DIY Crafts - DIYInspired.com
27th Aug2012

Junk Drawer Crafts

by Dinah Wulf

I made these simple junk drawer crafts for a fundraiser coming up.  I call them “junk drawer crafts” because they are recycled crafts literally made out of items I found in my horrendous kitchen and completely unorganized kitchen drawer (I was totally inspired to do this because I’m watching Craft Wars…awesome show!).

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I decided to make kitchen magnets out of these items I found:

  • Scrabble tiles
  • Used gift cards, flyers, and business cards
  • Paint color swatches
  • Bottle caps

Here is a quick two and a half minute YouTube video I did for these if you prefer not to read! LOL By the way, I apologize for saying “um” so much…

The Scrabble tile magnets are self-explanatory.  I actually had these left over from two crafts I had done last year, Scrabble tile art and Scrabble tile Christmas ornaments.  You simply make words, cut your gift card to size (they are the most sturdy), hot glue the tiles onto the card, and glue a magnet onto the back using a strong bonding agent like E6000.

The bottle cap magnets are essentially the same idea.  I had made these before with Mod Podge and recycled Christmas card photos.  This time however, since they were for a fundraiser and not me I used Easy Cast which is a Craft Casting Epoxy.

Materials:

First cut out the circles using your craft punch out of the color paint swatches.  You can get these in a variety of colors at any hardware or paint store. Place the desired sticker on top.  Consider using holiday, sports themed, school themed, or letters.  Next place it into the bottle cap.

Follow the instructions for your casting agent or resin.  For Easy Cast, you mix equal parts resin and hardening agent in a plastic cup.  Stir it for two minutes.  Transfer the mixture into a second cup.  With a new stick, stir for another minute.  Carefully pour the solution on top of the magnet.  Bubbles will appear, however they will go away as the solution hardens.  Allow it to dry.  I let mine dry overnight.  Attach your magnet to the back using a strong bonding agent like E6000 Multi-Purpose Adhesive.

Since these were for a fundraiser I made small packages using treat bags, scrapbook paper, and printed address labels.  Consider making these for stocking stuffers, party favors, or teacher gifts too!

 

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22nd Aug2012

Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath

by Dinah Wulf

If you follow me on Facebook, you saw this Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath I found on Pintrest.

A few of us were commenting on how to make it and inspired each other to take this project on ourselves (Thank you, Elise, Rose, Katie, Jo, Michelle, and Zach & Lois… you all are the best!).  The best part?  This wreath cost me NOTHING!  This is my version.

I ended up making two, a large one and a small one.  Here is my tutorial on how to make a Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath.

Step One: Make the butterflies

Materials:

  • Old book, map, magazine, etc.
  • Scissors
  • Pencil

I used an old book I had from another recycled book page wreath I made last year.  At first I used a butterfly stencil that I had but after tracing and cutting the first three, I thought it’d be more fun to free hand them instead.  It’s easiest to fold the page in half and draw half the butterfly so that you have two identical sides.  Use a pencil so that you can erase any lines if need be.

Step Two: Gather the branches and prep them

Gather your branches.   Remove any leaves from the branches and soak the naked branches in water.  This makes it easier to work with and will cause less breakage.

Step Three: Construct the wreath

Materials:

  • Wire hanger (one for small wreath, two for large wreath)
  • Prepped Branches
  • Water
  • Sink
  • Hot glue

Simply unwind the wire and create a circle, twisting the end together. One by one, wrap, twist, and tuck each branch around your wreath until you have the desired width.

Allow your wreath to dry.  (Optional step) Once it is dried, on the BACK of the wreath, use a hot glue gun to secure and loose branches.

Step Four: Assemble the Butterflies

Materials:

  • Pre-cut butterflies from step one
  • Plastic Beads, Pearls, Shells (anything you want to use for the bodies)
  • Hemp string (I found this to work best so that the antennas will stay erect)
  • Scissors
  • Hot Glue

You can use whatever your heart desires for the bodies.  I chose to use plastic beads and hemp string.  Using a hot glue gun, glue your beads together and while the glue s still hot, insert your antennas (as shown).  Next, glue the body onto your butterfly.  Make sure the butterfly wings are folded up so that they appear as if they are in flight.

Step Five: Attach the Butterflies to Your Wreath

Materials:

  • Assembled butterflies from step four
  • Constructed wreath from step three

I placed the butterflies on the wreath and moved them around to arrange them in the order and position I wanted BEFORE I used the hot glue.

Ta Da!

Here are some photos of the large wreath.

Here are some photos of the small version.

You can make these wreaths for the holidays and embellish them as you wish!  I hope you try it!  Email me a photo if you do… oh and say hi! :)  dwulf@diyinspired.com

Here are some more fun trash to treasure ideas and tutorials! In case you missed them!

 

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14th Aug2012

Owl Party Decorations Video Tutorial

by Dinah Wulf

OK, here we go.  I decided it might be fun to try doing YouTube video tutorials.  THIS IS MY FIRST ONE…AHHHHH! Don’t ask me why this is so nerve racking to share.  Shyness? Insecurity? Fear? All of the above…

Seeing yourself in a video is weird.  I do recall that when I was 12 years old, I somehow got sucked into doing a local commercial for WIC.  They made me the token pregnant teenager and my line was, “I’m a pregnant teen and I love the peanut butter.”  Uh, what?  Anyway, it was weird then and it’s weird now but here is goes!

I wanted to start with something simple. This is a tutorial for the Owl Party Decorations I posted earlier.  I just wanted to get your honest feedback on it!  By the way, this will suck up 6 minutes of your time so BEWARE!

Thanks in advance for sticking it out and watching!

