Hey there!  Welcome to Decorate and More with Tip!  Here on my blog I share how you can decorate your home on a budget by creating decorations from scratch, revamping, re-purposing or giving it a makeover with easy tutorials.  I hope I inspire you to create something beautiful for your home. 🙂

If you have been following my blog, you know that the first Wednesday of the month I host a DIY Challenge. I gathered a group of bloggers who loves creating budget friendly home décor too. 🙂  For the August’s challenge, I asked my friends to create something using dowel rods.  You can find all their links to each of their blogs at the end of my page.

To view all my DIY challenge’s post you can catch up by clicking here ⇒ DIY CHALLENGE.

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I have used dowel rods in many of my DIYs.  Let me share a few of them before I get to my DIY challenge project.

     1.  DIY MINI LADDAER

Here’s how to make a mini ladder with dowel rods.   Tutorial → MINI LADDER.

2.  TAPE ORGANIZER

If you need a place to store all of your tape, here’s how you can make a tape organizer with dowel rods.  Tutorial → TAPE ORGANIZER.

3.  EASY BOW MAKER

Are you needing a pretty bow, but just can’t master making a bow for your wreath or packages?  Here’s how you can make a bow maker with dowel rods.  Tutorial → EASY BOW MAKER.

4.  WRAPPING PAPER WALL ORGAINZER

For my craft room I wanted a section to store all of my wrapping paper, ribbon, tissue paper and gift bags.  To utilizer all the space I made a wall organizer to display all of my pretty paper.  Here’s the short version on how to make a wrapping paper wall organizer with dowel rods:

• Taking two pieces of 1″ x 2 ” cutting it to 26″ in length.
• Using seven ½” dowel rods keeping the length at 36″
• Fourteen 1.25 ” wooden beads

1. I drilled 7 holes down the 1″ x 2″ using a 4″ spacing.  I used a 5/8 drill bit.
2. Taking my beads drilling 3/4 into one side of the bead with the 5/8 drill bit
3.  I painted all of my materials white
4. Adding wall hooks to the back of my 1″ x 2″ to hang on the wall
5. Placing the dowel rod through one of the drilled holes, add pretty wrapping paper on to the rod, place through the other drilled hole and add another bead on the other end of the dowel rod.

Now to my latest dowel rod DIY.  I had two ½” dowel rods left over from my wrapping station so I am using those for this DIY but you can use a package of the Crafter’s Square dowel rods from Dollar Tree.

HOW TO MAKE A FRAMED HOUSE PLANTER

Items I used:

• Two ½” dowel rod – I only used 1 ½
• One shadow box from Dollar Tree – size 5¾” square
• Sand block
• Wood glue
• Wood filler
• Both craft and chalk paint
• Miter saw and box
• Dollar Tree hack saw
• Hot glue and glue gun
• Pencil
• Tape measurer

To prepare the Dollar Tree shadow box: Remove the center decoration, the saw tooth wall holder and the stickers from the back.  Sand the back and clean well.

For the center of my frame I am created the look of a piece of wood.  Here’s how I created a faux wood panel.

I painted the back panel with Khaki craft paint by Apple Barrel.

Letting the Khaki paint dry thoroughly.

Next, I took the end of a paint brush dipped it into Melted Chocolate craft paint by Apple Barrel making swirl marks randomly on the panel.

Not giving the dark brown swirls enough time to dry, I dry brushed in a dragging motion with Nutmeg brown (Apple Barrel)and a fan brush.  By not letting the swirls dry this causes the dark brown swirls to drag along, as well.

I applied one coat of matt sealer by Apple Barrel to the painted area.

I painted the frame and back with Waverly chalk paint in Ink.

Let that dry completely.  Working on cutting the dowel rods.  To cut my pieces I am using the Dollar Tree hack saw. Pieces you will need:

• Four pieces cut at 5″
• Two pieces cut at 4 ½”
• Four pieces cut at 3 ½”
• Two pieces cut at 2″

To achieve a 45º angle I am using a miter box, you can use a hack saw.   I will share down a step or two how I used my hack saw.

Taking the four 5″ pieces and cutting a 45° angle.

To smooth out the cut edges I used my sanding block.

This part I will show how I cut a 45º angle without a miter box.

Cutting each end of the four 3½” piece and one of the 4½” piece in a 45º angle.  Make sure to cut the longest part of the angle on the same side.  I marked the angel needed with a pencil, using my Dollar Tree hack saw I cut with the line.

Cutting a 45º angle on one edge of the two 2″ pieces.

With the other 4½” piece I created a curvature to each end.

I used a piece of sand paper wrapping it around a paint brush handle.  As a result, it curved in the center.

Next, I used a sanding block to sand down all the cut ends of my pieces.

Painted all my pieces with Ink chalk paint by Waverly.

Taking the four 5″ pieces and the shadow box.  Applying the four pieces to each corner of the box with wood glue and hot glue.

Using a square to make sure the pegs are straight.  I cleaned all the excess glue from each piece.

Gluing one end of the four 3½” pieces to the 5″ pieces.

Gluing the 2″ piece in the center of the 3½” pieces.

Taking the 4½” curvature piece and apply it the the bottom of the 2″ piece.

Adding the other 4½” piece with angle ends to the top of the 2″ piece.

To fill in the gaps I am using wood filler.  Taking a piece of wood filler, rolling it in my hands and placing it around the cut areas.

I honestly have to practice with my miter box and cuts. 🙂

Let that dry for several hours.  After it dries, sand down, wipe off and paint one coat with Waverly Ink chalk paint.

I applied two coats of Matt finish to the entire house.

For this project, I have all the supplies you need listed out, measurements all ready for you to cut your pieces.  All you need to do is buy your supplies, build your house frame and have fun!

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Stay strong and Blessed ♥