Altering a book to use as a journal requires more than just scoring the perfect ancient tome. After you do a price check to make sure you’re upcycling trash, not destroying a national treasure, you have to physically prepare the book to receive your art, writing, and ephemera.
Four Methods to Prepare the Pages of an Altered Book Read More 👉
Scrunchies are one of my favorite stashbuster projects. Like the other projects that I mentioned, scrunchies are very forgiving, so you can fudge fabric dimensions as needed to fit your scraps.
Upcycled Hair Accessories: Stashbust a Scrunchie Read More 👉
If you, too, are beholden to a continually evolving set of brand-new tights all year, every year, this little hack won’t cure your heartbreak, but it might make you feel maybe 3% better, at least if you or someone you love also has hair that occasionally needs to be tied back.
DIY Dancer: Upcycled Hair Ties Made from Tights Read More 👉
I LOVE the hanging planters that these plastic bottles create. They’re extremely light, so I don’t have to worry about overburdening the curtain rods that I hang a million plants and suncatchers and other dangly things from. They’re self-watering, so I can leave them without worry when I travel, and the water reservoirs are transparent, so I can see when I need to refill them.
Leaning into the Discomfort, Part Two: 2-Liter Bottle Hanging Planters Read More 👉
Somehow, until I made the effort to really think about how I could reuse plastic 2-liter bottles, it never occurred to me that a plastic 2-liter bottle is a nearly perfect planter. It’s cheap. It’s sturdy. It’s light. It’s easy to modify to fit a variety of needs.
Leaning into the Discomfort, Part One: How to Upcycle a 2-Liter Bottle into a Planter Read More 👉
Reinforcing that entire thigh area, both the rip and the surrounding real estate, with a denim patch, as well as quilting the snot out of that patch, stops the rip.
This Mend Will Stay Mended! The Forever Fix to Thigh Rips in Your Jeans Read More 👉
This method results in a pair of bell bottoms that are wide and blousy and flowy. You couldn’t get away with wearing them in all circumstances, but they’re also super dramatic and super fun for every bell bottom-appropriate occasion.
Clothing Refashion: Another Way to DIY Bell Bottoms Read More 👉
These embroidery floss macrame pendants are a little more challenging than, say, my yarn tassel or Ojo de Dios summer camp crafts, but I think they’re suitable for older elementary kids on up.
Summer Camp Craft: Embroidery Floss Macrame Pendants Read More 👉
Here, I’ll show you how to make the simplest version of the Ojo de Dios, but there are so many further avenues for exploration.
Summer Camp Craft: Ojo de Dios from Stash Yarn and Bamboo Skewers Read More 👉
This DIY yarn tassel is the perfect outdoor craft when it’s beautiful outside, and also a pretty terrific indoor craft when outside sucks.
Summer Camp Crafts: How to Make a Yarn Tassel Read More 👉
Fortunately, it’s really not hard to add a zipper to the front of a hoodie, and what you get in return is a comfy, zip-up hoodie that will leave your glasses, headphones, and sensory sensitivities intact.
How to Add a Zipper to a Hoodie Read More 👉
Drilling through glass isn’t as hard as it looks, and it’s a specific skill that is honestly pretty amazing to have.
How to Drill through Glass Read More 👉
I cut up several old towels to piece together a cute applique mushroom, quilted it onto a couple other old towels, and now have a brand-new custom bath mat that the kids and I are delighted with.
DIY: Upcycle Old Towels into a New Bath Mat Read More 👉
It’s possible to remove most candle wax from most fabric, even if your candle wax is highly pigmented, and even if your fabric is precious and delicate.
How to Remove Wax from Fabric: Two Methods Read More 👉
These glass bottle bottom ring holders are quick and easy to make, and don’t require any additional supplies other than several grits of sandpaper.
DIY Upcycled Glass Bottle Bottom Ring Holders Read More 👉
A drawstring bag is a terrific go-to when you’re thinking about sustainable gift packaging. It’s customizable, re-usable, and easy to put to a huge number of alternate uses.
Make an Easy Drawstring Gift Bag with This Free Pattern Read More 👉
Homemade Christmas tree ornaments are my favorite holiday decoration. Every year, my kids and I add more handmade ornaments to our collection and I cull a couple more store-bought ornaments. My ultimate goal is to have a Christmas tree so bedazzled that you can barely see its branches, with nary a store-bought ornament in sight.
Crafty Christmas: Make Altered Playing Card Ornaments Read More 👉
Painting a wicker basket is a super quick project that makes a big change in the overall look of your room. And when you get tired of your current color scheme, repainting that basket is just as quick and easy!
How to Transform Wicker Baskets with Paint Read More 👉
The materials and techniques that you use to dye cotton are necessarily different than what you use to dye silk.
Yes, You Can Tie-Dye Silk! Read More 👉
A well-made sock can stand up to a lot of wear, and when a hole does finally work its way through, then you can darn that sock to make it even better than it was when it was new.
How to Darn a Sock Read More 👉
A scratch-off card is a really fun way to present all kinds of experience gifts or fun activities. Everybody loves a scratch-off, and it adds an element of surprise that makes an already great gift even better.
Make a Homemade Scratch-Off Card for an Experience Gift Read More 👉
Drapes are a surprisingly eco-friendly home furnishing.
DIY Drapes from Upcycled Sheets and Lining Fabric Read More 👉
What to do with serving ware that could go great together but is mismatched and also super ugly?
Spray paint it!
Make Matching Serving Ware with Spray Paint and Dish Soap Read More 👉
I don’t have any kind of yearning to restore my wonky old house to its original condition, but it would be pretty cool to clean and refurbish just those antique door fixtures, just to see what they actually look like.
How to Clean and Refurbish Antique Door Hardware Read More 👉
It’s easier than you think to cut ceramics with a couple of standard tools, and there are loads of ways to finish off the pendant to your taste.
How to Make a Broken Dish Pendant Read More 👉
No matter how big you want your star to be, or how many points you want it to have, you can make the pattern for it completely from scratch, and the assembly is the same no matter which type you create.
How to Design and Create a Wood Star from Scratch Read More 👉
Fortunately, sewing a button back on your pants is a super easy and low-fuss skill that requires only a basic amount of hand-eye coordination. Anyone can do it!
How to Sew a Button Back on Your Pants Read More 👉
Denim quilts are about the warmest, snuggliest quilts you’ll ever nap under.
Sew an Easy Strip Quilt from Upcycled Denim Read More 👉
My favorite plant markers are the simplest ones you could make–they’re just wood burned sticks!
How To Make A Wood Burned Stick Plant Marker Read More 👉
These decoupaged cardboard trays are some of my favorite things to make.
How to Make a Decoupaged Cardboard Tray Read More 👉
Everybody knows that paper napkins are a wasteful use of resources, and we ought to ditch them for mealtimes. But the solution isn’t just to wipe your hands on your pants!
How To Sew Fat Quarter Cloth Napkins Read More 👉
Corrugated cardboard, sliced and stacked edges out, has a texture that cats adore, and they really will use them, play with them, and sharpen their claws on them!
How to Make a Corrugated Cardboard Cat Scratcher: Two Tutorials! Read More 👉
Because you don’t want your stuff to fall out!
How To Add A Zippered Top To A Tote Bag Read More 👉
