How to Create DIY Holiday Vases

Posted on December 14, 2012 by tpham

Repurpose old ornaments and display them in beautiful glass vases for a simple centerpiece.

One of the best parts of the season is decorating and spreading the holiday cheer. This year, creatively get your apartment ready for the holidays and the New Year without stress. We’ve come up with a few ideas on creating fabulous centerpieces and holiday vases for your space. Read on for our ideas.

Glitter Vases
These glitter vases will add glam to your space, and they can be repurposed for throughout the year. You’ll need:

Use a cylindrical vase, and apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on the interior of the vase using a foam brush. Next, dump a generous amount of glitter inside of the vase, and then roll the vase in your hands. Tap the side of the vase to get the glitter to evenly coat the Mod Podge. Dump out the excess glitter, and allow the vase to dry before displaying flowers.

Snowy Vases
Our infographic showed you how to create display-worthy centerpieces from recycled wine bottles.

Spray a coat of primer on three empty wine bottles. While drying, pour Epsom salt on a paper bag. Next, spray the dried empty bottles with craft bond spray adhesive, and then roll the bottles in the Epsom salt. Allow the adhesive to dry before handling. Display the vases on a silver platter. Add flowers or glittered branches to the vases.

Vegetable Vases
A lot of the holidays are centered around the feast, so why not create centerpieces with more food items?

Wash and dry your vegetables. Cut off a small piece at the bottom of each vegetable to allow them to stand upright. Then, cut off the top and get ready to core the vegetable. Core and dig out the middle. Repeat this with the rest of the vegetables. Fill your new vases with flowers and candles. Use a tray or a cutting board to keep everything together.

Ornament Vase
Bring all the elements of Christmas together with these simple ornament vases.

Use terra cotta pots that will fit your ball ornaments. Spray paint the pots with the metallic spray paint, and allow them to dry. Next, remove the hanger tops and fill the ornaments with water. Cut the poinsettia, and place the flower in the ornament. Nestle the arrangement in the pot. Instead of poinsettias, you can cut off a small piece of your tree to add to each of these ornaments.

Ornament Vase 2
If you have lots of leftover ball ornaments, here’s another idea for an ornament vase. You’ll need:

Cluster three tall glass vases together. Fill each vase with ball ornaments. Add character to each vase by adding various sizes of the ornaments. An optional step is to tie a bow out of shiny ribbon on the outside of each vase.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/lucop

How to Create a DIY Winter Wonderland

Posted on December 4, 2012 by tpham

Get out your hot glue gun, glitter and ribbon, and you’ll be on your way to creating DIY holiday décor. From faux snow vases to a decked-out dreidel garland, use this infographic as a guide to fashion unique decorations for your home this holiday season.

<a href="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/how-to-create-a-diy-winter-wonderland"><img src="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/diy-holiday-decor.png" alt="DIY holiday decor" title="Creating DIY Holiday Decorations" width="600" height="3516" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.apartmentguide.com/blog">Apartment Living Blog</a>

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How to Create DIY Christmas Wreaths

Posted on November 29, 2012 by tpham

This year, change things up with your Christmas wreath and use our suggestions as inspiration.

We’ve already learned how to make fall wreaths, but now it’s time to tackle wreaths for the winter season and for Christmas. Get creative and spruce up your front door by gathering materials from your own yard, upcycling materials and thinking outside of the round wreath. Grab your hot glue gun and use our suggestions below to create a beautiful wreath this season.

Woodsy Wreath
This eco-friendly design brings in elements of nature but still has a clean look and feel that will be a great addition to your front door or the fireplace. From the crafts store, purchase a 16 inch grapevine wreath and approximately 10 artificial small Granny Smith apples. Go through the floral section and select an assortment of seasonal flora. You can also head to your backyard and scoop up pinecones. Using a hot glue gun, affix the apples to the wreath, spacing them equally around the ring. Next, weave the flora into the grapevine, filling in the areas between the apples. If using pine cones, hot glue them to the wreath.

