Inexpensive Gift Ideas Christmas Time is always such a wonderful time, but it can also be a stressful time! Can I get an “Amen!”? Much of that stress is caused by gifts… whether it’s not knowing what to get someone or not having the money to buy presents for all the people you wanted to. Well, I have those same kinds of problems so over the last few months I’ve slowly been collecting awesome and inexpensive gift ideas and will be sharing them with you over the next few weeks. A few here on Lil’ Luna… Mod Podged Notebooks LDS Temple Blocks DIY Burlap Ribbon from Ella Claire Vintage Book Page Banner from Ella Claire Rustic Crate Luminary from Ella Claire Button Bookmarks from I Heart Naptime Mason Jar Cozies from I Heart Naptime DIY Glitter Rings from La Factoria Plastica Sharpie Mugs from Whipperberry on Infarrantly Creative Painted Camera Strap from Design Love Fest DIY Geode Ring from State of Unique Personalized Coasters from Martha Stewart DIY Animal Bookend from Natalme DIY Painted Wood Earings from The Crafted Sparrow
$10 DIY One Hour Upcycled Firepit | House & Fig Happy weekend to you. Yesterday Joe and I wanted to do a fun and quick project for the house. We thought a firepit would be fun but didn’t like the looks of the ones sold at Home Depot and this geometric firepit at DWR is out of our budget. A few years ago while on a trip to Joshua Tree Joe’s friend Jens introduced him to the washing machine drum firepit. Materials we used: 1 Recycled Washing Machine Drum (we got ours at a used appliance store for $10) Angle grinder (optional) Cup wire brush, Cut-off wheel, and Flap-wheel sanding disc (for grinder, also optional) Safety Glasses Angle-stock and Flat-stock steel (optional) High heat black paint (optional) When we got the drum home we thought it could also make a fun, diy, side-table with lights inside. Step One: Strip the drum. Step 2: Remove center spindle. Step 3: Cut off metal lip. Detail of removing the top lip. Step 4: smooth out the top lip, any metal burrs, or jagged edges. Step 7: Paint your firepit.
How to make an Outdoor Candle Lantern Inexpensively Last week I made a candle chandelier for my deck. It looks so pretty when lit, but the rest of my yard was looking kind of neglected. I was determined to find a way to spread some more candle light around the yard to balance the light and provide more ambiance. I used to have Tiki torches, but they unravel and have to be filled up with oil that makes a mess. I remember years ago seeing candle lanterns at a wedding that I thought were pretty clever and decided I could try to make them myself, but I needed to find some glass hurricanes. A trip to the thrift store was in order yesterday. Usually when I go on my weekly thrift store excursion I run in and do a quick cruise around the store to see if anything pops out at me. Total cost of my glass haul – $2.70. Here is what I made with the hurricane. It was very quick and easy to make. How to Make a Tuna Can Lantern I used a tuna can, wood screw, copper adapter, and an old paint stick. Screw the screw into the stick. The top will look like this.
