5 Easy Fall Craft Projects for Adults

Posted in Fall by Make Something Mondays

The air is getting cooler and the leaves are starting to fall. Since it’s colder, I’m more likely to stay inside and make fun craft projects. I’ve listed a few of my favorites for you below. Each project has a supply list and step-by-step instructions to follow.

Come back soon for more fun fall craft ideas. I’ll be posting new ones through September and October.

Wooden Farmhouse Home Sign

Spice up your fall season with some farmhouse decor. Grab a wood sign and the home piece from Michael’s and decorate with a bow. Easy peasy!

This craft project is especially nice because you can swap out the bow for every season so you don’t ever have to store the sign away for spring or winter.

Wood Snowman and Scarecrow Reversible Holiday Decor

scarecrow and snowman reversible holiday decor

This is another multi-season craft that will be sure to make everyone smile. A few thick boards, paint, and sealer goes a long way! Paint a scarecrow on one side and a snowman on the other and use it from fall through winter!

Fall Candle Holders from Recycled Jars

Don’t you just love when you can make something new from something old? Upcycled crafts are the best! To make these lovely candle holders, you’ll need used jars (think pasta jars or jelly jars), burlap ribbon, and some twine embellishments.

DIY Leaf Relief Painting

You had to do relief paintings in elementary school, right? This is like a souped-up versioned of that. You collect leaves that have fallen to the ground (get the crunchy ones), glue them to cardstock, cover with foil, and paint. When you rub away the paint, the foil stands out creating this beautiful color and texture combination.

Fall-Inspired Wreath

A little bit of ribbon and some pinecones go a long way when it comes to wreaths. Find some festive fall designs and a pop of color to make yours stand out! I love how the colors work together in this one.

Want more fall crafts?

Sometimes a handful of ideas just isn’t enough. Here are a few more places to find fun evening or weekend projects:

I’d love to get your thoughts! What are your favorite fall projects? Leave them in the comments!

16Sep2019

DIY Planter from Upcycled Tin Cans

Posted in Upcycled Crafts by Make Something Mondays

I have been sick for about a week now, which means I’ve been eating a lot of store-bought soup. Which also means I have a lot of tin cans.

Since I’m getting to the end of my sickness, I don’t have a lot of energy but still wanted to make a craft to lift my spirits. Creating something always makes me happy 🙂

What better to craft with than my new stockpile of cans, right? I like upcycling, why not? I’ve had a parsley and mint plant that’s needed a new home for a while, so I decided to go with planters this week.

I love this craft because most people have cans laying around and a lot of people like plants. Clearly, I’m not the blossoming flower type of girl based on my choice this week, but I do enjoy herbs. Whatever your preference, your plants can have a brand new recycled home.

Recycled planter supplies

My content contains affiliate links to products I use and love. If you take action (purchase, subscribe) after clicking the links, I get some crafting money which helps me continue to write awesome tutorials for you! This costs you nothing but enables you to support my work.

Step 1: add feet to your tin cans

Glue your wooden feet onto the bottom of the tin cans.

You can use any strong adhesive for this. I’d recommend super glue that is durable and waterproof. I love Gorilla Glue, but you can pick whatever you like.

Let it dry.

Step 2: spray paint your tin cans

Spray your Rustoleum paint onto the cans.

In the link in the supply list above, I’ve sent you to a Pure Gold color, which I originally wanted but couldn’t find when purchasing. Instead, I got Gilded Brass which I like a lot. Your pick! Remember to choose an outdoor, or water-resistant spray paint.

Let it dry.

Step 3: repot your plants

If you’ve decided not to add holes to your tins for drainage, it’s a good idea to add the marbles people typically used in vases. It lets the water drain so your plants’ roots don’t stay too wet.

Now you can move your plants from their starter pots to their homemade planters!

Beautiful, and made with love! You can keep these for yourself or give them as a gift. Mine are going on my kitchen windowsill to soak up the sun. Maybe later I’ll make one for my office.

I’m also planning to make some hangers for them, so come back for that in a few weeks if you want to learn to make those, too!

I’d love to get your thoughts! Please leave them in the comments.

Happy crafting!

9Sep2019

DIY Decorated Clothespins

Posted in Craft Ideas by Make Something Mondays

The world has gotten digital (obviously) and because of that, people have stopped writing notes, letters, etc. It’s all online now. But there’s a group of people that still prefer handwritten notes, including myself.

