diy Archives - Our Tiny Nest

21 In DIY

DIY Beach Memory Box

This post contains affiliate links

If you are going to the beach this summer then you will want to see how to make this DIY Beach Memory Box as a keepsake of your trip.

One of our family’s special places is Narragansett, Rhode Island. We look forward to going whenever we can. It holds a special place in our hearts (I’m linking a post I wrote previously with some of our favorite things to do there). This DIY beach memory box is a great way to remember your beach vacation. Bring back some sand and seashells from your favorite place, and scroll down to see how to make this special keepsake.

This post is brought to you by The Cozy Creative Collaborative

A group of ladies who love all things home, DIY, and food. We team up every month to share a new themed project and this month we are sharing all things coastal. Be sure to scroll to the end to see everyone’s coastal ideas!

If you are coming from my friend Jen at Cottage on Bunker Hill, welcome and I hope you will stick around here awhile!!! When I think of a true coastal girl, Jen comes to mind. How amazing did her lobster cobb salad look? Yummm!!!

How to make a DIY Beach Memory Box

You will need:

shadowbox
sand
seashells and sea glass
photo
sand dollar
permanent marker
hot glue gun

1.) Start by taking apart the shadow box. If desired, cover the backing with cardstock or paper. I chose to cover my black backing with white paper.

2.) Secure your photo to the backing.

3.) Using a gold permanent marker, I wrote each of our names on a sanddollar. If you are using a larger shadowbox and have the space, you could do one for each person.

4.) I secured the sanddollar to the backing using hot glue so that it didn’t roll around.

5.) Fill the bottom of the shadow box with some sand and secure the backing on. I also hot glued around the edges to seal the backing so that no sand could leak out.

6.) Using hot glue, glue the seaglass and seashells around the border of the shadow box and allow to dry.

That’s it! So easy! This is perfect so display on your shelves, coffee table or desk so that you can go back to the beach anytime you need a getaway!

I’m linking some things below if you want to re-create your own shadow box.

For more coastal and beach inspiration, you can also see how I put together this coastal tray decor.

Pin for later

Next head on over to my friend Heidi where she is sharing how to make the prettiest seashell candles.

Coastal Inspiration from The Cozy Creative Collaborative

Coastal inspired frame with seashells and seaglass.

DIY Beach Keepsake | Nicolle of Our Tiny Nest Blog

Homemade candles with soy wax and scallop shells.

How to Make Homemade Candles in Scallop Seashells | Heidi of Eleanor Rose Home

DIY seashell wall art for summer coastal decor.

DIY Seashell Wall Decor | Charity of Mornings on Macedonia

A coastal themed tablescape with shell accents.

How to Set a Casual Coastal Table | Kelly of The Tattered Pew

New England Cobb salad with lobster, hard boiled eggs, and croutons.

New England Lobster Cobb Salad | Jennifer of Cottage on Bunkerhill

July 25, 2023 By Nicolle

22 In DIY/ printables

End of the year teacher gift idea and free printable

Basket with wine bottle, wine chiller, wine tote, best teacher ever book and an apple with tag that says "apples are fine but by June you deserve some wine"

This post contains affiliate links

Teachers will love what’s inside basket! This end of the year teacher gift idea is easy to put together and comes with a free printable too! Because by the end of the year, teachers deserve all the wine.

I can’t believe it’s already almost the end of the school year. Our teachers deserve to be spoiled for all the extra hard work they put in. Honestly, our oldest graduates kindergarten this year and his teacher has been fantastic! We could not have asked for a better experience. So I wanted to put something special together for her to celebrate the end of a great year and kick off summer. This end of the year teacher gift idea is the perfect way to show your appreciation for all they do. After all “apples for the teacher used to be just fine, but by June, they deserve some wine!”

To make this you will need:

a basket
print out of my free printable, which I have linked below.
cardstock or paper
scissors
wine
ribbon
hole punch
filler for your basket
basket items (I’m sharing some ideas below)

Free printable tag

Here is the printable tag. Click here to download and print out your own tags!

Once you have printed out your tag, you will need to cut it out.

Then using a hole puncher, I punched a hole in the corner of the tag and slipped some twine through with a ribbon, tying the ribbon around the neck of the wine bottle.

Next it’s time to fill your basket.

