These are super versatile, completely customizable, and can suit any taste.  I did this one for my Little Monkey.  I’ve done other ones for friends getting married.  Teacher’s gifts, neighbor gifts and home decor.  It will work for all of those.

This is super simple and fairly inexpensive.  Here’s the how:

1)  You will need a piece of wood.  I prefer 1×6 and cut it to the length you want.  For wedding gifts I usually make them 18-24 inches long.  For signs in kid’s rooms, teachers and neighbors I usually stick to 12-15 inches.  Most home improvement stores will cut the board for you, for a small fee.  Totally worth it.

2)  Prime your board with your choice of primer.  I just use cheap spray paint.  Keep in mind what color you want to make your sign.  If it’s a light color, use a white primer.  Save a gray primer for your darker colored projects.

3)  When your primer is dry, give your board 2-3 coats of your choice of color.  You can use spray paint, interior latex paint or even acrylic craft paint.  Last year, I did several of these for Christmas gifts.  I spray painted a couple of projects, but it was awfully cold and ended up resorting to acrylic paint.  It worked just fine.

4)  When your boards are dry, you can ink or stress your board if you want.  You can then put any saying you would like to on them.  You can use vinyl or you can paint them on with a stencil.  If you’re incredibly brave, free-hand paint you words.  I use vinyl a lot.  It’s a little more expensive, but it’s a bit easier and can look more professional, depending on how steady your paintbrush hand is.
 
5)  Seal your board with a clear sealant.  Attach wall hanging hardware to the back of the board.  Hang.  Or gift wrap.  Which ever the circumstances call for. 
 

Krista

Today is my parent’s 26th wedding anniversary.  I have such a hard time coming up with gifts for them.  My dad is the kind that never wants anything, or at least, he’ll never admit to it.  My mom, well, it’s not that she doesn’t want to decorate their home, it’s more that she doesn’t know how and doesn’t take the time to experiment till she finds something she likes.  Well, she finally painted their bedroom this summer.  They’ve lived in the same house for over 10 years…  So, I decided to make something that would go with that decor.

It was incredibly easy and amazingly frugal.  It took less than an afternoon to come up with the idea and finish it.  It’s totally customizable and that makes it so versatile. 

Here’s the How:

1)  Decide on a quote or image.  I found this quote on Pinterest.  As well as this one.  {Side note: the first gift I ever received from My Mr. Right was a braided paracord bracelet.  He made it at Annual Training, which was the first of many separations in our relationship.  I was totally taken by surprise when he gave it to me.  He made it mostly because he was bored and needed something to do to pass the time, but it has become one of my most favorite possessions.  Something so small and simple.  That story will make sense when you see the quote I chose.} I had a hard time deciding which one to choose, but ultimately went with the first one.  I designed my text in Sure Cuts A Lot.  {Another side note: If you have a Silhouette or other craft cutter, I highly recommend Sure Cuts A Lot.  Unfortunately, it no longer works with the Cricut, due to Provo Craft.  Long story that leaves me less than impressed with Provo Craft, but whatever.}

2)  I took one of my on-hand picture frames and spray painted it with my on-hand spray paint.  It took about three coats for good coverage.  Take the glass out before you paint.  While you’re waiting for the paint to dry, clean the glass.

3)  Cut out your vinyl and apply it to the glass.  When the frame is dry, reassemble the pieces and wrap with a pretty ribbon.  You can choose to leave the backing of the frame out (like I did) to create a backless frame.  I am really loving that look, it isn’t as common and I think it looks simple, yet elegant with the wall showing through.

Easy peasy and you can change it up to fit your needs, your recipient, the occasion, time of year, ect. 

Here’s to my parents and another year of wedded bliss.  And to all the love birds out there.  Remember, small things become great when done with love.  Isn’t love amazing! 

Krista

I saw these on Pottery Barn.  Cute, right?  But $8 a piece?  I don’t think so.  Not when I can buy a case of 12 canning jars for that. 

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So, what do all crafters think when they see things like this?  Yes, hi, my name is Krista and I have “I-can-make-that” syndrome.  So, I did just that. 

Here’s the How:

Materials:

Mason Jar or other similar glass jar (do you save your spaghetti sauce jars?)

Wire, your choice of color and gauge

Directions:

1)  Wash out your jar, especially if you are recycling a bottle.

2)  Wrap your wire around the jar, just below the threads that hold the lid on.  If you are using a thin gauge wire you will probably want to wrap it around several times.  If you want the look of a braided wire, twist and braid it before you start wrapping. 

3)  For the handle, twist the wire around the strand(s) that you put around the mouth of the jar.  Pull out however much wire you want to make the length of the handle.  Loop it around the other side of the wire that is around the mouth of the jar. 

