DIY: PALLET COUCH

When my twin sister and I moved into our apartment, our living room furniture consisted of two old, very bulky futons with metal frames and large wooden arm rests. They took up so much space in the room that we didn't even have room for a coffee table. We knew we wanted to have more seating in the living room, without adding tons of new furniture.We started looking for the most cost-effective alternatives, and discovered that the room could be completely transformed with just a few additions. We bought a distressed farm table at an antique store, which made for a perfect coffee table. We wanted to keep the futon cushions because they were in good condition -- they just needed a better home! We started searching for pallets. You can find these almost anywhere if you ask around. We got ours for free from a friend, but it took a couple of tries to find six that were around the same shape, and that our futon cushions could fit on. (Be careful lifting and rearranging the pallets. They are very heavy.) Last, we found some cute pillows, and hung a couple strands of cafe lights on the wall. Project complete!

Inspiration:

Finished product:

What you will need: Pallets, cushions, cafe lights (these can be found for a reasonable price at Target), pillows, throws

DECORATING: OFFICE DECOR

I've found that the most important thing in decorating an office is making it feel homey. I have filled mine with picture frames, inspirational quotes, and my favorite scent. I also brought in my own lamp, and keep it turned on whenever I'm in the office. This is a place where I spend eight hours a day, everyday. I wanted it to both represent and inspire me.

Tip: If your office inspires you, it will probably inspire other people you work with, too. 

GOLD POLKA-DOT TRAY

Finished product:

What you'll need: 

Ceramic tray

Paper reinforcements 

Gold Sharpie Paint Maker

Directions:

Step one: Arrange paper reinforcers on tray.

Step two: Fill in the reinforcers with your paint pen.

Step three: When dry, pull off reinforcers.

DIY: STATE SILHOUETTE

Last Christmas, I came across a lot of silhouetted reindeer heads covered in glitter. I decided to modify the project to be a year-round decoration: my home state and our football mascot. This project is so easy, and takes almost no time.

What you'll need: Glitter, glue, tape, cut-out of desired shape, a blank sheet of paper, empty frames. 

Tip: After your glittered cut-out dries, tape it to the blank sheet of paper. Gluing it to the paper will make it crinkle and change shape. Make sure your cut-out will fit in your desired frame.