Smile And Wave

Yarn Stash Pom Pom Ornaments

Note: This post was created in partnership with Voya Financial. All thoughts and fantastic pom pom making skills are my own. 

I love switching up our Christmas decor each year in some small way so I've learned to get resourceful. It allows me to respect the budget and spend that hard earned money on gifts instead! I have stashes of beautiful vintage glass ornaments from years of thrifting but our toddler has made it quite clear he is not to be trusted with breakable orbs. I realized I would either have to leave the bottom half of the tree bare or come up with an easy, inexpensive solution for adding some color to our white tree.

I started brainstorming ornament ideas after seeing some of the projects shared by the ever resourceful Holiday Hall, who has been sharing creative holiday ideas and tips over on the Voya Financial Facebook Page. My studio is full of random yarn cut offs, and leftover mini skeins from weaving workshops so I decided to put them to work. I'm not a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas colors so I gathered my favorite shades and my trusty pom pom maker and worked through two holiday movies on Netflix while cranking these out. I love the texture and color they add to the tree, but even more so, I love that it cost me NOTHING to change things up this year.

Here's what you need to make your own...

SUPPLIES

Various coordinating fibers from your stash

Clover large pom pom maker

scissors

 

Open your Clover pom pom maker and start wrapping your first color in the middle of the arm. Then wrap a different color on either side of the first color so that they are generally the same thickness. 

Add a third color almost all the way across the arm to cover the first two colors. Put the arm back in place and repeat the process on the opposite arm. 

Cut the yarn by placing you scissors under the yarn on one of the arms where there is an opening that looks like a gutter, for lack of a better term. Repeat on the other arm while holding the flat sides of the pom pom maker as shown. Then cut an 12" length of yarn and place it in the blue gutter so that it wraps all the way around and pull tight. Tie a knot, tighten it as much as you can without breaking it, and then tie another knot. 

Gently remove your pom pom maker and trim your ornament until you have a lovely round ball. Repeat, repeat, repeat!

If you have kids, this is a fun way to employ their pom pom making skills! Make plenty more and string them into a garland, top your presents, or add them to your stockings for extra texture. It's such a useful way to use up your yarn stash! Keep them for next year or repurpose these fun pom poms by adding them as tassels on a pillow or throw to give it a modern twist. Or use them to make this woven wall hanging!

Check out other ways to spend less this holiday season with Holiday Hal and learn more about Voya Financial online and through their Facebook, and Twitter.

I hope your holiday season is full of love and peace.

-Rachel

 

New Woven Wall Hangings in the Shop

My late summer collection of wall hangings came from a place of wanting to try new designs, explore larger warp sizes, and work within a restricted color palette all at the same time. Writing my book, DIY Woven Art, forced me to design a certain amount of work that was cohesive but where each piece had a specific role and could stand on its own. In my book, I taught a new skill or technique with each new project while building on prior lessons and with each of these pieces, I found myself using them to test out something new myself. The design process is rarely rushed and pre-planned, though. It seems to show itself once I've warped my loom and pulled a few fibers I'm feeling drawn towards on that particular day. It's a very intuitive and organic process. 

Each of these pieces are one-of-a-kind except the small collection of roving wall hangings with vintage beaded fringe. They are still one-of-a-kind in that there are variations in the details and slightly in the sizing. I love these as a neutral element for any space but think they'd be especially sweet in a childs' room (out of reach of course). 

These are all available for purchase here.

Limited seats for my Nashville Weaving Basics Workshop on Sept 11th from 1-4pm are also available for purchase here and spots are filling quickly for my Tulsa Weaving Basics Workshop and Woven Camera Strap Workshop here on Sept 17th. 

It's a busy fall season with some exciting things on the horizon! Are you feeling the change of seasons yet? Noticing the way the light slants in the morning and evening and the earliest leaves drifting off the trees? Fall in the Ozarks is pretty spectacular so I'm not mad at all. 

Happy long weekend (in the states) friends!

-Rachel

 

 

Weave Your First Wall Hanging on Skillshare

Weave Your First Woven Wall Hanging

An Online Skillshare Class by Rachel Denbow

I'm so thrilled to share my first video eCourse through Skillshare!

