We recently challenged our DIY friends to upcycle some items from Deseret Industries. To make things more interesting, we picked the items! Each of our participants was mailed a mystery box of items to transform. Here’s what Elizabeth from home_sweet.decor did!

As soon as I saw these cutting boards, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. The work was going to be figuring out how to do it and how to do it the most cost-effective way. It took a little longer for me to come up with a solid idea for the utensils, but inspiration came through another project I was working on with hot glue. 

For the cutting boards, I gave them each a good sanding. One I sealed with a clear sealant and the other I painted using a spray-on chalk paint.

After the boards were dried, I created two different designs for each board.

For the first, I used custom-cut vinyl with our family name and some curved olive branches. I applied it right on top of the sealed wood.

I intended to put another vinyl cut onto the second cutting board, but the vinyl tore! I had to change my design, but it actually turned out better than I expected or originally planned. This happens a lot with DIY projects, so don’t worry about things being perfect!

As I mentioned, I’d been a little stuck on what to do with the cooking utensils. However, inspiration struck as I was making some wizard wands with hot glue for my niece’s birthday party. I decided to use the same hot glue techniques to make some sturdier handles for the utensils and paint them all white to match. They didn’t turn out exactly perfect—but definitely more comfortable to hold and easier to grip! 

Project Cost:

• Cutting boards (You could buy two cutting boards for about $4.00 at DI)
• Utensils (A set of utensils like this could probably be gathered for $4.00 at DI)
• Sandpaper $3
• Sealant $3.75
• Chalk paint $5
• Vinyl $12
• Hot glue $0.97
• Ribbon $1

Total cost for all three projects (9 items): $34! 

This project was just what I needed to shake off some of my pandemic blues and add some cute, new, and functional items to my kitchen! Now I challenge you to try your own upscaling and repurposing with items you find from your local Deseret Industries or any thrift store! 

Elizabeth keeps track of her DIY projects on Instagram @home_sweet.decor. Visit her there to see her thrift store visits and item transformations!