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Valentine Crafts (warning drinking wine is mandatory)

Last week I was looking out for unusual upcycles, having been inspired by heart shaped loo roll holders and mason jar madness. I came across some gorgeous jewelry made from wine corks but had trouble finding a tutorial. But high five to Karen, our trusty blog reader, who pointed out there are lots of tutorials online and to find them you just need to type ‘wine cork jewelry tutorials’ into Google. Who’d have thought!

First up, did you know how many cool things you can make with the simple wine cork. Of course, I would never have enough wine corks for most of these crafts………

This bath mat requires 175 corks and a heap of hot glue, this tutorial comes from craftynest.com

This next idea would make a great Valentines gift if the corks being used have sentimental value. Perhaps you saved your wedding day corks or maybe you can save the corks you use this year and have a gift ready for next. This wine cork coaster tutorial comes from seamstresserin.com but there are a lot of others online.

If you have only one special cork to use, perhaps from an anniversary, or again from your wedding, a special piece of jewelry is an easy craft to make for your sweetheart on Valentines day.

Here are a few examples of necklaces and pendants that are easy to make and easy to wear.

This one is my favourite, a pretty necklace wrapped in copper wire. This isn’t a tutorial, but if you look carefully you will be able to see how simple these are to make.

For other ideas see this Etsy store, Uncorked which has rings, bracelets, keyrings and more all made out of wine corks. Again, no tutorials but lots of great pictures to make things easy to figure out. Experiment with stamps, paint and meaningful charms for unique and personal gift giving. You can be sure your beloved will LOVE this idea!

Stumps: Natures End Tables

I’m a sucker for dumps. Yes, they’re smelly, terrible places where all the ugliness of our wasteful culture is gathered in one shameful spot. But sometimes there is gold to be found in those hills of garbage.

First off, I don’t go digging. It’s dangerous, not allowed, and you wouldn’t find anything useful anyway, since everything has either been covered in last week’s left over tacos, or crushed by roving heavy machinery. The trick is to pay attention to what others are dropping off. There is a no-man’s land between the backs of everyone’s cars and the pit where you can score treasures that have no business ending up at the dump.

I’ve found everything from chairs to mirrors to weird bits of art painted on scraps of plywood that have ended up becoming cherished household treasures that are either still with us, or have gone on to new homes altogether.

One of my favourite pieces though, was a chunk of log I once found. Sure, I could probably have found another appropriate log in a more savoury place, but when I saw it at the dump, something clicked and I thought to myself, “hey, it’s nature’s end table!” Glancing over my shoulder to make sure nobody was watching, (you’re not suppose to steal from the dump for some reason) I quickly hauled the 30kg monster into the back of my truck after dropping off a load of trash and made for home with my ill-gotten dump log.

I think the piece was alder, and when it was a tree, it clearly had vines clinging to it, making it all the more beautiful. My job was made easy by the fact that whoever cut down the tree from which it came, did so incredibly neatly, slicing out chunks roughly 18″ tall, and perfectly evenly, so that it sat on the floor without wobbling with an almost perfectly level surface.

After letting it dry on my porch for a few months, I hauled out my orbital sander and went to work, starting out with the heaviest grade of sandpaper I could find (80). It took me a solid, dusty hour, but by the time I was finished, my stump had a beautiful finish. I used the vacuum to clean the dust out of the cracks on the surface, gave it a good wash, and once it was dry, I coated the surface with a semi-gloss latex clear coat.

It lived in my sons’ room for a few years, and recently after a move from Vancouver to the Kootenays, we were lucky enough to reclaim it for our living room where it now sits, and people still ask me where we bought it.

I think we’re going to need a few more of these around the house.

Upcycling Ideas: Make the Most of The Free Tab on UsedEverywhere!

The mason jar mania of the last two weeks got me thinking, ‘what’s the weirdest upcycle out there?’ My ponderings were quickly answered by a browse on the UsedEverywhere blog. You may have read this great post ’5 Uses for a Toilet Paper Roll’ by my fellow blogger, Erin Berube, and like me, found the ideas ingenious. The heart stamp for Valentines and the cord organiser are just two of the ideas I will be coveting.

