The Thankful Tree - Table Top Tree

Materials

Flower pot

Fine sand

Thin, bare tree branch

Sheets of craft foam (orange, yellow, red)

Safety scissors

Thin Sharpie marker

Hole punch

String or fishing line

1. Fill the flower pot with sand
2. Set the tree branch firmly in the sand.
3. Cut leaf shapes out of craft sheets.
4. Have your family write or draw a picture of what they are thankful for on each hand print or leaf.
5. Punch a small hole in each leaf.
6. Using string or fishing line, attach each leaf to the “tree”.
7. Place the Thankful Tree on your dinner table or buffet and use it to count your blessings on Thanksgiving Day.

Make a scrap-yarn-wrapped branch decoration!

 

 All you need for this project are some branches/twigs (the size and amount that you want for your vase or other arrangement plan), yarn leftover scraps, glue, and scissors.

To change colors, when you have about 3-4 inches of your first color left, hold the tip of the next color alongside the branch.  Wrap the last 2-3 wraps of the first color around the end of the next color:

 

Hold the end of the first color against the branch, and start wrapping with the next color over the first color, wrapping over the tip to hold it down:

When you reach the end, cut the yarn when it’s wrapped all the way to the top, then unwrap a couple times around, dot some glue on the branch end, and wrap back over the glue.

 

By the way, I do recommend doing this project over newspapers – the little twig dust gets everywhere on your workspace, so newspaper makes for easy cleanup!

If you do snap an offshoot after wrapping, like you can see I did below, you can glue it back together, twisting it to get the wrapping back in place as much as possible.

So, just keep on wrapping until you’ve wrapped all the branches you want…

BRANCH STAR BURST MIRROR

Tools and Supplies needed... 

Branches, branch cutters, wooden craft disk, craft mirror, hot glue, drill and small drill bit.

HOW TO:

1. Snip branches to desired length.

2. Measure circumference of wooden craft disk and mark how far to drill each hole apart. Ours was 22.5 inches around and we drilled a hole every 2.25 inches.

3. Paint wood the desired color. We used regular craft paint.

4. Hot glue branches into pre drilled holes.

5. Glue craft mirror on with glue for slick surfaces. We used GOOP.

6. If the mirror is small you can attach it to the wall without nails by using industrial velcro.

Jewelry Tree

Tools and supplies needed...
Branch that is sturdy enough to hold jewelry, branch snippers, vase, floral foam, hot glue, sand and or rocks.

1. Cut branch to desired length, paint if desired.

2. Cut floral foam to fit bottom of vase.

3. Hot glue foam into bottom of vase, push branch into vase and foam.

4. Cover foam inside vase with sand and or rocks.

5. Hang Jewelry!

Recycled Mardi Gras Bead Floor Lamp

Project by Mark Kirk from New Orleans, La.

Materials and Tools:

plastic (Mardi Gras) beads
baking tray 
foil
mask 
gloves
oven 
pencil 
scissors
old shade from lamp
floor lamp with a cover screw
40-60 watt bulb

Steps:

1. Cover the baking tray with foil. Lay beads on the tray as desired, leaving a hole in the middle.

2. Bake at 350 F degrees 10 to 15 minutes. Check the tray of beads in the oven, turn it around 180 degrees, and bake for 5 minutes more. Check again (some beads will melt quicker then others).

3. When the beads are melted together, remove the tray from the oven. Form the warm plastic over a bowl (or the old lamp shade) and shape as desired.

4. When cooled, remove the foil from the inside of the shade. Place the new shade over the socket and secure in place. Replace the bulb, plug it in, and enjoy your new light!

Web site: www.letsgetup.com

Display Dish Play

I'm in a constant search for affordable cake stands. I use them at craft fairs to display my cupcake pincushions. Recently, on a Goodwill Hunting trip I came up empty, yet again, in my quest for a cake stand. But hmmm... what about these cute little parfait cups and these nice glass dishes? Could they be brought together in a sturdy yet inconspicuous way?

I bought 4 plates and 4 parfaits, each under a dollar to give it a try. I consulted with my handy hubby who assured me that clear caulk or silicone would do the trick!
snip the tip and apply sparingly around the rim
wait, is this stuff clear? it looks like toothpaste...don't worry, it'll dry clear
invert and carefully center on bottom of plate
use a moistened swab to clean up excess
wait patiently forever, or until they are completely dry. Mine took a good 36 hours.

