Friday DIY: 5 Button DIYs

Hello and welcome to another edition of Friday DIY!  Today's edition is inspired by the wonderful BUTTON!

Buttons.  What can you say about the humble button?  They can be plain or fancy.  They can be tiny or ridiculously large.  They are both functional and decorative.  They create obsessive behavior in crafters!  Let's see about 5 button DIY tutorials:

Want to make your own buttons?  Here are two tutorials for making your very own custom buttons.

These are made with shrink plastic.  Aren't they wonderful?  Obviously, the crafter behind these buttons knows a thing or two about design.  LOVE the VW bus!

Scissors.Paper.Wok made these buttons.  I highly recommend checking out the blog - it's awesome!

What about some buttons that don't require heating anything up?  Diane Gilleland created this great tutorial over on CraftStylish.  Make your own Dorset buttons!

Fiber artists will probably be all about these buttons as they could be used as appliques (gorgeous on a hat), made into brooches (hello destashing!), or used to match the buttons to your new hand knit sweater (I mean, REALLY match the buttons to your sweater because they are made out of the same yarn!).

You probably know Diane Gilleland from her wildly popular podcast, Crafty Pod.

So, you don't want to make your own buttons but you want to use the buttons to make something else?  Well...

Jazz up your house plants with button flowers! I think kids would really like picking through your button stash and creating these.

What about making some art for your walls?  A simple google images search (button art) will provide you with endless inspiration!  Here's a tutorial for this adorable elephant art from Busted Button.

And what about these votive candles from iHanna?  If you are looking for a weekend project that you could make quickly, this may be it!

Enjoy your weekend!  As always, if you make any of these DIYs, I'd love to see them!  Just post a link in the comments.

Interested in seeing more Friday DIY?  Click here.

All photos are property of original owners.  I did not write these DIYs or take these photos.  I collect DIYs and pass them on to you!

Fifty Shades of Gray

This is one of my kid's Bakugan cards.  I almost died when I saw the name of this one.

Running an ad on a blog!

I am running an ad on one of my favorite blogs!  This is my first ad and I'm really excited about it.  Something about running an ad makes me realize how seriously I'm taking my small business.  It feels great!

The blog is called Hello Hydrangea.  Lindsey is super sweet and runs an interesting blog.  She has tutorials, fashion, and photography.  I added a Hello Hydrangea button on the right side of my blog for easy linking.

Here's the ad I'm running - I made it myself and I'm quite pleased with it!

Kibbles 'N Knits ad on Hello Hydrangea

Make sure you check out Hello Hydrangea.  I think you'll like it!

Memory Calendar DIY (Friday DIY inspired)

I saw this great idea for an ongoing calendar on DesignSponge and decided to make one for myself!  (Previously blogged on my Friday DIY.)  It's my birthday today and my memory calendar will restart on July 8th every year.  Today, before I go to bed, I'm going to write one line of what I did today. Then, I'll put today's notecard at the back of the bin.  Every night before sleep, I'll record something I did on that date.  This first year will be filling up the first line of every notecard.

Next year, I'll get to read about last year and then fill in a line for 2013.  Then, in 2014 I'll read about what I did on that day the previous two years and record something for 2014.  Get it?

I'm going to make one for each of my kids, too.  I love the idea that every time you turn the page of your calendar you can see what that day was like in previous years!  And I love finishing the day with such a simple act of journaling.

The DIY on DesignSponge requires cutting the notecards to fit her cute berry box.  I didn't want to mess around with cutting over 150 notecards so I modified the DIY a bit.

MATERIALS:

Notecards (400 - 3" by 5" cards- that's enough for every day and extras for mistakes)
Bin  (TIP: Buy the notecards first.  Then take the notecards with you while you look for a bin.  This will ensure your notecards fit!)
11 Photographs or Postcards (to divide the months)
Date Stamp
Inking pad

I bought my notecards at the dollar store.  I found the photos and post cards in my photo albums.  I got the bin, stamp, and inking pad at Michaels.  I DID look around the dollar store and my own home for a bin but didn't find anything that fit quite right.