P.S. If you don’t know me (I mean know me know me), I sound like I’m still 12 years old…

P.P.S. Here is what they look like:

 

Owl Party Decorations Video Tutorial

 

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18th Jul2012

Back to School Teacher Gift

by Dinah Wulf

This post brought to you by Astrobrights Papers by Neenah Paper. All opinions are 100% mine.

Teacher Gift (405x540)

From Martha Stewart to Glamour magazine I’ve seen the neon color trend utilized on everything including party themes to head-to-toe fashions.  Although I personally wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a neon dress (it would attract WAY too much attention AND I am WAY too old to pull it off), I do however find electric blue and hot pink youthful and playful.

What’s even better about neon is that my daughter is extremely attracted to these cheerful colors so I thought I’d do a fun kids craft with her.  I came across AstroBrights papers, which was PERFECT for the project I had in mind, a) because of the unique and vibrant neon colors, and b) because Astrobrights supports a great cause that I believe in (more later).

I wanted to make a unique back to school teacher gift so I bought a set of highlighters that scream neon and decided to make a paper flower bouquet to present it.  Here are the materials you need to make this Back to School Teacher Gift.

Materials:

  • Washed and clean recycled can
  • AstroBrights paper
  • Highlighters (approximately 18 depending on the thickness and size)
  • Rubber band
  • Ribbon
  • Hot glue
  • Skewers
  • Styrofoam
  • Scissors
  • Various craft punches (optional)
  • Computer (optional)
  • Paper cutter (optional)

Constructing the Vase:

Remove the label, wash, clean, and dry a recycled can.  Next wrap a rubber band around the can.  One by one, add your highlighters around the can. Tie a ribbon around the can to hide the rubber band.  Insert a small piece of Styrofoam or floral foam inside the can.  Set the vase aside.

Construct the Vase

Making the Paper Flowers:

Constructing paper flowers can be made however your heart desires.  For this project, I made simple accordion flowers.  With my daughter’s help, we used craft punches in flower and circle shapes to embellish the accordion flowers.  We hot glued each paper flower onto a wooden skewer and arranged them in our highlighter vase.  Using my computer, I made a sign that says, “You as my teacher is the highlight of my year.”  A had written note from your child is a great option too.

Bouquet How To

AstroBrights Papers “Give a Brighter Year” Back-To-School Campaign

Win school supplies worth $30,000 for the elementary school of your choice!!!

This exciting campaign is going on now and will run through September 10, 2012.    Simply “like” AstroBrights Facebook page and submit a short online form to be entered into the sweepstakes.  You can then earn additional entries every week by revisiting the page and answering a few simple questions.

In addition, enter the Make something Astrobrights challenge to win a Visa Gift card.  Submit and share ideas like this one that are so bright they’re AstroBrights!  Check out AstroBrights on Facebook for more details!

Here are some more AFTER photos!

Teacher Bouquet

 

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17th Jul2012

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

by Dinah Wulf

Hello everyone!  I’m Barbara from Chase the Star, and I’m thrilled to be a guest here at DIY Inspired!  I’m such a fan of Dinah’s work, so having an opportunity to share one of my projects with you guys is so exciting!  I have a super simple project you can make with what you may already have (or can run to the dollar store to pick up), a Mason Jar Soap Dispenser!   I’d seen these pinned and around the web a while back, so today, I figured maybe I can try to figure out how to make them myself!

What you’ll need:

  1. Mason jars
  2. Glue (I like E6000 for these kinds of projects)
  3. Pumps (I bought some cheap soap dispensers and used theirs)
  4. Hand soap, or lotion, or whatever filler you’d like
  5. Drill
  6. Hammer
  7. Nail
  8. Twine (optional)
  9. Love (mandatory) ;)

Tutorial:

Take the lid off the mason jar and separate its parts.  With a nail and hammer, puncture a few holes on the top of the lid.  Then with a drill and the biggest drill bit you have (ok, use your judgment here!), drill right through the holes to create an opening large enough to fit your pump securely.  Put the pump through the hole.

I glued the lid parts together so they wouldn’t slip, although in retrospect, not sure if that was necessary.  Better be safe than sorry I guess!  Once the glue dried, I made sure to clean the jar and lid/pump, before I actually put the soap in it (oh, the irony!).  I wanted to make sure all the drill, nail, and hammer cooties were washed away.  Then simply filled the jar with the hand soap (also a dollar store find) and added the twine as a rustic and decorative touch.

In about 30 minutes, we went from this, to this:

You can get really creative with what you put in the jars; I love these for any other occasion, or just around your house!   I made 3 of these in half an hour, and spent about $6 for the soap, and the dispensers, the rest came from my good ol’ supply closet.  Pretty simple isn’t it?  Again, a big thank you to Dinah for giving me this great opportunity!  Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you at Chase the Star sometime soon!

 

 

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12th Jun2012

Scrap Fabrics

by Dinah Wulf

Written by Linn of The Home Project

 

Hi guys! I’m so happy to be the guest writer here at DIY Inspired! Today I wanted to talk a little bit about the concept of using up scrap fabrics.

Do you have a scrap pile full of fabrics that seem too small to really use for anything practical? Well, if you do, then that’s an excellent opportunity to get creative and attempt a quilt design. There is something so neat about sewing fabrics together and creating something unique, something that is distinctive to you!

I suggest you make a quilted trivet or an oven mitt, which is a fun and manageable project that won’t take you two weeks to finish. Unlike a large-scale quilt, you don’t need a lot of time on your hands. And if you have never quilted before, then this would be an excellent opportunity to try it out. First of all, decide what kind of design you would like. For this quilted trivet, I was going for a somewhat more haphazard look and not perfect squares.  This can be fun to do, and definitely presents you with more of a design challenge.

