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The Crafted Maker

Crafting a Maker one project at a time

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FAQ

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions here at The Crafted Maker. If you don’t see the question you want to ask, you can send me a message through the contact page or at email me at crissie@thecraftedmaker.com.

WHAT ARE THE TOOLS YOU WOULD RECOMMEND FOR BEGINNERS?
That is an easy one! The tools I use for every build are a miter saw, a drill/driver, and a sander. These tools will get you started and you can build up your tools as you need them.
WHAT PROGRAM DO YOU USE TO MAKE FURNITURE PLANS?
I use a program called Sketchup. It is a great free program to use when designing plans. It requires some learning, but it is aΒ user-friendly program you can learn as you use it.
WHERE DO YOU WORK ON YOUR PROJECTS?
Currently I am working in my garage. It is a one car garage, so there is not a lot of room, but you have to work with what you have. I plan on enclosing a carport on my property and converting that into a workshop in the future. That will be an exciting project!
WHAT ARE SOME PROJECTS FOR A BEGINNER TO START WITH?
One of my most popular and simple projects for beginners is the $25 Console Table. This is built out of dimensional lumber with few cuts and simple pocket hole joinery. Another project would be any of the Scrappy Saturday projects. I keep those projects simple and use only a few tools on each.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY FORMAL TRAINING IN WOODWORKING OR HOME IMPROVEMENT?
The answer to both is no. I like to learn as I go and figure out what I don’t know. Sometimes that’s fun and other times it can be frustrating, but as long as it works out in the end, it’s fine. As weird as this may seem to some, when it comes to home improvement, I really enjoy the physical and dirty side of things, especially demolition. Many of the renovation jobs I have done were figured out as I went. Once you do something like install tile, for instance, a couple of times, you get the hang of it.Β 
WHY WRITE A BLOG AND GIVE AWAY MOST OF THE PLANS FOR FREE?
I started writing a blog (Sawdust to Sequins at first) as a way to inspire people and show my readers that DIY and home improvement doesn’t have to be a scary thing. I purchased my first home when I was 21 years old and didn’t have extra money to furnish the house or even call an electrician to change out lights. It is many, manyπŸ˜‰Β  years later now and I want to pass on what I have learned so someone else can benefit from it. You don’t need a lot of money or a degree in home improvement to love the home you live in, just a few basics skills and the will to complete the project.

Here are some FREE plans to get you started!

This Scrappy Saturday project is sliding bookends for open shelving. These sliding bookends are a great addition to any room with open shelving. This is a fun and quick project to complete!

Sliding Bookends for Open Shelving

Posted: September 15, 2018

Welcome to another Scrappy Saturday. Today’s project is sliding bookends for open shelving. These are a quick and fun project that can be completed in a couple of hours. If you haven’t quite got the time for a project like this at the moment, you can save it for another day or, alternatively, you could […]

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Give your living room some new life with this DIY Modern Farmhouse Coffee Table. Free PDF plans included along with step by step instructions and pictures!

DIY Modern Farmhouse Coffee Table

Posted: September 6, 2018

Coffee tables are something you find in most living rooms and even some bedrooms. They can totally make a living room and add some extra storage. And, who doesn’t need more storage, right? This DIY modern farmhouse coffee table adds design and a place to put your favorite beverages while enjoying your favorite movies, or […]

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Give the exterior of your home an upgrade with these simple DIY shutters. They take very little time to make and will add curb appeal to your home.

SIMPLE DIY SHUTTERS

Posted: May 11, 2018

Β  Β  Since the house had been painted white, I wanted to add some details to really make the color pop. I love the way black looks against white on a home, so I decided the windows needed shutters. They needed to be made of wood, but it’s hard to find wood shutters off the […]

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Laundry is a chore many people don't enjoy doing, so why not make it as fun and convenient as possible. How about a colorful place to fold and iron!

LAUNDRY TABLE (FOLD AND IRON)

Posted: September 20, 2016

Laundry is a chore not many people enjoy doing soΒ I wanted to make it as fun and convenient as possible. I needed a place to fold my laundry and a place for my ironing board. I know they make hangers for ironing boards, but frankly, I was tired of looking at it. To take care […]

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New to woodworking or home improvement? Check out my e-bookΒ 

DIY:101 Make Your House a Home one Project at a Time - Starting any DIY project can sometimes seem like a lot to take on, but with the proper tools and know how, you can accomplish any project!

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Welcome! I'm Crissie. A girl who loves to build, craft, and DIY anything. This site was started as a way to share my passion with you all, so I hope it gives you some inspiration. Follow along as I completely renovate my Washington home including some remodeling, new furniture, and outdoor projects.
 

