If you are a creative and curious person that thinks twice before buying expensive things for yourself or home then you are in the right place.I post new articles every week trying to teach or inspire you to create beautiful things.Do it Yourself! It's more fun that way!
I always found no numbers clock very cool. We should stop being so addicted to time, and stop checking it so often. (Well expect when you have an important meeting to attend to ).
I also love retro/ vintage clock designs. You can still find them at vintage shops if you're lucky, and sometimes they can get expensive. Here is a fun way to create your own, using a Pringels can! (next time you enjoy a can of chips , don't throw that away )
A lip balm or a lipstick is something that every woman should have in her purse. It happens many times to have pale or cracked lips, because of weather or dehydration and it's important to take care of them and use all natural ingredients. That part is very important , and not only because chemicals can worsen the aspect of our lips , but also because we inevitably swallow lipstick components and that may cause some stomach problems.
Nowadays it's easy to find organic and BIO lipstick and lip balms but I personally find them very expensive. Also, the recipe for making one is very easy, and as for containers, you can recycle old ones.
Working on a lot of craft projects has made me realize that the glue sticks we use for paper crafts have the same principle as lipsticks, so why not recycle them?
Here is my recipe + instructions for the glue sticks.
I made 3 lip balms with 3 different flavors. Please watch the video at the end of this article to see my impressions for the final product.
Ingredients (for 3 lip balms):
-2 tablespoons of jojoba oil
-2 tablespoons of coconut oil
2-tablespoons of beeswax
Where to find them:
You can use any type of oil, as long as it's organic, with lots of vitamins, and with no strong odor or taste. Just remember that the oil : beeswax ratio is 2:1
For color and flavoring I used :
-honey
-cocoa
-pink or red jam - I used homemade rose jam
-mint essential oil
-lemon
For containers I recycled some glue sticks. You can also find containers to buy, but usually they come in a large pack. Here are some suggestions:
For decorating the containers I used
-Nail polish
-A container full of water that you don't mind throwing away after
This part is optional. You can leave them white and simple or you can decorate them with washi tape.
Instructions:
-Remove all the glue from the glue sticks, then leave them to soak in hot water for about 10 minutes
-Wash them with hot water and dish soap until all the glue is dissolved and all the wrapping is gone
-Let them to dry
-Pour in the container full of water that you don't mind throwing away stripes of nail polish of different colors
-Put on the lid of glue stick container and dip it in the nail polish mixture. The nail polish will stick on the glue stick and you will create a marble effect. Leave them to dry at least 30 minutes.
If you want to skip this step you can do so, and decorate the containers with washi tape.
-Next prepare the 3 flavors.
You can use 3 plastic cups to mix the ingredients in them :
In the first cup add half teaspoon of cocoa and 5 drops of mint essential oil
In the second cup add 1 teaspoon of jam
In the third cup add half teaspoon of honey and half teaspoon of grated lemon peel .
- Next it's time to melt and mix all the ingredients.
If you are using a stove, add in a little pot the oils and beeswax and then put the pot above a bigger pot filled with water. Don't put the mixture direct on the flame. Just wait for the water to boil, and the heat from the water will melt slowly the oil or the beeswax.
If you are using a microwave, put the oils and beeswax in a bowl safe for microwave and let them for about 1 minute. If still not melted after 1 minute , leave them for more time.
-After everything is melted and mixed pour the mixture evenly in the 3 plastic cups and stir.
-Pour the 3 mixtures in the 3 glue stick containers and let them cool for about 15 minutes
You will have to act fast at this step because the mixture doesn't stay liquid for long time.
Please watch video bellow to understand better the steps:
Planning a wedding can get complicated and stressful. After all , you may have dreamed about it since a little kid and maybe you feel a little frustrated that it has to be PERFECT. Knowing this I've been planning to make a DIY specially for the future weeds, maybe to inspire them or help them with ideas for the event. For now I came up with some wedding favor ideas. If you think I can help with other things let me now in the comments. But before anything else what are wedding favors ? Here's a hand from Wikipedia : Wedding favors are small gifts given as a gesture of appreciation or gratitude to guests from the bride and groom during a wedding ceremony or a wedding reception. The tradition of distributing wedding favors is a very old one. (Source) Personally I find this tradition really cute and I would love to receive one so I can have a little "souvenir" from the people that celebrates love. Also it's important to make your guests feel special and that you are happy they came to be with you in your special day.
