All in DIY Tutorials

DIY Modern Twin Bed

DIY Modern Twin Bed

Sadie Mae John
Personal, DIY Tutorials, Build

My guest bedroom used to be more of a spare bedroom… it had a queen bed in it and the room was a catch-all of stuff decor stuff (from when we downsized) and camping stuff (my shop took over the entire garage)! So it was definitely time for a makeover. As part of my Guest Bedroom Makeover I got to build new beds! I have never built a bed before, but have been wanting to for a long time. So when my friends at Kreg asked me to partner on a project for BuildSomething.com I knew the perfect project! You can read more about the entire room makeover at Guest Bedroom Makeover - Before & After, but the real star of the makeover are the beds!!! At least IMHO, so lets get to them!

DIY Keepsake Gift Box

DIY Keepsake Gift Box

Sadie Mae John
Build, DIY Tutorials

Its that time of year where everyone is thinking about gift giving. To me giving someone a gift shouldn’t be done out of obligation for a date on the calendar, but because you want to. And I think the best way to show that you want to is by taking a little time and effort along with some thought and creating a handmade gift for the special people in your life. So I teamed up with Kreg to participate in their Holiday Campaign and created a plan to build a DIY Keepsake Gift Box.

DIY Modern Scrap Table

DIY Modern Scrap Table

Sadie Mae John
Upcycle, Personal, DIY Tutorials, Build

Every time you make a piece you always end up with scraps! And I hate throwing away scraps. So I am always looking at ways to utilize them in some way. Recently I built some DIY Modern Deck Chairs that I absolutely love! And while building them I had to cut this cool angle on the side pieces and was left with some triangles. I knew when I started the DIY Modern Deck Chairs that I wanted to build a side table to go with them to set your drinks and whatever on, but didn't have a plan until I saw these scraps!!!

How To Install Drawer Fronts

How To Install Drawer Fronts

Sadie Mae John
Personal, Build, DIY Tutorials

Alright, alright, alright.... I am ready to tackle another step in my closet renovation, drawer fronts!!! Since this project is for me and I am doing it all in between clients builds I wanted to pick a material that would be quick and easy to work with. I thought about using 3/4" plywood for the drawers fronts, but then I wasn't sure on how well the edge banding would hold up with heavy everyday use. I like the idea of shaker style, but that is just a little bit too much work than I have time for right now. Then I thought how about solid pine, but then remembered how hard it is to find straight non warped pieces let alone 10 of them. So, I decided to go with some project panels from Lowes. They are made from pine and are fingered jointed together. They are probably made from all the scraps left over at the factory. But since they are small pieces and glued and joined they are really flat and I think they will be more stable than the other two options. 

DIY Modern Deck Chairs

DIY Modern Deck Chairs

Sadie Mae John
Build, DIY Tutorials, Personal

It seems like everybody is always focused on decorating the interior of their homes, but what about the backyard? Here in AZ we spend a lot of time in ours, maybe not this time of the year, and well why shouldn't it look AWESOME too? So when my friends at Kreg asked me to partner on a project for BuildSomething.com, I was excited to design and build a piece that would give life to our backyard. Plus add some much needed seating! We currently only have some of those plastic adirondack chairs that have seen one to many summers in AZ, if you know what I mean.

How to Make Drawer Boxes - The Easy Way

How to Make Drawer Boxes - The Easy Way

Sadie Mae John
DIY Tutorials, Build, Personal

There are so many ways to make drawers boxes, but since I am making these for my master closet renovation I decided to go the easy way. The easy way not only because they are fast, but also since they wouldn't be holding a ton of weight. So, I didn't feel the extra work was necessary. My drawers are roughly 21 1/2"W x 20"D x 8"H to give you some perspective. I am am super excited about the size because that means a ton of storage!!! I am planning on getting rid of our huge oversized dressers we have in our master bedroom once the closet is finished, so that will mean a little downsizing. But I am all for the minimalist life! But it does take time, in my opinion, to become a minimalist. It is hard to just sell, donate, or throw away everything over night. I really want to have a plan of things that are gonna make me happy and still look good. That way I won't miss all those things!!! Things being the key word. 

