By Jamie Allen Bishop with Jamie Allen Bishop Coaching

In 1996, I was newly married, working full-time, and married to a golfer. For folks who know golf, there is a common and aptly created title used when referencing the spouses of those prone to chase around a tiny ball on a field of green known as a “Golf Widow.” Our household was no exception. He was gone from 6:00 am until 10:00 pm almost every day of the week. Which is why I had plenty of time on my hands to experience several DIY Projects. My favorite was a popular (at the time) furniture paint creation that reminded me of Mary Englebreit’s artwork, colorful patterns with lots of whimsy.

I found a 1970s solid wood side table at a garage sale and proceeded to invest my time, effort, and energy into making a magical piece of artwork… er, I mean furniture. I sanded down all the surfaces until the varnish was removed. I primed the piece and then lightly sanded down any paint strokes that might show through the final paint job. I mapped out the patterns and proceeded to paint with intense precision at least three layers of paint… sanding each layer between to remove any obvious paint strokes. A mere 100 hours of labor later, I produced a piece unlike any other.

I took pride in the work. I loved the whimsical nature of the project, and I was impressed with the dedication I had to the project. When a work colleague of mine offered me a handsome dollar amount for the piece, I gladly accepted… certain I was getting an amazing deal. After all, I only paid $10 for the piece. Right!? But as I handed it over, I calculated my hourly rate at less than $2.00 an hour and my heart sank.

Still, I know it ended up in the home of someone who loved it, and that’s what matters.

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By Suzy Rawlins with Roots and Boots with Suzy Rawlins

My family and I had the opportunity to completely redecorate our home and wardrobes in 2014.  We had new and new-to-us furniture, clothing, home décor, and dishes donated to us after we lost everything in a house fire.  Yes, you read that first sentence correctly.  This was an experience that we saw as an opportunity instead of a challenge.  True a house fire is tragic, however, there were so many blessings in this for our family.

We found a new home that was beautiful and had some ah-mazing neighbors.  The community came together and filled two large storage units with all the wonderful donations.  When we first started unpacking those storage units, we had no idea what all was in there, so it was like Christmas when we unpacked them.  In fact, we had too much stuff, and so we were blessed with the opportunity to donate to another family that lost everything in a house fire.

I can remember the boys literally going through all the clothes and trying stuff on, they had so much fun.  As a family, we decorated the house, made it feel like home, and made it feel like our own.  It’s a fact that some of our favorite items were lost in the fire, it’s still a fact that some of them are missing, but we are thankful that we were able to keep what we did have.

As a result, one of my favorite DIY home improvement and decorating projects was a blessing out of a tragedy.  It was a complete re-do of our home and wardrobes for our family.  It not only brought our family together more, but we also developed solid gratitude for all things in life, not just possessions.

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By Sharon Loduca, Real Estate Professional in Ontario, Canada

My favorite DIY Home Improvement or decorating project. It boils down to whatever is the most noticeable & most cost-effective means to give a look of tidiness, cleanness, and brightness.

My main criterion to get the most effective change comes down to this – the 4 P’s….

1. Paint,
2. Pitch,
3. Powerful Lighting,
4. Put it out of sight!

Because these P’s were the least expensive and the most effective, they have always been my favourites.

• Paint
  • light neutral colours on walls will brighten up any space and make it look more modern.
  • Old cupboard door faces, along with modern knobs can create a nice fresh look.

• Powerful Light
  • Swap out old light fixtures for new modern ones can instantly update a room. Most are easy to install.
  • If you like the fixtures, but the light is dull, use brighter bulbs. It does wonders for a room.

• Pitch
  • Other words known as declutter. Hands down the best way to both make your home look tidy and more spacious and, bonus, less to clean up on the next round if you get rid of it . Ooh, and another bonus of pitching, is it makes it easier to move furniture around, giving the room a fresh new feel!

• Put it Away
  • You know, for those things you just can’t pitch, they hold special memories. Find a place for it.  A shelf for display or a piece of furniture with drawers can help a lot.  A few simple floating shelves smartly placed can change the look of any room.

The best about these projects is a little does a lot. You can start with a room, a table, or a drawer, & see results relatively fast. These are small changes, but they will gradually improve your space.

One of the biggest benefits I get out of this is not only a fresh, clean, tidy space. But, in such spaces, I can think, work, and rest more freely.