I like to leave Post-Its on a bulletin board in case my phone fails to update me, and why not use something pretty to hold that Post-It note? Like a decorative clothespin, maybe?

I think yes. There are so many ways to decorate clothespins that it’s hard to choose a method, but I’m really loving the Washi Tape look.

Excluding drying time, spicing up my clothespins took 15 minutes or less. I love the way they look too!

Washi Tape Clothespin Supplies

Note: Be sure to choose short clothespins and not mini. The mini ones are too thin so the thumb tacks will stick out from the edges.

Step 1: choose your decorative tape

Pick the Washi Tape you’d like to decorate your clothespins with. I like to find tape that matches the room decor. I’m going to make another set of clothpins to match my office too 😀

In the supply list above, I linked to some fun decorative tape on Amazon (because they have a huge supply) but you can get it elsewhere, like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby.

Step 2: adhere the Washi Tape

Align the tape to fit the clothespin and cut off the excess. Scissors work fine for this. No fancy tools needed!

Step 3: glue on the thumb tack

Glue your thumb tack to the backside of the clothespins (the side that isn’t decorated).

Let it dry.

diy decorative clothespins on cork board

When you’re done, you’ll have beautifully decorated noteholders for your corkboard.

I’d love to get your feedback! Leave it in the comments.

2Sep2019

DIY Paper Gift Card Envelope

Posted in Gifts by Make Something Mondays

Did you know that consumers prefer physical gift cards? I always thought that was strange for our instant gratification digital age. According to the National Gift Card Annual B2B Gift Card Report, of the volume in gift card program redemptions is still in physical cards versus 25% for egift cards.

So, when you’re looking for a gift idea, remember that gift cards are always an option. What I like about gifting them is that I can customize the envelope however I want.

Depending on the person it’s going to, my envelope can be whimsical or more muted. As long as you can find the scrapbook paper to fit the person, you’re golden!

If you want to make your own, grab the supplies listed and follow the steps below!

Gift card envelope supplies

Step 1: print the template

Save the template above:

Right click
Choose Save Image As
Choose a file name
Open the image

Choose one of the following methods for printing

print the gift card template directly onto your scrapbook paper
print the gift card template onto a piece of printer paper, cut it out and trace it onto your scrapbook paper.

TIP: Don’t scale the image when you print. It’s the right size for an 8.5×11″ piece of paper.

Step 2: trace the template onto your scrapbook paper

If you printed directly onto the scrapbook paper, skip this step.

If you followed option 2 above, keep reading.

Cut out the template you printed and trace the outline onto your scrapbook paper.

Don’t forget to cut the slit in the middle. This is used to secure the flap which holds the gift card in place.

Step 4: glue the tabs

Fold on the dotted lines and glue the tabs to create the gift card.

Slide in your gift card and you’re finished! Mail it, take it to a birthday party, or whatever you need to do to share your gift card.

What I love about these is that you can customize however you want. Choose your scrapbook paper, add embellishments, or wrap it in ribbons. Or all of the above.

I’d love to get your feedback. Leave your thoughts in the comments.

For previous craft projects, I’ve made different variations of gift card holders. If you like these better, follow the tutorial to make your own!

Stand-up gift card holder

Gift card envelope

25Aug2019

DIY Essential Oils Air Freshener

Posted in Craft Ideas by Make Something Mondays

I’ve been on the hunt for a good air freshener for a while now. When my husband and I bought our house, it smelled a little… mothy. Not very fresh.

I cleaned from top to bottom, including curtains and carpets to no avail. There’s no hope but to replace it all. Of course, that’s expensive and I’m cheap. So, until we save up enough to replace all the carpets with anything but carpet, we’ll have to settle for an alternative.

For me that’s an air freshener. We use candles, diffusers, room spray… all that good stuff. But I need something more permanent.

The smell of essential oils seem to linger for quite a while, so I decided to buy some water beads and make a homemade air freshener. It works pretty well!

Want to make your own? Follow the super easy steps below.

Air freshener supplies

Step 1: pour the water beads into the jar

Using the instructions listed on your water beads, pour the recommended amount into the jar.

Water beads expand, a lot, so it’s important to follow the instructions for the size of the jar you’ve chosen.

Step 2: pour water on top of the water beads

Again, using the recommended amount of water, pour it into the jar over top of your water beads.

Let the beads expand. It won’t take more than a few minutes to start happening.

Step 3: add the essential oils

Add a few drops, between 5-10 (depending on your preference for potency) and swirl around the oil with a spoon or whatever you have around.

Step 4: cover the opening with fabric

Choose a loosely woven fabric like burlap and cut it into a square to cover the top of your jar.

Screw on the metal lid to hold the fabric in place.

That’s it! No go put it in a room that needs some refreshing!

Also, try this the baking soda version (instead of water beads) and this essential oils car air freshener.

I’d love to hear what you think. Leave your comments below.

19Aug2019

DIY Kitchen Labels for Better Organization

Posted in Craft Ideas by Make Something Mondays

I’m on a mission to remove as many single-use plastics from my house as possible.

I save most of my jars and use them for storage, but the problem is that I’m not always sure what’s in them. This is especially true when it comes to baking products. At first glance, sugar and flower look pretty similar. Then there’s powdered sugar and flour. Ugh. No thanks.

I needed a better organizational system because I wasn’t a fan of opening and smelling jars every time I needed to bake something.

Enter kitchen labels. This is the obvious solution right? I didn’t want to buy a label maker though. Or a Cricut. Those things are expensive! All I needed was some organizational assistance. I found some clear sticker paper that can be printed on with a regular inkjet printer and off to the kitchen I went!

Goal 2019: finish organizing my entire kitchen. We’ll see how that goes…

In the meantime, you can make your own labels by following the steps below.

printable sticker labels for kitchen organization

Organizational label supplies

scissors
Microsoft Word or similar software
Inkjet printer (this is the one I have and I love it)
clear sticker paper

supplies to print your own kitchen labels

Step 1: choose your font

You can save my file above and use it, or you can make your own. To save, right click and choose Save Image As. Then you can rename the file if you want a print it.

You can use a font on your computer or download a custom font from sites like dafont.com or fontspace.com and install it.

I used Lobster for my labels. It’s the perfect font because the letters are thick enough that you can easily read them on a jar and it’s pretty, of course.

Step 2: print your labels

When adding your sticker paper to the printer, make sure you set it up so the glossy side will get printed on. For example, in my printer, I have to load the paper glossy side down for it to print properly.

IMPORTANT: let the ink dry before doing anything with the sticker paper.

Step 3: apply the kitchen labels

Cut out the labels and stick them on your storage container.

Don’t worry about cutting them perfectly. Remember, these are clear so no one will notice your mistakes. 😉

kitchen pantry organization with diy labels

Go wild! Label your baking cabinet, pantry, under your sink, whatever else you can get your hands on.

As I said, my goal is to remove all plastic and organize in jars or other storage containers by the end of the year!

I’d love to get your feedback. Leave it in the comments!

12Aug2019

DIY No Sew Hanging Kitchen Towel

Posted in Craft Ideas by Make Something Mondays

For as long as I’ve lived outside of my parents’ house (which has been quite a while) I have hung a kitchen towel over the stove handle. And for just as long, that towel has fallen on the floor if someone brushes up against it.

Gross, right?

Now that I have a dog that sheds a lot, I care way more than I used to. I had to find a way to keep that towel in place.

Enter, the hanging kitchen towel. It’s a real thing and it’s fantastic. However, most people sew theirs together. If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you know that I’m not wild about sewing. Obviously, this is going to be a no-sew project, except the button. I have no idea how to attach a button effectively without sewing it.

I know what you’re thinking, yeah right. You can’t make a project like this without sewing. Well, my friend, I have a life-changing product called Stitch Witchery. If you’re unfamiliar, this very thin piece of fabric tape that bonds fabric together when activated by heat. It’s glorious for people like me.

By the way, I found my towel and pot holder at Dollar Tree but there are some really cute sets on Amazon if you don’t want to go that route.

Want to make your own hanging dish towel? Let’s get started.

Hanging kitchen towel supplies

Step 1: sew a button to your pot holder

This is the only sewing part, I promise.

Thread your needle and sew your button to your potholder. Pick a spot toward the top in the middle. The goal here is to be able to connect the pot holder’s loop around the button to hold it on the stove.

Stitch Witchery used for hanging kitchen towel

Step 2: adhere the kitchen towel and potholder

Place a piece of Stitch Witchery on the center of the towel.

Lay the potholder on top so the center meets the center of the kitchen towel.

Following the instructions, position the hot iron over the dish pot holder and hold it there for 10 seconds without moving it.

