Moonmum

DIY: Recipe box in a drawer

Cute little DIY for you today... i made a recipe box out of an old drawer i found at the recycle yard!

My recipe collection consists mainly of pages ripped out of magazines, handwritten notes from friends and things printed off the internet. At any given moment there's usually a pile of them shuffling around the kitchen bench that were cooked last week (maybe the week before) or that i'd like to try out. So, i thought i'd get them organised.

Materials I used: an old drawer, varnish, paint, index cards to be used as the recipe cards, thick cardstock to use for the dividers, glue stick, sewing machine, scissors.

Firstly i took the handle off so i could give the drawer a good clean, sand and varnish. There are lots dints and imperfections in it still, which i wanted to keep so didn't get too carried away with sanding them out. I painted the inside of the drawer a light peachy pink, just paint we had left over from my daughter's room.

Next i made the dividers from some thick grey cardstock. I printed the names for each divider directly onto an index card, cut out each label and glue-sticked them to the dividers. To make them a bit nicer i added a line of zig-zag stitching in coloured thread right across the top of each divider.

Popped them all in the drawer and done! I was so lucky to find this drawer because it's the absolute perfect size to fit large index cards!

This was a super cheap project - the drawer cost me one dollar at the recycle yard, the index cards i picked up for a couple of dollars at an op-shop and everything else was stuff i already had. Love that.

Next i have to actually get all of my recipes in and organised! Have a few ideas for the recipe cards which i'll show you later too.

 

Paper patchwork DIY, making paperwork a wee bit nicer

In my humble opinion, paperwork completely sucks. I have stashes of receipts, statements, invoices in numerous places instead of being filed neatly away and very few figures entered onto spreadsheets. I'd like to be the organised and meticulous type in this area but i just ain't. I can assure you that i was never in danger of becoming an accountant!

And it's bad. And i should be more organised. But i'm making progress... the key was to make it pretty :) I've done this cute DIY paper patchwork folder for My Poppet. Click over and check it  out. There's also a wee giveaway too.

 

Re-using kid's paintings

A while ago I wrote this little diy project for The Creative Collective blog... click over for full instructions. Great way to reuse some of those kid's paintings that you can't bear to throw away.

I have to confess, initially i had an issue with cutting into the Moonlets artworks. Do you think i'm heartless? Seriously though, there are so many! I have folders full of the cutest drawing and best paintings and there are always some on display on the walls and fridge. But we do so many, inbetween school and crafting at home that i've become accustomed to using them... gift wrap, cards, letters and book coverings. 

Rather than throw them into the recycling i'd rather put them to a practical use. How about you? Do you have any suggestions to add to the list? Would love to hear how you store or use them.

 

Shipping tags made pretty for parcels

I'm time-poor and i insist on something sewn and lovely on my parcels, so these are excellent...

I tend to gather endless bits of ribbon, ric-rac, lace, binding, material, gift wrap, etc from just about everywhere. And i love when the op-shop ladies bundle up little bags full for $1! Perfect to have on hand for a little crafting. When i need some tags to go out with my parcels i sew up a batch of standard shipping tags with said pretty off-cuts. A bit of colour across the bottom leaves just enough space to write a quick 'thank you' or whatever.

Just goes to show that you should never throw out any of those pretty scraps!

DIY: black and white collage cards

It's hard to find great cards for guys, don't you think? So make some yourself! I've put together this quick diy tutorial type thing for you which makes three little gift cards, perfect for pressies. 

You'll need: old encyclopaedias or books you can cut up, 1 piece of A4 cardboard, sewing machine + thread, scissors (or paper trimmer), gluestick.

Step 1: Take a few pages from an old book with great black and white images. These can really be of anything you like or would be appropriate for the man you have in mind. I chose a few pages on architecture, all different styles.  

Step 2: Fold your piece of A4 card in half lengthways. You get a neat finish if you score it first with the pack of a knife along a ruler and then fold. Open up again.

Step 3: Cut up your black and white pages into small rectangles. Position randomly over half of the A4 card and lightly glue in place with your trusty gluestick. Cover the entire half so no gaps show between the pics. Make them overlap and look messy, it's part of the handmade charm.

Step 4: Neaten up any edges that are haning over the edges of the card.

Step 5: Thread your sewing machine with a dark grey or black thread. Sew long lines of straight stitch over the top of the pictures. Do a few rows lengthways and up/down. Best to have a row close along each edge to hold edges of images down.

Step 6: Trim the threads on front and reverse of your card.

Step 7: Fold you card in half lengthway. Cut into three cards each approx. 9.5cm wide. If you like you could punch a hole in the top corner for a ribbon.

Done. 

You could do endless variations on these little cards... make them for kids with old illustrations or comic books with different coloured thread.  Make them with pics from cooking magazines for the foodie friends. Whatever. Let me know if you give them a go!