Category Archives:DIY

26
Jul

Mason Jar Party Time! DIY Mason Jar Party Decor

Mason Jar Party Lantern

Fancy up your next summer shindig and make it a mason jar party! Mason jars are useful for sassing up any party, from food and drink to decorations.

Mason jars are more than just handy. They're a great eco-friendly craft supply to keep on hand. You can often find vintage mason jars at yard sales, thrift stores, or on eBay. Even if you end up buying new mason jars, their durability still makes them very eco-friendly. Those glass jars and the metal lids that come with them will last you for years and years, unlike cheap plastic goods.

Because they're versatile and sturdy, mason jars work great for all kinds of party decor. Check out these mason jar party ideas for your next backyard party!

1. Hanging Lantern

Light up the night with lots of hanging lanterns made from just a couple of simple supplies that you probably have on hand right this second!

2. No-Spill Party Glasses

Grab some simple tools and turn a batch of mason jars into reusable cups! Just make sure you choose a paper, metal, or glass straw instead of a plastic one for healthier sipping!

mason jar cocktails

3. Mason Jar Cocktails

Instead of altering your jars to make sippy cups, you can also use them to serve pre-mixed cocktails with less mess.

4. Individual Cobblers

Make dessert extra special at your next throwdown by baking up a batch of cobblers in mason jars that your guests can grab and munch.

5. A Cooler Veggie Plate

A plate of crudites might look a little bit boring. Serve carrot and celery sticks, slices of sweet pepper, and other raw veggies in mason jars for a more appealing presentation.

Have you done any fun mason jar party crafts? I'd love to hear your DIY ideas in the comments!

Of course, I can't think about parties without thinking about one of my favorite songs by my very favorite band:

Posted:   |   Categories: Craft Recycled, DIY, Glassware, Home+Decor, Living, mason jar crafts, mason jar ideas, mason jar party, mason jars
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19
Jul

5 DIY Bath and Body Recipes

DIY Bath and Body Products: Homemade Sugar Scrub

Treat yourself right with these easy DIY bath and body recipes!

Shopping for bath and body products can be tricky. So many commercial beauty products contain questionable ingredients, and it can be tough to stay on top of what is and isn't safe, can't it? Instead of rolling the dice with bath and body products from the big box store, you can make your own with some of these DIY recipes!

1. DIY Sugar Scrub

With some kitchen ingredients and your favorite essential oil blend, you can whip up a homemade sugar scrub in minutes. The scrub pictured above there is one that I made using the Meditation Oil from Aura Cacia. It's my husband's favorite.

Click here for the tutorial!

2. Make Your Own Perfume or Cologne

You can use rubbing alcohol, like the recipe calls for, or substitute grain alcohol if you're not partial to rubbing alcohol. Either way, it's a simple recipe that's much cheaper and less toxic than store-bought colognes.

Click here for the tutorial!

DIY Deodorant

3. Homemade Deodorant

Check out my new favorite recipe for making deodorant with just a few ingredients! You can make it stick-style or lotion-style. The best part? No aluminum, triclosan, or other harmful ingredients here!

Click here for the tutorial!

4. DIY Bath Bombs

Nothing says decadent like a hot bath and a soothing bath bomb. The trouble is that those fizzy wonders usually include mystery ingredients to make them smell nice. Boo! Make your own bath bomb to skip the chemical fragrances.

Click here for the tutorial!

5. Sunburn Salve

Did you overdo it at the beach or by the pool? The faster you treat your sunburn, the lower your changes that the burn will do long-term damage to your skin and to your health. Soothe your sunburned skin naturally with a homemade salve.

Click here for the tutorial!

Do you have any favorite DIY bath and body recipes? Tell us about them in the comments!

Posted:   |   Categories: bath and body recipes, beauty recipes, DIY, DIY bath and body recipes, DIY beauty, DIY beauty recipes, Health+Beauty, Living
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17
Jul

DIY Deodorant with Only 4 Ingredients!

