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Dare to DIY

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Kamis, 07 Maret 2013 0 komentar

I admit it, I am a bit DIY challenged when it comes to projects requiring the big power tools or actual skill. My poor little power tool set includes a cheap jigsaw, a hand-me-down drill, a rusty old sander, and a questionable router. In Monday's exclusive, Sarah from The Ugly Duckling House shared with us the best beginner tools to invest in... well Sarah, I'm going to need to do a bit of "investing" alright, then I'll be ready to get daring with my diy! In the meantime, my jig and I are about to become besties.

If you didn't read my exclusive with Sarah, check it out here then come back and join the "Dare to DIY" party. I want to see your daring diy's! Whether big or small we all have to start somewhere. Link up your project posts below, or tag Home Made by Carmona to your diy projects on Facebook.

Here is a sneak peak of my own diy projects...soon to be blogged about of course! Talk about conquering my electric saw! With such old hand-me-down tools (which I am grateful for!) there are often a few hiccups that slow my diy roll. All of these projects were low skill but allowed me to work up my confidence and perfect "the cut". One of these days I'll be a regular handy-girl with "big girl" tools!

I am especially excited about my coat closet. Sarah totally inspired me to tackle this! I've been vexed by it for far too long, and with all that talk about diy and power tools, I decided to face my project head on and get it done. In spite of a few unforeseen frustrations, I think the closet came out pretty well. It got a fresh coat of paint, I used my jigsaw quite a bit and added shelves. I am in love with this take on cubbies I made to store my girls purses and coats! I can't wait to share the details with you (psst, I re-used wood from other trashed furniture)! Ok, one more quick glance at my cubbies>>>

Oh! I almost forgot! I decided to give Sarah's accomplishment pose a go once I finished the closet cubbies. So,this one is for you Sarah! Lol! Yep, that's my Heisman, and why yes, yes that IS a drill in my hand! *chortle* I may have failed that pose, but as long as I rocked the closet it's aaaaall good. Ok, back to business...

I'm not the only one getting my diy on! Check out these fantastic resources, and fellow bloggers also getting their diy on!

The FamilyHandyman.com, and BobVila.com are just a couple fantastic online resources. They include how-to's, tutorials, video's, forums, and more!

BobVila.com Photo Source: via Pinterest

Source: familyhandyman.com via Home Made by on Pinterest

Looking for a community of fellow diy'ers to keep you motivated and inspired? Join an online community to inspire and encourage you, or bookmark a couple great blogs of people at your comfort level of diy.
I just HAD to share a couple darling bloggers I recently met through a Google Plus community I joined! The Coop and Confessions of an ADD Housewife share everyday creative ways to make your house a wonderful home! I'm always being inspired by the talented bloggers of the group! A couple great online communities are DIY Meeting Place, which is a fantastic Google Plus community, and Tip Junkie a place where anyone (blogger and non-blogger alike) can save and share projects!

Want to join in the challenge? Show us your daring diy's! Whether big or small, if you chose to use a needle and thread, glue and staples, or hammer and power tools, we want to see your creative diy's! Need a little time to work on it? No worries, this link-up will be open for the entire month! So go tackle your project, blog about it, then come link up! *giggle* And I won't mind if you decide to show us your best "accomplishment pose", whether you do the Heisman and Rosie the Riveter like Sarah, or your own special pose.
After you link up, ~~grab this special edition "I Dared to DIY" feature button~~. The code will disappear when the link challenge closes in a month, so link up and grab it while you can!

**See the next interview in the series "The Incredibles: Our Fifth House" here**

(button code no longer available)

Please remember to:
1. Link your past or present DIY projects
2. Include text link back to your blog post

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Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Rabu, 06 Maret 2013 0 komentar

basically a wordless wed....b/c i was just craving something pretty....

*images courtesy brown dress w/ white dots, atl home, lonny

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Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Selasa, 05 Maret 2013 0 komentar

lately, my eyes have been drawn to florals...kind of the granny chic vibe. i really want to add some to my house....my only problem is getting it pass the husband.....men and flowers don't mix well. i have my eyes on this wallpaper (maybe behind a bookshelf) and this one. and i am dying to get one of rifle paper's new iphone cases....and still holding out for a lulie wallace painting that would totally brighten my day!! when i was out shopping this weekend, we noticed a lot of floral in fashion as well...j crew was definitely rocking it!!

