I’m certainly not what anyone would call a carpenter — not by a long shot. When I was a pre-schooler, my parents built a lovely three-bedroom, Cape Cod style house. I got pretty good at identifying tools and handing them to my dad. I knew the difference between a Phillip’s and a slot screwdriver, and where to find the hammer Dad used the day before.

In the early years of my marriage, we did a lot of house remodeling, and (again) I was good at finding the right tools and developed a familiarity with the use of many of the tools in our workshop. But I had never tackled a building project all on my own.

A few years ago, while living on some rural acreage, I needed an outhouse on a remote portion of the property. So, I thought, “I bet I can do this!” I drew the little shed-roofed structure on paper and figured the number of 2-by-4s and sheets of plywood I’d need. It was a two-holer, so to make things easy, I made the dimensions 4 by 8 to take advantage of the size of a sheet of plywood. The most difficult part of the job was cutting the top of the studs at an angle to accommodate the shed roof. But I did it — the whole thing — all by myself. I did need help moving it to its final location, but all of the construction was done by me. I was very proud of myself!

What building project have you done all on your own that you are the most proud of? Share your story in the comments section below.

Do you have a room in your home that needs a makeover? If so, here’s a creative way to change a dull room into an ornate, lavish-looking space while gaining the pride of doing it all on your own and staying within your budget. Decorate Inexpensively…With Stencils explains the process of personally designing a room by decorating with stencils, but don’t worry, no artistic ability is needed. All you need is a little practice and you’ll be on your way to a custom room that exudes originality.

These simple steps explain how to stencil a wall and allow you to express your creativity in more ways than one. You may want to transform your lifeless kitchen to be bright and energizing by stenciling flowers and adding splashes of vibrant colors. How about changing your bathroom into a serene space that reminds you of walking along the beach? These visions can easily come to fruition by spending only a few dollars.

If you have any tips about wall stenciling or if you have tried this method of decorating before, please share your ideas in the comments section below.

I moved into a “new” house last spring — a 1923, one-story bungalow with a full basement. The full, dry, clean basement was a big selling point, as I have a lot of stuff in boxes — years (generations) worth of books, scrapbooks and other mementos. I was thrilled to know I could store these treasures in a safe, dry location.

Have you noticed I used the word “dry” a couple of times? Well, that would be the issue — whether the basement really was dry year round. And, no, it was not (as we found out after the first big rain storm). A lovely little stream runs from one corner, across the floor and pools in the area where the old coal furnace used to sit. Hmmmmm

The best solution for me was to put the boxes up off the floor. We occasionally have a pile of wooden pallets at work. I hauled six of them home, laid black plastic on top of each pallet and piled on the boxes. The plastic prevents any moisture that seeps into the wood from getting into the cardboard boxes. A great solution until I can build permanent shelving.

The pallets were free and have served me well. How have you used pallets or pallet wood? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

I’m sure you have a pair of old, torn-up jeans that you just can’t seem to let go of. Even though they may no longer be visually appealing or even acceptable to wear in public, there’s no need to toss them in the trash. Why not begin a fun project to transform them into something brand new? Quick and easy jean mutations is an article that explains three different ideas for converting those old jeans into new items that will cost you nothing but time, a couple pairs of old jeans and the use of a sewing machine. These ideas will allow you to incorporate your personal style and creativity into each item.

The first idea gives detailed instructions to make an attractive cobbler’s apron from a pair of bell-bottoms. But even if you don’t make or repair shoes, you could use this apron in the kitchen, garden or workshop. The second idea shows you how to make a tote bag, and the third changes those jeans into a more masculine apron that would be a great gift idea for someone.

If you have other innovative ways to transform old jeans into something new, comment below!

January — the month of resolutions and a time to review priorities. Cleaning and organizing my workshop area comes to mind. It’s a mess! I moved to this house about nine months ago, and have never fully unpacked and organized all of the workshop tools and accoutrements. There are open boxes everywhere filled with whatever was easiest to grab and put in the box. What I need is an organization system for all of the stuff. But those cute little plastic boxes at the home improvement store are expensive!!

So, a friend has come up with an idea. His wife cuts the bottoms from cereal boxes, about 4 inches up, as organizing boxes. What a fabulous use for something that would otherwise be trash! I’m definitely going to give this a try.

Do you have any creative organizing tricks you’ve used successfully? If so, tell us about it in the comments below.

Because spring is approaching, preparing for the upcoming garden season with simple, money-saving tips can be a good way to begin the new year. If you have animals or small children, a gate will help keep your garden safe from harm. There's an easy, creative way to make your own garden gate instead of spending the money on buying a brand new one.  Just by using trees from own yard, you can build the perfect gate that will keep anything out of your garden.  Simple Garden Gate is a great article that gives detailed instructions on how to build a gate by using materials that you probably already have. The article also explains how you can add your own personal touch to the gate by creating a unique design.

Another way to enhance your new and improved garden is to transform it into a raised garden. By using only three materials that you can get from your own yard, you can change your garden around in no time without spending a cent. Natural Wood Raised Garden, from the Instructables site, explains how to convert your garden to a more natural look in just five steps.

It’s January — short days and cold, clear nights, especially during the coldest spells when there is little humidity in the air to make the view of the night sky hazy. What a great time to use a telescope to search the night sky for bright, colorful stars and to see the craters of the moon in shadowed relief.

Really good telescopes are an expensive investment. But you can see quite a bit of detail with a less expensive model — or perhaps with one you make yourself. What could be better than a family project of putting together a 3 3/4-inch Newtonian reflector telescope to scan the night skies? The homemade telescope in this article was made from parts purchased from a company that is no longer in business. But you can find a number of companies that sell optical mirrors and eyepieces on the Internet.

If you build one, we would love to hear how well it works. You can post the results in the comments section below.