Upcycle those coke cans!!

So, I found this wonderful blog a while back and I just love everything she posts! 

Check out Positively Splended

Once you've done that...check out THIS link for a really great tutorial on how to make these!

 

So I know some of you guys that follow my blog are not from Texas. When I say coke cans I mean soda cans in general. It doesn't have to be coke (although hers are Diet Coke) 

Here in the south, coke means soda. So when when someone asks you if you want a coke and you say sure they are likely to say "what kind?" Just be ready!

Branch Out and Be Creative!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 29

So, I've been really into watching Gossip Girl (Silly I know) and I just watched the Christmas episode!! YAY CHRISTMAS TIME IS NEAR!!! I was so interested in it that I seriously thought about getting the tree out now...but I'm sure my husband will not really go for that till after Thanksgiving.

BUUUT, since I can't get the tree out, I'll go ahead and start working on other decorations!! I found these! Beautiful and green! It's a great thing to do with all those old wine bottles I've got in my fridge from the last wine tasting I went to with my mom.

Branch Out and Be Creative!!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 28

Here is something cool that seems pretty easy to follow and can be completely customized for any cool pictures you have!

Branch out and Be Creative!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 23

So, we've covered Paper Crafts, Fabric Crafts, Knitting/Crochet, and Gardening! This week I want to touch on things that kind of put all of it together! Starting with THIS beauty!

She used pieces of leather she had around her house from bags that were destroyed and actual book pages for the books.
Then, a headpin through the middle of them all and a chain and voila! Beautiful necklace! It was inspired by Anthropology and they wanted $165 for it. She made it for around $4.00! I have someone I know that would love something like this for Christmas. Hopefully she doesn't see it! :-)



Branch out and Be Creative!!!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 19

Boy we are just truckin along here! It's already day 19! Yay!

Today is Learn to Crochet day here at Branch Out Craft Club! YAY! I honestly think Crocheting is much easier than knitting and it only uses one needle! So, to start, go HERE! It has a video plus step by step illustrated instructions that are pretty darn easy to follow! Don't try them all in one day- Just remember: Crafts are for relaxation and fun! Not frustration!

 I want to touch on one of the major problems with gardening: critters. Bugs mostly is what we're covering today. I wanted to have a garden so I could have my own somewhat organic veggies but I can't seem to grow squash without buggies gettin in the vines. So, luckily there is this!

Homemade Pest and Disease Remedies

Insecticidal soap, rotenone/pyrethrum liquid spray, and diatomaceous earth for horticultural use (silica particles from the skeletal remains of sea creatures that penetrate the bodies of insects on contact-sold as a dust) are good store-bought natural pest remedies. Follow the directions on the labels.

Alcohol spray for Aphids
Mix ½ to 1 cup alcohol with a quart of water. Do not spray the entire plant until you have done a test leaf. Spray one leaf. Wait a day. If it shows signs of burning, do not use alcohol on the plant. Never use in the heat of the day in the sun.

Beer Traps for Slugs
Put some cheap beer in saucers. Place the saucers every 3 to 4 feet around the plants that are being eaten. The slugs will crawl into the beer and drown.

Chamomile Tea for Damping Off
Spray seedlings with a hot water infusion of chamomile tea to prevent the disease.

Citrus Spray for Aphids
This is a good spray for aphids or any other soft-bodied bugs. Boil 2 cups of water in a glass or stainless steel pot. Remove from the burner and add the peel of one lemon or one grapefruit. Cover the pot and let steep overnight. Mix ½ water and ½ citrus liquid. The spray must come in contact with the insects' body to be effective. Spray as needed.

Eucalyptus Liquid Soap (found in health food stores)
Add ½ teaspoon to a quart of water and spray for insects

Horticultural oil
These sprays have a petroleum distillate carrier for natural botanical insecticides. Never use them on a sunny day, and be sure plants are watered well before spraying.

Insecticidal soap
Sold under the Safer brand name. You will find it in any garden store. The concentrate is a better buy than any others.

Liquid rotenone/pyrethrins spray
Bonide is the brand. Follow directions on the label. This spray is very effective, especially if not overused.

