Recycling Christmas CardsWhat do you do with your Christmas cards? I decided to recycle mine! I took all my cards and turned them into Christmas gift cards for next year!
Treasure Boxes from Wine CratesI noticed my neighbor regularly discarding wooden wine crates in the alley. On one of my evening walks with my dogs, I dragged one of the crates home, and the rest is history.
How to Fix Damaged Surfaces of Wood FurnitureWood is lovely, but at times it does not age well, or exposure makes the veneer or varnish suffer needlessly.
Bead and Sequin Ornaments (Grandma...My grandma made the most beautiful bead and sequin ornaments and they have always been my favorites on our tree. This year I attempted to recreate these stunning ornaments. These are great decorations and also make a wonderful gift.
Greeting Card TrivetCreate a Christmas trivet from an inexpensive tile and a recycled Christmas card or wrapping paper. It can be displayed on an easel when not in use. Makes a great Christmas gift along with an inexpensive easel!
Coffee Filter ArtEasy and inexpensive, children of all ages can enjoy this craft. Use everyday household supplies to make lovely kid designs. This craft can also be used to teach colors and color blending.
Clay Pot Candy/Gumball MachineMake this cute, inexpensive candy machine for Valentine's Day or decorate for any occasion. It makes a nice gift for a friend or co-worker.
DIY EnvelopeThis is easy to make and only takes a couple minutes. If you made a card and have no envelopes you can just make this one out of regular printer paper.
Pull-Apart PineappleThis is a fun way to tackle a pineapple that keeps you from having to peel, core and slice. This is best done with a super ripe pineapple because the flesh is easy to twist and pull at. You will need one pineapple and one sharp pairing knife.
Crystal Clear Roof Rain GuttersMy traditional metal gutters worked more like car washes; clogging, overflowing and rotting the fascia boards. I took them off but then had too much water hitting the porch over front door.
Heart Shaped PotholderThese potholders are easy to make and can easily be customized for your kitchen.
Aluminum Leaf EarringsThese 2 sets of aluminum leaf earrings are made from scrap aluminum from disposable pie pans and also an aluminum seal from a coffee can.
Homemade Birdseed WreathThis cute wreath will bring your feathered friends together for a good meal. Made from birdseed and a few household items, this hanging feeder can give you many pleasurable hours of bird watching.
DIY Off-Shoulder TopI was looking to buy an off-shoulder sweatshirt when I noticed that most of them cost $10 to $15 more than their pre-cut counterparts. There is a super simple way to cut them to make them hang off your shoulder just right. Here's how to do it.
Light Bulb VaseThis is a project to recycle and reuse old lightbulbs. I've converted them into vases for my money plant. They look beautiful and are super easy to make.
Spool Yo Yo TreeHere is another cute yo yo Christmas tree project, for the yo yo enthusiast. You can make one or a whole grove.
Big Soap BubblesSo I know winter is approaching and these aren't really typical to see at this time of year, but you can use them inside too! You just have to be prepared to clean up a little bit of a mess:)
Protective Scissor CaseCarrying scissors is dangerous, making a protective case a must! This project shows how to make a protective case for scissors using paper and cardboard. It's quick to make, and does a pretty good job too. This is especially relevant to children for whom a protective case for scissors is important.
Popsicle Stick Geometric SculptureThis intriguing sculpture is made out of a bunch of equilateral triangles made from popsicle sticks and hot glue. If you add LED lights or votives inside, it makes a fantastic lamp. The inspiration for this came from a set of polyhedral gamer's dice, which I think are so cool. Give this craft a try!
Salvaging a Basset Chest of DrawersOn a trip to the laundromat, I saw what appeared to be a chest of drawers. I pulled over and stopped so that I could get a closer look. Indeed it was a chest of drawers. Looked ugly enough. Some sort of mustard yellow puke color. All 5 drawers were there. The bottom of the chest looked as though it had been sitting in 5 inches of water. Long enough so that the lower decorative part of its foundation and bottom slat of wood had disintegrated. I opened the top drawer and it appeared brand new, albeit dusty, dirty and webby.
Stamped Tile CoastersSuper easy stamped tile coasters! These make great inexpensive gifts for family and friends.
Toilet Paper Origami FanThis is a simple, but pretty, way to display your toilet paper. It adds an extra special touch when having guests over.
Plastic Bottle Fruit Fly TrapWe have tried many things to get rid of fruit flies in our home, and this is hands down the easiest, cheapest, and most effective way. One of the most important things in order to catch them is the bait you put out. Fruit flies can be more attracted to some things more than others.
Silverware for Butter Dish HandleUpdate a simple glass butter dish by adding a bent piece of silverware. Glue to top using a good adhesive like E-6000.
Quick Tea Towel AngelsI needed some inexpensive, but thoughtful gifts for a number of people who have been helping me with my small business this year. I was able to pick up packs of Christmas towels and matching hot pads for $5. Each pack makes two angels and you have an oven mitt left over.
Making Fabric Yo YosThis is a short tutorial for making fabric yo yos. These cute little fabric circles can be used in lots of craft projects, from quilts to Christmas garlands.
Decorated Seashell Jewelry DishesA friend of mine gave me a dozen large seashells to see if I could do anything for our fall craft fair. Well, I thought if I painted and glittered each one, they could be used on the jewelry table as small jewelry dishes. My thought was; spend $10 and get a free jewelry dish. I think it will work!
Hanging Ball Made With Old CardsTake 20 used Christmas card (or any other card) fronts and cut out 4 inch circles. Using a triangle template, fold the edges of the circles up to form flaps. Glue the flaps together, add a hanging ribbon and you have an 8" decorative ball.
Pipe Cleaner BraceletsYou can make colorful bracelets out of pipe cleaners by braiding them. Make for team colors, holidays, or friendship bracelets.
Cross in a Pocket ProjectThis is a cute little reminder that anyone can carry. It is simple enough for children, but also interesting enough for grown-ups. It should take between 30 and 60 minutes to complete.
How to Make a Matching Curly Gift BowWhy pay for a gift bow when you can easily make one to match from left over gift wrap. This will give your gift wrapping a sophisticated and professional finish.
DIY Yoga Mat InsolesBy taking a yoga mat, you can make several custom made insoles. They are comfortable plus free if you already have a mat.
Homemade Boogie WipesThe little packages of boogie wipes are nice, but expensive for what you get, they are also too large in my opinion. I decided to make my own out of diaper wipes.
Candy Bouquet With Candy VaseCandy bouquets are a fun gift to give or receive, but they can be expensive to buy! Luckily they are easy to make yourself and much cheaper.
Baby Food Jar Christmas TreeHere's a picture and instructions for the baby food jar "Christmas tree" my daughter made for my friends 80th birthday.
Painted Wire Flowers and CloverThis is a super fun and pretty craft using wires, wood glue, and nail polish. Bend the wires in whatever flower shapes you admire, dip in glue, then paint. They reflect such beautiful colours in the sun. I hope you give this a try!
Beaded Valentine BagCrocheted bag with beads and heart drawstrings.
DIY Rhinestone NecklaceIf you want to make a necklace for yourself, it can be a lot of fun and easy. It takes you about 45 minutes to make this necklace. Just follow these steps.
Sparkleball DecorationI had so much trouble locating directions on the internet for making a "solo" cup light ball that I just created my own free website that gives easy to follow step-by-step instructions. I call them sparkleballs.
Converting a Drawer Unit Into a FootstoolI recently gave a very large desk to a gal just across the road from me. I had used it less and less over the last year, so it was time.
Popsicle Stick SnowflakeThese intricate snowflakes were easy to make and fun to design. We made them as a family and everyone chose to use a different pattern. The instructions are for only one of the designs, but feel free to create your own.
Clothes Pin and Popsicle Stick AirplaneHere is a way to make a miniature airplane using a clothes pin and Popsicle sticks.
Turning a Crew Neck Shirt into a V-NeckI recently found some t-shirts on sale at the craft store for $2. I was excited, but I despise crew neck shirts. I found a youtube video explaining exactly how to turn your shirts into v-necks and they looked like you bought them that way. It's easy and takes less than half an hour.
Egg Carton Magic MushroomsThese magic mushrooms make cute decorations. All you need is a paper-based egg carton, paint, and glue. This is a great all-ages craft.
Pom-Pom ReindeerAnother craft for left-over pom-poms and extra craft bits. The cute reindeer has pom-poms for a body and head and chenille stems as antlers and legs.
DIY Eyelash AdhesiveI started making my own eyelash glue when I realized the store brand ones I was using was making my lids a bit itchy. This adhesive is made of a few simple household products and keeps your lashes on all day.
Halloween Costume: RobotThe body and head are made from cardboard boxes then wrapped with art paper to make the silver chrome paint more metallic. Head has a construction helmet, making the inside fitted to head.
Crochet Kitchen TowelCrochet several of these and put them in handy places throughout your kitchen; on the oven door and the refrigerator handle are the best places for these. My version is different from most since I don't cut the towel in half, but fold it and use the whole towel.
Filet Crochet HeartFilet crochet is usually done with crochet thread. I chose to use yarn because I wanted more coverage than thread would allow. (I bought a green pillow that didn't match my décor as well as I thought it would.)
Coiled Rag BowlI saw a pretty coiled rag bowl on Pinterest and decided to make one for myself. Here it is. I hope you are inspired to make one too. I really like how it turned out.
Making a Bamboo RainstickHere on the island music is an important part of our lives. There are many ways that we use bamboo to make musical instruments. One of the instruments I love to make is a rainstick.
Thriftstore Glass Garden TowerI have seen other examples of this type of project and wanted to create one of my own. Currently it is decorating my kitchen countertop, but will move outside into the garden when the weather improves.
Baby Cradle PurseThis is also sometimes called a Church Purse. It is crocheted using a dishwashing detergent bottle for a base. Any oval bottle will work. When it is closed it is a purse, and opened it is a baby cradle.
Toothpick Christmas TreeToothpicks and Styrofoam balls come together to make an amazingly elegant table top Christmas tree.
Snowmen Button BraceletCelebrate the season with a DIY Christmas bracelet. I really liked the idea of forming different figures from buttons. This is a great use for buttons left over from old clothes. I decided to make a bracelet with snowmen.
Making Winter Scarf Covered WreathsThis simple and very easy DIY consists of a wreath and a winter scarf. This project is no sew, no glue. You just take your scarf and simply wrap around and tuck the ends into the pleats of your wrapped wreath. Making this project so simple!
Plastic Spoon TreeHere's a fun and easy way to make a chic looking tree for the holidays, or any time of the year. I think they look lovely both indoors and outdoors. All you need are plastic spoons, a piece of paper, and hot glue. The bigger the paper, the taller the tree.
DIY Puffy Stickers from Hot GlueI have always loved 3D puffy stickers ever since I was a little girl. I used to adore putting them on letters to my friends at school. Now I like to make them myself using hot glue and some paint. They turn out very pretty and the design choices are endless. Not to mention they are super cheap to make!
Costume Jewelry Christmas TreeI make costume jewelry Christmas trees as gifts for family. This one on black background was given to me 30 years ago and made by my 86 year old aunt. It is one of the most loved things in my home.
Plastic Jug Wall MasksWall masks made from plastic jugs. Cut tops off jugs as shown in photo. Make a hole at top center and make a string loop for hanging.
Sweet Gum Mini-WreathThis wreath is made from the seed pods from the sweet gum tree. This is a pattern for all you Southern folks that have these seed pods to clean up every fall from your yard.
Baby Food Jar Santa Candy JarThis is a vintage pattern that I used many years ago, but is still a popular recycle craft. It is a Santa candy jar made from a baby food jar.
Button Star OrnamentThis craft can be made using collected buttons left over from old clothes to make a star to decorate your Christmas tree. I used wire from an old transformer, so this project cost almost nothing. You can use any other color of buttons.
Glitter and Glue IciclesWhen I taught Pre-k, this craft was definitely a classroom favorite! It is very simple to make and is fun for kids because they get to make a little mess. These icicles are the perfect craft for winter days at home, when it is too cold to go outside.
Wooden Spoon DeerHere's a fun craft made from 5 wooden spoons, pom poms, felt, ribbon, glue, bells and other trims.
Snowman Made of Plastic CupsI still have two more half spheres of plastic cups which I previously turned into a chandelier. One is small and the other one is big so I got the idea of making another decoration which is a snowman.
Ring Pumpkin Using Plastic CanvasBy using strips of plastic canvas and wrapping them with yarn, you can make this unique pumpkin, too!
Candy Bar Christmas TreeThese make a wonderful gift. People love getting these trees and they are so much more personal than a box of chocolates. Happy Holidays!
Recycled Necktie Tree SkirtThis was made from men's ties that I got from friends who's husbands no longer wore them. I did open them up but if you have enough you would not have to open them up. Cut the length you want from each (should be the same length, then hand or machine stitch them together.
Bloody Choker NecklaceApologies if this is creepy, but I just adore overly dramatic Halloween costume pieces! I've seen similar chokers for sale for $15, and this cost me no more than 50 cents in supplies. Here's how to make one yourself.
Christmas Tea TreeThis is a cute Christmas tea tree to make and gift to a tea lover, or as decor for the holidays. You could pair this gift with a mug filled with chocolates.
Mini Felt Witch HatThese tiny witch hats are easy to make and can be used in numerous ways. I made mine to use as a tree topper for a mini Halloween tree. :)
Crocheted Recycled Christmas CardsSince I can't stand to throw out all my beautiful Christmas cards,I cut shapes from them, then punch holes around the sides, and crochet on them to make beautiful new Christmas Ornaments. I decorated our tree at church last year with them and received raves!!
Winter Wonderland AngelI like making a craft now and then where I use only what I have on hand, so it helps to keep my scrap pile under control. I attempted to do just this when wanting to make a Christmas present for a friend.
Industrial LampWhile attending an arts festival, we saw a lamp like this and decided to make our own.
Acorn ElvesThese are acorns I gathered near Salem, Massachusetts this fall while on a trip there. They came from my husband's ancestor's property where they settled in 1634. I wanted to make some kind of keepsake out of them and found this idea. So Christmas decorations seemed like a fun idea. I also crafted with my 11-year-old granddaugheter and she had fun making them too.
Old Jewelry PendantThis was made from old jewelry and charms that I have been collecting.
Turtle MopLow cost Christmas gift!
Bullet Holder CaseA good way to store bullets is an original idea from my husband, who enjoys going target shooting with his brother.
Scrappy Christmas QuiltJust another fun technique for a quick quilt using Christmas fabric scraps. Just fabric, no batting or flannel!
Prevent Soil Leakage from PotsHere's a quick and easy method to avoid soil leakage from your pots. All you'll need are a few supplies - your pot of choice, grab any mesh netting scraps (I utilized leftover galvanized mesh netting) and some hot glue.
Patchwork Prayer PouchUsing little pieces of fabric scraps to make a mini quilt with a pocket that holds a prayer list.
Hidden Diamond Quilt DesignYou have to make four quilt blocks to find the "hidden" diamond in this quilt design.
Lacey Barefoot Baby SandalsI saw a baby wearing this type of sandal and thought they were adorable. Inexpensive to make and so cute!
Zig Zag Christmas Table RunnerThis table runner could be used for any holiday themed table runner. I had a lot of Christmas fabric so I made a Christmas themed one. It was a fun way to use up scraps other than making a traditional nine patch block, etc.
Square in Square Quilt BlockEasy quilt block pattern with a square inside.
Halloween MasksI made these for my daughter-in-law's special needs class from leftover scraps of felt. I looked online for ideas for decorating the masks and found a basic pattern.
Crochet T-shirt RugThis project mostly shows how to make t-shirt yarn which you can then use for other projects. I chose to make a small rug. I had a lot of leftover strips of tshirts from a latch hook rug project. I wanted to use them up, so I made tshirt yarn with them. The crochet part didn't take nearly as much time as making the yarn!
Taco Quilt BlockI found a picture of a taco quilt block design but didn't want to buy the pattern, so I made one similar. I figured it out as I went along but I think it turned out very similar. It was later made into a hot pad for a friend who is obsessed with tacos.
Embroidered PhotographyThis three dimensional craft was quick and easy and fun to do.
Anchor Cross-stitch CraftCounted cross stitch on wood for an easy craft for children.
Fast and Easy Refinishing TipThis is an antique desk that we wanted to "perk up" a little without sanding the whole thing so it would keep its antique, vintage value. This was a much simpler idea for bringing "back to life" an old piece of furniture.
Monogram Jewelry CraftUsed old jewelry to make this wall art for a friend.
Eyeglass HangerMade from a little bit of wood and a chain makes your reading glasses readily accessible.