Now before we begin here is something to pin :
Wedding Favor No. 1 : Mini Flower Pot
Supplies: 1.Mini terracotta pot 2.A piece of kraft cardboard ( I recycled a cute gift bag) 3.A pattern scissors 4.White acrylic paint 5.Some sand beads ( I used white and glossy but you can go with pink or beige etc ) 6.Transparent glue 7.Tissue paper 8.Mini paper flowers 9.A piece of organza 10. Pen and brown crayon 11.A mini shape cutter
Steps: -Cover the mini terracotta pot with 1-2 layers of white paint and let it dry -Write on the piece of cardboard a cute message or something simple like " Thank You!" -Use the mini shape cutter to cut out a little piece creating a shaped hole -Take the organza and push is through the hole then tie together the message with a little paper flower - Fill the terracotta pot with 2-3 layers of tissue paper with glue between them -Pinch in the middle a hole using something thin and sharp like a toothpick -Squeeze the flower in there and add on top plenty of glue -Then place a layer of sand beads -Dip the crayon in some water -Write your initials on the painted pot- this is optional- you can leave it simple if you want Wedding Favor No 2 : Message in a Bottle
Supplies 1.A tiny glass bottle 2. Kitchen salt ( I used himalayan salt ) 3. A piece of white string 4.Pattern scissors 5.Transparent glue 6. Sea related objects ( seashell, pearl , glass)
Steps: - Draw a heart shape with glue on the glass bottle -Dip the shape in salt creating a salt heart -Write a personal message on a piece of paper .Something like : "You're a life saver, thanks for being here!" -Cut around the message with the pattern scissors then roll the paper creating a mini scroll. -Tie the mini scroll with the white string -Now go ahead and fill the bottle -first salt, then the message, then the sea objects - I used a shell, a piece of glass and a white pearl
Wedding Favor No 3 : Message in a Box
Supplies: 1.A box of matches 2.Washi Tape 3.Pattern Scissors 4.A glass bead/stone ( I found this at the home decor section) 5. Metallic Golden acrylic paint 6.Paper and pen 7. A piece of cotton 8.Glue
Steps:
-Paint the back of the glass stone with golden metallic paint and let it dry -Roll washi tape all over the cover of the matchbox -Add some glue to the interior of the box and push in the piece of cotton -Write a personal message on a piece of paper. Something like : " Your presence here is gold!", then cut around it, roll it into a scroll and tie it with a piece of string. -Put the scroll on top of the cotton along with the gold drop glass and close the box
Wedding Favor No 4 : Just Married Car
Supplies : 1. A toy car 2.A piece of cardboard 3.A piece of organza and a big fork ( this is for creating little bows -if you bought them skip this step) 4.Transparent glue 5.Toothpick 6.Pattern scissors
Steps: -For creating the little bow -go around the edges of the fork twice then tie a knot in the middle. See video bellow for better understanding -Glue the bow on the front hood of the car. -Write a message like "Just Married" on the cardboard and cut around it with the pattern scissors -Glue the toothpick on the back of the message then glue it all together on the car. If you want you can glue only the message if it's small enough. Wedding Favor No 5 : Mini Wedding Cake
Supplies: 1.Three bottle caps of different sizes -one bigger than the other 2.Glue gun 3.White acrylic paint 4.Cardboard+ pattern scissors 5.Some white paper flowers
TIP : if you are making more of these use white spray paint for a faster result. ask your friends and family to save bottle caps for you so you can have enough of them Steps: -Using the glue gun stick the smaller cap on top of the bigger one creating a wedding cake shape -Create a whipped cream pattern on top and on the edges of the caps using the glue gun -Cover it in 2-3 coats of white paint and let it dry -Write a personal message on a big piece of cardboard .Something like : "So sweet of you to come! " -Cut around it with the pattern scissors then glue the mini cake on the cardboard right next to the message. -Glue some paper flowers on the edges and on top of the cake And that's it! Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite; If some of these steps are not clear enough please watch the video bellow. It shows how to create all 5 of the wedding favors:
Since I started creating jewellery a few years ago, I had the opportunity to participate at various handmade fairs, and the one thing I learned from them is that the way you present your product can be more important than the product itself.
The same applies to your room and personal space, and even if you don't think constantly about it, you should invest more time in it. Your room is the place you sleep and maybe study or relax , so a beautiful and tidy environment will help keep you happy and positive.
This DIY consists of 3 items : a cactus earring holder, a watermelon plate (jewellery holder ) and a decorative jar that can also have a specific purpose : a vase , a candle holder or simply a place to keep your makeup brushes.
Also I tried to do this as cheap as possible, with dollar store products or things you can recycle.
So let's begin! But first feel free to pin :
For the cactus earring holder you will need :
1.A cardboard sturdy box (you can use a cereal box)
2.Acrylic paint and brushes
3.Some golden glitter -I found this at the dollar store next to the nail polish
4.A glue gun and some simple liquid glue
Steps:
Draw a desert type cactus shape on a piece of paper and cut it out . Then cut 2 big pieces of cardboard from the box and trace the shape of the cactus on to them. Cut out the cactus shapes of cardboard.
One of the pieces will be your base. As for the second-cut out from it the body and the arms of the cactus. Then cut all of them in half.
Next you will use the glue gun to stick all of the halfs on the cactus base shape right in the middle of the body and in the middle of the arms.
