Original DIYInspired.com Projects

16th May2013

Hand Painted Wooden Bowl Knockoff

by Dinah Wulf

After I painted this set of bowls the other day, I couldn’t help myself when I found this wooden bowl at the Salvation Army. I loved the shape of it so much that I decided to take it home. I decided to do a hand painted wooden bowl knockoff project on some bowls I had seen in the past. This set of bowls is one of my inspirations as well as these fun and funky various dipped wooden household items.

Here are a couple of before pictures… I love the sleek lines and sexy curves!

As with the bowls I painted last week, I used Martha Stewarts Multi Surface Acrylic Craft Paint. I used this because it is good for wood, for indoor and outdoor use, and after the project cures (which is approximately 21 days), you can wash it in the dishwasher! I would recommend hand washing it prior to then.

I decided to hand paint it rather than dip it because I would use less paint.

I ended up painting three coats.

I also added a gold trim with a metallic gold color to glam it up a bit.

Here are a couple more pictures. I love how a few simple coats of paint can make this old wooden bowl look more new and modern. I tried to be fancy and take a photo of it in a mirror so you could see it better

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Category : Crafts

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Gift Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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13th May2013

DIY Rope Vase 15 Minute How To

by Dinah Wulf

I recently wrote an article for GMC Trade Secrets on Bringing the Outdoors In. In writing the article, I had so many ideas jumbled in my head. I looked around at my own home to see what I had done myself to get closer to nature. I have a lot of natural elements displayed in my home décor and one of my favorite “chores” is to cut fresh flowers from the garden. I did decide to take my own advice and make a couple new vases. Here is my DIY Rope Vase How To. The best part? It only takes about 15 minutes to make!

Materials:

Glass Vases
Rope
Scissors
Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks

Step One: Choose your materials.

I had a successful trip to the Salvation Army the other day and I found some nice glass vases for $2.00 each. In choosing a vase, look for the desired shape and choose a heavier more sturdy weight. Sometimes, especially while thrift store shopping, you come across light weight vases that break easily. Those are likely the vases that your flower arrangements come in and collect dust in your cabinet. I chose wide hurricane style vases.

For the rope, I went to the hardware store and found manila rope (3/8 inch X 50 feet). I chose it for the thickness and the color. There were a few options in sisal, but I wanted a darker color. Fifty feet will make at least three vases of this size. I purchased it for $8.00.

Step Two: “Measure” the desired length.

The best way to measure the amount of rope you need, wrap it around the vase without gluing it until you reach the desired height and cut it. This is easy to do with a thicker rope like the one I chose.

Step Three: Unwrap & Glue

Unwrap the “measured” rope and glue the end to avoid fraying.

Step Four: Wrap and Attach

Start wrapping and gluing as you go!

Here is the finished look.

If you are interested in reading more of my weekly articles for GMC Trade Secrets, feel free to come over and visit!

A big THANK YOU to Carolina from 30 Minute Crafts and Angie from The Country Chic Cottage for allowing me to participate in this weeks Craft Lightening 15 minute crafts Be sure to stop by their amazing blogs and say hello!

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Gift Ideas, Recycling Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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10th May2013

8 Fun and Easy Ideas for Stencils

by Dinah Wulf

I must say that stenciling is one of my favorite craft projects to do. It’s a fairly simple task, especially when you know a few tips or tricks. It is also very versatile in that you can use it for small and large projects, from place mats to furniture. Here are eight fun and easy ideas for stencils I’ve done in the past. All of which have complete step by step photo tutorials. I hope you try them out!

Stenciling with Burlap

Recycled Jar Tea Light

This is a tutorial for stenciling a monogram on a lantern made from a recycled food jar. I still have this displayed in my living room today. It also makes a fun personalized handmade gift. Fill it with tea lights or candy and give it to Mom for Mother’s Day!

Stenciled Wall Art

I made this initially as a prop for my daughter’s birthday party one year, but now it hangs in her room by her bed.

Burlap Stenciled Place Mats

Also a great handmade Mother’s day gift idea, these stenciled burlap place mats are a hit every time I bring them out to use for my guests. Make a set of four to eight to give to Mom or Grandma. Consider using words that remind you of her!

Stenciled Furniture

Stenciled Dresser

This is one of my first DIY projects I posted on this blog. In hindsight I may have done it differently but you learn as you grow, right???

Upcycled TV Tray Table

One of my more recent projects, stenciling TV trays gives them a little upcycled flair.

Other fun Stenciling Projects

Stenciled School Spirit Shirts

I made these shirts with my best friend, Jenny for her daughter’s school spirit shirts. Check out the post and Jen shares how she made he own stencil!