I've partnered with them to create a 45 minute video that thoroughly covers the fundamental techniques you need to know to make your first woven wall hanging. It's designed for beginners and gives instructions on how to make your own wooden loom if you don't already own one! Learn my favorite technique for choosing colors, how to warp your loom, plain weave, soumak, rya knots, and how to get everything finished and off the loom so you can enjoy your wall art. This design is exclusive to this course and hasn't been shared elsewhere. 

Skillshare hosts an incredible range of courses for those wanting to learn how to do almost anything. I first stumbled upon them when I was trying to figure out how to use SEO correctly! Their free plan gives you access to a number of helpful classes but the premium plan gives you access to every class in their site. It's such a valuable resource for those that are visual learners.

I'm celebrating the launch of my first course with a giveaway! The first 50 people that use this link get free access to my course with no obligation.  It's my way of saying thanks for all of your support on this weaving journey!

http://skl.sh/2bdcO1c

I can't wait to see what you think but head over and sign up today before all the free spots are taken! 

There's more exciting weaving news this month and if you've already pre-ordered my book, DIY Woven Art, you know it's headed to your house a little sooner than planned! Woohoo!!!

I hope your end of summer days are treating you well, friends! I'm not ready for autumn to get here just yet. I have a few more warm weather adventures to take!

-Rachel

 

Rescuing My Bookshelf from Crayons and Markers

This is sponsored post created in partnership with Glidden Paint. I received compensation for my honest review and all opinions accurately reflect my experience with this product. I'm always thankful for the support of sponsors that fit the Smile and Wave DIY brand.

I love encouraging my kids' artistic abilities and hope they learn to think outside the box in all creative ventures but, as many of you moms and dads know, that can sometimes lead to tagging the wall purple stick figures or practicing their name in sharpie on your unfinished IKEA crib. In this specific instance, it was testing out crayons and washable markers on a custom made bookshelf that I've had for a few years. It has survived three moves and been used in a variety of ways storing kids' toys, a typewriter collection, baby paraphernalia, etc. It's recently been put to use in my studio holding most of my yarn stash. It was looking a little tired before the crayon attack but once it was marked up, I decided I may as well find a way to make it even more exciting than before. 

When Glidden Paint asked if I was interested in trying out their new Glidden Complete-Stain Blocking, Paint + Primer with stain covering powers, I knew this was my chance to give my bookshelf the makeover it deserved. I cleared all of the yarn off to get a good look at the crayon and washable marker art work. You can also see the original lumber prints from the lumberyard. When the bookshelf was made, it was intended to sit horizontal on the ground so the lumber yard prints wouldn't show. Covering them up was another reason I was looking forward to hitting refresh on this storage piece. 

The crayon and washable marker weren't all over the place-just in a few key places. Both Ruby and Smith had added their contributions in the last two years. Here's a before shot of one of the areas that were marked on. 

Here's the same spot after two thin coats of Glidden Complete. You couldn't see the crayon at all after the first coat and  you can just barely see the washable marker after the second coat here.

I added a third thin coat just on that shelf and it was finally completely covered. I was impressed that such a light paint color was able to cover over the washable purple marker. I also tested a thin black sharpie in an inconspicuous spot and it was covered up after only one coat. 

This is the side of the bookshelf that had the lumber yard markings on it and they are ever so faint after one thin coat. I added a second coat for more even coverage and they are no longer visible. Woohoo! 

Once the bookshelf was done, I added some inexpensive crates that I spray painted a neon coral to add a little more fun to this space. I then added a coat of polyurethane to the crates so the spray paint wouldn't rub off on the bookshelf. I'd seen a similar peach and neon coral color combination online somewhere and knew this would be a little unexpected but also really cheerful. The peach color is really warm and happy. It's hard to do it justice in photos but I love how it looks with the coral!

For someone who enjoys a good project, I also prefer the easiest routes possible. The best part about this bookshelf makeover was not having to purchase a separate primer and knowing my paint was going to easily cover over both the darker markings and artistic markings without me having to sand them down. Two coats of paint feels pretty standard on most things when you're going for even coverage and the third coat on just one shelf to cover a tiny spot felt more like a touch up than anything. I like that the paint was thick enough to not need a lot of coats but also settled out smoothly so that I didn't have ridges everywhere. 

As always, it's a great idea to test something out in an inconspicuous spot or with a smaller paint purchase to make sure it's going to work for your project before committing your time and money to it. I've used a variety of paint brands and have enjoyed all of them but I appreciate the affordability of Glidden and the fact that this specific paint does what it claims to do.