However, there is nothing wrong with perfect squares either! And here comes the great part: you can make them as large or as small as you want. If you literally have tiny scraps of fabric to use up, then make a trivet with tiny squares. Sure, it will take a little longer, but I bet the result would be absolutely fantastic!

Or you can go the route that I went with this oven mitt. Here I cut stripes of varying lengths of fabric and sewed them together for a quilted striped design. That works too, and I rather like the way this one looks.

When making oven holders and mitts I strongly recommend you double or triple up on the heat-resistant batting, because it’s no fun to get burned! I also recommend that you sew through your design (the definition of quilting) to get all layers connected (if you’re making a mitt, sew through each side of the mitt before connecting them together.) That way the layers won’t come apart even if you wash the mitt or trivet later on.

 Also check out Linn’s tutorial for a Kitchen Cart Makeover.

 

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31st May2012

How to Make Organic Deodorants

by Dinah Wulf

Written By Alexis Thompson

How to Make Organic Deodorants

Deodorant

How many deodorants are there out in the market? How many have you actually tried? Come on, be honest. Who hasn’t tried a lot of deodorant brands promising to make you smell cleaner for longer hours, or to make it less itchy, or make it smoother or lighten the color? Unknown to many, commercial deodorants contains a lot of ingredients like aluminum, penetration enhancers and fragrance, among others, that are harmful to ones health.

In the dawn of organic products when people now believe in the power of anything homemade, it not surprising that people makes anything from their own pantry. If you are guilty of this, raise your hand. (Raises my hand.) Who needs to spend extra cash on a $30 scrub when you have some brown sugar and olive oil in your house? Need a hair mask? Use some mayonnaise and plastic wrap on your hair. Body wash? Add some milk to warm water and wash away for a smoother skin. But have you ever thought of homemade products for your more delicate parts like arm pits and privates? Me neither. Have I tried it? Yes and no, I don’t stink.

So what do you need? Without further ado, here are your new best friends:

  • 4 tbsps. Coconut oil – softens skin and has antibacterial properties. It is your best weapon against bad odor.
  • 1 tbsp. Shea butter – softens and smoothens skin even after shaving or after waxing.
  • 4 tsps. Clay - Keeps sweat from reaching your clothes.
  • 1 1/2 tbspas. Beeswax – keeps the deodorant solid and stay its shape in the container
  • 10-20 drops of Essential oil/s like tea tree, rosemary, lavender, lemon, or peppermint -serves as odor-stopper. It is antibacterial and anti fungal.
  • You also have to keep a sterilized deodorant container with you where you will put the mixture in.

Time to channel your inner Giadda or Barefoot Contessa. Here’s what you need to do:

Melt the beeswax and coconut oil together in a very low heat while mixing it slowly and continuously, take a bigger cup and fill it with hot water and place the two ingredients together in a small cup and put it on the bigger cup.

Shea butter

Once it has melted, whip in the shea butter in the mixture and remove from heat. The mixture should now be in liquid form. Sprinkle or fold in the clay and mix well.

Organic Deodorant Mixture

Finally, add in the essential oil/s of your choice. Let the mixture cool down for a while and then spoon in a sterilized container. Refrigerate the container until it has hardened.

Surprisingly, there have been a lot of recipes of homemade deodorant available online and its ingredients are found in the comforts of our own kitchens. Like many other homemade things, you can be assured that your deodorant contains only harmless materials. Creating your own deodorant not only saves you the horror of bumping into someone in the alley of deodorants, while you inspect the components of the new product that claims “24-hour protection“, but also saves from harmful things, saves a lot of money in the long run, and saves a lot of dark underarms.

It is easy to make your own deodorant. Just make a small amount, maybe just half of the portions I mentioned and try it for a week. I bet you will swear by it by the time you try it.

Author bio:

Alexis Thompson is a former Mountain Backpacker and a 26 year old mother of 2 daughters, Sophie and Rhian. She is into almost all types of Music especially The Fray and Hillsong. She also has a passion in Singing and Scrap Booking. Follow her escapades on her Twitter.

 

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15th May2012

DIY Reconstructed T Shirt

by Dinah Wulf

At the last minute (the day before the game), my husband and I got tickets to see a Los Angeles Clipper basketball playoff game!  I was so excited, and one of the first things I thought about was, “what am I going to wear?” Before my husband left for work the morning of the game, he kissed me good bye and said “here, thought you might want to wear this tonight at the game.” Half asleep, one eye opened, I grunted, “ OK.”

After a few stretches and yawns, I rubbed my eyes and grabbed the T shirt sitting next to me.  To my horror right before my eyes was a men’s extra-large faded Clippers T-shirt.  On the back it said, Filipino Hoops and Heritage Night 2011.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about representing my peeps, but this shirt was not the way to do it.

Being me, I grabbed my scissors and went downstairs.  Here is how I made my DIY Reconstructed T Shirt.

 

The beauty about changing a T-shirt is that there is no wrong way of doing it.  There are SO many possibilities.  I recommended cutting little by little and trying it on as you go.  I first cut the bottom, sleeves, and neck line.  Because the shirt was so large, I decided to make it off the shoulder.

 

Next, I used the remaining bottom portion of the T shirt to cut two 2 inch wide strips.  I simply tugged and stretched the two stripes to create a rope or string.

 

I cut a slit at the center of the neck line and cut two small holes on each side. I cut my rope into the desired length and I threaded each one into the holes tying a knot at each end.

 

For the back I folded it in half and cut varied length slits down the back.  Lastly, I tugged and stretched each slit and the arm holes.

