7+ Random DIYs For Anyone Who's Just Really Into Crafting

If I won the lottery, I'd do some of the traditional things lottery winners do, like travel and pay off debts. But for the most part, I'd spend a whole lot of time working on projects in my larger-than-life craft room.

Being able to DIY whatever I want, whenever I want would be a dream come true, and is definitely something I think about on a regular basis.

Obviously, the chances of me hitting the jackpot are pretty slim, so, for the time being, I'm going to share some of my favorite DIY ideas with you and keep feeding my craft-filled daydreams with creative inspiration.

1. DIY Cork Utensil Holder

A Magical Mess

A kitchen is pretty useless without a basic set of utensils. However, even the smallest collection of them can quickly take over an entire space. And if you don't have countertops or drawers to spare, your kitchen can become a cluttered mess in no time.

So if you don't have the money to renovate your small or storage-lacking kitchen, what can you do to help alleviate this problem? Turn to DIY, of course!

Take inspiration from fellow crafters, like those behind A Magical Mess, and put your creative side to work in order to come up with a simple kitchen-friendly solution.

All they did was upcycle an empty tin can — a large soup can should do the trick — and some bottle corks to create a tasteful, one-of-a-kind utensil holder!

A Magical Mess

And even if you don't tend to drink stuff that comes with a cork, asking family, friends, and co-workers to save theirs will increase your stockpile quickly and easily.

Once you think you have enough, simply plug in a hot glue gun and use it to adhere the corks to your tin can in a stacked pattern.

2. DIY Glittery Mason Jar Snow Globe

Hey, Let's Make Stuff

Snow globes are a classic piece of holiday decor that will never get old. Kids love them, and adults are instantly brought back to their childhood whenever they look at one. What's not to love?!

If you're looking for a fun and easy project to work on with little ones this winter, making your own snow globe is the thing to do. And while most tutorials simply use glitter-infused water, this one by Hey, Let's Make Stuff actually throws clear school glue into the mix!

The reason Cori, the blog's creator, opted to mix glue with her water is because doing so slows down the speed at which the glitter falls and settles on the bottom of the snow globe.

Hey, Let's Make Stuff

Pretty smart, right?

To make a soothing, whimsical snow globe just like this, you'll need a mason jar that has a rubber-lined lid, warm water, clear school glue, glitter in the color(s) of your choosing, and festive accessories, like trees and village decor from the dollar store.

3. DIY Christmas Countdown

My Sister's Suitcase

Waiting for Christmas to arrive is exciting, but having a visual countdown somewhere in your home builds up the anticipation even more!

As kids, my brother and I were always gifted an Advent calendar at the beginning of December, and each day, we couldn't wait to open up one of the tiny doors so we could enjoy the itty bitty piece of chocolate that was waiting for us inside.

And even though this particular countdown project by My Sister's Suitcase doesn't involve opening doors to reveal sweet treats, it's still a fun and exciting way to celebrate the holiday season.

Holly used basic materials like wooden boards, nails, and vinyl stickers to build this festive piece of decor for her home.

My Sister's Suitcase

I love how she laid out the numbers in the shape of a Christmas tree, don't you? And each number has a small nail above it, which is used to hang the portable miniature countdown wreath.

This is a project anyone can pull off, and no matter what holiday design scheme you're planning on using, it will always look great!

4. DIY Old Book Coat Rack

Knick Of Time

Thrifted books are way more versatile and useful than people give them credit for. Not only are they one of the best things to use when decorating a space, old books are also really fun to incorporate into DIY projects.

Seriously, the sky's the limit when it comes to crafting with these things, and because they're inexpensive and easy to find, you don't have to worry about breaking the bank in order to pull off a project like this.

First of all, I think it goes without saying that we have to take a few seconds to admire what's going on BEHIND the coat rack.

Knick Of Time

I'm not sure if that's wallpaper made to look like aged book pages, or if it's an actual collection of pages that has been adhered to the wall. Honestly, it doesn't really matter to me because I think it looks awesome!

And by adding the DIYed coat rack to the mix, Angie of Knick Of Time only enhanced the overall look of her book-inspired space.

5. DIY Book Clock

Pretty Simple Ideas

Another great use for old books is turning them into fully functional clocks! In fact, turning anything into a clock is a great way to upcycle items that you may no longer have a use for.

To get the ball rolling on a book clock of your own, you'll need to get your hands on a few simple materials, including a clock mechanism, an X-Acto knife, and a drill with a properly sized bit. Oh, and a book you no longer care to read, of course!

The drill will be used to create a hole big enough for the front of the clock mechanism to fit through. And the X-Acto knife will help carve out a space for the back portion of it.

Pretty Simple Ideas

If you want, you can use actual clock numbers to create the face, but you're definitely not limited to them!

To see one of these pretty creations come together from start to finish with a complete set of instructions, head over to Pretty Simple Ideas and check out Sarah's tutorial.

6. DIY Children's Book Bunting

Miss Mustard Seed

Miss Mustard Seed may be the queen of milk paint projects, but she's also super talented when it comes to small-scale DIYs like this adorable paper bunting.

