Craft Ideas - DIYInspired.com
18th Sep2012

Recycled Plastic Container Pencil Box

by Dinah Wulf

School’s here!  I know my little one isn’t quite ready just yet, but she does love drawing and coloring.  I don’t think a day passes that she doesn’t (she must take after her Mama).  I have a trip coming up to visit my parents back home in Maryland and I have a long(ish) plane flight with a toddler to prepare for.  I need to keep her busy on the plane.  I was about to throw away my Crystal Light container when I realized it’s the perfect size for pencils, markers, crayons, and such.    I decided to alter it a bit and make this recycled plastic container pencil box for our trip.

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This project is very easy, as the pictures are self-explanatory.  Here are the materials you need:

  • Crystal Light Box
  • Mod Podge
  • Paint Brush
  • Decorative Paper

Simply remove the existing plastic and cut your scrapbook paper to size.  Using a paint brush apply the Mod Podge in even strokes to the back of the paper and carefully wrap it around the container.  This is the trickiest part in order to align it correctly.  If you work quickly, it is fairly easy to lift and adjust if you make a mistake.  Next apply an outer layer of Mod Podge
and allow it to dry (approximately 15 minutes).  I thought one coat sufficed however you can apply another if you wish.  Consider embellishing it with stickers or plastic gems.

This container can hold anything!  I actually may use it for my daughter’s toothbrush and toothpaste for when we travel.  You can use it to hold hair accessories or even use it for craft supplies.  This is the perfect project to do with your kids.  Now they will have a one of a kind pencil box to bring to school and show their friends.

 

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12th Sep2012

Recycled Book Page Art

by Dinah Wulf

As you know, I am a BIG fan of recycled book page crafts.  I have done more than one wreath tutorial, magnets, and flowers, just to name a few.  I think my most favorite craft done to date is my recent book page butterfly wreath.  One of my favorite online retailers, Shabby Apple, not only has the cutest selection of dresses, maternity wear, and kids clothes EVER, they have an arts and crafts section with the most colorful and creative recycled book page art pieces that I’m absolutely in love with.  What I love about them is that they are printed on vintage dictionary pages and no two pieces are alike.  As an added bonus, they are also signed by the artist, Zlatka Paneva.   I may be crafty, but I’m not really an “artist”, so I decided to put together my favorite pieces perhaps you will be inspired by.

A is for Alphabet. 

This one is customizable by letter!

An Elephant Never Forgets

My mother and my aunts always told me when I was little that elephants with their trunks up are good luck!  This one reminds me of them.

Freedom!

This one may be my favorite.  I love that the bird is carrying the key to set the butterflies free.

Seashell Fantasy

My daughter loves butterflies and the beach.  This one is dedicated to her.

An now for the kicker… right now you can get 10% off site wide with the code: favorite10!  Your welcome!  This code expires 9/14/2012.  Don’t forget to check out the fabulous clothing, jewelry, and accessories.   Happy shopping!

 

 

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11th Sep2012

DIY Recycled Jar Tea Light

by Dinah Wulf

I’m pretty sure I save every single jar after it’s empty.  Pickle, spaghetti sauce, salsa… I don’t discriminate.  The Mason jar is beautiful but I think it gets too much credit (don’t get me wrong, I’ve done several Mason jar crafts in the past and I still LOVE them).  For this DIY Recycled Jar Tea Light, I decided to use a pickled beet jar.  Yes, I eat pickled beets…yum!!!

Materials:

  • Jar
  • Burlap scraps
  • Scissors
  • Wire or a wire coat hanger (I used 20 gauge because it’s easy to work with)
  • Spouncer
  • Craft paint in the color of your choice
  • Stencil of your choice
  • Wire cutter
  • Pliers
  • Hot glue
  • Tea Light

First, cut your burlap so that it fits nicely around your jar.  Next, stencil your burlap and set aside.  Wrap your wire around the mouth of the jar several (4-5) times depending on the desired thickness.  Cut another piece of wire for the handle wrapping each end securely around your wire circle as shown.  Place the wire circle with handle around the mouth of the jar.  Locate the ends of the wire circle and pull taught.  Pliers may help.  You may have to massage the circle accordingly.  Tuck in the ends of the wire.  Finally, hot glue the burlap around your jar and insert and light your tea light.

I thought six of these spelling out “boo” and “eek” would be really cute on the mantel for Halloween.  Hope you try it out!

 

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31st Aug2012

Pintrest Halloween Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

I don’t know about you, but I can’t believe it’s that time of year again.  I just went to Michael’s to get some craft supplies and the aisles are littered with Halloween decorations and even some Christmas ones too!  Needless to say, I was definitely inspired so I decided to search around Pintrest to get some ideas for the upcoming Halloween holidays (which by the way is my FAVORITE holiday).  Here are my favorite Pintrest Halloween Ideas.

