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Put your D.I.Y. skills to use and craft a custom gift that can be enjoyed all year round.
Turn an off-the-shelf spice rack into a bespoke beauty bar! Stain the pine a rich dark colour to create an elegant display case for the little luxuries of life, such as perfume and other lotions, plus mementos in miniature.
Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.
Working on a drop sheet and using a screwdriver, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to assemble the spice rack.
Apply timber filler with a scraper over any screw holes visible when the spice rack is on display. Leave to dry.
Use 120-grit sandpaper to smooth over the rack in the direction of timber grain and remove excess filler. Wipe away sanding dust with a cloth.
Use a paintbrush to apply one or two coats of timber stain until desired depth of colour is achieved, removing excess with a cloth and leaving to dry after each coat.
Make a display case to remember by decorating a timber memory box in your favourite colour and a complementary fabric, then adding pressed flowers that have been dried to preserve their beauty.
Working on a drop sheet, remove backing board from memory box and set aside. Mask off glass front with painter’s tape. Arrange felt floor protectors on the front edges, evenly spaced (we used 36), then attach. Apply two coats of paint to box sides and felt pads using a roller, leaving to dry after each coat. Touch up small areas with a craft brush.
Apply two coats of paint to back edges of box using a brush, leaving to dry after each coat. Remove tape. Place fabric right side down, centre backing board on top and cut with 30mm extra all around. Spray adhesive on a long edge of backing board and fold over fabric, pulling taut and pressing firmly to adhere.
Gently apply glue to back of a pressed flower using a craft brush. Working carefully, position flower on card. Attach more flowers. Leave to set. Spray flowers with clear gloss sealer and leave to dry. Clean glass front with isopropyl alcohol and a cloth. Reassemble memory box, carefully placing flower board in position.
The art of pressing flowers turns beautiful blooms into a keepsake – but using traditional methods to dry the flowers can take up to three weeks. Instead, try the almost-instant microwave method. Avoid using blooms with very thick petals, as they hold too much moisture, and white flowers as they can yellow and brown. Flowers that work well with this method include petunias, pansies, violets, daisies, violas, geraniums, cosmos and zinnias.
Working with dry blooms, cut stems off flower heads or, if keeping the stem, remove excess leaves.
Stack two squares of paper towel, arrange flowers on top, then cover with two more squares of paper towel.
Place in the microwave and top with a heavy microwave-safe dish. Microwave on low heat in 30 second bursts until flowers are dry.
Use mosaic tiles to turn rectangular or square plain glass containers into decorative vases. The trick is to match the size of the tiles to the container so you can trim the backing sheet to fit without cutting individual tiles. Our sheets are 306mm x 306mm with six tiles across and six down. For impact, use a contrasting grout such as black on white tiles and white on patterned tiles.
Working on a drop sheet, measure one vase to determine how many tiles fit across and down. Using scissors, cut the mesh backing of a mosaic tile sheet into two pieces that each fit over two sides of the vase. Trim excess mesh along edges of cut pieces. Repeat for all vases and tile sheets.
Place vase on its side. Using a caulking gun, apply beads of tile adhesive in lines to one side of vase. Turn vase to apply adhesive to an adjacent side. Position a cut tile sheet on adhesive on one side of vase, pressing down firmly. Turn vase and press down second half of tile sheet. Leave to set. Repeat for all vases.
Working on one side of each vase at a time, apply premixed grout (in supplied applicator or with a grout squeegee) to the joints between tiles, including corners. Using squeegee, compact grout firmly then scrape tile surfaces to remove excess grout. Leave grout to firm for 15 minutes.
Clean off excess grout with a damp (not wet) sponge, working diagonally across the joints. Rinse sponge frequently in a bucket of clean water, changing the water often. Leave grout to harden for 24 hours. When grout is touch-dry, use dry cloths to buff off grout haze and polish tiles.
When painting and using spray or tile adhesives or grout, always wear the appropriate safety equipment (safety glasses, ear muffs and a mask, for example) and ensure the room is well ventilated.
Keep all paint, adhesives, grout and chemicals out of reach of children and pets.
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
