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well it’s clear that i love a simple holiday decoration (remember this simple pine cone garland?) and this twisted felt garland by the purl bee is no exception. it’s not only simple, but colorful, festive and chic as well! with easy to follow step by step instructions, you’ll be twisting your way to a prettier holiday in minutes.

with very little sewing (or none if you prefer) you can make garlands, bracelets or even necklaces for a fun stocking stuffer. head on over to the purl bee for more pictures and diy directions!

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{scratch off save the date cards by martha stewart via how about orange?}

this diy project instantly took me back to my childhood. i used to love (ok, still do) scratch off cards. there’s just something about the unknown, and the excitement of scratching off that silver paint to see what’s revealed underneath.

“DAD! do you have a quarter?”

now thanks to martha stewart, we can make our own diy scratch off cards- right at home! how fun would this be for save the dates, baby announcements and all sorts of surprises? with simple steps and common materials i can’t wait to use this for my next big announcement.

click here for the full how to. do you have any ideas on how to use this technique?

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napkins, you say? yes, napkins! this diy project comes to you from made and just made me so excited (get it?).  literally made from ikea napkins ($2 a bag) and twist ties, this project packs a ton of bang for it’s buck.

with so many variations- you can make magnolias, roses or even chartreuse-stripey flowers like this one! i think they are incredibly chic, and would be perfect to string above a table, decorate a wedding with or add some punch to empty wall. visit made’s wallflower tutorial for more beautiful pictures and photographed instructions to take you step by step.

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happy monday, lovelies! how was your weekend? after much debate, we decided to venture out into the dreaded carmageddon, but to our surprise, didn’t have any issues at all! in fact, it was eerily quite around l.a.- we spent the whole weekend there for a little bike-race-getaway and didn’t get stuck in traffic once. we couldn’t believe it! but enough of that, shall we get on to our 2nd diy for the day? i think so!

after seeing these beautiful painted jars on kootut murut a while back, i couldn’t wait to make them myself. even though jutta’s turned out much prettier than mine, i thought i would at least go ahead and share them with you. they were a cinch to make and so much fun!

i’m going to send you over to jutta’s painting pastel glass jars for detailed instructions, but the steps are pretty simple. simply add paint, a little water, shake, drain and let dry. all the bottles i used were leftover condiment bottles, from salsa, strawberry jam and hot sauce. what a wonderful way to reuse, reduce and recycle!

perfect for pens and paintbrushes, i love the simple look they have and the colorful splash they give.

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Making handmade liquid soap from natural soap bars is not only better for the environment, but it is a huge money saver as well. While the prospect of making your own hand soap might seem like a huge time investment, it is a very simple project.

ingredients

4 ounce bar of natural soap

2 quarts of water

tools

1 metal grater

large pot

hand mixer or whisk

container for storage

directions

Grate your soap into a fine pile.

Heat the water; when water begins to simmer, add grated soap. Mix well, and remove from heat.

Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes, and mix well with a hand mixer or whisk.

Allow mixture to sit over night. Stir soap mixture to test its consistency. If it is too thin, you may reheat and add more soap; of it is too thick, you may reheat, add more water, and mix well again. Remember to let soap set again if you adjust the consistency.

Pour soap into your favorite reusable container, or reuse disposable plastic containers. Store your extra liquid hand soap in air-tight container.

Out to find ways to make life simpler, Ashley is tackling life one DIY project at a time. Learning as she goes, she also spends her days writing Indie Pretty Projects and creating for her Etsy shop.

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this is quite possibly the cutest (and simplest) diy project i’ve seen. as featured over on design*sponge, kate takes your through this simple project step by step. just think- no wilting flowers, falling petals or browning water! granted, i will always keep fresh flowers around the house, this would be a great way to keep something fresh in those spaces where you can’t get to as often. like on a bookshelf or in a guest room? i can hear my wool roving calling my name as we speak, so i’m off to get crafty!

for the full diy instructions, click here!

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happy friday dear friends! did you have a good week? i sure did! i even started a little part-time job to help bring home the (veggie) bacon! i’m really excited about it. :) this weekend will be sunny and nice here so i plan to catch up on some reading and relaxing. how about you? i also found a sweet diy that i may embark upon…

during my morning blogosphere browsing, i ran across this adorable diy jewelry holder from evie s.- and it only takes a little bit of wool yarn to make! isn’t it pretty? i always need a little bit of extra storage for my earrings and pins (you could even clasp necklaces around it), and this seems to fit the bill just perfectly.

head on over to evie s. for the full how to, and make sure to share your results with us if you decide to make it!

happy weekend! xox, bonnie

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