at home with Ashley

a home decor blog, making it pretty one space at a time

Trash Can Makeover

I’ve been working on making over my laundry room, and it’s turning out so cute! There’s just one thing that’s been bugging me: my stainless steel garbage can. It’s in great shape for being 10-plus years old, so I didn’t want to throw it away, but it was definitely sticking out like a sore thumb in my new space. So, I decided to try a trash can makeover with spray paint!

The plan? Give it a soft beige base and add fun peach stripes to match the walls. Now it will look custom and cute instead of something I want to hide in a corner. If you’ve got an old garbage can that’s functional but doesn’t fit your style, painting it is a quick, affordable way to give it new life.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to paint your garbage can so the paint actually sticks, along with some tips to get crisp, clean stripes that look professional.

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DIY Bow Cornice

Have you heard of the decorator Dorothy Draper? She’s known as one of America’s first interior designers. Starting in the 1920s, she became famous for her bold use of color and whimsical touches. When I saw photos of her work at the Greenbrier Resort featuring DIY Bow Cornice, I knew I had to try my own version! Nothing elevates a room like window coverings.

 

The best part? It doesn’t have to be expensive! We made ours with simple plywood, batting, and fabric for a high-end look on a budget. 

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How to Start Oil Painting

If you’ve ever wondered how to start oil painting, here’s everything I wish I knew when I began.

When I was in high school, I took an art class and tried oil painting—and I really fell in love with the process. Now, over 20 years later, I’ve had the itch to try it again. But honestly, I was intimidated. What if I was terrible? How do I even clean it up? Can I afford this expensive hobby?

Despite my trepidations, I decided to jump in—and I’m so glad I did! In this post, I’m going to go over the basic supplies you need, how to clean up oil paints, where to find great reference photos, resources that helped me learn, and how I built a daily painting habit. My goal is that if you want to try oil painting, that this is your permission slip to get started!

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DIY Lenox Spice Village Charms

Our house is strange in that it has two front doors, so after I put a lock with charms on one door, my husband suggested we do a lock on the second. That got me thinking—what would I put on them? Naturally, I thought of the Lenox Spice Village and decided to do DIY Lenox Spice Village Charms! 

The little houses are so cute! I decided to make them into charms for the lock. But these could work for a charm bracelet, necklace, or even a keychain.

For this DIY Lenox Spice Village Charms project, we’ll use printable Shrinky Dink film to print the Lenox Spice Village designs onto. You can also draw your own designs or print anything you want!

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DIY Wall Fountain

When I traveled to Morocco in the spring, I bought a few gorgeous brass spigots. One looked like a deer and was perfect for this project. Now that summer is here, it’s time to build a DIY wall fountain in my backyard! A fountain instantly feels high-end, brings soothing water sounds, and adds amazing ambiance.

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Lenox Village Canisters

If you love the charm of cottagecore décor or grew up in the 1990s, chances are you’ve seen or even owned a set of Lenox Village Canisters. These iconic porcelain pieces weren’t just storage—they were tiny Victorian houses that brought personality to kitchens across America.

Today, they’re beloved by collectors and decorators alike. And now, decades later, Lenox has reintroduced this whimsical design with a fresh set of 3 canisters! Let’s take a trip down memory lane, explore the history of Lenox Village Canisters, and look at the new set that’s capturing hearts all over again.

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Hand Embroidery for Beginners

I’ve been wanting to dive into embroidery and make it as easy as possible. After researching different techniques, I found one that’s perfect for hand embroidery for beginners—and I’m obsessed!

The secret? Sticky stabilizer. It’s a special paper you can print on, peel off the backing, and stick to your fabric. Then you simply stitch over the design. When you’re done, rinse it under water, and the stabilizer dissolves—leaving just your beautiful stitches behind.

I love this method because:
✅ You can see the design clearly while stitching
✅ It feels like coloring with thread
✅ You can reuse your design over and over

If you’ve ever wanted to customize clothes, make decorative hoops, or create embroidered gifts, this is the easiest way to start. Below, I’ll walk you through the steps, share the best stitches for beginners, and give you my top supply recommendations. I’ll be embroidering a thrifted dress.

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Scalloped Lenox Spice Village Rack DIY

The Lenox Spice Village is one of my favorite vintage collections. I love its charm and whimsy—and I want to display it in a way that feels just as special. Since my kitchen only has a narrow shelf area, I decided to make a custom Scalloped Lenox Spice Village Rack that perfectly fits my space and my 24 little spice houses.

This beginner-friendly DIY is cute, easy, and has the cottage core girly vibes. Let’s build a rack that’s as delightful as the collection it holds!

Note, if you want a slightly more complicated build that also looks like the original Lenox spice village rack (along with a few display ideas), check out this post.

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DIY Clay Bow

I LOVE the look of ceramic bows—they’re the perfect touch of charm and whimsy. But have you seen the price tags? Some go for $100–$200 for just one! It’s wildly expensive, so I thought… why not try to make my own? And I did—using two different methods! In this post, I’ll show you how to make a DIY clay bow using both air dry clay and oven-bake polymer clay. Let’s get into it!

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