Easter Banner

It’s Friday! And we are less than a month away from Easter.  With that being said – today’s DIY project is an easy way to dress up the mantle for the holiday.  For those of you who may not celebrate Easter, you can still use the same project to dress it up for “spring”.  In order to incorporate those great spring pastels, I created a super easy “happy easter” banner to hang across the mantle! I created this Easter banner using things that I already had around the house, however the materials still should not be very expensive so I will give you a cost estimate.

Materials:

• Scrapbook paper in pastel colors (usually around $.50 – $1 per sheet – each sheet should be able to fit 2 banner triangles)
• Yarn or any type of string/rope to attach the triangles to (I got my yarn for $1 from Big Lots)
• Magic Marker in the color of your choice!
• Tape

Instructions:

• Step One: Cut out the banner pieces.  My triangles were approximately 4″ across the top and approximately 5″ in length.  You can make these smaller or larger depending on where you are hanging them and the look you are going for.
• Step Two: Write each letter in magic marker! Ideas for phrases include Happy Easter, Spring, Spring has Sprung, etc… be creative! You can also use larger scrapbook sticker letters if you don’t trust your own handwriting. This will add to the cost – and I was looking for a super cheap way to dress up my mantle.
• Step Three: Tape each banner triangle along the piece of string.  Make sure you make your string long enough to allow a slight sag in the middle.

What do you think? What are some other messages that you could use? I would love to see your mantle dressed up for the spring season!

Enjoy your weekend! I hope it is fun and full of DIY projects.

 

 

Restore Your Home and ReStore Humanity

While my blog will mainly focus on DIY projects related to home remodeling, I have to let you in on a not-so-secret store that I love for my remodeling projects! Greater Cleveland’s Habitat for Humanity ReStore is the perfect place to find salvaged materials (and cheap ones at that!) for all of your latest home projects.  Whether you are looking for a bath tub, kitchen cabinet hardware, or anything in between, the ReStore is the place to find it.  Below you will see my mantle, which is spruced up with an old window – purchased from the Cleveland ReStore! There are endless possibilities when it comes to salvaged materials – just let your creativity flow.

Aside from the steep discount that ReStore offers, you are also giving back to the community.  Have you ever heard of Habitat for Humanity? If not, Habitat for Humanity rehabilitates and builds houses for low-income, struggling communities and families.  ReStore is a non-profit home improvement store whose proceeds go directly to Habitat for Humanity and will help to finance the homes built within your community.

What are you waiting for? Find the closest ReStore here. Your next home improvement project is waiting for you!

Has anyone else visited a ReStore? What projects did you complete with the help of ReStore?

 

What Exactly is this Project?

My fiancée and I recently purchased a house in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio.  As you know, being a first-time homebuyer can really break the bank, so my goal was to achieve the expensive looks I love for a fraction of the price.  In order to do this, I had to put down my Kate Spade purse and pick up a hammer (ugh!) and get down and dirty.  Thankfully, my fiancée is handy (and has every tool a girl could need) so I had all that I needed to let the learning process begin.  I have found some amazing bloggers whom I now follow religiously, and throughout my journey to remodel our new house, I will be recreating many of their projects.  Making your own furniture and home accessories is easier than it sounds (and way cheaper than buying new) as I have come to find out!

So please follow along and post any ideas that you have! It will take some time, but eventually this will be the house of our dreams!