How cute is this set up from the House of Smiths.   I love that she used regular flower vases.  Typically, apothecary jars are used for displays like this but they can get costly and are not always affordable.  Here, she made a flower vase that you can pick up at a thrift store beautiful by adding a creative and frightful label.

I love love love this from Country Living.  I always go to after the holiday sales, and last year I picked up craft pumpkins for next to nothing.  THIS is what I am going to try.  What a fantastic idea for a non-working or decorative fireplace.  No fireplace?  Get your DIY on and create a removable one for the holidays!

Finally, and probably the best of all is this Halloween DIY candelabra from Saw Dust and Paper Scraps.  She made this out of two lamps from Good Will and an old light fixture from the thrift store!

Everyday is a Crafting Day was inspired by that post and made this gorgeous table top version.

I hope you are as inspired as I am.  I think I’ll have to try all of the above for sure!

 

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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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30th Jul2012

Recycled Coffee Filter Inspiration

by Dinah Wulf

I made this Coffee Filter Wreath a few months ago.  I came across my left over coffee filters the other day and thought I’d go online to look for some DIY inspiration.  I found some great ideas and some new favorite blogs.  Oh and by the way, here is how I made this Coffee Filter Wreath for about $5.00.

This is perfect to pin on your lapel as a brooch; this elegant Recycled Coffee Filter Flower is by Design By Night.

An adorable craft for Spring are these lovely and dainty flower baskets from Urban Comfort.  These would make cute bridal shower or baby shower favors.

New York designer Vilma Farrell, designs these gorgeous Coffee Filter Lamps I found on Alternative Consumer.

This beautiful Coffee Filter Pom Pom Garland from Craft Gossip adds whimsy to a shabby chic birthday party or baby shower.

Aunt Peaches made these beautiful rose bouquets by mixing latex craft paint and water to dye the coffee filters.

Believe it or not, this if a milk jug adorned with coffee filters turned lamp!  What a great idea from Make Handmade.

Lastly, this fabulous Dutch Blog, By Miekk, shows you how to cleverly make coffee filter gift tags and gift wrap.

I hope you were as inspired as I was! Now… what to do with mine???

 

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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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25th Jun2012

Repurposed Plant Hanger

by Dinah Wulf

Oh my! This may be one of my most fun projects to date!

When my husband and I moved into our home, I found this pile of junk lying on the ground on the side of the house.

The first thing that caught my eye was the rusty iron plant hanger.  I didn’t quite know what I was going to do with it, but I knew I wanted it in the “keep” pile.  Fast forward five months later, it hit me.  I would turn it into a chandelier for my daughter’s 2nd birthday party.  I thought it’d be cute, hanging above the food or dessert table for her garden inspired birthday party. Here is a before and after shot of my Repurposed Plant Hanger.

 

But get this… the BEST part is that I spent $10.50 on the entire project.  I ransacked my craft closet and only needed to buy one can of spray paint and some plastic beads.  I had everything else!

The first thing I did was rinsed the plant hanger down with the garden hose.  I brushed it slightly with a wire brush from our metal gate project.  After it dried, I spray painted it a glossy turquoise color. I hung it to dry and touched it up as needed.

 

Decorating it was the fun part. I used green flower gems I had from scrapbooking, wire earring hoops from my DIY Wine Charm project, butterflies from my DIY Butterfly Wall Art project, and I strung the beads I bought on the hemp string from my hanging Mason jar lantern project.  The hot glue gun I used worked fantastically and I didn’t even use two hot glue sticks!

Here are some after photos.  It turned out so well, that I am going to hang it in my daughter’s room!

 

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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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04th Jun2012

DIY Butterfly Wall Art

by Dinah Wulf

One of the things I do when I’m bored is stare at my craft closet to see if there is anything I can make without purchasing something new.  I had these wooden frames left over from a Wine Tasting Bridal Shower party I did and these butterflies I bought from a craft store that was going out of business a while ago (I bought 80 of these butterflies for less than $10).  These butterflies are great to adorn gifts, my initial intention for their use.  Anyway, with left over craft paint and scrapbook paper, I decided on DIY Butterfly Wall Art for my daughter’s bedroom.

Here are the materials you need:

  • Wooden frames
  • Craft Butterflies
  • Scrapbook Paper
  • Paper cutter or scissors
  • Craft paint
  • Paint brush
  • Hot Glue Gun

Yet another fun and easy project was complete while my daughter watched her one hour episode of Sesame Street (she LOVES Elmo and Baby Bear).

First, I painted each wooden frame.  By the way, you can purchase these frames in packs of three from IKEA for $1.99… cheap!  Meanwhile, while the paint was drying, I cut out scrapbook paper to fit the frames (4X6) with a paper cutter.

