Alice in Wonderland Theme Party: Red Paper Flowers

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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23rd Apr2013

Two Year Blogaversary

by Dinah Wulf

Woo hoo! With well over 500 blog posts published and a community that has grown to be over fifteen thousand, I can’t believe it’s been two short years already. Last year I did a One Year Blogaversary Awards and Honorable Mentions. I thought I’d do it again combining both years. As with last year, the winners are chosen by social media shares, “likes”, email inquiries, pins, and more.

Most Popular Recycled Craft: Book Page Butterfly Wreath

I made this wreath out of items I already had (wire hanger, book pages, branches from my back yard), so I didn’t spend a dime on it. Who knew it would be so popular!

Honorable Mention Recycled Craft: Coffee Filter Flowers

Another project I made without buying any new supplies. This is probably one of the easiest crafts I’ve EVER done. They are still displayed in my living room today!

Most Popular Kid’s Stuff Post: Reading Nook for Kids

I loved this project made from a free frame and photo ledges. More importantly, it encourages my daughter to read. We have read 4-5 books every night since I put it together.

Honorable Mention Kid’s stuff Post: Repurposed Plant Hanger Toy Storage

Originally a hanging centerpiece at a garden inspired birthday party, I turned this plant hanger I found in the trash into a fun and whimsical storage bin for my daughters small stuffed animals.

Most Popular Upcycling Idea: Map Covered Drawers

By covering my craft room craft drawers with maps, it instantly transformed my otherwise boring white drawers.

Most Popular Round-Up Post: Top 15 Recycled Crafts of 2012

These are my top and favorite recycled crafts by yours truly… the best of 2012.

Most Popular Theme Party: Candy Land Theme Party

This is the most visited post to date; a fabulous candy land party by my best friend Jenny that I had to break up into two posts! Make sure you read both!

Honorable Mention Theme Party: Hello Kitty Theme Party

This is also one that I get a ton of emails about. It’s fun Hello Kitty themed party filled with ideas for games, activities, and decorations by my friend Maily.

Most Popular Halloween Post: Headless Man and Headless Woman Costume

Back again this year! I have a feeling this post will reign as the most popular Halloween post every year.

Honorable Mention Halloween Post: Hello Kitty Pumpkin

I had this pumpkin forever! Who knew that an un-carved pumpkin would last so long? I changed her hat from a Halloween witch to a pilgrim for Thanksgiving and then to Santa for Christmas.

Most Popular Kid’s Craft: Recycled Christmas Card Ornament

Need an idea for all those Christmas cards you get every year? Here it is! This is a fun craft project you can do with the kiddos at Christmas time.

Most Popular Christmas Post: Hanging Pinecones Wreath

After going on a hike and collecting the largest pinecones in the neighborhood, I made this lovely pinecone hanging wreath that I kept and will use every Christmas.

Most Popular YouTube Video: Owl Themed Party Decorations

I started a YouTube channel this year and these Owl themed decorations I made for my cousin’s birthday were my most viewed.

Honorable mention YouTube Video: DIY Address Wreath

I was honored to be a part of Joann Fabric’s Creativity Made Simple campaign. Here is a tutorial I did for making an address wreath with fabric flowers for your front door.

12 Recycled Book Page Crafts

by Dinah Wulf

Most of the 12 recycled book page crafts featured in this post all started from a book safe that I made a while ago. I tucked away all the pages I hollowed out and put them with my scrapbook paper. Every once in a while I’d get inspired and make something out of them. Here we go!

Book Page Heart Garland {Tutorial}

I made this for Valentine’s Day, however it’s a fun kid’s craft that you can do all year in any color.

DIY Recycled Craft Jars {Tutorial}

I made these out of ketchup bottles that I thought were interesting. This may be one of my favorites!

Book Folding Art Piece {Tutorial}

This was a guest post by Loren from Pandora’s Craft Box.

Book Page Napkin Rings and Name Cards

Here is an inexpensive way to add character to your table setting.

Recycled Book Page Art

Use book pages as the canvas for your paintings.

Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath {Tutorial}

One of my most popular tutorials, this wreath cost me nothing to make! I made it from book pages, a wire hanger, and branches from my back yard.

Phone Book Origami Flowers {Tutorial}

This is a fun photo tutorial on how to make a flower out of phone book pages.

Paper Flower Magnets {Tutorial}

Use a craft punch and bottle caps to make these sturdy paper flower magnets.

