I painted just the gentlest wash of soft beige and blush over this one and left most of the grain showing, then popped in a few sprigs of eucalyptus. That was all it needed. The bottle shape is elegant and slender, and although it only holds a couple of stems it makes the hallway look properly decorated. A very satisfying first project if you are new to painting on wood, because it is almost impossible to make it look bad. The bare version is lovely on its own too.

This is the slim teardrop left natural and tucked into the narrow wall ledge beside my magazines, with a trailing pothos draped around it. It was exactly the size I needed - tall enough to be seen but slim enough to sit in a shallow frame with no wobble. I gave it one thin coat of matte varnish so it doesn't mark if water splashes. Sometimes the simplest project is the one you end up looking at every day. Great little shape for tight spots.

I kept this one plain - just a soft wash so the grain still whispers through - because I wanted it to sit with the crochet sunflowers I made and not compete with them. The little round mat underneath came with a set I had, and together they look like a proper styled display on my worktop. The bottle is a nice weight, sits flat with no rocking, and the opening is wide enough for a chunky hand-wrapped stem. If you like a calm, neutral home, don't feel you have to paint these in bold colours - sometimes less really is more.

This is my third one and my favourite so far. I gave the whole vase a sunny yellow base, then painted big white daisies with orange centres and green leaves trailing around the body. The yellow covers beautifully and the white petals only needed one extra pass to pop against it. It sits on my speaker cabinet in the corner of the living room and the colour lifts the whole wall. Such a cheerful little thing, and it holds a decent bunch of real flowers too.

I wanted a light base so I could do the red doodle flowers and the little skulls and swirls in marker over the top. The result is quirky and totally me, but be warned that the white background needed three or four passes to stop the wood grain showing through, which took longer than I'd planned. Once it was down the finer pen work went on nicely and the lines stayed crisp. It is holding up well with plastic lotus stems in it on the shelf. Lovely quirky project if you have the patience for a pale base.

I didn't go down the simple florals route - I blocked the bottle into panels of lilac, teal and mustard and painted a little portrait of an old gentleman on the middle, with a leopard below and lettering around the neck. It took me three evenings to layer it all up but the shape of the bottle gives you such a lovely canvas to work on. The fine neck is trickier than the body but a small brush sorts it. It now sits on the mantelpiece as a real talking point rather than an ornament. So much fun to have a blank this tall and slender to work with.

I painted the fat round little vase with a soft natural stain and a blush of pink, then tied a pink ribbon around the neck and filled it with the crochet sunflowers I make. It now lives on my kitchen windowsill and it genuinely makes me smile every morning. The squat shape is much more stable than it looks and it holds a surprisingly hefty little bunch without tipping. These round bottles are my favourite of the whole range - so cute and so easy to paint.

I left this one almost bare - just a whisper of pale grey-white - and it is now the home for a bunch of dried lavender stems in the dining room. The narrow neck holds them upright nicely and the pear-shaped body looks like something from a nice shop. It cleaned up really easily after a mistake with the brush, which I appreciated. If you want a calm, Scandinavian feel rather than bright colours, this is the one to keep plain.

I painted the body a soft periwinkle blue and then went to town with a big orange and red flower motif up the whole front, with a green stem wrapped round the base and pink rims top and bottom. It took a couple of coats over the deeper colours but the acrylic markers never bled into each other even where the sections touch. Standing on my dressing table with white blooms in it, it looks like a proper folk-art vase. I like it far more than I expected to, and it was such a nice change to have a big area to decorate rather than a tiny ornament.

I painted the whole thing buttercup yellow and put a big white heart on the front with the word LOVE and a scatter of small hearts, then gave it to my husband with fresh flowers. He parked it on the windowsill where the light hits the yellow beautifully. Yes, you can see a bit of the brushwork up close and the lettering is a little wobbly because my hand isn't that steady, but that is exactly why handmade things are better than shop-bought. He says it is his favourite thing on the shelf and I believe him.

I kept these two unpainted and just gave them a light wax, because the turned shapes are gorgeous exactly as they are. The round one and the teardrop sit together on my entry console with a plant and my botanical print, and honestly they hold their own next to the smoked glass vase I bought for far more. The finish is smooth with no rough patches, and because there's no colour there's nothing to go wrong. A very grown-up, subtle bit of decor.

Needed a screen-free activity and this delivered. Felt sturdy in the hand, not flimsy like some kits I've tried. It now has a permanent spot by my window. A new favorite, honestly.

Kept seeing these on my feed and finally gave in. It now has a permanent spot by my window. Friends ask where I got it every time they visit. A new favorite, honestly.

Wasn't sure what to expect from a wooden paint-it-yourself kit, but it won me over. A calm little project that didn't need any special skill. Might grab a few more as gifts.

Picked this up on a slow weekend and it was exactly the reset I needed. It makes a thoughtful gift that feels personal. Might grab a few more as gifts.

Came out during a craft night with friends and everyone crowded around it. A calm little project that didn't need any special skill. Such a satisfying little project.

Needed a screen-free activity and this delivered. Leaving it natural looked charming, the grain is the star. Painting it was more relaxing than I expected, almost meditative. Couldn't be happier with it.

Wasn't sure what to expect from a wooden paint-it-yourself kit, but it won me over. Felt sturdy in the hand, not flimsy like some kits I've tried. A new favorite, honestly.

The moment I saw the raw wood I knew I'd enjoy painting it. Friends ask where I got it every time they visit. Leaving it natural looked charming, the grain is the star. It's the kind of thing you keep, not toss.

Bought this on a whim and ended up really enjoying the painting part. The weight feels right, solid but not heavy. The shape is sweet, not cheesy like a lot of craft kits. Already planning my next one.

Kept seeing these on my feed and finally gave in. Leaving it natural looked charming, the grain is the star. It's the kind of thing you keep, not toss.

My sister recommended these and she was right. It held the paint without bleeding or rough patches. Pairs well with the other wooden figures from this shop. Such a satisfying little project.

Saw this in a friend's home and had to track it down online. You can tell it's hand-carved, the imperfections are part of the charm. It makes a thoughtful gift that feels personal. Might grab a few more as gifts.

Got this for my mom and now she texts me photos of it on her shelf. Edges are smooth, no splinters when I handled it. Might grab a few more as gifts.

The moment I saw the raw wood I knew I'd enjoy painting it. You can tell it's hand-carved, the imperfections are part of the charm. Such a satisfying little project.