Recycled T-Shirt Bunting

I made this for Thanksgiving last year, but it’s a great tutorial for any type of banner or bunting you need for parties or holidays. Make a “Happy Mother’s Day” one for mom!

Shoe Box Lid Wall Art

My thriftiness at its finest, I made this SUPER cheap wall art for my guest room!

I hope you try these projects! Feel free to share some of your ideas in the comments! Happy stenciling!

Ideas for stencils, easy stencil ideas, stenciled furniture, stenciling on fabric

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Category : Crafts, Holidays, Special Occasions

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, DIY Burlap Crafts, Gift Ideas, Mother's Day, Upcycling Ideas

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08th May2013

Upcycled Wooden Bowls

by Dinah Wulf

I went thrift store shopping last week and I found a set of wooden bowls for $6.00. The shape of these bowls is what interested me, so I decided to buy them. I wanted to update them a little because to be honest, they reminded me of the wooden bowls, spoons, and other knick-knacks my relatives would bring us from the Philippines… maybe that’s why I was drawn to them. Although I have fond memories of those souvenirs, they don’t exactly fit my style today. Here is how I made my upcycled wooden bowls.

Here are the bowls before.

Although this craft project is self-explanatory, I did want to mention that because of the type of paint I chose, they are still washable and easy to care for and even dishwasher safe! So, with that said, the materials you need are:

Wooden bowls
Martha Stewart Crafts Multi-Surface Satin Paint
Paint brush
Paper plate

I wanted to keep the inside and the rim of the bowl wood, and the outside of the bowl white, a classic modern color. I first painted carefully around the edges.

I painted three coats total, allowing the paint to dry for an hour in between coats.

The craft paint instructions indicate that the paint is weather proof. It is good for indoor and outdoor use and cures in about 21 days. You can also do a top rack dish wash…which is fantastic!

I plan on using these bowls for entertaining. Here are a few after photos.

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Category : Crafts

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Gift Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

3 Comm

06th May2013

Alice in Wonderland Theme Party: Red Paper Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

My best friend is having an Alice in Wonderland theme party for my twin God daughters for their first birthday. Needless to say, I wanted to help her decorate for the festivities. The twins have two older sisters and their birthday parties were amazing. Check out this Candyland themed party and this circus themed party. So, we started brainstorming ideas. I recently made these coffee filter paper flowers (see below) and I thought they would be perfect for the painting red roses scene when Alice meets the Queen of Hearts.

Dying coffee filter paper flowers is extremely inexpensive and easy to do. Here are the materials you need:

Bowl
Red food coloring
Water
Coffee filter paper flowers
Rubber gloves
Newspaper

To make the actual paper flower, check out the tutorial here. Once your flowers are made, here are the two easy steps to dye them.

Step One: Depending on the hue of red you desire, mix several drops of food coloring and about three tablespoons of water in a bowl.

Step Two: I tried two different ways. Dipping the pre-made flower and dipping the individual filters. Wearing rubber gloves carefully dip the paper flower (or individual filters) into the color mixture and set it aside to dry on the newspaper.

Here are pictures of each. I let them dry overnight.

When they were dry, I noticed that the dipped flower had a nice deeper red color on the edges while the filters that were dipped individually were not. Here is a photo. It’s very subtle, but I like the former better.

Here is a photo of the coffee filter rose and a real rose from my garden next to one another. Not too shabby! Can you see the difference?

Here they are in the bush that we will use for the party.

Feeling inspired by Alice? Check out these posts!

Do you have any Alice in Wonderland party ideas for us? We’d love to hear them!

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Category : Crafts

Tags : Alice in Wonderland, Birthday Party Ideas, Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Jennifer Hostetler, Paper Flowers, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Theme Party Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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30th Apr2013

How to Make a Citrus Floating Candle

by Dinah Wulf

My brother was on Facebook the other day and a friend of his posted a picture of how to make a candle from an orange. I thought that several of these citrus floating candles would be perfect for an evening summer party centerpiece. We were visiting our dad recently and decided to try it out in his kitchen. Here is a quick tutorial on how to make a citrus floating candle.

Materials:

Orange
Knife
Cutting board
Spoon
Cooking oil
Water
Bowl or vase
Lighter

Step One: Cut an orange in half.

Step Two: Using a spoon, scoop out the orange leaving the center pith of the orange is intact. This will be used as the wick.

Step Three: Pour cooking oil into your orange. Any cooking oil like vegetable, canola, or olive oil will work.

Step Four: Carefully light your “wick”. It may take several seconds to light (longer than a regular wick). Note: We sliced the bottom of our orange so that it would not roll. Be careful not to pierce through the bottom. You do not have to do this if you are going to place it in water.

Step Five: Place your floating candle in the desired vessel with water.