Empty food boxes + scissors = drawer organizers

We all need drawer organizers right? I'm magnetically drawn to any sort of organizer but I usually balk at spending money on something that is permanently hidden in a drawer just to organize the miscellaneous junk that has gathered there. Plus, I never know if they will fit my drawer or what configuration I would need. For an easier, less expensive, and good-for-the-planet solution look in your pantry instead!

You can measure and draw a line around your box or you can just freehand it like me. You can adjust the height according to what you'll be storing inside. The boxes can be used from any end, just use clear packing tape to close up any open side.

I also use empty dry goods boxes to wrap presents in even though it can be a little embarrassing when the recipient doesn't realize it and starts thanking you for Cheerios or graham crackers ;)

Recycling Glass Jars.

Festive Fairy Light Votive

Supplies:
•small glass jar, drinking glass, etc. with smooth sides - try the thrift shop
for a nice selection
•Gloss Lustre Mod Podge (I love the
smell of Mod Podge!)
•different colors of tissue paper
•paint brush
•dish of water
•wax paper to cover work surface
•scissors

Step 1: tear the tissue paper into a variety of small pieces

Step 2: working one small area at a time, brush a thin coat of Mod Podge on your glass (you can thin the Mod Podge with water if you'd like or dip your paintbrush back and forth between the Mod Podge and the water)

Step 3: apply one layer of tissue at a time then cover with a thin layer of Mod Podge

Step 4: keep applying tissue then Mod Podge until your glass is covered - you will need a total of about 4 layers of tissue to cover well

Step 5: there is no need to cover the bottom of the votive; tissue can come up above the edge of the glass but don't glue it over the edge

Step 6: when the tissue is still very slightly tacky, trim the edges with scissors and press with your fingers to smooth it out

Step 7: when the votive is completely dry, place a tea light inside and enjoy!

Recycled Backyard Bird Feeder

•     

• Rate this craft
• Rated by 49 members

Total Time Needed:

1 Hour

Spoon-feed your winged neighbors with this homemade birdseed dispenser.

Materials

• Clean 1-liter soda bottle
• Craft knife
• 2 wooden spoons

• small eye screw
• Length of twine for hanging

Instructions

1.  Start by drawing a 1/2-inch asterisk on the side of a clean 1-liter soda bottle, about 4 inches from the bottom. Rotate the bottle 90 degrees and draw another asterisk
   2 inches from the bottom. Draw a 1-inch-wide circle opposite each asterisk, as shown.
2. Use a craft knife to slit the asterisk lines and cut out the circles (a parent's job). Insert a wooden spoon handle first through each hole and then through the opposite asterisk, as shown.
3. Remove the bottle cap and twist a small eye screw into the top of it for hanging.
4. Finally, fill your feeder with birdseed, recap it, and use a length of twine to hang it from a tree.

Glass Jar Frames

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• A clean, clear jar (free of labels)
• Photos
• Ruler
• X-acto knife or scissors
• Pencil (optional)

STEP 1:

Measure how tall your jar is. If needed, trim the height of your photo to fit the jar (i.e. a 4″x6″ photo will be too tall to fit in a 3″ inch jar).

STEP 2:

Roll up the photo slightly and slide it into the jar so that the photo will be right-side-up when the jar is upside-down. Poke it into place with your fingers or the eraser end of a pencil.

STEP 3:

Turn the jar upside down and display your simple thrifty genius in a place of honor!

Recycled Leg Warmers

 

Don't freeze trying to pull off those spring looks too early. Make some easy DIY leg warmers from your old sweater pile, and throw them on with a cute sundress.  Years ago in High School I would lock myself in my room on snow days tearing up my clothes and sewing them back together again in new ways. It was soo much fun to go back to school with new creations. This DIY was one of my favorite ones from those good old days. 

1. You will need an old ugly sweater either from your grandpa, your give away pile, or your local thrift shop. The thicker the sweater the better. You will also need a pair of scissors, and a thick piece of ribbon or a scarf that you don't mind cutting up.  

 
2. Cut off both arms of the sweater. 

3. Cut a LONG thick strip of your patterned scarf, or your piece of ribbon. The length must be long enough to wrap around your ankle a few times. 

4. Weave your fabric strip through the sweater holes near the end that you cut off. Weave the fabric all the way around and tie a cute bow.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other leg warmer.

6. Put your new leg warmers on your leg (arm whole first). Tie the bow tighter around your ankle and position the bow near the front of your foot. 

7. Cut off excess ribbon.

  

8. Slip on a cute pair of flats and you are ready to ROCK!