Repeat on the opposite side. You might have to go back and forth a few times before it sticks.

When you’re finished, it should stick like this.

Don’t worry, Stitch Witchery is great for fabric and clothing so it can go through the washer with no problem. A match made in heaven, right?

Leave your thoughts in the comments! I’d love to hear what you think.

Happy crafting!

10Aug2019

Easy DIY Bookmarks!

Posted in Art, Craft Ideas, tutorial/DIY by Make Something Mondays

I love to read and I do it frequently. You can only imagine how many bookmarks I have gone through in my life. The paper ones tear, the metal ones discolor the pages, the wooden ones break… I had to come up with a better idea because these are just not working out for me. So, I’ve seen people make magnets using this same technique and I decided I could use it to make bookmarks. It is super easy and only takes a few minutes (excluding the time you are waiting for the glue to dry.)

DIY bookmark supplies:

Step 1: cut a circle in your scrapbook paper

First, you are going to need a pattern or design.

I made mine with Photoshop but you can search the internet to find some cute ones to print out. I’ve also seen people use scrapbook paper, which always looks cute!

Cut out the design. Make your edges are neatly trimmed and that it does not extend the edges of your glass tile.

Step 2: glue the design to your glass tile

Flip your glass tile over so that the round side is face down.

Add a small dot of Diamond Glaze on the back side of the glass tile and press your fingers from the center outward to ensure the glue makes its way to the edges.

Then, add a thick amount of Diamond Glaze on the back of the design like in the picture above. Make sure you cover the entire surface so that the design does not lift. This is our sealer.

Wait for the glue on the back of the tile to dry. This will take around 30 minutes.

At this point you glue should be dry. When you flip over the tile it should look something like this.

Step 3:

Get some hot melt glue and and adhere the paper clip to the back of the glass tile.

At this point, I am regretting not adding the paper clip in the last step because the hot melt glue is looking pretty messy. Note to self.

The finished product looks cute and functions the way I want it to.

I really enjoyed making these and the results make me happy as well. The one on the far left is my favorite!

I am sure you will see plenty more of my crafts using this technique. If you decide to make any of these I would love to see them! Please tag me on Instagram or twitter if you post them. You can also use #makesomethingmondays to get my attention!

10Aug2019

How to Remove Rust From Dumbbells and Weight Plates

Posted in Upcycled Crafts by Make Something Mondays

When my husband and I decided to buy a house, one of his only requirements was that it had room for a gym. Fortunately, we found a home with space. When we started buying weights, we learned that, to get a good deal, you sometimes have to settle for rusty weight plates and dumbbells.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard to remove the rust. So, If you’re trying to get a discount on weights, don’t let the rusty ones deter you from buying them. It’s a smelly process, but totally worth it.

Follow the instructions below to try it yourself.

UPDATE 8/10/2019: we’ve been using our revamped weights and dumbells for over a year now and they still look as good as new! There hasn’t been any chipping of spray paint or re-rusting. I highly recommend this process.

Supplies needed to remove rust from weights

Water
Vinegar
stainless steel brush
Large tote or plastic box
Rust-oleum spray paint (optional, but recommended)*

My content contains affiliate links to products I use and love. If you take action (purchase, subscribe) after clicking the links, I get some crafting money which helps me continue to write awesome tutorials for you! This costs you nothing but enables you to support my work.

When we got the weights they looked like this. Not totally covered in rust, but they were not in the best shape.

Step 1: brush off the rust

Using a stainless steel bristle brush, scrape off as much of the excess rust and chipping paint as possible.

weights soaking in vinegar/water solution

Step 2: Soak the weights in vinegar and water

Pay attention to the recommended dilution ratio on the vinegar you buy. Use that ratio of water and vinegar and soak the weights for about 3 days.

I recommend keeping them somewhere you don’t have to spend much time because it smells bad. We did it in our garage.

Also, when you finished and ready to dump out your solution, make sure you pour it down a large drain and not in your yard. The vinegar will kill your grass.

Note: We used 4 bottles (64 fl oz) of vinegar. We also took some of the less rusty weights out earlier and got similar results. If your weights have a lot of rust, they will need more time in the solution.

Step 3: Dry the weights

Take the weights out of the vinegar solution and dry them really well. If they’re exposed to moisture, they’ll begin to rust again.