Ta-dah! We used a medium sized orange. We were able to burn the candle for about three and a half to four hours. Be careful if you are doing this project with your kids!

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Category : Crafts, DIY Budget Party, Holidays, Special Occasions

Tags : Centerpieces, Christmas, Dinah's Tutorials, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Thanksgiving, Upcycling Ideas, Wedding Ideas

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24th Apr2013

How to Remove Wax from Glass

by Dinah Wulf

I cannot tell a lie. Sometimes I purchase items because of the container it comes in. There. I said it. In particular, candles are a splurge for me because they are often “expensive”, so I have to wait until they go on sale. One thing I CAN count on is that I KNOW I will reuse the glass candle container for other things. I searched online for how to remove wax from glass and the one I liked the most was from Aunt Peaches. She had a fantastic tutorial (and funny too) and it worked great! Here is my version of how to remove candle wax from glass.

Here is what you’ll need:

Used glass candle containers
Boiling water
Plastic utensil
Paper towel
Warm soap and water

Here are the glass containers I started out with. Don’t worry about the label and soot, I’ll address that too.

First, boil water in a teapot and pour it into your container.

Next, wait. Wait until the remaining wax floats to the surface. And the water cools. I am approximating about 45 minutes. It will look something like this.

Next, take your plastic utensil and scrap off the wax and wick base onto a paper towel and discard. That’s it!! Easy!

To remove the label and soot, I soaked the containers in warm soapy water and gently scrubbed until they were clean.

Here is what they look like after!

I’m using these particular vases for craft room storage, but consider using them for flowers in a centerpiece or holding make-up brushes or toothbrushes in your bathroom.

Make sure you check out Aunt Peaches original post on this because she has some other great tips and tricks!

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Category : DIY Tips and Tricks

Tags : Centerpieces, Dinah's Tutorials, Recycling Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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22nd Apr2013

Recycled Kid’s Craft: Cereal Box Puzzles

by Dinah Wulf

Happy Earth Day! In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share a special recycled craft I did with my daughter. She may only be two, but crafting runs through my little one’s blood! I love it! We are always trying out different kid’s crafts. Most of the time, I look for things around the house to repurpose and reuse. Today I want to share a recycled kid’s craft my daughter and I did made out of cereal boxes and the covers of her coloring books.

Materials:

Cereal boxes or old board game boxes
Coloring book covers or damaged soft book covers
Scissors
Straight edge
Craft knife
Cutting mat
Glue sticks

Like most kids, my daughter has several coloring books. Oftentimes, we tear out the pages and color and we are left with an empty spine and cover. We decided to save these to make these puzzles.

Using a cutting mat, straight edge, and craft knife, we cut the coloring book covers to our desired puzzle size. Mainly, we cut off the titles and price tags.

Next I cut the fronts and backs of the cereal boxes.

Mia glued the covers to the cereal boxes with some kid-friendly glue sticks. The cereal cardboard makes the puzzles more durable.

After the glue dried, I trimmed around the sides and cut out the puzzle in different shapes. Cut larger shapes for younger children and smaller pieces for older children. If your kids are older, they can cut out the shapes themselves.

Mia loved them! I’m guessing it’s because she helped make them. She did them over and over again, clapping as she finished each one. This was such a great kid’s craft for us to do together, and the puzzles are sturdy enough to keep and use over and over again.

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Category : Kid Stuff, Kids Craft Ideas, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Earth Day, Recycling Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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18th Apr2013

Refurbished Radio Flyer Wooden Toy Horse

by Dinah Wulf

One of my best friends has a Radio Flyer Wooden Toy Horse that all three of her kids played with. Her youngest, Taylor, absolutely LOVES this horse and uses it practically every day. Over the years, since kid #1, the horse has taken its toll. It lives most of its life outside and the weather has taken a beating on it. When I asked little Taylor what color she wanted Auntie to paint her horse she said pink and white. Happily, I took home her horse for a couple days to refurbish it for her.

Here are the materials I used:

WD-40
Sanding block and 150 grit sand paper
Clean cloth
White spray paint for metal and outdoor use
Pink paint
Paint brush
Screw driver
Wrench

I had difficulty taking off the old screws and nuts because of the rust, so I sprayed on WD-40 to loosen it.

It worked perfectly. I had to use the wrench to secure the nut and use the screwdriver to unscrew each one.

Note: I soaked the screws and nuts in lime away and used an old toothbrush to scrub them clean of rust. It worked great and I didn’t have to buy new ones!

Once the wood and metal were apart, I sanded the horse.

I looked online to find replacement caps for the wheels because from experience, they usually get ruined once you try to pop them off. I couldn’t find the right size so I decided to keep them on and cover the wheels in plastic to protect them from the spray paint. I sprayed the metal base with spray paint.