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Free Plans

This Scrappy Saturday project is sliding bookends for open shelving. These sliding bookends are a great addition to any room with open shelving. This is a fun and quick project to complete!
BUILD, FREE PLANS!, HOME DECOR, Scrappy Saturday

Sliding Bookends for Open Shelving

Give your living room some new life with this DIY Modern Farmhouse Coffee Table. Free PDF plans included along with step by step instructions and pictures!
BUILD, FREE PLANS!, FURNITURE, WOODWORKING PROJECTS

DIY Modern Farmhouse Coffee Table

Give the exterior of your home an upgrade with these simple DIY shutters. They take very little time to make and will add curb appeal to your home.
BUILD, FREE PLANS!, HO-- USE REVAMP

SIMPLE DIY SHUTTERS

Laundry is a chore many people don't enjoy doing, so why not make it as fun and convenient as possible. How about a colorful place to fold and iron!
BUILD, FREE PLANS!, FURNITURE, PROJECTS, WOODWORKING PROJECTS

LAUNDRY TABLE (FOLD AND IRON)

If you love using hardware to really give furniture character, check out this DIY Entertainment Stand. Free Plans on my site!!
BUILD, FREE PLANS!, FURNITURE, PROJECTS, WOODWORKING, WOODWORKING PROJECTS

DIY ENTERTAINMENT STAND

How To

Privacy fences are a great thing to have, but they can get damaged over time from the elements. Here is how to repair a privacy fence.
HOW TO, OUTDOOR LOVE, TIPS AND TRICKS, Tips and Tricks Tuesday

How to Repair a Privacy Fence

Starting a home renovation can be a stressfull time if not planned out properly. Here are 5 things to think about before starting a renovation.
HOW TO, TIPS AND TRICKS, Tips and Tricks Tuesday

5 Things to Think About Before Starting A Renovation

Step by step instructions for how to thin paint for use in a paint sprayer. If you have a paint project to tackle these steps will get you spraying fast! #paintsprayer #paintingfurniture #tipsandtricks
HOW TO, TIPS AND TRICKS, Tips and Tricks Tuesday

How to Thin Paint for use in a Paint Sprayer

HOW TO, Tips and Tricks Tuesday

Tips and Tricks Tuesdays – How to Install Floating Hardwood Flooring – Care

Adding hardwood to your home is something you can do yourself. This step by step tutorial will show you how to install floating hardwood flooring.
Home Improvement, HOW TO, Tips and Tricks Tuesday

How to Install Floating Hardwood Flooring – Installation




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  • Next project in the works!! πŸ‘πŸ™ŒπŸ›  #diy #coffeetable #makercommunity #hairpinlegs
  • If you are in the need of a bigger work space but don’t have the room for a 4’ x 4’ workbench, I have you covered!! Introducing the convertible 4’x4’ workbench. You can leave it attached together for larger projects, or pull it apart for storage against a wall. πŸ™ŒπŸ’ͺπŸ› πŸ˜€
Plans available on @sprucd today!!
  • Need a little office organization in your life? You can whip up this little project in about an hour with scrap wood you have laying around! πŸ™Œ
  • Happy Tuesday! Today I'm talking all about privacy fence repair on the blog. Fixing a fence is easier than it looks and if you do it yourself, you can save thousands of dollars! πŸ‘πŸ’ͺπŸ› πŸ™Œ
Swipe to see what the fence looked like before!
  • Nothing like a little (or a lot) of yard work on a Sunday. If you have seen my stories over the past couple of days, you know how much mulch we had to use up. It is a lot!! We are nowhere near done yet, but we got a pretty good dent put into the landscaping projects for the front yard. 
I know it may seem like I move from one project to another on here randomly. One minute I’m fixing a bathroom, then a fence, then landscaping, all while my bathroom is still not done. This is for a reason I promise. πŸ˜›

When you live in an area in Washington like I do, you do outdoor projects when the sky tells you that you can. The weather changes around here on the daily and this time of the year, rain is always there just waiting! LOL Trust me, I wish I could get one done before moving on, easier to plan that way! 
What did you guys and gals work on this weekend. Someone give me some good build stories. I always want to be in the shop when working on other projects. Let me live woodworking projects through you all. πŸ˜‚
  • Fall is here and now is the time for crisp air and squirrels scavenging for their winter treats. I wanted a way to let some of that air in the house, so I figured why not make a DIY squirrel doorstop. 🐿πŸšͺπŸ›‘
If you need a quick and easy Fall 🍁 project, go to the blog and check it out. It will be the latest Scrappy Saturday project! πŸ› 
If there is a certain project you want me to build for a Scrappy Saturday, just let me know in the comments below. I love to hear what you all want to build!! Isn't he just so darn cute!! 🐿
  • Hey hey hey instagram fam! I just got done working on repairing a fence in my back yard and thought this would be a good time to say hi to you awesome people who follow me on here ( new and old). This picture pretty much sums up my DIY life. There is not a better feeling than jumping in to a new project, trying a new tool out, or accomplishing something new for the first time. πŸ‘πŸ‘
I recently went to an event held by @brendonburchard that changed the way I see a lot of things in life, especially when it comes to being afraid or uncertain of things. As a woodworker, DIY’er or just with life in general, it is good to try new things and grow in the process. When we face our fears, we grow and there is nothing more powerful than that. πŸ™ŒπŸ’ͺ
So if there is a new skill, hobby, or even a new tool you have been afraid to try out, now is the time to give it a go. You got this!! πŸ› πŸ˜˜πŸ˜„πŸŽ‰ #hpa2018
  • This what fixing a fence looks like. It’s not pretty now, but when it’s done it will be worlds better than before. It’s always funny the things you run into when fixing up an older home. Those post had to be replaced because they weren’t even put into concrete. πŸ˜‚

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