DIY – The Savvy Pantry

How to Hang a Gallery Wall in Under 30 Minutes

Published on April 8, 2022April 8, 2022 by thesavvypantry1 Comment

Hi Savvys,

I am no stranger to hanging up gallery walls around my home. I love the look of they look on our wall as it serves both home décor as well as memory keep sakes. Since we renovated our kitchen, we had to take down our Wedding memory wall that was in our living room and had waited for months before finding the perfect place to relocate our memories. We decided to hang it on our staircase, and since we have a process down, I wanted to share that with you!

I remember the first gallery wall I put up was not exactly the best, it was a bit crooked and not spaced out as I had envisioned. After hanging up many gallery walls around our home, we have a process that can get it up in under 30 minutes, even with a toddler running around!

Equipment that you will need:

Step stool/ladder
Level
Stud finder
Power Drill or Screw Driver (though I highly recommend investing in a power drill, even helpful for putting together Ikea furniture!)
Nails and Nail Anchors (if you will be hanging in drywall and not a stud)
Pen
Scrap Paper/News paper to serve as “templates” for your frames
Tape
Frames for your memory wall

Here are the easy steps to hang your gallery wall up in under 30 minutes:

Step 1: Arrange your frames on the ground in a way that you would want them displayed on the wall. This step is honestly the longest step because you can play around with so many variations of how you want your gallery wall to look.

Step 2: Turn the frames around so that you can see the back of frames and where the hooks are.

Step 3: Using scrap paper or newspaper, create templates for each of your frames by measuring out/cutting out/taping together pieces of paper that will match the same size of each frame. Place the templates onto each frame.

Step 4: For each “template”, using a pen, mark off where the nail looks are – this will be your guide for when you drill your nail into the wall

Step 5: Now that you have your frames laid out along with their associated template on top, transfer the templates onto your wall and secure using tape. This is where the time saving comes because you can rearrange the templates on the wall or adjust the spacing based on the amount of wall your have.

Step 6: Once all of your templates are on the wall, you can start drilling holes and installing nails into where you have indicated in your template. Note that you should use nail anchors if you are drilling the holes into only drywall and not a stud. Use a stud finder to locate the studs.

Step 7: Hang your frames

Step 8: Step back and admire that you had just completed this in under 30 minutes!

Now set forth and be savvy!

DIY Frame for Travel Map & Gallery Wall

Published on March 4, 2021 by thesavvypantryLeave a comment

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Hi Savvys,

I had purchased this scratch the world travel map a few years ago and was finally able to scratch off all of the countries that we had visited (a.k.a another lockdown project completed). However, the problem with this map is that it is very hard to find a frame for the specific dimensions of this map.

I had a clear vision of a travel gallery wall that I wanted to hang in our office, and it would not be completed without this map. I opted to DIY an easy frame myself!

The materials needed are very minimal and this ended up being a very affordable project in the end, costing under $15 total! The materials you will need are:

1 wooden trim measuring 7/16 x 11/16, cut into 2 pieces based on the size of your map (I cut out 2-21 inch pieces and still had a lot of wood leftover for another project)
A stain of your choice
2 sponge brushes
Varnish (optional)
An old belt
A staple gun
A regular stapler
Pen
Ruler

The below are steps that I took to make this DIY custom frame:

After purchasing the wood from home depot, I used their wood cutting station to cut out 2 pieces at 21 inches each. I reserved the leftover wood for another project.
Using one of the sponge brushes, lightly dab it into the stain and spread it evenly over the wooden trims.
Using the other sponge brush (the dry one), you can use it to spread out any of the stain evenly. Repeat this process by alternating between the 1^st brush to apply more stain where necessary and the 2^nd brush to ensure that all of the stain is spread evenly along all of the sides of the wooden trim.
Let the stain dry in a cool place for 48 hours.
At this point, you can apply a varnish coat over the trims, however I left this part out since I liked the rustic look of the trim.
Using an old belt, I cut off the end with the holes and buckle. Using a staple gun, I stapled it to either end of one of the wooden trims on the narrow side (the widest side is where you will staple the map to). If you don’t have a staple gun, you can use small nails instead
To attach the map to the wooden pieces, I used a pen to mark where I wanted the map to sit and using a ruler, measured to ensure the map would be centered by having 1.5 inches on either side.
I found that using a regular staple was sufficient in attaching the map to the wood since the wood is pretty soft. Make sure that when you staple the map onto the wooden pieces that the back is facing you.