Changing up an old T shirt is an inexpensive way to update and recycle an old shirt.  Consider cutting large shirts into tank tops to wear at the beach or pool.  Don’t forget about the T shirt remnants!  They can be used for ties or bows.  You can also use more than one T shirt in contrasting colors for the embellishments.

Moral of my story: Upcycle your T-shirt before you decide to give or throw it away!

 

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09th May2012

Recycled Water Bottle Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

Repurposed DASANI Water Bottles

DASANI believes in not only promoting the recycling of its bottles, but also promoting the many cool items the recycled bottles can become.  That’s why they partner with companies with similar mindsets, such as New Balance.

DASANI and New Balance have partnered together for the launch of newSKYTM, a line of footwear made from recycled plastic bottles. Together, they are working to both show consumers that there can be all kinds of exciting ways to recycle materials into new uses, and that we all need to do our part in protecting our environment.

I decided to tackle another Repurposed DASANI Water Bottle project (check out my Recycled Water Bottle Butterflies I made recently).  This time, with Mother’s Day coming up, I wanted to create some eco-friendly gift wrapping by making Recycled Water Bottle Flowers.

I started with the small 12 ounce bottles.  These were the perfect size.  There are several ways of making flowers, just use your imagination.  First I cut the bottles in half and started cutting.  Use both the top and bottom for your flowers.

Paint or decorate your flowers any way you wish with craft paint, spray paint, and/or glitter.  I used a metallic paint.  For the center, I folded colored scrapbook paper lengthwise and fringed it with scissors.  Next, roll the fringed paper as shown and insert it into the center of your flower. I used hot glue to attach the flowers to my gift wrapped packages.

Wait! There’s more…

New Facebook Photo App

Get creative with Facebook’s new timeline feature and support a good cause by ‘recycling’ your Facebook photos into an eye-catching image to top off your profile. For each photomontage created through the app, DASANI® will make a donation to the national non-profit organization, Keep America Beautiful in support of recycling initiatives on college campuses throughout the U.S.

Fans who have ‘liked’ the DASANI® Facebook page can access the application on the Photosynthesis tab of the Facebook page.  First, fans will select a photo from either their Facebook albums or a design from DASANI®, to create into a photo-mosaic. The Photosynthesis app will ‘recycle’ all of the fan’s existing Facebook photos into a stunning mosaic that fits perfectly as a cover image on their profile. Each time a fan participates, DASANI® will donate $1 to the nationally recognized nonprofit, Keep American Beautiful, in support of their Bin Grant Program on college campuses.

In addition, the fan’s profile photo will be added to the DASANI® mosaic of supporters, which will be featured on the Photosynthesis tab.

Thanks to DASANI for sponsoring today’s post!

 

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08th May2012

Recycled Mason Jar Lantern

by Dinah Wulf

Twine DIY Lantern (7)

I’ve seen so many great Mason jar tutorials. I’ve even posted a few Mason jar projects like the Candy Mason Jar and Frosted Mason Jar. As you may know I heart Martha Stewart.  I was inspired by one of her episodes the other day. One of her guests made a Knotted Hanging Lantern. The second I saw it I thought, “I’m SO making that”.  In fact, I already had all the materials (for the most part).

Twine DIY Lantern (8)

My FIRST mistake was that I watched the show while doing 100 other things, and did NOT read the tutorial online before I attempted this.  All I knew is that I had an old spaghetti jar and some twine and I was ready to craft. I tried two type os twine, and the one pictured below worked THE BEST by far! This project was so hard to take pictures for, so forgive me for showing you pictures with both types of twine!

 

So, I remember that Martha’s guest said to measure across lengthwise times ten and then cut eight pieces, so you’ll end up with eight REALLY long pieces of twine.  Lay them across one another in two bundles of four.   Attempt to make a lanyard knot.  Below is my attempt with the crappy twine… (Don’t worry there is a diagram on Martha’s site). By the way, my second and third time doing this with the Hemp twine, I only measured lengthwise times six… much better!

OK, now what they DIDN’T tell you was that this part was so hard and frustrating because your string is SO long.  I practically broke a sweat trying to do this part.  On the show, they made it look so easy, but they only used short pieces for demonstration purposes. Ugh!

Measure out the desired length (in my case 2 inches) and tie a knot with each adjacent string.

Continue tying knots…below are a few pictures using the Hemp twine.  Insert your Mason Jar or whatever vessel you choose (recycled is best!).  I tied a knot, a few inches above the lip of the Mason jar, and a second one closer to the top.

I inserted a tea light and some pebbles.  Here are a few pictures.

 

If you want the actual Martha Stewart tutorial, here it is.  It’s WAY better than mine!!!

 

 

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02nd May2012

DIY Recycled Colored Glass

by Dinah Wulf

DIY Colored Glass (560x420)

Mother’s Day is right around the corner!  I wanted to share a simple, quick, and inexpensive Mother’s Day gift idea.  This project is great for decorative purposes, or you can also make them for wedding or party centerpieces.  Here is how I made these decorative glass bottles.

Here are the materials you need:

  • Glasses, bottles, or vases
  • Enamel ceramic glass paint, any color
  • Paper Plates

The glasses pictured have been sitting in my cupboard for years!  I found them when I moved.  If you don’t have old glasses or bottles, I recommend purchasing them at the dollar store, thrift store, or craft supply store.  Depending on the size, you shouldn’t have to spend more than $2 per bottle. I find that old oil based dressing bottles work well. A great online resource for inexpensive glass jars and bottles is Sunburst Bottle.

