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star102

Crap I've Made

Canning Jar Lid Bird Feeders

Feed the birdies!

This will make about a dozen bird feeders. You can halve the recipe to make less or double it to make more. But honestly, given the current situation and the fact that we’re all stuck inside (stinkin’ Corona Virus!) they make adorable gifts. Put ’em in a paper lunch bag – ’cause we’re certainly not using those right now – and place at the doors of your neighbors. Spread the happiness – feed the birds & make a friend smile!

What you need:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups wild bird seed
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 envelope non-flavored gelatine
1/2 cup water
mason jar lids, applesauce jar lids, spaghetti sauce jar lids – you’ll need 12
twine, yarn, string, rope, whatever you’ve got!
parchment paper

Mix the first 5 ingredients together thoroughly.

Tie your twine onto your 12 jar lids. Make sure your strings are long enough to tie around wherever they may hang. A little piece of tape on the inside will help hold the twine in place while you’re filling the lids up.

Lay your jar lids on a piece of parchment paper – newspaper will work just fine if your lid is closed in the back (like an applesauce jar lid or spaghetti sauce jar lid). Grab a handful of your birdseed mixture and smash it down with your hands into the lid (it will be sticky, so you may want to spray some cooking oil or rub a bit of coconut oil on your fingers and palm to keep the seeds from sticking too much). Allow the feeder lids to sit a few hours or overnight before hanging.

Public Speaking

License Plate Beverage Carrier

Because guys like to have cool things to carry too…

This beverage carrier is perfect for BYOB barbecues, summer get-togethers, baseball watch parties, Father’s Day or any occasion!

Who knew one cedar fence post and 2 old license plates could make such a fun DIY?! I used one Cleveland Indians and one traditional license plate because that’s what Edward had in the garage. I personally kinda like the mis-matched look.

1 cedar fence post cut into: (2) 7″ pieces (one piece will have to be manually dog- eared) and (1) 12″ bottom piece. You can find the fence pickets here.
2 license plates
metal bottle cap opener
wood screws
Nail gun or Staple gun
Drill
4 Leather Strips approx. 24″ in length each (I had some left over from the Cleveland Indians Door Hanger you can see here)
17″ long 1″ Dowel Rod
2 Eye Hooks

I opted to paint and distress the wood pieces and stain the dowel rod.

Using a staple gun, nail the plate to each side piece
Drill the bottom piece to underside of side pieces
Drill 2 – 1/2″ holes into both sides (before attaching plates & bottom piece)
Taking 2 strips of leather, knot them outside of first hole.
Run strips through eye hooks
And back through second hole. Knot to secure.

Add a bottle opener on the side to complete the functionality of the carrier.

Pretty darn cool.

And off he goes with his beer in tow!

Public Speaking

Herb Drying Ring

By now, I think it’s pretty darn obvious that I have a love affair with herbs and flowers.

I’ve shown you how I grow herbs and how I display herbs (here). But we’ve not yet discussed methods for drying them. Which is rather important if you’re trying to be a Plant Lady but you’re not a Plant Lady and you tend to send your plants to the grave like a Plant Killer and you don’t want your herbs (and money) to go to waste – just sayin’…

This is a simple solution that allows your herbs a place to air dry while adding a touch of shabby chic to your space.

Using a metal hoop wreath, some twine (of course!), a handful of small S-hooks and your fresh herbs cut, rinsed and patted dry gently with a paper towel, you have all you need to make this 5 minute craft.

Begin by knotting 3 pieces of twine approximately 18 inches in length to the hoop wreath.

Now knot the 3 pieces of twine together at the top.

To make hanging even simpler, I used the extra twine above the top knot to create a hook by wrapping it around itself. I then wrapped and knotted an additional piece of twine around the makeshift hoop to keep it secure and tight. The herbs will be light in weight, so I was confident this method would hold the plants.

I cut the extra lengths of twine from under the top knot and used those pieces to tie the herbs to the S-hooks. Waste not, want not!

That’s it! So easy, simple and cute!

You can use the herbs directly from the ring as they dry, or once fully dried, crush them and store them in an air tight container.

Public Speaking

Floral Canvas Tennies

The Dollar Tree is chalk-full of SO many amazing supplies for the DIY’er. Their craft aisle is totally awesome and every few months, they fill up the 4 front aisles with new seasonal holiday goodness that makes me excited to explore their rows of dollar dreams.