Believe it or not, this darling piece of decor was made using nothing more than pages from a children's book. So if you have more books in your home than you know what to do with, this DIY is the perfect way to give them a new and pretty purpose.

Start by looking for pages that have colorful, whimsical pictures on them.

Miss Mustard Seed

With a pair of crafting scissors, cut out pointed banner pieces until you have enough to create the length you desire.

To add even more color and flair to them, apply a thin layer of glue to the edge of each page and dump some glitter on it. Shake away the excess and allow the glue to dry overnight.

Once you're happy with the way they look, you can use a hot glue gun to attach the paper pieces to a piece of baker's twine.

7. DIY Knotted Rope Lamp

Down Home Inspiration

Stores like Pottery Barn and West Elm are full of amazing decorative accents and pieces of furniture that can take even the drabbest of rooms and make them look magazine-worthy. However, high-end pieces usually come with high-end prices, so unless you have money to burn, outfitting your home with expensive items is out of the question for most of us.

But not having a champagne budget shouldn't stop you from creating the look and feel you desire in a space!

Sites like Pinterest are full of all kinds of knock-off project ideas that demonstrate how to make expensive-looking things out of inexpensive materials.

Down Home Inspiration

For example, Down Home Inspiration used rope, a plumbing pipe, and a lamp repair kit (all of which can be found in the aisles of your average hardware store) to make this nautical-inspired piece.

When all was said and done, this knock-off lamp ended up costing $25, which is nothing compared to the $245 Pottery Barn was asking for!

8. DIY Ombré Bottle Brush Trees

Modern Glam

I don't know about you, but I love vintage decor, especially around Christmastime. One of my favorite things about this style is that it's something you can achieve on a budget of any size.

Vintage flair is timeless, but it's definitely not boring! The colors you can play around with are bright and vibrant, and no two looks are ever the same.

And for those who love this style as much as I do, you know that bottle brush trees are a must!

But if the bottle brushes you have on hand aren't packing the punch that you want them to, a few coats of colorful paint are all you need to change that.

Modern Glam

Modern Glam used acrylic paint and glitter to create gorgeous ombré accents that are every thrifter's dream.

Now, what if you want to recreate this look but you aren't sure where to look for bottle brush trees? Hit up your local dollar or secondhand store. More often than not, they have plenty in stock, especially this time of year.

9. DIY Upcycled Shadow Box

Confessions Of A Serial Do-It-Yourselfer

Shadow boxes are awesome because they're a great way to showcase photographs and trinkets that sum up your favorite places, people, and memories.

Confessions Of A Serial Do-It-Yourselfer decided to take the concept of a shadow box and put a unique, upcycled spin on it by converting a thrifted clock into a display case.

And even though she decided to give her shadow box a festive holiday theme, this idea can be used to celebrate anything throughout the year.

Some of the materials that were used to convert the clock into a pretty shadow box were patterned pieces of scrapbook paper, Christmas village accessories, and LED fairy lights.

Confessions Of A Serial Do-It-Yourselfer

Behr's Bit Of Sugar — a classic shade of white paint — was used to cover the wood, and a few swipes from a sheet of sandpaper gave it a rustic, distressed finish.

Well, what do you think? Is this something you can see yourself making for your home this holiday season? I know I can!

10. DIY Cement Knotted Rope

Craftberry Bush

If you enjoyed the knock-off Pottery Barn lamp from earlier, you'll also want to put a pin in this DIY for later. Lucy over on Craftberry Bush was inspired by a cement knotted rope accessory she saw at Pottery Barn and decided to try her hand at making one for a fraction of the price.

Lucy started this project by molding air dry clay around the handle of a paintbrush. She then used a hard bristled brush to add texture to each bead.

Once they had dried, the beads were covered with gray paint, which finished off the faux cement effect.

Craftberry Bush

Lucy then knotted one end of a rope and slipped her first bead onto it. Another knot was tied, serving as the second bookend for the first bead. She repeated this process until all of her beads were strung onto the rope.

They may not look identical to their Pottery Barn muse, but these faux cement beads are still super pretty and would make the perfect decorative accent for any coffee table or fireplace mantel.

11. DIY Invisible Bookends

A Beautiful Mess

Bookends are essential if you're trying to store books on an open shelf or tabletop. But what are you supposed to do if you can't find any that you like?

Enter the invisible bookend!

The lovely contributors behind A Beautiful Mess came up with the coolest way of turning old books into practical bookends that would look fantastic in any space.

To get things started, you'll need two books that have a one-inch spine, thin metal bookends, some super glue, and a few clamps.

The first step Mandi took in order to transform her books into bookends was to remove all of the pages from it using a sharp crafting knife.

A Beautiful Mess

She then cut down a piece of wood to fit inside the book and adhered one of the metal bookends to it with a heavy duty glue. Clamps were secured in place and were left to do their thing while the glue dried.

And just like that, you have yourself a set of invisible bookends, and only you will know about them!

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