Book Page Gift Bow {Tutorial}

Make a traditional gift wrapping bow out of strips of book pages or newspaper.

Water Colored Book Page Flowers {Tutorial}

Make any color flowers simply by water coloring your book pages.

Book Page Wreath {Tutorial}

Another favorite, this was one of the first wreaths I have ever made.

How to Make a Secret Book Safe {Tutorial}

OK, so this one isn’t really book pages, but you need to start somewhere! I actually did most of the projects above with the pages I removed from this book!

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, DIY Artwork, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, paper crafts, Recycled Book Pages, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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21st Mar2013

10 Mason Jar Craft Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

Glass jars are one of my most favorite things to hoard. I mean repurpose. First, because they are free, and secondly, because they’re pretty! There is some sort of classic vintage aesthetic that comes with mason jars that I love. I have done quite a few Mason jar crafts in the last two years so I thought I’d put together a round-up of 10 Mason Jar Craft Ideas.

Mason Jar Tea Light {Tutorial}

This Mason jar tea light is a fun and easy stenciled burlap tutorial that makes a perfect DIY gift.

Mason Jar Craft Storage

A run-down of craft storage and organization ideas including Mason jars for easy access see-through display.

Colored Mason Jar {Tutorial}

Color your own glass jars with food coloring and glue and curing them in the oven.

Easy Mason Jar Centerpiece

Always have clean Mason jars ready for simple holiday displays.

Burlap Mason Jar Vases

Burlap covered jar vases embellished with sea shells, ribbon, and pearls for a Baptism reception party.

Mason Jar Soap Dispenser {Tutorial}

This one is a complete step-by-step tutorial by guest Blogger, Barbara from Chase the Star.

Macramé Mason Jar Hanging Lantern {Tutorial}

Learn how to make macramé hanging lanterns perfect for a wedding or outdoor lighting.

Candy Mason Jar {Tutorial}

A personalized gift idea with decorative knobs and Mason jars.

Frosted Mason Jars {Tutorial}

How to frost Mason jars.

Mason Jar Drinking Glasses

Lastly, here is a fun idea using Mason jars and colorful straws for parties and entertaining.

I hope you enjoyed my round up! What do YOU do with your Mason jars?

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, Mason Jar Crafts, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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18th Mar2013

Stuffed Animal Toy Storage

by Dinah Wulf

Today I had to share my obsession with reuse and repurposing… either that or I’m a hoarder I haven’t quite figured that out yet or at least come to terms with “hoarding”. I turned literal trash into a centerpiece and then into stuffed animal toy storage. Yeah I know. I have issues.

I originally found this plant hanger next to the trash by the side of our house when we first moved in last year. I ended up cleaning it up, painting it, embellishing it, and using it as an outdoor chandelier for my daughter’s outdoor summer birthday party. It was hung in the center of a tent with a nice adult seating area and turned out quite lovely.

I didn’t want to throw it away so I ended up hanging it in my daughter’s room for stuffed animal toy storage. It worked out perfectly because it matched the butterfly wall art, stenciled burlap butterfly wall art, I made and ceiling fan that I installed. Since I used the pearls and beads sparingly when decorating the chandelier, small stuffed animals can easily be taken in and out. My daughter loves it and calls it her hanging zoo (and sometimes her hanging jail, but zoo is much nicer).

When I first saw that pile of unwanted trash, I would have never thought I’d be hanging it in my toddler’s room, but it worked out! This old plant hanger, once dirty and trashy, is now a sweet treasure that I think my daughter will have for several years to come.

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Category : Kid Stuff, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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07th Mar2013

Repurposed Vintage Door Knobs

by Dinah Wulf

One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is peruse vintage flea markets. I have noticed that you can find vintage door knobs in abundance and for a decent price. They come in various colors and styles and in in different materials like glass and metal as well. Sometimes you can even find the original matching door knob plate. I thought I’d put together some ideas for repurposing vintage door knobs. The more patina there is, the more beautiful and unique the project. Here are seven fantastic inspirations for repurposed vintage door knobs.

This is a vintage glass door knob photo holder from Etsy shop, RustiqueArt.

Here is another clever and fun idea for a photo holder.

I love the idea of using a pretty glass door knob as a curtain tie back.

Here is a cute idea from Restoring the Roost in which she made a useful door knob hanger for aprons in her kitchen. She also suggests this for hanging coats in your mudroom.

I love this similar idea for a door knob coat rack using salvaged wood. It doubles as a pretty art piece as well.

A great way to display and organize jewelry, here is a door knob necklace holder.

