Table of contents for Winter 2019 in Do It Yourself

Eggnog or wassail? Turkey or ham? White lights or multicolor? A Christmas Story or Christmas Vacation? While there are no wrong answers to these holiday questions, you likely have opinions about each. Your choices, large and small, become your traditions—or “how you holiday,” as we like to say here at DIY and Better Homes & Gardens®. Your calendar from October to January is already busy, so we’ve curated an issue of easy ways to refresh (and maybe even lighten) your holiday to-do list. Upgrade your front door in less than an hour (“Wreaths Reimagined,” page 90) or decorate with fresh greenery available in your yard or grocery (“Season’s Greens,” page 8). Whip up foolproof handmade gifts with a few friends (“Crafter Hours,” page 94) or plant unforgettable party favors…

1 CONCOLOR FIR Concolor or white fir has symmetrical rows of flat, narrow needles; good needle retention; and a pleasing fragrance. 2 SEEDED EUCALYPTUS Clusters of seedpods add textural interest on stems bearing shapely light to medium green leaves. 3 FRASER FIR Fragrant, soft, short blue-green needles on sturdy stems have silvery undersides that glow when lit. 4 ITALIAN RUSCUS An airy silhouette and narrow, pointy leaves make this a popular filler for all types of arrangements. 5 BLUE SPRUCE Valued for its stiff silvery blue-green needles, its boughs are sturdy enough to hold added trims. 6 HONEY BRACELET Pliable woody stems and flexible needlelike leaves allow this filler green to be easily shaped. 7 SCOTCH PINE Short on scent but well-suited to shaping, these woody boughs sport groupings…

1 SINGLE-FACE CORRUGATED CARDBOARD One side of ridged paper with paper or cardboard glued to the other side. Often used for packing and shipping. 2 DOUBLE-FACE CORRUGATED CARDBOARD One thickness of ridged paper glued between two plies of paper or cardboard. Most common for shipping boxes and easily found around the house or office. 3 CHIPBOARD Single-ply flat cardboard. Seen on thinner product packaging boxes rather than shipping boxes.…

HOMES SWEET HOMES Show off your textile talents by framing woven works in a grid of shadow boxes, this photo. Here, a collection of 9-inch-square tapestries is crafted using the same pattern (see page 58 for how-to), but each showcases a variation on their shared color palette. Heavy-duty double-stick tape holds each piece in place inside a shadow box. For a long-term hold, poke holes in the cardboard back of the frame and use a heavy-duty needle to stitch each piece to the back in a few places. INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE Give any wall a bit of dimensional interest with wainscoting, above. To set apart the lowest 3 feet of a room’s walls, install a 1×4 board horizontally at the 3-foot mark and a 1×6 board along the floor. Add…

CUTTING GARDEN Snips of favorite indoor plants will root in tubes of water and can be used as pretty party decor, opposite. When the party is over, the cuttings become take-home treasures for guests, above. Plants that root well include aluminum plant, tradescantia, English ivy, coleus, and begonia. We “frosted” the lower portion of square plastic watertight tubes by scuffing them with an all-purpose sanding sponge or emery/400 sandpaper. To hang the tubes, first cut a cardboard template as a guide for making a little hole (A). In a candle flame, warm the tip of a large nail to melt a hole in the back of each tube. Cut Off Use a clean, sharp knife to take a 4-inch cutting. Pinch off lower leaves. Place the cut stem in…

1. WALLPAPER Score a head-turning herringbone accent wall in gray, light gray, or brown colorways without the complicated angled cuts. Brewster Home Fashions unpasted Altadena Diagonal Wood Wallpaper, $100 per roll (56 square feet); brewsterwallcovering.com 2. LETTER BOARD Serve up what you want to say with Madera Modern breadboards in walnut or natural finishes. Each comes with 290 white ¾-inch letters. $55 (5×7-inch board), $65 (8×10-inch board); maderamod.com 3. WOOD FINISH Available in Barn Wood, Weathered Wood, and Burnt Wood finishes, Krylon’s new Vintage Finish kits contain a distressing spray that can be selectively applied to darken bare wood edges and a wood tint for an all-over wash of color. $16–$20; krylon.com for retailers 4. HEADBOARD Made from recycled wood that’s already cut to size, Stikit reclaimed headboard kits…

[P] Paint Color Because of the magazine printing process, paint colors depicted on our pages might vary slightly from manufacturers’ colors. Use paint color names or numbers, when provided, as a starting point. To get a color as it appears in the magazine, take the page to a paint retailer for matching. [T] To the Trade Contact a design professional to find more information about this product or service. TRY IT: SEASON’S GREENS PAGES 8–13 Galvanized pots on mantel, angled glass votive holders, black wreath frames with small black pots in window—Jo-Ann Stores; joann.com. Blue curtain panels, rods—Target Stores; target.com. Large wicker basket holding birch trunks Braided Water Hyacinth Storage Cube with handles—The Container Store; containerstore.com. ORDER IN THE HOUSE: OFFICE FROM SCRATCH PAGES 24–27 Wood cubby for earphones…

FINE PRINTS Most Chasing Paper prints are sourced from an eclectic blend of artists around the globe (the rest are created by an in-house design team). “We want it to feel like there are different voices and different hands creating all the different prints,” founder Elizabeth Rees says. Some of her faves? Below, from left: Graduate Plaid in Green, Marble + Magic in Blue, and Vintage Art in Color. OFF THE WALL Sure, you can wallpaper a wall, but try Chasing Paper on your next furniture redo. We found a cast-off dresser and gave it a new life, this photo. MAKE IT WALLPAPERED DRESSER MATERIALS • Furniture piece• Paint (We used Sherwin-Williams Coral Island SW 6332.)• Tape measure• Wallpaper in desired pattern (We used three 2×4-foot panels of Shaping…

Your childhood is hip again! This throwback flair kit includes 18 pieces of printed shrink plastic, six colored pencils, and 18 lapel pin backs—enough to make personalized gifts and to keep a few pins for yourself. DIY Pin & Flair Kit, $15; yellowowlworkshop.com 1. Hand-cut from upcycled vintage leather scraps, this luxe confetti is a colorful addition to any party or tabletop. Each jar includes about ¼ cup. Leather confetti, $10; cravebycrv.com 2. Joining the sides of a box can be hard, especially for casual woodworkers. These plastic clips keep cabinets and bookcases connected at an exact 90-degree angle for perfect construction. EZ Corner Clips, $50 for a four-corner set; ezwoodshop.com 3. No more fraying. Cut and seal ribbon ends in one simple step with this clever heat tool.…

AS A NEW MOM, ERIN FRANCOIS GAVE HERSELF A BREAK WHEN DAUGHTER SYLVIA WAS BORN. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE AGE OF 7 SHE WASN’T MAKING THINGS. “For the first six months of my daughter’s life, I bought (rather than made),” she says, adding, “#SurvivalMode!” Today, Erin’s sewing machine is happily humming again, designing decor and making improvements in the 1936 Tudor duplex that she and her husband, Ken, bought in Minneapolis a few years ago. “We knew we wanted to live in the city, but as we began house-hunting, we realized we were coming up short with what we could afford,” Erin says. “Ken found the duplex the night it hit the market, and we were intrigued by the financial sense it made.” (They rent out…

SMOOTH STONES Tumbled rocks are available in black, white, gray, and other hues. Combine and contrast them in layers if desired. GLASS BEANS Recycled and tumbled clear glass is one of many color options that adds glimmer to any arrangement. TEMPERED GLASS BITS Shattered windshield glass can be handled safely and repurposed. Ask for it at windshield replacement shops. GLITTER GLASS Crushed, recycled glass is coated with a glittery finish to enhance its luster.…

SHAPE SHIFTING The geometric throw pillows, below, may look complicated but are actually easy handiwork when you use a 3-D template, or shape net. Our favorite design? The sour-cream-packet pillow shape, crafted from a single rectangle of fabric, that recalls your school lunch tray on baked potato day. Tip: Stuffing your pillow with a down-alternative batting results in a perfectly huggable pillow shape. We used some foam in the prism (biggest) pillow to make it stiff. MAKE IT SOUR-CREAM-PACKET PILLOW MATERIALS • 100% cotton velvet• Pillow net templates, available at BHG.com/WedgePillow• Fabric tape measure• Pins• Sewing machine• Matching thread• Iron and ironing board• Batting• Needle Step 1 Cut fabric using net template, 21×31 inches. All seam allowances are ½ inch. Step 2 Fold rectangle in half lengthwise, right sides…

HOLIDAY HEARTH An airy swag crafted from myrtle stems wired together tip to end with green florists wire makes a statement against the white fireplace, above left. Packages tied up with ribbon and cording, above, get prettier with embellishments such as boxwood wreaths, ilex and evergreen sprigs, and fraser fir tassels (remove a stem’s upper needles, pinch the lower needles, and wrap the bare end in twine). For the tiny mantel-top trees, left, check Christmas tree lots for treetops lopped from trees that have been cut up for greenery. Gently push each treetop into water-soaked floral foam set in a sturdy container. SEASONAL RUN Combine repurposed objects, evergreen stems, and votives to construct a timeless centerpiece that stylishly shines well into the New Year, this photo. A woven runner…

AS THE THIRD GENERATION IN HER FAMILY’S PRINTING BUSINESS, ELIZABETH REES GREW UP IN MILWAUKEE AMID PAPER AND INK. SHE PUT HER OWN TWIST ON THE FAMILY LEGACY WITH THE LAUNCH OF CHASING PAPER IN 2012. OFFERING REMOVABLE WALLPAPER IN EYE-CATCHING PRINTS, THE BRAND GIVES DIYERS THE OPTION TO CUSTOMIZE THEIR SPACES—AND THE FREEDOM TO CHANGE THEIR MINDS. Q: You traveled quite a bit in your 20s. How did those experiences influence your career path? A: I truly think those years living abroad and traveling on my own shaped me as a human, as a woman, and definitely as a leader and entrepreneur. There are so many things I learned about following my instincts and making quick decisions. I think it’s really about relying on myself and being able…

PACKAGED PENDANT Add industrial inspiration to your dining room with a lampshade made from corrugated cardboard, salvaged wire rings, and an electrical cord swag kit, opposite and above. MAKE IT PENDANT LAMPSHADE MATERIALS • Single-face corrugated cardboard (See “Cardboard 101,” page 43.)• Utility knife• Straightedge• Cutting board• 8-inch-diameter wire ring with lampshade frame (We removed the fabric from a shade.)• 2 salvaged wire lampshade rings: 8-inch-diameter, 17-inch-diameter• Hot-glue gun and glue sticks• Electrical cord swag kit (Ours is from World Market.) Step 1 With the cardboard’s ridged side facing the cutting board, use a utility knife and straightedge to cut 1×12-inch strips. You will need 42. Change blades if needed to maintain a clean, sharp edge. Step 2 Set the 8-inch-diameter ring with lampshade frame on a work surface.…

Step 1 Remove the existing paint or stain from the furniture by applying wood stripper with a disposable foam brush. (Wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated area.) Allow stripper to penetrate the surface for the amount of time recommended by the product instructions. Use a plastic scraper to remove the old finish, pulling in the direction of the wood grain. After finish is removed, use a cloth to wipe off any excess residue, and allow to dry. Step 2 Scrub with a brass-bristle brush (A) in the direction of the grain. This helps open the wood’s pores for the liming wax. Step 3 Stain the wood in your desired color (B). Use a cloth to generously wipe gel stain onto the surface. Allow the stain to penetrate for…

AMY PURDY AND DANIEL GALE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE GETTING INTO WHEN THEY STARTED REMODELING THEIR COLORADO HOME. “WE THOUGHT WE WERE JUST CLEANING UP A FEW THINGS,” AMY SAYS WITH A CHUCKLE, “but it ended up turning into a massive, complete overhaul that took two years.” She pauses. “Once you start getting into it, it just goes deeper and deeper.” (Aah, the DIYer’s chorus.) Built in 1971, the three-story house was ready for new insulation, updated wiring, and fresh surfaces that combine rustic elements with Scandinavian flair (Amy’s fave combo!). After firing their original contractor and starting over with a new one, Amy and Daniel had to get creative with their budget—and get to work themselves. Overcoming obstacles is nothing new for this family. At age 19,…

BRANCH OUT This chic and simple assemblage, opposite and right, is perfectly suited to add cheer at the holidays but would also look stunning year-round. Start with a long, leafy branch as the base of an asymmetrical triangle. Wire together two faux eucalyptus stems (or use faux or real magnolia, boxwood, laurel, or other leafy greenery). Use twine to tie the simple garland to two pussy willow branches, which are also attached at the top by twine. Hot-glue a satin ribbon and jingle bells to one end of the greenery. BARE MINIMUM Forget glitter and tinsel—this less-sparkly interpretation of the holiday wreath, left, adds cheer to any style home. Plus, it takes only minutes to make. Using florists tape and hot glue, attach faux greenery to the bottom of…

Hangers Washi tape wraps ordinary wood hangers in pure happiness. If your hanger has a glossy finish, lightly sand the surface and wipe with a tack cloth. Cover the hanger with washi tape by winding it around the hanger or cutting long strips to apply lengthwise. Apply letter stickers if desired. Burnish tape and stickers with fingers, pressing all edges flat, and then coat with decoupage glue. Let dry, and coat again. Make yarn pom-poms as an additional embellishment. Coasters Raise a glass to custom coasters. Print circle pattern at BHG.com/Coasters, cut out, and punch ⅛-inch holes at each mark. Trace pattern and mark holes on leather, then cut out. Use a leather punch to punch holes at each mark and leather stamps and a hammer to stamp words…

1. Anyone else have a complex with throwing out last year’s calendar? Worry no more—the back of each beautiful design is printed with a template for a note card, gift box, and more for optimal reusability. 2019 Wall Art Calendar, $30; papersource.com 2. Liven up your work space with an artsy desk calendar, complete with a wood stand to keep the important dates (like payday) in easy sight. Folk Art Desk Calendar with Stand, $18, Tillandsia Mini Desk Calendar with Stand, $12; favoritestory.co 3. This 12×24-inch calendar is a collection of screen prints designed by the shop’s three generations of printmakers, including the kiddos! 2019 Calendar, $68; thedolphinstudio.com 4. Your furry friends get the spotlight with these dish towels. Frame them to see each month at a glance, or…