First, put a generous amount of paint into your bottle. I chose white because I think it’s a timeless color, but these turn out beautifully in any color.  I think a pastel blue or pastel green would be pretty too.

Slowly twist and tilt your bottle.  This takes some patience, depending on the size of your bottle.  I didn’t really put enough paint in this particular bottle and it took forever to cover it. Don’t ask me why I just didn’t put more paint in it… duh!

Place your bottles upside down on a paper plate. I used Styrofoam because it does not stick to your glass.  After several minutes, lift the bottles carefully, let them drain, and transfer them upside down onto another clean paper plate.

After the paint has thoroughly drained, let them dry right side up.  After they are completely dry, use a damp paper towel to remove any unwanted dry paint on the outer surface.  Here are some after shots.

 

Tip: If you use water base acrylic craft paint, you can easily wash it off and start all over to fit your next party theme or change in your home decor.   I hope you enjoyed this quick and easy Mother’s Day craft tutorial! Repurpose, reinvent!

 

 

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30th Apr2012

Recycled Water Bottle Butterfly

by Dinah Wulf

Recycled Water Bottle Butterflies (23) (560x420)

I was originally inspired by this great post from Instructables, one of my favorite websites. I am throwing a garden themed party this year for my daughter’s birthday and thought that these would be perfect. They would also make cute adornments for gifts.

Here is how I made these cute Recycled Water Bottle Butterflies.

Materials:

  • DASANI water bottle
  • Utility knife and scissors
  • Sand Paper (I used 100 grit)
  • Craft paint
  • Glitter
  • Plastic Beads
  • Twine
  • Hot Glue

Make sure your DASANI water bottle is clean and dry. Using a utility knife, cut off the rounded top and bottom of the water bottle so that you have a perfect cylinder.  Next, cut that cylinder in half, lengthwise to make two pieces.

 

Next, cut each piece in half to make four pieces.  This will now be four butterflies.  Fold each piece in half as shown. Cut a “V” shape on the top and bottom, and then another on each side.  You can cut and shape the butterfly wings as you like.  Gently sand each butterfly.  This will help the paint to adhere nicely to the plastic. Make sure you clean off any debris before you start to paint.

 

I used craft paint and glitter to decorate each butterfly.  For the bodies, I hot glued black plastic beads together and then hot glued twine in a “V” shape for the antennas.  IMPORTANT: When hot gluing the body to the butterfly, place the hot glue on the bead and then glue onto the plastic.  Do not put hot glue directly onto the plastic or it will melt.

 

Here are some after photos. The tutorial is for the liter bottle; however I made some with the small 12 oz. bottles too! Check them out (bottom right photo)!  If you add a few more beads, the 12 oz. bottles make perfect dragonflies.

 

Why I chose DASANI:

DASANI has partnered with a variety of organizations to promote the importance of recycling:

• Coca-Cola Recycling: Since 2007, Coca-Cola Recycling has worked with the Coca-Cola system and community partners to increase the collection of beverage packaging for use again in North America. They currently manage 30 dedicated recycling centers, a commercial brokerage network, an online recycling bin fulfillment site and the execution of hundreds of local recycling programs around the country.

• Recyclebank: Since 2006, Coca-Cola has partnered with Recyclebank, a meaningful rewards program that motivates people to recycle by rewarding them for their efforts. Recyclebank Points are earned based on the weight of the recyclables and are redeemable for valuable discounts, free products, gift cards and movie tickets, to name just a few.

Keep America Beautiful/Bin Grant Program: The Coca-Cola/Keep America Beautiful Bin Grant Program donates recycling bins to kick-start recycling programs for local organizations. Through your support, you’ve helped us grant bins to non-profits, government, civic organizations, schools and for profit corporations.

Check out this quick YouTube video!

DASANI’s PlantBottle® Saves Energy

Thanks to DASANI for sponsoring today’s post!

 

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11th Apr2012

Burlap Stenciled Placemats

by Dinah Wulf

I love the rustic look of burlap and I wanted to try and make my own placemats. I decided to make them more unique by stenciling them.

I got these beautiful stencils from iStencils. They have a full unique line of stencils for walls, clothing, airbrushing, and just about any kind of craft. I originally thought about creating a custom made stencil and found that Stencils Online can do that by simply providing the art work.  They will even make custom stencil quotes that are perfect for painting on walls. Ultimately I decided to go with the alphabet letter stencils.  There were SO many fonts and styles available to choose from and finally I settled on 3 inch upper case industrial letters for this DIY project.

Here is how I made my Burlap Stenciled Placemats. I will share some burlap and stenciling tips along the way.

I purchased my burlap at a fabric store for $3.99 a yard, and of course I had the 40% off coupon.

An average placemat is 18.5” by 12.5”.

I found it easiest to use an existing placemat as a guide to cut your burlap BEFORE you wash or clean it.

Burlap Tip #1 Washing: I recommend hand washing burlap instead of machine washing.  You can machine wash it in COLD, however be prepared for a messy lint trap and a lot of fraying. More on cleaning burlap to come…

Cut out the desired amount of placemats.  It’s OK to cut two placemats at a time.

Burlap Tip #2 Fraying: Use a liquid seam sealant like, Fray Check to stop the burlap from fraying.  Protect your work surface with cardboard and keep the sealant out of reach from children.  Allow it to dry completely (about 30 minutes).

Burlap Tip #3 Wrinkles: Next, using spray starch iron the wrinkles out of your burlap placemat.  I used a linen (high) setting and it worked nicely.

Now, leaving the cardboard to protect your surface, you are ready to start stenciling.

Stenciling Tip #1 Brushes: Different paint brushes work; however I highly recommend using a spouncer, especially for this project.  It looks like this.

I am using acrylic craft paint for this project.

Stenciling Tip #2 Paint: For small craft projects like this, the less paint you use, the better.  Apply two light coats (in general) to maintain clean lines. Also consider using tape or another adhesive to help keep your stencil in place. I personally didn’t use any because the iStencil I have was easy to control.

In an up and down dabbing motion, gently  but firmly apply the paint.  One coat works perfectly for this project.

I am stenciling words, so started with the last letter in each word first on the bottom right hand corner of my placemat.  The iStencil makes it so easy to align each word.  Allow these letters to dry (ten minutes-ish).

 

Stenciling Tip #3 Cleaning: In the meantime, make sure you wash your used stencils with a gentle soap and water and allow it to dry flat.

Burlap Tip #4: Take these placemats outside and give them a shake!  Shake off the excess burlap debris.  Trust me, you’ll thank me later…

Here are a few AFTER photos of my Burlap Stenciled Placemats.

 

 

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23rd Feb2012

Kids Soap Making Projects: Soapsicles

by Dinah Wulf

By: Sandy Simmons of www.supersoapmakingsecrets.com

If you’ve been making soap for a while and you have children, it’s very likely that your kids will be interested in what you always do. While it is understandable that you would prefer your children not to make soap using the cold process or the hot process because of the involvement of lye, they can easily make soap using the melt and pour method. Children below the age of fifteen will probably need your help and supervision even if the melt and pour process is the process being used.

There are many kids soap making projects that you can do with your children and slowly get them into the craft of soap making. Most of the time, kids soap making projects involve lots of colors, interesting shapes, fun ideas, and soap carvings or embossed designs. Kids usually focus more on the aesthetic part of the process than on the process itself. This should help you stretch your creativity.

Some materials you can consider for a kids soap making project that you may not have considered before are play dough molds, sand castle molds, crayon molds, and any other child’s toy that can be used as a mold (make sure it’s heat resistant plastic). Also try out neon soap colors and/or multiply colors so that you can create color swirls or tie-dye soaps.

Here is a kids soap making project that you can use with old popsicle molds. These are usually made with heat resistant plastic because some popsicle recipes require the liquid to be hot when poured in. Remember to add the sticks so that you get the full effect!

Ingredients:

  • 1 bar clear glycerine soap
  • soap colorant of choice (try to go for a candy color so you get a good effect)

Procedure:

  1. Grate the bar of glycerine soap and place the grated soap in a soap pot or a microwaveable pyrex bowl.
  2. If on a pot, place it over the stove and melt the soap. If using a microwaveable pyrex bowl, place the glycerine in the microwave a few times in ten second bursts of heat till the glycerine is totally melted.
  3. Once your glycerine is melted, add the coloring and mix till the desired color is achieved.
  4. Allow it to cool a little then pour in into your popsicple molds.
  5. Find a way to keep the popsicle molds upright. Watch as the soap hardens. When its a little hard (you can see it solidifying) push in a popsicle stick.
  6. When your soap is completely hard, you can push it out of the molds and you will have soapsicles!

Your kids will surely get a kick out of taking a bath with popsicle sticks. You can also try making tie-dye soaps on rope with them! There are so many other kids soap making projects you can do. It’s a great way to get better at your craft and bond with your kids! So try one soon and have fun!

 

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16th Feb2012

Making Rose Soap

by Dinah Wulf

By: Sandy Simmons of www.supersoapmakingsecrets.com

For generations, roses have symbolized love, passion, and romance. Many consider a rose to be the official flower of Valentine’s day. The flower has been featured in many forms of media, taking center stage in mushy movies and television shows, sometimes even playing a symbolically notorious role, as in the film ‘American Beauty’.

Being such a popular flower, and one that smells good, it isn’t a wonder that roses and their scent have been incorporated into soap. If the flower is associated with the many great love stories of our history, then it is only natural that a rose bath be associated with luxury and love for the skin.

For a while, rose soap was a novelty item, but now you can make your own rose soap!

 

INGREDIENTS:

1 bar clear glycerine soap
2 tsp. chopped rose petals
1 tsp. powdered milk
3-4 drops rose fragrance oil
2-3 drops vanilla fragrance oil (optional)

 

PROCEDURE:

  1. Using an old cheese grater, shred the glycerine soap bar. Create a double boiler by placing a Pyrex bowl on top of a pot of water and bring the water to a boil. Put the shreds in the bowl and melt the bar. Once totally melted, remove the bowl from the heat.
  2. Using a wooden spoon or hand held electric mixer, begin mixing the liquid soap. As you stir, add the powdered milk. Stir till you have an even consistency.
  3. Add half of the petals to the mixture and stir.
  4. Next, drop in the fragrance oil and stir the soap again.
  5. Place some petals at the bottom of your soap mold. Then pour your soap into the molds and sprinkle a few more petals on top.
  6. Let the soap harden in their molds. Once hard, pop them out and use your soap!

 

This rose soap recipe is very easy to follow, and the end product will make a great gift for family and friends, as well as a wonderful soap to put in guest bathrooms and powder rooms. You can also choose to use it all yourself! Just make sure that you store the bars in airtight containers, such as zip lock bags, till you’re ready to use the next bar.

NOTE: The vanilla fragrance will soften the soap fragrance and give the soap a vanilla undertone. Be prepared for some of the petals to turn black due to the heat of the mixture.