I decided to go in search of other upcycling possibilities and boy did I find some wonderful ideas!

Having lots of musical friends, I just love the idea of music sheet wrapping paper, trimmed with old jewelry.

I also have a lot of friends who drink wine and was amazed when I saw these upcycled wine corks. Unfortunately I cannot find a tutorial or the source for this photo, but if you are crafty enough, this could be a great gift project especially if you have a cork from a special occasion.

This next idea is a good one for those who have their eye on the Used sites. I often see old windows and doors for free on our sites. Check out this gorgous coffee table upcycle from ohgloryvintage.com.

Again, another great idea if you can grab a freebie from UsedEverywhere – a bed head board upcycled into a garden bench. Tutorial from addicted2decorating.com

It’s worth it to keep you eye on the Used sites for things people are giving away. There is even a tab specifically for Free items on the homepage of each site. Some people have renovated their whole house with free items (more of that later) but if you are a crafter or a maker, then this is where you will find ideas for many an upcycling project.

How to enjoy winter (yes, really!)

There’s no denying it, once we hit January, we are in the long stretch of winter. There is no holiday to look forward to, no pretty decorating to distract us, no Santa letters to write.  In most areas of the country, January means snow and cold – and even mild areas go through a long, grey stretch with rain and dismal weather.

How do we get through it?  How do we find a way to keep ourselves happy and entertained even when the warm weather seems so far away?

The best thing to do is figure out what kind of a winter person you are. Do you love to be active, and feel more energized when you are outside moving your body?  Or do you feel best when surrounded by all things cozy and warm, like a blazing fire in the fireplace, warm blankets and tea or hot drinks?

If you are the type to want to get outside and romp in the snow, don’t hesitate. Find opportunities for short or long walks, and for activities like tobogganing, skiing, and skating.  Getting out into the sun can do wonders for your mood, even if you are just walking for the mail, to a nearby coffee shop or to work.  Building these moments into your day can help you get through winter with a cheerier outlook.

Take your kids outside if you have them, or borrow some from family or friends.  Kids know how to have fun in the snow, so borrow some of their enthusiasm if need be.  Don’t let expensive equipment turn you off; many items can be bought affordably this time of year during January sales or purchased used to keep costs down.  If you want to get outside but aren’t feeling as energetic, try grabbing your camera and going for a walk in a nearby park or walking trail and capture some of winter’s beauty that way.

 If you are more the après-ski type, and loathe being out in the cold, don’t force yourself to do things that will make you miserable. But realize what you are missing out on by staying indoors – exercise, and much needed Vitamin D.  Find a way to get some activity and movement by visiting a gym or working out at home.  Talk to your doctor to see if you are getting enough Vitamin D (this is a good idea in the winter no matter how much you get outside.)  And then dive into all the things that make you feel coziest – wear cozy clothing, keep warm blankets handy, make hot chocolate from scratch.  Bake something tempting and let your kitchen fill up with warmth and good smells.  Hang out by the fireplace, not just in the evening – try a chilly weekend morning, or a lazy afternoon too.

Winter isn’t going anywhere. It’s best we find the ways we can most enjoy it – whatever that looks like to us!  Stay warm!

What are your favourite ways to get out and enjoy winter?  What about ways to stay in and stay cozy?

More Mason Jar Mania

Following on from my post last week I talked to A LOT of people about the possibilities of mason jar crafts. It got pretty exciting (for me anyway) and I knew I couldn’t let this topic go without one last little article on the wonders of the versatile mason jar.

The first mind blower was from a comment left by one of our blog readers, Karen. She mentioned cake in a jar. Yes cake in a jar! Again another great way to make multiple gifts in one fell swoop.

Here is the best tutorial I could find from www.liferearranged.com but there are a lot of other options on the web.

Another great idea was to use mason jars as starter pots for growing vegetables or as a cool way to grow your own herbs. I found this tutorial on www.camillestyles.com

I also loved this idea for making unique candle holders. Use old books or favourite prints. Tutorial from www.arrowandapple.com.

And finally for all you herb and spice enthusiasts like me. This is little spout turns a mason jar into a sprinkling phenomenon. This tutorial comes from The Cheese Thief and also includes a recipe for a delicious Thai style seasoning!

So really, there is no end to how fabulous the mason jar is, it’s upcycling possibilities are endless. So save them and covet them where you can and if you don’t want them, I do!

Mason Jar Madness

Hands down the best Christmas gift I received this year was an upcycle. From ordinary mason jar to stylish to go cup, this little gem was the crafty genius of my friend Aunt Noodle.

I am a big mason jar fan. A couple of months ago, I was the envy of a few friends when I scored a flat of free mason jars. These ones went straight into the cupboards to store lentils, rice, my dried fruit and nut mix, and other dried food. Other mason jars are in my drinking glasses cupboard. Nothing like a glass of cold water (or beer) from a chunky mason jar.

You can pick up mason jars in most thrift stores, but be careful, they can be as pricey as a flat of new ones from your local supermarket. Mason jars are obviously crucial to any canning you do, but they are also versatile little craft projects.

 For the sippy cups, all it takes is the addition of a Cuppow, the beaker like lid that slips perfectly into the mason jar to transform it into a to go mug.

Another handy mason jar upcycle tutorial is this one from The Chick n’ Coop. All that is required is a drill and a grommet and voila a spill proof drinking cup for kids is born.

This next one is a perfect gift for crafters who love to reuse and recycle. From Upcycled Downriver, these are the cutest little pin cushions ever and can neatly hold your thread spools.

And the mason jar genius doesn’t stop there. I love these ideas from Glue and Glitter - mason jar soap dispensers and candle holders! I better start my new mason jar collection now, I may just have solved all my Christmas gift quandaries for 2013!

Do you make resolutions each January?

Do you tackle January with a plan?  Or do you prefer to let change come more naturally throughout the year?

Why not find a balance of both?  Think of what you missed out on this year, what you wished you had taken time for. Any regrets?  Any wishes?  Any dreams?  Give yourself a piece of paper and create a few categories. Nothing fancy, just a few rough areas of your life that take your time, your energy.  Then brainstorm a few good things you’d like to add in each area.  Silly things, serious things.  Goals or dreams.  Needs and wants. Trips to the gym and France.

This is your list, after all.

Don’t make rules.  Don’t scold yourself.  And don’t make lists of things to give up.  Look to add, to give, to share, to build and to create.  Celebrate the good things you already do, and add more.  This is where a good year lies.

What might your categories be?  Here are a few suggestions, and a few good things one might decide to add in each.  Yours may look completely different.

Family

How much family time did you have this year?  Did you crave more?  Did you plan enough fun and relaxation? Who did you spend time with? Who didn’t you see enough of?  Who would you like to reach out to in the new year?

Home

How do you feel when you walk into your home?  Does it welcome you? Do you feel comfortable there?  Are you pleased to invite people over? What could you do this year to make room for how you want to live? What should you get rid of? Purge the things that you don’t love, and bring in things you do.  Plan projects that will keep your hands and mind busy creating.

Work

Do you love your work? How do you spend your time? Do you feel passionate about it? Do you feel valued?  Did you commit yourself to it fully?  What could you change this year so that you feel inspired in your work?

Health

How do you feel as you wind up your year? Are you well-rested, calm and healthy?  If not, why not?  What can you do to care for yourself more in the new year?  Are there good habits you can bring into your routine?  Are there health appointments you’ve been putting off?  Are there care providers or resources you could be consulting for help?

Lifestyle/Travel/Recreation/Volunteering

What fueled your passions this year? How did you spend your leisure time? Was it filled with experiences and people who inspire you? Was it filled with too much television? Did you travel?  Where would you like to go in the new year? What gifts do you have to share with those around you?

As you return to work, to life, to routine in January, make sure you have memories full of sweet celebrations and champagne bubbles, not minds full of rules and regulations.

Cheers to a wonderful new year.

Now go fill it up.

Boxing Week Blow Out?

Do you line up in the streets at crazy o’clock on Boxing Day morning to grab yourself a bargain? I have to say, it’s not for me. I prefer to do the exact opposite and have my own version of the boxing week blow out, namely; getting rid of things I don’t need or use anymore

I have a big de-clutter tradition every Christmas. I usually do it a couple of days before Christmas Eve. It began as a way to make space for new kids toys but has evolved into a big winter clean.

• If you have kids, anticipate an influx of new toys over Christmas. If you do a spring clean, make Christmas your other annual cleaning time and get rid of all the toys your children haven’t played with in the last couple of months. If you have friends with younger kids, offer them your toys or put into storage if you have the space. We have been known to literally trade out on Christmas Eve, whilst one of us wraps the presents, the other is armed with garbage bags and packs up toys that have been grown out of.
• A big winter de-clutter is a great way to make money for Christmas presents. You will find a lot of great stuff on the Used sites after Christmas, but this can be a time when people don’t want to buy, having just spent all their cash on festivities and gifts. Instead, aim to get toys and household goods on UsedEverywhere in November. Many people will gift gently used items and are actively looking for good deals, especially on kids’ stuff.
• Upcycling is a great way to de-clutter and reuse. The key to upcycling is to be honest with yourself. Will you really turn that bookshelf into a shoe stand? If the answer is yes, give yourself a time limit i.e. it must be done by March. If March then comes around and your shoes are still strewn all over the hallway carpet, get rid of the book shelf. Check out an amazing upcycled gift I received this year, it’s mason jar with the addition of a sippy cup style top and upcycled terry cloth and buttons!

  Upcycled Mason Jar. Now a hot/cold to go mug.

• Given that Christmas is a really busy time for most, the idea of listing all your unwanted items before the festive seasons can be daunting. If you have the storage space, think about waiting and list in March – just before others have their spring clean and list their own stuff. Or consider consignment, where for a fee, someone else will sort and sell your items.
• Ask others to join you in your winter de-clutter and then host a swap party. You can limit trades to clothes only or open it up to anything goes. By keeping it between friends there need not be any hard and fast rules other than to get rid of things you don’t want. Inviting people who have nothing to swap is a great idea so that you are less likely to leave the party with more than you came with!
• Donate to a good cause. Christmas is a time when those who are in a less fortunate position really need a helping hand. If your items are in good working order consider donating them to shelters and transition houses. What you don’t need anymore could make someone extremely happy.

If you do decide to have a clean out, enjoy! There’s nothing like a de-clutter to feel refreshed as you go into a new year! And remember to save all your Christmas cards and extra wrapping paper and store it somewhere safe as it will save you some pennies next year. I loved this post by my fellow Used blogger Lisa Higgs about Christmas wrap alternatives – something to think about as you clean out the cupboards.

Last Minute Christmas Pot Luck Dilemma?

My in laws are kind enough to take care of most of our Christmas dinner but like any dutiful daughter in law, I don’t want to turn up to our feast empty handed. As well as taking a curried vegetable dish (of course) this stuffing recipe that my Dutch friend Angela was kind enough to share with me is my go to for all pot lucks and shared dinners. It has therefore been christened Pork Luck and is basically a meat on meat treat.

The first time I made this dish I was nervous because it sure is meaty. And fatty. And incredibly delicious. But as I watched every single piece disappear from the plate and saw the satisfaction on my big bro’ in law’s face, I knew I was onto a winner and my go to dish had been born.

This dish is so easy to prepare and doesn’t require too many ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 500 gr sausages meat
• Pack of bacon (I use two slices per sausage meat ball)
• 1 lemon
• 25 gr butter
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1/4 cup Parsley (or to taste)
• 1/4 cup Thyme (or to taste)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (or more or less dependent on how meaty you want your pork luck) I use ground breadcrumbs but cubes work too.

Directions:

• Fry the onion with butter and olive oil until nice and tender.
• Put the sausage meat in a bowl then add the zest of the lemon, onions, herbs, salt and pepper and breadcrumbs. Mix well together.
• Roll into balls. Wrap the bacon over the balls
• You can put in with the turkey for about 45 min or in the oven at 190 Celsius or 375 Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.

Last minute gift ideas (no shipping required!)

All through November and December, things seem hopeful. There will be time to do it all. There will be time to order that gift in from the US, to custom design that special item.  You’ll start shopping early, you’ll spend Saturdays at the mall, and you will have it all done by the first of December.

Or, you’ll get too busy like last year and suddenly you won’t be able to imagine getting it all done.  How will you find just the right gift if you can’t live at the mall for a month?  What to do when every website advises that you are past the cut off for shipping for Christmas?  It’s time to find a memorable gift that doesn’t have to brave the wilds of Canada Post in the latter half of December.

Here are a few ideas for anyone still left on your list the week before Christmas:

• Pick up a gift card or gift certificate to their favourite store – not the store where you do all your shopping or where it would be practical. A store where they love to linger, and where they love to indulge themselves.
• Purchase tickets to an event like a concert, a sporting event, the theatre, the ballet. Think of what they really love, not what you would enjoy and then buy two tickets anyway.  Attach the tickets to an item like the band’s latest CD, a piece of sports team memorabilia, or something similar for them to keep as a memento.
• Plan a special outing or event for a free day or night close to Christmas – you might be shopping late, but if you set something up as an early present, no one will be the wiser.  Set up a special wine tasting, attend a chef’s dinner, take a tour of your city with a focus on something they love – chocolate, architecture, use your imagination.
• Treat someone deserving to a spa day by picking up the phone and arranging an escape.
• Plan a weekend away for the two of you – a romantic weekend at a cabin, an overnight stay at a swanky hotel, an escape to a nearby bed and breakfast might be all you need to reconnect and are easily arranged by phone.
• If you have someone on your list who commits their time and energy to a cause during the year, consider a donation or tangible contribution in their name. Can you donate money, collect food donations, or drop off toys to their favourite organization?
• Order them a magazine subscription – show them you notice their passions, their hobbies, and interests and buy an annual subscription to a favourite or niche publication.  Attach a note to the current issue.
• Give them a bottle of wine from their favourite winery, or champagne, high end spirits, Bailey’s – something that is specific to the recipient or your history together.
• Treat them to lessons, a cooking class, buy them a program to learn a language – something that will become a bigger gift than the day it is opened and shows your support of their passions.
• Think of their favourite place to visit, tour, etc and call to see if you can score a backstage pass, a private tour, a meeting with someone of note.  Think of any place that fits their interests and find out if there is a special location, a headquarters, factory, or anything similar nearby.
• Give them a coupon promising ten visits to new and interesting places in the next year, or ten dinners out at new restaurants, ten shows, you get the idea.  Sometimes the promise of a change in routine and new favourites can be a perfect gift.
• Share with them something you have and might take for granted – a weekend at your cabin or ski condo, use of your camper for their summer holiday, your talent as a photographer, your nifty scrapbooking skills (seriously, someone come make me some pretty baby books, please.)  What could you do for someone that they can’t do for themselves?  Your talent and care could turn a gift into something very special and memorable.
• Create something for them that celebrates an important milestone, a talent of theirs, or something notable from their past that isn’t often mentioned.  Think shadow boxes, framing an award or important document, etc.
• Print and frame the sheet music to one of their favourite songs – especially a weighty one like a wedding song, a favourite song shared at an important moment, or a song from their childhood.

Many of the best gifts aren’t found at the mall.  They’re found by paying close attention to the person who is receiving the gift, showing them you notice them, and that what they care about really matters. Find a way to express that, and you’ve got a winning gift idea.