House painting can be challenging. And house painting on a budget can be tougher still. For many folks, decorating on a budget may seem like folly and something that will inevitably end up costing them a packet.

But it doesn’t have to be. Girl Thursday has put together some top tips for doing the job right, whilst still saving some dough along the way.

Do It Yourself

You’ve probably already worked this one out, but by doing the whole job yourself, you can save a lot of money. But not hiring professionals comes with its own set of headaches.

You need to plan around your available time and organize when you can fit your renovating in. Booking time off work might be better than it stretching out for an infinity of weekends. 

Top tip – you can ask friends to help and even hold paint parties if it seems a bit too much on your own. Don’t let them get too drunk though!

Beg, Borrow, Recycle

When you’re broke, everything seems to cost money. And as you have no doubt found, all the incidental costs – brushes, rollers, tape etc. – quickly take their toll on your budget.

So, what can you do? We advise asking around – see if you can borrow any of these things. (Of course, you promise to clean them up at the end!) It’s also worth asking on Freecycle or similar sites, and people often have stuff to giveaway that might be of use.

Don’t Skimp On Quality 

Tempting though it is to buy the cheapest paints in the store, we must insist on quality.

Cheap paints are never saving. You may end up re-doing the same wall twice, or even three times over to achieve the same results. Also, you will probably be spending extra in primer too. Stick to brands you trust when it comes to budget painting – although we think it’s ok to skimp on the lifetime guarantee, you probably won’t want it that long anyway.

Prime If Needed

Not every paint needs a primer, although to achieve a real five-star finish you might want to use one. If you’ve bought a self-priming paint, then there’s little reason to prime unless you paint a dark wall with a light color.

Reuse The Same Colors

You will likely have some paint leftover, so why not use it in another room? This doesn’t mean all the rooms have to look the same (unless you want them to), but you can mix and match different walls in the same room. 

Do Your Prep

The cleaner your walls are, the more chance your project has of succeeding. And succeeding means not buying replacement paint!

Not letting your paint dry out, helps keep it in tip-top condition for longer – so if you want to reuse it, you can. We recommend re-sealing tins carefully and then covering them with plastic bags.

Work Out How Much You Need

If you’re looking to save money, you don’t want gallons of extra paint leftover after a job. Measure up correctly and find a paint calculator to work out just how much you need. Then buy them all at once, that way you can usually snag a discount.

Proceed With Caution

If you want to save money, slow and certain is the way to go. Rushing will increase the chances of mistakes and that means you might have to do it again. Take your time, paint as carefully and as smoothly as possible to ensure you get it right the first time.

Painting on a budget needn’t be a chore and it shouldn’t look like a rush job. Follow these tips to decorate like a pro and still save pennies! 

Psst! Want to know a secret? We have gotten some of the top house painters in Calgary to spill their secrets and show us how to paint your home like a pro!

From golf balls to turning detective, house painting is a lot more complicated, you think. So, before you even get started, check out these tips! 

Clean The Walls 

One of the things newbie painters often neglect is giving the walls a damned good sugar soaping before paint. 

To achieve a professional level job, it is important to think like a pro. This means getting the walls clean before you even spill one drop of paint on them.

Painting onto a dirty wall will result in peeling. Also, it will not bond as well. Likewise, fill any cracks well before you start. 

Figure Out What Paint Was There Before

You probably didn’t think that home painting meant going forensic, but there is more to it than you might think. And before even buying any paint, you need to know what was there before. There are two main types of paint, latex and oil-based. And you don’t want to mix them.

The way to test is to soak a cotton wool ball in some rubbing alcohol and put it on a small wall section. If paint comes off, then it’s latex paint. If it doesn’t budge, you have an oil-based paint and use an oil primer to prep your walls.

Prime It Right

Newbies make the mistake of just slapping paint on the walls, but this is a mistake. It needs priming, and, it needs priming right.

If it’s a brand-new wall, use a water-based primer. If it’s water damaged outdoor wall, use oil primer, and see the previous tip for internal walls.

Also, pick a tinted primer, as it will cover the old paint better than white does. This will help you paint fewer coats in the long run. 

Add A Paint Extender

Paint extender is one of the best-kept secrets of house painting pros. This is the way to eliminate lap marks forever.

It also delays the drying process – this might sound like a bad thing, but trust us, it’s not. Ultimately, this will give you more chance to correct blotches and mistakes. 

And it will banish all brush strokes!

