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| d.i.y. creativity | Page 1 of 1 | |
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DIY Gift Idea: Custom Napkin Rings
Publish On 12-10-2009 , 08:22
Custom napkin rings are a gift most people would appreciate this holiday season. The decorative accents can be made to fit anyone's style. Here's how to make your own.
1. Fold a napkin to the shape and size you would normally have it when displayed in the napkin ring.
2. Measure around your napkin at your desired point and cut fabric to this size, accounting for a hem. I cut the fabric to twice the size I needed then folded the piece of fabric in half.
3. Iron the hem into the fabric and sew the sides together.
4. Create a closure. I chose to do a simple, hand-sewn button closer.
I think it turned out nicely.
 -- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on d.i.y. trends.
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DIY Gift Idea: Homemade Wall Calendars
Publish On 12-10-2009 , 08:12
Wall calendars are something everyone can appreciate and this idea is simple enough that anyone can make it.
This gift idea was inspired by Anthropologie's 2009 "Creatures Great and Small" Calendar which were so cute this past year.
This calendar are simple, colorful and expressive, but cost $20 each. Here's a handmade alternative that will cost you about 30 minutes and a couple bucks, at the most, to create.
Steps:
1. Design and create your calendar pages using whatever design software is familiar to you.
Tip: I reserved about an inch along the top of my calendar to account for overlap with the framing. I personally prefer calendar without dates, so I've created a basic template for a dateless calendar.
2. Measure and cut cardboard backing and framing to size.
3. Measure and cut out notch for hanging your calendar.
4. Secure pages to backing. I used a simple "hole punch/ribbon tie" method.
5. Decorate as desired.
Note: If you're making this as a gift for a friend try pre-dating the calendar to make it easy for them, or add pictures, quotes, etc. to the calendar for a more personal feel.
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on d.i.y. trends.
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Hang Tough and Pretty
Publish On 10-04-2009 , 10:48
Difficulty: Moderately Easy Estimated time: 30 minutes
I drew up plans, I measured space and I started to obsess over renovating my yard.
And just when I think I have a great plan, life tells me I, in fact, don’t.
Economic woes and my husband’s med school quest brought my yard renovation efforts to a grinding halt. Who needs to study, when you can help your wife make your yard beautiful? Kidding.
I have to say, my lack of projects put a damper on my creative process.
But I’m back with a d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty project to help “beautify” your closet: fabric-covered hangers.
Ok, I’ll admit this project was inspired by my life-long hatred for wire hangers. Growing up I cringed when I saw those scrawny, ugly brown hangers stuffed between the colorful plastic ones and I vowed when I had my own house I would NEVER use them.
My, how the tables turn. Now that I have my own house, I can’t justify throwing away a perfectly good hanger just because I’m slightly OCD about my closet, especially when the things are so inexpensive- or FREE!
So I whipped out some leftover fabric and got to work making them less of an eyesore.
Here’s what you’ll need:
-Wire hanger, Scrap paper, Fabric, Straight pins, Sewing needle, Thread
Steps:
1.Trace an outline of your hanger on a large sheet of paper. Be sure to allow enough space to account for the fabric hems.
2. Cut out the outline of the hanger and use this “pattern” to cut your fabric. You’ll need to cut two identical pieces of fabric.
3. Hem the bottom of each piece.
4. Sew the two pieces together leaving space for the hanger hook along the top. Leave the bottom open for easy removal and cleaning.
5. Turn your fabric right-side-out. Press, if needed and slip it into place.
~~~
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on d.i.y. trends.
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Gardening Genesis
Publish On 05-18-2009 , 10:35
A white picket fence.
I had one once.
The only one on my block, until “the city” (I’m not going to say which city) decided I had to take it down so they could put in street lights.
My husband and I were furious, but eventually we got over it…or at least we stopped shaking our heads in horror every time we came home to re-discover our fence no longer existed.
As the weather gets warmer, I’ve begun thinking about the landscaping I can do to help our yard look better without our picket fence. I have a lot of grand gardening ideas though I’ll admit I’m not particularly versed in the art of gardening.
