10 Minute Office Chair Recover Project

 I upcycled an older style office chair for my daughter, and it only took me 10 minutes! You can see the finished product above, with her retro desk (we plan to paint it a fun color for her "big girl room".) When I inspected the chair, screwdriver in hand, I realized there was no way to take it apart. I would have to tuck the fabric between the hard plastic shells and the upholstered seat/backing!  I chose a pastel purple fabric, grabbed some scissors and got to work...and it was easier that you would think!

Copyright Little Mom on the Prairie & J.Rae 2013

Re-Use an Old Mouse Pad as a Trivet/Pot Holder

I came across this awhile ago on Pinterest, but I must not have actually re-pinned it, because I cannot find the original post anywhere...

If you have old/not currently being used mouse pads laying around (we have a small boxful, since we are all computer nerds in my home!) you can re-purpose them as a trivet/potholder, in your kitchen! 

Make sure they are made with non-coated fabric (sometimes the fabric has a plastic-y seal on top - this will melt under your hot pot. 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Love is in The Air (Another Craft Round Up) Valentine's Day

I have never been as into Valentine's Day as I am this year...maybe it is because I write the blog now, maybe it is running the party for my daughter's class...in any case, here is yet another V-Day Round Up of Craftiness! 

Valentine Paint Chip Banner by Domestic Super Hero

Hot Chocolate with Marshmallow Hearts by Taste of August

Kool Aid Lollipops by Whistle and Ivy

&

DIY Lollipop Molds also by Whistle and Ivy

 

Candy Corn Mason Jar Gift by Shaken Together Life

Felt Rose Topiary by Life on Lake Shore Drive

 

Coffee and Cocoa Soap by Nature's Home Spa

(YUM sounds like it would smell Heavenly!)

DIY Valentine's Day Stove Burner Covers by I Gotta Try That

(OMG I love this idea! I, too, have an older stove with burners 

and these are freakin' adorable!)

Do you have any Valentine's day Crafts you would like to share? Click the 'click here to enter' link below to submit your blog post! 

A New Year means a Renewed Craft To-Do List!

I LOVE to craft with a purpose, and I am filling my project folder with ideas for the New Year! Hopefully we will soon be moving into our "Forever Home", so I am keeping an eye out for any easy/cheap DIY decorating ideas I can find!

Henna Painted Stones

by

Khadija's Creative Mind

Beaded Stilettos 

by

Show Me Crafting

Custom Quote Canvas

by

Flat Broke Bride

Glitter Keys

by

Oceanside Daydreams

Apron from a Dress

by

Helping Little Hands

(I really want to try this one!!)

Denim Hanging Board from Old Jeans

by

homedit.com

Reclaimed Window Coffee Table

by

Whale You Be My Friend

(Reminds me a bit of the window table 

I made earlier this year!)

Paint inside of Drawers

by 

Fabulous Finishes

Colorful Wooden Floor Mat 

by

Lowe's Creative Ideas

Easy Cut Out Back T-Shirt

by

...Love Maegan

Toilet Paper Roll Gift Box

The holidays can tap you out, leaving you to have to be creative with your gift wrap! For small gifts, this is a super cheap DIY gift box made from an empty toilet paper roll. It is also a great way to use up those scraps of wrapping paper!

Materials:
Toilet paper tubes
Gift wrap
Scissors
Invisible tape

Pencil & ruler optional but helpful!

Step 1: Measure Wrapping Paper 



Measure the length of the roll,  and cut the paper  long enough to go around the tube one and a half times. Make sure the paper covers the ends on either side. 



Tape one end evenly to the roll, with invisible tape. 



Step 2: Roll Your Roll



Roll the paper around the roll, and tape the seam. Try to keep everything nice and even - you can trim the edges with scissors to even it out if need be. 

Step 3: Pinch and Tape



Pinch the roll at one end, like shown above. Fold the end neatly, and tape closed. 



Fill the tiny box with goodies, then repeat the folding and taping procedure on the other side. Attach a cute little tag and give your gift!

 diapers

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. All photographs are under same copyright.

15 Handmade Gifts They Won't Hate Receiving

Whenever most people think of handmade gifts, they think of ill-fitting knit hats or hideous reindeer sweaters, or inedible jams. I,however,have to admire people who make bunches of their own holiday gifts. If you do it right, it can save you money, and there’s also just something about homemade presents that says you really care...as long as you get it right! At any rate, it is more thoughtful than a gift card in most cases. 

These artsy-craftsy folk got it right, in my opinion! Here are 15 awesome handmade gift ideas that are sure to please every man, woman or child on your list! There are even gift ideas for cats and dogs!

1. Leather iPod Touch Case by gmjhowe graphic design

2. Wooden Necktie (and Bowtie) by laxap

3. Office Foot Stool from an old Tray Table by Alan Casey

4. TREAD BELT by opendesignclub

5. Homemade Earring Organizer by eolough

6. Cargo Scarf by lovefromvirgil

7. sew an adjustable chef's apron  by compwalla

8. Recycled Teacup Soy candle by cheekysttich

9. Finger puppets for all reasons! by stinkymum

10. Kids Snuggie by scoochmaroo

11. Fridge Magnets by hethlee 

(I think of Alphabet magnets for kids)

12. MINI-MUFFIN CRAYONS by AlwaysAllTheTimeCrafting

13. Kid Crane Riding Toy by stevemoseley

14. Rope Dog Toy by mattrush

15. Knotty Mouse for Good Cats by J3443RY

coupons  

Superhero Cork Coasters

I used 1/4 inch cork and made a trio of SUPER coasters for my super friend, Mike. 

Each coaster measures 4 inches by 3 1/2 inches.
I made a custom stencil for the shield (you can read how to do that here). 
I used a sponge brush to dab the paint onto the coasters. 
Each coaster got several coats of clear acrylic seal, for water repelling.

Happy Crafting!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Re-Use Plastic Bottles ~ A Nifty Kitchen Trick

CHECK THIS OUT! 

I just started doing this in our kitchen, and it makes the fact that my boys drink so much soda bearable! Now I can re-use the bottles for any bags I have open (not so great for chip bags but that's OK, got another trick for that below!) like chocolate chips (from Dad's Muffin-cakes) or brown sugar, chopped nuts, whatever you have open in your kitchen! The easy open tops make pouring a breeze! 

PLUS 

check out this great tips from YumSugar, on using plastic clip hangers from the store as chip bag clips! Genius!

I started doing this a few days ago and not only have I whittled down the odd basket of plastic hangers in my closet (husband is so happy!) my chips are nice and fresh, every time! (That makes everyone happy!)

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.