Prep The Paint Right

There is so much more than just opening the tin of paint and putting it on the wall. First, it needs to be prepped.

The first thing you need to know is how to mix it. If you are using more than one tin, it should be combined in a bucket before use. It might surprise you to know that there can be subtle differences between the same paint tins, so mixing ensures evenness.

When mixing, the paint should be stirred with a DIY stirrer for best results. Our top tip is put holes in them, to mix the paint more evenly.

Paint drying out is the scourge of the professional decorator. There are various ways to prevent this. Believe it or not, pros place golf balls into the paint tins, to cover the air space,

Not a golf fan? You can cling wrap the lid and seal it, then store the painting upside down.

Wash But Don’t Wash Your Rollers?

Confused? Well, it is a bit, for sure, but the stellar advice from our experts is that although rollers should be washed thoroughly before use, from new, when there is color on them, they shouldn’t be washed – until the end of the job.

Whilst you are still on the go, keep the rollers (or brushes) from drying by clinging them in plastic kitchen bags – or foil. These can be put in the fridge, but allow them to come to room temperature before using them again!

Did you try any of these tips? Did they work? I would be fascinated to see what you think!

If you can’t follow the pro steps, why not try with the beginner one HERE.

Be afraid, be very afraid. Now you’ve got kids, everything has changed. And that includes DIY.

It doesn’t matter if you were Martha Stewart in a previous incarnation, now you’ve got kids all bets are off. 

So, how do you remodel when you’ve got the forces of Satan (your kids) at your heels?

You take a deep breath and make some plans. Try following our top tips for painting success as a new mom (or dad!)

Think About What Time Of Year Is It

But now kids have come along and suddenly, and winter isn’t the best time to decorate with kids. It’s summer. 

We think the warmer months are best for painting with kids, as obviously, the weather is warmer, and you will be able to get them out of the house. 

There’s more chance of activities to occupy them (summer camp, day trips and so on). If you’ve got the space, you can cook/ bathe/live outdoors much more quickly.

A summer remodel your house up for the all-day painting, with long evenings to finish up in. With a bit of luck, you will only have to come inside to sleep at the end.

Forget Being A Domestic Goddess For The Foreseeable 

Whilst your remodel is underway take it easy on yourself. Forget cooking for the duration of your renovations. You may not have access to your kitchen, and even if you do, this is where all the brushes and mess will end up. And you will be on permanent tea-making duty!

So, whilst the remodel is underway, avail yourself of some pizza flyers (or the takeout of your choice). Buy ready meals, or, if you like, ready-made prep dishes in advance that can be popped in the microwave.

And if you want to be extra chilled, get disposable plates for the duration. The last thing you want to be fussed with is the washing up. 

Your Car Will Become A Sanctuary

Prep your car to become the go-to place for everything you can’t do in the house. That means storing essentials such as make-up, toiletries, phones, and tech accessories, your fave chill-out music, toys, school supplies or anything else that is important to your family. It may also be an idea to keep blankets, cushions, and other cozy items to help the kids settle.

If all else fails, you can always take them for a long ride until they drop off.

Plan Your Escape

You might decide to escape your remodel horror zone for the duration that work is being done. 

If this is possible, plan your escape route, where and how long you will go for and if the renovators are alright to be left alone.

But if a complete getaway isn’t an option, try and plan some days away – meeting family and friends, or trips out. Put places like the library top of your list to hangout (free WiFi!).

Book A Professional Clean When All Is Done

Put that duster down. Don’t even think about trying to do this one yourself. When your remodel is done, we insist you factor in a professional deep clean before returning things to normal.

If you’ve hired professionals to redecorate, they should clean up in theory, but in practice, this is often very basic.

For your peace of mind, we recommend a full, deep house clean before doing anything – your mental health is worth it!

Painting with kids is an experience – the key is to plan well in advance and relax your strict standards until it’s all done!

Hi there! 

My name is Sarah Taylor, and I’m a frequent blogger to Wikihow and DIY Mum. Sophia and I are childhood friends, but we’ve only recently reconnected via an online DIY Craft gathering. I figured I was going to share 

one of my favorite DIY accessories with you! 

I don’t think there’s anything better than a sexy Peter Pan collar, but I messed up this cute little one to cover up a simple white t-shirt. 

Here’s how you do it:

You’ll need cloth (at least 1/4 yard, though 1/2 yard is better), cardboard, scissors, snaps (or hook-and-eye closures). 

