The information contained below is all that is needed for a simple delicious gift.
Skill Level: Easy
Cost: less than $5 each
Time Required: 30 minutes to fill & wrap a few bags or jars
Cranberry-Orange Biscuit Gift Mix
Family Tree Portrait Wall
Lower Wall Section
It’s taken me 6 years, but I finally hung the frames! Once the pictures are inserted, we will see our extended family members every time that we climb the stairs.
Skill Level: Easy (but can be tedious & requires patience)
Cost: guestimating $200 or more plus cost of printing the photos
Time Required: minimum 3 hours hanging time (but lots of thought, planning, & pondering time involved)
No-Sew Fabric Bookmark
Snake (or worm) Bookmarks
Here is an easy craft to do as a stocking stuffer, a project with your kids, or as a party craft. I made snake bookmarks as a treat bag item for my son’s birthday treat bag to hand out to his classmates and friends. The cut-out item may be any shape and may be as simple or complicated as you want to make it. Due to time constraints, and my son’s fascination with garden snakes, I chose the simple snake pattern.
Skill Level: Easy (but adult supervision recommended)
Cost: less than $15 (without purchase of the optional items)
Time Required: minimum 1 hour for a few bookmarks (allow 2 hours if working on 20 or more of a simple cut-out design plus another 1/2 hour or more if adding embellishments)
Posted in < $15, Children's Craft, Easy, Gift Idea, No-Sew Fabric
Tagged children's craft, Easy, Gift Idea, No-Sew
Leave a comment
Crochet a Monster
A year ago at the Makers Faire, I bought a crochet book called Creepy Cute Crochet
My first attempt at a creature was while travelling by car in June. I crocheted Cthulhu from pages 34 to 36 of this book, using a variegated blue instead of the green shown in the book. The instructions were easy to follow and the creature was fun to crochet and relatively quick to complete.
Skill Level: Easy
Cost: less than $25 (less if you already have the yarn, stuffing and specific size of crochet hook
Time Required: 2 & 1/2 hours
Sphere Topiary
- Sphere Topiary
This project utilizes the same supplies from the heart topiary project that I did in January. The difference is a sphere on top instead of the heart. Last winter, this was my first attempt at creating a topiary. However, I did not make the shape strong enough to hold the heavy vines. This time, I took the old topiary apart and added strength to those wires by adding more wire to the teepee and sphere.
To fully fill in the topiary, it takes approximately 3 to 6 years depending upon the size of plant and its growth rate. This philodendron plant is also 4 years old. From base of plant pot to top of heart, this topiary stands approzimately 3 & 1/2 feet high.
Skill Level: Intermediate (requires strength; some danger from sharp wire; easiest with 2 people)
Cost: less than $20 to purchase the wire (other items are standard tools)
Time Required: 2 & 1/2 hours
Posted in $20, Home Decor, Intermediate, Plants, Wire
Tagged Home Decor, plant, topiary, wire
Leave a comment
Porch Sitter Doll / Scarecrow
Figure 5: Picture of completed body.
This project is super easy and super fun to involve children. While an 8 year old girl spent the day with us, I involved her in this craft and gave her the results to take home. She went home happy. 
My apologies for the naked doll photos. Our friend took the doll home to dress in some of her own clothes. When I finish one for my own use, I will update this post with clothed doll photos.
Skill Level: Easy
Cost: less than $10
Time Involved: 1 hour or less
Posted in $10, Children's Craft, Easy, Home Decor, Upcycling
Tagged children's craft, doll, Easy, Home Decor, under $10., upcycling
Leave a comment
Keepsake Journal
Journal #1
Journal #2
Journal #3
This craft is simple, fun, and nice for keeping or gifting to those who may use and treasure journals. I received #3 from friends, and liked it so much that I decided to create more as gifts too.
Skill Level: Easy
Cost: under $10 if you already have most of the supplies; approximately $20 if you need to buy more than a few items.
Time Required: 1 hour or more
Posted in $10, Easy, Paper Craft, Scrapbook
Tagged Easy, Paper, Scrapbook, under $10.
Leave a comment
Painting a Wall Stencil
Wall Stencil
I’ve been planning wall stencil projects ever since we moved into this house; but these projects were not priority and didn’t climb to the top of my “to do” list. Last fall I discovered that Papa enjoys to paint, so I enlisted his help during March to start and complete this project. He was a bit apprehensive, but was an easy apprentice. The end result is exactly what I’d hoped for on this wall.
Skill Level: Easy
Cost: approximately $10 to $20
Time Required: 10 hours (done over a span of two weeks)
Continue reading
Posted in $10, Easy, Home Decor, Painting, Uncategorized
Tagged Home Decor, painting, under $10.
Leave a comment
Tin Pan Art Mobile
Side 1 of Spring/Summer Mobile
Side 2 of Spring/Summer Mobile
St. Patrick's Mobile
Tin pan art mobiles are fun to make. My examples are for St. Patrick’s Day and for spring/summer time. Any theme provides inspiration for this project. Save your tins to create some mobiles. When done with one mobile, save more tins for more projects throughout the year.
Skill Level: Easy (but I do not recommend allowing children to cut the tin pans)
Cost: under $10 for paint and a few brushes
Time Required: 2 hours (including rest time to allow for paint to dry)
Continue reading
Posted in $10, Easy, Home Decor, Painting, Upcycling
Tagged Easy, Home Decor, painting, tin pans, under $10., upcycling
Leave a comment
Coming soon…
Soon to post about two recently completed crafts: tin pan art mobiles and a wall stencil. Both had nice results. Will share soon.
Posted in Uncategorized
Leave a comment