 

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08th Feb2012

TerraCycle Upcycled Valentine’s Craft

by Dinah Wulf

LOVE THE PLANET THIS VALENTINE’S DAY

Celebrate with Eco Games and Gifts from Upcycling Pioneer TerraCycle

Love it or loathe it, Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching.  Some are planning romantic dates with their longtime sweetheart.  Some are planning to finally ask out their crush at recess.  Regardless of your plans this Valentine’s Day, TerraCycle has sweet ways to celebrate that are good for the planet, good for the wallet and good for you.

While cleaning up trash doesn’t seem like a romantic way to spend the day, you can celebrate the holiday and effect real-world change with special Valentine’s Day items, products and decorations in Trash Tycoon, Facebook’s first upcycling game from Guerillapps and TerraCycle.  In the game, you can clean up trash and upcycle it to fun products like necklaces, Valentine’s Day cards and heart shaped wreaths to send to friends or to decorate your town.  Players’ hearts will swell because Trash Tycoon creates positive social impact by donating 10% of in-game dollars to environmental projects sponsored by CarbonFund.org.

Next, love Mother Earth and your Valentine by making an upcycled necklace out of Kraft Cheese wrappers or chocolate wrappers, just like the necklace in Trash Tycoon!  TerraCycle’s Design Junkies have brought the beaded necklace into the real world with simple, do-it-yourself instructions available for download here: bit.ly/ValentineBraceletDIY.   Whether you make one for that special Valentine or one for each of your friends, recipients will be touched that you took the time to give them a heartfelt, handmade gift.

Here is the How-To on YouTube.

Finally, Valentine’s Day and candy go together like peas and carrots, but the packaging can be a real heartbreaker.  All those red and pink wrappers left over from sweet treats can be sent to TerraCycle through Mars’ Candy Wrapper Brigade to be recycled and earn money for charity.  Signing up is free and easy at www.terracycle.com.

About TerraCycle

TerraCycle, Inc. is an international upcycling and recycling company that takes difficult-to recycle-packaging and turns it into affordable, innovative products.  Founded in 2001, TerraCycle (www.terracycle.com) is the world’s leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable post-consumer waste. TerraCycle works with more than 30 major brands in the U.S. and around the world to collect used packaging and products that would otherwise be destined for landfills. It repurposes that waste into new, innovative materials and products that are available online and through major retailers. The waste is collected through TerraCycle’s Brigade programs, which are free fundraisers that pay for every piece of waste collected and returned. For information on how to join a TerraCycle Brigade and on purchasing TerraCycle products please visit www.terracycle.com.

 

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06th Feb2012

Crafting with Duct Tape

by Dinah Wulf

Walking through craft stores all the time, I noticed there were so many different patterns and colors of duct tape. Intrigued, I thought I’d do some research on crafting with duct tape.  Surprisingly I found so many cool projects!

Gift Wrap

It doesn’t get much simpler than this.  Use duct tape to embellish your graft wrap. Plus, it’ll be funny to watch the recipient struggle with opening it… tee hee.

Flower Tissue Holder

I did notice several duct tape flower tutorials, however the blue in this particular one caught my eye.  What a sweet touch to embellish a simple wooden tissue holder.

Valentine Roses

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, here’s a duct tape bouquet that will last a lifetime.

Rings

There are so many great duct tape rings! Who knew?  Heck out these from Living Locurto.

Here’s a great YouTube link for how to make a duct flower tape ring.

Purses

Check out this duct tape purse from Martha Stewart.  Yup! Martha uses duct tape!

Here are some other cute purse ideas from Second Chances.

Lamp

Last but definitely NOT least…rather this one takes the cake.  This lamp is made out of duct tape and plastic 2 liter bottles!!! What????

 

 

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17th Jan2012

Recycled Magazine Bowl

by Dinah Wulf

Awe man! This project was a lot tougher than I thought. Ever since I made that recycled magazine frame, I have wanted to make something else out of magazine pages.  When I first had this recycled magazine bowl project in my head I pictured a large shallow fruit bowl. Let’s face it, not all DIY projects turn out exactly like you want them to.  In this case, my fruit bowl turned into a… ummm… key/change holder thingy? LOL!

I do have to admit, however, that this little sucker is VERY sturdy.  Although it didn’t turn out quite like I expected, it is still very cute and useful.  Here is how I made it.

Using a paper cutter, I cut two inch thick strips from an old magazine.  Each page gave me three strips and I used about 75 pages for this project.  See? Now you know why there was no way I was making a larger bowl!

I folded each strip twice lengthwise to create a half inch thick strip.

Next I began rolling each strip, securing it with a tiny piece of scotch tape.  Make sure you pull your roll taut as you go.

When the base was completed, I applied two coats of decoupage medium, allowing it to dry completely in between each coat.

Next, I continued adding strips gradually layering each round upwards. When I reached the desired height (actually when I was tired of folding and rolling strips), I added another two coats of decoupage medium to the inside and outside of the bowl.

Here are a few after photos.

 

**I heart comments! If you have any comments, ideas, or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.  Is there a craft project you want me to try? I’ll gladly do my best to take on your craft challenge and I’m always looking for new ideas! Just let me know! Also, if you have a project you’d like to share, please email me at dwulf@diyinspired.com.**

 

 

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12th Jan2012

Paper Flower Magnets

by Dinah Wulf

After making a Hollow Book Safe out of antique books that I inherited, I kept the left over pages in case I wanted to use them to make other craft projects. I ended up making these cute Paper Flower Magnets out of a few of the recycled book pages and beer bottle caps.

I actually made these book page flowers a few months ago but I wanted to wait to post the tutorial to see if they would pass the test of time.  So far so good!  My toddler has tugged and pulled and played and they remain intact… phew!

