Author name: Julie Finn

I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge. I'm interested in recycling and nature crafts, food security, STEM education, and the DIY lifestyle, however it's manifested--making myself some underwear out of T-shirts? Done it. Teaching myself guitar? Doing it right now. Visit my blog Craft Knife for a peek at our very weird handmade homeschool life, and my etsy shop Pumpkin+Bear for a truly odd number of rainbow-themed beeswax pretties.

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How to Jazz up Jar Lids: Upcycle Old Food Jars into New-Looking Storage Jars

Upcycling old jam jars, spaghetti sauce jars, pickle jars, etc. into storage jars to use around your house is a boon to the environment (and a cheap way to glean some extra storage!), but wouldn’t you maybe rather have something that didn’t *look* exactly like an old jam jar, spaghetti sauce jar, or pickle jar?

Whether you’re fond of fabric or paper, paint or found objects, matching or distinctive, the following list should give you all the ideas that you need to make your jar lids fresh, new, and not at all spaghetti sauce-related.

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How-to: Healthy Fruit and Cheese Dinosaurs

Want to throw a party for a kid and NOT serve a bunch of crap to eat?

That was my challenge for my kiddo’s recent dinosaur-themed seventh birthday party. No potato chip “dinosaur scales,” no jelly bean “dinosaur eggs,” no dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets or snack crackers or grocery store cookies.

It may take a little imagination to see the dinosaur in these healthy fruit and cheese dinosaurs, but kids have a ton of imagination. They also have a love of fun food, and, yep, a love of wholesome apples, grapes, and cheese.

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How-to: Upcycled Toy Charm Necklaces–They’re Toys You Can Wear!

These toy charms can be worn on a necklace or bracelet, one at a time or in a whole herd. They make fine jewelry on their own, but the secret trick to these little charms is the latch that allows you to release them from their jewelry status. In the blink of an eye, you’ve gone from having a necklace full of toy dinosaurs to a handful of toy dinosaurs, ready to make standing in line at the grocery store SO much more bearable.

Here’s how to make your own.

How-to: Upcycled Toy Charm Necklaces–They’re Toys You Can Wear! Read More 👉

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India Tree Natural Food Coloring: Is It Worth It?

Pink cookies! Rainbow cupcakes! Whacked or not, I MUST occasionally have colorful baked goods, so I’ve recently switched my allegiance to India Tree natural food colors, which have no high fructose corn syrup and no synthetic dyes. India Tree food coloring has some pros and cons, and I’m not going to tell you that it’s all 100% amazeballs and you’re going to be making rainbow pancakes by morning with it, but here’s what we did with it, and here’s what we thought of it.

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How-to: Upcycled Paper Swatch Cards

Do you have art or craft supplies that you collect? If you’re out shopping the sales, however, it can be hard to remember if you have that exact color of something already, or if you should snap it up while it’s cheap. Especially for things like markers, paint, and fabrics, which come in more colors than it’s possible to own, these little swatch cards, made from upcycled paper, come in really handy.

The swatch cards are small enough to put in your pocket if you know you’re on your way to the art supplies store, handy to reference when you’re there, and quick to duplicate when you’re back home with your new supplies. Here’s how to make them

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DIY Wire Hanger and Found Object Plant Markers, Part 1: Wire Hanger Shepherd’s Hook

These wire hanger and found object plant markers are sturdy enough to stand up to several seasons of use in your garden. Made from things like broken pottery, pretty rocks, and all sorts of little embellishments, they’re as cute as you want to make them. And since you can make these entirely from your stash, they are entirely free!

DIY Wire Hanger and Found Object Plant Markers, Part 1: Wire Hanger Shepherd’s Hook Read More 👉

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