Recently on my bi-weekly Dollar Store trip, I found these stinking adorable paper napkins. There were also matching plates and cups. I think they are so beautiful. I picked them up knowing they would be perfect for something. I just wasn’t quite sure what yet.

I used a few of them for my English Garden Easter Tablescape you can see here, but I still had a bunch of napkins left.

A few days later at Walmart, I found white canvas shoes for $5 and the light bulb went off, my friends.

I decided to fancy up my plain white shoes using Mod Podge and those gorgeous paper napkins.

The result? FAST, FRUGAL AND FREAKING AWESOME FLORAL GOODNESS! And I’mma show you how I made them!

Gather your supplies and cover your work area.

White Canvas Shoes (mine were found at Walmart, but I have seen similar at Target, KMart and even the Dollar General!)
2 Foam Brushes
Paper Napkins (or tissue paper, comic book paper, newspaper, wrapping paper, craft paper, scrap-booking paper…)
Mod Podge
Clear Acrylic Spray
Sharp Scissors
Utility Knife
Painters Tape (optional step)

If you are going to use the painters tape to cover the rubber bottom, now is the time to apply it.

*note* I made one pair with painters tape and one pair of shoes without. Honestly, I didn’t notice enough difference to make it seem useful enough to do it again. I don’t mind things not “perfect”. That’s why this step is optional.

I left the manufacturers paper stuffing in the shoes because I liked how it pushed out the fabric while I worked on it. I also added some paper to the exposed insert to prevent spilling any Mod Podge inside the shoe.

The next step is to place the paper on top of the shoes in the area you want to cover. I wanted the front and back to be covered in the pretty napkins, using the existing stitch lines of the shoes, so I made a rough outline of where to cut with a pencil.

*note* this step is probably the trickiest part. But, don’t be discouraged if you mess up. Worst case scenario you start again with a new napkin until you get it right. No biggie!

Once your napkin pieces are cut, you are ready to apply. Using a foam brush, cover the area of the shoe with Mod Podge. A nice, even layer. Place your cut piece on top, even it out across the area with your fingers and add a layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper.

*note* Go easy here. It’s paper so it still rips when wet. Make sure your swipes are quick, even and that the coat of Mod Podge is light. You will want to do 2-3 coats, so light coats are best here. Also, the more you swipe across the paper, the higher the chances of the color bleeding. Another reason why light coats are your friend. If it does tear or move, manipulate the paper with your fingers gently until it is in the desired location on the shoe.

When wet, the mod podge will look “milky”. Don’t be worried about the foggy appearance. The Mod Podge will dry clear. That is how you know you are ready for the next layer.

Once your shoes have completely dried, you will want to spray them with a clear acrylic sealer to protect them. I chose a spray with a glossy finish, but if you prefer Matte or Satin, make sure you pay attention to the label.

*note* Even though we have top coated these, it’s probably best to not wear them out in a heavy rain storm. Just Sayin’

Crap I've Made

Cleveland Indians Baseball Door Hanger

Take me out to the ball game! It’s time for Cracker Jacks, Peanuts and Footlong Hotdogs, my friends! Oh, and of course, BASEBALL! If you are a Cleveland Indians fan, then this Makeover Monday Edition is for you!

*I suppose if you are another MLB Team Fan (BLAH!) you could make this wreath as well by adding your own team decal*

This DIY craft is a bit more detailed than my past projects and requires a little more time. But, don’t fret! It’s still Fast, Frugal and Freaking Awesome! And I have made a very detailed tutorial for you to follow along with, so anyone can make it!

Here We Go! Batter Up!

First, collect all the supplies:

Leather strips (most craft stores have bags of leather strip/remnant pieces – similar to this)
8 baseballs – you can find them here if you don’t already have used balls lying around.
Mini Bat – I purchased mine here
Wood Piece – Approx. 12×6 in size. here is the one I used. This plaque was already stained.
3×10 Decal – I found mine in store at Walmart. Similar to this one
Galvanized Wire-approx 40″ – found at most craft and hardware stores
Pliers
Cordless Drill
1/4″ Drill Bit

We will start with the Indians sign for the top. Adhere the decal to the wood and slowly peel the top layer off. Slow and steady wins the race here, friends. While removing the peel, I did find some of the letters ripped slightly, but they were small tears and barely visible once the project was finished. I also removed the piece of twine that was attached to the back of the pallet sign when it was purchased as I knew I would be using the leather instead.

