Gift Idea: Customized Cutting Board

Lately, my house has been filled with the smell of burning wood.  No, we haven't been starting fires or burning wood-scented candles.  I received a wood burning tool from Darby Smart and have been going a litttttlle crazy with it.  What's a wood burning tool?  It's basically a really hot pen that you can use to write or stamp on wood objects.  I'm totally addicted, it's fulfilling all of my childhood pyromaniac needs.

I was trying to think of a good gift for my dad's birthday and having some serious struggles.  Are all dads hard to buy for?  For Father's Day I gave him a bottle of some nice whiskey, and prior to that, most of his recent gifts have been giftcards or cash for him to go crazy in the hardware store.  Since he's always making things (check out this gorgeous huppah he made for my brother's wedding), I thought it would be fun to return the favor and make something for him.

To make this, you'll need a cutting board of your choice, a wood burning tool, and letter hot stamps.  I first lightly drew a line across the board to denote where the letters would go, and then laid out the stamps to get the spacing right.  Then I attached my first letter to the tool and got burning.  It takes a couple of minutes for the tool to heat up (you can tell it's ready because it starts to smell like hot metal).  Then I held the stamp on the board, tilting it to make sure I got all of the edges of the letter, until it started to smoke.  Next, I let the tool cool for a little bit, removed the letter, and started the process over again with the next letter stamp.  I then used the pen tool to draw a couple of decorative lines, and called it a day.  Add some cheese, sausage, and crackers, and you've got yourself a present!

I made another cutting board for my mom for Mother's Day just using the pen tool, and she lurrrrved it ;)

Do you still make gifts for your friends and family?

I received these tools c/o Darby Smart, but all thoughts and opinions are my own!

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DIY Moroccan Tile Coasters

So I have something slightly embarrassing to admit.  I moved in with Jeff over a year ago, but we never managed to get coasters.  We just have cups all over the house resting on scraps of paper.  Super classy, I know.  So when I saw this DIY from Darby Smart (and saw that it had the word "Morocco" in the name) I had to go for it.

The kit came with coasters, spray paint, and some cute stencils.  I maybe didn't read the instructions all the way so my spray paint smeared in a couple of places, but I still think they're pretty.

And now I have coasters in my house!  Kristina for the win :)

Interested in ordering from Darby Smart?  Use the code "howdydarby" to save $10 on your first order.

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DIY Vases

You know what one of the fringe benefits of having a blog is?  Sometimes when you post about things you like, your friends read said posts and buy you amazing gifts.  One of my friends brought a Darby Smart box to my birthday, and I may have freaked out a little.  I may have also been two or three Moscow Mules deep when I opened said gift.  You know, things happen.

This particular box was for some adorable Textured Vases.  It was a fun and simple project that I probably should not have completed in an unventilated room (holy spraypaint) that I could do in one day.  We have surprisingly few vases in our place, so these were just what we needed.

I love the way they turned out, and I'm excited to use them for all of my spring flowers.  I also love that I ended up with some leftover supplies from the kit so I can add some texture to some other things around my house.

Interested in trying a Darby Smart kit for yourself?  They are generously offering $10 off any kit for all KDTI readers using the code CREATE14.  The code is valid until March 18th.

Oh, and a little tip to keep small bunches of flowers together in a vase like this?  Twist ties.  Just make sure the twist tie is above the water line.




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DIY Clutch

Have you guys heard of Darby Smart?  It's a site that delivers full DIY kits with all of the supplies for making your own jewelry, accessories, home goods, and more.  I personally love it (and no, they aren't paying me to say this) because normally I go to the craft store and get overwhelmed with ideas, or come home with a bunch of stuff and no clue on what to make with it.

I ordered the Studded Cobalt Clutch kit (ahem, after seeing Jessica's gorgeous one) and got a box filled with everything I would need a week or two later.

I then took a look at the sample design and copied it exactly.  You know, because it was adorable and once I saw the sample I couldn't think of anything else.  An hour or so later, and I had a fun new clutch to add to my collection.

I'm thinking next of making these cute ring dishes.  Because there really aren't enough dinosaurs in my home decor.

UPDATE: Have you heard of Darby Smart?  They are currently offering a discount of $10 off for KDTI readers.  To receive the discount, enter the code CREATE14 at checkout.  This code expires on February 4, so go get crafting!



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