When my beat-up, beloved, third-hand sewing machine finally died, I admit that I had a few minutes of fantasizing about buying a REALLY nice sewing machine to replace it. You know that kind of sewing machine that I’m talking about. Maybe it’s got a ton of fancy stitch settings. Maybe you just press a button and boom, it hems your skirt. Maybe it does some cute embroidery while it’s at it....
A reader recently ran across a really cool photo of a toy camera made from reclaimed coke cans, and she’s looking for a tutorial so that she can make her own soda can camera! Kris asks: I have searched high and low for a tutorial, but so far no dice, so I’m turning to you guys! The only information I’ve found about these soda can cameras is that folks seem to pick them up when they’re on vacation....
And I’m not talking about the finished products. We all know that kid crafts ought to be process-oriented, not product focused. Kids are SUPPOSED to produce crappy-looking art. That’s how they grow their fine motor skills and creativity and practice decision-making. It’s the supplies so often used in kid crafts that I have the biggest beef against. It’s junk like paper plates and plastic cups and glitter. Oh, the glitter!...
Organic Thread Organic cotton thread seems to be the most common option out there. Near Sea Naturals carries organic cotton thread for regular sewing machines and for sergers in a few natural shades and in black. You can also find neutral and black organic thread at Create for Less. What was a bit tougher to track down was organic thread in other colors. I don’t know about you, but brightly colored thread is one of my favorite craft supplies!...
There was a 1.1 acre native prairie habitat on the Anthony Wayne Trail median, near the Toledo zoo. It contained wildflowers and prairie grasses. It increased plant diversity, and provided food for birds and butterflies and bees. It required less maintenance than grass, using fewer of the city’s and world’s resources. And then Toledo mowed it down. It seems that some members of the Toledo city council did not like the native prairie habitat....
Got some old folders in your stash? You can use them to make a sweet Valentines Day card! You’d think that the inspiration for the Valentines Day card would be…you know…Valentines Day. But it kind of wasn’t. I did need to make a card for my husband, but what spurred me to hit my craft stash was finding this new-to-me non-toxic glue for paper crafting called Nori Paste. Nori Paste Mini-Review I tried to find an ingredients list for this Japanese paper glue, but none of my digging turned anything up....
Etsy seller VanityCase makes these amazing custom vanity and liquor wall cabinets. The vintage leather suitcases are outfitted with everything from mini drawers to pull switch lights. I could easily see the vanity cabinet (shown above) being used for craft storage. Here are 5 more great vintage suitcase storage solutions: [Image 1 by Pauline Pechin for Vanity Case, Image 2 by Bethany Mann for Bitter Betty Blogs, Image 3 by back_garage]
This is quite possibly one of my favorite winter crafts– upcycle a pill bottle into an adorable snowman! My grandma loved to keep her empty pill bottles for me to upcycle into cute crafts. I recently found a stash of pill bottles she had given me and I was inspired by the hat-like shape that the lid had. This inspiration led me to create an adorable pill bottle snowman that just makes this heart of mine smile!...
Want a totally eco-friendly way to modify wood, or cork, or leather without paint, without dye, without glue? Dude, get yourself a wood burner! The art and craft of wood burning is called pyrography. A wood burner looks like a soldering iron but works like a pen (hence that “graphy” suffix), burning your designs into any material that can handle it–for sure more than just wood! There are different tips that you can use with the wood burner to create different effects, but for the most part, if you can draw it, then you can burn it....
We’re right smack in the middle of Fall festival season, and I’ve been sewing up a storm! All that time hunched over the cutting table and sewing machine is definitely taking its toll on my body, and I’m sure I’m not the only crafter that suffers aches and pains after a crafting marathon. Rather than pop a couple of ibuprofen this year, I’m trying to relieve my muscles a little more naturally with yoga poses that target parts of my body that take the most abuse during this time of year....
Below, check out some of my favorite card game DIYs. All the projects are made from eco-friendly and/or upcycled materials, and all the attached tutorials and templates are free, as well. Whether you want to invent a card game from scratch or redesign one to suit your current fancy, I think you’ll find something here to inspire you. Cereal Box Matching Game Or macaroni and cheese box, or Girl Scout cookie box, or Goldfish cracker box… essentially, whatever types of cardboard food packaging that you’ve got in enough variety will work for this project!...
Sheet music wreath DIY recycled paper bouquet Sheet music bottle Decoupage a wall Sheet music tree DIY envelopes Sheet music placemats Cover a ruined table top Paint it for unique art Line your dresser drawers with sheet music Upcycle a guitar into art Decoupage a room divider DIY music wall art Sheet music dresser Make a recycled paper brooch Sheet music desk Create a recycled card Handmade sheet music garland DIY recycled paper wreath Sheet music covered suitcase Upcycled shutter memo board DIY paper wedding cones Quick gift idea for a musician DIY craft booth sign Inspirational wall art Update an old tray Upcycle an old window into a dry erase board Recycled bangle bracelet Make fridge frames DIY sheet music earrings Decorate an eco-friendly gift box Sheet music shoes Spruce up an old jewelry box Recycled paper lamp shade Decoupage an interior door Make custom switch plates Create an easy and eco-friendly centerpiece DIY gift bag Simply frame your sheet music Embellish clothespins Which DIY sheet music project is your favorite?...
Birds on a Wire Art by Sweet Verbena Sweet Verbena took a thrift store frame, an old dictionary, and a bit of paint to create this adorable art! Although it doesn’t necessarily “scream” Valentine’s day, that’s what I love about it! Plus, it’s so simple and you could keep it up year-round. Better yet, you could make this as a gift for a friend or your loved one! Remember, though, if you use spray paint on your thrift store frame, use a low VOC spray paint if you can!...
It’s been sort of a hot-and-cold winter here in Atlanta, but this week we are definitely back to cold. On milder days it’s easy enough to just put on a sweater and leave the heater alone, but when temperatures dip below freezing it takes a little bit of extra work to keep warm. These DIY winter energy saving tips are aimed at helping you lower your bills this winter and all year long....
Looking for an autumn craft idea? Turn acorns into a wreath! I love projects that are super simple, yet have a huge impact. This autumn acorn wreath is definitely one of those projects! Phase one involves the kids, which is always fun. Phase two involves binge watching the Real Housewives and a glass of wine. And phase three is all about making your neighbors jealous by showing off your crafty work....
2. Low VOC spray paint 3. Green recycled paper (I used a magazine) 4. A branch 5. Hot glue/hot glue gun 6. Scissors How To Do It: Remove any labels from the coffee canister. Then, clean the canister with soap and water. Once the canister is dry, spray paint it! Remember, several light coats will give you the best results. One heavy coat of spray paint may cause drips! I also spray painted the lid because my lid was yellow....
If you need a quick and easy notebook, the answer is no farther than the local grocery store on the day that you forget your cloth bags–this brown paper bag journal project is quick, easy, and makes a great writing and drawing surface! This brown paper bag journal is good and sturdy, so you can take it out on hikes or throw it in your backpack for when inspiration strikes....
I really miss all of the homemade ornaments that I would put on our Christmas tree when I was growing up. I loved the stories they brought each year as we put them on the tree. In order to start my own “stories,” I’ve been trying to make my own Christmas ornaments. Last year I made these fabulous recycled magazine ornaments and this year I was inspired by Craftapalooza’s button wreath!...
Some areas (gasp) don’t provide curbside recycling for plastics. Please check Earth911 for places to recycle items your area doesn’t pick up curbside. We are blessed and have mixed curbside recycling for nearly all our everyday items. Please recycle your plastic jugs after use, industrious areas like New Jersey have used milk jugs to make a bridge. Who knows what other uses will come of plastic recycling. Here are some crafty ways we can reuse plastic milk jugs and divert them from the landfill....
Unfortunately, well-loved jeans don’t age gracefully. The culprit: holes in the knees, pockets, or back. If your favorite jeans start to look “holier than thou,” don’t despair. With a needle, some thread, and a little love, you can turn dying jeans into designer jeans. (DIY difficulty level: Easy) I suspect that if you’re reading this site, you already have easy access to a needle and thread. But if thimbles and thread-rippers are Greek to you, then you’ll be happy to know that learning to sew by hand is very easy....