This may be one of my favorites and one I may have to steal! I like this idea of using the door knob and the plates for holding towels in your bathroom from Not Just a Housewife.

I hope you enjoyed these fun ideas. Can you think of more creative ways to repurpose a door knob?

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Category : Trash To Treasure

Tags : Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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25th Feb2013

100 Creative Ways to Recycle

by Dinah Wulf

I am very close to publishing 500 posts on this blog in less than two years! Geesh!! Looking back, many of these posts (if not all) are focused on reuse and repurposing. I thought I’d put together a round-up of some of these amazing ideas I have found over the past several months. Once you get the repurposing and upcycling bug, you see the world differently. All of a sudden, you become a hoarder of toilet paper rolls and spaghetti jars. You even think twice before selling a piece of furniture on Craigslist. I stopped at 100, but I know there are many more! They range from furniture transformations, craft projects, and home décor and organization ideas. Some are quite simple, and some will take some DIY experience. Here are 100 Creative Ways to Recycle. Here we go!

8 Ways to Recycle Coffee Filters

16 Stylish Headboards

7 Unique Repurposed Table Ideas

5 Repurposed Storage Ideas to Update an Entryway

15 Ways to Reuse Old Shutters

10 Ways to Repurpose a Door

6 Upcycling Ideas for the Kitchen

My Top 15 Recycled Craft Projects of 2012

7 Ideas for Repurposed Furniture in your Bathroom

11 Upcycled Lighting Ideas

I hope you enjoyed my recycling inspired round-up. Like I said, there are many more on this blog… at least one hundred I know for sure!

What are some creative ways that you recycle? Are you a toilet paper hoarder like me?

Pass it on!

Category : Trash To Treasure

Tags : Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposed Furniture, Repurposing Ideas, Storage Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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22nd Feb2013

Painted Colored Glass Vases

by Dinah Wulf

I went thrift store shopping the other day in search of some new projects and came up empty handed. I even went to five different thrift stores. On my way home I pass Goodwill. Being the cheapskate I am I didn’t plan on stopping in because I think their prices are too high, but having an already unsuccessful trip, I turned in. As I walked through the doors I hear that there was a 50% off sale on green tagged items today over the intercom. Score! I ended up purchasing some glass vases. I decided that painted colored glass vases would be a nice touch as decorative accents in my kitchen.

Pictured below are the glasses I purchased. I got all five of them for $6.95! When looking for glasses to paint, pay attention to the shape and texture of the glass to achieve your desired look. Take the time to make your own arrangement on the store shelf to help you decide which ones to purchase.

Here is what you need:

Glass vases in varied sizes and shapes
Acrylic craft paint in the desired colors
Paint brush for each paint color
Paper plates
Damp paper towel

Step One: Once you have chosen your vases, clean them with soap and water and dry them thoroughly.

Step Two: Apply a generous amount of paint. I mixed my paint first because I could not find the exact color I wanted.

Step Three: Slowly tilt and turn the vase to cover the inside of the glass. When you reach the lip of the vase, use a paint brush to neatly apply the paint and cover the entire inside of the glass.

Step Four: Allow the paint to dry.

Here are some after photos:

Note: I use these vases for decorative purposes only. Do not fill with water or wash in the dishwasher.

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

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

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13th Feb2013

Recycled Coin Wrapper Flowers

by Dinah Wulf

Ever since I started this blog, one of my besties tells me she finds it difficult to throw things away. She said she thinks to herself, “Dinah could make something out of this.” So, when I saw her the other day she handed me a baggie of coin wrappers. “Here, make something out of this.” So starts my first recycled craft challenge. After asking some Facebook friends on my page for inspiration, I decided to make recycled coin wrapper flowers. Here are the wrappers I used.

Now, let me just say that not all of my projects turn out quite like I picture them in my head (you are about to see my first published CRAFT FAIL!!). My original intention was to make wall art out of these coin wrappers for my friend, but it didn’t turn out quite like I had planned. With that said, I think these flowers would be cute for ornaments, card making, or gift wrapping embellishments. Here is how I made these cute little recycled coin wrapper paper flowers.

Materials:

Coin wrappers
Glue
Scissors
Rhinestones, buttons, or beads (for the center)

First, cut your wrapper into strips at the desired thickness as shown. I found that the thinner the flower, the more dainty and pretty it was.

Next, bend each strip to form flower petals.

Arrange the flower petals as you wish and glue them together.