Meanwhile, I took off the rubber handles and painted the wooden horse pink. I also painted the rubber handles white with the spray paint.

Once all the paint was dry, my friend Jenny highlighted the groves with a light purple paint and small paintbrush. Here are some before and after photos.

This project makes me want to look for more toys to refurbish the next time I go to an antique swap meet. When I brought it back to Taylor she was so excited and rode it immediately.

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Category : Kid Stuff

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Jennifer Hostetler, Refurbishing Ideas

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15th Apr2013

Recycled Straw Necklace Craft for Kids

by Dinah Wulf

Lucky for me, I get to spend at least two times a week with my best friends and their kids. We try to schedule play dates every Tuesday and Thursday. Our little ones have become so close they treat each other like sisters (AKA, an occasional hit or raised voice). Often times we try to come up with a craft the girls can do together. Most recently we made these cute recycled straw necklace craft. I got this idea from Jamie over at hands on: as we grow. She is one of my main resources for the activities I do with Mia. This kid’s activity in particular is great for fine motor skills.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Yarn
Straws
Scissors
Craft Punches
Paper scraps

We chose some of our favorite colored yarn. Cut different lengths for bracelets, anklets, or necklaces. We cut them extra-long for the younger kids.

We also used various craft punches to create our own “beads” with circles and flowers from scrapbook paper scraps I had left over from other projects. Make sure the hole is large enough for little fingers to maneuver.

You can pre-cut the straws, or if your child is old enough you can allow them to do it with safety scissors.

Here are our little ones in action. Please ignore the dirt on my daughter’s face and shirt… oh and the disheveled hair…they were playing outside I swear! Ha!

The girls (ages 2-5) had a great time and were happy to take and wear them home from our play date.

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Category : Kid Stuff, Kids Craft Ideas

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Jennifer Hostetler, Recycling Ideas

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09th Apr2013

TV Tray Table Upcycle

by Dinah Wulf

I have no idea how long I have owned these TV trays, but I would venture to say over 15 years. They have probably been hiding away in a closet for ten of those years. I think every home has these (kind of like the Monopoly board game), but I’m not sure how often they are used. I personally, have forgotten about them because they were tucked away, and they were tucked away because they didn’t match my furniture and home décor. So, instead of selling them at a garage sale I’m planning on having in a couple weeks, I thought I’d do a TV Tray Upcycle instead.

Here is the before photo.

Materials:

Wooden TV Tray Tables
Household Cleaner
Paint (2 or more colors)
Stencil(s)
Spouncer Stencil Brush

Step One:

Clean your tray tables. Mine were dusty! If there are tough stains, you can lightly sand them with 150-grit sand paper.

Step Two:

Paint your base color and allow it to dry. I chose to just paint the top because I like the contrast of the light wood on the bottom. I think it makes it look more interesting.

Step Three:

Apply your stencils with paint and a spouncer stencil brush. A spouncer makes your life easier, and reduces or even eliminates bleeding. I have a ton of stenciling tips on my Burlap Stenciled placemat post.

I worked with all four tables at once, washing and cleaning my stencil and brushes in between. Allow your paint to dry in between stenciling. I took my time so it took me a couple days to do this.

Step Four:

If you’re like me, you have some bleeding mistakes, so after I finished stenciling, I used a small paint brush and the base color and touched it up.

That’s it! Prettier trays = more use. They are no longer hidden in my closet!

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Category : Trash To Treasure

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Refurbishing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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01st Apr2013

Moen: How to Install a Kitchen Faucet

by Dinah Wulf

This post brought to you by Moen, Incorporated. All opinions are 100% mine.

One of my best friends has lived in her home for many years. Her husband was born and raised in that home. Over the years they have been able to make some big improvements like new floors, windows, and kitchen cabinets. Now, they are able to focus on the details that truly make their house a home. Last weekend I helped them install a new Kiran Spot Resist one-handle pulldown kitchen faucet. Oh my! What a difference a faucet makes! Here is our journey on how to install a kitchen faucet.

The Moen Kiran faucet can be purchased at Lowe’s. It has so many great features and was perfect for updating their kitchen. The Spot Resist™ stainless finish resists fingerprints and water spots for a cleaner looking kitchen. It has a high arch pulldown design makes it easy to adjust water flow or temperature. It is equipped with the Reflex™ system for smooth operation, easy movement of the spray head.

Installation time: Approximately one hour

Materials:

Adjustable Wrenches
Screwdriver
Pliers
Flashlight
Plumbers putty

Here is a photo of the sink before. It is quite old!

Step One:

Shut off the water valve. In our case, the valve was located below the sink. I turned the faucet to release any extra pressure.

