Three Decorative and Easy Do-It-Yourself Projects

It's fun to get creative with decorating and designing, but sometimes it's time consuming, expensive, and not nearly as easy as you think it's going to be! Isn't it nice when there's a project so simple and straightforward and beautiful that you can really enjoy doing it?

That's why we've found three of our favorite DIY projects anyone can do with just a little bit of time and effort. 

It's hard to believe that this ornate, beautiful tray was once a frame. It couldn't be easier to make, either. If you have a decorative frame you aren't using, this is a great way to repurpose it. If you don't have one on hand, you can use an affordable frame from a local department store—it works surprisingly well. 

Use the glass as a template for a piece of cardboard (or, if you're really crafty, wood), and cut it to the shape of the glass. Add fabric to the cardboard or wood with a hot glue gun, then while you still have the glue gun, attach the new backing to the frame. In no time, you have a great new feature for your bedroom dresser or living room coffee table.

This project looks complicated but is, in reality, a great DIY even for non-crafters. Just create a template from paper or posterboard, lay out the corks (which you can sometimes buy at craft stores if you're not a wine drinker yourself), and glue them together. The designer suggests using a ribbon to trim the base of the cork letter and as a decorative tie. Perfect!

No—really! This is one of those things you can leave as-is or repeatedly re-design. A set of white vases becomes a canvas with a little bit of designer masking tape and a touch of ingenuity. Buy a few different rolls of decorative masking tape in different colors and patterns, then put strips on wax paper. (The wax paper allows you to cut the tape to the shape you want while keeping the tape itself sticky). Use scissors to cut it into the shapes you want, peel from the wax paper, and stick to the vase.