* images courtesy of lulie wallace, anthropologie, jenny keenan interior design, rifle paper co instagram

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The Incredibles: The Ugly Duckling House

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Senin, 04 Maret 2013 0 komentar

What is the scariest part of tackling ugly spaces in your house? For many it's the projects that require caulk guns, and routers, primers, and saws, electrical wires, and grout. Whether decorating or organizing, a little hardcore diy knowledge can go a loooong way. It's also the one thing that tends to give the most people pause, which is why I'm excited to have a superhero of DIY stop by for an exclusive...Sarah from The Ugly Duckling House! Believe me when I say this hammer slinging, power tool tot'in lady is indeed Incredible!

Even better, she knows how to diy-it solo...which I am all about since my hubby isn't a power tool type of guy...at all. not. at. all.
Sarah has been featured at Bob Vila Nation, among other awesome diy sites. I discovered The Ugly Duckling House via this Top 100 DIY Sites For Home Improvement Fanatics list, Sarah is #4 on the list! I immediately fell in love with her blog, who wouldn't? It is chock-full of practical information that even I can easily follow...yeah, and I'm the type that glances at instructions with an "eh, good enough, I got this", followed by "winging it". Sarah keeps it real, makes it interesting (she is hilarious! I'm always giggling through her posts), and easy to follow at a glance! Thanks for stopping by Sarah!

"Interviewing The Incredibles" part 1:

Dare to DIY

Whether you are already a diy aficionado, or you are looking to get your dare on, Sarah has sound advice for us all, so enjoy the interview, and look for the diy challenge I'm making you at the end!

Ursula: Although I found your “Cleaning & Recipes” page insightful *chuckle*, I love that you have a “Lessons Learned” page! I mean, really some of us out there are saying, oh thank goodness, she wrote just for me! How do you recommend someone start seemingly daunting diy’s that require “tools” and “knowledge”, when we just figured out how to use our electric can opener?

Sarah: Honestly? Google is my best friend. We’re buds. I designed my own website (more than once) with nothing more than a search engine and the right key words. Same goes for learning how to skim coat a wall. There’s a skill to finding the info you need quickly (working in IT as my day job never ceases to amaze me how skill really is needed in places you expect to be no-brainers like searching for tutorials). But doing the research (thoroughly – not all how-tos are created equal, and there’s usually more than one way to do something) does more than just give you a step-by-step instruction. It teaches you the lingo so you can ask the right questions when speaking to the clerk at the home improvement store. It makes them treat you differently (“Need any help?” turns into “Ok, well here’s what I think you should do…”). It also gives you confidence that when something goes wrong or doesn’t pan out the way you had it in your head, you have more “tools” at your disposal to figure it out. That freakout you know is looming on a project? That’s fear. Knowledge kicks it in the teeth.

But… some of it will always be trial and error. Sometimes when I’m not sure how to do something, and even after reading six different ways to cook an egg, I still wind up with a runny mess (did I mention I don’t cook?). So don’t dive headfirst into a kitchen reno if you aren’t sure how to use your caulk gun. Start small. Build confidence from projects that don’t involve plumbing or electricity (and definitely not in the same project!). Smaller projects have less risk and you can usually correct your mistakes easily. Every home is different and has its own quirks, which means you may encounter something outside the cookie cutter “fool-proof” plan. Many projects don’t need a huge arsenal of tools to complete; only the right ones. Paint a wall; build some shelves. The big projects you see from bloggers online are after years of honing their skills and from consulting people who know better. It sounds cliché, but the phrase “Rome wasn't built in a day" stuck around for a reason.

Ursula: *Sigh* yes my home is the quirk, but I'm taking that advice to heart! DIY projects seem like a lot of extra work. What would you say makes it worth the time and effort? C’mon, give us the gumption to tackle our ugly spaces too!