Molasses Spray for Rusts
1 cup sulfured molasses
1 cup powdered milk (optional)
1 gallon water
1 cup seaweed powder (optional)
1 cup rock powder (optional)

If you are using only molasses, stir into water and use. If using all ingredients, mix molasses and powders and make into a paste. Wrap 1 cup of the paste in a panty hose. Put in the water, and let sit for 2 to 4 hours. Strain and spray.

So good luck with your gardening!
Branch out and be creative!'

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 18

Hopefully you understand now how to follow a knitting pattern. The next step is to actually knit something! So, here is something useful and adorable! McLaughlin Designs: Cowl/Headwrap

Today in the Garden, tiny spaces can be fruitful also! Check out THIS really cool idea for an herb garden on your counter! Really great if you live in an apartment and only have window boxes!





Branch Out and Be Creative!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 17

So, now that you have some kind of grasp on how to work the needles, the next natural step would be how to follow a knitting pattern so you can make something more than a scarf! So, since I didn't know a thing about how to read a pattern I looked it up and found this! It seems pretty easy to follow. Since knitting is so far away from where I started (scrapbooking) it's taking me a little longer to learn than other crafts. Maybe in December we can come back to knitting and focus some undivided attention to it.

Yesterday we learned how to prepare our gardens for both the raised versions and in ground versions. Today I wanted to touch a bit on composting. We eat a lot of food in our house which means we have a lot of waste! Egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable peels and scraps are all outstanding materials to add. The benefits of composting here in Texas are pretty fantastic. Especially if your backyard is anything like mine and consists of pure rock. Yay south Texas... Anyway, adding it to your soil or your potting soil that you've purchased will loosen clay soils and help sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants.  So, I know where all of our scraps will be heading now! Have fun!

Photo Credit: Young House Love: Compost Post :)

Branch out and be creative!!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 16

So, last night I totally didn't realize it was Saturday thus starting a new hobby week. So, I've been going back and forth on what I should do: Knitting/Crochet or Gardening. I don't know that gardening is a craft but it's a pretty popular hobby and one that I'm interested in starting so I think I'm going to do both. (Next week is reserved for Holiday kid activities). So starting today I'll post things about how to knit and how to prepare a raised garden bed! Have fun!

The Knit Stitch Video!
Note: when I started knitting, I picked a lovely grey yarn and got the needles that it suggested on the paper wrapping. I started with a straight scarf so I could get the rhythm down and then introduced patterns. Check out this link for a getting started in knitting detail that will help you get your bearings.

This amazing website called Sprout Robot lets you enter your zipcode and tells you what plant you should plant and when. Like a digital Farmers Almanac. It also has some pretty great illustrated tutorials on how to do just about everything in the garden. Below, you'll find the pictures on how to do a raised garden bed. It's terribly simple!

also, below that, potting soil basics!

Click HERE to see their website and how to do a bed if you don't want it raised...ya know, like ones directly in the ground...**REQUIRES DIGGING** :)

Plus, their little Sprout Robot is adorable!

Branch out and Be Creative! 

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 15

So, I'm super tired today so I'm sorry but this is going to be a short post! Luckily it's still SUPER cute!!

The Train to Crazy

It's not an actual tutorial but it's got a really great explanation on how to make it. 

Plus, my daughters name is Madeleine and I love her so there ya go!

Branch out and Be Creative!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 14

So, I haven't done any baby stuff because I didn't want to have something that would only work for people that had babies (needing measurements and stuff) but this is such a great gift idea and so easy to make you'd never be without something that moms would definitely love for baby showers or new baby gifts!

 

Cluck Cluck Sew

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 13

Since we've had a few rather involved fabric activities I wanted to do one that was not only useful but also somewhat simple! Sooooo, taadaa!

 To make one, cut a 6 3/4-by-5 7/8-inch rectangle from felt, fold short ends in to meet at center, and pin. Sew sides shut with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, and trim with scallop or pinking shears; adhere mounting tab to back side.

You can also make them following this great tutorial from My Growing Home! I don't have a fancy sewing machine like she does so I liked the simple instructions above!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 12

Goodness, it's already the 12th!! I really should be better about posting early in the day but I never seem to have a minute during the day to do anything other than entertain M&M and the dishes...yuck! Plus today I was able to have a great day with my mom and M&M. we went shopping and I finally got Madeleine's halloween costume! She's gonna be a generic Cinderella (on sale! booya!)  and next year I'll start making her costumes. My friend Kristina got her son a 3 eyed monster costume which I thought was just an adorable idea! I can't wait to see it!

Anyway, today is this one!!! I found it on Pinterest but I further researched it and found During Quiet Time which used a tutorial and PDF print out from Sew Daily! Follow the trail and you can get lots of free sewing ideas!

I love this as a gift idea plus I love all the colors. Have fun!

Branch out and be creative!!!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 11

OMG!!!! I SAW THIS TODAY and I wanted to die!!

It's a ring holder! Plus, the best part is it's easily DIY!! The tutorial for something similar was found on The Toasted Coconut. I think this will be great if you have a pair of shoes where one gets injured (broken heel...it does happen) but the other is in good shape or some super cute shoes you find on sale that just aren't in your size! Keep them around to love while making good use out of them!

I love that she used  fabric and pillow stuffing but I rather like the foam and how professional it looked. She spent 4.00 on the shoes at a garage sale and the ones in the picture are from Ruche and cost 18.99! So, cheap if you don't want to DIY but even cheaper to DIY!

Branch out and be creative!!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 10

So, we know what tools we need to sew and how to use our machine. So..lets get started!
I have found this wonderful tutorial on how to make a flower broach.

Check out Cluck Cluck Sew for the post.

She uses a machine to stitch all of the circles together but I don't think that's necessary if you don't have a machine yet. Just use your needle and thread. You can always cut your scraps into any shape you want like pretty flowers or stars!

Now, for the back, if you don't have an actual pin back to sew onto your flower you can always just use a safety pin, no one will see it anyway.

Also you can add anything you want in the middle of it. I like the button but you can also add rhinestones or something with a strong adhesive.

Anyway, I love this broach because the circles don't have to be perfect nor do they have to be finished edges! They are so easy you can make one for each outfit! It's a great scrap buster!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 9

So, today I wanted to do a very detailed very picture heavy step by step instruction on how to use your sewing machine. Then I rediscovered Freckled Nest! I was a big follower of hers a while ago (pre sewing) but I never really appreciated what her blog was about. Now that I actually have a machine that goes when I push down the pedal, I love her again! She has this wonderful wonderful tutorial on how to use a basic machine.

So I wanted to put hers on here because it's just so nicely done!
I think the trickiest part about the machine is the bobbin and she explains it pretty well. If you are trying it out and need some help, drop me a line and we can chat about it. I'll be happy to help you!

Branch out and Be Creative!!'

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 7

Today is the last day of paper crafts! But tomorrow starts fabric crafting! (One of my new favorite past times!)
So I thought I would post a wonderful tutorial from Bloesem Kids that I'm totally going to do for my M&M's room...as soon as I can get outside and gather some sticks. I really should get on that.

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 6

Hand made cards are always what I prefer...is it easier to pick up a card from the grocery store...yes, but it will mean a million times more if it's handmade!


Craft Obsession has wonderful handmade cards as well as card sketches which are great if you're having a creative lapse.  I love how simple this card is but it sure is lovely!

The Frugal Crafter has a great tutorial on how to make your own bakers twine because for some reason it's kind of pricey. But plain white string is a lot cheaper and you can customize it into any color you'd like!





Branch out and be crafty!!

31 Days to Branch Out: Day 5

Oh the many many uses scrapbook paper. They sure do not have to just be used for scrapbook pages.

For instance:
A Sprinkle of This and That

Casos e Coisas da Bonfa  (This one is in Portuguese but has wonderful pictures)

Enchanted Sisters: An Etsy Shop 

House Revivals 

Swap-bot Blog (Awesome templates!)

Chica and Jo 

I hope these are motivate you! I am DEFINITELY doing the rolled up Christmas tree one for our house!

Thanks for joining us today and keep on crafting!