Upcycled Wreath
This wreath is an easy way to get a beautiful wreath while being environmentally friendly. Cut holly shapes (using a holly stencil) out of old holiday greeting cards to upcycle old materials. Use a hot glue gun to attach a toothpick onto the backside of each holly leaf to form a 1 inch pick at the bottom of each leaf. Insert the picks into a 10-inch Styrofoam wreath, and repeat until the wreath is covered. Fan and overlap the leaves to create a full-looking wreath.

Pine Cone Cluster/Wreath
To create a more nontraditional “wreath,” use this idea to spice up your décor during the winter. Head out to your backyard and collect three, five or seven pine cones. Pick a ribbon that matches your holiday décor and is approximately 2 inches wide, and cut out strips of varying lengths (6, 8, 10 and 12 inches). Next, hot glue the ribbon to the base of each pine cone. Once the glue is dry, gather the top of the ribbon and tie a bow. Attach to a wreath hanger to hang on your front door.

Monogram Wreath
Similar to the pine cone cluster, your holiday wreath does not have to be round. Purchase an MDF letter, holly berries and burlap garland or ribbon from your local craft store. Use your hot glue gun to attach the holly berries to the MDF letter, carefully filling in all of the spaces. Tie your ribbon or burlap around the top of your monogram, and hook it onto your door using a wreath hanger. Some letters may be complicated, so consider using hot glue or a staple gun to attach the ribbon to the back of the letter.

Wood Flower Wreath
You’re probably wondering how wood would work in a wreath. For this wreath, use tapioca wood flowers, which will help create a beautiful wreath this season and will last you for years. Attach tapioca wood flowers of varying sizes to a wreath form, placing the flowers as close as possible to each other. Stagger the size of flowers to create a more visually appealing wreath. Tie a bow in the ribbon and glue the center of the ribbon to the back of the wreath. Hang the bow on a wreath hanger on your door.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/Riorita

Cheap and Green Ways to Wrap Gifts

Posted on November 28, 2012 by mprice

Wrap a Christmas present in brown craft paper and simple twine for a cheap and green alternative to expensive wrapping paper.

Wrapping presents during the holiday season makes gift-giving more special and personalized, but if you have a number of people to purchase gifts for, it may not be within your budget to splurge on fancy, seasonal gift wrap, ribbons, bows or other decorative wrapping accessories. Luckily, there are many budget- and eco-friendly ways to wrap gifts using everyday items you might have laying around your apartment. You’ll save money, and your friends and family will appreciate your thoughtfulness and creativity.

Newspaper

Wrapping gifts with newspaper is probably the easiest and cheapest way to wrap presents. Choose the Sunday comics or a similarly brightly-colored page, pair it with some inexpensive twine and you have an eco-friendly wrapping solution.

Craft Scraps

If you’re a crafty person or someone who enjoys home decoration projects, chances are you might have scraps of fabric or wallpaper just laying around your apartment. Turn those scraps into something fabulous by repurposing them. Fabric or cloth swatches are great for wrapping up oddly shaped gifts, while you can coordinate old wallpaper leftovers to match up with the theme of your present.

Maps

Generally printed on sturdy paper meant to last a long time, maps are a colorful, unique, budget-friendly alternative to more expensive gift wrap. Head to the nearest tourist center and pick up several for free, or rummage through your glove compartment or basement for old maps that you haven’t used in a while.

Brown Paper Goods

Turn up the shabby chic factor this holiday by wrapping gifts in plain brown kraft paper and tying the gifts with simple twine. Or, use paper bags as DIY gift bags. Add a pretty, colorful ribbon as a finishing touch.

Printable Gift Wrap

Many websites like gift-wrapit.com and familyshoppingbag.com offer free wrapping paper that you can print from your computer onto regular paper or cardstock using any printer. Simply type “printable wrapping paper” into your Internet browser, select the pattern you like best and print away.

DIY Bows

Instead of spending money on a bag of gift bows that will just end up getting thrown out, it’s surprisingly easy to make your own gift bows out of old magazines that you have laying around the apartment. To get started, you’ll need a page per bow and some double-sided tape. Cut the page lengthwise into nine ¾-inch-thick strips at the following heights: three at 11 inches, three at 10 inches, two at nine inches and one at 3 ½ inches. Twist each strip to form loops at both ends, making a circle out of the smallest. Secure the ends with a piece of double-sided tape. Layer and stick the strips together, starting with the longest. End with the circle in the center.