For this to stand you will need a support -so cut out a cardboard circle and stick the cactus on to it.
If these steps seem a little confusing please watch the video from the end of the article.
After all it's glued go ahead and paint it. I used a minty color for the cactus and a sand color for the support.
Once it's completely dried add some glue on the edges and sprinkle some glitter on to it.You can also add glitter to the support. After that shake it good and leave it to dry.
For the watermelon jewellery support you will need:
1.Transparent plate and cup- I bought this from the dollar store at a very cheap price- under 1 dollar each
2. Acrylic paints and brusshes
3.Glue gun
Steps:
Place the plate with the back facing you. Start painting the edge of the plate with green ( I used a minty color) -to represent the peal of the watermelon.
Then start painting the seeds with black in the center of the plate. After that's done start adding pink paint to represent the fruity part.
After completely dried go ahead and stick the cup to the back of the plate and you will have a beautiful watermelon jewelery holder.
For the pastel layered jar you will need: 1.A simple jar - I used one from a jar of pickles I bought one day (recycling ! yay!)
2. Acrylic paint and brushes
3.Liquid Glue
4.White String
Steps:
Start painting the jar from the inside in layers. I was inspired by a sunset at the beach so first I added light blue, then minty color, then sand color and at the end some pink. I blended them carefully without mixing them together.
At the end I added some glue to the top edge of the jar and rolled some white string over it. This is optional. You can leave like that, add paint or even glitter.
Although some of us do not face it , the bathroom still remains a very important part of a home, because it offers you full intimacy no matter how many people are in the house. That's why it's likely you come up with new ideas while taking a shower instead of brainstorming at your desk.
Creating a nice decor for your bathroom can be very expensive and time consuming, so I thought to give you a hand with this DIY, by showing you how to make your own bathroom decorations, that can be personalized to fit your needs and surroundings and most important -at a very low price.
I chose to make my decorations using blue shades to remind me of the ocean- and to create a peaceful and relaxing decor. What you choose is up to you! Maybe you are more relaxed surrounded by rainbow colors or even black and white. Use your imagination and don't forget to have fun.
1.First step is to create some 3D elements using your glue gun . Just apply glue on the pots with strokes , randomly or following a pattern. I chose to create lines for the first pot, wired fence pattern for the second pot and randomness for the third pot (dots,lines,flowers).
2.Next add a coat or two of white paint on all of the 3 pots, covering also the glued part.
3.The fun part ! paint the pots in any color you like , avoiding the glued parts.Those must remain white so they can stand out.
4. To enhance them more, paint their edges of the glued parts using a darker color.
5. After dried add some glossy varnish. This is optional. If you like the rocky, dried effect just leave them like that.
And you are done!
If you want to understand better the steps check out the video :
Washi tape is one of the "must have" items that every crafter should have. But what if the ones from the store are too expensive or the designs that are out there don't fulfill your needs?
Here is a quick tutorial on how to create your own washi tape. You probably already guessing the steps. No? here's a hint : double sided tape !
On one side you stick your desired pattern - decorative paper,beads,lace,fabric etc and then you stick the other side to the object you want to decorate.
It's that easy!
Here is a picture to pin so you can spread the news:
And here is the video that shows every step-although I'm sure you already know what to do
Remember the guild you experience when you pick off a flower ? you want to carry the beautiful thing forever-to wear it in your hair or to hold it in your hands- but you can't because it fades out quickly.
How about creating one by yourself, using things you probably have in your drawer.
This tutorial shows you the way and once you have the flower it's up to you if you stick a pin on the back to wear it as a brooch, an elastic band to wear it in your hair or a chain to wear it as a necklace or bracelet.The important thing is that it will never fade.
Materials:
1.A bottle cap -a wider one-like the ones from the milk bottles or Nestea
2.Some tissue paper/or toilet paper-it will work just fine
3.Different types of glue:
You will need a classic /white paste one or mod podge
A liquid one/transparent one that it resistent
A very strong one -like SuperGlue or Loctite
4.Cotton Ear Swabs/Buds -a 100 pack is fine
5.Scissors and a Brush
6. A vintage button for the middle-or anything you like ( a bead, a piece of glass, and old earring, a shell etc)
7. A brooch pin or an elastic band-depending on what use you want to give to the flower
Let's begin!
Step 1.
Cut the paper in little pieces then fill the bottle cap like so : one layer of paste glue,one layer of paper
Once it's filled you can smooth the surface with a brush or your fingers
Step 2.
Pinch a hole in the middle,pour some glue and put the button there
Step 3
Start cutting the cotton ends of the swabs
Step 4
Trace a line of liquid glue on the edge of the bottle cap and start placing the cotton pieces forming the petals of the flower-leaving a little space between them
Place the next row in between the first one. The last one can be close together ,surrounding the button.
Step 5.
Glue on the back the brooch pin with the super strong glue.
And you are done!
Check out the video bellow if some steps are not clear enough:
