Recently, when my daughters were looking for something to do, I pulled out an old craft idea that I had done as a kid. This project turns an ordinary tin can into a decorative paper clip or pen holder. Supplies needed: clean tin cans (e.g., tuna or soup cans, candy tins, etc) fabric scraps ribbons, […]
Make Your Own Teacup Candles
I decided to spend a recent rainy day (forty degrees in April, of course) making teacup candles that had the gentle smell of fruits, flowers, and other spring notions. These cups are also very nice for gift giving and incredibly easy to make.
Homemade DIY Foundation
When I was 20 & 30 I had absolutely no need for cream or liquid foundation. Ah, youth…my skin was perfect. Or as close as it was going to get. I was even blessed to NOT have acne or any blemishes on my face, blessed indeed. Then came my 40’s, and it brought gifts of […]
Repurposed Salt Containers
If you’re anything like me, being stuck in the house while the snow piles up outside you’re creative impulses may go into over-drive. Cleaning out my spice cabinet, my attention was drawn to the salt shaker containers. What, if anything could I possibly do with those? Here are three ideas. Supplies: All three projects require cutting, […]
DIY Raised Garden Bed
Last year, I asked Nick for a raised flower bed to replace the shale-lined, ground-level one at our house. It happened to be nice weather that weekend, so we gathered what we needed an went to town. Our bed’s outside measurements estimate at 3ft by 9ft and about a foot deep. Materials: Twelve 6ft landscaping […]
Knitted Valentine Treat Bag
In creating a dice bag (geek thing ) for my husband, I was hit by the inspiration fairy. The original pattern for the Cthulu Dice bag that started all of this can be found at http://www.arcanavitae.com. From this, I made minor changes to create a home-knitted Valentine Treat bag that can be gifted to teachers, secretaries, […]
The DIY Mechanic Gift Set
A DIY mechanic gift set! My brother-in-law fancies himself an amateur car-fix-it guy, so we decided to give him some supplies to feed this habit. Before you start the gift-giving brainstorm over with birthdays and Father’s Day,
Graham Cracker Gingerbread Houses
Making gingerbread houses is a tradition in our family. It’s something my husband usually does with the kids while I’m putting together the final Christmas details. This year, my daughter wanted to make gingerbread houses after school with a friend. I was inspired by these graham cracker gingerbread houses from Fountain Avenue Kitchen. Construction projects […]
Quick Fix for Broken Picture Glass
Recently, the glass in one of my pictures frames got broken. You wouldn’t think it would be hard to replace a piece of 10×13 glass, but I just couldn’t find a sheet to fit my frame. I even had the poor luck of not finding a new frame in the right size when I went […]
Gifts for Grown-Ups on a Budget – Trends and Tips!
It’s easy (and fun!) to focus on kid’s toys and present ideas, but today I appeared on KXII to share some of my favorite tips for buying gifts for grown-ups when you are on a budget.
DIY Gifts For Giving the Homemade and Personal Touch
Whether you are trying to save money, or just want to give something artisan and personal, homemade gifts are popular again. They don’t have to be cheap looking either! Some of these DIYs are worth far more than cookie-cutter-same-ole widgets you can pick up at big box stores. DIY Gifts for Foodies If you have […]
DIY Ornament: “Frosted” Candy Cane Thumbprint Keepsake
Now that my kids are old enough (sort of) at 2 and 3, I thought we would start a new holiday tradition this year and start making an annual DIY ornament! They are not exactly master crafters yet, but they rock at getting their fingers in paint. So I used the inspiration from two Halloween […]
