DIY Coat Hanger

Have you heard of Pick Your Plum?

I like it.

Here is a DIY project using iron hangers I found at Pick Your Plum.

Front door: kids (mine and all neighborhood guests) always pile their coats next to the front door. We have hooks and shoe racks in the garage. I've tried for a while to force using the garage. Sigh. Some things are not worth arguing over. So, if you are going to pile your coats at the front door, I might as well have something to hang them on that I like to look at!

Pick your Plum:

3 iron hangers, for a good deal.

Other supplies you will need:

Bead board

Trim wood

Wood glue

Paint (I used spray paint and stain)

small bolts + nuts

Step 1: Cut bead board

Step 2: Measure trim and cut at a 45 degree angle

Step 3: Glue trim together to make a frame

Step 4: paint everything (I also painted the face of each bolt to match the hangers

Step 5: Measure, mark, and drill holes

Step 6: Glue frame to bead board

Step 7: Use bolts and nuts to attach hangers to framed bead board

Step 8: HANG UP YOUR COAT!

The lighting in my pictures is not amazing--all of these projects have to be done after the kiddos bedtime! Hope you understand!

PS I got my canvas from Canvas On Demand using a Groupon. They did an excellent job!

A Valentine Tutorial

What you need: Valentine paper, can, dowel, felt, brads, floral foam, Styrofoam ball, ribbon, and maybe a couple more things that I've forgotten...
First: cut your paper to fit around your can. I used a baby formula can and unfortunately 12x12 paper was just 1/2 inch short. Choose your can wisely. I used double sided tape around all the edges of the paper to attach it to the can.
Cut out lots of felt flowers. Mine are 2 sizes, one slightly smaller than the other. I cut 22 small and 22 large flowers.

Sew a swirl on the small flower. It doesn't have to be perfect...
Cut and paint the dowel. I used a 1/4" dowel about 12" long. Spray paint green.
Stuff your can with floral foam. It doesn't have to look pretty, you will cover it up. Just make sure it doesn't wiggle around...you need it to be sturdy.
Snip a hole in the center of each flower. Just large enough to fit a brad.

Layer a small flower and a large flower. Insert a brad through both.Insert brads into Styrofoam ball. After I had most of the flowers attached I went back and added a drop of hot glue to each one.

Insert the dowel into the floral foam and the Styrofoam ball. This was harder than I thought it would be. Make sure you look at all sides to center it.
Finish adding flowers.
Hot glue moss to the top of the floral foam. Tie a ribbon bow around the top of the dowel/bottom of the ball. I used about 24" of ribbon.
Set your new decoration next to some "love" letters (SEE BELOW) and you are all set!

Happy Holidays!

I will be taking orders through December 15th 2010. After that I have to make my own Christmas gifts! (I should be more organized!) I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
These baby blankets are not for sale, but I enjoy a good tutorial and these are fun to make! I learned how here