Displaying photos for $1

I have almost two million pictures of my Stud-Man. I joke - but it feels like two million! Picture frames can be expensive and once you have them all hung up, it can be quite overwhelming. Here's a cheap and fun way to display your photos without using a frame!

All I did was buy a cheap wooden oval (at my favorite store - Hobby Lobby, and you know it - at 50% off!) then I painted it. Once it was dry, I added the picture. I put my lovely decoupage on the back of the picture and placed it right where I wanted. Next I added two, smooth layers of decoupage over the top of the whole oval and let it dry.

I'm sure all of the professional photographers out there are just cringing, but that's ok! It actually didn't ruin the picture!

Will it fall off? Does the decoupage really hold the picture on there? I did this about two weeks ago and the picture is still sticking to the wood. It hasn't shown any signs of peeling.

Bedroom Wall Art

I LOVE red! It just so happens, a lot of red things go on sale after Valentine's Day - just for being red! I found a nice red, metal wall hanging for 88% off! I added my own little saying to it and now my bedroom wall has something nice and spicy! 

Children's Reading Log

I enjoy reading to my Stud-Man and hope that he will enjoy reading on his own someday. I was thinking of ways kids could document their reading and then maybe earn something for it. Here is what I came up with! The child could either put a sticker or check mark in the box or write in how many pages they read. 

Click here if you want to see a better picture or print one for yourself!

At the end of each month, if the child has read every day (or gotten to their goals for total pages read), they could get a small gift or have a fun ice cream date. And this one would be big! At the end of the year, if they read every day they would get a BIG gift. It might be a good idea to decide on what that big gift would be at the beginning of the year, then the child can work towards it.

Cloth Wipes Solution

I LOVE cloth diapers! I also enjoy saving money! Here is a cloth wipes solution for you to use if you decide you don't want to spend big $$ on wipes. I use disposable wipes still, especially for outings and big poo blowouts, but these are very easy to just throw in my wet bag and wash with the cloth diapers. (Not to mention, these are products I already had, so I didn't have to buy extra stuff to make this solution). 

Here's what you'll need:

2 tablespoons baby oil

2 tablespoons baby wash or shampoo

1 1/2 cups water

Wipes storage container or spray bottle

Baby washcloths

Here's how:

Mix the three ingredients and pour over your wipes. They will be pre-soaked and ready to wipe those little buns right up.

Or, pour the solution into a spray bottle and simple spray on the washcloth when ready to wipe!

Canvas Wall Art

I have been wanting something for Stud-Man's room and I thought about finding the alphabet in different sizes and colors or designs and hang each letter on the wall separately until Hobby Lobby had canvas on sale! Then the brilliant thought came to me! Here it is: 

I also made one for our future piano room. 

I just covered a canvas frame with fabric I found the remnants bin! I used contact paper for the letters that I cut with my cricut, then stuck them on the fabric where I wanted them and started painting. Before the paint dried completely, I pulled the contact paper off with the help of a toothpick, and used a Q-tip to wipe up any bleeding.

I love how I can still see the fabric though the paint on the music one, but the alphabet one is a little crazy. It's growing on me though, and the farther away you stand, the better it looks.

Upcycling Baby Formula Cans

We go through formula cans pretty quickly and I hate throwing away such a big item that could be put to use. However, they aren’t that attractive just by themselves- they needed something more.

Using my lovely decoupage I figured something out! I always could use more storage for my crafting supplies- scrapbooking, sewing, or for bathroom supplies, maybe kitchen utensils? I’m sure I’ll get to use some for anything I come up with as we will definitely keep using formula cans!

What you’ll need:

Any can (the bigger the better!)

Decoupage (you can make it yourself here)

Sponge brush

Scrapbook paper of your choosing

Paper cutter

Measuring tape

 Here's how:

First and foremost- clean out that can!

You will also want to take off the label from the outside, because once you put the new paper and decoupage on the first layer of paper bubbles up and makes your beautiful creation look, well, not so beautiful. Trust me.

