Making a fruit bouquet isn’t as hard as it seems.  All you are doing is cutting fruit into shapes and arranging it on skewers in a basket or bowl, or some other festive container.  You can dress it up with prettier things than balloons, too.  Watch this video for some fruit-spiration!

                                      

They are not difficult to make at all and they only take about 25 minutes total.  Another great aspect to the cute toys is that you can customize the prints and colors to make each one unique and special.  I just know that this will be a gift that I make, not just for my sweet friend and her bundle of joy, but for many babies and baby showers to come.

I’ve posted the video tutorial for you below so you can check out how simple and cute it really is!  Let me know how it turns out if you make one or twenty.

                                      

Is it not absolutely adorable?  You can find the kojo designs tutorial for the wreath here.  It seems fairly simple though.  You will just cut out thick felt into circles and poke a wire hanger through the middle all the way around.  The bow design is a little complex for me, but I think I can make a great bow another way.

Here are some runner ups in my search for the perfect door wreath.  Let me know which you think is the best!

• I love how simple this wreath is.  The contrasting grey linen and ribbon are amazing, and it seems fairly easy to make (see the instructions here).  This one also require a wire hanger and just pushing it through the fabric.

• This wreath was made with red burlap.  The first thing I noticed though was that the wreath hanger had been painted the same color as the door.  Why have I not thought of this before now?  I mean what a great idea, right?  So, now I have to not only make a wreath, but also paint my wreath hanger! Find the instructions for this wreath here.  It seems doable.

• I really like the idea of putting the house numbers on the wreath.  It’s very cute.  I’m not crazy about the whole design, but these are pretty cute.

                                      

People are making meals and treats and putting them in mason jars.  Some people are finding creative storage solutions for bathrooms, and there are some who are creative enough and know some electrical work turning mason jars into a lighting feature.  The imaginative things that people are coming up with amaze me, so I thought I could share some with you all.

If you end up making any mason jar crafts, let me know!  I would love to hear about it.  So far I have about five different things I want to try, and when I get the time you can be sure I will.

Bathroom organization has never looked cuter.  I love this idea for my bathroom for a couple of reasons.  Our bathroom is not the biggest, so any simple organization will help.  And we live in an old farm house, so mason jars kind of fit.

Keep your crafts organized with mason jars too.  You can even dye the jars to match any color decor you’d like.

The painted mason jars have a totally different look…it’s very chic.  You can write on plain jars with hot glue before painting to get the raised letters.

I have been eyeing a light fixture similar to this in the Pottery Barn catalog for months.  This one was done by a do-it-yourselfer whose husband is an electrician.  Lucky girl!

Not only does preparing your meals this way make mealtime easier, but it also can make it healthier.

                                      

1. Take a class.  Who knew that local craft stores offer classes on putting your photos and special touches in scrapbooks?  As much time as I spend in these type of stores, I should have known.  That just goes to show you how much I stay in my own little world though.  Contact a local craft store in your area to find out if they offer the classes for beginners.
2. Watch videos and read blogs.  What do you think the internet is for?  Use it, friends!  Scrapbook.com has a YouTube channel where there are all types of video tutorials for scrapbooking, from beginning to advanced levels.  If you do choose to watch videos, make sure you have time to be glued to the computer because if you’re like me you’ll be watching tutorial after tutorial.  Blogs are another great place for ideas and inspiration.  I like Scrapbook Sisters little blog (except that they use a Comic Sans type font).  They update the posts regularly, and show you what they are working on.
3. Talk to a scrapbooker.  Make a new friend who scrapbooks!  You can learn a lot from the people who scrapbook on a regular basis.  As for me, next time I am at the craft store, I am going to linger in the scrapbook aisles and find a buddy!

                                      

Any time you are cooking or baking for a special occasion, there is probably a way to recycle an item you used to create something new to add to your table. My favorite time of the year for this is fall because I enjoy making squash and pumpkin dishes for gatherings. If are making the popular butternut squash soup for your family and friends, don’t throw away the bottom of that squash! When you get down to chopping up the bulb end of the squash, start scooping it our instead of cutting it into slices. Once you have hollowed your butternut squash, you can wipe it out, put a decorative candle in the middle and you now have a candle centerpiece for your table. If you are using another type of squash and want to show off the beautiful coloring, carve out the bottom have to fit the shape of a cup you have, place the dish inside and you can use it as a vase for some small mum stems or a sunflower.

Pumpkin carving is always a favorite among the kids but you can get involved as well to make some fun crafts for the house. If you are having a gathering soon, cut off the top of a medium to large pumpkin and scoop out all of the goop to get it as clean as possible. After that you can use the pumpkin as a punch bowl to serve cider or a special holiday drink for your guests. If you carve the pumpkin down a little bit farther, and clean it out, you have a basic bowl to start a centerpiece. If there are any oak trees in your yard or in a park nearby, go out and collect some acorns to fill the bottom of your pumpkin. While you are outside, gather up some very colorful falls leaves that you spot. When you get back, spray the leaves with a spray glue and sprinkle them with orange and red and yellow glitter to make them sparkle. You can lay them around the base of your centerpiece to add a little flare to the decoration. There are so many possibilities for fall decorating you just need to take advantage of what’s around you and don’t be afraid to try something new.

                                      

If you already know how to do basic crocheting, then what are you waiting for?  Make this adorable hat!  The video gives step by step instructions on making the hat.  Please comment and let me know how your hats turn out.  I can’t wait to make some of my own.  Hopefully I will have this blanket done so I can make a few of the hats for Christmas gifts.  Wouldn’t that be fun?

                                      

I have always loved the look of moss balls.  They are pretty and natural, and they can provide some much needed texture to a design feature in your home.  At the florist these things can cost a pretty penny, so I wanted to go for the DIY route.  They were fairly easy to make, and they look great!  Let’s get started.

You’ll Need:

• Preserved Sheet Moss
• Straight Pins (for sewing/alterations)
• Styrofoam Balls (your choice in size)

The preserved sheet moss looks better than the dried moss and it is the same cost, so I definitely recommend it.  You can find it at most craft or hobby stores.  It is messy so just make sure wherever you perform this project you can make a mess, or just put it on a tray.

To wrap the moss on the styrofoam ball just tear off large pieces and wrap it around the ball.  Strategically place the straight pins in the ball to hold down the moss.

Just keep on wrapping and pinning until the ball is completely covered.  You might use a lot of pins, but you will not be able to see them after you are finished.  Below is my finished product, and you will see some other ideas for these moss balls as well.

Makes a great easy centerpiece.

If you have a serious brown thumb like I do, then this is a great way to add in some color and natural elements indoors or outside.  This may be my next project to set by my front door.

I love this idea for an outdoor wedding.  So pretty.

                                      

To get you started on the DIY track, I have an infographic to share with you.  This is a list of very useful things that you can do with items that you probably already have in your house.  It can come in handy.  Some of my favorites are:

• Giving yourself some extra room in your pants with a rubber band, which is perfect for the quickly approaching Thanksgiving.
• Wash your hands is some toothpaste to get rid of that onion or garlic smell.
• Use a hair dryer to dust off hard to reach spots.
• One thing not on the list that I find useful is using cornstarch to stop the bleeding of your dog’s quick if you cut a nail to short.  You just simply pack it with cornstarch.