4)  I wanted a braided handle, so I wrapped the wire together every time I made another loop in my handle.

5)  Fill with your desired substance (sand, salt, candles, whatever your little heart desires).  Hang and enjoy.  Ooh-la-la!

This was free for me, as I had everything on hand.  If you upcycle a jar, the cost will be less than $5 and you can make as many lanterns as you have jars.  Less than $20 will get you a set of 12 canning jars and the wire.  How pretty would these be out on the patio after sunset?  L-O-V-E!

Krista

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Do you love easy and frugal decorating ideas?  Well then, here is a post for you.  I keep seeing those gorgeous old-timey lanterns in catalogues and on websites like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel.  I am so in love…. until the price tag catches my eye.  Move that puppy to the “I wish in a million years” list. 

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This simple design is $40 from Crate & Barrel.  FORTY BUCKS!  That’s almost a month’s worth of diapers in this household.  Not a splurge I can justify or even bring myself to contemplate. 

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This baby is $80.  Are your eyes popping out of your head yet?  My jaw fell promptly to the floor when I saw that price tag.  These pieces are gorgeous, but no where near my budget.  So, I set out to make my own.

This is my DIY version.  Cost me nothing, as I had everything on-hand already.  Much more manageable.

Here’s the How:
1)  I took four 5×7” picture frames (from the Dollar Tree) that I already had, removed the glass and spray painted the frames black.  Give ‘em a good two or three coats.  You can also do a clear sealant over them, but I didn’t and have had no problems with scratches.  My paint was a matte finish, it’s what I prefer.  A glossy finish may give it a little “newer” look, if that’s the look you like.  Make sure you paint both sides of the frames.  Clean the glass while it’s out of the frames.

2)  After your frames are thoroughly dry, put the glass back in and wipe off any fingerprints.  Then, glue them together along the edges to form a cube, except the top and bottom are open.  I use LocTite glue.  E6000 and Gorilla Glue are other glues you could consider.  I did a thin strip of glue all the way down the edge of the frame.  Brace them while they dry.  Let them dry really well (like over-night, at least).

3)  I liked the lantern just like that.  But, I also liked the lantern from Crate & Barrel.  Yeah, the one with the $80 price tag.  So, I decided to take some vinyl and decorate the glass.  Vinyl is typically pretty easy to remove, so if I didn’t like it, I could take it back off.  I like it…
 

4)  I wanted to leave the top open so I could use a real candle in it without the worry of scorching anything.  I also decided to leave the bottom open for now.  If you want to close the bottom off you could use something as simple as a piece of cardboard painted black and glued to the base.  Or you could get a piece of plywood and cut it to the dimensions of your lantern, paint it to match and glue it to the base.  You could also consider putting a wire handle on it too.    

A couple of weeks ago I found this idea on Remodelaholic.  Kari from The Sunset Lane did a similar project, but she made a chandelier with it.  It’s too cool.  Check it out.

When cleaning your refrigerator, here are some simple tips.
1)  Turn the temperature knob off.  The fridge will be open for a while and there’s no sense in wasting electricity.

2)  If your fridge is particularly dirty, place the food in coolers while you clean it.  This way you won’t have to worry about any of the food spoiling.  Fruits and veggies will keep longer if they are kept at a constant temperature.
3)  Throw out anything that is spoiled, moldy or expired.  Throw out leftovers that are more than a week old.  Throw out any condiments or other items that haven’t been used in a month or two.
4)  Take the drawers and shelves out and let them soak in hot soapy water.  Dish soap is fine to use.  You may want to soak them in the bath tub if your sink is too small to accommodate them all at once.  If you do put them in the tub, you will need to clean the tub afterwards.

5)  Wipe down the inside of the fridge with a sponge or scouring pad, being careful not to scratch the interior of the fridge.  It you scratch the lining it may damage it and cost more for you to keep the fridge cold.  You may need to let spills soak before they will come up. If odor is an issue, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda with a quart of warm water.  It will also double as a gentle scouring powder.
6)  Wash the drawers and shelves with hot, soapy water.  For best results, let them air dry.  Or dry them with paper towels.
7)  Replace the drawers and shelves when everything is dry.  Letting it dry will help prevent bacteria growth.
8)  As you put things back into the fridge, wipe down any jars or dishes that are sticky or have spills.  Make sure you turn the temperature knob back on.

9)  Wipe down the outside of the fridge with warm, soapy water.  Also wipe down the rubber seals.
10)  A couple of times a year, it is wise to pull the fridge out and clean underneath and behind it.