick makeover with self-adhesive vinyl…

Sewing projects

How to customise your existing clothing with uplifting slogans

If ever there was a time for a motivational slogan tee, it’s now. Obviously, I’m not going to the shops to buy one, but that doesn’t stop me from making one (or two!) at home. Here’s how to customise your t-shirt with an uplifting slogan…

Days Out

How to keep the whole family entertained, engaged & active at home

Today I’m sharing some ideas for keeping your whole family entertained, active & engaged – both indoors and outdoors. There’s inspiration for exercising in the park and getting active in the garden, as well as some enjoyable, educational and FREE things you can do indoors. Enjoy..!

DIY

How to DIY a bin store using leftover timber or pallet wood

If you’re spending more time in the garden and need a project to work on, here’s an easy DIY that you can complete in a day. And, if you’re anything like me, you probably already have all of the materials you need lying around on your wood pile, or perhaps you’ve got a pallet stowed behind the shed? Here’s how to turn that old timber into something useful…

Blogging

How (& why!) to start a blog, design a website or run an online shop

Whether you’ve dabbed with blogging in the past, or are completely new to it but would like to start sharing your ideas online, maybe now is the time to give it a go. If you’re planning to start a blog, website or even build an online shop, here’s some advice from someone (me!) who has been doing it for over a decade..!

DIY furniture makeovers

My Ercol sofa makeover – finding fabrics and choosing colours

What do you do if you have a sofa but don’t like the colour of the fabric any more? Why, re-cover it, of course! Okay, okay, that’s a rather flippant way of looking at upholstery, but why not give it a go yourself? Especially if the alternative is just to get rid of the sofa and buy a brand new one. By attempting to revamp my sofa, I’ll not only save money, it’ll be keeping a bulky item out of landfill too. Let’s get aboard the upcycling train and try to make the most of what we’ve got, right?