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Use Shrinky Dink plastic to make your own Christmas tree decorations. Simply trace or draw an image, punch a hole, color and shrink!
Celebrate Christmas or other occasions by making your own traditional English party crackers. Filled with goodies, these fun favors will really make your party “pop”!
Thank the host or hostess of the next event you attend with a thoughtful gift. Read our list of suggestions from traditional hand towels to unique oil lamp projectors. Don’t arrive empty-handed!
Create a beautiful, custom tree skirt from the bottom of an old bridesmaid dress.
Visit AuntJoy.com to have her design your own custom Christmas stockings. Pick the fabric, design and colors.
Start a family tradition with a new custom photo Christmas ornament each year. Soon you’ll turn your tree into a mini photo album of your lives!
Paint plain wooden wreaths or other Christmas shapes to make a unique party invitation. Embellish the front and then write the party information on the back with a paint pen.
Check out our shopping guide for a list of our favorite online retailers plus coupons and codes for special discounts. This page will be frequently updated to provide you with the hottest deals available.
Pull items from nature to help you create a lovely centerpiece for fall or winter. It’s so easy and inexpensive, and can be adapted to whatever you’ve got on hand.
Make your own luminaries by using aluminum foil and a printed pattern to make your design. Simply use an ink pen or a stick pin to poke the holes. Wrap the finished product around a recycled jar and instant luminary!
Help other parents know what their kids did at your house during a playdate with these cute download-and-print cards.
Use our template to print your own customized Christmas gift labels using basic mailing labels.
Learn to make two styles of fun and easy handmade Christmas cards — one with a spinning snowflake and another with a build-your-own-snowman kit.
Paint fun images by using a handled sponge brush to blot paint onto paper. Try making fall trees, snowmen or turkeys depending on the season.
Read our extensive tips and tricks for hosting a chili cook-off for your friends, including voting ballots and a scoring worksheet.
Visit OnePrettyThing.com to be inspired by the online collection of crafty projects. Each day, Rachel has a montage of projects that will give you an endless supply of ideas.
Enjoy the cooler weather with hot spiced cider, or make batches of mulling spices for gifts this winter. Our worksheet and tag template make it easy!
Make pumpkin carving easier and the results prettier by making the mail hole on the bottom instead of the top.
Make your own snowglobe out of recycled containers
Surprise your kids with spaghetti ice cream — a dessert that looks like the main course!
Use vinyl wall art to add an unexpected touch to your walls.
Learn to make your own custom notepads out of any paper and a special type of glue.
Use Crayola Model Magic as a fun and safe alternative to carving pumpkins on Halloween.
Learn how to convert an old dance leotard that your daughter has outgrown into a new tote bag to carry her dance gear to class.
Make organizing fun by using Scrabble tiles to spell out labels for clear plastic storage bins.
Learn a super quick and easy trick for carving a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern that will amuse kids and adults alike.
Make you own Halloween paper lanterns in lots of fun designs.
See how your dishwasher can wash more than just dishes!
Be inspired by the fabric choices at the Etsy shop, ShearBliss.
Find original stamp designs to make your next card or scrapbook page stand out at Hobo Soup.
Buy disposable guest towels when hosting a large party in your home.
Give a sock lover the gift that keeps on giving — a year’s worth of fun socks.
Create a storage box for a set of small pirate toys that also doubles as a play scene.
Read our list of fun project ideas that would work well for Girl Scouts or Brownies.
Recycle child sweaters to make elephant purses.
Make creepy, squishy, eerie eyeball snacks for your next Halloween party.
Use your Cricut machine to make easy stencils with freezer paper and fabric paint.
Make a charming and unique invitation for a pirate-themed party.
Get some tips for hosting a rummage or garage sale to raise money for a cause.
Read about our new Feature Fridays, where we’ll showcase projects and ideas from other people who inspire us.
Use Shutterfly.com to print your pictures so that every photo comes with a pre-printed descriptive caption on the back.
Learn a simple and easy way to remove permanent marker from a dry erase board and save it from the trash.
Check out eBay’s new World of Good Marketplace to find environmentally-friendly wares where the purchase supports the environment, people, and perhaps even your favorite cause.
Learn to use an elastic hair tie to fasten shoes. Great for emergencies or for kids who can’t seem to keep their shoes tied.
Recycle a wine bottle to water your plants.
Use our easy technique to decorate cupcakes with colorful, swirled icing in colors to suit any occasion.
