Between dealing with pregnancy exhaustion and writing for Curbly, I have to admit that 2018 brought a bit of a slowdown here at DIY in PDX. I didn’t share nearly as many DIY projects as I wanted to, but I still managed to get some stuff done that I’m really proud of! Just in case you missed anything, here are my favorite projects of 2018. Plus, a big question for you: What do you want to see more of in 2019?
Tortoiseshell Earrings (part 1 and part 2) – When I was Christmas shopping, I saw tortoiseshell earrings like these in every chic little shop I visited. The trend is clearly going strong in 2019.
My pink door – This was such a huge improvement over the unpainted door, and I’m so glad I did it!
Round black concrete tray – I’m still a big fan of how this minimalist black concrete tray turned out.
Breakfast nook updates – I totally made over my breakfast nook, adding floating shelves, affordable art, updating the light fixture, and painting. I had already forgotten how bare and sad it looked–see what I mean in the before photos here.
Sunglasses rack – My husband Steven has a collection of cool sunglasses, but didn’t have a good place to store them, so I made him this simple glasses rack. It was easy to make, and is still doing the job perfectly.
Hidden jewelry storage – I finally hit on the ideal way to store my earrings in an accessible, but hidden, way.
Self-watering planter – Do your houseplants need more water? (Here’s how to tell.) I had trouble keeping some of mine properly watered, so I made a self-watering planter, and it’s been a great help! I was just thinking that I need to make a few more.
Hand sconce – This unique light fixture definitely added a little bit of fun flair to a boring room.
Round pillow – I have a feeling that I’ll be sewing a few more of these in 2019, maybe for the nursery.
Making goals and setting intentions for the upcoming year is kind of strange for me in 2019, because with a little one due in April, I know my life is going to change in ways I don’t expect. Between feeling sick and tired for months, pregnancy threw me for a loop in 2018, and I’m sure actually caring for an infant will be a whole set of new challenges. But I still have plenty of other stuff I want and need to get done!
First and foremost, there are a lot of projects that we need to finish to get our house ready for a baby. From safety improvements to furnishing and decorating a nursery, there will be tons of practical work to keep me busy before she arrives. But I’d also love to tie up some of the loose ends of projects I started and didn’t quite finish last year, like sewing cushions for my breakfast nook makeover, and staining the wood on that sunglasses rack.
As I mentioned above, I’d love to hear about what you’d like to see more of here in 2019. More home decor? Jewelry? Recipes? Quick craft projects? I’m all ears!
