Upcycled decorated storage bin

Look at what you can do with an old unused storage bin!

This is what it looked like before . . . 

It is amazing that with a little imagination, hardware, scrap cloth and trims or whatever else you come up with, you can turn something plain like an old storage bin into something like a piece of furniture.

See how Becca transformed her storage bin . . . click here.

Recycle old candles

Candle lovers out there know how expensive it can be to burn candles every day as we love to do.

This is a little trick that I had forgotten about since my candle making supplies are buried in my craft room, but I plan on digging them out soon!

Back in the day when my yard was my Paradise, I bought candle holders on sticks and lined them down the pathways and placed here and there for effect at night.  It took lots of candles to do this and I would recycle them regularly.

What I used were old juice glasses and custard dishes as well as my trusty decorated recycled glass jars.  They looked gorgeous out there at night!

The tutorial will show you how to do it and what supplies you will need from the craft store.  It is relatively inexpensive to recycle your old candles.  Safety is always first, don't go wandering around the house while melting candle wax . . . I use a dedicated pot just for melting candle wax.

You will look at glass items with different eyes when you go shopping as you can find some very interesting glass pieces that are appropriate for candles at yard sales, dollar stores and thrift stores.  Go through your collection of glass items at home . . . you never know what treasures you will come across that you forgot you even had!

Click here for the tutorial!

Denim Jeans Mini Purse

What a cute little mini purse or belt pouch made from denim jeans legs!

Click on the link at the end of this post to go to the tutorial, which can be used as a guide.  I love the techniques used in the construction of the purse. 

The purse itself can be made fancier by using fabric embellishments, jewelry and buttons.

Let your imagination be your guide :)

Click here to go to the tutorial!

Denim Flip Flops

How cute are these denim flip flops to wear around the house?

The construction of these flip flops do not use shoe soles as a base, but it should not be too difficult to use an old pair of flip flops as a base.  You can use some of the other tutorials I have listed on this blog to see how to use recycle old flip flops.

Love this idea!  It has given me inspiration for many designs :)

Click here to go to the tutorial.

DIY Button Pendant Light

Just when I had a small lampshade in the big bag headed for the trash, I saw this project.

Look at what you can do with buttons and a lampshade frame!  Of course you have to learn how to wire a lamp if you want to use it as a lamp, but I was also thinking it would make great bones for very fancy windchimes.

Whatever project you have in mind for this creative inspiration, it is an ingenious use of an old lampshade frame!

Click here for the tutorial and don't forget to check out the awesome website!

Paper clip & junk mail bracelet

This bracelet takes recycling to another level!

It is made with paper clips and junk mail. 

Of course you could use colorful gift wrapping paper,

 magazine pages, etc.

What an excellent project for little girls!!

Click here for the tutorial :)

Watch Face Rhinestone Pendant

Love this simple, yet elegant design!

The photo is for inspiration only . . . it was found on Pinterest which led to an Etsy store that is now closed. The piece sold as a necklace for $22.

What a great use for those old watches too worn for sale and an orphan earring . . . genius idea!

Wouldn't it look awesome as a closure for a purse?

Happy designing!

Summer Mason Jars

Here's more inspiration for decorating glass jars!

I love the theme . . . great idea and so cute for a summer picnic.

Click here for instructions on how Dee make them.

Thanks for the inspiration!

Awesome decorated glass jar

Love this jar which has given me so much inspiration!

This post is for inspiration only.  I found this photo on Pinterest that led to an Etsy page that no long exists, so there is no tutorial to go with the jar.  However, use your imagination with some old jewelry and the appropriate glue and you can create a jar just as pretty.

I'm still gathering up glass jars for future projects . . . I love recycling glass items!

Olive Oil for your Beauty Regiment

Did you know that olive oil has been used by women for their beauty regiments since ancient times?  I wonder how they knew that olive oil contains anti-aging antioxidants and hydrating qualities that make it perfect for hair, skin and nails.

Here are some uses for olive oil for your beauty regiment . . .

Preshampoo Hair Treatment

Yep, since ancient Egyptian times, olive oil has been used as a hair treatment. Warm the olive oil in the microwave or in hot water, apply it generously to the ends of hair and scalp, leave it in for up to 10 to 20 minutes, and shampoo it out.  How much do you pay for similar hair treatments from the department store?

Lip Scrub

Combine coarse sugar with a teaspoon of olive oil for chapped lips or the whole body.

Eye-Makeup Remover

No explanation needed!  It really works!

Cuticle Conditioner

Actually, I use olive oil on my nails and hands as I cook, especially when making bread.

This is a small list . . . do a search and you will be surprised at all of the recipes you will find using olive oil as the base ingredient.   Put it in a pretty decanter and proudly display it! 

Why spend so much money on department store items when you don't have to?

French Mood Purse

The fabric embellishment on this "French Mood" purse is so beautiful, I had to feature it for future inspiration for myself and other sewers who love to create new fabric from scraps and those who love to create unique purses.

