February’s theme here on the blog is “Budget Friendly” so I’m hoping to inspire you to creativity, without spending too much money along the way. First up: Paper Conversation Hearts! This Valentines Day project is so fun, and you might already have most of the supplies on hand. Plus I’m including a free printable to keep it easy and quick! ~This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no additional charge to you. ~ I heard a nasty rumor the other day. I hope it’s not true, but I have a bad feeling about this. I heard that the company that… Keep Reading
Easy Concrete Ornaments You Can DIY in a Weekend
Concrete Christmas Ornaments? Who ever heard of such a thing? Well, when you’re a DIY-er like me, you sometimes find yourself with spare material left over from projects. And if you’re also cheap like me, then you hate to see things go to waste. If necessity is the mother of invention, then leftover material is its quirky aunt. She always seems to run off on a tangent, but at least you can count on her for some fun, and and an interesting story or two along the way. Wait, where was I? Oh right. Concrete Christmas Ornaments. I had a little leftover Feather Finish concrete from my Guest Bathroom Remodel,… Keep Reading
15 Minute Minimalist Spring Wreath on the Cheap
Cheap and fast, that’s me. At least when it comes to my style in crafting. But then, who doesn’t love a project that gives you major wow factor with less money and less time? This minimalist spring wreath gives you both for just under $10 and about 15 minutes of your time. How’s that for cheap and fast? I started with a giant embroidery hoop that I found months ago at a thrift store and grabbed immediately, not even knowing what I would do with it. (This is why I have a craft stash storage problem.) Then I added a few spring blooms from the Dollar Tree and put it… Keep Reading
Christmas with Stencils
Stencils are great for making all kinds of crafts and decor. But what do you do when you can’t find the right stencil for that creative project you have in mind? Make your own! I’ll show you how, using supplies you probably already own. Join me and several of my blogging buddies as we get creative together to inspire you to try some stenciling projects of your own this Christmas. This project brings all my favorite things together: thrift store diving, paint, and flannel. For just under $10, you can make your own fun Christmas wall art, and you get a great excuse to make a trip to your favorite thrift… Keep Reading
Pillows from Placemats in 3 Easy Steps
Between painting my kitchen cabinets and remodeling an entire house to sell, I’ve had enough of big projects for a while. So today I thought I’d share a super fast and easy up-cycle. I was at Target the other day (not an uncommon occurrence) and found these fabulous placemats on clearance. I looked at them for a minute, thinking “I don’t really use placemats.” But I was sure they needed to come home with me anyway. Once I got home, I realized they were the perfect size and pattern for adding a little much-needed color to my couch. Now I just had to figure out how to refashion them into pillows,… Keep Reading
Easy Summer Bead Craft
I don’t know about you, but for me Summer is the worst possible time to try and get anything done. With the kids out of school, it’s all about swimming, VBS, going to the park, and trying not to watch too much TV. Don’t get me wrong – I love having my kids home. I just need to realize that every year, 2 1/2 months will go by without any accomplishment whatsoever. (Unless you count happy, somewhat-well-adjusted children.) So when a blogging buddy of mine asked me to take part in their Summer Blogger Challenge, I hesitated because I knew I couldn’t realistically put together a big project. Then I… Keep Reading
Let There be Light!
One of my favorite parts of starting out on a new venture or project is amassing new tools. Have you seen this quote: Why buy it for $7 when you could make it yourself with $92 of craft supplies? That pretty much describes the life of a DIY-er. Or upon further thought, it may be that DIY-ing just provides a thin cover for my slight hoarding tendency. Any-hoo, where was I? Oh yes…tools. I’ve recently decided to learn the art of hand-lettering. I’ve never loved my handwriting (insert sob story about being home-schooled in China by my left-handed mother the year everyone else learned cursive back in the States) and now I’m motivated… Keep Reading
New Life for Old Decor and a Special Blog Hop
I’m so excited to bring you a very special Home for Christmas blog hop today, hosted by Hometalk.com and CountryLiving.com! Hometalk and Country Living are two of my favorite places to go when I’m looking for a little inspiration, so when I got the chance to join them in this blog hop, I jumped off my couch and started looking for the perfect project. Turns out the one I was looking for was right under my nose, in the giant pile of Christmas decor sitting in my living room, which was the reason I was hiding on my couch in the first place! When we brought out our Christmas decorations… Keep Reading
Deco Foil All the Things!
Today I’m sharing not just one craft tutorial, but two! If this blog were anything but free then that would be a great deal. As it is, I guess that just means more reading for you. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s get started! I’ve recently fallen in love with a new (to me) product called Deco Foil from Thermoweb. You may be familiar with Therm O Web if you do any kind of paper crafting because you probably use at least one of their adhesives: Zots, mounting squares, tape runners, etc. When Therm O Web asked if I’d be interested in using their foil to make a couple of… Keep Reading
Etched Glass Luminarias
I may be a little biased, but I think luminarias are magical. If you’re not familiar with them, luminarias are a Christmas Eve tradition here in New Mexico. Sometimes called farolitos, they have their roots in ancient Spanish culture. They traditionally consist of paper bags with a bit of sand in the bottom for weight, and a candle lit inside, which doesn’t sound very exciting, but somehow in the dark of Christmas Eve, they become a symbol of light and love. Photo credit: chris runoff / Foter.com / CC BY-ND The first year of our marriage, and our first Christmas in our new house, we suffered not a snow storm, but a… Keep Reading