One of the gifts my daughter had on her Christmas gift idea list for me last year was some kind of jewelry organizer she could hang on her bedroom wall. And because she knows me well she added, “I bet you could just make one.” And she was right! WithRead More
4 Resourceful Ideas for DIY Seed Starter Pots
One of my favorite things about “Make Your Own” projects is that they are so often born of a resourceful spirit. Rather than just accepting the traditional way, or the money-spending way, the resourceful folk of the world start looking around and think . . . . . .How canRead More
How To Dye Easter Eggs – With Kool Aid!
Even though I don’t have little ones at home anymore, dying Easter eggs is something I’ve still had fun doing the last few years just for the joy I get from playing with color. You’re never too old to get a little thrill from watching your white eggs transform intoRead More
How To Make Your Own Font
Every so often I like to do a “Make Your Own” project just for the fun of it. Not because I need it or because it will save me money. I just like the fun of having a crafty moment and finding out what I can make on my own. That’sRead More
How To Make A Sweater Pillow
I’ve finally gotten around to a craft project I’ve been meaning to get to for a loooong time now. At last I took the time to make a pillow from an old sweater! It’s been over a year since my mom passed an old sweater along to me. The sweaterRead More
Quick Halloween Pumpkin Face Glasses
I love being resourceful. I’ve probably said it before but that’s because it’s my favorite thing about the Make Your Own lifestyle. I love that satisfying feeling of using something that was already laying around in a new, useful, frugal, or just plain fun way. Today’s project is one ofRead More
Knitting Pattern for Classic Ripple Baby Afghan
Knitting has been a favorite hobby of mine since I was in grade school. I’ve tinkered around with lots of other crafts and hobbies over the years (beading, scrapbooking, sewing) but the one that I always stick with and keep coming back to is knitting. For me (and for lotsRead More
How To Tint Canning Jars
I’ve been seeing the colored canning jars more and more in the stores lately. Most of the time I’ve seen the blue canning jars for sale, which I’m sure are intended to look like the old vintage jars from years ago. Other times (like when I was in Joann FabricRead More
My Canning Jar Discovery
Canning jars (also known as Mason jars) certainly seem to be enjoying a new revival. I’m sure there are plenty of folks using canning jars for their original purpose of preserving food, but there’s probably more people using canning jars for all kinds of other practical and decorative purposes. I’mRead More
DIY Citronella Candles
A couple weeks ago I got the idea in my head that I wanted to make my own citronella candles to use outdoors this summer to keep those nasty mosquitoes away. It can’t be that hard, I said to myself, to make a nice little homemade citronella candle. Let’s doRead More
Make Your Own Reed Diffuser Liquid
When I decided I wanted to make my own reed diffuser liquid to refill my cute little bottle, I did what most folks do – I jumped on the handy dandy computer and tried to learn how. And that’s when I ended up bouncing all around the internet tryingRead More
How To Make Homemade Watercolor Paints
Today’s recipe started off being a just-for-fun idea to see if it would work, and instead ended up being cheap therapy. No kidding. I’ve been wanting to test this recipe for how to make your own watercolor paints for awhile now. Because I don’t have any little kiddos around myRead More
Make Your Own Greeting Card Envelope
One of the interesting things that’s happened to me as I’ve become a well seasoned homemaker is that I’ve built up little supplies of things around the house to solve last minute problems. I wrote once before about my button box that contains a pretty wild assortment of every kindRead More
DIY Birdseed Cakes For Birdola Stackers
Feeding the birds is a fun little hobby I enjoy during the winter months. This year I’ve added a new bird feeder to my collection – the Birdola Stacker The benefit of the Stacker is that you can stack up different types of birdseed cakes and attract more birds withRead More
Pour Spout Canning Jar Top (From An Old Salt Container!)
Here’s a fun idea if you’re wishing for a top on your canning jar with a pour spout. Just re-use an old salt container! The round boxes that salt are sold in have those nice little metal spouts on them PLUS they’re the same size around as a wideRead More
How to Sew A Homemade Heating Pad
Aches and pains happen in life. When they do, having a reusable heat pack in the house is a great homemade solution. These homemade heating pads are simply squares of fabric filled with rice. A soft yet sturdy fabric like flannel or fleece works the best, and filling themRead More
How to Decorate Jar Lids with Fabric
It sure sounded simple. But, alas, things in life often are not as simple as they first sound. In this case I was looking for a simple way to decorate the lids of my recycled jars and ended up being inspired by none other than Martha Stewart herself. Yup,Read More
DIY Tile Coasters: A Great Way To Use Homemade Mod Podge
Now that I have a freshly made batch of my Homemade Mod Podge, I was all set to make a project that’s been on my want-to-do list for quite awhile. I’ve seen these DIY tile coasters around on Pinterest and some of my friends and family have made them too. Read More
Make Your Own Mod Podge for Decoupage Crafts
For over 40 years, crafters have loved a product named Mod Podge which calls itself the “original all-in-one sealer, glue, and finish”. Mod Podge is most often used for decoupage crafts, which is the art of decorating surfaces with paper cutouts that are sealed, glued, and finished (which isRead More
Pine Cones and Toilet Paper Tubes = DIY Bird Feeders
Remember a few weeks ago when I was making my homemade breadcrumbs and I said the birds were gonna hate me because I wasn’t giving them my leftover bread anymore? Well, scratch that. Me and the birds are good again. And the squirrels will probably love me too. That’sRead More