Once the can is clean and naked, measure it by height and circumference. Cut your paper accordingly. For big cans, you will most likely need two pieces of paper.

Now “paint” the can with the decoupage. You can do this part in sections if you’d like. Apply the paper after a layer of decoupage has been applied, then add another layer of decoupage on top of the paper. Doing this just once should be fine, but make sure the seam has a good thick layer.

Take your brush and get rid of any excess decoupage and let it dry.

Decorate with stickers, vinyl letters, anything you want. You could probably even throw a photo on there and decoupage that too. 

Fabric liner

I have finally gotten a tutorial on the fabric liner together! I am posting almost a billion pictures (because I’d rather use a tutorial that “shows” me how to do it, rather than just read it all). Hope you don’t mind!

If you haven’t sewn much before, may I suggest trying this out with a small basket first? If things go wrong, you will have used MUCH less fabric. Not to mention, trying with less fabric will be a lot easier. 

What you’ll need:

Fabric of your choosing (my diaper box only required ½ yard)

Measuring tape

Scissors (or rotary cutter and mat – I used these)

Thread

Pins

Sewing machine

Box or basket of your choosing

Here’s how:

In this tutorial I will refer to the “right side” and “wrong side” of the fabric.

Measure your box:

Start from the outside at the point in which you want your liner to go to. I wanted 3 inches of my liner to show on the outside of the box, so I started with 3 inches, then I took my measuring tape down the inside, across the bottom, back up the other side, and down 3 inches on the outside again. 

 

  

Do this for the length and width of your box. Cut your fabric in those measurements. Your fabric will be a big rectangle at this point.

This next part is my least favorite, because I hate trying to think through measurements. My husband helped me with this part, since he’s so smart!  I hope I can explain it so you understand! If not, just comment with your questions and I’ll get my answers posted for you!

Lay fabric out with the right side up and find the center point of the long side. So, if your fabric is 30”, your center point is going to be at 15”. Mark it with a pin. Now, measure the long side of the box. Add 1/2” to that measurement for seam allowance. Go ahead and divide that number by 2.

Example: Box = 10 long, add ½, making it 10 ½ total. 10 ½ divided by 2 = 5 ¼ 

Remember where that pin is? Now, measure your divided number (in the example it was 5 ¼) from that pin to the left and make a slit at the end of the fabric. Also do this from the pin to the right. You should end up with the box length plus a half inch in between your slits.

Repeat this same procedure on the other long side.

For the short sides, you will do the same procedure with your SHORT side of the box measurements (plus the ½” for seam allowance).

The next step will be cutting out squares in the four corners of your fabric, making a cross. Start with one corner, cut each slit on either side of the corner until the lines intersect, giving you a leftover square. 

I used a ruler to ensure a straight line and to know how far to cut that first slit. Repeat this on all four corners and VOILA, you have a cross.

If you want to ensure your measurements are right, measure each section and it should equal the box length plus ½”.

Now for the fun part! Sewing!

With your fabric laying right side up, fold side 1 onto side 2, lining up the sides evenly. Pin and sew.

Don't forget, we only left room for a 1/4" seam. 

When it is laid back down it will look like this:

Now you will sew side A to side B, just like you did with 1 and 2.

 Here’s how I folded it up to sew (I told you there would be a million pictures!).

A & B are sewn and here's the fabric laid out.

I’m sure you’ve got it figured out, but I took the pictures so I’ll add them anyways. You do the same to sides C and D, then one more time to E and F.

Almost done! Hemming it up: I folded my fabric like this so that I could fold all the sides over so that they were equal, since my cutting wasn't perfect. 

Then I ironed the folded tops.

Then go ahead and hem it all the way around.

Congrats! You’ve done it! You now have a fabulous liner made with the fabric you love! 

Questions? Here's your answers! 

Is it possible to do this without sewing? I don't think the liner would stay together without sewing it, but if you wanted to continue the canvas from the diaper box into the inside, spray adhesive would work for that.

Edit! "No-Sew Hem Tape" might work. 

I bought the fabric at Hobby Lobby! I love that store!