Add a rhinestone embellishment. I tried painting the petals and found it tedious. I also liked that you could tell that they were coin wrappers, so I decided not to paint them.

Now for my CRAFT FAIL!!!!!

I bought canvas and tried to arrange my flowers in a cute pattern. The plain white canvas was really boring… (BTW, the plastic is still on the canvas in this picture)

…so I painted them… the colors were not quite right…

I attempted to make an arrangement anyway… BLAH!!! I wasn’t satisfied and DEFINITELY not good enough to give to someone and expect them to hang them in their home!

SOOOOO, I tried to layer them, but still didn’t like it. I think I’ll just use them for gift wrapping or card making! Oh well! I tried!

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, paper crafts, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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08th Feb2013

Upcycled Lighting Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

I have written about repurposed lighting ideas before from inspirations I found while shopping out and about in retail stores. I haven’t written about upcycled lighting ideas, however, from my internet shopping trips! There are so many fantastic ideas out there… several I would have NEVER even dreamt of that I thought I’d put together another fun round-up of these interesting and repurposed creations.

Let’s start with the Kitchen! OK so these first two aren’t for everyone, but I love the ingenuity of both vintage finds. (I apologize but I lost the source for the strainer light. If you know it, please leave a comment so I can add it!)

These are Repurposed Spoon Pendant lights by Designer Francois Legault.

I love these Mason Jar lights from Etsy.

This birdcage chandelier is one of my favorites from Design Sponge.

This shabby chic pendant light is made from a basket.

Love these! They are globes turned pendent lamps!

Can you believe that this floor lamp is made out of plastic knives?

These fun DIY liquor bottle lamps have step by step instructions of Tip Junkie.

Is this repurposed telephone a good idea or bad idea?

I saved the most creative for last (well, most creative to me anyway). This pendant lamp is made out of 1960’s plastic camping chairs!

I hope these upcycled lighting ideas inspired to you to make your own! What would you upcycle into a lamp???

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Category : Trash To Treasure

Tags : Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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10th Jan2013

Craft Room Ideas

by Dinah Wulf

We moved into this house in February of this year and we never used the office. I housed all my craft supplies in the closet, and had an old desk, filing cabinet, and office chair in it but that was it. So this year when my husband asked what I wanted for Christmas, I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to turn the office into a craft room. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share my reveal and put together some helpful craft room ideas.

Here is the room before with a picture of the closet.

Eventually, I would like to do some more garage sale and thrift store shopping and refurbish some furniture to add (that’s why you can’t see the right side of the room…. Ha!), however to start the organization process, IKEA had an explosion in this room. We bought the shelving and craft table there, as well as the blue metal kitchen cart I used for my sewing machine and fabric. If you look at the first picture above you can see the bar stools I upcycled as well. Here’s a close up of the kitchen cart.

I loved this table because it had extra storage in the legs.

I also organized the drawers according to materials.

I added wire baskets from the dollar bins at Target for added storage as well.

The DIY colored glass Mason Jars I made were perfect to organize the items I use all the time and made them easily accessible.

I hung a magnetic board on the side of the shelving unit and added little magnets to small plastic bottles to store some notions and small beads.

On the top of my shelving unit, I displayed my white frame, a free curb side score.

I also placed my repurposed spice rack up there…

And I used some glass containers and made some recycled craft jars filled with DIY necessities to display on top (both pretty and useful).

On the unfinished side of the room I hung my craft organization board I made from a free, unwanted, and ugly painting I found.

Lastly, I hung a little inspiration from a Blogger Socal Social I attended. It was part of my swag bag! It says, “Your spark can be a flame and change everything” by E.D. Nixon.

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Category : DIY Tips and Tricks, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, Mason Jar Crafts, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Storage Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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02nd Jan2013

Top 15 Recycled Crafts and Projects of 2012

by Dinah Wulf

It is so tough to figure out what the top projects are for the 2012, especially when you have to sort through over 200 posts I wrote this year! I ended up narrowing them down specifically to recycled, repurposed, or upcycled projects. All of these got a lot of love from social media. They have been liked, shared, pinned, tweeted, emailed, stumbled upon, you name it! Here are my Top 15 Recycled Crafts and Projects of 2012. Enjoy!

A quick and easy project, this Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Pillow is an inexpensive way to add style to your outdoor patio furniture.
Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping out of recycled grocery bags is the way to go for any occasion.
There are several tutorials out there for this one! Here is the quickest, cheapest, and easiest way to make DIY Colored Glass.
I found these night stands for $5.00 each! Here is how I Refurbished Garage Sale Night Stands.
What do you do with all those fabulous cards you receive every year in your mailbox? Recycle them of course into a Recycled Christmas Card Ornament. This craft was re-pinned over 500 times and counting on Pinterest!
Another steal for five bucks, here is a fun Garage Sale Bench Makeover I made by adding a cushion and pretty fabric.
A SUPER inexpensive way to add flair to your guest room, here is how I made Shoe Box Lid Wall Art out of old shoe box lids and stencils.
A popular retail wreath that you can no longer buy was circulating through social media this year. Here is my version of a Recycled Book Page Butterfly Wreath.
From an old iron plant hanger I found in a garbage pile, I made this Repurposed Plant Hanger chandelier for my daughter’s bedroom.
Another super easy and fun way to recycle those old Christmas cards is to make Repurposed Bottle Cap Magnets out of them!
You know you drink out of those plastic water bottles all the time! Make Recycled Water Bottle Flowers to embellish gifts or other craft projects.
This is a fun macramé tutorial I did to make a Recycled Mason Jar Lantern that is perfect for your back yard or patio.
Another fun water bottle project, make these Recycled Water Bottle Butterflies, a project easy enough for the kids to do.
This little sucker is pretty darn sturdy and has still lasted this whole year. Here is how to make a Recycled Magazine Bowl.
I reused an old painting I no longer loved and my daughter’s first baby blanket to make a Recycled Painting Organization Board.

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

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

Tags : paper crafts, Recycled Book Pages, Recycling Ideas, Refurbishing Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

6 Comm

27th Dec2012

DIY Craft Organization Board

by Dinah Wulf

This painting I found was in a pile of unwanted garage sale items about to hit the trash. Lucky for me, I was able to salvage a few of them before their journey to the garbage dump and ultimate demise. I am re-doing my office into a craft room…yay… and wanted to turn this old painting into a craft organization board. I made an organization board for my daughter’s room with an old painting and her first baby blanket, but for this one, I wanted to make it a little different. With a little tender loving care I literally turned this piece of trash into my treasure.

Here is a Before and After shot.

Materials You May Need:

Old Painting (best if it’s free!)
Paint or spray paint in the color of choice
Paint brush
Painter’s tape (optional)
Material (amount depends on the size of the frame)
Ribbon
Staple gun and staples
Hammer and nails (depending on frame)
Pliers
Imagination (this one is free too!)

Step One: Disassemble your frame.

For this particular frame the canvas popped right out. It was nailed to the frame, so I had to carefully remove the nails. At this point I cleaned both the canvas and frame as best as I could.

Step Two: Paint your frame.

This frame has a fun natural fiber edge to it (score!) so I had to use painter’s tape to protect the edges. I used left over paint I had from other projects. Otherwise, I would have spray painted it because it would have been easier and faster. I applied two coats of paint.

Step Three: Cover the canvas.

While I was waiting for the paint to dry, I covered the canvas with some utility fabric that I bought using a staple gun. I added a pocket for extra storage, and ribbon as well. I played around with the ribbon until I got my desired pattern. I attached the ribbon using the staple gun as well.

Step Four: Reassemble the frame.

For this particular frame, I had to nail the canvas back onto the frame.

Here are a few After photos.

That’s it! This project was so fun for me, and now I have a fun piece for my new craft room! Sneak peek coming soon!

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Category : Crafts, Kid Stuff, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposed Furniture, Repurposing Ideas, Storage Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

6 Comm

20th Dec2012

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas

by Dinah Wulf

I’m dreaming of a green Christmas for two reasons! The first reason is because my favorite color is green, and secondly because “green” also means eco-friendly. Same word, two meanings. What do you call that again? Think think think… ah yes! A homonym! See? I did pay attention in school. That or I Googled it, but you’ll never know! Anyway, here we go! Some of the following inspiration are green in color, some are eco, and some are both! Enjoy!

I love these! Tassels made from pine needles add a very clever repurposing idea to a holiday wreath.

A fun idea from Party City are these adorable candy cane Christmas cookies perched on a green cup of hot cocoa.

OK, for this one, the site it in Bulgarian, but you get the picture! They transformed 2 liter bottles into fun Eco friendly Christmas trees! So very clever!

Here’s another fantastic repurposing idea of using a hula hoop to make a giant Christmas wreath! I picture this outside hanging off the eaves of a roof.

You have to try these Emerald Fir Candles. The colors are fantastic in person, especially the metallic green. Emerald Fir is Colonial Candle’s December fragrance of the month, featuring a festive swirl of ground cinnamon, peppered clove and maple. So good! It’s the perfect Christmas sent without being too over powering.

A fun and simple craft you can do with your kids, is make these adorable yarn Christmas trees to add to your holiday décor.

Both green in color and eco-friendly green, recycling wine bottles into a candle centerpiece is another easy and inexpensive way to add oomph to your dinner table. Embellish them with velvet ribbon in hues of green and add rhinestones to glam them up a bit!

I heart this Christmas ball wall art! What a unique and beautiful way to reuse an old picture frame.

So simple, yet lovely, here is another whimsical green idea from Good Houskeeping.

Are YOU dreaming of a green Christmas?
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Category : Holidays

Tags : Christmas, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas

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19th Dec2012

Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Pillow

by Dinah Wulf

I purchased these coffee bean sacks from a flea market a while ago. They have been sitting in my craft closet just waiting to be transformed. Ever since we remodeled our patio, I knew I wanted to make this Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Pillow. I knew it would look fabulous on my new outdoor furniture. It also helps that the wood looked perfectly refinished thanks to Teak Master. Here is how it turned out.

So, you know my issues with sewing. So here is the spot where I make a disclaimer… since I’m not confident in my sewing skills, this is not a tutorial (in my head anyway), it’s rather a post showing you how I made this. I’m not sure if it’s right or wrong. I just know how I happen to make it!

First I cut out the area of the coffee bean sack that I wanted to showcase. I cut it about an inch and a half wider and longer than my pillow.

I pinned it inside out using straight pins.

I broke out my sewing machine and… yep… you guessed it… sewed in a straight line, leaving an opening for the pillow.

I turned the pillow case right side out and inserted the pillow.

Next, I pinned the opening to make it easier to hand stitch.

Finally I hand stitched it closed. The beauty of working with a burlap sack is that you can’t really notice the hand stitching.

Voila! Now you have a fun Recycled Coffee Bean Sack Pillow! Here are some after photos.

If you need some tips on how to care for burlap, I have a few for you!

Here are some more fun trash to treasure ideas and tutorials!

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Dinah's Tutorials, DIY Burlap Crafts, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Spring, Summer, Upcycling Ideas

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13th Dec2012

Recycled Christmas Card Ornaments

by Dinah Wulf

I don’t know about you but I receive a lot of Christmas cards in the mail. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE receiving them, especially the ones with the family photos. I love seeing my loved one’s kids grow up, seeing new additions, and even seeing what funny costumes their pets will be wearing. You can always make recycled bottle cap magnets out of them but that was SOOOO last year! Just kidding This year, I decided to make Recycled Christmas Card Ornaments. This is a fun and easy kid-friendly craft. Here’s is what you’ll need:

Christmas Cards
Paper Cutter or Scissors
Stapler
Hot Glue
Embellishments (I used a scrapbook embellishment and plastic rhinestone gems)
Ribbon

Step One: Gather your Christmas Cards! I chose by color… red and green of course! Oh yeah… plug in your glue gun.

Step Two: Cut them up. I cut them in one inch strips. I cut two lengths just depending on the size of the card. I cut 16 strips all together (8 in two different lengths).

Step Three: To make them easy to maneuver, I stapled four groups of four together. I also creased a few to make the shape more interesting.

Step Four: Put the four pieces together and pinch with your fingers. This is the easiest way to apply the glue. Apply your hot glue and hold it for a few seconds to allow it to harden slightly and then add your embellishment.

Step Five: Add a ribbon.

Step Six: Hang it! So easy AND your Christmas cards don’t get thrown away AND you just made your kid happy by doing a craft with them! P.S. Notice my recycled Scrabble tile ornaments in the background?

Bonus! Guess what? Here are two other fun ornament tutorials done by my friends and favorite Bloggers over at Pandora’s Craft Box and Chase The Star.

Here is Loren’s DIY Snow Globe from Pandora’s Craft Box!

Here is Barbara’s DIY Ornament from Chase the Star!

I hope you try them out!

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Category : Holidays, Kid Stuff, Kids Craft Ideas

Tags : Christmas, Dinah's Tutorials, Paper Flowers, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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05th Dec2012

Book Folding Tutorial

by Dinah Wulf

I am so excited to share one of my favorite tutorials from Loren Crane of Pandora’s Craft Box. This book folding art is a great way to upcycle an old book.