None-the-less, my “d.i.y. yard renewal” is a project I will be embarking on this summer and I hope you’ll come along for the ride as I document it in d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty.
The first step in the process for me will be to start growing a few planted flowers in my kitchen until I find a suitable spot for them outdoors. (Note: At this point in the season, you can easily buy fully bloomed plants, but for the purposes of this blog, I’ll be started from scratch)
While shopping for items for my home garden, I had the idea of beginning an office garden, to help me nurture my green thumb while at work and provide a little more beauty around this place. This technique can be used for making small decorative planters for different rooms in your home.
I’ve never tried this before so this will be a learning experience for all of us.
Materials:
-Empty tissue box.
-Zip lock bag
-potting soil
-seeds
- packing tape
Step 1:
-Start out with an empty tissue box. I always save these just in case a d.i.y. project hits me and I need one. Remove the plastic liner from the top, or if you want a wider opening, cut off the top completely.
Step 2:
-Because cardboard and water don’t mix so well, I decided to line my tissue boxes with a waterproof ziplock bag by insert the bag into the box, top hanging out, removing the locking top and taping the top around the outside of the box, creating a water-proof interior. Yes, it’s a lot easier to just buy a pot, but I estimate the cost of this pot to be about $1.50- plus, this can easily be made into a fun family arts and crafts project.
Step 3:
-Make it pretty. I used two-sided tape, wrapping paper, etc. to decorate mine. Use anything you like.
Step 4:
-Add potting soil and your seeds and watch things grow.
Happy growing!
~~~
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on the coolest d.i.y. trends.
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Divided, I Stand.
Publish On 03-25-2009 , 14:24
It’s a daily struggle for me to find anything in my desk. I have a “catchall” drawer that does exactly that- catch all, and not give anything back.
My desk drawers at work are a mess and, sadly, my dresser drawers at home aren’t much better.
About once a month I get fed up, huff and puff and tear everything out of the drawers to diligently reorganize them. But no matter how carefully I put everything into place, by the time I’m dashing around, running late, on a deadline or just keeping up with life, things are falling over and mingling with each other like one big party.
It frustrates me to no end.
I decided to try shopping around for drawer dividers to help me keep my items separate and keep me sane. I found a lot of options, but nothing that was perfect for what I needed. I wanted something adjustable, simple and, let’s be honest, CHEAP.
Making it myself was probably going to be my best option.
So here are some steps to making your own drawer dividers using things you have around your house, or things you can get for free. I’ve included pictures of my trial run with my office “catchall” drawer.
Materials:
-1 cardboard box. If you don’t have any empty boxes at home, you can get free shipping boxes from your local post office or at USPS.com. I used a free “Priority Mail” shipping box for my drawer dividers.
-Scissors or a box cutter.
Steps:
1. Clean out the drawer completely. Here's a picture of what my drawer looked like when I began this process. I'm not happy about it, but yes, it really was that messy.
2. Optional: I wanted to add a little spunk to my drawer, so I taped decorative photo mats at the bottom. You can also use wrapping paper, wallpaper or whatever else you decide.
3. Measure the inside of your drawer and cut the cardboard to fit.
d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty tip- My drawer is 15.75’’ wide,14.75’’ long and 3.5’’ high. I want my drawer divided into 9 sections, so I cut 4 pieces of cardboard- each 3.5’’ high. Two 15.75’’ long, the other two 14.75’’ long.
4. Depending on the size compartments you want, you will need to cut notches into the cardboard dividers at the appropriate intersecting points half the width of your cardboard divider.
d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty tip- I cheated on this step. I put my unnotched dividers in the drawer, adjusted them until I had the spacing I wanted and then marked the spots where I needed to cut (the spots where the pieces would intersect). This helped me avoid having to translate decimal points to inches.
5. Slip in the dividers and connect the notches. Voila!
This process took about 30 minutes total to complete.
d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty tip- Try using boxes you already have to help you organize items in drawers. Kids’ shoe boxes make great catchall mini drawers within a big one. Also my fabulous co-worker, who shall remain nameless, suggested wine box dividers for another alternative.
Let me know how this works for you!
~~~
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on the coolest d.i.y. trends.