Step Two:

Disconnect the mounting and remove the old faucet and clean the area from any dirt and debris. As you can see, this was a REALLY old sink! Yuck!

Step Three:

Assemble the mounting washer to the faucet and put the supply lines through the hole. Make sure the faucet sets securely on the deck. Be aware of your surrounds so that you don’t scratch your new faucet!

Step Four:

Reconnect the supply lines.

Note: At this point I had to run to Lowe’s to purchase an adapter because their faucet was so old! Apparently, old tube lines are 1/2 inch, while newer lines are 3/4 inch.

Step Five:

Insert the hose through the spout of the faucet and attach the connector on both sides. Make sure there is a clear path for the retractable hose.

Step Six:

Attach the faucet head to the hose by screwing it on.

Step Seven:

Attach the hose weight to the hose in the bottom of the sink and test the water pressure.

Ta dah! What a difference!

Learning how to replace a kitchen faucet was a lot easier than I thought! The step by step photos made it easy to understand and follow. My friend and her husband are so happy with their Moen Kiran faucet. Join me and become a Moen fan on Facebook!

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Category : DIY Tips and Tricks

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, DIY Tips, Sponsored

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27th Mar2013

DIY Address Wreath with Fabric Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

To celebrate National Craft Month I am so excited to have partnered up with Jo-Ann Fabrics! I made a two minute Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores Creativity Made Simple crafting video on how to make an address wreath with fabric flowers.

Creativity Made Simple is the Jo-Ann mission to inspire Americans to rediscover time for creativity. Jo-Ann offers simple solutions for creativity designed to fit busy lives, including… simple skills, simple supplies, simple steps and simple shopping.

Drum roll please!

To view more video tutorial from Jo-Ann, be sure to check out their YouTube Channel…Oh! Check out my YouTube Channel too!

In case you missed it, here are the materials you need for this Address Wreath with Fabric Flowers. All of these supplies can be purchased at Jo-Ann’s.

Materials:

18” Grape Vine Wreath
4” wooden numbers
Martha Stewart Craft Paint
Paint Brush
Fabric Scraps
Buttons for flower center
Fabric Scissors
Sewing Needle
Thread
Hot glue and hot glue gun

If you would like a detailed step by step photo tutorial for the fabric flowers you can go to my Tutorial for Fabric Flowers post.

Thank you so much for watching (and not laughing…well, ok you can laugh)! I really appreciate the support!

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Category : Crafts

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Sponsored, Spring, Wreaths

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26th Mar2013

Tutorial for Fabric Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

Fabric flowers have many uses in the craft world. I use them to embellish pillows, adorn wreaths, and dress up a plain head band for my EXTREMELY girly daughter. I use them for so many things and since spring has officially sprung, I thought I’d post a tutorial for fabric flowers today.

These fabric flowers are so easy and inexpensive to make. All you need are:

Fabric of choice
Scissors
Needle
Thread
Button (per flower)

The magic number that I have found to work best is five (pretend there are only five pictured below…haha!). Cut out five flower petals in the desired size. Remember that there will be five petals, so the larger the petals the MUCH larger the flower. If you choose a lighter weight fabric, you can cut all five petals out at once. The lighter the fabric, the flimsier the flower, however the more realistic they look.

Once you have your petals cut, sew your petals together, keep the ends of each side flapped down.

Continue sewing your petals together.

Once all five petals form the flower and are sewn together, sew a button in the center to complete your fabric flower.

Here is another AFTER photo.

Consider making them in several patterns, sizes, and fun colors! Add them to jackets, clothing, purses, and hair accessories. You can even use them to add a special touch to a gift or use them for weddings or baby shower and bridal shower decorations.

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Category : Crafts

Tags : Baby Shower Ideas, Bridal Shower Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Mother's Day, Wreaths

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25th Mar2013

Plastic Cup Garbage Can

by Dinah Wulf

My best friend Jenny had a brilliant craft idea the other day (BTW, it was recently her birthday! Happy Birthday, Best Friend!). She told me that being the busy on the go mom that she is, she always keeps a large fast food plastic cup in her car for all the litter she accrues throughout the day from having four kids. This plastic cup garbage can for her car is very handy; she admitted however her main complaint is that it’s ugly. So, together we decided to make a car garbage can by recycling large plastic fast food cups. Similar to making a recycled drink container sunglasses case or pencil holder.

Here is what you need:

Large plastic cup with a lid
Scissors
Decorative paper
Paper Cutter
Mod Podge
Paint brush
Embellishments like craft punches or stickers (optional)

Here are the cups we used. Make sure it fits in the cup holder of your car! Some are too large. It’s also best if you have a lid to hide the trash.

We picked out some of our favorite patterns and colors and using a paper cutter, cut out strips to decoupage onto the cup. The angles of your strips will vary depending on the size and circumference of your cup… this part is a bit tricky.

Using a decoupage medium, apply several layers onto the cup allowing it to dry completely in between each coat.

Embellish your cup however you’d like. We used craft punches for flowers and circles for the lid and stickers to spell out “trash”.

Allow it to dry completely… tah dah! There you have it… an aesthetically pleasing trash can for your car!

I hope you enjoyed this creative way to recycle plastic!

**Being the creative recycler that I am, I am excited to partner up with Arrowhead® 100% Mountain Spring Water’s ReBorn™ Bottle made with 50% recycled plastic! Join me and Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water in the recycling movement today! What are some creative crafty ways to recycle a plastic water bottle?** #Spon

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Category : Crafts

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Gift Ideas, Mod Podge, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Upcycling Ideas

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22nd Mar2013

How to Remove Tough Pet Stains

by Dinah Wulf

This may be my most embarrassing article yet and much different than my typical DIY tips and tricks article. I have been a dog owner for over 25 years. My first dog, Tiny, lived for 17 years and now I have two dogs, Pablo the Chihuahua and Harley the Pug. In these 25 years, I have moved 15 times. Yep… 15! With the constant changing environment, my little buddies get confused. Needless to say, there have been several accidents. I HAD to share this how-to because after over a decade of purchasing every carpet stain remover out there, I finally found out how to remove tough pet stains.

Now I don’t know why it took me 25 years to figure it out because it is SO simple! Here is what you’ll need:

White vinegar
Spray bottle
Clean dry cloth
Baking soda
Vacuum cleaner

That’s it!!! I know, right???

I decided to spare you the step by step photo tutorial because, well, that’s just disgusting. I can, however show you a less disgusting before and after photo:

Notice that I didn’t even bother to put the fancy font or the watermark… still so embarrassing…

Anyway, if the stain is still wet blot the spot as dry as possible with a clean cloth or towel. Next, put white vinegar is a spray bottle, and completely saturate the stain. If the spot is new, leave the vinegar on for a few minutes and then blot it with a clean towel. If the stain is old, leave the vinegar for an hour or two. If the stain is really bad and even brown in color, skip the spray bottle and pour the vinegar directly on the stain soaking it completely and leave on for several hours before blotting dry.

Once you have blotted the stain with a clean cloth or towel, allow it to dry. Once it is dry, sprinkle baking soda on the stain and vacuum it. The baking soda will get rid of the smell!

Tah-dah… an all-natural how-to on how to remove pet stains!

Phew! Glad that’s over…

*************Giveaway Alert!***************

ENTER TO WIN!

Today, my daughter and I played memory on our new kid-friendly rug!

You can win your own 6’ X 9’ SmartStrand bound carpet rug. Go to the contest page to enter. SmartStrand carpet is rated #1 in consumer satisfaction… Experience it for yourself!

The contest started Monday, March 18th and ends April 8th. Please see the registration page for legal rules.

A big THANK YOU to Mohawk Flooring for sponsoring this giveaway!

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Category : DIY Tips and Tricks

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, DIY Tips

3 Comm

15th Mar2013

Drink Mix Container Drink Sunglasses Case

by Dinah Wulf

The other day I asked on my Facebook page, “I made a decoupage pencil box out of a Crystal Light drink mix container… what else can I make/do with them?? Any ideas?” I got some great suggestions. In particular, I loved the comment made by Lorena Leon-Cruz when she said, “I use them to store my cut up celery and carrots and block cheese in the fridge. I also decorated one for sunglasses. My aunt uses them for her crochet hooks.” Immediately I knew I would take her suggestion and make a Drink Mix Container Drink Sunglasses Case.

Materials:

Plastic drink mix container
Paper Cutter
Ruler
Decorative paper (I used scrapbook paper and an old map)
Mod Podge
Paint brush

Here is the container that I used.

See? It fit my sunglasses perfectly!

I chose some pretty scraps of scrapbook paper and an old map left over from my Recycled map Drawer makeover I did.

Using a paper cutter I cut one inch thick strips approximately 8.5” in length. I used Mod Podge to decoupage the strips to the container.

Note: Towards the top, where the container is curved, I cut the strips in half due to the angle of the box.

Here is what it looks like when it is dry (approximately 15 minutes).

Here are two more AFTER photos.

This is such a fun and easy DIY gift idea. Some other suggestions from my Facebook page were toy storage, art supplies, and sewing kits. Think twice before throwing away your drink mix containers!

Do you have a project you’d like to share? Submit your DIY Projects or crafts for a chance to be featured on DIYInspired.com!

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Gift Ideas, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Upcycling Ideas. Mod Podge

3 Comm

12th Mar2013

St. Patrick’s Day Craft: Pot of Gold

by Dinah Wulf

Being a known craft hoarder among my circle of friends, I am often given a craft challenge. For example, my friend Amanda gave me a sandwich bag of coin wrappers and I made flowers out of them. Most recently, my friend Jenny gave me some baby food jars. With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner I decided to make a little chalkboard paint pot of gold with chocolate coins to give out as a gift or use as a favor. Here is a St. Patrick’s Day Craft: Pot of Gold.

Materials:

Recycled baby food jars
Chalkboard Paint
Paint brush
Toothpicks or BBQ skewers
Cotton balls
Gold ribbon
Green ribbon
Any small craft punch related to St. Patrick’s Day or Springtime (I used a flower)
Glue
Hot glue and glue gun
Chocolate gold coins
Colored paper scraps in rainbow colors

First, clean remove the label with warm soapy water and dry your jars.

To make the banner, punch out two of each color and use glue to attach it to your green ribbon. Tie the ends to your toothpicks to make a small banner.

Line the edge of the jar with gold ribbon by gluing it and glue on cotton balls to form a cloud on top of the lid. Hot glue the sticks to the lid of the jar maneuvering it until it is sturdy.

Paint the jar with chalkboard paint using a paint brush. I painted my jar with two coats, allowing one hour in between coats. Let the final coat of chalkboard paint dry for 24 hours, allowing it to cure before writing on it with chalk.

Write the recipient’s name on your jar, or “Happy St. Patrick’s day” and fill it with gold chocolate coins!

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Category : Holidays

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Recycling Ideas, St. Patrick's Day

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06th Mar2013

Recycled Arrowhead Water Bottle Pineapple

by Dinah Wulf

I’m excited to partner up with Arrowhead® 100% Mountain Spring Water’s ReBorn™ Bottle made with 50% recycled plastic! Recycling is one of the easiest and most beneficial ways we can all help the environment. Sadly, only about 30% of PET plastic bottles get recycled. For recycling to work, we all have to do our part. Unfortunately, not all plastic bottles are made with recycled plastic. It’s Arrowheads goal to continue increasing the use of recycled materials in their bottles, but they need everyone’s help. Currently, there isn’t enough recycled plastic available for Arrowhead to make 100% rPET bottles. Join me in the Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water in the recycling movement today! I’m also excited to share the recycled Arrowhead water bottle pineapple my daughter and I made.

Make recycling a part of your family’s routine. My daughter Mia and I not only recycle all our paper, plastic, and glass in our home, but we also recycle creatively by repurposing old or discarded things and turn them into something new and useful. Today I want to share our Recycled Plastic Water Bottle Pineapple we made to give as a gift to a family member who LOVES pineapple candy.

Here is what you’ll need:

Two Arrowhead® 100% Mountain Spring Water’s ReBorn™ Bottles
Craft knife
Green scrapbook paper
Scissors
Tape and/or glue
Yellow ribbon or adhesive ribbon
Hot glue and glue gun

First, we started with the leaves of the pineapple. Make a cone shape out of the green scrapbook paper and secure it with tape.

Cut out several triangles in varying lengths and sizes.

Tape the leaves around the cone, forming the leaves of the pineapple as shown.

Here is what the top should look like.

To make the body of the pineapple, cut two Arrowhead® 100% Mountain Spring Water’s ReBorn™ Bottles in half using a craft knife.

Fill the bottle halves with the candy of your choice. If the candy you choose is not yellow in color, you can always paint the inside of the pineapple with yellow craft paint. I used an adhesive ribbon to secure the two halves together. If you do not have adhesive ribbon, tape the halves together first and then cover the tape with yellow ribbon.

Here is what the body should look like.

Attach the leaves to the top of the pineapple with hot glue.

There you have it!

Before I leave you, here are some important facts about recycling:

1. U.S. plastic beverage bottle recycling rates are only at about 30%

2. 2.8 Billion plastic bottles ended up in California landfills in 2011

3. Even though a package says it is “100% recycleABLE”, that does not mean it is made with recyclED plastic. It just means it CAN BE recycled. In fact, most containers are not made of recycled plastic.

Recycled plastic is simply a better source of plastic. It’s part of Arrowhead’s ongoing commitment to preserving our natural springs, and ensures that every bit of Arrowhead, both inside and out, is truly Born Better. Click here to learn more!

A big THANK YOU to Arrowhead Waters for sponsoring this post!

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Category : Crafts, Kids Craft Ideas, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Recycling Ideas, Sponsored, Upcycling Ideas

7 Comm

05th Mar2013

Easy Coffee Filter Paper Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

Ever since I purchase a reusable plastic coffee filter, I have had extra paper coffee filters in my cupboard. I took them out once before, and was inspired to make this coffee filter wreath that turned out quite nice. Since then I have search for recycled coffee filter ideas and have found quite a few. I particularly liked the coffee filter flowers so I decided to try my own version. Here is a SUPER easy coffee filter paper flowers how-to by yours truly.

Materials:

Coffee filters (4 per flower)
Small rubber bands or small hair bands
Wooden skewer or dowel
Old book pages
Scissors
Hot glue and hot glue gun

There are many tutorials on this but I found this to be the absolute easiest and quickest way to make them. I sat in my craft room for a few hours trying different ways! You can also dye them by dipping the filters in a little bit of food coloring and water and allowing them to dry on newspaper for about 30 minutes. I chose to keep mine white because I like the look of the starch white, old book pages, and green vase.

Step One:

Pinch the center of one coffee filter and bunch upwards as shown above.

Step Two:

Set the first “bunch in the center of a second coffee filter and repeat the same bunching motion.

Step Three:

Repeat Step Two until you have four coffee filters. Using a small rubber band (I used a child sized hair band) and secure the top of the paper flower “stem”. It will look like this.

Step Four:

Cut out paper flower petals out of old book pages.

Step Five:

Add a skewer or wooden dowel as a stem and hot glue on the book page petals.

Here is a picture of a smaller flower. For this one I used four coffee filters, however I cut them about a half inch shorter.

Hope you try it!

Do you have a project you’d like to share? Submit your DIY Projects or crafts for a chance to be featured on DIYInspired.com!

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Centerpieces, Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, paper crafts, Paper Flowers, Recycled Book Pages, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Upcycling Ideas

23 Comm

28th Feb2013

Reading Nook for Kids

by Dinah Wulf

I saw this fantastic idea using spice racks to hold books on Pinterest. I love this reading nook idea because it takes little space, and adds charm and character while encouraging good reading habits to our little ones. When I went to IKEA however, these wooden spice racks were nowhere to be found. I decided to keep looking and stumbled upon some photo ledges that I thought would fit perfectly for a reading nook I had wanted to make for my daughter for her room.

Here is what her wall looked like before. It was plain and sad with an off centered organization board I made last year. Blah and boring!

I found a fun cherry blossom decal and added it to the plain walls along with two photo ledges at a height that would make it easy for my toddler to reach. I hung them off set from one another.

Here is a close up.

I purchased and painted some wooden letters to spell out “books” and “read” with acrylic craft paint. I didn’t originally plan on it saying “read books” but I found an old curb side pick-up frame that I thought would look cute around the words.

Here another photo. It turned out quite nice.

My daughter actually picks up and reads her books more often now because they are displayed. No longer hidden in her organization cubes, her books are now easily accessible and a constant reminder that she has them!

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Category : Kid Stuff

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Repurpose, Storage Ideas

7 Comm

27th Feb2013

Conan O’Brien Glasses

by Dinah Wulf

I often take for granted the many fun activities there are to do here in sunny California. I am always reminded when I have friends from my hometown come to visit. Last week, my friends and I attended a taping of Conan O’Brien (it was the one with Snooki and Jwoww). Of course, we HAD to set ourselves apart from the rest of the audience. So we decided to make Conan O’Brien Glasses.

My friend purchased orange sunglasses (Conan’s signature color) from a discount department store for $2.00 apiece. What a steal!

Her husband and my long-time friend is the owner of Custom Concepts, a signage and graphics business. He designed and printed Conan’s hair, eyes, and nickname, Coco onto an adhesive vinyl. The eyes and nickname had tiny holes in it so that you could cover the lenses and still see through them.

Each of us attending the taping had a craft day and made our own glasses. We even made a “blinged” out rhinestone pair for Conan himself. For the hair, we stuck the sticker onto cardboard and cut them out.

The material made it easy to smooth out.

For the eyes and the nickname, we stuck them directly on the lenses and used a craft knife to trim the edges.

Here are all five pairs of glasses we made.

These are us being complete dorks and messing around and “modeling” in them!

We had a fantastic time making them and attending the taping. We had an audience page give the rhinestone pair to Conan. They were a hit with the staff and fellow audience members. A few couldn’t believe that we made them!

This is a great activity to do with kids (or adults!). Consider making fun glasses like these for a birthday party activity or kid’s craft!

Pass it on!

Category : Crafts, Kids Craft Ideas

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, Gift Ideas, Party Favor Ideas, Party Ideas, Theme Party Ideas

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Pages:12 3 4 5 6 7 »

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Conan O’Brien Glasses

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