DIY Deodorant

I am constantly on the search for safe deodorants, so when I ran across a recipe for DIY deodorant, I knew I had to try it!

The recipe comes from Chocolate and Zucchini, and it's the first of two homemade deodorants that she's made. You can check out the other recipe here. The one I tested only called for:

  • baking soda
  • starch of your choice - I used corn starch, because we had some
  • coconut oil

You basically mix these up and either chill it for a stick deodorant or put it in a container for more of a lotion-style situation. You can see her whole recipe here. I had all of these things already in the kitchen, so I pulled out a bowl and a tablespoon measure, and mixed this up!

The mixture ended up way too crumbly for my taste. When I shaped it into my mold, it cracked, and at room temperature it was not smooth enough to apply as lotion. This is the recipe that ended up working for me. It has 4 ingredients.

4 Ingredient DIY Deodorant

  • 2 tablespoons baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

This chilled nicely into the mold, as pictured at the top there, and is nice and creamy at room temperature. To mold mine, I used a foil cupcake liner that I had on hand (a paper one would work fine, too). I pressed the mixture into the liner, dropped it in a teacup, and pressed some more:

DIY Deodorant in Mold

Let it chill for about an hour, and you're ready to use! If you're wanting lotion-style deodorant, you can skip the whole cupcake liner step.

But does it work?

I applied a bit of the deodorant and was very impressed! There's no white residue once you rub it in, though I'd definitely recommend applying before you get dressed, since it's a little messier than chemical deodorants. It kept me unstinky for the whole day, despite me skipping a shower. (Don't judge! I'm a new mom. I'm lucky to get sleep, much less to fit in a shower some days.)

Overall, I'd definitely recommend this recipe! It came together in minutes, not counting the time to chill. If you're doing it lotion style, there isn't even any chilling required.

Do you have a favorite DIY deodorant? Tell us your recipe in the comments!

 

Posted:   |   Categories: deodorant, DIY, DIY beauty, DIY deodorant, Health+Beauty, homemade deodorant, Living
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12
Jul

Spotted: Mysterious Wine Cork Chair

Cork Chair

Makezine's Laura Cochrane spotted this gorgeous cork chair at Lynmar Estate winery in Sebastopol, CA.

The cork chair's origins are a mystery. What's under all of those reclaimed wine corks? Did they cover an old chair that was past its prime? Did the build some sort of frame to cover? Cochrane wasn't entirely sure.

Whether it's made fro all corks or corks covering some kind of frame, I also wonder about what they used as an adhesive. There don't seem to be any physical materials holding the corks together, so they must have used a wood glue or maybe epoxy. It would have to be something strong to hold up to all of the drunken winery patrons having a sit-down on it, right?

This cork project may be a mystery, but if you want to get your cork crafting on, here are a few ideas for you:

wine cork heart

Do you have a favorite project for crafting with corks? Do you know more about the mysterious wine cork chair? Tell us about it in the comments!

 

Posted:   |   Categories: cork chair, cork crafts, DIY, Furniture, Home+Decor, Living, wine cork chair, wine corks
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10
Jul

Quick Green Tip: DIY Fruit Fly Trap

DIY Fruit Fly Trap

Are you dealing with fruit flies this summer? Make a DIY fruit fly trap that's inexpensive and totally non-toxic.

Since the weather has warmed up, the fruit flies have decided that they very much enjoy buzzing around our kitchen. Those icky drosophila melanogaster were fine in high school biology class, but I don't need them landing on my dinner plate. Yuck!

Related Reading: How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally

I'm not too keen on spraying poison anywhere in the house, and the kitchen even more so. That's where I cook food! That my husband and I eat! It's where I wash my baby's bottles. So, when I finally got fed up with swatting fruit flies away while I was making supper, I decided to whip up a quick trap. Here's how!