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Go Green, Get Beautiful
Publish On 03-17-2009 , 12:27
Unless you’ve been under a rock, I’m sure you’ve heard, or may even be a part of, this wildly popular, and much needed, trend of “going green.” Everything, and almost everyone, is getting a little greener- from stores, like my beloved Target selling reusable shopping bags, to products, like Avon’s push to more natural ingredients in their mark. products (I swear by their mattifying lotion with sugarcane and pumpkin seed).
With my d.i.y. mindset, I did a little research to discover nature offers a multitude of natural and cheap remedies and solutions for everyday ailments, cosmetic issues and housework. In this hard-up economy, where sometimes the more “natural” the product, the more expensive it is, I’m happy to share my favorite d.i.y. solutions with you.
d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty’s all natural face mask
My favorite natural product is a homemade facemask I like to use once or twice week.
Ingredients:
-100% Natural Benotite clay
-Pure honey
-100% pure coconut oil- very little
I usually don’t measure my ingredients, so just mix it until you get the consistency you want, apply this to a freshly washed face. Spend a few moments massaging the mask gently into your face, being careful to avoid your eyes.
The clay works as a gentle exfoliate while the honey and coconut oil are great moisturizers.
Nice additions:
Peppermint oil- for a soothing, cooling effect
Pure Lemon juice- Lemon juice a great 100% natural skin lightener to help slowly banish mild skin discoloration.
d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty’s all natural hair mask
I have extremely dry hair, so deep conditionings, leave-ins and hot oil treatments are my best friends.
A staple in my d.i.y. hair arsenal: an all natural, hot oil deep conditioning treatment.
Ingredients:
-100% extra virgin olive oil (or coconut oil but I prefer olive oil for my hair)
-Pure honey
Again, mix these until you get the consistency you want, it will be slightly runny, because the concoction should be warm when you apply it.
Apply it to your hair in sections being careful not to make a mess.
Then wrap your sticky hair in a plastic shower cap and cover with a warn towel.
I usually let the mix soak in my hair for 30 minutes to an hour and then rinse out thoroughly following with a light sodium lauryl sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner as needed.
Other d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty natural remedies & tips:
NOTE: Please be mindful of your own allergies and the allergies of your family members before using natural remedies and be sure to do your own research.
Apple Cider Vinegar:
-Can be used as a cleaner, stain remover and polisher. I use an eco and child-friendly vinegar-based cleaner to clean my bathrooms.
-Try adding 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 3 tablespoons of sugar to a quart of warm water for a mix that is said to keep fresh-cut flowers blooming longer.
-According to WedMD, studies have show this acidic liquid can help with diabetes, high cholesterol and blood pressure.
Honey:
-My grandmother swears by a mix of honey, lemon and cod liver oil to keep colds away year-round. She made sure we got a tablespoon of it every morning.
Lemon:
-Grease remover
-When mixed with baking soda, it’s said to remove stains from plastic containers.
-A natural bleaching agent
Peppermint oil:
-Said to help digestive problems including irritable bowel syndrome.
-Can be a relaxing addition to a bath.
-Add a few drops of it to olive oil or coconut oil for a soothing massage oil.
Oatmeal:
-Great for your skin as a topical treatment. My mom threw me in an oatmeal bath every now and then to help with my eczema as a child.
~~~
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on the coolest d.i.y. trends.
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Family Bailout Plan
Publish On 03-05-2009 , 12:07
Family Finances. I know it’s something we don’t want to think about in the midst of government bailouts, bank closings, layoffs and the dreaded “r” word, but, sadly, we must.
This week I want to touch on the topic of family finances and help you develop your own effective family budgeting plan- d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty style.
Trust me, I know how tough the past few (or not-so-few months) were on the average family’s purse-strings, but it’s time for a change. And despite how many times we heard the theme “change” last year, I think it’s what we need in order to survive in the current economic "crisis."
A change in the way we budget our money is needed to stretch our dollars a little further this year- so maybe we’ll have more than change in the end.
Now I’m a firm believer in the power of writing things down. So grab a pen and paper and get started working on your budget! Here are a few helpful steps and examples of how I budget.