Sarah: Do you have a stubborn streak? Are you a cheapskate? While those aren’t the best qualities for most people, they sure do help me when it comes to DIY. I don’t post a lot of pictures of myself online because I’m usually a mess, and so is the house. I get into snarling fits of rage when something isn’t going right. I have never thrown a tool, but I’ve come close. But that’s the territory. There’s a reason handymen and women get paid to do this. It’s not easy. It requires skill. Which is why it’s all the more rewarding when I can look at a room and think, “holy crap, I did that!?!?” Accomplishing something you weren’t sure you could do – it’s the Superwoman effect. Don’t tell anyone, but I do the pose after each project. Either that, the “Rosie the Riveter”, or “The Heisman”.

Ursula: *giggle* On behalf of all readers, please PLEASE sport the pose for us someday! Ok, so some of us don’t have the tools, or the money to fork over for a garage full of complicated items we don’t know how to use. What starter tools should we have? And how can we learn to use them?

Sarah: I wrote a post a while back for ten DIY essentials under $50. Most of my starter projects involved wood, paint, and stain. On top of that list, I’d add slip lock pliers and wrenches (Channellock is a brand for reference), a stud finder, adjustable clamps (love the ones from Irwin), jigsaw, and angle square. In the $50-100 range, I’d also recommend an oscillating (multi-) tool, a compound miter saw (mine is 10” but they also have 12”), and a Kreg Jig. You don’t need to go out and buy all of these things at once! Hand tools will still do the job and are cheaper. I bought my jigsaw at Big Lots of all places (a discount/knockoff store in the Southeast) and it’s still going strong (cheap tools will sometimes surprise you at how long they last!). Also, Home Depot carries refurbished tools – I’ve bought almost half of my outdoor trimming tools this way and saved myself a few bucks doing it. As for learning how to use them, tools always come with instructions, and You Tube is a good resource for free instructional videos (many manufacturers are already hip to this and are creating their own channels).

Ursula: I'm convinced! And very happy for You Tube! I'm curious to know, what projects/accomplishments are you the most proud of?

Sarah: So far, I think I’m most proud of the guest bathroom redo (it’s still unfinished, but the major stuff – toilet installation, tile inlay, etc. is done) and my gold leaf map art. I learned so much on both projects! But overall, what I love most is seeing my home move inch by inch closer to the vision in my head. It’s a long way off, but it’s going to get there. And then I’ll have a nice, long nap.

Ursula: I hear that!

Sarah, you are fantastic, your blog is fantastic! Anyone who hasn't visited your blog and gotten schooled in diy HAS to stop over! Visit Sarah at www.uglyducklinghouse.com.

Oh great, now I'm all hopped up on inspiration and gung-ho to get-to-it!
I'm sure I'm not the only one. Soooo, I'm making a challenge to all the readers and bloggers out there, is there a diy you've been afraid to tackle? Or maybe you've already faced that fear head-on. We all want to see! This Thursday come back and link up your Daring DIY's, and I promise I'll tackle a few to share as well! The link-up will be open the entire month, so go face your ugly spaces and take lots of before and after pictures...I'll be waiting!

(Click here to see the "Dare to DIY" challenge)

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Vintage Coca Cola Wallpaper

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Sabtu, 02 Maret 2013 0 komentar

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Sonal Chauhan Hot Wallpapers, Sonal Chauhan Sexy / Hot Pics/Photos

Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier 0 komentar

Sonal Singh Chauhan is an Indian fashion model, singer and actress. She was born: May 16, 1985 in Noida, Sonal Chauhan’s First Super hit Films is Jannat with Imaran Hashmi.

Free download here Sonal Chauhan Wallpapers, Sonal Chauhan Hot Wallpapers, Sonal Chauhan Sexy Wallpaper and Sonal Chauhan Hot Photos.

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Posted by sew4tejhtr6ier Jumat, 01 Maret 2013 0 komentar

it's friday and this girl couldn't be happier b/c i have a date w/ my main man and this movie on the sofa tonight. cheers to the weekend......

*images courtesy of Colleen C. Nathanson, emerson fry, martha stewart, simplified bee

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