*NOTE: If you are planning on keeping your finished door hanger inside or out of the weather, you are finished with this step. But, if it will be exposed to the elements, I highly suggest a layer of Mod Podge as well as a coat of polyurethane spray. *Note: the mod podge will leave a “milky” appearance while wet. Don’t panic, it will dry clear!

Using the 1/4″ drill bit, drill a hole in each corner of your wood sign (about 1″ in).

Again using the 1/4″ drill bit, drill a hole clear through each baseball.

Run your wire through each baseball until you’ve made a half circle with the balls back to back. Cut off the extra wire with the pliers, leaving approx. 3 extra inches of wire on each end.

Using the pliers again, twist each end into a loop and secure by wrapping the end around the base of the loop.

Cut 20″ strip of leather and run each end through the top drilled holes of the sign. Knot them in place. This will serve as your “hanger”.

Taking 2 pieces of leather strip each about 7 inches long, attach the wire loops to the bottom drilled holes of the sign. Cut additional leather strap.

Lastly, take 2 10″ leather strip pieces and attach the mini bat by knotting the leather around the bat and wire.

This is most definitely a Home Run!

GO INDIANS!

Public Speaking

Shabby Chic Burlap & Twine Planter

This shabby chic burlap planter idea is a wonderful (and frugal) addition to any front porch or patio. It is simple, extremely inexpensive and absolutely adorable!

All you need is your plants, a few old buckets, twine and a roll of garden burlap from the hardware store or garden center!

Make sure your buckets are larger than your plant that you are potting. New buckets are not necessary as long as they are clean and free of any chemicals that may be harmful to your plant.

*Be sure to follow any specific repotting suggestions per your plant’s instruction tag*

Drill holes into the bottom of your buckets for proper drainage.

No drill? No problem!

A hammer and a large nail could also be used here!

Wrap your garden burlap around your bucket and cut it to size. Because one bucket that I was using was blue (and garden burlap is a bit see through), I folded my burlap in half to cover the color. Tuck in any additional burlap up and over into the bucket.

I was a tad overzealous with the soil and began adding it a bit too soon. It is best to add the soil AFTER you have wrapped and tucked your burlap fabric around your bucket.

Wrap your twine along the top of your bucket a few times. There’s really no wrong way to do this. Once it has the thickness and width you like, cut your twine and tie a bow (it’s really that simple!)

Finally, add your potting soil and your plant!

I chose to add a bit of Spanish Moss as well to keep the soil moist and clean.

These planters are just too perfect! They are so easy. Anyone can do them and they are extremely versatile in decor!

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star102

Canning Jar Lid Bird Feeders

Feed the birdies!

What you need:

Like this:

License Plate Beverage Carrier

Like this:

Herb Drying Ring

By now, I think it’s pretty darn obvious that I have a love affair with herbs and flowers.

Like this:

Floral Canvas Tennies

The Dollar Tree is chalk-full of SO many amazing supplies for the DIY’er. Their craft aisle is totally awesome and every few months, they fill up the 4 front aisles with new seasonal holiday goodness that makes me excited to explore their rows of dollar dreams.

Gather your supplies and cover your work area.

Like this:

Cleveland Indians Baseball Door Hanger

Take me out to the ball game! It’s time for Cracker Jacks, Peanuts and Footlong Hotdogs, my friends! Oh, and of course, BASEBALL! If you are a Cleveland Indians fan, then this Makeover Monday Edition is for you!

Like this:

Shabby Chic Burlap & Twine Planter

Like this:

star102

Canning Jar Lid Bird Feeders

Feed the birdies!

What you need:

Share!

Like this:

License Plate Beverage Carrier

Share!

Like this:

Herb Drying Ring

By now, I think it’s pretty darn obvious that I have a love affair with herbs and flowers.

Share!

Like this:

Floral Canvas Tennies

The Dollar Tree is chalk-full of SO many amazing supplies for the DIY’er. Their craft aisle is totally awesome and every few months, they fill up the 4 front aisles with new seasonal holiday goodness that makes me excited to explore their rows of dollar dreams.

Gather your supplies and cover your work area.

Share!

Like this:

Cleveland Indians Baseball Door Hanger

Take me out to the ball game! It’s time for Cracker Jacks, Peanuts and Footlong Hotdogs, my friends! Oh, and of course, BASEBALL! If you are a Cleveland Indians fan, then this Makeover Monday Edition is for you!

Share!

Like this:

Shabby Chic Burlap & Twine Planter

Share!

Like this: