Life is Beautiful

Motherhood, Sewing, Family

DIY: Paver Planters

~ DIY DREAM HOUSE

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot.  Since my husband is the DIY king and can fix or build anything, I’ve always wanted to learn his ways and am so excited to get this opportunity to make fun projects for my home! #DIHWorkshop 
My husband’s favorite store is Home Depot.  He knows the employees there by name and so do they,  need I say more?  I am not a home DIY person, but more of a sewing DIY person, so the only times I’ve been to Home Depot is to follow my husband along when he needs to buy something, and to take the kids to the Kid Workshops.  My kids love going to the Kid Workshops in their little orange aprons and building something to take home and also receiving a pin upon completion to add to their aprons.  It’s an awesome program they have for kids where they provide all the supplies and it’s free!  Well, guess what?  Did you know that they offer DIH-Do It Herself workshops as well?  I had no idea and was so happy to find out that they did!  It’s held every third Thursday evening so on April 16th, they will teach you how to build a paver planter. This interactive, hands-on workshop is a great opportunity to fine tune your DIY skills and pick up tips and advice from the pros for all of your home improvement projects.  And just like the Kid Workshops, they provide all the supplies and tools and it’s free!  You’ll go home with a paver planter you made and will be so proud like I was when I made them last weekend so you’ll get to see what paver planters are in case you didn’t know…like me who had to Google to see what the heck paver planters were.  So embarrassing.

I am so proud of my first project, guys!  I painted mine champagne gold and am happy how they turned out.  I would have chosen a darker, red mahogany wood to give it a contrast between the tiles and the wood, but my two girls really wanted it to be gold so I went with the gold and I think it turned out really nice.  What color would you have done?
And you bet you’ll find me at Home Depot on April 16th for the class!  Register for the DIH Workshop here before the class gets full!  I am going to invite a few of my girlfriends and make it a GNO!  The Home Depot wants everyone to have the skills and confidence to be a first class do-it-yourselfer which is why they offer in-store workshops where you’ll get step-by-step instructions and hands on experience learning to do simple décor and easy home improvements.  To make two paver planters, it cost me $107(I had all the tools already) which includes the plants also, so I think Home Depot is so generous to offer these classes for free.  Even though I already know how to make them, I will go to refine my skills and let’s be honest, to come home with a free paver planter.  So I hope you’ll take advantage of this offer as well!

DIY: Paver Planters

DIFFICULTY: Beginner
DURATION: 2 Hours (includes drying time)

TOOLS

• A circular saw
• A power drill and bits
• A caulking gun
• Utility knife
• Sand paper block
• A paintbrush

MATERIALS

• Four 12×12 pavers, any color
• Two 8 foot 2x2s
• A bag of moisture control soil
• A small roll of landscape fabric
• 2 Bungee Cords
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Gloves
• Safety goggles
• A box of 3 ̋ exterior deck screws
• Stain and polyurethane
• A newspaper
• Construction Adhesive

NOTE: If using these projects outdoors where contact with water could occur, use either pressure treated, cedar, or redwood boards depending on availability.

HOW TO MAKE PAVER PLANTER

PROJECT GUIDE

STEP 1: CUT

Start by cutting the 2x2s into four pieces of 16 ̋ and eight pieces of 12 ̋.

STEP 2: SAND AND STAIN

Grab a sheet of sandpaper and begin sanding the entire frame. Apply your stain and polyurethane finish to the wood and let it dry.

STEP 3; FRAME ASSEMBLY

Pre-drill and countersink the 2×2 pieces together, with the 16 ̋ pieces forming the legs, and the 12 ̋ pieces forming the support between the legs. Apply some wood glue, and then screw in the 12 ̋ support pieces in 12 ̋ down the legs, allowing for the pavers to be flush around the entire top. Next, grab your remaining four 12 inch 2x2s, pre-drill, apply some wood glue, and space them evenly across the bottom and screw them into the frame.

STEP 4: GLUING IN PAVERS

Place a thick bead of adhesive along the inside edges of the frame. Gently place each paver into place and avoid getting the adhesive on the front of the pavers or on the outer wood frame. Finally, take your bungee cords and wrap them around the planter while the adhesive is drying. Let the adhesive set overnight to get a strong bond.

STEP 5: PLANTING

Remove the bungees and now you’re ready for some planting! First, line the planter with landscape fabric and then add the planting soil. Arrange the plants or flowers however you desire.

p.s. I was in the knowledge that the supplies provided by the workshop was free but while the class is free to come learn and watch, if you want to make one to take home, you’ll need to pay. sorry for the confusion! I sure was when I went to the DIH workshop. 

DIY: Plaid silk dress with pockets for girls

~ SEWING

Remember this plaid silk fabric I bought?  Right when I saw it I knew it’d make a perfect Christmas dress.  I initially wanted to make it for myself, but then decided it would be cuter on a little girl.  I envisioned a simple short sleeve tunic dress with front pockets and this is the result:

It has gold lining inside which makes it even more perfect as a Christmas dress, don’t you think?  Since it’s such a simple design, I didn’t use a pattern and traced one of the girl’s dresses for the sleeves and the bodice.  
What you’ll need(for one dress):
-1 yard of fabric
-1 yard of lining
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
-buttons
Estimated time: 2 hrs.
Budget: $13
Skill level: A confident beginner or intermediate

DIY: Gold sequin circle skirt; midi and maxi

~ SEWING

DIY: Gold sequin circle midi skirt
DIY: Gold sequin circle maxi skirt
I wanted a gold sequin midi skirt and searched online for one but couldn’t find one I loved.  This fabric I used is between a gold and a rose gold, it’s a beautiful rich gold tone, darker than champagne and I personally like it much better than just gold or champagne gold, it looks more sophisticated and expensive.  The closest one I could find was a pleated skirt but I wanted a circle skirt and more of a true gold tone instead of a champagne, light gold I’ve seen online.  Some had black seams and lining on the top and the bottom of the skirt which I didn’t like.  Other ones were elastic waist which I think makes it look a little cheap and/or it wasn’t the midi length I wanted.  So I thought, why not just make one?  So I did and I love it!  I also posted on my Instagram and took orders and made a maxi skirt for a customer as well. Guess who the first customer was? Courtney Brown, the owner of Cents of Style! Talk about pressure! haha
Ideally, I would’ve liked to have taken better photos of the skirt and how I styled the skirts, but you know, 3 kids and all, I ain’t got time for that!  So self-shot images through the mirror is the best I could do for now.

DIY: Gold sequin circle maxi skirt

 

I am such a perfectionist so it took me about 6 hours to make the midi skirt and about 10 hrs. to make the maxi skirt.  I used to sell stuff I sewed online several years ago but stopped because my hobby became work and I didn’t enjoy it, especially since I’m such a perfectionist.  I think I would enjoy sewing so much more if I was more skilled, I am planning on taking some sewing classes to learn pattern making and such, my skills are so basic!  And I’m not saying this to be humble, I’m just telling the truth.  My creativity and my fearless attempts make up for my projects but my sewing skills are very, very basic, and that is why 90% of my DIY’s only require straight stitching and hemming and no zippers, button holes, or anything else!  So if any of you are intimidated to start sewing, I say just do it.  What’s the worst that could happen?  To unstitch what you’ve just sewed, right?
 My goal from now on for the rest of my life is to always continue to learn skills and to not let fear stop me from trying new things.  Before, I was always so scared of failing but what’s more embarrassing than failing is to live my life without trying because I was too scared, and look back in my life and have regrets.  What’s a better way to live, to be a coward and not have done the best I could in pursuing my dreams and then look back with regrets, or have tried to pursue and fail, but to look back on my life knowing that I’ve tried all the things I wanted to do and have no regrets?  I don’t believe there’s such a thing as failing while pursuing my goals and dreams, because I learn so much from failing and I’m that much more wiser and better from that experience.

Anyway, didn’t mean to go off on a tangent there, what I wanted to say was, this is my skirt I made, do you like it?  And what are some things you haven’t tried yet because you’re scared to fail? 

*UPDATE I no longer sell these skirts. I had to return them due to a manufacturing error. And since I do plan on selling them in the future, I do not give out the pattern nor the fabric info. Thank you for your understanding!

DIY: Men’s XL shirt into a little girl’s dress

~ SEWING

 

Hi guys! I have exciting news, I am launching a new sewing YouTube channel!

 

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to tune in every Thursdays at 4 p.m. MST for a new sewing video!

For behind the scenes and sneak peeks of my next refashion follow @sarahtyau on Instagram

See all of my DIY: Sewing projects

We are starting a mother-daughter sewing series! Watch “6 Reasons Why You Should Learn to Sew” and subscribe to our channel to learn to sew along with us!

 

 

Now on to this DIY:
This is one of 4 DIY sewing projects of making a large shirt into a little girls dress! Check out the other posts, one(this won a Refashion Runway contest!), two, three!
Men's XL shirt into a girl's dress DIY

 

Men's XL shirt into a girl's dress DIY
Before
I bought this men’s shirt at Target clearance section for $10 in size XL.  I loved the sailor boat pattern and also the fabric, the fabric is a thick, sturdy, high quality fabric which I liked.  I’ve had this project in my mind for a few months and wanted to do a turn a XL shirt into a girl’s dress part two(see part one here) so when I saw this shirt I immediately thought of turning it into a girl’s dress.
Instructions:
1. Lay the shirt down on a flat surface.
2. Using a girl’s dress as a reference, cut the sleeves off and the top body piece, and take out the pocket.  Cut and discard the extra fabric in between the shoulder area.
3. Sew the sides of the top piece together(shown in pink line).  Make sure you turned it inside out first(sorry it’s not pictured).
4. After cutting off the excess fabric on the shoulder area, you should now have a straight across skirt piece.  Baste stitch 1/2″ to the edge(shown in pink line) and pulling one side of the string, gather it together.  Sew the skirt onto the top piece.
5. Cut the sleeves smaller.

 

6. Sew along the pink line.
7. Sew the sleeves onto the top piece.
8. *I made a button hole and sewed the button on right below the waistline.
9. Serge the unfinished seams.

 

After
Men's XL shirt into a girl's dress DIY
Men's XL shirt into a girl's dress DIY
Men's XL shirt into a girl's dress DIY
Men's XL shirt into a girl's dress DIY
What you’ll need:
-An oversized shirt(mine from Target)
-matching thread
-needle or sewing machine
-scissors
Directions:
1. Lay the shirt down on a flat surface.
2. Using a girl’s dress as a reference, cut the sleeves off and the top body piece, and take out the pocket.  Cut and discard the extra fabric in between the shoulder area.
3. Sew the sides of the top piece together(shown in pink line).  Make sure you turned it inside out first.
4. After cutting off the excess fabric on the shoulder area, you should now have a straight across skirt piece.  Baste stitch 1/2″ to the edge(shown in pink line) and pulling one side of the string, gather it together.  Sew the skirt onto the top piece.
5. Cut the sleeves smaller.
6. Sew along the pink line.
7. Sew the sleeves onto the top piece.
8. *I made a button hole and sewed the button on right below the waistline(when I cut the shirt diagonally along the waistline, I had to cut right over the button & the button hole so I had to make new ones).
Estimated time: 1.5 hours
Budget: cost of the shirt(mine was $10)
Skill level: a very confident beginner to intermediate

and to show you what I have to deal with while trying to take pictures…

My husband does this every time I really don’t want him in the pictures.  Sigh.  Why can’t he be so eager to be in pictures when I actually want him to be in pictures???