The link to the original article does not include a tutorial, just lots of inspiration through photos.

Click here to go to the article!

How to Make Bead Dangle Embellishments

Fabric embellishment along with beading is one of the most therapeutic things that I have found to do.  A "Manic Monday" was always a good time to get behind the sewing machine and manipulate fabric or take that fabric and bead it.  Seems like the days that were the most stressful were the days I created my most beautiful pieces of fabric.

If you are not familiar with fabric embellishment, basically it is anything that adds design interest to a piece of fabric, done by sewing machine or by hand. There are so many techniques that I can't go into this one post.

The fabric pieces can be included in any type of sewing project, even a piece of artwork to hang in the living room.  

My favorite type of fabric embellishment is using denim, lace, rhinestones and beads.  Many of my designs were used as appliques for t-shirts, jeans jackets, purses, tote bags . . . yes, the possibilities are limited by your imagination!

Most of my creations were already sold, but I do have some left in the storage shed that has a big tree limb on it, so I can't get to them and don't know if they survived the accident . . . along with so many other treasures and supplies. Honestly, I'm afraid to know . . . but that is another blog post!  They were sold in my retail boutique and not online, so I unfortunately have no photos :(

Linda's blogs, starting with Love to Sew takes you into the world of fabric embellishment and manipulation.  Her work is exquisite!  It is an awesome place to discover the creative world that I love so much.

Click here to go to the tutorial on how to make beaded dangles for your creations.

DIY Rhinestone Statement Necklace

I'm back with another DIY jewelry project from Rebecca at My Girlish Whims.

Love her creations!

She made this gorgeous necklace with new jewelry components, but, as usual, you can use broken jewelry that needs new life which is what I love to do.  I have some beautiful new vintage stock cabochons that would look awesome mixed with some rhinestones.

Click here for the tutorial.

DIY Jeweled Clear Clutch

How cute is this blingy clutch??  I love it!!

When I first saw this jeweled beauty, I thought that it would make a very cute case for a laptop, notebook, Kindle, etc.  Seems like it would be easy to change the pattern in Naoko Asano's tutorial.

I love bling so much and especially love the jeweled piece!

Click here for the photo tutorial and lots more photos!

Hubcap Flowers Yard Art . . . Awesome DIY Recycle Project

Love this recycling yard art project!

I'd love to mix the pops of color in my garden from the different flower yard art DIY projects I have been finding online lately.

At first glance, you would never guess these are hubcaps.  I'm guessing they are easy to find relatively inexpensively.  You pull-em salvage car parts businesses come to mind.

Click here for the awesome tutorial to make these beautiful Hubcap Flowers.

Click here for another blog post featuring many examples of DIY Yard Art Flowers made from various materials with lots of ideas and inspiration.  Very interesting . . . love these type of blogs!

Pearl and Rhinestone Leather Bracelet

Bev at Flamingo Toes has come up with another awesome beaded bracelet design!

As with all jewelry designs, you can use new or vintage components or a combination of both.  Vintage rhinestones is my favorite and I have boxes and boxes of components and broken jewelry that I can use for these type of bracelets.  Can't wait to start creating!

I have some ideas for coming up with a different base for the bracelet instead of leather.  Keep checking my blog . . . I'm almost ready to start getting creative again.

Thanks Bev!  You can go to her tutorial for this bracelet here.  Check out the rest of her blog while you are there . . . she is amazingly creative :)

DIY Beaded Wrapped Bracelets

I love these beaded wrapped bracelets that I've been seeing all over the internet for quite some time.  

There is a huge amount of purple suede wider cording sitting in my craft room that has been in need of a project for so long.  It was part of a barter trade I made at least a decade ago . . . I have lots of that kind of stuff hanging around my craft room.  Anyway . . . I think it would make beautiful bracelets with a bit wider cord including some bigger beads for something different.

When I found this tutorial on Life of Charmings, I thought it was time to get serious about what to do with that purple cord!

Happy beading!

DIY J. Crew Necklace

WOW Lots of inspiration here!

Do you love the trendy statement necklaces, but hate price tag that can be as high as a couple of hundred dollars?  Here you go . . . some inspiration and a tutorial on how to make one for a fraction of the price!

Get out those boxes of broken vintage jewelry and design away :)

Click here to visit the tutorial at Style on Target . . . you won't be sorry!

Potholder/Oven mitt

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Pot holders and oven mitts are one of the best projects for using up fabric scraps.  I don't know about you, but I can never have enough pot holders . . . they seem to disappear.

They also make great gifts when matched with coordinating napkins and placemats.

Don't you know I love using denim for these projects . . . so durable and strong!

I love the website About.com for learning how to do just about anything . . . click here for their tutorial!

DIY Glass Garden Flowers

Love this colorful recycling concept for the garden from Birds and Blooms.

Having said that . . . I am cringing at the thought of using vintage glassware that I love so much!! 

What I would do is visit dollar stores and use inexpensive glassware to convert to make these beauties.

Click here for instructions on assembly and painting glassware.