I assembled the frames when the paint was dry and using a hot glue gun, attached the butterfly to the center of the frames.  You have to hold the butterfly in place for a few seconds while the hot glue dries.  I hung them above my daughter’s window in her room.

Here are some AFTER photos.

What’s in YOUR craft closet??

 

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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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23rd May2012

Repurposed Bottle Cap Magnets

by Dinah Wulf

The other day, I was reorganizing my drawers and found some Christmas photo cards from last year.  I love these cards because it showcases my friends and their families as they grow over the years.  The whole family is dressed up and looking their best.  The only problem is that the cards sit in a drawer, get tucked away in a box, or even get tossed in the trash.  Looking at these photos, I wanted to recycle them into something that I can look at daily, so I made these Repurposed Bottle Cap Magnets.

 

This project takes some time; days in fact. It takes a while because I, of course, took the cheap route! I chose to use decoupage medium because it was already in my craft closet.  For quicker results, you can use resin.

Here are the materials you need:

  • Bottle Caps
  • Decoupage medium like Mod Podge
  • Old pictures
  • A half inch circle craft punch
  • Magnets
  • Strong adhesive, like E 6000
  • Time

First, fill each bottle cap ¾ of the way with decoupage medium. Gently lift and tap the cap on your counter to even and smooth out the glue.  This also helps eliminate small air bubbles.  Set them aside (I waited 24 hours).  Meanwhile, use the craft punch to punch out pictures that you would like to use.  You don’t have to use pictures for this.  I have also tried patterned scrapbook paper and small stickers.  You can even use magazine photos as well.

 

Once the glue has hardened (it doesn’t have to be COMPLETELY hardened), put another small dab of glue on top and insert your photo.  Add another layer of glue.  Again, gently tap the bottle cap to a hard surface to even and smooth out the glue.

 

Allow the second layer to dry.  This time, I waited 48 hours.  This photo shows the 24 hour mark.  Next, attach the magnets to the back of the bottle cap using a strong adhesive.  The glue will dry completely clear over time (approximately 48-72 hours).

 

Consider packaging these cute magnets in a small treat bag with a personalized label and give as homemade gifts!

 

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21st May2012

Eye Chart Wall Art

by Dinah Wulf

I love SUPER easy wall art! In the past I have shown tutorials for Letter Wall Art for my kitchen and Scrapbook Bird Art for my daughter’s bathroom. This Eye Chart Wall Art is also very easy, and with my notes, will literally take minutes to complete. It took me a little time figuring out spacing and font size, but I’ll leave you my notes below to make it easier for you to do.

I have seen so many variances of eye chart wall art that you can purchase in several magazines. The thing about doing it yourself is that it’s WAY cheaper and more personal. For my eye chart letters I used our last name, our first names, the dogs names, and words like “family”, “love” and “forever”. It’s up to you on how you would like to customize it!

I simply created a Word document on my computer and printed it on regular paper. Here are some of my notes for this easy Eye Chart Wall Art:

Century Gothic font
All caps
Centered
Varied spacing
Black Ink

Line 1: One letter, font 125
Line 2: Two letters, font 100
Line 3: Three letters, font 72
Line 4: Four letters, font 62
Line 5: Six letters, font 68
Line 6: Seven letters, font 36
Line 7: Space, font 12
Line 8: Eight letters, font 24
Line 9: Space, font 12
Line 10: Six letters, font 20
Line 11: Space, font 12
Line 12: Seven letters, font 16
Line 13: Space, font 10
Line 14: Eight letters, font 10

Hope you try it! It makes the perfect DIY gift!

 

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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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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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03rd Apr2012

Recycled Candy Wrapper Easter Basket

by Dinah Wulf

Celebrate the Pink, Yellow, and “Green” Hues of Easter

TerraCycle® Provides Easter DIY Project and Free Collection Program for Candy Wrappers

Spring is in the air, and the Easter bunny is just a hop, skip and a jump away. This year, make sure to fill your Easter baskets, but not your garbage cans, with sweet treats. TerraCycle offers an environmentally-conscious alternative for all those leftover candy wrappers as well as fun DIY projects to get the whole family excited about an Eco-Easter. With the help of partners MOM Brands™ and M&Ms, TerraCycle hopes to make this springtime holiday greener than the newly-grown grass.

 

Need an Easter basket to hold those eggs from an Easter Egg hunt?  MOM Brands Malt-O-Meal® cereals and TerraCycle have a fun – and environmentally-friendly – DIY project the kids will love. All you need are food wrappers, scissors, and a few other items to make your very own Easter basket to fill with sweets. Get the free project here.

To keep those candy wrappers in your Easter baskets out of a landfill, TerraCycle and M&M’s Candy Wrapper Brigade offers an easy alternative. Simply collect candy wrappers, send them to TerraCycle and receive two points per item collected that can be used for charity gifts or converted to cash and donated to any school or charity. TerraCycle even covers the shipping cost. TerraCycle also collects Malt-O-Meal bags through its Cereal Bag Brigade, if you choose not to turn them into Easter baskets. Visit www.terracycle.com to sign up for the Brigade programs and view the full list of items TerraCycle accepts.