Now you’re ready to hang up your easy custom-made frame!

I knew I wanted to make a gallery wall featuring photos from our travels over the years and having this map in a frame really tied the gallery wall together. The below are tips on how I put together a gallery wall

I like to lay out my frames on the ground first to see what kind of look I want. This also means less rework for me before drilling holes into the wall
Once I had my frames in the most optimal placement, I used white scrap paper and cut them to the size of my frames to use these as a place holder. I also used a pen to mark on the paper where the frame hooks are.
When we were ready to hang the frames to the wall, we taped the pieces of paper onto the wall to mark off where we wanted the final placement of the frames to be. This made it very easy to adjust the spacing of the frames without making re-work for ourselves.
Because we had marked where the frame hooks were on the paper, we used this as guidance on where to install the nails for our frames.
The last step is the fill those frames with your fondest memories before hanging them up!

DIY Wooden Photo Bard

Published on May 11, 2020May 10, 2020 by thesavvypantryLeave a comment

Hi Savvys,

With being in self-isolation and social distancing, you might find yourself looking for easy DIY projects you can do a home. With the help of my brother, I made this DIY wooden board for my sister’s weeding last year to hold her table chart. After the wedding was over, I converted it to a picture holder for memories and keepsakes.

I admit, this video was done almost a year ago, but with current circumstances I thought it was the right time to share with you all now (and also because I finally got around to making a post about it).

This board is so easy to make and if you love rustic and farmhouse vibes, then this DIY is for you.

Materials you need:

1 large wooden board, any size you like (we got ours from Michael’s and measures 24 in x 48 in)
Jar of stain
Scissors
Twine
Mini wooden clothes pin (we got from the dollar store)
Push pins
Pen
Hammer (optional)
Gold spray paint (optional)
Vinyl decals of your choice (optional)

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dav

Directions

Stain both sides of your wooden board, let dry over night
Decide which side will be the front and which side will be the back – flip the board so that the back is facing you
Measure out how many rows of twine you want to be able to hold your pictures and keepsake. To do this, measure out the height of your board, and decide how many rows is appropriate. For my board, to be able to fit a standard 6 in x 4 in photo, I could fit 5 rows of photos while leaving the top empty for my “Family” decal
Since my board is 48 inches in height, dividing by 6 sections means that each row will be 8 inches apart
From the top of the board, measure 8 inches down the side and mark it with a pen. From that pen mark, measure about 2 inches inwards, and mark with a pen. Do this for the other side as well. This is where you will pin your twine for the 1^st row
Continue measuring your next row down from the previous row, marking it with a pen in the same way
Once you have indicated where all of your rows will sit, measure out enough twine so that you can pin it to the marks on the board.
Since my board is 24 inches wide, I like to use 30 inches of twine, while making knots at the end of each side so that I have a sturdy place to pin it to the board.
Using a push pin, pin the knotted twine to the mark you have indicated on the board. If you find it hard to push the pin into the board, try hammering it in.
Flip the board around and you are ready to pin up your memories! This step is optional but I decided to spray paint all of my mini clothes pins gold to give it a cohesive look. And now it’s ready to place anywhere in your home!

Now set forth and be savvy!

DIY Garden Backdrop

Published on June 16, 2019July 12, 2019 by thesavvypantryLeave a comment

Hi Savvys!

I’m sad that this series is ending but I had so much fun making these DIYs for my sister’s bridal shower. Today’s 4^th and last DIY in my garden inspired DIY series was very last minute and was inspired primarily by the new garden collection at my Dollarama. As soon as I saw these artificial moss mats, I knew I wanted to make something with them.

Initially I envisioned using this backdrop to take photos with guests with since that was also on my DIY to do list. But because of the size and the weight and poor planning on our part on where we would even hang a back drop, it ended up being the perfect backdrop for our dessert table. I really liked it in the end because it really helped tie all of the garden elements together, and the sweet table ended up being a back drop in itself!

All of these materials were purchased from my Dollarama.

