Guest Post - Recycle Your Lipton Tea Bag Covers

My mom is so crafty and she tried her hand at being Green and Crafty at the same time! I love the result. Read on for a Guest Post from my awesome mom, Annette!!

Here is a great idea on how to recycle your Lipton Tea Bag Covers!

Make a scratch pad.

The Lipton Tea Bag Covers are paper and are is blank on the one side.

Cut off the sides before you open the bag all the way.
Then open bag and cut off "Legs."








This is what you have all lined up facing the same direction.

Staple these together, be sure the staple closes completely or take needle nose pliers to bend the ends under.

Add a "Cover" on top of the blank sides with 2nd staple. Very simple.

A quilted folder, or folder with pockets made with hot glue gun, pockets for the pads and crayons or colored pencils would make a nice Christmas gift for nieces and nephews.







THE FINAL PRODUCT:


My mom made the one shown for my 5 year old! This is absolutely perfect for church AND I can refill it for free!!!









The best part...My son LOVES it!!

Card Making - Guest Post

I have another great guest post from my mother Annette! She is fabulous at making cards for any occassion! She made my birthday card this year and it said Happy Birthday to the Coupon Queen and was decorated with coupons and such - It is my favorite card ever!! In fact I love it so much it's hanging in my kitchen! Most of the time after enjoyig a card for few days, they get thrown away. My husband and I don't even trade cards anymore becasue we were spending $1-3 on a nice card only to throw it away some time later. So making cards makes perfect sense!! 1. Collect old writing paper, cards and the envelopes from yard sales, and goodwill. Even if you don’t like the picture there is usually something on the card you can use-a border, saying, simple happy birthday, butterfly, etc. Wrapping paper is another good resource!

2. BUY Card stock paper – it’s definitely worth it and get a good glue stick. The children's glue sticks do not work as well.

4.Get a paper cutter if you can, or have a good ruler 12" and scissors you like.

5. Go through cards, old cards, magazines you buy at yard sales (I have found magazine paper not good to use except small things)-even a small catalogue of cross stitch patterns is good can be used for pictures.

6. Cut your picture to fit on smallish piece of card stock – don’t be afraid to trim down and get picture effect you want.

7. Glue picture onto card stock piece.

8. Sew straight stitch with color thread around it, starting at bottom. Move it gently or zig zag it – cut thread strings off after you go 1 ½ inches so won’t tangle on next pass. I have to turn card picture at corners with needle in. Do 4 arounds. If you don't have a sewing machine you can do by hand being sure not to bend paper - embroidery would be wonderful ! Painting a border or fake stitches is pretty too.

9. Pick envelope bigger than picture. Measure card stock double width of envelope minus ¼ inch. Measure height of card minus ¼ inch of envelope. You will figure out quickly how to do this by eye. Fold card in half.

10. Make SURE you know how card is to open before you place your picture. Glue it on well. I use a matt knife to add glue under parts of rim when I have to – if you glue well the first time on back of picture you won’t need to do this.

11. Finish your card with a happy birthday you cut out or use your computer and colors to print out message. OR use message from another card. This wishing well is from a get well card and I wanted it for a niece’s birthday.I had the sticker.

12. SAVE SAVE SAVE leftover card stock and keep it flat or stacked so won’t wrinkle. I had one piece leftover for card pictures and one good piece for another card. THIS CARD TOOK ONLY 15 MINUTES.

Crafty Ideas That Are Frugal and Fun (Plus 2 Free Issues to Family Circle)

Yesterday we got hit with about nine inches of snow so I was "stuck" inside for part of the day with my pre-schooler. I love days like these because it gives us lots of time to do crafts that would otherwise probably never get done on a day to day basis.

When I get a magazine that contains children's crafts or neat recipes for kids, I tear out the pages and organize them into a notebook by recipes, craft idea and what type of craft makings we would need. This way I'm no thanging on to tons and tons of magazines but only the relevant pages.

There are lots of Free Magazines out there, so I don't pay for any of them. Right now you can sign up for Two Free Issues of Family Circle and start your own notebook!!

Yesterday I knew I wanted a project with popsicle sticks and paint, so I went to my trusty notebook and found animal bookmarks. I think they turned out great and we had everything on hand.

For this project you need 6 popsicle sticks (we used craft sticks, but if you have popsicles - eat them and then wash the sticks!!), paints (we used washable crayola paints), colored cardstock, googly eyes and assorted pom-poms, stickers, etc.

We simply cut circles, ears, etc. and made faces, painted the popsicle sticks (let dry), and then glued them on! Simple and loads of fun!! I think the ladybug would make a great Valentine's Day gift for grandmothers!!

Wall Art on the Cheap!

If you have kids then this project is perfect! Need a place to store all the great little art projects they come home with? I saw this in a magazine and had to try it.

First we cut a square out of a cardboard box. Then we used a piece of white felt with gold dots on it, but feel free to paint the cardboard (that's what the instructions said) or use a different kind of material. I liked the felt because it was thicker, it isn't slippery so it helps hold every thing in place and because it was FREE. My mom has a stash of material in her room that she uses for sewing and she and I scrounged through and found this.

We simply hot-glued the fabric on cardboard by pulling it around and only glueing at the back. Then I added 6 large rubber bands- 3 across and 3 down and then a piece of hanging wire attached to the center rubber bands in the back and Voila! Daniel's very own art center!

I hung it in our dining room and it doubles as wall art, and it's quite the conversation piece!

I plan to make a couple as gifts and it's also perfect for a teen who needs a spot to hang photos on the wall and avoid tack marks. Just add a few more rubberbands!

This project cost me $1.00 (for the rubberbands - found a multi pack from the dollar tree)!!