 

About MOM Brands MOM Brands is the largest family owned cereal company in the U.S. The company has produced quality cereal products since 1919 and manufactures many varieties of oatmeal, family favorite ready-to-eat and all-natural cereals as well as its original, farina-based hot cereal. Today, one in 10 servings of cereal breakfast eaten every day is a MOM Brands cereal. Dedicated to finding better ways to make a better breakfast at a better price, MOM Brands is continually innovating to produce, package and transport its cereals in ways that reduce environmental impact. For more information about MOM Brands and its cereal products please visit www.MOMBrands.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 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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02nd Apr2012

Easter Inspiration Board

by Dinah Wulf

I have VERY fond memories of Easter. First, an Easter post was one of the first posts I ever wrote for this blog. Second, I recall getting to buy an Easter dress with a hat, gloves, shoes, and purse every year to wear to church Easter Sunday. I also participated in two Easter egg hunts, one at home, and one at a family friend’s. My parents would hide two Easter baskets for my brother and me.  One made of all chocolate (including the basket) and a regular Easter basket filled with goodies…spoiled much?

Needless to say, I love Easter.  There are SO many great crafts out in the blogging world, so here is this week’s inspiration board, my very own Easter Inspiration Board, full of fun Easter craft tutorials from fellow bloggers, decorations, and ideas.

As a reminder, I did my best to find the correct DIY tutorial for each photo.  Some of the photos on this inspiration board are from Etsy.com or other online retailers, so the link will tell you where you can purchase it. Scroll all the way down; the links are below at the end of the post.

Easter Inspiration Board Links

Where you inspired by anything you saw on this inspiration board? Please leave a comment! I’d love to here what you think :)

 

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29th Mar2012

Upcycled Sweaters

by Dinah Wulf

Spring it here!!! It’s time to put away all those winter sweaters, or in my world upcycle them!  Upcycling is taking something old and repurposing it into something new.  As you may (or may not) know, I love promoting Etsy handmade sellers because I respect their craft and I just think it’s amazing all the ideas that these talented folks come up with. Here are a few of my favorite items for sale that are currently on Etsy.  All of them are hand-crafted from upcycled sweaters… so awesome AND eco-chic (hey, that’s a new term I am officially coining today)!

These cupcake pin cushions made out of felted wool sweaters are a must have for every crafter.  Complete with a cherry on top, it doubles as an ornament too!

I found some SUPER cozy pillows from Pams Warm Creations and Fancy Marmot.

Spring also means Spring cleaning and organizing!  Check out these adorable upcycled hangers made from wool and cashmere by Folk City.  What a great idea!

I don’t care how nice it is outside, every cup of coffee needs this eco-friendly coffee cup cozy made out of vintage upcycled sweaters.

Display your Spring flowers in this clever sweater vase made out of the sleeve of a vintage sweater.

And last but not least, just in time for Easter, the Easter bunny is bound to fill up this eco-friendly sweater Easter basket full of goodies made by Seasons of Wool.

 

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20th Mar2012

Top Tips for Crafters

by Dinah Wulf

I am a big fan of Better Homes and Gardens.  I subscribe to a few of their magazines and to their emails.  I stumbled upon an article called Top Tips for Crafters and they had twenty four great ideas and I wanted to share a few of my favorites.  I got these tips directly from their BHG website.  I suggest you sign up! Just click on the link if you want to see all the tips… good stuff!

Pen and Marker Storage: Prevent pen and marker frustration by storing your writing utensils sideways. The ink won’t pool or dry out. And it is easy to find the color you need.

Share Crafts Supplies: Boost your stash and conserve cash by going in with friends to buy in bulk. You’ll have more supplies to play with, without breaking the bank. Or get your friends together and have a supply swap. Bring leftover crafts items you no longer want or need and trade them with friends for supplies you do need.

Crafts Supply Stash: Make your craft supplies inspirational and functional by arranging items by color. It’ll cut down on planning time and brighten your work space.

Keep Glitter Under Control: When crafting with glitter, keep it in check by coating a plastic tray with nonstick cooking spray. Any loose glitter will slide right off, and you’ll save more for future projects. — Mackey Stanley

See-Through Storage: Whenever possible store crafts supplies in see-through containers. Whether it’s bags, jars, or bins, transparent containers let you find what you want without rifling through every storage bin. To keep supplies organized within a large bag, run a line of stitches down the center of the bag to make two sections.

Perfect Ribbon: No iron? No problem. Get rid of ribbon creases with the help of a nearby lamp. Simply run the wrinkled ribbon across a hot light bulb to make it wrinkle-free and ready to use.

*****

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