How To Make A Buffet - That Holds A Mini-Fridge

How To Make A Buffet - That Holds A Mini-Fridge

Sadie Mae John
DIY Tutorials, Build

When my client told me that she wanted a buffet (sideboard) that could hold a mini fridge, I knew this was going to be a fun project!  She is transforming her formal living room space into a New Orleans themed pub room. So fun right!?! And then I thought that this would be great build to partner with Kreg and share the plans I designed on their DIY project plan site BuildSomething.com, so you could make one for yourself! But before you go there let me walk you thru some of the design process and new techniques I used on this build. 

Shiplap Hall Tree Bench Plans - UPDATED 1.8.19

Shiplap Hall Tree Bench Plans - UPDATED 1.8.19

Sadie Mae John
DIY Tutorials

Well the time has finally come! I am so excited to share with you plans to build your very own Shiplap Hall Tree Bench. This has been a long time coming and some of you have been very patient. Thank you for that!

So since this is my very first set of full printable plans they might not be perfect. So once you have downloaded them and had a chance to look them over I would love any feedback you. More detail, too much detail, etc. 

DIY Over-The-Toilet Shelf

DIY Over-The-Toilet Shelf

Sadie Mae John
DIY Tutorials, Build

Living in a 1971 ranch house means we have small bathrooms. Bathrooms that lack storage! So when my friends at Kreg asked me to partner on a project for BuildSomething.com, I was excited to design and build a piece that would help us with our storage problem. Since we are limited on space I decided adding a shelf over-the-toilet would be the best bet. I wanted a piece that would have space to add some personality to the bathroom, but also functional to hide some everyday essentials. What I came up with was super easy build and it only took two (2) 1x6's and some scrap 1/4" plywood to create! I am on a Knotty Alder kick lately so I actually milled some scrap Knotty Alder down to the same size as 1x6's to make mine out of. 

WiLd Wine Bar

WiLd Wine Bar

Sadie Mae John
Build, DIY Tutorials

Every piece in the Wild Collection is built with mostly 2x6's. I designed the collection this way because I believe that everyone deserves awesome furniture in their home. And building out of 2x6's is an affordable way to make sure everyone can.

Chunky 4x4 Console

Chunky 4x4 Console

Sadie Mae John
DIY Tutorials, Build

Howdy everybody!!!

You'll never guess what I got to do!?! I got to team up with the AWESOME Jen Woodhouse and be the first to build one of her plans! So, what did I get to build..... the Awesome Chunky 4x4 Console. This thing is beefy. It is a piece that will make a statement in any room and will last forever!

Build A Farmhouse Table - The AWESOME Way!

Build A Farmhouse Table - The AWESOME Way!

Sadie Mae John
Build, DIY Tutorials

I love making dining tables because it is the piece of furniture that a family is going to use everyday together. They are going to make memories there. So I make my tables sturdy and durable to last a lifetime with the family. I like rustic finishes that only get better with time. One of my favorite builds and best sellers is a farmhouse table. There are so many different ways to build a farmhouse table. You can have straight legs, X legs, or turned legs. My favorite are turned legs for a farmhouse table. They add that perfect amount of curvy goodness to the table. I also like that the legs don't get in the way of the chairs, meaning leg room for everyone!!!

Upcycled Modern Farmhouse Tables

Upcycled Modern Farmhouse Tables

Sadie Mae John
DIY Tutorials, Upcycle

Okay, so as promised another #tbt post!!!! This is actually a post that I started a long time ago and never finished. It has some really good info on refinishing for that distressed farmhouse finish. Hope you enjoy!

I snagged these cool looking tables from a Facebook group that sells things for only $15 each. I loved that they had wood and metal. Two of my favorite things!

Dog Bowl Stand With Storage

Dog Bowl Stand With Storage

Sadie Mae John
DIY Tutorials, Build

Howdy! For #tbt (Throwback Thursday) I am going to start posting about my previous builds. To start with I am going to give you my plans to create your very own 3 Dog Bowl Stand with Storage. This could even be for a small trunk without the holes! My clients were looking for a solution to help keep their dog food and bowls in order in their AWESOME Corona themed patio. I love how this project turned out and think it would be so fun to give some character to your dog bowls. Dog furniture should look good to! Now to put this on the list to make for #AwesomeOscar.