Step 1: Expenses
I always start by writing down my expenses:
I usually keep a monthly budget (rather than a primarily weekly or bi-weekly budget) because my bills and paychecks come on a monthly basis.
Categorize expenses: Firm bills (the same each month), variable bills (may vary each month) and misc expenses (things like gas, eating out, etc.)
Write it all down. Think about what you spend money on each month. Sometimes I have to break certain things down by week and add up to get the monthly amount.
Example: If I eat out for lunch about 3 times per week and at about $10 a time, times 4.5 weeks in a month. I spend about $135 per month eating.
I always round my expenses up to the nearest hundred, just to be safe. Here's a sample.
Once I add up everything, I discover I have $3200 in monthly expenses,
-$2600 for monthly bills.
-$600 for miscellaneous expenses.
Step 2: Income
I outline my income.
Tip: Always calculate your income using the amount you get after taxes are taken out.
Obviously, if your expenses outweigh your income you have a problem. But it’s not the end of the world.
Think of some ways you can cut costs or earn extra income. See my tips below.
Step 3: Track Spending
The trick to maintaining a good budget is being vigilant. For most people, gone are the days of balancing a checkbook- but it’s definitely a skill every family needs.
I use my “income vs. expenses” information tokeep a weekly/daily account of my budget/money on a calendar/planner.
What helps me too is that on my calendar I keep an account of when all my bills are due, how much they are and how much money I have available on any given day.
As you can see, I may sometimes go over my weekly allowed “misc budget” but I usually try to make up for it other weeks. It’s really important to budget for miscellaneous expenses and then some.
Obviously this sample is a pretty tight budget, but it’s always better to budget with a tight grip and have more left over. In the end you want to be able to save as much as you can.
My way may not work for you, but I promise it will get you on the right track.
I’ve included a worksheet you can download to help you with your budget.
DOWNLOAD MONTHLY BUDGETING CALENDAR
d.i.y crea|tivi|ty financial tips & tricks:
Ways to cut costs:
1. Get your interest rate reduced on credit cards. Try to work out a better agreement with your bill collectors. Contrary to popular belief, most are willing to work with you. And if that doesn’t work you can always try my husband’s favorite trick “If you don’t give me a lower rate, I’m going to cancel my service.”- Oddly enough, it works every time.
2. Avoid late fees by paying your bills on time.
3. Cut the unnecessary stuff. Do you really need to eat out so much?
4. Don’t be afraid to use (or ask for) discounts. Taking classes at a local university or college? Have a student ID card? A lot of places give student discounts. Also find out if your current employer gets a discount for any services you use. For example, my husband and I get 15% off our cellular service bill because of his employer.
5. Cut coupons- It’s not a “grandma’s sport.” Visit sites like Startsampling.com or Dealtaker.com for downloadable coupons and free samples.
Ways to earn extra income:
1. (Obviously) Another job or work extra hours
2. Sell things you don’t use. That elliptical machine in your garage that you keep saying you’re going to start using, sell it.
3. Sell yourself. Not what you think, I promise. If you have any special skills that you can market or even just extra time on your hands, think of ways you can use those skills to make money on the side. Keep it legal, people.
Extra tips to save some green:
1. Sign up for a grocery store discount card wherever you shop. Saving an extra $.10 here and there really adds up. Also be sure to do your research on grocery store prices.
2. Buy seasonal items after the season. I saw a woman buying a Christmas tree on December 29 for 60% off. Also keep in mind when stores start getting rid of their seasonal clothes. Target recently had gloves and hats for 50% off as they made room for the bathing suits.
3. If you pay for electricity, unplug your computer and phone chargers when you’re not using them. Many AC adapters still pull electricity when they are not in use.
What are some budgeting tips and tricks you use to keep your finances in order?
Note: This does not reflect my actual salary, expenses, etc. -just an example. :)
~~~
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on the coolest d.i.y. trends.
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Recycle, Reduce, Re-FAB!
Publish On 02-27-2009 , 10:34
I’ve always been a fan of learning how to get a little more bang for my buck. I blame it on my penny-pinching southern upbringing, where my parents had a special talent for wringing a dollar dry, down to the last cent.
