Meet the Blogger: Ugly Duckling House
Hi there! I’m Sarah from Ugly Duckling House. I am thrilled today to be on Remodelaholic to share some of my favorite projects and what my DIY blog is all about! I’ve known Cassity (and her talent) for a long time and have always considered her a real leader in the remodeling and blog world. Today, I’m swapping blogs with her to share a little bit more about me and what I’m working on.
I started blogging in 2010, and for most of that time, I’ve been learning how to DIY as a single homeowner. My passions (and consequently, my blog) dabble in a lot of genres: home repair, remodeling, woodworking, interior design, food, and more. And although these interests seem to be separate on the surface, they all have a common thread: I love to MAKE things. I also love power tools and working with my hands to make the spaces around me more beautiful, functional, and interesting. My blog and YouTube channel are basically my way to share more of the skills I pick up along the way. Things like…
DIY Home Repair & Remodeling
My home was built in 1982. Which isn’t old, but it was left in disrepair for many years, so the first few years of my home remodeling journey began with a lot of home fixes. I learned some basic plumbing and electrical, how to remove wallpaper and fix damaged drywall, how to paint like a pro, and more.
As time has went on and the house was in better shape, I was able to focus on redesigning spaces, like my kitchen, laundry room, and master bathroom. You can find my whole house tour here, but in typical blogger fashion, I’m most excited about my latest room: my master bedroom makeover. I’ve got BIG PLANS.
Outdoor Builds
Every year, I attempt a few outdoor projects, but this past one was a doozy! I both built a floating deck from start to finish and built a “pub” shed at the corner of my property. This year, I’m hoping to transform my garage into more of a workshop, so all of the extra storage I have in the new shed will be very useful! I also started my very first vegetable garden, which has given me a little more passion for cooking (fun how one thing leads to another interest, right?).
Woodworking
Since the first few years of remodeling were about the house, I didn’t really get around to building furniture or trying wood art until recently. But now that I am, it’s given me more desire to learn more fine woodworking skills. I started with some basic 2×4 builds, such as my master bedroom’s “floating” platform bed. With each new build, I’m creating build plans and sharing them for free. My interest in wood has also led to learning to carve with my angle grinder and I am SO excited to continue making more pieces this year. This Christmas will be a giant blur of wood projects in a new series I’m working on!
Scrap Wood
I’m a self-professed “scrap wood hoarder” and have a fondness for figuring out what to make from the leftovers of other projects. Good quality wood can be expensive, so it’s a fun challenge to make something useful out of what remains! Here are some of my favorites.
Cross Stitch Series
My grandmother taught me how to cross stitch, and the renewed popularity of fiber arts and macrame in home decor has encouraged me to pick it back up. On the first of each month, I share a free new cross stitch pattern of my own design. Some are text-based, some are more photorealistic or holiday themed, but the most popular with readers seems to be my leaf series. I’m currently working on a beginner’s guide to help those who have wanted to try for the first time, so if that sounds like you, then I’ll have some perfect starter ideas to make for your home!
Ruby’s Revival
One of the most exciting projects I’ve started in the last year is the renovation of a 1946 Spartan Manor. It’s probably my biggest challenge to date, but it should be a heck of a ride! You can catch the entire “Before” tour post and video to get caught up. My boyfriend and I just got back from our latest trip to work on it this past weekend, so a new update is soon to break to the blog about some surprises we found from giving it a wash and trying to get it moving again!
So I guess in a nutshell, that’s a little bit about my blog and what I’m working on. Which is to say, I guess, there’s a little bit of everything for those of you who love to make things! I’d love for you to stop by my site sometime and subscribe. You can follow me on my social channels as well (Instagram for daily DIY progress, YouTube for DIY tutorials, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, etc.).
Thank you guys for reading a little bit more about me and my blog, and thanks so much to Cassity for letting me introduce myself!
