paper crafts: countdown to christmas, making tree decorations Step 1: Choose a variety of coordinating decorative papers and cut them into 8cm x 4cm strips (you will need six pieces for each decoration) Step 2: Fold each piece in half lengthways, and then fold the corners inwards (with the folded edge along the bottom) Step 3: Fold each piece in half so the folded corners are together Step 4: Insert the points of one piece into the ‘pockets’ of another (you should have a double-sided pocket next to the folded corners) Step 5: Continue doing this to build up a circle Step 6: Tie several finished circles together with twine or ribbon, fix with a brad and hang on your tree… Paper crafts: Countdown to Christmas, Making tree decorations What are you hanging on your tree this year?
DIY: Repurposed Tins as Magnetic Organizers + Free Printable Hello lovelies! I am proud to say that today’s post was dreamed up by my sweet 11 year old daughter, Miss K. The other day I walked into my kitchen to discover that she’d brilliantly repurposed an old Chimes candy tin as a magnetic pencil holder on our fridge! I definitely had one of those, “why didn’t I think of that” moments and asked her if I could share her smarty-pants idea with you all here today. Collect up your supplies: You will need: Small tins (tea tins, mint tins, and candy tins are perfect). How to: Place a minimum of two super strong magnets on your fridge or any metal surface you would like to use. I also put together these cute little Bird Brain Shopping Lists + Notes Lists for you to download and print. Download Bird Brain Shopping Lists (prints 4 lists per page)Download Bird Brain Notes Lists (prints 4 per page) Enjoy!
untitled Don’t eat less—eat smarter. Try these ridiculously easy food trade-offs to banish your gut for good By: Emily G. W. Chau Photo Credit: Thinkstock food swaps intro You can beat belly fat on a full stomach—as long as you choose the right foods. Eat your way to a six-pack. Rolled Oats or Bran Cereal for Breadcrumbs You traded Wonder Bread for wheat and nixed white rice in favor of brown, but there are plenty of other, less obvious, swaps you can make to increase your intake of whole grains. Bing: Burn belly fat! Avocado for Butter This may sound a little adventurous, but you won’t taste the difference: Switch out half of the butter in a cookie recipe for mashed avocado. Cauliflower for Rice Cauliflower is the low-carb dieter’s go-to food. Learn the secret to eating carbs without gaining weight. Spinach for Iceberg Lettuce When it comes to weight loss, any kind of vegetable gets the green light, but if you really want to ditch that spare tire, choose dark leafy greens over iceberg lettuce.
Flower Week: Tissue Paper Carnations Today is the start of Flower Week on Folding Trees. Every weekday, I will be showcasing different types of paper flowers. You may be surprised at the variety of flowers you can make using different paper craft techniques! If you know of any amazing flower tutorials I should include in my round-up, let me know! When I had the idea for Flower Week, I thought I would kick off the week with some flowers that I made myself. I wanted to try some tissue paper flowers, but when I followed various tutorials I found online, the flowers I made weren’t realistic enough for me. A vase of pretty tissue paper carnations! Want to make your own? This tutorial is Donationware – the instructions are available for free, but if you like it please consider sending me a donation (via my other website, PlanetJune) to show your appreciation: Send me a donation and receive the easy-to-print PDF version of the tutorial as a thank you! Donations of any size are much appreciated. You will need: ..Erm, yes.
Cheap Craft Ideas - Inexpensive Crafts Adapted from Clare Youngs’s The Perfect Handmade Bag ($19.95; Cico), this cute carryall requires little more than a pair of small wooden spatulas and two tea towels ($15 each; motherlindas.com). Cut six strips of fabric from one towel. Two, measuring 33⁄4"W x 141⁄4"L each, will serve as the decorative horizontal bands at the top of the tote and should incorporate the towel’s graphics (as shown, left). To make a tab, topstitch one of the long sides of a 31⁄2"W x 8"L strip near the edge. Lay the second towel on a flat surface, right side up. Flip the towel right side down. Fold the towel in half, wrong sides together.
edible weeds Vibrant Button Tree on Canvas Buttons aren’t just for seamstresses you know. I always have a stash of buttons on hand for a variety of projects. I love using them with kid’s crafts, they are great for dressing up little projects, and perfect for a quick embellishment. Buttons definitely have more uses than just fastening a blouse closed. I was presented with a challenge by the fine folks at Buttons Galore and More and Jacquard Products to come up with a project using these gorgeous three dimensional paints and a variety of stunning buttons. There’s a bonus too. I’ve had a brand new, still in the shrink wrap, 20″x24″ wrapped canvas sitting in my craft room for months. So I pulled out the canvas and some pastel colored spray paints I had in the craft room. I drew a simple tree trunk onto the canvas, sketching lightly with a pencil. This is where I had a little fun with the dimensional paints! Next I chose some of the largest buttons in each of the button collections. That’s it! So what do you think?
Cheap Craft Ideas - Inexpensive Crafts Adapted from Clare Youngs’s The Perfect Handmade Bag ($19.95; Cico), this cute carryall requires little more than a pair of small wooden spatulas and two tea towels ($15 each; motherlindas.com). Cut six strips of fabric from one towel. Two, measuring 33⁄4"W x 141⁄4"L each, will serve as the decorative horizontal bands at the top of the tote and should incorporate the towel’s graphics (as shown, left). The other four, measuring 31⁄2"W x 8"L, will form tabs for the bag’s handles. To make a tab, topstitch one of the long sides of a 31⁄2"W x 8"L strip near the edge. Lay the second towel on a flat surface, right side up. Flip the towel right side down. Fold the towel in half, wrong sides together.
Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee Update 4/2014: Be sure to check out my new, improved cold-brewed iced coffee tutorial with step-by-step instructions and lessons learned since first posting about cold-brewed iced coffee. I started making my iced coffee this way a couple of years ago, thanks to this New York Times recipe that convinced me to do so. You add coffee grounds to cold water and let it sit at room temperature for several hours. Then you strain it through a coffee filter, and the result is a deep, rich, dark, and caffeine-packed glass of iced coffee. I use a ratio of about 2/3 of the concentrate to 1/3 water, stir in a spoonful of sugar and some half-and-half, and finally I plop in some coffee ice cubes. And a lot more energized. Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee Total time Author: Kare Recipe type: Beverage 1 cup fresh-ground coffee beans (a robust bean and a medium grind works best)4 cups waterIce or coffee ice cubesSugar or brown sugar (optional)Milk or half-and-half (optional) Adapted from the New York Times