Category: Upcycle

Unique DIY Gift Wrapping Ideas

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is ripping open my gifts after weeks of anticipation and I still hear the older folks telling me to be careful not to tear the paper and save it. Now I’m all for frugal living, but where’s the fun in that? And then came the gift bags to spoil all the fun just to get recycled time after time. Don’t get me wrong, I love presents, any presents in any form, but hand-wrapped gifts are special because it’s old-fashioned and personal. If you want your gift to stand out, try some of these unique gift wrapping ideas or come up with your own cool way of wrapping.

Brown paper bags come in handy and are easy to prettify. I used regular brown wrapping paper, added a paper doily, some twine and fresh lavender for a rustic looking gift that my recipient took extra care opening.

Here are some of my favorite DIY gift wrapping ideas.

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Posted in DIY, Gifts, Kids, Upcycle Tagged with: DIY, diy gifts, gift ideas, gift wrapping, gifts, upcycle

The Best Way to Remove Labels from Glass Bottles

Most of our wedding decor was, of course, DIY inspired, which saved some money and made the day more personal. But making your own wedding decor is very time consuming and we spent hours trying to figure out the easiest and most effective way of removing labels from wine bottles. After trial and error (and a lot of whining – yes, pun intended) we finally nailed it. So I give to you my short version and best way to get those sticky labels and glue off of glass bottles.

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Posted in DIY, Upcycle, Wedding Tagged with: bottles, decor, DIY, glass, labels, upcycle, wedding

Rustic Spray-painted Bottle Vases

Once the DIY bug bites you, it gets hard to throw anything that can possibly be upcycled or prettyfied away. Since my wedding, I have been struggling to throw away any pretty glass bottles. So my garage is stacked with boxes of bottles (labels already removed) just gathering dust, waiting to be transformed. I needed to start somewhere, so I grabbed one and made this little vase then added some lavender from my first year lavender bush in my garden. Fresh flowers in the house just oozes summer!

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Posted in DIY, House & Garden, Upcycle, Wedding Tagged with: bottles, decor, DIY, flowers, glass, home, spray paint, upcycle, vase

Toy Key Chain DIY

Just look at these tiny toy key chains! I especially love the army men (see below). I can’t even remember when last I saw one, so imagine my excitement when I went shopping for little green plastic army men! They bring back memories of my brother and I playing with his toys – I didn’t like dolls until much later. These make very unique friendship gifts and the colour options are endless! Half the fun is shopping around the kids’ aisles for small toys.

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Posted in DIY, Gifts, Kids, Upcycle Tagged with: animals, DIY, diy gifts, gifts, handmade, key chains, key rings, kids, toys, upcycle

Light Switch Art Makeover

Never search for the light switch again! Turn each light switch plate into a little piece of art and light up your life! They’re very easy to replace once you grow tired of a design. I simply adore mine, and guests do too!

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Posted in DIY, House & Garden, Upcycle Tagged with: decor, decorate, designs, DIY, home, light, makeover, paper

Silhouette Plates

Silhouette pictures are lovely. They just add some mystery because of the lack of detail. You can be creative when it comes to making silhouettes, but this is an easy project that will get you started. I made a silhouette of a cat because, well, I like cats. Hang ’em up, give ’em away or even use ’em as regular serving plates! Guests will be so intrigued! You don’t have to be an artist – nursery school tracing skills are all that’s required! Have fun!

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Posted in DIY, Gifts, House & Garden, Kids, Upcycle Tagged with: decor, DIY, home, kitchen, paint, plate, silhouette, wall

7 Creative DIY Gifts for Mom

Moms are the best. The wonderful thing about a mother is that you can give her any gift, big or small, bought or handmade and she’ll make a fuss to let you feel like it’s the best gift ever! So treat her this Mother’s Day or on her birthday by making something especially for her that she will cherish and remember forever. Here are 7 of the best DIY gifts for moms that I’ve come across which I can’t wait to try!

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Posted in DIY, Gifts, Upcycle Tagged with: bookmarks, Chalk, Chalk paint, coasters, DIY, diy gifts, garden, gift basket, gifts, handmade, herbs, housewarming, keyholder, kitchen, mom, mother, mothers day, painted stones, sugar scrubs, wooden spoons

How to Distress and Age Wooden Picture Frames

I repainted this frame using the distressing technique. It was much easier than I thought, using spray paint and sand paper – it looks brilliant!

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Posted in DIY, House & Garden, Upcycle Tagged with: DIY, frames, paint, salvage, spray paint

How to make a Colorful Magazine Bowl

I came across this funky DIY magazine bowl in an old arts & crafts book and simply had to try it for myself. Make sure you have enough free time on your hands and a lot of patience. A perfect way to keep the kids busy during the holidays!

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Posted in DIY, Upcycle Tagged with: arts, bowl, crafts, DIY, magazine, paper, recycle

How to Paint Concrete or Cement Pots

We’ve had these pots around our house since I was a kid. When my mom finally grew tired of them, I jumped at the chance to repaint them for my own home. They’re quite expensive to buy, so grab them if you find some for a bargain or lying around someone’s house. It’s truly amazing what some paint and beautiful flowers can do – they look brand new! Continue reading “How to Paint Concrete or Cement Pots” »

Posted in DIY, House & Garden, Upcycle Tagged with: cement, ceramic, concrete, DIY, garden, paint, pots, terracotta, upcycle