Read our list of tips and ideas for making your next tailgating party a great success!
Learn to make Chubble Bread, a flavorful bread loaded with cheese, onions, bacon, and spices that will satisfy any appetite.
Use freezer paper to make custom stencils for clothes, bags, toys and more!
Chill white wine quickly by adding a few frozen green grapes.
Join us as we take a moment to remember those we lost on September 11th and those who have fought since then.
Turn regular cornstarch and water into a fun glob of goo that acts like both a solid and a liquid at the same time. So much fun for kids to play with!
Make a house to hold all of your extra keys.
Learn to make homemade peanut butter dog biscuits that your dog is sure to love.
Use seashells to create your own memory game by applying matching stickers to the underside.
Recycle the back pockets from old jeans into new pockets on a fun craft apron.
Make your own spooky chandelier for a Halloween party.
Keep dirty dishtowels under control and our of your regular clothes hamper by putting a small kitchen laundry basket under the sink.
Celebrate Labor Day with your families, just like Chica and Jo are.
Share Chica’s excitement over her Grand Prize finish in Oriental Trading Company’s recent ”Best on the Block” contest.
Create a unique Halloween invitation for kids by using paper mache book boxes and print outs from the internet.
Improve upon the results of our previous post about making water bottle holders from old jeans with these new tips for lining the holder with fun fabric and adding a shoulder strap.
Use cork wall tiles to protect the wall around your dart board.
Decorate your wall with custom art blocks that you make with simple Styrofoam and squares of decorative paper. Easy to make and apply, these can be customized to suit any space and any decor.
Use watercolors to paint your favorite rubber stamp images for unique handmade cards.
Recycle the plastic cover from a pocket planner into a recipe card holder that protects your recipe cards, is easy to use, and takes almost no storage space.
A unique idea for creating clips to hold curtains on steel cable that costs a lot less than a standard drapery ring and clip.
Decorate that giant expanse of wall on a stairway landing with custom-made art canvases that you stretch and paint yourself.
See some examples of artwork by some of the extraordinary artists who exhibited at a recent arts fair.
Don’t waste money on pepper grinders with metal gears. Learn how ceramic gears can help even an inexpensive pepper grinder last for years.
Use peg board to organize all of your crafting supplies. Especially great to use in an unfinished room to cover exposed studs.
Learn to sew easy and useful handmade burp cloths. Made of soft and gentle micro-fleece, these become indispensable to parents and make great shower gifts.
Make your own finger paints out of gelatin. These paints give a textured effect that you don’t get from finger paints you buy yourself. They are also completely non-toxic.
Garlic adds a great flavor to many recipes, but this time it’s the star. This savory garlic pie features pancetta and lots of cheese, making it a wonderful and flavorful meal. It would be great at brunch, too!
Expand your Amazon wish list to include your gift wishes from a variety of online retail stores. Install this button in your browser to quickly and easily add items from your other favorite stores.
Use ordinary pipe cleaners to make bubble wands that work better and are easier to hold.
Get some great advice on packing for all sorts of trips and download our free packing lists to help you plan for how best to fill that suitcase.
Recycle those old wine corks you’ve been saving! Use them to cover a plain basket to create a charming picnic basket, centerpiece, or housewarming gift.
Use a slacks hanger to store and organize your various colors of tissue paper. Your tissue paper will remain neat and clean and easy to access.
Learn how to get rid of those pesky dangling threads your hot glue gun leaves all over your project with a simple tool — a hair dryer!
You’ll be surprised to learn how affordable and easy it is to have a custom rubber stamp made with your own design. Great for projects of any kinds, these offer great potential for weddings, special occasions, and handmade cards.
Be sure the music as your reception goes exactly as planned by communicating well with the DJ. Download and fill out our free Wedding DJ Checklist to make sure you and your DJ and on the same page.
Learn how to use simple ties to attach your portable DVD holder to the headrest. As easy to set up as it is to remove, and adjustable to almost any car, this solution is also really inexpensive!
Recycle those old jeans into a fun new water bottle holder that clips onto your purse or belt loop and features a pocket in front to hold little packets of drink mix. This is an easy sewing project with great results!
Transform a honeycomb spice rack into a clever way to display tiny collectible items like seashells, rocks, or golf balls.
Protect pads of Post-It notes from damage in your bag or drawer — and make them look much cuter at the same time — with this cute technique for covering them in decorative paper. Kids love ‘em too!
Make life easier on you and the babysitter and be prepared for anything by downloading our handy Babysitter’s Guide to post on your fridge.