1. Sketch out the outline of the collar on the cardboard. I’ve winged it, but you might want to take some measurements to be healthy. You may even change the design of the collar! 
2. Fold the cloth over it, so you can cut two bits at once. Pay attention to the pattern of our fabric if you need to! 
3. Pin the paper collar to the cloth and cut it. Leave a little space around the stencil for your seam allowance. 
4. Create another one on the another side of your collar. 
5. Pin your two bits of cloth with the right hand facing each other. 
6. Ensure you keep the right bits together, and you need them to match up as best they can.
7. Starting at one corner, start stitching around the edge using your sewing machine’s foot as a reference. 
8. Sew almost the entire way back to where you began, then stop about an inch before that.  Use the little opening on your left to turn the tube inside out. You would need to use a pencil to make the corners pointy. Do this on both of your collars. 
9. Iron all of the bits hard. Hand, at the middle, sew the two halves together. 
10. Sew the snap (or hook-and-eye) at the back of the neck  (the top corners of your collar)

This is it!  Ok, I hope you’ve had fun making these! 

Thank you, Sophia, for encouraging me to share with your audience!

The tote bag is a creative base that can be used as a base for a variety of various projects.  I know so many of you already know how to make a tote, but for those who don’t, this easy tutorial is for you. This post would also act as a jump-off point for a variety of potential artistic tutorials. 

So without further ado, I’d like to teach you how to make a reversible tote bag. 

1. Cut 4 rectangular bits of cloth of the same size. 
2. Two bits are going to be the lining and the rest are going to be the shell. The scale is entirely optional. You choose how big you want your bag to be. 
3. Take your two shell fragments and pin them to the right on three sides. Keep one of the short sides unpinned. Do the same thing on the lining bits. 
4. Sew over pinned sides, leaving around 1/4″ of the seam allowance. 
5. Trim around the sewn edges and corners. Turn the shell inside out and flatten the seams with the iron. 
6. At this point, your linen fabric should always have the right side facing. Next, put your shell pocket inside the linen pocket. 
7. Now we’re going to step on the handle. First you’re going to break the canvas strap into two 15″ bits.
8. Next you’re going to shape the handle. I lay a strap on a flat surface, hold each end and fold it towards me. This produces a U shape that’s going to rest perfectly on your shoulder. 
9. Carefully put the handle between the lining and the shell cloth. Pin is in place. Repeat the opposite side of the bag. 
10. Sew across the side of the open. 
11. Be sure to leave a 2-3″ gap open so that the bag can be switched out in a minute. For additional strength and toughness, stitch a few times over the handles. 
12. Carefully turn the bag inside out by pushing the cloth into the crack. 
13. Iron this new edge flat and make sure to fold the difference down. Go over to your computer and topstitch around the edge. 

And that’s how to make a very easy reversible tote, my friends… Happy crafting and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you want to be featured on my story!

I’m a big believer in using different tools to create a planner that works. I have to admit that I’ve been struggling to figure out how to plan my work with my daily home routine. Lots of trial and failure, but after 4 months of searching, I finally found that printables planner works the best.

Why Do You Need a Blogging Planner?

If you are serious with blogging, you need to get it organized just like your other task. It’s no longer a hobby, but it should be a habit with consistent effort if you want to see serious results. First, you need to think and be clear on your goal, plan how you will achieve it, and layout the content.

There are plenty of apps that you can use online, but the old paper planner is a proven way to visualize your goals and priorities and organize your work to become a more focused and productive blogger.

How Do I Get Started?

Last year a friend recommended The Blog Success Planner from the Inspired Blogger’s University, and I immediately fell in love with Tabitha’s system. I can honestly say that I have not regretted that choice. The planner template is full of unique prints to cover blogging and modern lifestyle. However, I still found a missing piece, and I need to figure out soon. I’ve tried to use schedules and checklist, use full-size planner, switch daily to monthly, and try all the combinations above, but nothing suits my need. Until one day, after 4 months of search, I decided to set different planner for weekly goals and monthly goals and a separate template for business and personal life. It goes very well! It helps me focus on things I need to get done on working mode.

Below you’ll find the planning template that works for me for more than a year.

MONTHLY PLANNING SECTION

I use the monthly plan section as a broad but actionable idea that I want to achieve within that month. It doesn’t have specific dates, just columns according to the number of days in that month. I will put more details on the weekly plan, but I have to put my goals on the monthly template, so I don’t miss it. It includes room for the top 3 priorities of the month, the monthly goals (steps to achieve long-term goals), to-do list, ideas, and notes.