You need:

  • a mason jar
  • apple cider vinegar
  • dish soap
  • plastic wrap
  • a rubber band
  • kitchen skewer

Fill the mason jar up with about an inch of vinegar, and stir in a drop or two of the dish soap. Cover the jar with plastic wrap, secure with the rubber band, and use the skewer to poke holes in the top. Leave it out on the counter, and in a few days it will be full of fruit flies. Empty the jar and start again until the flies in your kitchen get the message that they're not wanted.

Posted:   |   Categories: DIY, fruit flies, fruit fly trap, Home+Decor, how to get rid of fruit flies, Living, natural fruit fly trap, vinegar fruit fly trap
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05
Jul

4 Upcycled Pallet Projects

succulent pallet table

Did you find a wood pallet that could use a little DIY love? Check out our upcycled pallet projects to turn them into something cute and usable!

Wood pallets are ubiquitous in the shipping industry, but they often don't get used many times before they're put out to pasture. It's a shame to let all of that wood go to the landfill! Luckily, there are lots of super awesome ways that you can upcycle old pallets.

If you see a stack of pallets outside of a shop, make sure you ask before you nab one. Businesses do reuse them, and if you take one that's still in use for shipping you're not really doing your best upcycling work, right? The idea is to get the most use out of these things as possible, and if you snag it before they're done with it, that means they have to buy a new one.

Upcycled Pallet Projects

1. DIY Succulent Table

If your pallet is made from untreated wood, you can turn it into a super sweet table with a built-in succulent planter!

2. Vertical Succulent Planter

Don't need a table but want to get in on the succulent-planting action? How about a vertical pallet planter for those beautiful succulents?

pallet desk

3. Make a Desk

Another great project for untreated wood pallets - make a desk using IKEA legs in just a few simple steps.

4. DIY Ottoman

This project is for folks who are on the handy side, and the results are totally beautiful. Turn a wood pallet into a classy tufted ottoman.

Posted:   |   Categories: crafting with wood pallets, DIY, DIY bird house, pallet crafts, pallets, reuse, upcycling, wood pallet crafts
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03
Jul

Spotted: DIY Fruit Basket Made from Grocery Bags

Paper Fruit Basket

These sweet fruit baskets are made from reclaimed paper grocery bags!

As much as I'd like to say that I always bring reusable bags to the store, sometimes I slip up. Other times, I bring one bag because I think I'm going to just grab a few essentials but end up with a cart full of groceries. Next time you have to take a single-use bag at the store, don't fret. Ask for paper, and head home to get crafty!

Do you remember doing old-school paper weaving when you were a kid? Crafter Lia Griffith uses that same technique to create these cute berry serving baskets. I love the simplicity of this project and that you probably have all of the materials that you need to create it right in your house!

Fruit Basket Tutorial

To make your own DIY fruit basket, you'll need:

  • an old grocery bag
  • ruler
  • pen or pencil
  • scissors
  • clothes pin
  • hot glue gun

Lia has a beautiful photo tutorial showing you how to weave this basket together. Click here to check it out!

Posted:   |   Categories: Craft Recycled, crafty reuse, creative reuse, DIY, DIY fruit basket, grocery bag crafts, paper crafts, reuse, upcycling
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27
Jun

July 4th Crafts to Reduce the Holiday Waste

craftRECYCLED logo

Independence Day is coming up next week here in the U.S. For a lot of us, that means backyard parties and all of the potential waste that comes with them.

From plastic utensils to single-use decorations, a July 4th shindig isn't always the best for the planet. You can cut back on a lot of waste just by changing how you set the table, like choosing proper dishes and utensils instead of single-use plastic and paper, but when it comes to decorations you might just want some themed decor.

That's where your crafty skills come in! We've rounded up some DIY projects that you can do this weekend to get your house Independence Day ready with none of the waste.

Lighting

Upcycled Wine Bottle Gas Lamp

Instead of Christmas lights or other electric lights, rustle up an empty blue glass bottle or two and create an upcycled gas lantern. For a little extra ambiance, make some votives for the table out of old candles from around the house.