Follow our simple sewing instructions to learn how to make a custom tag-covered blanket for your child out of ribbon and soft fabric. They make great baby shower gifts, too!
A good friend of ours, Gretchen Sheridan, has been kind enough to share her card making talents with us and you, our readers. She does a combination of painting, inking, stamping and scrapping to come up with her one-of-a-kind creations. I’ve given a few of her cards to friends and family and the […]
Round out a meal with an easy side dish of caramelized pineapple that also works great as a dessert or over ice cream.
Get lots of tips on how to throw a Thomas-themed birthday party, including handmade invitations, decorations, the cake, and goodie bags.
Get rid of the bitter taste from canned tomatoes by adding a little baking soda to your sauce.
Learn how to use silk paints to decorate your own play silks by painting on any design you wish.
Learn how to make your pies look great with a decorated fluted crust. Watch our video for a hands-on look at how it’s done.
Turn a cute IKEA clothes drying rack into a fun way to display art in a child’s room.
Liven up your summer with fresh mint. Learn how to use it in drinks, cooking, garnishes, and even as an aromatherapy tool.
Dress up boring, old, and damaged tables by topping them with colorful contact paper. Available in a variety of designs, it’s easy to apply and can be later removed. This will really perk up your craft space!
Help your wedding photographer on the Big Day by providing a helpful checklist of photographs to take, people to include, and your preferences on photo styles. Download our free, customizable worksheet, fill it out, and give it to your photographer.
Reuse empty tissue boxes as convenient trash containers in your car or around your home.
Get lots of tips for throwing an outdoor party, especially one on undeveloped land with no access to utilities. Keep everybody cool and entertained and enjoy summer outside.
Shop at etsy.com for great handmade items by a multitude of artists. Jo has purchased many items from etsy and is always delighted when they arrive.
Take your scrapbooking routine for a spin by organizing a Circle Journal with friends. With a group of friends all contributing pages to each other’s books, the result is sure to be unique and a treasured item for years to come. Get started with our list of theme ideas and free downloadable Circle Journal guide.
Give your children a toy that will spark imagination — colorful play silks that are as light as a dream and can be used in a multitude of ways. Dye your own silks using regular Kool-Aid for an easy, fun, and non-toxic project that the kids can help with.
Recreate the classic, cheesy bread from The Bubble Room in Captiva with Chica’s recipe for Bubble Bread. It’s so close you’ll almost think you were back on the beach!
Use extra contact lens cases as convenient holders for non-prescription medication, salt and pepper, and who knows what else!
Duplicate your favorite Disney Princess in cake and icing with a dress-shaped cake pan and your own doll. Your little girl will delight in the results!
Turn a simple toothbrush stand into a stylish and elegant flower vase, or even a holder for fondue forks, paint brushes, makeup brushes, swizzle sticks, and more!
Turn an ordinary Mason jar chick feeder into a clever and charming candy dispenser that’s sure to be a conversation piece for all your guests.
Strike a perfect balance of class and good-natured ribbing with an over-the-hill gift idea that is easily customizable to any event. See our technique for filling a nice jar with candy and adorning it with a candle that declares your friend’s age.
Learn a simple technique for using a safety pin to help re-thread a drawstring in your pants or jacket.
Make a multi-page wedding program that’s tied in a bow. This sleek and elegant design can be customized to suit any wedding theme and has a graceful vellum cover on the top. Includes a free downloadable and customizable template.
Make your play time spent with a Wii more comfortable by lining the surrounding floor with a few rubber floor mats often used for kids. They will cushion your feet when doing the jogging exercises — and cushion your fall as you learn to become a yoga master!
Keep your aluminum foil and other kitchen wraps in line by using the little lock tab on the ends that hold the tube in place. So easy!
Keep the magic alive after a visit to Disney World by sending your children postcards from their favorite characters. They will be delighted to receive mail from their new friends!
Make your own ribbon tote purse by punching holes in an old plastic bag from sheets or a curtain. Thread your ribbon through the holes and you’ll end up with convenient tote that holds all your ribbon neatly in one place.
Help keep hair tangle-free just by switching to satin pillowcases.
Display lots of photos of kids in a limited space by using collage frames. For an artistic look, make all the photos close-ups and print them all in black and white.
Read about Jo’s new favorite craft store on tiny Sanibel Island. This store helped curb our urge to craft while on vacation and the The Crafty Ladies who run it are fantastic!
