Sugar skulls are a traditional part of the Day of the Dead (aka Dia de los Muertos) decorations and ritual. Usually they’re not made to be eaten, but I found these cool skull ice cube trays at the dollar store, and I thought it would be fun to make edible skull decorations. Making edible skulls is cheap, and so easy even a preschooler can do …

When I was in middle school, the most popular bag you could carry was a big square Esprit bag made of canvas that said “Esprit” on it. Anyone remember those? I saved up and bought one so I could get in on that trend. Now that I’m grown up, I’m thankfully immune (mostly) to the fads, but I still like to have a good tote …

Need a few minutes fuss-free? Here’s a quick toy you can whip up in thirty seconds using recycled cardboard: a cardboard cell phone. I posted the tutorial over at Make and Takes. These pretend phones kept my sons busy for hours. You can make many toys out of regular cardboard; these simple toys will inspire your child’s imagination and give them lots of room for …

It’s Back to School time, and seeing all the school supplies in the stores is making me giddy!  I love school supplies!!  Of course I couldn’t resist creating a little project in honor of Back to School — a cute little recycled pouch to hold some crayons and maybe a notebook.
This little pouch would be so cute clipped to a backpack.  I just want to make …

Awhile back, I stamped shirts with stamps and acrylic paints, noting that you can set the acrylic paint with vinegar and make it permanent (no fabric paint medium needed!). Since then, I’ve learned you can even skip the vinegar step. Have you ever gotten acrylic paint on your clothes while you were painting? I bet the paint’s still there! Acrylic doesn’t go anywhere once it …

Covering school books is a back-to-school tradition. Whether your school requires it or not, it’s a fun activity to do in preparation for the new school year. Over at Make and Takes, I posted a tutorial for making book covers out of recycled chip bags and patterned duct tape. I love the pop art element of reusing commercial packaging, plus the earth-friendly aspect of reusing …

Use a piece of double-sided scrapbook paper and some dollar store clear contact paper to make a sturdy no-sew pencil case that fits in your 3-ring binder. What a perfect craft project to get everyone ready for going back to school. If you don’t have contact paper, you can use clear packing tape, or use plain paper and duct tape for a masculine version of …

Back in high school, I had a crafty friend who would tie together a few bandannas and make a cute halter top for sunbathing summer days. I have never been that brave, but I’ve always admired the ingenuity! …love Maegan has come up with a fashion-forward twist on the old bandanna top by creating a silk scarf and safety pin top that is inspired by …

T-shirt “seconds” are in stock at my local dollar store!  There are so many fun, bright colors — I just couldn’t resist stocking up on over a dozen to use for projects!  I’ve been known to create clothes using dollar store T-shirts as raw materials…  I just had to do another variation!
After looking at all the colors of shirts I came home with, I just HAD to dive …

I have recently become highly amused with superfine crochet using the smallest of hooks and embroidery floss. I made this teeny Chewbacca (you know, from Star Wars!) zipper pull for a Star Wars swap. Crocheting with embroidery floss is great because it’s cheap, it comes in a huge rainbow of colors, and you don’t have to spend $3 and beyond to try a …