DIY - repurposed oatmeal container (cookie canister)

this is my favorite canister these days. and why is that? it holds my healthy oatmeal cookies plus i decorated this myself.

start with the oatmeal container.

measure the length & circumference of the container. cut the fabric using the same measurements plus add an inch.

remove the label & apply all-purpose glue to the side of the container. attach the fabric & use clothes pin to hold it together. 

add embellishments like ribbons or tags.

 

DIY - framed chalkboard

this is my 50 cents garage sale find that i turned into a chalkboard for avery.

use 3 coats of chalkboard spray paint.

and let it dry for a few hours between each coat.

prime by rubbing the side of the chalk onto the entire chalkboard. then erase.

i decided not to paint the frame yet.

since this little girl will be busy writing pretty soon.

DIY - product board

i'm excited to be a vendor for two events this coming weekend. this will be the first time for me to display my diaper cakes in a public setting. i have never done this before so i don't know what to expect.

i'm planning a simple table with my business cards, photo cards & samples of my diaper cakes [plus free candy]. i think it is also important to show the diaper cakes i have made for other customers. so i'm making my very own product board. 

 

*corkboard = reused avery's birthday board

*burlap fabric = remnant on clearance at walmart for $1.91

*pair of scissors

*colored & silver thumb tacks = this is a temporary board so i won't need the glue gun any longer. 

 

lay out the burlap over the corkboard & pin tacks on all four corners. this is to ensure that the burlap stays in place. i decided to pin the colored tacks close together. 

 

continue pinning the tacks on all sides of the board. i didn't have enough silver tacks so i spaced them out more. trim the burlap after all the tacks are in place. 

 

all done! and now to add all my photos... 

a closer look...

finally, it's ready to go & show!

DIY - homemade playdough (part II)

last summer, i made my first homemade playdough for avery. she played with it a few times before i found this recipe.

combine ingredients in a bowl & stir until smooth. pour mixture in a pot & cook on medium high heat for about a minute. stir constantly & make sure it does not stick to the bottom. remove from the pot & cool in the counter. knead a few times until it is nice & soft. 

 

this is the basic recipe & can be doubled or tripled. for more colors, divide the mixture before adding the mixade (or food coloring). then cook individually.

the playdough is so soft...much softer than a stress ball. and it is actually therapeutic [for me]. =)

DIY - upcycled wipes container (yarn dispenser)

QUESTION:

what's the solution for a ball of yarn that was strewn all over the place by a two year old?

ANSWER:

an empty wipes container, a pair of scissors & self-adhesive paper (or any paper)

and there you have it.

my quick, easy, eco-friendly solution

yarn dispenser

DIY - gift wrapping in a minute

crumpled brown paper + green crepe paper + white ribbon = gift wrapping in a minute [or less] =)

DIY - brown paper gift wrap

i love using brown paper for wrapping gifts. since it is plain, it gives me a wide range of room to spruce up.

here's two birthday gifts for a friend's six year old girl. one is a brown paper bag adorned with pink decorative ribbon. the other is embellished with a flower cut-out using construction paper & button.

DIY - homemade oatmeal body scrub

another reason why i'm not a winter fan - dry, rough, itchy skin. moisturizing with lotion or cream seems to be the quick fix but honestly it's not [for me & my little girl's case]. so it's time to find some alternative.

after a few online searches, my problem was solved - oatmeal body scrub!

pour half a cup of oatmeal inside an old clean sock.

tie a knot & cut the excess sock.

it's best to use the oatmeal scrub after rinsing with soap. dip it in warm water & constantly squeeze or wring while scrubbing all over the body. the water will be milky but not sticky at all. soak for about 10-15 minutes & then rinse with water.

(optional & messy) i take out whatever is left of the oatmeal & do a final body scrub before rinsing.

my simple, inexpensive & effective solution for dry skin. she gets the oatmeal scrub every two days & her skin stays soft & smooth all the time. [i use 1 cup for my weekly scrub].

DIY - sensory pasta box

we missed avery's playgroup today.

so to keep her occupied, i made a sensory pasta box.

i used her toy box, colored pasta in assorted shapes, plastic containers & a big spoon.

i just had to get a close up photo of the pasta.

it sure looks pretty!

 

she calls it "noonols". and yes, she did put it in her mouth once. [probably wondering why it's crunchy].

and the fun begins! scoop, scoop, scoop!

a couple of spills here & there. it's obvious that my girl doesn't really need much to be entertained. she was so engrossed & didn't even get distracted with the camera at all.

time to dump the "noonols" back in the box.

she enjoyed sliding everything in the cardboard tubes.

and after she's done, i saved all the pasta in airtight containers. [to play again, ofcourse].

thanks to the imagination tree blog for this fun idea.

DIY - ribbon-wrapped lampshade

every time i am using our desktop computer, this lamp is literally staring down at me. it sits on top of the cpu & serves as our main light in the living room. everyone will agree with me that it is very plain & the base design is outdated. it sure needs a quick fix.

i got my glue gun & some grosgrain ribbon [$1 for 5 yards at walmart]. and after 5 minutes, i was done!

this is a work in progress. i will spray paint the lamp base this coming summer [& maybe redecorate the shade again]. i have yet to decide on the color - white, black or metallic silver. in the meantime, i have six months to find ideas or inspirations for this project. good luck to me! =)

DIY - my homemade christmas

i'm starting a tradition this christmas.

i'm making my own holiday decors.

we're still not ready for a christmas tree. {little girlie will have it down in a second for sure.} so i had a light bulb moment one night....

christmas diaper cake! it sits on top of the table & i even used the cake stand. perfect!

unfinished vine wreath, candy canes, ribbons & ball ornaments

christmas wreath for our door

the holiday bunting is similar to the birthday bunting i made last month. for the bottom, i glued ribbons to create tassles.

i also made vertical banners.

popsicle sticks, glue & metallic spray paint

popsicle snowflakes for our window.

i found the tutorial here.

scrapbook paper & glue

paper star ornaments for our other window. the complete tutorial is here.

DIY - birthday poster & bunting

and to complete the birthday party...birthday poster & birthday bunting!

for the birthday poster, i created an 11x14 collage in picasa.  walgreens.com had a special last month for the 11x14 photo poster.  i only paid $1.99 instead of $9.99.  i taped this to the door of the play place during the party. 

for the birthday bunting, i also created a 4x6 collage in picasa.  and ordered the photo prints at target.

i used the following materials:  glue, scissors, ruler, ribbons, cutter, puncher & cereal boxes.

first, glue the 4x6 photos in the cereal boxes.  {i let everything dry overnight.}

with the use of the ruler & cutter, score each photo.

then cut curves on the bottom corners.

for the upper left & right corners of the photo, cut holes with the use of a puncher.

insert the ribbon in the hole & tie a knot.

tying a knot helps to secure each photo.

for a girly touch, i added a bow & some curling ribbons.

it was so easy to do, i actually made a similar bunting for a friend's birthday yesterday.  {i'm preparing my christmas holiday bunting now}.

i will definitely use this again for her birthday next year.  {or maybe make another one?}