Photo credit: iStockphoto/KristianSeptimiusKrogh

5 Best Blogs for Crafting Resources and Tips

Posted on November 28, 2012 by tpham

Looking for inspiration for your next craft project? Check out these top 5 blogs for crafting.

You can spend hours on Pinterest or Google searching for that perfect craft project to complete the look of your apartment, home or office. Finding inspiration and motivation can sometimes be tough, especially if some websites give you just pictures, rather than explanations. But we’ve sorted the Web and came up with a list of our five favorite blogs for crafting. Read on for our picks.

The Happy Home
Belinda created The Happy Home to document her journey through renovation, decorating and various projects, as well as raising her three children. Her goal is to create a happy home for her family, which includes livable spaces, creative projects and fun activities. For the holidays, she has tips on unique ways to gift wrap, little DIY steps to create the perfect accessory for your holiday outfit and décor DIY. http://thehappyhomeblog.com/

Michele Made Me
This blog isn’t your ordinary craft blog. Michele, blogger and crafting extraordinaire, creates unique items for around the house by upcycling old materials. She uses her hobbies, such as sewing, quilting, knitting and cutting and pasting to create gold from garbage. More recently, she created a Christmas snowflake ornament using junk mail. http://www.michelemademe.com

Mod Podge Rocks
Her roots are in knitting and sewing, but Amy of Modge Podge Rocks has become a decoupaging genius more recently. In addition to giving tips on transforming dull items into magical pieces, she vlogs on YouTube in addition to her everyday “real life.” On her blog, she walks you through craft projects for every member of your family. This includes patchwork for children’s chairs, holiday cases and coasters. http://modpodgerocksblog.com

Craft Test Dummies
Jenny’s blog, Craft Test Dummies, is a forum for Jenny to test out new crafts, products and techniques without any fluff. If you’re visiting your local crafts store and see a new product but aren’t sure if it will work, then Jenny will help determine its usability. And if you’re stuck this holiday season on what to get for your difficult person on your list, then check out Craft Test Dummies’ gift guides, which walk you through various ideas. http://www.crafttestdummies.com/

Dollar Store Crafts
This daily crafting blog brings you tips and ideas for projects on a budget. The finished products are chic, but getting there doesn’t mean breaking the bank and getting stressed. Most of the materials in projects on Dollar Store Crafts can be found at your local dollar store or the dollar section in various stores. Whether you’re looking for décor, fashion, wedding or kids crafts, Dollar Store Crafts has project ideas for you. http://dollarstorecrafts.com

Do you have a go-to crafting blog?

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/Green_Leaf

Spooky Fun Decorating for Halloween

Posted on October 22, 2012 by ag-admin

Whether you are hosting a Halloween party at your apartment or doing a little decorating for trick-or-treaters, get super spooky with your Halloween decor!

The witching hour is near! Whether you are hosting a Halloween party at your apartment or doing a little apartment decorating for trick-or-treaters, it’s time to get super spooky with your Halloween decor. Here are some top decorating ideas that will make it fun for you and the ghouls you encounter on Halloween night!

Monsters in motion
When you want to scare the pants off party guests or innocent trick-or-treaters, then motion-activated monsters are a must-have for your outdoor Halloween decor. A motion-triggered floating ghost will definitely make your visitors jump. If you want something a little less in-your-face, opt for a sweet trio of black cats that howl as visitors pass by. These hair-raising Halloween props are bad luck for your guests, but good fun for you.

Creep up the music
Playing “Monster Mash” on repeat just doesn’t cut it anymore for Halloween. For some seriously spooky fun, you’ve got to add more creep factor to your playlist with sounds that strike fear into the hearts of trick-or-treaters everywhere. Make a playlist with cuts from the soundtracks of ultra-scary movies like “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th,” and “The Exorcist.” Evoking these classic horror movies is guaranteed to give the heebie jeebies. (Your neighbors may want to exorcise you!)

Subtle, but spooky
Spooky fun doesn’t have to be scary, of course. It can be gross… or playful. You can create fun decor that is whimsical, with cleverly-carved pumpkins and wispy ghosts. MovingToday gives apartment pumpkin carving tips. Martha Stuart offers eerie and interesting suggestions for subtle indoor Halloween decor like cheesecloth cobwebs and displays of specimen jars (for that Halloween gross factor we mentioned.)

Go color crazy
For those of you who prefer a modern and elegant take on this hip holiday, opt for a color change to show off your Halloween style. Simple changes like hanging black curtains, tossing orange pillows on the sofa and putting out pumpkin-shaped coasters can turn your apartment into a charmingly spooky Halloween den. Home decor companies like Pottery Barn and West Elm offer great Halloween accessories.

Time travel
For the ultimate in classy Halloween apartment decorating, take a cue from the past and decorate your place with vintage Halloween decorations. These often feature iconic Halloween elements like witches, black cats, pumpkins and devils. Hit your favorite local thrift shop and decorate your boudoir with old lace doilies and antique photos. To share the fun with faraway friends, send vintage Halloween greeting cards to celebrate this spooky fun holiday!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Yuri Arcurs

DIY Rustic Wall Décor

Posted on October 19, 2012 by tpham

Give your apartment a rustic but chic look with these DIY rustic decor ideas.

Look up and around. What do you see? Is it a plain white wall or one that resembles everyone else’s home? If you’re looking for a way to create a focal point using one of the walls in your space or you just need that “wow” factor, you have a lot of different options, including painting, creating a gallery wall or using a large painting to take up space. However, your lease agreement may not allow you to paint or poke holes all over your walls, and you may not be ready to commit to anything long-term. A simple way to add character to your walls is by creating a few simple DIY rustic pieces that will be what all of your guests are talking about. Read on for a few tips.

Reclaimed Wood Sign – LOVE
This statement piece is perfect for over the couch. You’ll need:
4 4 x 8 Furring Strips (cut into 4-foot strips)
3 Birch Board Project Sticks
Gorilla Wood Glue
Nails and Drywall Screws
Wood Stain (of your choice)
Acrylic Paint (of your choice) and Paint Brush

First, line your strips down. Attach the birch project sticks to the wood strips using the wood glue. Then, nail the sticks to the board. Once the sticks are attached, flip the boards over and put a few coats of the wood stain on it. Allow it to dry. For this step, you can use a stencil if you want to. Using acrylic paint, paint a word that covers the board. Our example is to write, “LOVE” on it in a bold color that will match your décor. Once dry, use 2 ½ inch drywall screws to hang the sign on the wall.

Framed Nature
This decorative piece is simple, inexpensive and beautiful.
A 12 x 16 frame
Spray Paint (of your choice and black)
Staple Gun
Clippers

This is the perfect project if you have an old frame lying around the house. Take that frame and spray paint it using a brushed metallic paint. Once dry, flip it over. Now for the fun part; head out to your yard and grab a handful of small sticks. Make sure they are long enough to cover the length of the frame. Spray paint the sticks black and then lay them evenly on the back of the frame. Once they’re in place, use the clippers to trim the sticks to fit the frame. Next, use the staple gun to hold the sticks in place. Flip it over, and voila. This is the perfect addition to a bookshelf.

New Take on the Gallery Wall
If you’re looking to create a gallery wall but want a unique take on it, use this idea. Modify it to match your décor style. You will need:
Old Window Frame (can be found at antique shops)
Photos
Scrapbook Paper
Tape

Measure the size of each window pane and print out pictures to fit accordingly. Determine if you want the window frame to go horizontal or vertical to figure out which photos will fit best. Next, if you want a distressed look, use your own distressing technique – this could include sanding, repainting and sanding again. On the back of the window panes, adhere the photos using clear tape. If the photos don’t exactly fit in the frame, use fun scrapbook paper to cover up the empty spots. Feel free to add embellishments, such as felt flowers and jewels. For a larger space, create three similar pieces to hang on your wall.

3 DIY Fall Wreaths

Posted on October 19, 2012 by tpham

Dress up your front door with these unique DIY wreaths.

Your front door is one of the first things your guests see about your home. Adding topiary to the front stoop is an easy way to dress up the area and welcome guests. Another simple way to add charm to your front door is by adding a festive wreath. And with it being fall, the possibilities are endless with fall wreaths. Head out to your local craft store, purchase a few items and put them all together to create a beautiful wreath for your front door. Here are a few ideas.

Burlap Bubble Wreath
This easy craft creates a great conversation piece.

10” foam wreath
1 ¼ to 1 ½ yards burlap (any color)
Pins with large heads
Scissors
Ribbon
Fake flowers (optional)
Wooden letter with your initial (optional)
Paint (optional)

Cut the burlap into 4” x 4” squares. The pieces don’t have to be perfect, but try to keep them close to the same size. Take each square and fold in half to form a triangle. Bring the right corner around to the front, and match it up with the other corners, and repeat for the left corner, forming something that looks like a bubble. Take a pin and pin through all four layers of the fabric, and then attach to the foam wreath. Repeat this all the way around, creating several layers. Pin the bubbles close together, enough so you don’t see any of the foam or the pins. Feel free to add accessories to the wreath, such as fall flowers or a painted wooden letter with your initial. To hang, tie a length of thick ribbon or fabric around the top of the wreath.

Fall Flowers Wreath
This long-lasting fall wreath can be reused year after year.

Fake flowers
Fall berries
Hot glue gun
Grapevine wreath

Pick out fake fall flowers. You’ll need approximately seven flowers for this project, depending on the size of your wreath. Detach the flowers from the stem, and carefully hot glue the flowers in a bunch to the wreath. Add the fall berries around the flowers, and attach those with the hot glue. Use a wreath hanger to hang this on your front door.

Coffee Filter Wreath
If you’ve made the switch from a regular coffee maker to a single-cup coffee maker, chances are you have lots of coffee filters lying around. Put them to use for this wreath.

Grapevine wreath
Coffee filters
Acrylic craft paint
Water
Masking tape
Hot glue gun
Fall berries (optional)

Pick fall colors for the acrylic paint. Our suggestions are orange, pink, yellow, red and brown. Add a few tablespoons of paint to individual bowls, and then add one drop of brown to each. Next, mix in half a cup of water and stir until the lumps disappear. Add in two more cups of water to each bowl, and mix again. Once the paint is mixed well, submerge your coffee filters, up to 20 at a time. Wring out the excess paint, and then hang the filters up to dry.

To create the flowers, use this tutorial. Once your flowers are all made, carefully use the hot glue gun to attach the flowers to the grapevine wreath. To make this wreath feel more like fall, add fall berries and acorns to it. Use a wreath hanger to hang on your front door.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/SondraP

Get Creative with Buttons

Posted on October 18, 2012 by tpham

Got extra buttons around the apartment? Repurpose them and create unique decor pieces.

Whether you have random buttons lying around or you just hit the ultimate antiquing jackpot by purchasing a box full of antique buttons for $7, you don’t have to worry about it taking up space. With a little bit of glue, DIY and creativity, you can create beautiful pieces of art, including décor items and jewelry, from those buttons. With the holidays coming up, these items can be added to your table’s centerpieces or given as gifts to friends and family. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Earrings
Repurpose buttons for cute pieces of jewelry. You’ll need:

Two matching buttons
Earring backs with pad
Non-toxic glue

Apply a small dot of glue to each button. Wait for the glue to dry a little, and then press the earring backs to each button. Set it, and leave it alone overnight. Make several pairs using different buttons.

Button Bobby Pins
Spice up those plain bobby pins with buttons.

Bobby pins
Gorilla Glue
Buttons

Pick which buttons you think would look great in your hair. Carefully apply a small line of glue on the button and attach the bobby pin. Allow to dry overnight before adding the stylish touch to your hair. For a kicked-up version, glue a cluster of smaller buttons on top of the main button.