I have a cute new bookshelf to store all of my yarn and my studio is feeling a little more exciting with these summer colors. It's amazing how a little paint job can make you feel like you have a new piece of furniture!

Because I'm sure some of you have your own summer projects you're eager to take on, I'm so thrilled to share that Glidden is offering four gallons of Glidden Complete-Stain Blocking, Paint + Primer to one lucky Smile and Wave DIY reader!

To enter to win, leave a comment below sharing what you'd do with a few gallons of Glidden Complete Paint and you could be halfway to painting your master bedroom or giving your own furniture piece a makeover!

A winner will be chosen on June 13th and announced here. 

Here's to a weekend full of fun projects!

-Rachel

 

 

Woven Leather Bench DIY for ABM

This woven leather bench will forever remain in my Top Ten Favorite DIY's list. It is one of those that worked out like a dream and could easily work in at least four rooms in our house. If you're not intimidated with purchasing and cutting up leather hide, you should add this tutorial to your list. Also, another to use your new weaving skills!

Check out the full tutorial and my best tips for choosing the perfect leather for this kind of project over at A Beautiful Mess. Also, thank you, IKEA, for having such fun plants. 

-Rachel 

 

 

Wooden Wardrobe DIY

Need another weekend project? This open-concept wooden wardrobe is a much easier DIY than you'd think at first glance. You can purchase the wood pre-cut from Lowe's and put it together in less than two hours at home as long as you have access to a power drill and a flat surface! True story! Fitting this into our bedroom meant doing a little rearranging but the whole room feels so good now! Isn't it incredible what a little change in one corner can do? 

Head over to A Beautiful Mess for the full tutorial and supply list to get started on your own. It seemed to be a pretty popular one this week.

Here's to making time to make things!

-Rachel

Photography: Rachel Denbow and Janae Hardy. 

Decorative Outdoor Planter DIY

Raise your hand if you've spent your weekend covered in dirt but have something pretty to show for it! This warmer spring weather has me ready to tackle a few projects to make our outdoor space more enjoyable and this planter was a great place to start. I've done raised beds and container gardens but this year I wanted to add a decorative, wooden planter to flank our house near the back door. It's designed so that it can rest against a wall and fill in some blank space but a pair of them in a straight line or at a right angle would work as great dividers in a yard or garden as well. 

After visiting with one of the educated employees at Lowe's, I chose to use cedar over pine for two reasons. It's pest and insect resistant, which is important if it's going to be placed near your house. Pine is a favorite with termites and I didn't want to give them any reason to start chewing away at our rental. Cedar is also one of the more affordable non-treated options for outdoor use. It won't need to be replaced next season as it withstands rot and weathers nicely. It would've been beautiful left in its natural cedar color but I really wanted a black planter against our light gray siding. I knew paint would likely peel off in a year or two so I chose an indoor/outdoor stain in Ebony and applied two coats. The cedar took the stain so well you can hardly tell it's not painted. Winning!

The other best part about my design is that you can get all of your cedar cut to size at a store like Lowe's if you're patient and there isn't a long line behind you. The first two cuts are free but then each additional cut is $ .25. Since I don't have a place to store many power tools and gear at our house (no garage or shed), this is worth it's weight in gold. If you know someone willing to cut your lumber for you, maybe bake them some cookies in return for super precise measurements. And you'll want to be sure your front and back panels are cut evenly or your clean lined, mid-century planter will look a little more shabby-chic. Your end result will be a 3" x 4" planter with a planting depth of about 10". 

Supplies

1 - 1" x 12" x 10' cedar board cut into three 36" pieces

1 - 1" x 8" x 8' cedar board cut in half

2 - 1" x 2" x 8' cedar board cut in half

4 - 1" x 4" x 8' cedar board cut in half

3 - 1" x 3" x 10' cut into 4" lengths (keep the scraps for your interior support beams)

3 - 2 pack 1" corner brackets with hardware (six brackets total)

3" stain brush

56 - #6 x 2" black wood screws

1- 30 oz. can of Olympic Maximum Tintable Semi-Transparent Exterior Stain in Ebony

power drill

power sander and/or 100 grit sandpaper

landscape fabric

steel hardware cloth

staple gun and staples

work gloves

cotton cloth

wire cutters

scissors 

ruler

pencil

Step One: Rub a damp (not soaking) cotton cloth over your wood to help open up the pores to absorb more of the stain. Do this step for each piece before you stain it, not in one big batch or most of your wood will have dried before you get to apply the stain. 

