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www.howdiyblog.com

thanks so much for all your support!

-rebecca

today (with a jacket in tow) i ran errands around town.  per the usual sunday, i stopped at a street market and browsed the new and mostly vintage items.  i spotted a booth that had a basket full of brand new bangles for only $1 each.  i picked up 5 of them knowing that i could create some fun project… i left with a couple in particular in mind.

tonight i tackled project thought #1 of 2…. and turned the white plastic into a wooly bangle perfect for warming up your wrist while adding a bit of fashion.

cost: no more than $5 a bracelet (check etsy or artfire for cheap supplies)
creation time: 30 mins
supplies: ball of yarn & plastic bangle bracelet

the how-to is easy… and doesn’t really need a 1,2,3 step by step. simply tape one end of the yarn to the bracelet and start wrapping around and pulling it extremely tight. you want to make sure that you pull the yarn as close as possible to the wrap prior to it. once finished, this will allow the bracelet to look like one cohesive piece of wool rather than a yarn wrapped bracelet. to secure the yarn at finish, simply make a small knot tying the end to another already wrapped piece.

candles or candle holders are undoubtedly ‘a’ or even ‘the’ go-to gift when you have no idea what to get someone.

on that note, a few years back i received a gift that was the most memorable i’ve ever gotten, but for all the wrong reasons. the gift was a birthday present from my boyfriend at the time… a candle. however, it was from an astrological candle line and the jar was decorated in a zodiac sign that was not mine. take note: that was a candle fail, but these illuminated projects are candle wins worthy of gifting to the loves in your life.

hanging tea light holders

found @ casasugar.com
where: http://www.casasugar.com/DIY-Recycled-Glass-Chandelier-2463904

found @ naturalhomemagazine.com
where: http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/Homemade-Home-Decor/Baby-Food-Chandelier.aspx

*from casasugar.com

*from naturalhomemagazine.com

decorated tea light holders

make colorful candle holders from jars, glue, tissue paper and more glue
found @ ehow.com
where: http://www.ehow.com/how_6522631_make-tea-light-holders.html

bring a bit of nature indoors with a candle holder covered in glue, fallen leaves or pressed flowers, glue, tissue paper and more glue
found @ kaboose.com
where: http://crafts.kaboose.com/nature-luminary-candle-holders.html

*from kaboose.com

real simple has put together a list of ’50 all-time favorite new uses for old things’ – and the list is good.  a towel rack as an over the kitchen sink supply holder, an empty t.p. roll to keep your hair elastics from disappearing, shower hooks doubling as purse/belt/accessory hangers and 47 other great inventive things.

check out the full list of 50 here: http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/new-uses-for-old-things/favorite-new-uses-00000000019718

*via craftzine 'glam up your shoes'

turn your old black, white or blah shoes into metallic newness. i for one know that i’ve got a closet full of black shoes that are in need of a revive – either a good shine or a some new color.  i’m loving this makeover that i recently found on the craftzine blog.  using a leafing pen, you can turn your ‘ex-fav’ shoes back into your ‘fav’ shoes. I checked out the krylon website, and you can by pens in these lovely shades below. definitely some colors that will fancy up your feet.

found @ craftzine
what: glam up your shoes
where: http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/09/how-to_glam_shoes.html

*via cosa verde 'recycled paper'

i remember making paper for the first time when i was 7 or 8. my grade school had a couple buildings out back that we called ‘the portables’ (but they were actually trailers.. the kind from ‘the park’). our teacher had set up little stations next to the portables where we made and dried our paper. 20+ years later, i still have that recyclable and i still remember that day like it was yesterday.

and while i don’t recall using a blender in 1987, here is a modern day 2010 how-to on making your own grainy green goodness.

found @ cosa verde
what: recycled paper
where: http://cosaverde.com/blog/2010/sep/07/make-your-own-recycled-paper/

*via purlbee.com 'woven felt place mats'

felt:
a) it’s a fun fuzzy material
b) it comes in an assortment of colors
c) it’s cheap
d) no matter if you are 8 or 80, creating a project from is equally easy & appealing for all ages

i love playing with felt and these place mats can complement any season or holiday with their mix & match colors.

found @ the purl bee
what: woven felt place mats
where: http://www.purlbee.com/woven-felt-placemats/

(*via marthastewart.com 'bing cherry mojitos')

seeing that the last post was from ‘not martha’… i started thinking about ‘yes martha’… now let me explain.

while the northern hemisphere has officially moved into fall, here in the southern hemisphere – summer couldn’t be more at the forefront of everyone’s mind.  last weekend we moved the clocks forward for daylight savings and now the weather has officially switched from ‘jackets w/ the windows closed’ to ‘no jackets w/ the warm sun on your arms outside in the thick of it’.  and with that, my mind goes to cocktails – one of my favorite things about summer.

now the recipe that I am about to share with you, can be for summer or fall and made with or without alcohol… regardless it is yummy and has stuck in my brain for a few years now since the handicraft maven herself, martha stewart, whipped us up a batch for taste testing at a conference i attended a few years ago. give it a whirl yourself, you won’t be disappointed!

found @ martha stewart
what: bing cherry mojitos recipe
where: http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/bing-cherry-mojitos?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/refreshing-summer-sips#slide_7

(*via not martha 'door draft stopper' project)

first & foremost – please please please accept my m.i.a. status apologies!  after coming back from my holiday in the far north eastern corner of australia, i am FINALLY settled and back into the groove of blogging. so… what do we have up our sleeve?!

today’s project is a super sensible (& cute) find from a great blog that i just stumbled across this afternoon called notmartha.org.  her (megan a.k.a. not martha) blog is full of great designs and creations straight from the blogger + goodies that she scouts around the web.  i urge you to check it out, but you can also be sure to see more of her projects popping up on howd.i.y.

found @ notmartha.org
what: door draft stopper
where: http://www.flickr.com/photos/notmartha/sets/72057594068949613/ (via www.notmartha.org)

it’s been a crazy busy week… but today starts a loooooong weekend here in australia (labor day) – so, i’m jetting on a plane tonight to meet my man who’s been away the past week at a conference in the northeast corner of queensland where the ‘rainforest’ and ‘great barrier reef’ reside. (i’m so excited for a little r&r!) anyways… i’m short on time, but wanted to give all the howd.i.y. readers a quick little project before i go.  this one is fun, simple & useful – it’s a case for your ipod, camera, phone or item of choice.

cost: $3
creation time: 30-60 mins
supplies: one piece of felt, one color of embroidery thread, needle, buttons & 2 ft of yarn

1. measure your device which you wish to create this for (i made the one in the pic for an ipod)
2. cut two identical pieces of felt from the original piece. Each piece should be 1.5 inches wider & 2.5 inches taller than your device measurements
3. using the embroidery thread, sew the pieces together on 3 of the sides – on the top sew around each of the openings
4. braid some yarn to use as a fastener – sewing the ends to the felt with the embroidery thread
5. finish off with a cute button to add some personality… and there you are – a cheap & cute case personalized to your liking