Monthly Archives: July 2011

True Value's DIY True Stories Contest – Dish Out Your Worst and Become a DIY Star!

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STORIESTrue Value | DIY True Stories

I‘d love a chance to become famous!  How about you? Well, let me share some exciting news with you about True Value!  They recently launched the “DIY True Stories” Contest<http://www.facebook.com/TrueValue?sk=app_240597572632386> on their Facebook page! This contest gives determined DIYers the chance to tackle a home improvement project that they did not have the money or tools to do so. From now until August 22, people will be able to dish out their DIY dilemmas and the three who plead the best case will win staring rolls in their own DIY web series and $2,500 towards product at True Value.


Contestants will be able to enter by first “liking” True Value’s Facebook page and then sharing a project idea via photos or a video submission. The three winners will then start recording their project’s progress from start to finish in a five-part web series that will be featured on True Value’s Facebook page. They will also receive $2,500 to put towards their project, along with in-person consultation with a “Master of All Things Hardwarian” at their local True Value store.

True Value


Do you have an outrageous, shocking or just plain overdue home improvement project on hand? Don’t be shy. Remember my embarrassing bathroom makeover when I entered a True Value DIY Dilemma a few years ago?  I needed a little extra cash or help getting it done. I didn’t win but you don’t have a chance if you don’t enter!  True Value is asking ambitious DIYers to tell all for a chance to win $2,500 to complete their project, receive expert advice to help them get the job done right and the opportunity to star in their very own DIY web series on Facebook! I know if I had the opportunity to give that a shot, I would reveal my worst DIY nightmare again! 

From July 7 to August 15, DIYers looking to get their hands dirty will have the chance to submit their wildest home improvement nightmare. To enter, you’ll have to first “like” True Value’s Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/TrueValue> page, then share your project idea, what you need to get the job done and what you would do if you won. It’s as easy that that!  ”DIY True Stories” can be submitted by crafting a brief project description and uploading photos or submitting a video featuring the DIYer and the potential DIY project. 

Then on August 29 when True Value will announce three winners! Each winner will receive an in-person consultation with a “Master of All Things Hardwarian,” or True Value employee, at their local True Value store and $2,500 to help them get the job done. They’ll then chronicle their project’s progress in a five part web series that will be featured on True Value’s Facebook page and savor the spotlight as DIY reality stars.Enter for a chance at DIY stardom by visiting www.facebook.com/TrueValue<http://www.facebook.com/TrueValue and clicking on the “DIY True Stories Contest” tab. Don’t wait! Share your wild DIY secrets today!  Let me know if you do it – I’d love to pop over and see DIY Show Off readers participating in this fun event and even win!   v>

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I was one of the bloggers selected by True Value to work on the DIY Squad. I have been compensated for my time commitment to the program as well as my writing about my experience. I have also been compensated for the materials needed for my DIY project. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.
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Coming soon – in order to fix the feed, the DIY Show Off will soon have a new look. Unsuccessful attempts have pushed me to switch to my own domain. Thanks for your patience and sticking with it while I work out the bugs. :)

Hi SugarPlum – Girls' Room Reveal

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In the event you haven’t seen this yet (WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!), I have to give a shout out to my sweet blog friend, Cassie.  Her daughter’s room is beautifully done and it’s pretty much DIY city!  A beautiful room full of French details and so much charm. Seriously, it doesn’t look like it from the picture below but this tastefully done with just the right amount of Paris themed room is practically all DIY!

the room
Visit Cassie at Hi SugarPlum to get all of the DIY and thrifty details that went into this fun girly room:

  • Choosing a color scheme
  • Painting a headboard a pretty pop of radish
bed
  • No sew pillows
  • Thrifty old sunburst mirror
  • Borrowed table
  • DIY Eiffel tower jewelry stand
  • ModPodge step stool
  • Monogrammed window pelmet
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  • Breakfast tray to lap desk
  • Monogrammed tins for storage
  • Pom Pom lantern
  • Closet makeover
  • Handmade fabric banner
  • DIY Paris prints
  • Beautifully painted highboy dresserhighboy
  • Fun DIY art and gallery wall
gallery 2
Doesn’t this sweet room look like it’s straight out of a pricey boutique catalog?  I think so!  Cassie, it’s gorgeous. I’d love to follow your example and create a beautiful room completely designed with thrifty treasures and crafty DIY.  Great job, girl!
If you’re not familiar with Hi SugarPlum, pop over to see the rest of her lovely home and awesome DIY skills. 
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I’ll be out of town most of next week.  If you’d like to show off your DIY projects in a guest post, send me an email and we’ll discuss the details.  :)  TGIF!
Coming soon – in order to fix the feed, the DIY Show Off will soon have a new look. Unsuccessful attempts have pushed me to switch to my own domain. Thanks for your patience and sticking with it while I work out the bugs. :)

You’re Invited to a Thrifting Party – July 9th!

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STAY TUNED FOR 2013′S I LOVE THRIFTING DAY!
Ready to meet some bloggers and do some thrift store shopping in an area near you or simply spend the day in your own hometown joining in the fun?  The very talented and creative Mr. Goodwill Hunting himself has organized an amazing event and you’re invited! 
Venture out Saturday, July 9th on your own, with friends or meet up at a big city location near you.  See HERE for the list!
 
In all THRIFTY STATES and from every walk of life people will gather together and meet up at a local thrift store to thrift and just have some plain ole fancy fun on July 9, 2011.  A day devoted to celebrating budget friendly thrift store finds for all of us addicted to finding thrifty treasures for DIY, decorating, home improvement and fashion. 

 

I have my t-shirt (not required) and I’ll be joining the fun!  

rainboots, yes. storms today. i love flipflops, wedges and sandals but hate wet toes on rainy days!

More details at www.ilovethrifting.com about all of the locations to meet up with others who share the love of thrifting or participate via Twitter hashtag #ilovethrifting to find others in your community who may want to meet up and shop or even make is a special day to thrift for just you and your family and friends!  Meet others who share a passion for thrifty treasures.  

The creative mastermind behind the huge “I love Thrifting” party, Rashon Carraway aka Mr. GoodWill Hunting. If you’re not familiar with his blog, then you MUST check it out. Be prepared to be inspired.


GUESS WHERE I’LL BE TOMORROW?

I‘m so excited to be organizing a Pittsburgh (north) event. If you’re local to western PA, love a bargain, like to shop and would like to join me & Bri on Saturday, July 9th, let us know and we’ll look for ya! The thrifting celebration begins at the North Hills GoodWill or meet us at any stops along the way. Look for us in our “I <3 Thrifting” t-shirts and introduce yourself…if you ever wanted to meet local DIY and thrifty bloggers, now is your chance!  Tentative schedule posted below (subject to change based on suggestions).

 

Pittsburgh (North) I Love Thrifting Party
 
 
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pan class=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-family: Georgia, ‘Times New Roman’, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 19px;”>Date:  Saturday, July 9th

 

Tentative Schedule:


10:00 a.m. – GoodWill

North Hills Store


7221 Mcknight Rd, Pittsburgh


11:30 p.m. – GoodWill

Wexford Store


10293 Perry Hwy, Wexford


1:00 p.m. Lunch at Cranberry Township Community Park (pack a lunch or hit the drive-thru).
Community Park Ernie Mashuda Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (or if you’re local to Cranberry Twp. and have a suggestion – let us know)


2:30 p.m. – GoodWill

Cranberry Store


20668 Perry Highway, Cranberry

 
4:00 p.m. – St. Vincent de Paul
Greater Butler Mart, Butler



***Email Roeshel @ thediyshowoff.blogspot.com for a map and directions!


RSVP to thediyshowoff@gmail.com if you’re interested in meeting up with me in the north Pgh area. You don’t have to be a blogger to shop. If you know of a favorite spot along the way, we can make some changes to the schedule…let’s talk!  I hope you can join us.  If you blog, you’ll have something to share for the DIY Project Parade the following day! I LOVE being inspired by your thrifty finds and enjoying your projects!

Coming soon – in order to fix the feed, the DIY Show Off will soon have a new look. Unsuccessful attempts have pushed me to switch to my own domain. Thanks for your patience and sticking with it while I work out the bugs. :)

Enjoying the Simple Things – A DIY Paint Stick Pendant Light

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Meet:  Laura from

Enjoying the simple things

Laura has a lot of interests but not a lot of time. She’s mom to 5 kids!  However she squeezes in a little time for DIY and flea markets.  Check out this awesome project!

What you’ll need:

Lamp shade from the thrift store.

Paint stir sticks (purchase or ask at a local hardware store).

Go here for the HOW TO.

Beautiful result:

Rustic charm after little wood stain…

Gorgeous!  See more DIY from Laura at

Enjoying the simple things

Thanks for sharing your creativity, Laura! I love it!

Coming soon – in order to fix the feed, the DIY Show Off will soon have a new look. Unsuccessful attempts have pushed me to switch to my own domain. Thanks for your patience and sticking with it while I work out the bugs. :)

DIY at His & Hers

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Meet and give a warm DIY happy welcome to Erin & Rick from

His & Hers

I love Erin’s creativity and DIY.  Check out her awesome pegboard art, inspired by a trip to the basement…

See the awesome desk below?   It’s made from mostly wood found around their house! There’s an awesome tutorial for it too!  His & Hers DIY Desk Tutorial
It’s all awesome!  Love those chairs and art against the dark wall too! 
They’ve also made a custom ottoman as shown below in the living room before/after shots:
There’s lots more to see! 
See their HOME, their PROJECTS and their next DIY project along with her cute and funny writing style.
A few of my favorites:
 
Thanks for sharing your beautiful transformations and DIY, Erin!  
Coming soon – in order to fix the feed, the DIY Show Off will soon have a new look. Unsuccessful attempts have pushed me to switch to my own domain. Thanks for your patience and sticking with it while I work out the bugs. :)

DIY at The Pear Tree Cottage

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Meet:  Becky from

The Pear Tree Cottage
Becky and her husband are DIYers who are on a mission to change their 1990s home into something they can be proud of.  
Beautiful Dining Room Transformation
This is what their house looked at the first time they saw it with the realtor:
Here is the amazing transformation…
Yes, the open doorway has been changed!  See all of the details here. Walls were knocked down, doorways were patched, new flooring and beautiful cottage decor.  Great job, Becky!
The boy’s room got an awesome makeover too!
Before (previous owner’s things)
After (chalkboard tutorial here) with more to come!
 
That chalkboard says it all! F~U~N!
And one last thing then you’ll have to visit The Pear Tree Cottage to see more!
Fireplace Before and After
Before…
Gorgeous after…
Wait! That can’t be the same room, can it?  It’s magazine-worthy beautiful!  See the fireplace how-to for more details.
Hurray, Becky! You’re doing an amazing job and creating a lovely home!  
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Just a reminder about I <3 thrifting day.  Get the details here!
Coming soon – in order to fix the feed, the DIY Show Off will soon have a new look. Unsuccessful attempts have pushed me to switch to my own domain. Thanks for your patience and sticking with it while I work out the bugs. :)

Delta Blogger Event 2011

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A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Delta Faucet 2011 Blogger Event (all expense paid). Exciting, yes!  Did I hesitate to accept?  No way!  A get away and DIY/home improvement related?  A DIYer’s dream trip!  Thank you so much to Delta for an interesting, fun filled couple of days. I have a new appreciation as a consumer to all of the hard work, innovation and creativity that goes into manufacturing quality products.  Here’s a recap of my experience:
We started off with a reception to get acquainted with each other.  Good food and drinks and a homework assignment by Paul:  Take our shower backwards, starting with what we normally do last and finish with usual first shower maneuver.  Sounds like no big deal, right?  Give it a try.  It really threw me off balance waiting until the end of my shower to wash off make up.  Who knew something so routine meant so much? 
My room at the Renaissance Indianopolis North. Modern, clean and comfy.
We were given a warm welcome at the Delta headquarters (and even applauded!) and an introduction by sweet Paula.
Brizo is Delta’s luxury line…offering distinctive design aesthetics (BEAUTY) and performance, creating a fashion statement for the home.  Lovely! Fascinating:  Brizo is the primary sponsor for fashion designer, Jason Wu and the first national sponsor of the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. 

I fell in love with this girls’ curves.  (x) Add to the dream DIY bathroom makeover one of these days.  I love the Delta Brizo Swarovski crystal finial…

Quality, green, efficient, sustainable luxury.

Inventive technology:  Smart Solutions – Touch or hands-free, multi-flow (extra volume), Diamond Seal. Style, practicality, quality and smart innovation.  Forward thinking!
Intuition shower head is standard and hand held with a pause button!

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Some interesting and awesome Delta features:

  • H2O Kinetic Technology – uses less water without sacrificing pressure and comfort. Water conservation and performance.
  • Touch2O and Touch 2Oxt Technology – start and stop the flow of water with a touch to the faucet – use wrist, elbow, forearm. Messy hands, clean faucets (need this!). 
  • Diamond Seal Technology – a tough diamond-coated valve to prevent leaks
  • MagnaTite Docking – powerful magnet on the pull down/spray hose to keep it in place when not in use.

 Getting to know the products and features of Delta’s collections and some hands on interaction:

Holly, Maggie and I made a great team…installing a kitchen faucet and a Touch2O bathroom faucet (auto shut off).  We gave some feedback on the instructions.  Simple installation.  Even I could swap out a Delta faucet without Mr. DIY’s assistance.
We were also split up into two teams and given direction by Tom Foust on an exercise in brainstorming. So much fun to work through a creative/troubleshooting process.  You had to be there, but let me just say “Da Smootha rocks”!
Dinner on our last evening was at the wonderful Recess in Indianapolis. Delicious food (menu changes daily) and a beautiful industrial decorated atmosphere. 
The Bloggers:
Dan – SavingsGrid
Me
Holly – 504Main
Joey & Lana

Me & Mike – correspondent for HandyGuys Podcast
and new blog author at http://thediygeek.com/
Emily – MerryPad
Stephanie, marketing
Paula, Delta
Jai, Delta
Lindsay, marketing

Me & Maggie – Holyoke Home

<
div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The blog crew…

I invite you to check out each blog listed above. Tell them I said “hi”.

This was one group of talented DIYers and super friendly bloggers. I really enjoyed meeting and getting acquainted with everyone in real life. 
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Delta’s lobby…dreamy.  I’ll take one of each, please. 

I loved meeting Holly from 504Main. We’ve e-known each other for nearly 2 years, the past year as a part of the DIY Club and finally had the opportunity to meet face-to-face.  Thanks, Delta!
So, overall…I have a new respect for Delta’s eco-friendly, family friendly, DIY-friendly, creative, innovative, beautiful products.  I love that they provide an amazing work environment for their employees with a superb atmosphere.  Everyone seemed to love their job and were excited and proud to be a Delta team member.  A peek behind the scenes and seeing things first hand was awesome!

Just some more Delta & Brizo faucet eye candy for future reference…

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Coming soon – in order to fix the feed, the DIY Show Off will soon have a new look. Unsuccessful attempts have pushed me to switch to my own domain. Thanks for your patience and sticking with it while I work out the bugs. :)