Step Two: Test your stain on a piece of scrap wood to make sure you like the shade and coverage. I was pleased with my first coat initially but wanted to see if a second coat would make a difference and it did. Once you're happy with your stain, apply a generous amount to your wood. I do suggest wearing gloves for this part as your fingers will get covered in it. Don't forget to stain the entire board as all sides will be visible from certain angles. I forgot to stain the opposite side of two of the large boards until the very end. You'll be able to do touch ups and a second coat once it's assembled but it's tricky to get full coverage in between the slats so I suggest staining everything before assembly. 

Step Three: Make sure to wait the recommended drying time according to manufacturer's instructions before drilling. It's best to wait about 24 hours if you can. I may or may not have jumped the gun and started in after three hours but only because I knew it would rain the next day and I wanted to get my project finished before then. 

Step Four: Place all three pieces of your 3' panels on a flat surface and mark 10" down from the top, short edge. Draw a line with a pencil. Then place one of your brackets about 3" from the long edge so that it rests just below your pencil line and mark where the screw hole will be on the 3' panel. Place another bracket 3" in from the opposite side and make a mark for the screw hole. These two brackets will attach your interior support beams in place. They are not going to provide much stability to the frame on their own but they will help support the weight of the dirt and plants. 

Pre-drill pilot holes for the brackets but be sure you only drill about 1/2" into your 3/4" wood so you don't bust through the other side. Awkward! Put your brackets back in place and screw them in with the screws that came with them.  

Place one of your 22.5" boards perpendicular to the 3' panel and center it over one of the brackets. Make a pencil mark where the screw hole is and then pre-drill a hole in your board. Repeat this with the second board. 

Step Five: Use the same measurements to attach the brackets to the other side of the center panel but adjust them about 1/2" to each side so you don't screw into the screws on the opposite side. Finish up with the last two brackets on the third 3' panel.  

Step Six: After you've pre-drilled all of your holes for your center support beams, screw everything together. It will not be sturdy enough to bear weight or move without help at this point. Also, your 3' panels should be stained on both sides but I forgot to do mine. Oops! I went back and took care of it after I assembled everything. You don't need to stain your support beams. They won't be seen.

Step Seven: Separate the rest of your cedar planks into two even piles so you know that the front and back sides will be matching. Set aside one pile. Place the other pile on top of your frame until you are happy with the placement of the different thicknesses. I spaced mine out about 1/3" apart and had the thinner planks up top and the thickest plank at the bottom with some variations in the center. You could even do this with the same thickness as long as you know how many you'll need to cover the same amount of space. 

Make sure your top plank is flush with one of the side panels and pre-drill a hole through both. Attach your screw to secure it and then repeat with the opposite end. This will help secure your frame at the top while you continue working. For even spacing between your planks, insert the end of your paintbrush or use another tool to keep things consistent as you screw each plank to the frame. I suggest screwing in two or three planks on one side and then finishing up the other side of those planks instead of just doing an entire side at a time.

Step Eight: Once you've finished with the front side of your planter, carefully turn it over to the other side and repeat the process. To add further stability, you will want to add three screws down the center support plank on the back side. Adding these only to the back side adds support without interrupting the lines of your planter on the front side. 

 

Step Nine: Stand your planter upright and make sure everything is looking straight. I had an overhanging board on one end so I sanded it down to be mostly flush with the 3' outer support. 

Step Ten: Cut your hardware cloth to measure about 21" x 30". Fold it down into one of the planter boxes and staple it to the inside so that it is just under the lip of the top of the box. The wire should rest on top of the support beams. Staple it in as many places as you prefer. Repeat on the other planter box. I also suggest wearing gloves while cutting your wire and stapling it in as those edges can get sharp.

Step Eleven: Cut your landscape fabric to be about 36" x 36" long and fold it down inside your planter boxes. You'll have to do a little folding in the corners and tucking back at the top edges. It is almost like wrapping a present inside-out! It doesn't need to be too neat as it will all be covered in dirt but you do want to make sure there aren't gaping holes in the corners where the dirt could wash out. Staple the folded back edges as close to the top edge as you can and then staple down into the corners and in a few places along the bottom. 