WEEKLY PLANNING SECTION

This section is the most time-consuming template, a lot of tweaks. Instead of using the old-fashioned style with day one on the first page, the next day on the second page, and so on, I decided to set 4 pages for each week.

The first page is the place to plan the entire week, including weekly goals, top 3 tasks for the week, reminders, notes, and habit trackers to help me find new habit work if needed. Then the remaining areas are for the weekdays with 3 sections for each day:

– To-Do List >> contains your top 3 daily task

– Social Media >> plan your social activities here to keep track of any updates you need to make on various platforms

– Daily Log >> A feedback note for whatever happened that day

The second page is for the remaining weekdays, so this continues the weekday’s layout on the first page. The third page covers the weekend with a weekly recap, notes on wins and losses about your weekly goals, and a place to record your top achievement on that week. The last page is mostly a note with an extended plan for the next week.

PRINTING: MAKE IT REAL

I’ve done all the hassle and prepare the printable version here. Feel free to download it, print, and share with your friends. You’ll never know who needs it.

By downloading and printing my patterns, you can fashion your homemade potholders, that will look fabulous and save you from 2nd-degree burns at the same time. And there are not many things we can say that about!

The sizes I have picked fit my hands snugly, at a petite 7 inches square, but if you want to scale up or down, shrink or enlarge the patterns by the appropriate amount to match your hands.

What You Will Need

Eleven pieces of your chosen material:

• 2 x 32-inch Bias binding, for binding the mitts together. If you want a hook too then add another 2 x 4-inch pieces in.
• 2 x 8-inch squares of Insul Bright material, for insulation. You can get this on eBay or in drapers (if there is one near you).
• A pair of scissors.
• Square fabric, for the backing 8.5″2.
• Access to a printer and tape, for the outline (see below to print).

Additionally

These items are optional but invaluable, in my opinion!

• Marker pen for quilt lines (soluble).
• Safety pins, or some spray adhesive (I used 505 Spray
• Adhesive) to make the sandwich for the quilt.
• Rotary cutter.
• Quilting ruler.
• Self-healing cutting mat – if you don’t already have one of these you need to get one!
  

Method

1. Get everything assembled and set aside ample time to work in. (I would allow a half-day to be on the safe side).
2. If you like a challenge, you could always toss together one of my sumptuous double chocolate tortes (check out my blog) before you begin, and then be ready with your new mitts to get it out of the oven with afterwards! Otherwise, you are ready to begin!
3. Start by printing the design you have downloaded (at the bottom of the page). Make sure you pick a size that works for your actual hands. If you need to scale up or down, do that accordingly. When printing, ensure your printer is not stuck on “fit to page” but printing the original size.
4. Each print has two pages, and these should be taped together. Now cut out the pieces.
5. Sew the pieces with a seam of ¼ inch. If they don’t line up, don’t worry, they can be trimmed.
6. Square the completed blocks with your seven-inch square.
7. Now construct your quilt sandwich. Use the insulation and backing material. Either pin or spray it, depending on which method you prefer.
8. Next quilt the mitts. How creative you want to be is up to you. The method I used was straight lines, with a stitch of 3. I did mine off the top of my head, but if you want to be more organized, use a washable marker to draft out your designs – remember to wipe it clean afterwards!
9. Then trim your excess backing and insulation material until it’s even.
10. Make your bias binding and create the binding for the mitts. If you are unsure how to do this, here’s a tutorial.
11. For the hanger (optional) sew it to the edge of the binding and use quilt tags. You can make your own from any material, i.e. ribbon.

You’re done – just in time to take that cake out of the oven!

If you’re like me, Christmas comes gift wrapped. And not just gift-wrapped, but gift tagged too! And ideally, I like to craft my gift tags for Christmas. 

This year, because I like ya, I have put together my scrapbook collection of tags – available for all to download and print.

Scroll around and see which of the designs suits you best, then follow my tag making guide below.

I have used the Christmas tree-shaped tags as my example, but feel free to use one of the others from my list!

Happy crafting!

So Now…Make Your Own Christmas Gift Tags!

