Alert: Even though I say Pinterest a lot (drinking game, anyone?) this post wasn’t sponsored by Pinterest or anyone else. We’re just a couple of people who love to collect inspiring images and turn some of them into real projects—sometimes while snacking on Oreos.
You might already know how deep my Pinterest habit goes from an earlier post. When Katie suggested we challenge ourselves to make one thing each season inspired by items we’ve pinned—a little project series we now call the Pinterest Challenge—I was all in. It felt like the perfect nudge to stop pinning and start building. I’ve pinned hundreds of ideas, but I’ve actually made only a handful of them. So this seasonal challenge is my official attempt to bring more of those ideas to life.
Katie even created a cute graphic to kick off the challenge, which made the whole idea feel official and a lot more fun.
We had a little too much fun putting together a short video to explain how the challenge works and to invite others to join us. There are outtakes and a special cameo, which made the process even more enjoyable. If you like a peek behind the scenes, the video shows how silly we get and why these collaborations always turn into good times. If you can’t watch it now, no worries—this post covers everything important.
Outtakes are my favorite. They feel like honest little windows into who we are when we’re not trying to be polished. In our case, the outtakes proved that we’re a little goofy, a little nerdy, and totally into tackling creative DIYs together.
For my first Pinterest Challenge project, John and I brainstormed lighting options for our laundry room. We wanted something interesting and handmade, and the idea of a pendant or chandelier made from clothespins kept popping up in our heads. A quick search through our saved pins turned up two different clothespin light fixtures that felt like perfect starting points. Seeing both projects made us excited—two similar directions meant room to experiment and combine ideas to create our own version.
We started by installing an affordable light kit, which gave us a solid electrical base for the pendant. With that in place, we sourced the supplies for the shade itself and began testing patterns with clothespins. The project is as much about form as it is about patience: arranging hundreds of clothespins into a sturdy, attractive shade requires trial and error, but it’s strangely relaxing. Sitting on the floor, sorting pins, and experimenting with different patterns feels like a craft night that never ends.
… and we gathered these materials for the shade portion of the pendant:
We plan to put our own spin on the idea, blending elements from both of the inspirational fixtures we found. The final result will probably be a hybrid—part airy lantern, part sculptural shade—reflecting our personal style and the unique constraints of our space. I love projects that let a concept evolve organically during the making process; sometimes the best solutions appear once you start physically working with the materials.
We also invited readers to join the challenge and make something inspired by their own Pinterest boards. The idea is simple: choose a pinned project, adapt it to your home or needs, and share what you created. The goal is to trade a little bit of pin-collecting for the satisfaction of making. Whether you recreate a project exactly or interpret it loosely, the point is to take a favorite image off the screen and into the real world.
If you’re thinking of joining, start with a board or a collection of saved images that genuinely inspire you. Pick one idea that feels doable within a weekend or a season, gather your supplies, and give it a try. Share your process—mistakes, discoveries, and all—because that’s the part that makes DIY projects fun and relatable. We’ll be sharing updates on our clothespin pendant as it progresses, and we can’t wait to see what others create when they commit to turning pins into projects.