Step Twelve: Repeat with the other box and get your planter set up where you'd like it before filling it with soil and beautiful flowers or herbs. It's a heavy planter by itself but adding dirt will make it slightly top heavy. Be sure not to allow children to climb on it if they are eager to help water the flowers. 

The cost of this planter came in at around $170 including the stain and brush but not including the soil and plants. It's still more affordable than purchasing similar sized planters from your favorite design stores as they can range anywhere from $120 - $370. You could also alter your design a bit for a shorter planter and skip the stain to cut off another $30-$50. Whenever I invest a little more money into a DIY project, it's usually because I know it's a piece that I'll use for years and I'm confident this planter will still be looking great this time next year. 

I love the height and color it brings to this side of our house and I can't wait to have all of that green cascading over the sides in a few weeks! This is a great option for an herb garden, too, if you want something just outside your kitchen window. What would you plant in yours? 

-Rachel

Photography: Rachel Denbow and Janae Hardy. 

Woven Bath Mat DIY

 

In case you haven't already seen it over at A Beautiful Mess, I shared how you can use your weaving skills for more than just beautiful wall hangings! Grab some fabric yarn, spend some time finger-knitting a chunky garland or two (or four), and then make yourself a luxe bath mat that you'll wish covered your entire floor! It's ultra plush and textural so it's a great way to turn a boring but practical bathroom item into something beautiful. 

This mat cost about $40 to make which can be comparable to similar-sized, plush mats but I didn't have to look long and hard for the colors I wanted in the right size because I got to choose my own! One of my favorite fabric yarn resources is Gannxet. If you're looking for all of those subtle tones or even prints, they have a huge selection at reasonable prices. 

Head over to A Beautiful Mess to get the full tutorial.

If you already know how to weave, this is a great way to stretch your boundaries with a home decor project. If you've been wanting to learn, my new book DIY Woven Art is a great resource for beginners! It takes you step-by-step through the simplest of weavings and teaches new techniques and stitches with each of the 12 projects. You'll also learn about building your own affordable looms! It's available for pre-order now so be sure to grab yours before they sell out once they hit bookstores in August!

-Rachel

 

Clay Cactus Bud Vase DIY for ABM

One of the reasons I love to DIY so many things is because I love having items in my house that feel one of a kind. Yes, there are a million things on the shelves of everyone's favorite home decor stores that I'd bring home in a hot minute if they gave me a gift card and told me to go crazy but there's some about decorating with things I designed or made myself that make our house feel uniquely ours. Maybe I am a purist or maybe it's because I can usually make something for less than I can buy it and it just so happens that I enjoy the process-especially when I get an idea that turns out better than I thought! 

Enter the clay cactus bud vase! Not only is it an easy project, the concept of creating this general shape out of this general material is one that can be tweaked to get a few different fun outcomes depending on your specific taste. Leave off the wire spikes and make a narrower cactus for a fun jewelry display or use twice as much clay and create a bouquet vase rather than a bud vase. Ditch the vase idea altogether and spray paint it in your favorite metallic hue for a fun display piece or make a set and use them as bookends. Basically, there's more than one reason to get yourself over to the full tutorial that I shared over at A Beautiful Mess and then get your hands on some polymer clay. Go!

 

 

Also, thanks so much for sharing my excitement over my book, DIY Woven Art, being available for pre-order! Woohoo! 

 

Leather Keychains are for Lovers DIY

This leather key chain DIY was a project I shared over at A Beautiful Mess last month but wanted to get it posted here for the sake of documenting all of my projects. You know, for that full weekend of coding where I organize the last five years of projects (just from this blog) into user-friendly thumbnails that are organized by supplies or themes or something else super helpful. Yes, that elusive weekend! I'm sure you have one of those elusive weekends of your own! 

This was a fun project because I discovered leather paint for the first time. It's opened up a whole world of ideas for me but most of those will have to wait their turn, too. So many ideas but also so much laundry, right? Ha! I'm so thankful I get to be creative for a living so I don't have to fight too hard to scratch that itch. 

If you're in need of a quick weekend project, this is a great one. It also lends itself to making a handful at once for house warming gifts, something sweet to send to a friend, or to stash away for the holidays. Get the full tutorial and list of supplies over at A Beautiful Mess. 

I hope your weekend holds something fun just for you!

-Rachel