So here is a quick picture tutorial on how I made them. The materials needed are:

  • Pages from books (colorful children’s books would work nicely too)
  • Flower Craft Punch
  • Bottle Caps
  • Decoupage Medium
  • Paint brush
  • Magnets
  • Glue
  • Rhinestone Embellishments (optional)

The photos are self-explanatory, so here are a few tips.

Tip One: Make sure to decoupage both sides of the flower.

Tip Two: If you are using layers, let the coats of decoupage medium dry completely in between coats and layers (approximately 15 minutes).  Use two coats.

Tip Three: When adhering the magnet, use a strong glue bonding agent.

 

 

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04th Jan2012

DIY Door Hanger

by Dinah Wulf

Do Not Disturb!

One of my best friends asked me if I would make her a door hanger for her office.  I love when my friends ask me to do little projects because a) it’s an opportunity for a blog post, b) I love a quick and creative challenge, and c) I love making my friends happy!

She wanted something that looked professional, as it would be used in a Real Estate Office and she wanted it to match the décor. Because I am a DIY geek, I happen to have all these supplies already in my (messy) craft room. I wouldn’t doubt that many of you fellow craft junkies have these items as well.  Because of this, I made this project in less than an hour and she was able to pick it up right after work the same day. (BTW, it only took that long because I had to wait for the paint to dry)

This would make a cute gift idea for the busy professionals in your life.  The materials needed are:

  • Wood frame, 4X6 (I got this one at IKEA, 3 frames for $1.99)
  • Two Screw Eye Picture Hangers
  • Two Split Rings
  • Chain (approximately 6 inches)
  • Craft Paint
  • Paint brush
  • Scrapbook Paper
  • Paper Cutter or Scissors
  • Computer

Step One: Remove the backing and paint both front and back of the frame in your choice of color.

Step Two: While the paint is drying, design, print and cut out your 4X6 sign.  I chose to put “Do Not Disturb” on one side and “Client Meeting” on the other.  I used two different boarders to complement the frame color.

Step Three:  Attach the one split ring and screw eye picture hanger to one side of the chain only. Attach the second split ring onto the end of the chain.  Do not attach the second screw eye onto the chain yet.

Step Four: When the paint is dry, screw in the picture hanger into the frame that is already attached to the chain.  Next, screw in the second screw eye picture hanger into the frame.

Step Five: Attach the second split ring onto the second screw eye.  Use pliers to help.

Step Six:  Insert your sign into the frame and hang!

Here are a few pictures.

Front

Back

 

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19th Dec2011

Candy Mason Jar

by Dinah Wulf

Yet another recycled Mason jar project here! I saw this DIY project on the Nate Show last week and I’ve been dying to try it! I recently made these frosted Mason jar tea light holders and I had a few Mason jars left over.

This project was super easy and took little time and money (my favorite combo).  Here is how you make a Candy Mason Jar.

Materials:

  • Clean Mason Jar
  • Drill
  • Knob
  • Sand Paper
  • Spray Paint (optional)

Remove the label from any recycled jar.  For label removal instructions click here.

On the Nate Show, they used sand paper to remove the printed image on the jar lid to give it a distressed industrial look.  I tried this… and gave up.  I tried three types of sand paper and my hand got tired and cramped.  I even tried watching TV to distract me and it didn’t help.

I decided to use some left over silver metallic spray paint instead.  The sanding wasn’t a complete waste of time because the sanded surface allowed the spray paint to adhere well.

After the spray paint is dry, drill a hole in the center of the lid.  I suggest putting the lid on the jar and then drill.  You have more control that way.  The drill bit size will depend on the knob you choose.  On a side note, Habitat for Humanity Restore is a GREAT resource for inexpensive knobs.  I have purchased them for as low as fifty cents apiece!

I found these great knobs on sale for $2.50 each… score!

Insert and tighten the knob onto the lid.

Screw the lid onto the jar.  There you have it! Instant candy (or whatever) jar!

You can also frost your Mason jar for a different look.

I added a tag, ribbon, and candy to give away as a gift.

 

**I heart comments! If you have any comments, ideas, or suggestions, please feel free to comment below.  Is there a craft project you want me to try? I’ll gladly do my best to take on your craft challenge and I’m always looking for new ideas! Just let me know! Also, if you have a project you’d like to share, please email me at dwulf@diyinspired.com.

 

 

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15th Dec2011

30 DIY Gift Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

Click on the link for DIY inspiration and tutorials for these 30 DIY gift ideas. All of them are clever, creative, and won’t break the bank.  Only have ten minutes to make your gift? Scroll all the way down to see quick and easy budget-friendly DIY gifts by Overstock.com.  Here we go… 30 DIY Gift Ideas!

Scrabble Art custom to fit any type of room

Clever Coat Hangers out of repurposed materials

Inexpensive Record Album Art

Make a Creative Clock out of just about anything

Sew a Tote Bag

Make custom Wall Art

Sew an Envelope Pillow

Make an eco-friendly Light Bulb Vase

Easy DIY Mason Jar Soap Pump

Repurposed Frame Tray out of your flea market finds

DIY Record Album Bowl from your old records

Easy and inexpensive Nursery Letters

Beautiful Book Page Wreath

Make an Ornament or add a personalized touch with a Scrabble Ornament

Do it yourself Votive Candle Holder

Make a secret and unique Hollowed Book Safe

Picture Frame Necklace Holder

Make a Coffee Filter Wreath for less than $5.00

Scrollwork Mirror from inexpensive items from Home Depot

Recycled Tote Bag out of plastic grocery bags

Only have ten minutes?  Check out these ten amazing ten minute holiday crafts from Overstock.com!

Ten 10-minute Holiday Crafts infographic from O.co

Hope you enjoyed these  30 DIY Gift Ideas!

 

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