The olympic plate in the image above is the same plate pictured in step 1. It looks much better now. It has not been spray painted yet either! I was shocked to see the difference!

Step 4 (optional): spray paint the weights

While not necessary, I recommend taking some extra time to spray paint the weights. We used Rust-oleum 2x Paint + Primer. It’s desgined to cover rust and it’s worked well for us.

For comparison, in the image above, the first weight plate on the right has been spray painted with Rust-oleum. The one on the left was just removed from the vinegar solution and dried. It makes a big difference.

When you’re done, you’ll have some fancy, seemingly new weights. And they look so nice! You can hardly even tell a differnce in the texture anymore.

Look how rusty those round iron dumbbells were. Pretty bad, right?

These are the same ones. I’m not kidding!

So, if you’re considering buying weights or dumbells for your home gym, don’t avoid the rusty ones. And if you’re considering getting rid of your weights because they’re rusty, don’t do it! Use this process to fix them up instead.

Hope you enjoyed this one.

Happy crafting!

5Aug2019

DIY Swiffer Pads from Felt

Posted in Cleaning by Make Something Mondays

I spend a lot of time cleaning. Well, time and money. I complained a few weeks ago about the lack of eco-friendliness and the expense of products like disposable cleaning wipes and I have the same feelings about cleaning pads for Swiffers.

Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE my Swiffer, and it certainly makes my life easier, but the cleaning pads, dry and wet, are not great to be cleaning with. There are ingredients that concern me regarding toxicity, respiratory issues and much more. Check out the link above if you want to read about it yourself. These products are also disposable and can get expensive over time. I just don’t think it’s necessary.

Of course, when I find a need for something, I try to make it. This scenario is no different. This DIY replacement is super easy, too!

All you need is a few supplies and you might have them lying around your house. If not, that’s okay! I have links below to help you find them.

Reusable Swiffer pad supplies

Step 1: cut your felt pads

Measure your felt to 8.5×11″ and cut.

If you don’t have a tape measure or ruler, you can always just use a piece of standard US paper because it’s the same size. Your measurements don’t have to be 100% accurate either because we’re cleaning with these, not hanging them somewhere for all to see.

Step 2: attach the felt pads to your sweeper

Lay the felt pad on the floor and attach it to your Swiffer like you would the regular cleaning pads.

Step 3: choose a cleaning product

Grab a multipurpose or floor cleaner that you like and get to cleaning!

I really like Mrs. Meyers Clean Day products, but you can use whatever you want.

That’s it! Super easy, right?

When you’re done, you can rinse off the felt pad and toss it in with your laundry, wash and reuse! I love that.

Note: these won’t fray when washed but they will shrink. It’s beneficial to pre-wash before using.

Also, if you’re interested in more eco-friendly, better-for-you cleaning products, I highly recommend checking out Grove. On this site, you can buy natural cleaning products like Mrs. Meyers, Method, Seventh Generation, etc., as a subscription. I’ve used it for about 6 months now and really like it.

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Would you like to try reusable cleaning options? Leave them in the comments.

Want more fall crafts?

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Recycled planter supplies

Step 1: add feet to your tin cans

Step 2: spray paint your tin cans

Step 3: repot your plants

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Washi Tape Clothespin Supplies

Step 1: choose your decorative tape

Step 2: adhere the Washi Tape

Step 3: glue on the thumb tack

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Gift card envelope supplies

Step 1: print the template

Step 2: trace the template onto your scrapbook paper

Step 4: glue the tabs

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Air freshener supplies

Step 1: pour the water beads into the jar

Step 2: pour water on top of the water beads

Step 3: add the essential oils

Step 4: cover the opening with fabric

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Organizational label supplies

Step 1: choose your font

Step 2: print your labels

Step 3: apply the kitchen labels

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Hanging kitchen towel supplies

Step 1: sew a button to your pot holder

Step 2: adhere the kitchen towel and potholder

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

DIY bookmark supplies:

Step 1: cut a circle in your scrapbook paper

Step 2: glue the design to your glass tile

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Supplies needed to remove rust from weights

Step 1: brush off the rust

Step 2: Soak the weights in vinegar and water

Step 3: Dry the weights

Step 4 (optional): spray paint the weights

You know you want to share it:

Like this:

Reusable Swiffer pad supplies

Step 1: cut your felt pads

Step 2: attach the felt pads to your sweeper

Step 3: choose a cleaning product

You know you want to share it:

Like this: