Scrapbooking on a BudgetI have tons of pictures in photo albums but I recently met up with a new challenge, scrapbooking! While shopping this weekend I found a scrapbook at a tent sale for $2.00! It has 100 or more pages, is leather but has one drawback, it says Disneyland on the front.
Free Stained Glass PatternsWebsites with free stained glass patterns.
Trace Patterns Off Computer ScreenDon't despair if you don't have a printer or ink to print patterns off the net. Tape a sheet of paper to the top of your screen, and trace the pattern with a pencil. I have done this many, many times, and am well pleased with the results.
Tea Towel Apron and Hot Mitt SetI purchased two packages of tea towels from Overstock.com when they had advertised $1.00 shipping. The apron wasn't that difficult to sew. I had enough fabric left over to sew a pair of hot mitts.
Silverware Cabinet HandlesThe knobs and handles for kitchen cabinets are so expensive unless you want to settle for plain old wooden knobs. Here is how my husband and I were able to have something a little fancier with lots less money.
Painting Crafts for Nursing Home...Looking for craft ideas to engage retirement home residents. Here are a few suggestions to engage them in conversation whilst doing crafts.
Homemade Glass ShelvesI just recently discover a great way to make a "homemade" bookshelf, by stacking glass or plexi-glass on glass blocks. Glass blocks come in a great many styles and colors.
Make Hats from Leftover FleeceAfter altering 3 pairs of fleece pants for my mother-in-law, I was left with 3 pairs of pant leg bottoms (about 7 inches each). I made these hats from them. The pom-poms are made from left over yarn I had.
Use Press and Seal for Keeping Jigsaw Puzzles TogetherI was talking to a lady about table puzzles. She said she likes to shellac them on the back, once she's got a puzzle put together. She said she used to have trouble turning over a completed puzzle, but she has finally conquered that problem.
How to Paint StyrofoamStyrofoam is a basic element to many craft projects. It can be used with different shapes, styles, and mediums. However, because of its bland appearance, Styrofoam also often needs to be painted.
Crocheted Kewpie and Baby Cradle PurseThe original pattern I found on the Thrifty Fun website. I printed it in hopes of making it someday. They are just so adorable and turned out so cute.
Pompom LoomI have just made a loom to make pompom blankets or cushions. I made the frame approx 30" x 26" then put 1 1/2" nails all the way around the edge about 1 1/2" apart.
Bleach Bottle PiggyUse a regular bleach bottle, rinse it out with water and baking soda (takes the bleach smell away). Let dry. Paint with acrylic pink paint and let dry. Paint your spots on with either black or brown acrylic paint and let dry for about and hour.
Softball Jersey QuiltI took all the softball jerseys from my granddaughter's years of playing softball and made her a huge quilt from them. She cherishes this quilt and it brings back lots of memories for her.
Use Tin Foil To Make Your Own Sewing PatternsA friend of mine knows someone who sews "Knock offs" - Dresses that look just like those worn at the Oscars made by designers. The trick is aluminum foil. Yes! Plain old tin-foil.
Make Your Own Bra ExtendersMy bras started getting too tight and were extremely uncomfortable. My bras are still in very good condition and all I needed was an extra inch in the band width, so I found my answer on this website.
Free Newsprint for Wrapping PaperMost newspaper publishers have tons of end-rolls (rolls of unused newspaper paper) that they'll gladly give you for FREE! Even a small roll could be enough to wrap an entire year's worth of Christmas AND birthday gifts.
Halloween Popcorn Hand Party FavorThese favors are always a hit with children and adults too. They get a kick out of receiving the favor because of the "novelty" of the use of the glove.
Ideas for Old Wallets and also Old Plastic Store CardsI have a two-fold idea for old wallets (you see so many at the garage sale tables) and old cards that you no longer use - (you know, the grocery store cards, etc.?)
From Rags To BlanketsThis is a art and craft project that transforms all of my old clothing, that is too worn to wear and too damaged to donate into warm blankets for my bed-in order to prevent the textiles from going to a land fill.
Making a Recycled Toy Bike?When opening a can of food, cut the lid away from the bottom of the can. You will need two tin can lids. Next you will need around ten popsicle sticks before you can assemble the bike. Have fun.
Bottle Cap SculpturezMy tip is: Find art supplies in any trash can in America by using alternative materials. Oftentimes, the materials that I utilize are destined to end up in a landfill.
Bow DollsIt's what girls hang their hair bows on. There is ribbon all the way around the skirt that you put the bows on. If you run out of room, it has a long braid in the back and a mirror face so she can see to put the bow in her hair.
Save That Pillow CasingI have purchased several little pillows that are stuffed with tiny beads. I think the beads are Styrofoam. After several months of usage, the beads start to break down, leak out of the seams, and the pillow begins to go flat. Because of this, I have thrown some away which I felt was a big waste. The thought of saving the casing finally hit me.
Easy Sock Top Mug SleeveI used a child's sock and cut it off where the ribbing ended and made a mug sleeve. I did add a little embroidery but it's just fine as is, if you just want a basic sleeve for your mug. Super easy and a cute little protector for your hands.
Cupboard MakeoverThis cupboard makeover takes it from boring to amazing! Find a cupboard with a straight sided recessed part. It could be a jelly cupboard or armoire type of cupboard or anything else that works.
How to Keep Thread From UnwindingSome spools have a ring. You can pop this ring up, wrap the thread around the visible part of the bobbin and then pop back down the ring to keep the thread from unwinding. Not all spools have this ring. Then make such ring yourself.
Hair Flat Iron for Wrinkled RibbonHere is a way to dewrinkle ribbon using a hair flat iron. Just pull the ribbon as you iron. I use my foot to hold the ribbon down. Use a water spray bottle if wrinkles are tough.
Card To Lift Edge of Picture FrameSome picture frames have these little backings that you need to open. Using your fingers to open the backing can hurt after awhile, so this is what worked for me.
Alice in Wonderland Painted Cedar ChestCedar chest restored and hand painted with Alice in Wonderland. Polyurethane finish. Donating it to a group that help children that have been abused.
Keep Thread Knots SecureAfter finishing any type of hand sewing, I use a small dab of clear nail polish right on the knot to keep the knot/thread secure and from unraveling.
Cut Up Craft Supplies Inside Clear PackagingI saved this clear zippered packaging from my shower curtains. You can save pillowcase or bedding packaging; anything clear would work best so you can see where to cut.
Thrifted Pots For StorageI found some great metal pots while out thrifting. I wanted some additional storage for my potting bench that is solid, air tight, and will keep the elements out. To dress it up, I spray painted them and added a few colors using a sponge to make them look rustic. Added a stencil and sealed with sealer. Now they hide my work gloves, extra tools, and garden supplies. This keeps my things together and also gives a decorative flare!
Paint Touch Up on Side TableJust a little color can change the look of something and add a new "feel" to your decor.
Alternative Dye for ProjectsWhile looking on Pinterest, I find cool bath bomb recipes, body scrub recipes, etc. They all had something in common, they required some kind of dye. Either soap dye or food coloring. I didn't have any of that, and so I thought of what I could use instead. I came up with the idea of cutting open a marker and using the ink out of that!
Nose Bridge for MasksHave you and your friends save the metal closures from coffee bags. I use them for my masks. Works wonders when wearing glasses.
Natural Paint BrushesThis is a fun kids' activity! Collect items such as leaves, branches, and grasses from outside. Dip the items into paint and use them as paint brushes.
Rainbow Nature HuntCan you find natural items outside that make up the colors of the rainbow?
Nature Collection BraceletsThis is a fun way to collect items outside, especially if you are out on a walk. First wrap a piece of masking tape loosely around your wrist, sticky side out.
Worm Play MatHere is a fun play mat that I created. Kids can make worms for it out of Play-Doh, pipe cleaners, or even paper. If you laminate it they can also draw worms and tunnels onto the mat with a dry erase marker. Enjoy!
Frog Play MatTo go along with the worm play mat that I created, I also made a simple frog pond play mat. My son enjoys using small plastic frogs on it. He created lily pads and plants to put in and around the pond as well. We will also be making some origami jumping frogs for the pond. I would suggest laminating it so that it will stay clean and last longer. Have fun!
Decorative Junk Wood Window FrameWe recently got a new dishwasher and in the bottom of the box was a wooden frame. I couldn't throw it out so I made a window box out of stuff I had on hand.
