Renovar: Story of Thanks

Hello dear G2B readers. It is Jenny again from Renovar Design. With Thanksgiving this week and the other holidays coming up I am bringing you a story of thanks and gratitude instead of the normal project and I hope that you don't mind because I have so many blessings to be thankful for in life and this one of them...a part of my family.

Renovar: Scrap Wood Pumpkin Wall Art

Fall is officially here, signs are everywhere - pumpkins are for sale, some trees are changing colors, the skies get darker earlier, it is crisp and cool in the morning, so I have succumbed. Another summer has come and gone and I have allowed Autumn decor to make its way into our house and here is our first craft project to welcome the F word in!

Renovar: DIY Jewelry Holder

Hi guys, I was really worried that I wasn't going to have a project for you this month. I had an unexpected surgical procedure after some random abdominal pains that wouldn't go away and several inconclusive tests. I am slowly recovering but it will take 4-6 weeks and thankfully, my husband Marco came to my rescue and helped me finish a project that I started in June to be able to come through for you guys and I couldn't be more excited to share what we did with you this month! It is another up-cycled project - I love making new things from what other people consider to be junk!

In June, while we working on our Bathroom Organization Project I had come to the decision that I was not happy with the the piece that was storing my jewelry. It wasn't my style and was cluttered and not easy to access. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted but I knew I wanted to make something custom. I am one of those people that inspiration hits out of nowhere. Kind of randomly, while in the middle of 189 other projects and I stop mid-tracks saying SQUIRREL when I spot something or inspiration hits and change gears to implement whatever "it" is, even if it just to start it. So, in the middle of the ceiling installation that we were doing here this is what I started. I didn't want Marco to catch me (he tends to get a little frustrated when my mind goes off on a tangent as he doesn't understand this way of thinking and he definitely doesn't understand that I will not remember my inspiration if I don't drop everything and just do it at that moment - which partially explains the 452 unfinished projects we have) so the pictures may not be the best. I took a window frame that had no glass and a broken wooden country shelf thingy - you know the kind, from the 1990's and took it apart and cut it down. I married the two together using my nail gun and a few screws. It took all of 20 minutes. Then, it sat... for 2 months. In my room, staring at me day in and day out. Longing for me to finish it. Taunting me.

Now, this past week. I asked my wonderful, patient, kind, loving husband to help me finish the project since I knew my deadline for this post was approaching and I couldn't finish any projects while I was recovering from my surgery, without his help. He was so excited to help me he couldn't stand it!! (To be read as, really? Another project to help you with, because I already created a gallery wall and moved all the furniture for you!!) He enthusiastically reluctantly, YET lovingly, jumped in the car and went to the hardware store to get the wire mesh. We had everything else on hand. I was able to lay out the hooks the way that I wanted and mark them. Unfortunately, I was unable to pre-drill them or screw them in. Hubs did that part for me this time. Next, I painted the whole piece. Which was an easy, sit down project. I also painted the hooks since they didn't match. I used sand paper and did a light distressing as well over the entire piece.

Next I tried to install the wire mesh but had some pain so hubs had to help & this time he actually was okay with it because he could tell that I was in pain and didn't want me to get hurt with the mesh. It simply gets stapled on the back-side and then cut to size. Please make sure that you use gloves for safety as the edges are very sharp. Especially when you are cutting it. He started out with wire snips but as he got going, he ended up just using regular scissors because of the length of the sheers - it went a lot faster. This entire project, including paint dry time, took about an hour and a half. The only cost we incurred was approx. $8.00 for the roll of mesh that we had to purchase. We didn't even use 1/4 of the roll.

I love how I have everything neat and organized and all my jewelry in one place. I do need to find something or make something different to fit my stud earrings. Other than that. I seriously, am totally happy with how it turned out!!

The top basket holds watches. Even though it doesn't match, I won't change it since it is a Longaberger basket and is part of a breast cancer awareness series and is over 15 years old. Then the bracelets are on the top hooks. The dangle earrings loop easily onto the mesh. The shelves can be used for anything. Perfume is shown and I actually added my ring holder. I will be using the bottom shelf for the stud earrings and then the bottom hooks have all of my necklaces. I sorted everything by color so that I can easily access all of the jewelry in the morning while dressing for work and keep them neat and organized.

Well, I hope this project inspires you to be creative and to look at "junk" in a whole new way! I would love for you to follow along: Instagram • Facebook • Pinterest •Twitter • Google +

Until next month!

~jenny Renovar Design

Renovar Design: DIY Faux Vintage Arrow Sign

Hello and Welcome to August! I am so happy to be visiting again! This month I am sharing with you how to make a vintage inspired arrow sign. I hope you like it!

Renovar: Simple Light Fixture Update

I'm baaaack! It's Jenny, back from Renovar Design. The past 2 months, my husband Marco visited you guys and made you free Printables for both Mother's Day and Father's Day. I hope you enjoyed having him for a bit of a change!

This month over at Renovar Design we have been busy updating & organizing our bathrooms. We are on a very tight budget because we are saving for a kitchen renovation. So, this is how I updated our light fixture for $3.00 dollars and in an hour ~ making this one of the quickest and easiest up-cycles you can do for your own home. (Seriously, I did this after work - which reads: after making dinner after work!)

Flipit Ashley: How to Preserve your Herbs

This year, I have managed to successfully kill all of the herbs on my balcony garden except my parsley, which has somehow thrived. It means that I have to buy fresh herbs from the supermarket, which is expensive especially if you use herbs regularly in your cooking. You can forget about buying the plants – I’m pretty sure they are designed to die within two weeks.

Renovar: Father's Day Printable Coupon Book

Hello from G2B readers!

It's that time of year again when ladies everywhere are dying to show their men what amazing dads they are. What better way to do this than with a free printable coupon book from Renovar.

Flipit Ashley: Feminine Hygiene that Saves Money

I am thrilled to introduce you to our newest contributor for fromG2B!

Her name is Ashley, she's a blogger - at Amsterdam Blog - and professional editor at Flipit Australia. There is writes all about thrifty living ideas, couponing, how to save cash. That's what many of us care about, too, and I know she'll be a major asset to fg2b.  Her blog post today should be memorable and I can't wait to see what the reaction will be! When Ashley proposed the subject as a great way to save money, my question back was, "Is this a common thing in Europe?" Read on and learn more...

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Renovar Design: Mother's Day Printable

Hello From G2B readers!

This time it isn't Jenny from Renovar Design - it is her husband Marco. Jenny has been busier than usual - staying late at work plus, her 2 daughters (my step-daughters) were sick this past week so she asked me for some help with the monthly post for Becca's awesome reader's.

Renovar Design: DIY Candles Holders from Vintage Jello Molds

I am so excited to back again & this month I am not even fooling around (get it? lame? I know, I know...sorry. I just couldn't resist!)

On a more serious note, I have been very busy with a basketball tournament, work, tackling a whole home organization project, crafting here and there in my spare time & taking care of every single person in my house because they have all been sick! Being a nurse, I normally don't blame the weather - this week - I am totally blaming the weather! It has been crazy in the Chicago land area. Sunny & 50, then overcast & 70, then rainy, then back to the 30's with snow, then warmer again in the 50's, then sleet and then more snow. I feel like mother nature is having a mid-life crisis and doesn't really know what she wants! LOL. Ah, such is life in the Midwest!

This month I am bringing you a quick, inexpensive, DIY up-cycled project. Despite being so busy, I still manage to make time for crafting. It relaxes me. Even if it only takes a few minutes to complete, I feel accomplished after being creative!

Always Never Done: Side Table Makeover with BB Frosch Chalk Powder

Hello again ladies and gents! This month I am going to show you how to use chalk powder to transform a piece of furniture.

Here is my pretty little lady ready to be transformed which I picked up an estate sale.

easy-peasy •DIY• Yarn Sphere Vase Fillers

Hello there! It is Jenny back at you from Renovar Design. This month I am bringing you an easy craft project! In fact, it is soooo easy; in lieu of a step-by-step tutorial, I am going to show you the pictures for the "how-to" {like seriously, that is how EASY PEASY this project is} and I am going to share a story!



I have a few cats. By a few, I mean 5. I know, I know, I am the crazy cat lady! I am okay with that - provided that my house never smells like cats. Which guests say that it never does - like my Mom- who is ALWAYS honest! You know, my biggest fan and my biggest critic all rolled up into one. So, I was crafting on the floor using card board on the carpet for protection because our craft room was a little cluttered.



I also happened to be baking a cake for my family. Of course, as luck would have it, the timer went off on the oven while I was in the middle of hot gluing one of the yarn spheres.



Well, as I was getting the cake out of the oven, I had gotten distracted. Does this ever happen to you? I swear, I have un-diagnosed ADD, because I decided since the oven was already on, I should go ahead and start dinner. So what do you get when you have 5 cats, yarn and a few Styrofoam balls laying on the floor UNATTENDED?

 

You get 2 balls instead of 3 because a few of my feline family members may or may not have gotten into the craft supplies on the floor. I had NO IDEA that 2 cats and a kitten could make such a huge mess in half an hour. I am just glad that I had unplugged the hot glue gun!

So my friends, that is a less learned and now I have a clean, organized craft room where I can leave projects unattended without chaos ensuing while I get distracted.
 

To finish off filling the vintage milk glass bowl; I simply used the inspiration sphere that I bought years ago, made a smaller ball using all green yarn for a pop of color for St. Patrick's day and wrapped white rick-rack and some braided twine in balls and I got a pretty cute centerpiece for the top of our painted piano!

I would love it if you would follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter or visit the blog for more ideas and projects!

Until then,

Jenny

Always Never Done: Valentine’s Day Framed Heart Stencil

Hi everybody! Are we all making it through winter ok so far? If you are  on the east coast its BITTER cold in case you wondering. Let's think warm thoughts shall we.

This month I am going to show you how to make a really easy and cute piece of artwork  that you can make for Valentine's Day or just keep up year round if you are into hearts.

Always Never Done: DIY Bathroom Vanity and Undersink Shelf

Hello friends! I hope you all had a great holiday season and an even better new year. I can’t  believe 2015 is already here. We rang in the new year with pizza, beer and an early bed time. Such an old maid I am!

With a new year brings new projects and I can happily say we are FINALLY in the finishing stages of our master bathroom.  We completely gutted it and started from scratch.  Since it was a pretty small bathroom we decided to custom build the vanity. The smaller to medium sized vanities we saw while out shopping were just not what we were looking for or were way out of our budget. So my husband and I drew out a simple plan for an open concept vanity with a countertop sink.

Renovar Design: Window Chalkboard Menu

 Hello from G2B readers! How have you been? I hope well! Now that the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is over - the focus of the New Year is typically resolutions, weight loss and organization! Well, I may be a little crazy because I don't wanna talk to you about any of that, so I thought I'd give you a fun craft to work on instead!!! :)

Huckleberry Love: Grandmas's Old Fashioned Cookies

Hello again everyone! 

I'm so happy to be back sharing at from G2B for the last contributor post us ladies over at Huckleberry Love have for you this year. In the past I've shared with you two patterns to make a Crochet Baby Duck Easter Hat and a Crochet Ghost Knot Hat. This time around however, I decided to switch it up and share with you on of my favourite Christmas recipes, Grandma's Old Fashioned Shortbread Cookies.

Always Never Done: Small DIY Pine Cone Christmas Trees

Hello G2B readers and friends. Now that Thanksgiving and Black Friday are all said and done, it’s time for CHRISTMAS!!!!!! Woot Woot! Can you tell I have been a little excited. So to start off the holiday season I decided to make some cute little decorative trees. I mean who doesn’t want a cute little tree sitting around the house that they made. Am I right or am I right?!?

Renovar Design: From Baby Changing Duties to a Kitchen BEAUTY!

For those of you in the US, I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!, Ours was small this year, but still really special. I'm so thrilled to introduce you to our final monthly contributor. It's Jenny from Renovar Design- you may already know of her, from her fantastic furniture transformations and upcycles! I know you'll love her creativity and bright personality.

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Hello friends!  I am not only thrilled, but also truly delighted to have the opportunity to be a new monthly contributor for Becca on From Gardners 2 Bergers!  Thanks Becca :)  I hope you all enjoy the DIY projects and crafting ideas that can help make your house into a home ~ on a budget!  I like to take pieces that may be outdated or no longer useful and transform them into beautiful, practical, useful pieces - on a budget!

Huckleberry Love: Mini Apple Pies

Hey y'all! This is Lydia, one of the ladies behind Huckleberry Love, and I am so excited to be contributing again here at FromG2B! We are so happy to be sharing our ideas with you and are very grateful to Becca for having us as part of her monthly blog contribution!

A Week from Thursday: White Hot Chocolate with Homemade Whipped Cream

Hi everyone! It’s Heidi from A Week from Thursday. As a craftaholic and foodie, I blog about DIYs and recipes on AWFT, but once a month I head over to Becca’s blog to share a tasty treat. I’m back this month to share another delicious recipe that’s perfect for winter.

Sometimes you need something tasty and hot to warm you up, but you don’t want to leave the house. One of my favorite winter drinks is Starbuck’s white hot chocolate. If you’re a fan of creamy and decadent drinks, this one will not disappoint. It takes just a few minutes to make and tastes way better than any powdered hot chocolate mix.