First, assemble

• Scissors – one regular pair, one nail pair.
• Glue stick.
• Pencil.
• Paper (whichever colors you want).
• A ribbon (ours was red, yours doesn’t have to be).
• Washi tape
  

1. First, create your tag – from the downloads provided – or, of course, draw your own! (We used a Christmas tree).
2. Choose three lots of colored paper. (We picked green, red, and purple).
3. Draw your shape onto each sheet – a different size on each. This is so they will slot together to show the edging around them.
4. Cut the three shapes out and stick them inside each other – i.e. the smallest in the middle. 
5. Taking your purple paper (or whichever you have chosen) cut a two by a three-inch rectangle. Turn it so the short edge js bottom and top. Now fold the bottom up toward the middle and crease the fold. Now do the same with the other side, so that the length is folded to the center. 
6. At the top of the rectangle where there are no folds, cut corners off diagonally- so it is like a triangle.
7. Open the bottom and sides, and do a diagonal cut there too. When you fold it back, it will fit neatly.
8. With the scissors, make a hole in the purple shape, close to the point.
9. Use this purple shape to make the front pocket in another color. Trace the edges with it so that they match. Hint, the sides and bottoms need to fit well here!
10. Cut out your traced shape and put it on the purple piece (or whichever color you chose),
11. Mark out the folds on your green paper with the purple shape as your template. But when you do it fold under the lines, in the opposite direction to the purple ones. Then you have a shape which matches the size of the purple shape. 
12. Cut diagonally along the top of the green shape, so it’s shorter than the purple side’s pointed top.
13. Turn the green shape over and glue the panels where they overlap with the purple one. Stick it on the front of the purple side so that the edges are evenly creased.
14. Cut six inches of ribbon and fold it, so the ends are even. Make a small loop at one end and push it through the hole in the purple shape. 
15. Pull your ribbon through until the other end goes through the loop and pull gently – not too tight.
16. Check your shape fits inside the envelope you have created for it to go in. If it doesn’t work, trim it to size. 
17. Cut the Washi tape and stick it down on your green shape’s pocket. 
18. Write your festive greeting inside the shape with your pen…

That’s it! 

By using this method, you can create as many unique tags as you have gifts! 

Just ready for the summer – I have a whole stack of designed and prepared to print recipe cards, perfect for your summer baking!

As usual, my downloads are entirely free to use, and I ask that you do not use them commercially.

The cards come in 6 inches by 4-inch sizes and a larger option of 8 inches by 6. My styles this month are;

• Woodland – beautifully designed woodland motifs with a cute animal of your choice (squirrel, mouse, or owl).
• Seaside – maritime-themed recipe cards, in aqua blue with splashes of sand yellow. There are three designs to print – octopus, starfish, and umbrella. 
• Summer – we have four summer designs to print: orange calendula, summer rose, poppy red and sunflower yellow.

Using the template you may write your recipes by hand, or if you are like me and handwriting is not your forte, then the template will allow you to add text before you print.

Additionally, you can customize the front of the cards to include your text. At the moment the default is “summer recipes”, but you can change this if you like.

Have fun!

P.S. Don’t know what to bake? Here’s a recipe perfect for outdoor summer parties to start you off! 

Girl Thursday’s Funday Cake

You Will Need

The Cake

10 ounces golden caster sugar

15 ounces softened butter

15 ounces flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

8 eggs, ready beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

1 pinch of salt

4 tablespoons milk

7 ounces rainbow sprinkles and more for the decoration

The Icing

5 ounces softened butter

15 ounces of confectioner’s sugar

6 ounces cream cheese (full fat)

1 tablespoon vanilla paste

The Time

To Prepare – 30 mins

To bake – 25-30 mins

The Party

Serves up to 20!

To Make

• Preheat the oven to a moderately hot 320-360F.
• Line and grease four seven-inch cake tins.
• Add the vanilla paste, fat and sugar and whisk until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one by one, beating in between each addition.
• If it starts to curdle, add a couple of tablespoons of flour.
• Sift the baking powder and flour, with a pinch of salt and fold it into the mixture.
• Add the milk and beat.
• Add the sprinkles and divide into tins.
• Rotate the tins in the oven so they don’t burn.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until springy and golden.
• Leave to cool whilst making the icing.
• To make the icing, beat the butter and half of the confectioner’s sugar until mixed. Add in vanilla paste and beat. Feed into a large piping bag and add the icing by spoon.
• When the cakes are cool, stick a dollop of icing onto the cake stand to attach one of the cakes. Add blobs of icing in until the whole base is covered. Then add the next cake and repeat with all the layers.
• Throw some sprinkles on the topping and then serve!

Don’t forget to invite some guests, and you don’t want to eat all this sumptuous dessert on your own, um, do you?