DIY Industrial Shoe and Coat Rack (Inspired by Urban Outfitters)

When I saw this industrial storage rack from Urban Outfitters I knew it was exactly what we needed for our entryway. It's got the simple, masculine, industrial look that I'm always attracted to, and it's the perfect size to store our favorite shoes and jackets.

But, I couldn't see spending $500 on something I could make myself with a few boards and pipes. Especially since, as Ryan pointed out, we'd probably have to assemble it out of the box anyway. So, this past week, Ryan and I picked up some supplies at Home Depot and put together one of our own.

The supplies cost about $200 and the whole project took about a day including shopping time and drying time. Home Depot cut the boards and pipes to our specifications. The best part was that we could customize the rack exactly how we wanted it. For example, I spray painted the connecting pieces gold to match the gold accents in our front room.

We used black iron pipe, but you could also use galvanized steal or copper for a different look, or you could spray paint the pipe another color.

Supplies
Two 3/4" thick 18"/46" boards, one cut in half crosswise (If you can't find these exact detentions, don't seat it.)
Four 10" pieces of 3/4" pipe (At Home Depot these were pre-cut pieces called "nipples.")
One 43" piece of 3/4" pipe (for the short side)
One 42" piece of 3/4" pipe (for the top rail)
One 65" piece of 3/4" pipe (for the long side – We bought this one on a separate trip, first measuring the mostly-complete rack to determine the exact length we would need.)
Ten 3/4" floor flanges
Two 3/4" iron elbows
Four large casters with locks
Screws to fit the floor flanges and the casters (Make sure they're short enough not to go through the boards.)
A power drill with a drill bit slightly smaller than your screws and a screw bit to fit your screws
A can of matte clear spray paint or another wood finish, sealer, or stain
A can of metallic gold spray paint

Instructions
Start by treating both sides of the boards with the matte clear spray paint. This will protect them somewhat from the water and mud you track in on your shoes. Spray paint the flanges and elbows on all sides with metallic gold and let dry.

Attach the casters to the underside of the long board with screws, drilling first to give the screws something to dig in to.

Starting at the bottom and working your way up, attach the 10" length of pipe with the floor flanges first to the bottom board and then to the other boards. You will need to rotate the flanges slightly so that flanges on opposite sides of the same board each have room for all their screws.

Use the final two flanges to attach the short-side pipe to the top board and the long-side pipe to the bottom board. Use the iron elbows to attach the side pipes to the top rail.

Stand back, admire your work, and Instagram the shit.

Wedding Week: Details & Decor

I had a lot of fun coming up with decor ideas and making things to decorate our space. I organized several craft days with friends and family in the time leading up to the wedding. Even though the decor was a lot of work, I think it really helped add a personal element to our wedding that was well worth the effort.

Thanks to everyone who helped create and set up the decor!

Photos by Braun Photography

DI(fr)Yday: Embroidered Constellation Christmas Ornaments

I've been on quite the garland-and-ornament-making kick this Christmas. I really love the simplicity of these DIY clay ornaments, but I wanted to give them my own twist. So I made some simple painted ones and also developed a plan for making embroidered-constellation ones.

I made one with Leo and one with Gemini since those are Ryan's and my sun signs, but I think it would be really cool to do Orion, Ursa Major or another favorite constellation as well.

I followed Kelli's instructions for rolling and cutting the Sculpy, but  before baking, I made small holes for each star with the tip of a toothpick. After the ornaments baked and cooled, I used the running stitch to trace the shape of each constellation with embroidery thread.

I love the way they turned out. Don't you think they'd make great gifts, stocking stuffers, or even personalized gift tags?

DI(fr)Yday: (Leif-inspired) Glittery Metallic Geometric Garland

I fell in love with the "Glittered Geometry Garland" at Leif, but decided I could make something similar at home.

First, I printed 3D shape templates (found here). Then I cut them out of glittered scrapbook paper using an X-Acto knife on a self-healing cutting mat.

After that, I made up the shapes securing all but one side with Scotch tape on the inside.

I strung the shapes together with gold embroidery thread and secured the thread at the corners of each shape with some hot glue.

Then I closed up the shapes, securing the final side of the shape with hot glue on a tab of paper.

The whole process took a few days, but I really like the end result, and I think it looks great on our tree.

I wasn't able to photograph every step because I mostly worked on it in the dark after work, but I'd be happy to answer any questions if you decide to make it.

DIY Hostess Gift: Painted-Wood Dessert Spoons

I have a real thing for cute spoons. These acrylic ones are my favorite. I keep one at work that I use to eat my greek yogurt every morning for breakfast, and I really feel like it makes the eating experience more enjoyable. Plus I have a weird thing where I don't like eating yogurt with a metal spoon.

Anyway, when I saw these cheap wooden teaspoons at Hobby Lobby, I thought they'd be a lot of fun to paint. I decorated each with a different pattern using a Sharpie paint pen. I like the way the mismatch set looks together, but I also think they look really cute tied around a pint of ice-cream as a nice addition to a hostess gift.

DI(fr)Yday: How to Make Paper Cupcake Toppers with Crepe Paper and Toothpicks

I made these cute little paper cupcake toppers to decorate spice-cake cupcakes for Jenn's sugar-and-spice-themed baby shower. They are so simple and cute, and the use crepe paper, something you might have on hand already if you're throwing a party. 

You will need:

Crepe paper

Toothpicks

Scotch tape

Scissors

Step 01. Cut your crepe paper into fringe by making slits about every quarter inch or so.

Step 02. Cut a strip that's about three inches long and wrap it tightly around one end of a toothpick.

Step 03. Secure the end with a small piece of Scotch tape.

Step 04. Gently separate the fringy bits with your fingers, fluffing and spreading them until you like the look. 

DI(fr)Yday: Wedding cake stands made from thrifted dinnerware

Last weekend, my mom and I tackled another DIY project for my wedding. My mom has made really cool cake stands and tiered tea-cake stands in the past using thrifted dinnerware. She gets really creative with it. So, when it was time to design the look of my dessert table, I knew I wanted to make cake stands with her.

We're going to have a small wedding cake on a stand at the center of our dessert table with a variety of tiered stands of all heights surrounding it, displaying key-lime tarts, powdered donuts, clementines, and assorted candies.

We made a lot more stands than are shown here (but I've got to keep some surprises for the wedding!), and just think how much prettier they'll look displaying treats at my wedding (instead of the random assortment of Oreos and marshmallows that I pulled from my kitchen cabinets for these photos).

It's a really simple process. Basically, you need to select a smattering of plates and trays for the tiers. Then you need some pieces to use I bases and risers. I've found that small bowls and teacups turned upside-down make really good (and sturdy) bases, and that glassware makes good risers. Candlesticks make great risers, too, and can make good bases if they're sturdy enough.

Once you've decided how you're going to match up your pieces, just glue them together using a strong ceramic glue, and let them cure for a good 24-72 hours (or as long as your glue directs you).

If you're making a lot of stands, we've found that the creative process works best if you overbuy a bit. You really need a good assortment of objects in front of you for maximum variety potential. And, since everything is so cheap, it's okay if there are a couple pieces that you don't end up using. Just donate them back to the thrift store for some other lucky person to find; it's the circle of life.

A word on making these sturdy:
The biggest challenge here is making sure that your creations are sturdy enough. Obviously, you want to keep larger tiers at the bottom, selecting smaller ones as you move up, but I have a few other tips and tricks that might be less obvious.

01. In general, single-tier cake stands should have elevating bases, whereas multi-tier stands should be grounded with a plate.

02. Make the bottom heavy and the top light. If you've got a candle stick with a marble base (like the ones pictured), use it as a base for a stand, not as a riser three levels up on a multi-tiered stand. Basically, use gravity in your favor, not against yourself.

03. Use your best judgement. If something feels precarious, it probably is. See if you can rearrange the elements you love together in another way that's sturdier and just as cute.