6 Winter 2019 By Cody Kennedy f you’ve ever thought about starting a do-it-yourself (DIY) project, but were a little leery, you’re not alone. Luckily, this is the golden era of DIY – thanks to sites like Pinterest and a slew of DIY TV shows, more people are busting out pallets and glue guns. For some tips and tricks from a local perspective, we sat down with area resident Maryal Carter, who is behind Love + Specs, a popular home-design/ style blog. What are your top guiding principles when tackling a DIY project? First, DIY projects are so much more fun when you’re not in a rush, so before I start, I love to remind myself that it’s okay to take my time and do it right over a period of a few evenings, a weekend, a week… whatever it takes. When you have an idea or a project in mind, remember that it’s okay to go slow and steady and really enjoy the process. Second, there’s no problem the internet can’t solve, so don’t be intimidated by the things you don’t know and techniques you have yet to master. Chances are that whatever it is, someone else has mastered it or overcome it and then talked about it on the internet, which has made DIY projects of all kinds so much more approachable for the average Joe. Part of the fun can be the opportunity to learn something new, even if that means recalibration or starting over to get it right. Lastly, if you’re thinking about taking on a bigger project, consider that you don’t have to tackle it all alone to save money or alternatively, outsource it completely because you don’t feel comfortable handling every task. If you’re wanting to take on a room remodel or any custom carpentry project, you can tackle things within your comfort zone like demo, painting and other relatively straightforward tasks and hire affordable contractors to handle each specific job that’s left unfinished. What are key rules for approaching a DIY project as a beginner? There are two rules we live by when we approach any DIY project – have fun and prepare properly. We try not to take our DIY lives too seriously. It’s supposed to be fun, and part of that fun comes from the challenge of bringing a vision to life, learning something new, making something with your own two hands or solving a problem. So, no matter the outcome, try to enjoy that process. Thinking about taking on a DIY project can feel intimidating sometimes, but this isn’t espionage. You’re allowed to fail and have a great time doing it. The other key piece of advice we always make sure to reinforce to our blog readers is that most of our successes in DIY can be directly attributed to careful planning and thorough preparation. When we’re taking our time to formulate a really solid plan before we start a project, it allows us to work out kinks before any actual work starts. Once we plan and prepare properly, the rest of the project always works itself out. What is a fun and easy project for adults? DIY “scent pots” are easy to execute, stylish and make your home smell like fall and holiday heaven throughout these seasons. We also love that they fit right in with the rest of the year-round home décor, and they make your home feel cozy without all of the extra mess. We like to keep it sweet, simple and as clutter-free as possible so we can celebrate the seasons without feeling weighed down. Which are the most popular projects to do during fall and winter? By far the most popular projects throughout the fall and winter months are festive décor projects. It’s such a creative time of year for us and we love seeing all of the genius ideas the design community comes up with. Overall, throughout the fall and winter months we’ve noticed that one of the common threads on DIY fun Winter projects for the family Maryal Carter of Love + Specs. DIY is supposed to be fun, and part of that fun comes from the challenge of bringing a vision to life.” Bucket list board SUPPLIES: • Wood frame • Holiday wrapping paper • Chalk markers • Optional bows for decorating the frame INSTRUCTIONS 1. Buy a 16x20 thin wood frame from any crafts shop. 2. Find your favorite holiday wrapping paper. (Make sure it’s not too busy.) 3. Turn wrapping paper over and trace the frame so you can cut it to size. 4. Cut wrapping paper and place it face down into the frame against the glass. 5. Secure it all in place with the clasps on the back of the frame. 6. Use chalk markers to write out your bucket list. Here are some ideas to put on your board: • Make gingerbread cookies • Decorate the house • Have a holiday movie date night • Go ice skating

7 the DIY, design and décor fronts is people just want to find ways to make their spaces cozier and create inviting places to gather and entertain. That’s what these seasons are all about, and for those of us in Arcadia, that usually means finding ways to make our outdoor areas extra cozy and perfect for gathering. Because the weather is so idyllic and deserves to be savored just in time for the fall, winter and holiday occasions, this is where we like to host. We see a lot of backyard parties and fireside hangouts in the neighborhood throughout these months, so it makes sense that Arcadia residents would feel the pull to revamp and beautify those spaces now that they can actually enjoy them. Do you have any DIY design tips specifically for our neighborhood? I’d say that creating livable, comfortable, functional and fun outdoor living spaces is a hallmark of Arcadia living and the neighborhood. For so much of the year, when everyone else across the country is holed up inside, we have this heavenly weather that deserves to be celebrated and embraced. This neighborhood totally lives up to its name, from the scenery to the community that’s always out and about, walking their dogs and waving from their front porch. I think that any way you can take advantage of that and really soak that in will make your house feel like a home. My advice is don’t wait to bring your outdoor living space to life. It’s relatively simple to build a DIY fire pit, or add a couple of comfy rockers to your front porch to watch the pups pass by. Or integrate outdoor lounge areas to relax in, a big backyard dining table to enjoy your morning coffee from or gather with friends and family under the Arizona night sky. What about backyard transformations? Can people DIY that project too? The pergola project we did in our backyard was hands-down the most fun project we took on this year; the makeover that has surprised and delighted us the most of any space we’ve ever transformed in our home. The mission of the pergola project was to show our readers how much they could transform the look, feel and functionality of a backyard space simply by adding one key, versatile centerpiece. Installation only took two hours, so our backyard was transformed in a day, not multiple days or weeks of living in a construction zone. Our backyard was pretty simple before adding the pergola and without a ton of interest or functionality for entertaining, and just by adding that one versatile centerpiece to the mix, our backyard has been completely elevated in the best way. (To see the project: loveandspecs.com). A pergola allows you to get really creative on the décor front, or any occasion, and serves as a perfect backdrop for everything from dinner parties to date nights under the stars. How about a project the family can do together? Our requirements for any DIY home décor project we share on our blog are that they have to be easy to recreate for any level of craftiness, fuss- free on the tools and supplies front and somewhat budget-friendly, which means that a lot of them are great projects for the kids to jump in on. This is one of our very favorite seasonal DIY projects: a seasonal bucket list board (opposite page). Not only is the actual board itself so much fun for the entire family to work together to help make and hang in the home, but it’s also fun to make an afternoon of it. Let every person take their turn adding their favorite festive fall activities to the list. The entire concept of a seasonal bucket list board is all about really celebrating everything you love about each season and making the most of every moment you spend together as a family. Scent pots SUPPLIES: • Small terracotta pots • Small terracotta saucers • Craft paint • Size 4 Filbert brush • Soft cloth • Coffee beans • Tea lights • Cinnamon sticks INSTRUCTIONS 1. Sand off imperfections on terracotta pots. A 150-grit sanding block should do the job. Wipe with a clean, damp cloth and let any wet spots dry. 2. In a cup or bowl, mix about a quarter sized dollop of craft paint with about 1 tbsp. of water to create your wash. More paint to less water will make for a more opaque wash, and more water to less paint will make the wash more transparent. Make sure the combination is thoroughly mixed for an even application. 3. Brush wash onto your terracotta pot and saucer and immediately wipe with a soft, dry cloth. The lon- ger you let your wash sit without wiping, the more opaque the wash will be. You can always add more, so err on the side of caution and go light at first. 4. Once your wash it set on the pot and saucer, you’re ready to paint your dots. 5. Dots can be tough if you don’t use the right brush. Maryal used a number 4 Filbert brush. If you want your dots to be thicker and even maybe even slightly 3-D, you can put more paint on the brush and dip your brush back into the paint after every other dot you paint. Just quickly press the end of the brush head and lift. If you’re okay with your dots being a little bit more transparent or watercolor-like, then you can dip your brush back into the paint after every 6 or so dots. 6. To create the exact dotted stripes, paint four dots in a square pattern. Do that all the way around your pot until the two ends met, and then add one dot in the center of each of those squares of four dots. 7. Once the paint is dry, add coffee beans to the pot. Just make sure you have the pots set on your sau- cers before you pour so beans don’t slip through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Place tea light on top and added a cinnamon stick to each one, right next to the tea light so that the stick heats up a little bit and becomes really fragrant. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Closed Sunday & Monday 15613 N. Greenway-Hayden Loop | 480-991-0700 | AveryLaneHome.com A very Lane offers top quality, one-of-a kind consignments and unique French, Italian and American antiques from Scottsdale’s most fabulous homes — all at prices you won’t believe. The Shop All The Designers Are Raving About! Voted #1 Consignment Store in 2019 by Ranking Arizona