How to make your Rocket Stove more rockety (rocket stoves forum at permies) Everything seems to be going nicely here. I do want to make the point that rocket mass heaters were not designed to maximize "rocketyness" (meaning WHOOOOSH factor). They are designed to minimize the amount of fuel you need, and most particularly the amount of smoke you create, in order to get a comfortable and practical heat for most indoor purposes. A faster draft in the heat riser might lead to unburned smoke being pulled through too quickly, and incomplete combustion. A larger fuel box means the burn tunnel becomes a bottleneck. The one in the video was a cool experiment, but the occupants are having some trouble now with smoke escaping from the woodstove when they go to feed it, and planning to replace it with a 'real' rocket mass heater. A similar hybrid run by a forester friend in southern Oregon works fine, so it may just be a problem of that particular woodstove or the way we set it up. -Erica
Aging Brass Technique | How to Age Brass | Brass Aging | InMyOwnStyle I like brass. Yep – I admit it. I favor the gold finish over silver or bronze. It adds warmth and a nice patina and contrast to the furnishings in a room – plus it is classic – always be in style. For the sideboard I painted, I wanted to add aged brass drawer and label pulls, but the un-lacquered ones that Vandyke’s sells, were on backorder until mid July. That is what I did. I read about using salt and vinegar, lemons, and other solutions, but they took time and the results were not satisfactory. How to Age Brass supplies needed: First you have to determine if the brass you want to age has lacquer on it. If you are not sure if it has lacquer on it or not – dip it in some nail polish remover or acetone for a minute or two. If it starts to look like this… it has lacquer on it. I bought the can of acetone at Lowes. The “000” steel wool does not rough the surface, it only removes some of the Brass Ager so you can achieve the exact look you desire. 1. 2. 3. how to make labels for the drawer pulls
7 Survival Life Hacks That Could Save Your Life Please Share This Page: Google + stumbleupon tumblr reddit If you are a first-time visitor, please be sure to like us on Facebook and receive our exciting and innovative tutorials and info! I had so much fun watching this short but informative video by HouseholdHacker! Candlelight from Tin Cans What I love about this is that using an empty soda can will make use of the candle in a more efficient way! How To Get Clean Water This method of using a piece of cloth is just genius. Natural Mosquito Repellant I don’t know about you but I HATE mosquitoes. Cereal Box Microwave Wouldn’t it be great to cook your food in a cereal box? Needle And Leaf Compass If you don’t have a compass (or a super smartphone) you can use this clever method to help you tell which way is north.
Epsom Salt Luminaries: Some Winter Beauty Recently I’ve seen a few crafty ideas around the internet using epsom salts, but I wanted to come up with something different. I’ve been itching to make some new luminaries, something that would be elegant and pretty against winter’s white snow. Something that says Christmas, but isn’t limited to the holiday. Something that could be kept out all winter long. The idea for these epsom salt luminaries hit me and I couldn’t wait to take the idea from my head and make them a reality. UPDATE: Please see my article on crafting with epsom salts for important information (including info on discoloration, see the picture below of them all white), especially if you plan to make these for an important event such as a wedding. The moisture in the salt will eventually evaporate, leaving you with white salt on your jars. These should be one of the last things you make, no more than a week before the wedding. Recently I saw some really pretty sea glass luminaries in white, light blue and light green.
How to Make Your Own Wicks for Candles Candle making is a popular crafting activity. They make fun and unique gifts, are customizable and give of lovely scents when lit. Many crafters create their own candles but wicks are often purchased at a hobby store. Things You'll Need Cotton Kite Strings Or TwineClothespins And LineTable SaltScissorsOld NewspapersPaper And Binder Clips show more Dissolve two tablespoons of table salt and four tablespoons of borax in 1-1/2 cups of warm water. Soak a 1-foot length of regular cotton kite string or twine in the solution for 15 minutes. Hang the string with a clothespin for five days to be sure it is completely dry. Use a paper clip to dip the string in melted wax three or four times, coating it completely. Store wicks rolled up in a newspaper. Add only one chemical for color variation.
Mums make lists ...: Christmas Gift Tags 130 Gift tags on Christmas presents are the simplest thing. But with just the teeniest bit of thought and effort they can transform the look of a gift and the spirit in which it is received. When we were kids my mum always made the Christmas gift tags from last year's Christmas cards and I love that frugal tradition of home made tags. This year I've been exploring a whole load of gorgeous ideas for home made Christmas gift tags from printed linen to tea stained "vintaged" tags via photo tags, adorable little herb rings and fabulous printables. I am not quite sure which we are going to go for yet but I am sure you will find this collection as inspiring as I have ... ... and if you're looking for more Christmas inspiration do check out all the other brilliant Christmas links from other bloggers at the bottom of this post ... ... and feel free to share your own ... A little extra ageing with tea staining from Eco Salon ... Seriously beautiful handwritten printables from Finnish blog Hey Look ...
How To Make An Amazing DIY Portable Stove Please Share This Page: Google + stumbleupon tumblr reddit If you are a first-time visitor, please be sure to like us on Facebook and receive our exciting and innovative tutorials and info! When you are in the mood for an inexpensive but satisfying outdoor pastime in some mountainous area, to experience nature’s wonders, a wise backpacker knows very well the value of every square inch of space inside his or her bag. Truth be told, carrying a backpack isn’t the most fascinating and thrilling experience on any trip, especially on your poor, would-be-strained back muscles, but it is “part of the deal” of camping, backpacking, or travelling outdoors. Avid campers, picnickers, backpackers, and the like appreciate a great deal of portability and tend to rationally avoid pointless bulkiness. A portable stove might be a camper’s or backpacker’s best friend in the wilderness when hunger kicks in and his stomach starts grumbling in protest.
Video: DIY Rainwater Collection System Here’s a great video from MrNativeTexan that will show you how put together a simple-to-construct rainwater collection system for your garden! There are a couple of neat ideas going on here – connecting the barrels with a manifold not only makes them fill at the same rate, but there’s also only one tap needed. Four barrels leads to an increased pressure at the tap and the barrels drain from below so they can be fully emptied. Water is synonymous with life, it’s a precious resource and we need to reduce our demand wherever possible to save trouble for future generations. If we don’t act with this in mind it’s easy to see that people could be fighting over clean water in years to come. A project like this is one easy step in the right direction! Collecting your rainwater is one way to avoid having to use mains drinking water for watering your plants – in fact it’s better for them without the added chlorine, which is toxic. Please Share This Page:
31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero | Get Fearlessly Crafty {Day 16} by Ruth Soukup on October 16 This is the sixteenth day of my 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Zero challenge. To read all the posts in order, start with Day One or visit the Overview Page. I love me a good DiY project! Nothing makes me happier than completely losing myself for an hour or two while I create something new. There is something about getting crafty that is just good for the soul. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret: Not everything I make turns out wonderful. A few months ago I co-hosted a cute-as-a-button baby shower for my goddaughter. The Nester’s motto for the home is “it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful,” and I would like to point out that this truth also applies to DiY projects. Today I rounded up a whole bunch of absolutely darling DiY projects from some of my favorite blogs (and my own) that can be made using supplies you very likely have already lying around the house. Clockwise, starting in top left corner: Not Pictured: {Go to Day 17}
33 DIY Fire Pit Ideas One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to invite friends and family over, and gather around the fire pit. They’re great for making s’mores and they give you that great outdoors feeling in the comfort of your own backyard! I’m definitely planning on making my own this year. What’s YOUR favorite fire pit idea? ---------- Sponsored Links ---------- #1 Paver Fire Pit #2 Large Square Fire Pit #3 Deep, Round Fire Pit #4 Different Sized Paver Fire Pit #5 Propane Fire Pit from Copper Fittings and a Flower Pot #6 Fire Pit on a budget #7 DIY Better Homes and Gardens Fire Pit #8 Adorable Fireless Fire Pit (perfect for a kid’s room!) #9 Fire Pit with Fireplace Glass #10 Fire Pit in a Bowl #11 Rectangular Stone Fire Pit #12 Fire Pit Planter #13 Eco-Friendly Fire Pit #14 Fire Pit from an Old Washing Machine Drum #15 Brick Fire Pit #16 Upcycled Fire Pit #17 Recessed Fire Pit #18 Gas Fire Pit #19 Concrete Fire Pit Bowl #20 Brick and Cement Fire Pit #21 Fire Pit Table #22 Table Top Fire Pit #23 Concrete Fire Pit
Simply Albany: DIY Tinted Glass Jar + Mod Podge Image Transfer I started by making sure my jar was completely clean and dry. Using a ramekin, I mixed one drop of blue food coloring with approximately 1 tablespoon of mod podge and a tiny amount of water. (You don't need the paint brush to mix - you can use whatever you want.) Once mixed, I dumped the ramekin contents into the empty jar and rotated the jar so the inside was completely coated with colored mod podge. I placed the wet jar upside down on wax paper to let it drip dry for approximately 30 minutes. Next, I placed the upside down mason jar on a fresh sheet of wax paper in the oven, which was preheated to "warm." I left the jar in the oven until all the mod podge was dry and the jar was clear. Here's my blue-tinted jar! Now for the fun part... I wanted my jar to have an image on it, so I used the mod podge transfer technique. I used this image from the Graphics Fairy. Next, I cut my image out very close to the edge so there would be little "white space."