As a child, my brothers and I often found new uses for old things most people would consider trash. Empty wrapping paper rolls transformed into elaborate tunnels for our Hot Wheels cars. Old shoeboxes were reincarnated as decorative storage boxes. We were crafty – we had to be – and we enjoyed our creative recycling efforts.
Creative recycle shouldn’t end in childhood. Here are a few ways I “re-fab” seemingly useless items or items with another purpose.
-Extra buttons: You know those “replacement” buttons you get when you buy a new shirt, dress, etc? Do not throw them out! Even if you never have to replace a button, they make great decorative items. I recently crocheted a wrap and used a few of my orphaned buttons to embellish it.
-Empty tissue boxes: I use my empty facial tissue boxes as dispensers for plastic grocery bags as well as decorative tissue paper.
-Old watch boxes: My empty watch box, a clear, hard plastic container, makes a great protective keeper of the phone charger, headphones and USB flash drive I keep in my purse. It’s compact and sturdy enough to keep these items from being crushed in my overstuffed bag.
-Dustpan as ice scrapper: Now I can’t take credit of this one. My husband deserves that honor. On those cold winter days when my windshield is covered with ice (or on a couple of days this winter, snow) my husband comes to my rescue by gently using our dustpan to clear my windows.
Finding new uses for old things isn’t a new concept, nor one my brothers and I invented, although we’d probably claim it if asked. Real Simple magazine, one of my absolute favorites (after Carolina Parenting Inc. publications, of course), has a section appropriately titled “New Uses for Old Things” which is great for new ideas. They have a suggestion for using ice cream cones to bake cupcakes that blows my mind!
What are some ways you make new uses for old things? I’d love to hear them.
~~~
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on the coolest d.i.y. trends.
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Soft, Smooth and Sugary-sweet
Publish On 02-19-2009 , 10:18
I’ve always been a “Do-it-myself” kind of chick. As a young girl, it started out innocently enough with me learning to braid my hair in intricate patterns (when you have crazy-thick hair like I do, you have to do something to contain it). It slowly progressed to me altering my own clothes in middle school, learning basic Web code in high school. Now I’ve reached the level of "Mrs. Fix it" around my house. Ask my co-workers. Despite my fully-capable husband, I’m often the one who puts things together, replaces broken faucets or jumps on the roof to secure tarp over a leak.
No, I don’t have some uncanny knack for fixing things, but I’m pretty good at following directions and I’m determined to get things done.
Need-less-to-say, the growing D.I.Y. culture fits with my lifestyle.
I love the feeling I get when I can be creative and accomplish something worthwhile at the same time. I’d like to share that feeling with you.
“d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty” is a new Carolina Parent blog aimed to help you immerse yourself in activities, crafts, etc. for fun, self-enrichment & personal growth.
I want to focus on helping you become more efficient, organized, self-satisfied while also suggesting activities, crafts and worksheets to help you maintain a positive relationship with your family.
For our first activity, I want to do something fairly simple, but fun and with lots of room to make it your own.
All Natural Sugar Scrubs
The recipe is very simple:
Ingredients:
2 cups raw sugar
1/2 cup almond oil
1/4 cup apricot oil
jar for storage
Steps:
Mix the oils together. Stir into the sugar.
For my sugar scrubs I like to add a little honey and pure coconut oil. They both are GREAT natural moisturizers, and for someone with dry skin, it works well.
You can add fragrance to your mix as desired. I add a bit of pure peppermint oil to mine (use sparingly, that stuff can be pretty strong) for a cool invigorating sensation.
Mix things up and add your own personal style to it.
Consider packaging your sugar scrubs in a cute jar, wrap it in tissue paper, secure it with a bow and give it to a well-deserving person you know.
These sweet concoctions will help keep you soft, smooth and sweet-smelling and it’s easy enough to do with your kids. They’d make a great gift-bag item for pre-teen parties!
Enjoy!
~~~
-- Written by Tivi Jones, Marketing Coordinator for Carolina Parent, writer, author and founder of d.i.y. crea|tivi|ty, a new blog that offers Triangle residents information and how-to's on the coolest d.i.y. trends.
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