My First WreathThis is the first wreath I have ever made. I just had to post it. I know it's not the best, but hey! I am pretty proud! The supplies that I used were: a grape vine wreath, burlap ribbon, faux flowers, and a hot glue gun.
Touchpoint Math KeyMy son is in kindergarten and they have been working on touchpoint math. His most recent worksheets don't have the touch points on the numbers and he doesn't have all of them memorized to do it without the dots.
Remaking 'The Scream''One of the projects assigned in my daughter's art class was to recreate a famous painting with items found at home. My son loves the painting "The Scream" by Edvard Munch and volunteered to help her in recreating it. They used clothing, blankets, and strips of cardboard to create the background. My son posed as the figure in the painting. I think it turned out pretty amazing!
Bag Made from Vinyl RecordsI made this bag from two vinyl records.
Flowers Made from Nespresso CupsI made these flowers from empty aluminum Nespresso cups.
Making Simple Sock PuppetsMeet Bob, the sock puppet!
Natural MandalasMy friend recently made this with her young daughter! It's a great way to get out and explore nature, looking for different colors and textures to incorporate into a natural work of art! You can also use items from home to enhance your design. We would love to see what you create, so please share them here on ThriftyFun!
Use Leftover Egg Dye for Craft ProjectsAfter dyeing eggs, you can leftover dye for other crafts. For example: shell dyeing or an experiment.
Cheap Yarn Bowl IdeaSome of the cute ceramic bowls out there that have the notches for yarn, are 35.00! So today I had the idea of using what I have and it works great.
Play Placemats and StovetopI made these for the kids in my preschool class. They are made out of scrapbooking paper and were laminated. For the placemats I traced around a small plate, cup, utensils, and made a triangle for a napkin to create templates on cardstock. Then I used the templates to trace each shape onto scrapbooking paper. I attached all of the pieces to the placemat with a glue stick and then laminated them.
Heart CraftThe paper was coated with oil, water, and food coloring mixed. I just dipped it in and let it dry. The heart is cardboard, hot glue, and iridescent glitter. The bean comic was done in MS Paint.
Creative Lighter CoverGet a good eyelet fastener and eyelets which can be found at JoAnn Fabrics, 100 cost around 5 dollars. I used the protective material around a big fancy light bulb to make this, but you can also use craft foam.
Paper Grocery Store Bags to Cover Craft AreaIf you have a craft area that is always getting messy, try covering it with sturdy paper bags from the supermarket. They can be used for several craft projects before needing to be replaced.
Help: I Live in a Craft Room!I tried to clean and organize and ended up writing, instead! I hope you who can relate will enjoy, and those who can't will soon!!
Baby Wipe Box Turned Medicine CaddyHere is a way to repurpose those sturdy baby wipe boxes, turning them into decorative boxes that you can cover, paint, and embellish. This piece houses my daily pills, cream, etc. With little to no money, I spray painted and added some of my collective shells.
How to Crochet the Perfect Diamond ShapeI love making triangles. It's mindless and so versatile. But as much as I love increasing my one per row, I detest decreasing. Let me know how you the difference in how I do it vs. the patterns.
Using A Large Piece Of Tile To Make Craft Cleanup EasyWorking with different craft projects can be messy especially if you are using a lot of glue or paint. Normally you need to cover your area with a newspaper or have a special plastic cloth that you use when working on a different craft project. Newspaper can be messy and the black ink can get on your hands or even on your craft project. Using a very large piece of tile is the best way to go.
Recycled Chair Back as Decorative Rack/PlanterI occasionally see discarded chairs with perfectly good backs still intact.
Oklahoma Sooners Afghan Square Crochet PatternHere is the pattern for an Oklahoma University afghan square I made up.
Creating Painted RocksI live in Arbutus, MD. We have a group of, I don't know how many, people painting rocks and placing them everywhere, schools, stores, the library, in people's yards, or in front of mail boxes. The mail box at my building is going to get the big one as I'm not strong enough to tote it somewhere.
Stone Looking Pumpkin PlantersI bought these inexpensive pumpkins for under $1 each. With craft paints in 3 colors: white, tan, and grey, a sea sponge, and clear sealant you can make as many as needed in under 1 hour.
Crochet Bodice DressesI'm doing needlework combined with my crochet for an income while I'm job hunting. I call it "little things" because it's a variety of things I create.
Button SwapI collect and save buttons. I look for garments with pretty, or different buttons at yard sales and thrift stores, and buy them for the buttons, alone. I remove buttons from my worn clothing.
Crocheting with Three Strands of YarnI love to mix yarns for projects, but they can get tangled and who needs that?
So, I found a flat basket from the Dollar Tree, and using three mushroom containers, I came up with this.
Hand-made Paper MattingHave you ever made hand-made paper, and then wondered what to do with it? My husband bought me a paper-making kit years ago, and at first, I decided to use old Christmas wrapping paper rather than recycling. (I was learning, okay?)
Inspiration Wall ArrangementMy husband made the shelves. I put together the items to decorate on the shelves, some I made or did floral arranging for some I purchased at Goodwill.
Recycled Plastic Bag Rugs and Bleacher PadsI have been saving my grocery bags to make rugs or pads to sit on aluminum bleachers. They work great for insulating the bottom. I got my idea from a you tube video by Mom Eberhard. You I cut the tops and bottoms off the bags and loop them together. I did a 4 string braid. I made one for a friend and she uses to sit on aluminum bleachers and said it works great.
Upcycled T-shirt CraftsWhether you're redesigning a t-shirt or cutting it up to make something else out of it, it's fun and saves the world a little bit! I love cutting old t-shirts into strips about 2" wide +/- and braiding into 3, 4, or 5 strand braids. These can be colorful or monochrome. I've even tried macrame to make t-shirt necklaces, scarves, a garland, headbands, etc.
Getting the Perfect Length on Cut-off PantsI recently found some cool pedal pushers in my community center. I hate the length, but they fit for shorts, so I had to cut them down. Sometimes, getting each leg the same is a challenge.
Reusing Cardboard Pieces as Sturdy Art CanvasMy kids like to save cardboard pieces from boxes that are shipped to our home. Cardboard is sturdy enough for the kids to glue or use hot glue without the cardboard bending - like with paper.
Stop Hot Glue from Slipping Off TableI use hot glue frequently for crafts. One of my biggest annoyances is that the hot glue always slips off the table because the cord is too short.
Use Tacky Glue for Ribbons on Craft CardsTacky glue is such a good glue for twine and yarn ribbons. I love to create collages with all my beautiful scraps! I bought this handy-sized bottle at the Dollar Tree, for $1.00. For other projects I use regular glue and glue sticks.
I Love to PaintI recently started going to art therapy for PTSD. I've learned that I love to paint. I highly recommend painting for everyone!
Use a Cardboard Place Mat for Kids' Painting CraftsPainting could get messy especially if it's your dinner table the kid's paint on.
Champagne Cork Crochet Hook SaversTo prevent dropped crochet hooks from rolling under furniture, getting lost in seat cushions, or even under the bucket seats in a car, drill a small hole in a champagne cork with your wine bottle opener and stick the end of a crochet hook in it. When it drops it stays in place.
How to Reuse Your Canning Jar Lids for CraftsI know from experience that jar lids get used just once, unless it's for a craft.
Reuse Leftover Scented Candle WaxI use a great deal of scented soy candles, mostly purchased on sale from various places. It's always bothered me that the candle can't burn to the bottom. I take the leftover wax in the candle, freeze and then chop out gently with a butter knife. I save it until I have enough for a six to eight ounce candle,
TSA Approved Thread Cutter for In-flight CraftingI was scheduled to make a short flight last month. I wanted to bring my current quilt block project along in case I had time to work on one. One of the options found on the internet was using the cutter in a dental floss box. It works great and fits neatly into the Altoids tin I had for the paper pieced hexagons, thread, thimble, etc.
Artwork into Paper Necklace for KidsMy son loved his paper rocket toy that he wanted to make his artwork into a paper necklace and wear it for fun! He was also nice enough to make his sister a butterfly necklace too.
T-Ball Water Bottle LabelsI created a fun design for my T-ball boy to have on his own water bottle for games! I used a Cricut to cut out the vinyl.
Cross Stitch Patterns for CrochetTired of looking for crochet patterns in all the same places? I found cross stitch patterns are very easy to use. Each square is a single crochet. When changing colors, just place the one you aren't using on top of previous row and crochet over it until you need the color again.
Using Colored Stitch Markers as Hook Size IndicatorsI have over 200 plastic stitch markers from China (cheaper that way and they seldom snag the yarn). Someone showed me to mark a few of them with hook sizes (G, H, I, J). Some ladies put the metric size (4.00, 4.5, 5.00, 5.5). This helps to remember what size hook you are using with a project when you have multiple projects going at once.
Homemade Thread Cone HolderI started back to sewing and couldn't find my cone holder, so I made one for until I find it. The pictures below are pretty self explanatory. The supplies needed, include one plastic hanger, hot glue, an old glass or jar, scissors or a node to score the plastic hanger to make it snip easier.
Making a Square from a Paper RectangleI like to do origami with paper. Sometimes I need a square. Printer paper is rectangular. In order to have a perfect square, I will fold over the paper and cut off the excess.
Scented NotepadI love to dye papers for my handmade notebooks and journals. This week I found out I could scent these pages beautifully.
Bath Poufs for Craft RibbonsI found this lovely holiday bath pouf on sale for a dollar. I love the color green and the gold edging that sparkles.
Altering Clothes to Fit More SnugglyYou ever have clothes that you wish were a size or two smaller? This tip is what I do to all my clothes that I want them to fit snug.
Ice Cream Bucket Frog TotemMy son's junior kindergarten class put on a play this winter, based on the story of the Rainbow Crow. Each child was one of the forest animals in the story and they each made a totem piece of their animal. My son was the frog and this is the frog totem that we made:
Wooden Toy CellphoneOur kids are inundated with electronic toys these days and it is so important to encourage imaginative play. My husband recently had some pieces of leftover wood from a project. He cut them into varies sizes and sanded them so our son could play with them.
Save Scraps of Colorful Paper for Scrapbook CardsI always have extra scraps of beautiful paper. I tear them into quarter size pieces for gluing onto cards. They make very pretty additions, to keep in journals, which is what I do with them. This would be fun to do with seasonal wrapping paper too ;)
Transforming Gourds Into Elegant DecorI have a few gourds left over from my fall/Thanksgiving decor. They are in great shape and can last almost forever! Just by using silver metallic spray paint, you can create elegant decor for less, the gift that keeps giving!
At Home Tracing TableWith just 2 household items you may already have at home (a glass table and lamp) you can make your own tracing table/area.
Using Yarn Scraps for Crochet AfghansI crochet afghans for a charity so I have lots of yarn on hand. I sometimes end up with short end pieces of yarn and use to throw them away. Now I save them, join them together and end up with my own variegated yarn. No waste now for what I once considered throw aways. Most of my afghans are granny squares so it works great color-wise.
Mess Free Painting Using Cardboard BoxesSave cardboard boxes or if you shop at Costco, at check out they'll put your purchases in cardboard boxes - those boxes are handy! In our household we paint in the boxes to create a mess free painting environment. :)
Decorating From Your PantryOften decorating you home for the holidays or for the season, is just a pantry and walk in nature away. Using enclosed glass containers you can create this simple vignette. Use edibles such as grains, dried beans, and fruit, plus naturals including pine cones, greenery, and herbs (rosemary).
Making A Backdrop For Good PhotosMy daughter and I are reselling new jewelry so I needed a good backdrop to use for the photos.We both have photo boxes, but they take up a lot of room and are cumbersome. So, I thought of this.
Sprucing Up Cheap Greeting CardsMany of the the 3D and pop-up style greeting cards start with a base price of around $7. My mum and I buy budget cards (2 for $1) and spruce them up. Here, we've created paper pumpkins, added them to a thick line of string, then glued it on the inside of the card.
Save Ribbon from Shopping Bag for CraftingBefore tossing out shopping bags, see if you can salvage any pieces. This Victoria's Secret bag has had it's fair share of being recycled/reused. I was able to salvage the ribbon and it will be perfect to use for crafting!
Buy Cheap and Revamp Into Your StyleI bought this chalkboard during last year's 90% Christmas sale at Target for only 30 cents (originally $3). I changed up the original bow that I did not like (which was a simple thin red bow) into this burlap bow. Now the chalkboard looks as if it was more expensive and looks nicer.
Teach Kids to Use Sticker Sheet ScrapsMy child loves glittery stickers, glue, or pens! Even though there are no more shiny glitter stars - you could teach your child that, the sticker sheets are still useable and not to waste scraps that can be used.