Table Decor

sixpack caddy

If you're planning a 4th of July party, chances are you've picked up a six pack or two. Pull those bottles out and upcycle the cardboard caddy into a cute, thematic condiment holder. But you don't have to stop there! Instead of a crappy, disposable table cloth, whip up a simple table runner instead, using fabric from your stash. Just choose a few prints in patriotic colors, and you're ready to rock.

Hanging Decorations

upcycled bunting

Nothing says festive like some bunting! It's so much prettier than paper streamers, and you can use it year after year instead of tossing it at the end of the evening. Check out this upcycled bunting that you can make in 10 minutes!

Do you have any DIY plans for the 4th? I'd love to hear about what crafty things you guys have in the works!

Posted:   |   Categories: DIY, DIY party decorations, holiday decorations, holidays, Home+Decor, Independence Day, July 4th, July 4th crafts, Living, red white and blue, upcycled crafts, upcycling
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25
Jun

Spotted: Upcycled Ottoman from a Wood Pallet

craftRECYCLED logoupcycled ottoman

We love a good pallet project around here, and this tufted, upcycled ottoman is rocking our socks!

Allyson at Domestic Superhero made this ottoman from a reclaimed wood pallet. It's kind of a beast of a project, but the results are so stunning, it's totally worth it.

There's a bit of debate about whether wood pallets are safe for crafting. The short version of the debate is that pallets are sometimes made from treated wood, and some tests have found bacteria like e. coli on wooden pallets. The treated wood is really more of an issue if you're using the pallet wood for something like growing food or building a tabletop that you'll be directly in contact with.

As for the bacteria issue, that almost seems to come down to comfort level. We come into contact with bacteria every day, and you have to decide if you're cool bringing a pallet into your home that may or may not be harboring bacteria. People craft with pallets all the time, and I'm yet to run across a story about someone getting sick from doing so.

If you want to make your own tufted pallet ottoman, here's your supply list:

  • reclaimed wood pallet
  • circular saw (if you need to cut yours down like she did)
  • sand paper
  • plywood cut to the dimensions of your pallet
  • hammer and nails
  • pressboard cut to the size of your pallet
  • foam batting that's the size of your pallet's top plus enough foam to cover the 4 smaller sides
  • enough fabric to wrap the pallet completely (don't forget to account for the heights of both your pallet and the batting when you're measuring!)
  • tufting buttons, upholstery needle, and thin cord
  • spray adhesive
  • drill
  • enough batting to wrap the pallet completely (don't forget to account for the heights of both your pallet and the batting when you're measuring!)
  • staple gun
  • wooden legs, mounting brackets, and paint or stain
  • piece of muslin and hot glue to cover the bottom of the pallet (optional)

Whew! That's a doozy of a list, but this is a dramatic transformation! Once you've got your supplies together, click here for the full tutorial!

Posted:   |   Categories: Craft Recycled, crafting with wooden pallets, DIY, DIY ottoman, Furniture, Home+Decor, Living, pallet craft, pallet ottoman, upcycled ottoman
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13
Jun

Spotted: Wine Cork Keychains

wine cork keychain

You know that we love collecting and crafting with wine corks around here, and these sweet, simple little keychains make lovely DIY keepsakes!

Tracie Stoll at Cleverly Inspired made these wine cork keychains as favors for a South Beach wedding. The keychains were a custom order in her Etsy shop, and she was kind enough to also share the tutorial on her blog. They only require a few simple supplies to make, and you probably have most of what you need on hand right this second!

wine cork keychain supplies

To make one keychain, you need:

  • a wine cork
  • a keychain ring
  • a 13/16 screw eye
  • a sticky label (optional)

That's it! Ready to get making? Click here for the full tutorial!

Posted:   |   Categories: cork craft, crafting with wine corks, DIY, DIY keychain, keychain, wine cork craft
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