Materials you will need for this project:

Garden Trellis, $3
Artificial Garden Moss mats, $2 each, I needed 9 for a total $18 dollars
Zip ties (you should have on hand if you made the DIY Rose Gold Floral Wreath)
Push pins (you should have on hand if you made the Vintage Inspired Picture Frame)
Optional – left over flowers from the DIY Rose Gold Floral Wreath

Directions

First, you’ll want to expand the garden trellis to be as wide as you want, depending on how many mats you bought. Since I bought 9, I wanted it to be 3 by 3.
Then you’re going to lay your mats on top of the trellis to see if you’ve expanded it enough. Adjust depending on the size you want. I left a bit of the trellis exposed to give it that garden vibe.
Once you have the size you want, remove the moss mats so you have only the garden trellis. On the trellis, look for the mechanisms that allow it to expand and contract. Using your push pins, pin each side of the wood to prevent it from expanding and contracting. Complete for all of the areas until it is stable.
After pining everything I realized that I could have used a hot glue gun and glued the wood to prevent the mechanisms from expanding and contracting, but I only had 1 glue stick left and needed it for this next step.
Turn the trellis over, and you will notice some of the push pins are exposed and poking through. Since we don’t want any sharp edges, take a hot glue gun and glue the pins that stick out. This will create a smooth surface and prevent any injuries. I also used the rest of the glue to glue the edges together.
Put the trellis to the side.
Lay out your mats with the underside facing up. Place the garden trellis on top with the pin tops facing up. I had made the mistake of having them face down which means that you can see them but that’s ok.
You will use your zip ties to secure the moss mats to the trellis. As you are securing the moss mats to the trellis, make sure that you are also securing the mats that are next to each other to close off the seams. Use as many zip ties as needed. I ran out so I had to be strategic but I recommend using more.
If you like, you can also use the left over flowers from the rose gold wreath DIY by inserting them directly into the mats

I loved how I was inspired by Dollarama and how I was able to create something without even an idea. This turned out so well and will definitely use it as a backdrop for future events.

Hope you guys enjoyed this DIY series. I loved how easy and affordable all of these DIY’s were. I hope this will leave you feeling inspired to create something new the next time you have an event.

Now set forth and be Savvy!

DIY Rose Gold Floral Wreath

Published on June 16, 2019June 21, 2019 by thesavvypantry1 Comment

Hi Savvys!

I’ve been seeing this DIY absolutely everywhere, whether it be for a wedding or even just a décor piece in your home. I knew I wanted to make this as soon as I saw it and am happy I had the bridal shower as an excuse to make it. I am so happy to show you this 3^rd DIY in my garden inspired DIY series because it is honestly the easiest DIY that will leave everyone amazed. This ended up costing me a total of $14.50 CAD but I would said it’s probably max $10 since most of the flowers will be using in another DIY.

This wreath was perfect for the bridal shower as a backdrop but it was also super cute to take photos with as well. This Rose Gold Floral wreath is so easily customizable based on your color scheme and your style. The hardest part was really the spray painting and waiting overnight part.

Materials you will need for this project:

Hula hoop, I purchased a large size from the dollar store for $2 (you can also purchase medium and small sizes based on the size that you want)
Rose gold spray paint for $10 (for me it was free because I always have spray paint on hand)
Package of 50 tie wraps for $1.25
Assortment of flowers and a vine. Including the vine I had 5 kinds of florals that I used for a total of $11.25
Heavy duty scissors or pliers

Directions

Lay out all of your flowers around the hoop so you can see what type of design you like.
Once you are happy with the design, you’re going to cut off the flowers from the bouquets but keep the stems attached to the flowers as you will need this to anchor to the hoop. You may want to use pliers if you have them since the wires are so thick I ended up breaking a pair of scissors.
Using your tie wraps, attach the vine to the hoop with about 5 inch spaces in between. This should be enough tie wraps to hold it in place. You should only be able to see the tie wraps from behind. Adjust the vines to hide any expose tie wraps.
Now you’re going to attach the flowers. Bend the stems of the flowers so it creates an L shape with the flower head being at the bottom of the L. Secure the flowers to the hoop by wrapping the tie wrap around the stem of the flower (the longest part of the L) to the hoop. You may need 2 tie wraps, 1 closest to the head of the flower and 1 at the end of the stem. Repeat for all of the flowers. Position the stems so that they are behind the vine or behind the other heads of the flowers. The stems should not be visible from the front.
Complete until you have attached all of the flowers. And that’s pretty much it. No glue required. No tape required.
Cut off any excess tie wraps and discard.

