We are Mother Daughter Projects! Vicki is the mother and Steph is the daughter. Each of us has multiple years of DIY experience and homeownership. Together we create online content via videos and written tutorials with an emphasis on the needs of homeowners. Our goal is to present content in a way that will encourage and empower homeowners to take on projects throughout their homes.
How did Mother Daughter Projects come about?
We didn’t originally set out to produce videos and written content, but we soon realized there was need of an online resource for homeowners searching for quality instructional videos and tutorials.
Back in 2015, a few years after Steph bought her first house, the idea for Mother Daughter Projects (MDP) came about when we were working on replacing Steph’s porch screen. Steph’s house was structurally sound, but needed cosmetic work like wallpaper removal, painting and flooring.
While working on the project, Steph noted how difficult it had been to find good videos on how to rescreen. Vicki jokingly said, “We should make a ‘how to video.” She didn’t think any more about it, but Steph did. She started thinking: “It could be a way to document all our projects, a way to show Vicki’s grandchildren there are no limitations on what women can do, no matter their age or skill level!”
And that’s what we did! We documented the rest of the project with an iPhone, Steph did the edit with voiceover, and in March of 2015 we posted our first video!
Best DIY video I’ve seen. The ‘What We Learned’ segment is amazing. You need to make a ‘How to Make a DIY Video’ video. You guys know what you’re doing. Thank you!
– Danny B., YouTube
From the very first video, we’ve included a “What We Learned” segment at the end. It’s in that segment that we share what we learned from the project, including positive and negative experiences and anything we might change if we tackle that project again in the future.
‘I really like it when people talk about how they had to change plans partway through because it helps readers understand how fluid these things can be and that they should be prepared to be fluid in their projects.
– CarlTheDabbler,YouTube
500+ videos with 14+ million views later, we continue to publish a new video and blog post every week.
People find us when they’re looking for help with a specific project like building a partition wall, installing a light fixture, or replacing driveway wood expansion joints. They also find us when looking for product reviews like garage floor covering or even something as simple as the spackle to use! And every once in a while, they’ll find us via a unique project like our PVC pipe privacy screen or our color-changing epoxy log lamp.
There have been many comments over the years about our mother-daughter dynamic, since it’s rather unusual within the DIY community.
“Lovely mother-daughter team. Love it! I’m from Dubai.”
– Yvonne, YouTube
Although we get the occasional comment directing us to “get back in our lane,” the majority of viewers of our channel are positive and supportive of our DIY content.
Very informative and I love seeing women doing projects such as this. It gives me inspiration and confidence! My husband hates home improvement so I am learning to do many of these things myself so I do not have to rely on him:)
– Dr. A., YouTube
We met representatives of Simpson Strong-Tie at a blogger conference many years ago where we met some other women content creators. We had never heard of Simpson Strong-Tie but really enjoyed meeting their representatives and learning about their products. We learned that although the products are geared toward the construction market, there are uses in the DIY sphere.
We found out pretty early on in our DIY career that building projects are a lesson in problem-solving! And we’ve found that Simpson Strong-Tie products are part of the solution!
One of our most popular projects, where we built a partition wall in Vicki’s garage, utilizes Simpson Strong-Tie reversible stud plate ties.
We realized early in the project that because of our skill and strength level, as well as the tools we owned, we weren’t going to be able to use the traditional toenailing technique to the attach the 2x4s.
Through some research we found Simpson Strong-Tie stud plates were exactly what we needed.
This video just gave me a solution to a project I am currently working on. Those plates will be the answer!
– Crabby R., YouTube
In a recent project, a simple storage solution for oversize plastic totes, we didn’t know how we were going to connect the 2x4s to the base. At under a dollar apiece, Simpson Strong-Tie fence brackets were the perfect solution.
DIY gives both of us a real sense of accomplishment and confidence, which translates into all aspects of our lives. It has given us the confidence to repair our washing machines, grind down an uneven sidewalk, completely paint the outside of Steph’s house, put up light fixtures and fans, and learn new skills like how to tile!
We keep learning and sharing to improve our own homes, with the goal of helping others do the same.
…So excited to see the progress of your channel. The videos are so well shot and produced as well as explained. I truly feel like I’m learning and enjoying doing so as I watch . . . your videos. It’s so refreshing to see a team of women—mother and daughter working together.”
-Kim D., YouTube
You can find out more about Steph and Vicki on their website. As well as sign up for their weekly newsletter to see their latest projects and what they’re working on.
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