Written By Loren Crane of Pandora’s Craft Box

Here’s a new craft idea I learned it’s called book folding. I occasionally saw it in store displays and I found it fascinating. I could never figure out how they made them, then a couple of days ago I took a class and they showed me how it was done. It can be a very tedious job and mind numbing, but the outcome can be fantastic. I use them as decorations on my dining room table and on my fireplace mantle. They are so easy to make and convenient if you find yourself hating the idea of throwing a book away. I love to read and throwing a book away should never be an option. So here is a great way to keep using those books you no longer want or you can go purchase bargain books at your local bookstore. I love all my books and I just can’t see myself damaging them so purchasing $1 books is the next best thing.

Here I did a simple folding which is just folding the pages in half in the same direction. It’s so easy to make! It only took me about 15 min, but it depends on how many pages the book contains. I would like to mention that a book with 600 pages would be too difficult to manage. The first picture on the page was made with a book of 600 pages, but I had to rip out the last 50 pages because the pages started to rip at the top while folding and the book became very heavy.

Now I am going to show you a very simple fold that has a dramatic effect.

Step 1: First, you want to start with using a paperback book. Tear off both covers from the spine.

Step 2: Fold the first page into a triangle.

Step 3: On the following page, fold the top part to form a 90 degree triangle.

Step 4: Again make a triangle on the next page.

Step 5: Now do a 90 degree triangle from the bottom of the following page.

Step 6: Keep alternating and repeating the pattern until you get to the end of the book.

You can make different pattern depending on the fold of the page. The sky is the limit. I hope you have fun with it. Please do post your pic of what you came up with.

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Category : Crafts, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Centerpieces, Craft Ideas, Guest Author, paper crafts, Recycled Book Pages, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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27th Nov2012

CD Tower Advent Calendar

by Dinah Wulf

I was so excited to make an advent calendar this year because my daughter is finally old enough. I searched online for some inspiration and saw some great advent calendar ideas but none that I really wanted to do. Then one day, I was getting my guest room ready for some visiting friends and saw a CD tower that I had from college. I currently use this piece of repurposed furniture to house guest room necessities like towels, toiletries, pens, paper, and such. The cubbies are so useful and would be perfect to hold little wrapped gifts for my advent calendar… and it’s RED! Here’s how I made my CD Tower Advent Calendar.

This project only costs me $20, including all the little trinkets and presents inside. I know that’s a little more than most advent calendars, but still budget friendly. I bought items in the dollar bins that had three or more items in a package and broke the package up to save money. Some things I bought were pens, erasers, candy, stickers, hair clips, plastic play jewelry, and the last one… the grand finale… a Dora Explorer jump rope that costs $1.50.

I bought red and green paper sacks and different types of ribbon to embellish the packages (of course using my coupons AND shopping on black Friday). I used circle craft punches and printed numbers and letters on my computer. I thought the circles were perfect because they looked like ornaments. I punched a small hole on top and added ribbon for each number ornament. I also alternated the colors. With my left over paper and ribbon, I made a “days til Christmas” banner to go down the middle on the CD Tower.

Here are some more pictures.

Hope you like it!

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Oh! By the way! Uncarved (it that a word?) pumpkins last forever! Geesh! So I had to turn my Hello Kitty pumpkin into a Christmas Hello Kitty!

Until tomorrow!

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Category : Holidays, Kid Stuff

Tags : Christmas, Dinah's Tutorials, Repurpose, Repurposed Furniture, Repurposing Ideas, Storage Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

5 Comm

14th Nov2012

Recycled T Shirt Bunting

by Dinah Wulf

I wanted to spruce up my mantle for the holidays so I decided to make a Thanksgiving banner. Naturally, I wanted to use recycled materials so I found an old wrinkled cotton T shirt in my husband’s side of the closet (my side is neat and tidy of course!). There was a huge stain on the front right on the chest so this was perfect for my recycled T shirt bunting.

Here are the materials you will need:

Old clothing item
Scissors
Pencil
Ruler
Paper (to make your flag pattern)
Iron
Spray starch
Fabric paint
Spouncer
Stencils
Ribbon or rope
Hot glue

Instructions:

Step One: Grab and old T shirt or any other piece of clothing. Feel free to play with colors and textures.

Step Two: Make your flag pattern. I used a piece of cardstock (8”X6”). It’s easiest to start with a rectangle, measure the center of one end, and draw a diagonal line from one corner to the center mark for both sides and cut.

Step Three: Cut out your flags. I chose to spell out “Give Thanks”.

Step Four: Lay out your flags to iron and spray it with starch.

Step Five: Iron your flags.

Step Six: Stencil your letters using a spouncer. I chose green my favorite color! Check out my stenciling tips I from my stenciled place mat project. You can purchase these stencils online.

Step Seven: Allow your letters to dry and then hot glue each flag to your rope. I bought 3 yards of rope they had on sale for the holidays and cut it in half. It was perfect for my recycled T shirt banner!

Here are some AFTER photos.

I took these during the day…

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Category : Crafts, Holidays, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Baby Shower Ideas, Birthday Party Ideas, Bridal Shower Ideas, Christmas, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Stenciling, Thanksgiving, Upcycling Ideas, Wedding Ideas

3 Comm

05th Nov2012

Shoe Box Lid Wall Art

by Dinah Wulf

I’ve said it a hundred times and I’ll say it again! I’m cheap! Let me add to that; I may have an acute hoarding problem as well. Wait. Is “acute hoarding” and oxymoron? Anyway, I recently painted my guest room and I wanted to add some DIY wall art so I decided to recycled some shoe boxes and make shoe box lid wall art instead of buying paint canvases from the craft store. They turned out great, I must say!

Here is what you’ll need:

Shoe box lids (Papa sized, Mama sized, and Baby sized)
Craft Paint
Paint brushes
Stencils
Spouncers (sponge stencil brush)

I started off by choosing my color pallet and laying out my shoe box lids in the arrangement I wanted to hang them. Next I painted each box lid a different color. I used two coats for each. Using stencils and spouncers, I added my design by carefully saturating the tip of the brush, removing some excess, and stamping the paint down onto the stencil in an up and down motion. This helps prevent bleeding. Allow each box to dry in between stencils.

I ended up hanging each lid with a thumbtack. You can add rubber putty at the tip of your thumbtack to prevent slipping. For one of my paintings I added a clock (I’ll show you that tutorial later).

Here are some more after photos.

Tip: I have used many different brands of craft paint in my day and I have to say that the easiest and best to work with is Martha Stewart’s craft paint. It goes on like butter! For these I used the satin finish… oh and I used her stencils too!

Here are some more fun trash to treasure ideas and tutorials!

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Category : Crafts, DIY Artwork, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Craft Ideas, Decorating Ideas, Dinah's Tutorials, Recycling Ideas, Repurpose, Repurposing Ideas, Stenciling, Upcycling Ideas

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29th Oct2012

Repurposed Inspiration from Antique Shopping

by Dinah Wulf

I can’t believe this is my 400th post! Thought I’d celebrate by sharing a lovely event I went to. Recently, I attended the Socal Social here in Orange County, a local get together for Bloggers. I didn’t know what to expect, as this was the first blog conference I had ever attended. All I have to say is, WOW! Well, OK that’s not exactly ALL I have to say. It was fantastic and far exceeded my expectations. From meeting the most inspiring women to finding repurposed inspiration from antique shopping all day, I had a blast. There were lots of swag, giveaways, and even celebrity writer and television personality, Mark Montano. By the way, you have to check out his new book, The Big Ass Book of Bling! Some of my favorite projects are jewelry made from bobby pins or safety pins. It’s fabulous!

I spent most of the day with Loren from Pandora’s Craft Box and Jen from Something Turquois. I was also able to chat with Barbara from Chase the Star, Tara from A Spectacled Owl, Erica from Gee Whiz Designs, among so many other amazing fellow bloggers. Of course, our hosts were Vivienne from The V Spot and Bev from Flamingo Toes.

The event was held in the historic Orange circle if Orange, California also known as the Orange Circle Antique Mall. Needless to say, I found some fabulous repurposed and upcycled antique finds that I wanted to share with you.

Baskets turned Wall Storage

Utensil Chandelier (Check out the spooky picture at the bottom…ew!)

Umbrella Pendant Lamp

Vintage Suitcase Vanity

Chair Swing Flower Pot

Mason Jar Glasses (love these!!)

OK, these bottles aren’t necessarily repurposed, but I thought they were pretty!

Last but definitely not least… MY FAVORITE… Bird Cage Chandelier

I can tell you how great it was to meet like-minded ambitious women that knew EXACTLY what I do day in and day out. Thank you ladies! I had the time of my life… until next year!

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Category : Inspiring People, Trash To Treasure

Tags : Everyday Inspiration, Recycling Ideas, Repurposing Ideas, Upcycling Ideas

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