What to include in your End of the Year Gift Basket Idea for the Teacher

The beauty of this gift basket is that it can be completely customized! You can do a fun summer themed basket, coffee, chocolate, honestly, whatever your teacher likes! (But honestly, what teacher doesn’t love wine?)

Here are some ideas of what to include in your basket:

Basket
Turkish towel
Wine tote
Wine chiller
Charcuterie board
Best teacher because book (For this part, I gave each student in the class. two pieces of paper out of the book and had them write what they loved about their teacher. Then had them send back to me so that I could compile them all in the book to give the teacher. Just a little something to personalize it)

You will want to add some filler to your basket. You can use whatever you like but here are some that I like to use:

Then you will want to add your items to the baskets in an aesthetically pleasing way. I like to add the taller items in the back. Complete with some ribbon for a special touch.

And just like that you have the perfect end of the year teacher gift!

Pin for later

Hope you enjoy your summer!

Here are some other blog posts you may enjoy:

Printable summer bucket list

How to have a root beer float bar

Make your own homemade ice cream

Back to school countdown

Back to school basket

Sign up below for more DIYs right to your inbox!

May 22, 2023 By Nicolle

16 In DIY/ home

Spring lilac simmer pot

This post contains affiliate links

There is just something about the smell of fresh lilacs, it brings me right back to my childhood as a little girl, picking lilacs from my grandmother’s lilac bush. I would love to bottle up the scent. I have been really into simmer pots lately and got the idea for this spring lilac simmer pot once my lilacs bloomed.

What is a simmer pot?

A simmer pot is a basically a pot of water, fruits, herbs and spices that you simmer throughout the day to fill your home with a nice aroma. Simmer pots are really nice around the holidays with warm spices like cinnamon and clove but they can be enjoyed all year long. In the spring and summer I like to do more uplifting scents like citrus and thyme or rosemary. (Another one of my favorite simmer pot combos is rose petals, grapefruit, and peppercorn, you can see it here).

Spring lilac simmer pot

You will need:

a pot (you can use any but I love these glass simmer pots on Amazon, they’re so pretty)
fresh lilacs
2-3 slices of lemon
water

Directions:

1.) Start by slicing a lemon.

2.) Add the fresh lilacs and lemon slices to the pot.

3.) Fill with water.

4.) Put on the stove, bring to a simmer and then lower the heat.

5.) Allow to simmer for 3-4 hours, you can add more water as needed to avoid drying out.

Note – as the ingredients simmer, the lilacs will lose their purple color but will still hold their fragrance.

Linking my glass simmer pot below, click the photo

This would also be a sweet gift for Mother’s Day or a housewarming. You can see my holiday simmer pot gift I did in the past here to give you some inspiration.

If you love lilacs, then you need to try my lilac lemonade. Sharing the recipe here.

And for more ideas on how to use lilacs, check out this post here. I’ve got lilac ice cream, beauty reigmens and more.

Pin for later

Sign up below for more recipes and DIYs right to your inbox

May 12, 2023 By Nicolle

7 In decor/ DIY/ Easter

DIY decoupage Easter eggs

This post contains affiliate links

This is an easy DIY for decoupage Easter eggs. All you need are some eggs, napkins and a little Mod Podge! The best part is these eggs can be used year after year and are great in trays, bowls or a nice filler for a vase. Scroll down to see how to make these beautiful Easter eggs for your Easter and spring decor.

You will need:

Eggs (I used wooden eggs)
Decorative napkins
Mod Podge
a paint brush

What is decoupage?

Decoupage is the “art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it in combination with special paint effects, gold leaf, and other decorative elements.”

In the past, I made these decoupage Easter eggs with napkins and some faux flowers I got from the Dollar Store.

I was feeling a little creative over the weekend and wanted to do something a little different with these beautiful chinoserie napkins I got. Scroll down to see how they came out!

How to make DIY decoupage Easter Eggs

Start by taking your napkins and ripping them in smaller pieces. Depending on the type of napkins you have, they may be 2 ply or 3 ply. You will just want to use the top layer.

When ripping the pieces of paper, you will want some smaller pieces and some larger pieces to form to your egg.

Next dip your paint brush in the Mod Podge and apply some on the egg. There’s really no right or wrong, my tip is just to apply a generous amount of glue underneath and over the paper.

Next apply a piece of paper on top of the glue, using your finger to carefully smooth out any wrinkles. Then apply a layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper, continuing to smooth out the napkin. Be gentle so as not to rip the paper.