Bracelets
For a quick accessory, try making a button bracelet. You’ll need:

1 yard of wax rope
2 buttons, one large and one small

Cut the rope into four equal pieces (should measure 1.5 feet long). Next, take one of the pieces of rope and thread through a hold of the larger button and pull to the center. Repeat with a second piece of cord, and then tie a knot. Repeat this on the opposite side of the button. After knotting, braid the four ends on each side of the button. On one side, create a knot at the end of the braid, and then thread each of the strings through each hole of the smaller button, and then tie a knot. On the opposite side, create a loop by braiding to the end and then knotting the cord. Put the button through the loop to fasten.

Napkin Rings
Add character to your dinner table with these button napkin rings.

Felt
Popsicle sticks
Tacky glue
Small paintbrush
Buttons

For each napkin ring, cut a 4×5 1/2-inch piece of felt. Place it horizontally, and glue 12 popsicle sticks side by side. Use the small paintbrush to spread the glue to keep it less messy. Once the glue dries, form a ring by gluing the overlapped felt together (the popsicle sticks should be on the outside). Next, glue buttons on the popsicle sticks. If you’re creating this for Thanksgiving, use buttons that are shades of red, orange and yellow. This will create an abstract piece of art that resembles an ear of Indian corn. When it’s time to set the table, insert napkins into each ring.

Button Bowl
This unique project is perfect for holding random knick knacks around your house. And it’s fun to make!

Glue
Mod Podge
Brush
Lots of buttons
Balloon

Blow up a balloon. Use the brush to spread the glue on the end of the balloon. Carefully but quickly, attach the buttons to the balloon. Keep the buttons as close to one another as possible. Let the glue dry. Next, use a clean brush to add Mod Podge over all of the buttons. Once the Mod Podge is dry, pop the balloon, and voila; you have a new bowl.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/Emberghost

3 DIY Green-Friendly Halloween Costumes

Posted on October 18, 2012 by tpham

Create unique Halloween costumes for your kids with supplies you already have.

We’ve learned ways to create the perfect Halloween ambiance by upcycling materials we already have in our home, but what about costumes? Great Halloween costumes can cost at least $50-100, and you typically only wear those once. Try something new this year, and create your own eco-friendly Halloween costumes while saving some extra cash.

Fabric Scrap Owl
Turn an old T-shirt into this great last minute costume.

Dark colored T-shirt
Fabric scraps
Sewing machine and thread (or permanent fabric glue)
Card stock
Scissors
Crafting knife
Tape
Children’s sunglasses

Start by cutting feather shapes from fabric scraps. You’ll need approximately 50-60 feathers, depending on the size. Begin pinning and sewing in rows from the bottom. If you don’t have a sewing machine, line up the feathers and glue the pieces on. Overlap the feathers and continue until you reach the top, then form a circle around the neckline. Create an owl mask and cut out holes for the eyes. Attach the mask to a pair of sunglasses with tape, and your costume will be complete.

Rocket Man
Take flight with this easy-to-make costume. You’ll need:

Cardboard to fit the width of your child’s back
Webbing
Stapler
2 empty two-liter soda bottles
Silver spray paint
Red and orange felt
Hot glue

Cut the cardboard to 12 inches in height and to fit the width of your child’s back. Next, staple the webbing to the cardboard to create armholes. Set that aside and grab the two bottles. Remove the tops and carefully cover each bottle with the silver spray paint. Next, cut out flames from the felt, making the red one slightly bigger than the orange. Carefully add hot glue to the spout of each bottle and attach the flames. Then, attach the bottles onto the cardboard with the flames pointing toward the ground.

Mummy
This is a quick project that you can create the day of Halloween if you’ve run out of ideas.

White sheets
White clothes to wear under the sheet
Safety pins
Baby powder

Tear the sheets into long strips. Remember that this is a mummy costume, so the strips do not have to be perfect. Wrap the strips around the head, chest and limbs, and secure each strip with a safety pin. Tuck the safety pin behind the other strips, if possible. Once the body is covered, dust any exposed skin or hair with baby powder to add to the mummified look.

Photo Credit: iStockphoto/kali9

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