Epic Hits and Epic Fails: DIY Projects from the Int’l Bloggers Club

It’s that time of the month for the International Bloggers Club Challenge. We’re a group of friends from different countries who meet monthly to take on a creative challenge and share projects that reflect our lives and homes. This month’s theme is one I love: revisiting past projects to highlight the epic hits and the epic fails—projects that surprised me, warmed my heart, or taught me not to repeat a step.

These are projects that may not be the most viral, but they hold special meaning for me. They solved problems, brought joy, or just made daily life a little more beautiful. I love revisiting them and sharing why they still work in our home.

A narrow chalkboard strip beside our front door solved a practical problem—smudged fingerprints—and became so much more. It’s a small, cheerful focal point where seasonal drawings and family messages appear and disappear. Sometimes I draw a seasonal design; other times my kids add odd words and doodles. It’s a simple, budget-friendly DIY that adds personality to our entry area and brings a daily smile.

This table has been in the family for decades and has survived heavy use. During a makeover I expected to hide the orange finish, but instead I uncovered a warm honey-blond wood top and ended up with a pleasing tri-colored result. The reclaimed wood grain makes the table ideal for everyday use and as a photography backdrop for blog photos—functional and beautiful.

I constructed a lightweight wall organizer from two store display racks wrapped together in twine. It’s an example of a low-cost upcycle that became highly practical: mini clothespins hold notes, reminders, and inspiration just above my desk. It may look busy, but everything has a place and it’s a real timesaver when working on blog projects.

This sentimental piece combines a cassette tape holder from my past with a director’s chair that belonged to my father-in-law. Together they became a showcase table that displays a family seashell collection found on beach trips. It’s a DIY that layers memories and function—one of my most treasured projects.

Now for the fun and humbling part: the projects that didn’t work out. Some were amusing mistakes, others were lessons in design or scale. Failure is part of the creative process, and many of these experiments led to better ideas or a different use altogether.

My paper-roll obsession produced useful little crafts, but it also produced an oversized wall cluster that looked more like a monstrosity than decor. After a short stint above our sliding doors it was retired and eventually burned in the fireplace. It’s a reminder that not every repetitive craft should be scaled without a clear purpose.

Made as a gift for my daughter during her scarf phase, this hanger looked good in theory but wasn’t practical—the hooks were too close together for scarves. My daughter happily repurposed it for belts, turning an apparent fail into a useful item. It’s a great example of how a small design misstep can find a new life.

I reinvented a tray into a wall frame to display my son’s drawing. It hung awkwardly until I decided to convert it back into a tray and redecorate it with patterned napkins and scented items. The lesson: don’t be afraid to repurpose something more than once until it fits your space and style.

A 25-year-old dresser made the move from the US to Greece and received a chalk paint makeover. When homemade paint and varnish started failing, I repainted and revarnished the top with a better finish that looked beautiful. The decoupage on the sides held up well, but a nail polish remover stain later appeared. The simplest fix was a decorative cover-up, which became part of the dresser’s story. This project taught me how to balance restoration with creative solutions when things go wrong.

After all these projects, it’s clear how attached I become to pieces once they’re part of family life. Some projects were easy to mend, others teach patience or the value of letting go. Do you have any epic fails that turned into lessons—or surprises? I’d love to hear about them.

If you enjoyed these projects, feel free to save the images for inspiration. And if you want to see more of our monthly challenges from the International Bloggers Club, explore past entries to discover crafts, upcycles, and seasonal decor ideas from friends around the world.