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By Erin McCarthy with Follow Erin on Facebook

As the autumn leaves gently fell, I embarked on a creative journey this month, crafting a DIY hanging protection broom that encapsulates the essence of spiritual healing and positive energy. This unique project allowed me to combine my passion for crafting with my interest in crystal energy, folklore, and spiritual symbolism. With a handful of materials, including Green Aventurine, Selenite, Amethyst, Cacoxenite, pomegranate, apple, bells, pinecones, a red and black butterfly, Mookaite, berries, and lavender, I created a beautiful and meaningful piece of art that brings a sense of balance and protection to my living space.

Green Aventurine, the centerpiece of my broom, symbolizes leadership and prosperity. It’s a crystal known for enhancing possibilities and bringing forth positive energy. Paired with Selenite, a powerful healing crystal, this broom is designed to promote peace, calm, mental clarity, and overall well-being. Selenite’s reputation for removing negative energy and connecting to higher realms aligns perfectly with the broom’s protective intent.

Amethyst and Cacoxenite, two more crystals adorning the broom, contribute to the creation of a space that fosters cognitive ability, focus, creativity, and spiritual awareness. Their combined energies promote personal growth and a deeper connection with one’s divine purpose.

The pomegranate and apple, symbolic of initiation and wisdom in Celtic mythology, remind us of our soul’s true nature and our connection with nature. They bring a sense of wholeness and healing to the broom’s design, as well as a reminder of our responsibility to the world around us.

The addition of bells carries a long history of invoking collective memory, rituals, and calls to prayer. Bells are believed to awaken the sleeping soul and beckon us toward healing and divinity. They create an aura of sacredness and offer protection to the space where the broom hangs.

Pinecones, a symbol of enlightenment and eternal life, add a touch of regeneration and spiritual rebirth to the broom’s composition. The red and black butterfly signifies passionate transformation and renewal, while Mookaite, meaning ‘running waters,’ fills the broom with hope, joy, and emotional balance.

Berries, a representation of fertility and the cycle of life add a touch of purity and innocence to the design, creating a sense of renewal and growth.

Finally, lavender, renowned for its protective properties, serves as a barrier against negative energy and harmful influences. It purifies the energy of the space, fostering an environment of positivity and serenity.

Crafting this DIY hanging protection broom was not only a creative endeavor but also a spiritual journey. Each element incorporated into the broom carries its unique symbolism and energy, working together to create a harmonious and protective atmosphere. Hanging prominently in my living space, it serves as a daily reminder of the balance, protection, and positive energy I seek in my life, making it a cherished piece of art that truly embodies the essence of my spiritual beliefs.

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By Cheryl Clark with Clark Strategies

June 3, 2017, was a pivotal day in my life!   I had never ever been on Pinterest prior, and I had never ever owned a glue gun!  The blingy things and ribbon I’ll explain later – they were my ‘getting carried away’ moment.

I fostered a newborn baby for the first 13 months of her life.  Her mother was still very much a part of her life, and this foster story has a happy ending – thankfully.  For a few reasons though, Rachel was not able to breastfeed.  It took us a bit to find a formula that worked for the baby and well lo and behold the formula came in a neat can.  I had so many of these cans after a few months!

I kept the cans!  At one time they were going to be used to sort screws and various hardware items like that.  At another point in time, they were being saved just to be given away to anyone who may need them and have a use for them.  I have no idea what led me to Pinterest (up until this day and to be honest from this day till now I had/have avoided Pinterest for fear of the rabbit hole grabbing me and not letting me go).

I want to add at this time in my life I was loving my bullet journal!  The coloring, the creative side of layouts, just had me hooked and I could lose myself in it when the baby slept and or Rachel had her.  As a result of this journalling, I had so many-colored pens, colored pencils, washi tapes, stickers, scrapbook papers, and more.

All these supplies were tossed in a shoe box that I would grab and spread out across the table every time I went to play in my bullet journal.

Baby formula tins, a shoe box of supplies meet Pinterest, and a glue gun!  A few hours later, with a few glue gun ouch moments, I had created 3 ‘daisy’ storage units!  This is when I got carried away!  I did a store run for some ribbon and bling and more glue sticks and now I had personalized my ‘daisy’ storage compartments. 

I literally took these ‘daisies’ and screwed them to the wall near my working/writing table and sorted my colored pens, pencils, and box of creative stuff and each pedal on the daisy held something different. 

It’s funny to me that here we are 6 years later and this blog topic without a doubt prompted this memory and moment.  To this day it’s still my favorite thing I ever created and crafted. 

I have painted buildings, offices, and rooms and done some creative moments in home repairs and office setups, but this Pinterest Project just felt and still feels so different for me. 

My DIY – Decorating moment.  Funny, almost makes me want to search out friends who have a newborn and see if they have some of these cans lying around – I’d make them again!  This round I’d even use more ‘bling’. 

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