Curbly Original

How to Take Great Sparkler Pictures with Your Phone

by Amber Dickson

Sparkler pictures - writing with light
Photo: Amber Dickson

Sparklers pictures are a fun and festive part of any 4th of July gathering.  Find out how you can document the day by taking long exposure photographs on your smartphone.  Your Instagram feed is going to shine!           

Step

Sparklers in hands
Photo: Amber Dickson

Safety First When Creating Sparkler Pictures

The most important step is insuring your safety and that of the people around you.  Always make sure any children are closely supervised.  Sparklers can reach temperatures above 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and need to be handled carefully.  Continue Reading

Curbly Original

How to: Easy DIY Hand-Painted Brushstroke Accent Wall

by Faith Provencher

Easy DIY Hand Painted Accent Wall
Photo: Faith Towers Provencher

When I decided to give my guest room a makeover for the One Room Challenge, I knew it would be a great opportunity to create a cool accent wall. So once I finished the rest of the space, I dove into the final detail – a hand painted brushstroke accent wall using a slightly darker paint color.   

 

Materials

  • Original latex wall paint color
  • Black latex paint
  • One inch wide paintbrush
  • Washi tape
  • Level
  • Measuring tape
Easy DIY Hand Painted Accent Wall
Photo: Faith Towers Provencher

Step

Begin by stretching a piece of washi tape across the wall, somewhere in the middle. Continue Reading

Curbly Original

Before and After: How Smart Storage Transformed our Laundry Room

by Stephanie Lee

Before photo of our cluttered laundry room

I’ve always thought of my laundry room as the most troublesome room in our house. Not only is it narrow, but all of one side is taken up by a washing machine, sink and toilet. Add to that the fact that there are 2 doors that open inward, and the space starts to feel very small indeed.

I’d long ago resigned myself to having a difficult laundry room I didn’t enjoy being in. Turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong! Continue Reading

The Ultimate Guide to Road Trip Games

by Joel Selby

Road trip games: playing tic-tac-toe in the car.
Road trip games are a lifesaver, whether you're trekking cross country to sight-see or simply cross-county to see the grandparents, you're a college student on a butt-numbing quest to see how many states you can pin in a single weekend, or you're simply idling in traffic on the way to the airport.

Sure, you can flip through Facebook or have the kids watch Frozen for the 1,000th time, but why not use some of that road time to have a little fun while fostering a deeper connection with your fellow travelers?  Continue Reading

Curbly Original

An Easy Way to Make Beautiful Wall Art Without Breaking the Bank

by Stephanie Lee

Stretched fabric wall art: An easy way to make beautiful art without breaking the bank!

One of the best things about beautiful artwork is how it can instantly transform the look and feel of a room. Sadly, large scale wall art is often expensive, placing it out of many people's budgets (mine included!).

That doesn't mean we have to go without, though. Using just a piece of fabric and some wood, you can whip up your own statement piece of art in the space of an afternoon. And the best part of all? Continue Reading

12 Camper Makeovers that will Amaze You

by Holly Wade

Photo: Vintage Revivals

I’m going to let you all in on a little dream of mine. I want to makeover a vintage camper SO badly! I’m a little more concerned with buying a house right now (ugh), but one day, I would love nothing more than to purchase a rundown vintage trailer and make it over into the cutest, coziest trailer to take on adventures and camping trips. Since I’m more interested in “glamping” than actual camping, these camper makeovers seemed like the perfect inspiration for me.  Continue Reading

What Should You Do This Month? Throw a Backyard Solstice Party to Celebrate the Start of Summer

by Rachel Jacks

Backyard Solstice Party

While many Americans think that summer starts on Memorial Day, it officially begins on summer solstice, usually June 21 in the Northern hemisphere. The longest day of the year seems like the ideal excuse for a party, so here are some ideas for a backyard celebration of midsummer. And if you don’t get around to throwing a summer solstice party, there’s no expiration date on these outdoor party ideas!                

 For these summer solstice party ideas, I wanted to spotlight some of the things that are better in summer than any other part of the year. Continue Reading

This Simple Trick will Make the Ice in your Cooler Last Longer

by Holly Wade

This Simple Trick will Make the Ice in your Ice Chest Last Longer
Photos by Holly Wade

Summer is the ideal time of year for family outings, beach days, picnics, adventures in the park and so on. You probably bring along an ice chest to keep your drinks and a few snacks cold, but in the hot sun, that ice will be melted in no time. One sure-fire way to make the ice in your ice chest last longer is to add a simple household item…salt. Rock salt, to be exact. Continue Reading

Curbly Original

We Guarantee You Won’t Kill These 10 Houseplants

by Lidy Dipert

Best Low Light Houseplants

Believe it or not, I use to be a professional plant killer. Turns out, with a little love and care, keeping plants alive is really not that hard! You just need to know a few key tips. So today I’m sharing 10 low light houseplants (I actually own all of these) that are tough to kill (because I haven’t killed them yet!). So, if you want to introduce a few plants into your home, but you’re not sure you can keep them green, here are some you might want to look into!  Continue Reading

Curbly Original

How to Furnish Your Walls at the Thrift Store

by M.E. Gray

Gallery wall made from thrifted items!

I have a hard time spending a lot of money on wall art. I feel horrible saying that. I got my Bachelor’s degree in art, so I – of all people – totally understand the effort and talent that’s required to create good art. Honestly, I’m just cheap. While I might occasionally splurge for a print or photo I really love, my home is hardly a museum. I can’t afford to fill my walls top to bottom with one-of-a-kind art pieces. Continue Reading