Everyone was so impressed with this wreath at the bridal shower. It honestly looks like something I could have purchased from Etsy for $50.

Hope you guys enjoyed this DIY. I loved how easy this was and how pretty it turned out! Don’t forget to tag me @thesavvypantry in your DIYs so that I can see your projects.

Now set forth and be Savvy!

DIY Crystal Soaps

Published on June 13, 2019June 13, 2019 by thesavvypantryLeave a comment

DIY Cyrstal Soaps

Hi Savvys!

As the DIY ideas really started to ramp up for my sister’s bridal shower, I left the guest favours last since I didn’t know 1) what to get and 2) if it was going to be a DIY or a purchase. I knew that I wanted the guest favours to be a consumable product that would be suitable for everyone’s needs with minimal packaging. That meant that it was either going to be a food or a beauty product.

It was actually the bride herself who gave me the idea for this guest favour. She mentioned that she had seen these natural soaps with minimal packaging sold in packs of 3 at Winners. There was a huge selection with great scents such as lavender and tea tree oil, however it was going to cost $12 per pack of 3. Since I needed at least 30 soaps, this would set me back minimum $120.

TheSavvyPantry-DIYCrystalSoaps (13)

So I decided on the DIY route. Luckily my friend had given out handmade soaps as guest favours at her wedding and really emphasized that they were super easy to make.

I wanted it to go with the Garden party theme but also wanted it to be super easy since the bridal shower was already less than a week away. After a quick Pinterest search, I came across these crystal soaps. It was perfect because it was going to be easy to make and was elegant enough for the shower.

I loved how all of the soaps were different shapes and shades. I had also made them so that they could fit in the palm of my hand. In total, for the size that I made, I was able to make 36 soaps for approximately $1.25 each (total materials costing me $45). Keep into account that I had only used about half of each block of soap, which means that if I had made it all, it would have come to about $0.75 cents each!

Materials you will need for this project:

2 types of glycerin soap in opaque and clear, I purchased the medium containers at Michael’s using their 40% off coupon for $20 each
Soap dye, from Michaels for $5 for a pack of 3
2 silicone moulds (I borrowed this from a friend)
Glass measuring cup

Directions

You will need to repeat this first step twice: once for the opaque soap, and once for the clear soap. Cut up the 1^st block of soap into small enough pieces so that it will fit in your mould. Repeat with the second block of soap and mould.
This step will also need to be done twice: once for the opaque soap, and once for the clear soap. Place the mould of your first soap in the microwave. Make sure not to overfill your moulds or you will make a mess in your microwave! You can start by microwaving the mould for 45 seconds and adding 5 second increments until all of the soap is melted so that you are able to mix in the dye. Repeat with the second mould.
Now you’re going to add the dye to your melted soap in both moulds. Add different amounts of dye to each section so you can get different shades of mini blocks of clear and opaque soap. Mix with a toothpick. It doesn’t have to be thoroughly mixed – this will give the crystal added depth and color.
After adding the dye, store the moulds in the fridge for 20 minutes so that they can firm up.
Remove the firmed up soaps from the moulds. Cut the cubes into mini sections to make them look like mini crystals. Make sure they are not uniform in shape. Be sure to cut out different shapes and sizes as this will make your final product look realistic.
Mix all of the mini crystals together either in a bowl or on your table top. I had covered my table with a garbage bag so that I could use it as a giant working surface.
Since I knew I wanted to make at least 30 individual soaps, I made 30 clusters of the mini crystals so that I knew whether or not I had enough to make 30 soaps. This will also allow you to see if there are enough variations within each cluster because the more colors there are per soap, the prettier the final product is.
Now you are going to place each cluster in the separate sections of your moulds. I also used a silicon muffin mould so that I could get different shapes of soaps.
Once you have filled your moulds, you will want to cut off just enough white and opaque soap from the blocks to cover the clusters of crystals in the moulds. Starting with the white soap, melt a small block in the microwave in a glass measuring cup and pour it in the moulds so that it goes halfway up. Repeat with the opaque soap and pour it into the moulds on top of the white soap. This will give you the marbling effect you see in crystals.
Set the filled moulds in the fridge for another 20 minutes. When they are ready, remove from the moulds. If you are happy with the shape then you can stop there, otherwise you can cut off the edges of the soap to make the soaps look less round or squared to add more texture.
Savvy tip: if you do end up cutting off pieces you can add these pieces back to your clusters. No waste here!

Hope you guys enjoyed this DIY. I really enjoyed making it and enjoyed how easy and practical these guest favours were! Don’t forget to tag me @thesavvypantry in your DIYs so that I can see your projects.

Now set forth and be Savvy!

TheSavvyPantry-DIYCrystalSoaps

Vintage Inspired Picture Frame

Published on June 3, 2019June 3, 2019 by thesavvypantry1 Comment

Vintage Inspired Picture Frame

Hey Savvys!

With spring finally in the air, there will undoubtedly be many events such as baby showers, bridal showers, weddings and birthdays. I myself recently hosted my sister’s bridal shower in May where she requested a garden themed shower. This would have been so easy and perfect to host in our parent’s backyard, however being in Canada where the weather is very unpredictable, we decided to host it indoors. This decision made my creative and savvy side perk up as I hunted for easy and budget friendly garden inspired DIY’s.

The need for easy and budget friendly garden inspired DIY’s has given rise to this series of 4 DIY’s worth making for any engagement this spring and summer.

The first DIY of this series is this vintage inspired picture frame to hold your photos in. This idea came to mind when I was trying to come up with a low waste yet memorable activity that the guests can participate in while allowing my sister to have a keepsake of. The thought of a photo booth came to mind, but since I wanted my sister to have a keepsake that she could remember the day by, a picture frame was the perfect solution to both providing the guests with a way to be engaged at the shower while creating a gift of memories for my sister to have and reflect on.

This frame was super easy to make using a thrift store frame and some craft supplies. It was also super convenient because a couple of our cousins already owned Polaroid cameras so all we had to do was purchase the film. I was also happy that this project’s total cost was approximately $28, though I would probably say it actually cost $10 since I can reuse the other materials for future DIYs.

Materials you will need for this project:

Picture frame, any size and color of your choice. I purchase a 16 in x 20 in frame for $7 from the Salvation Army
Paint brush
White latex paint, $10 from Walmart (only needed if you didn’t purchase a white frame)
White push pins, $5 from Walmart
Twine, $5 from Michaels
Mini wooden photo pins, $1.25 from Dollarama
Hot glue gun and glue stick

Directions

I used a 16 x 20 in frame but you can use which ever size that suits your needs. Carefully remove the cardboard backing and glass from the frame since we want only the frame part. When removing the classy, carefully pop it out from the frame as it could be sharp, and save it for another DIY. I tapped the glass with the cardboard backing to protect the glass from breaking and stored it in my basement for another DIY. Using a butter knife, flatten out the metal pieces that help keep the glass in place and smooth out any sharp edges by making it flush with the frame.
If you’re frame is already white, you can skip this step. When painting indoors, I like to tape a garbage bag to my dining room table to protect it from any paint stains. To make my black frame white, I used 2 coats of white paint. Don’t forget to paint the other side so that the entire frame is white. Let dry for 2 hours.
After the frame is dried, you will need to measure out the space you want between each piece of twine. You will want this space to be wide enough for the clothes pin and the picture. Since my frame is 20 in long, I wanted 4 rows so I made 5 inch spaces between each row. Measure along the long side of your frame and mark with a pen where you want your rows of twin to be. Don’t forget to measure twice to be sure that that is where you want the rows.
Cut enough twine so that you make a knot on each end (since the frame is 16 in wide, you can probably cut 16 in pieces. Pin the knot to the frame using the white push pins. The knot helps secure the push pin to the frame and prevents the twine from falling out. For extra measure I had also hot glued around the pin to make the twine sturdy. Don’t forget to test the mini pin and photo to ensure you have enough space in between before proceeding with the next row.