Making the calendar takes some time but it's very easy!  

I stamped the day (without the year) in the upper right hand corner of the notecard.  Then, along the left side of the notecard, I stamped the date (including the year).  Note:  I only stamped the future years on this first card, just to show you.  I will add the stamps for upcoming years on the other cards next year when the calendar starts again!

I took some pictures of how I lined up my stamp to produce the date stamp without the year.  You just need to put a scrap piece of paper under your notecard so that when you stamp the date only the month and day end up on the notecard.  The year ends up on the scrap paper.

I'm so pleased with how it turned out!  I can't wait to start writing in it.

If you make one please include a link to your project in the comments.  I'd love to see it!

Friday DIY: 4 Things to Make for Your Home

Hello!  Welcome to Friday DIY!  This is a new feature on my blog and I hope you like it.  I spend a lot of time finding DIY inspiration on the internet.  Come back every Friday for another edition of Friday DIY!

DesignSponge is one of my very favorite websites!  They post lots of DIY ideas and (my favorite) before-and-after photos.  Look at this great shelf made from an old wooden ladder!  This would be so easy to make!  I've often thought of doing this very thing in my garden with an aluminum ladder and wire shelves.

DesignSponge also has this super idea for an ongoing calendar/memory box.  I am going to do this with my kids!  I'm a teacher in addition to being a mother.  I want to mention that this would be a great activity for increasing your child's interest in reading and writing.  Any authentic opportunity to write (and BONUS! it's connected to their person life and interests) gives your child a boost in literacy.

I think I would also add photographs to the box.  Watch the blog - I'll post my version of this idea when it's done!

Look at these gorgeous little boxes I found on Heirlooms by Ashton House!  This blog does not have any DIY information (as she bought the boxes) but I think these would be pretty simple to make.  A saw, strong glue and some clamps ought to do the trick!  They would be great for holding jewelry, craft supplies, and other tiny bits.

Here's another great storage idea!  This time it comes with a detailed tutorial.  Netoflak came up with this idea in order to organize her daughter's hair clips, ties, and bows.  This would be lovely in the kitchen or craft room, too!

I hope you enjoyed this Friday's edition of Friday DIY!

Barefoot Sandal Shoe Enhancer

Look at this clever way to style the barefoot sandal!

I don't understand the barefoot sandal look.  HOWEVER, pair a cute barefoot sandal with a simple shoe and you get a lot of drama!  Did I mention ...love Maeghan tells you how to DIY the sandal?

A fashion blog you should be following: Chicago Street Style

Do you like street style?  Do you like fashion blogs?  Amy Creyer's Chicago Street Style is a really great blog.  She photographs interesting looks on regular people.  Unlike the Sartorialist, which is also a great blog, Amy photographs people who are not models, rich, and famous.  She shoots people who wear really great clothes and you could imagine wearing them!  I highly recommend following Chicago Street Style.

Here are a couple of my favorite looks:

All images are property of Amy Creyer.

Earrings holder

What are these wire racks? Are they CD holders? I don't know what they are but I see them at thrift stores all the time. They make great holders for earrings! They are sturdy and compact. I love mine!

Tip: always check the wire and office sections at thrift stores. Think outside what the item was intended for and you can get some great jewelry stands.

Cinemagram

Calling all crafty people!  You might really enjoy this iPhone app.  It's called Cinemagram and it's really fun to use.  You take short videos and can choose to animate certain parts of the photo (it's turned into a gif file when you are done).  I love it and I hope you do, too!

PS  Kids really think Cinemagram is fun.  :)

Clever and eco-friendly wall art

Look at this clever idea!  This was a movie poster found in the trash.  With some planning and cool frames, you get a very neat wall.  Go see the full post with instructions over at re-nest.

Honey Case: go check out this shop

 

How fun is this bookmark?  It's made by Honey Case on Etsy.   She has other ones, too.

Fish Tale Bookmark

Groom's legs bookmark

Aren't these bookmarks fun?  Click this link to see her entire bookmarks section.  They look like they've been whittled out of twigs, don't they?  Nope!  They are polymer clay.

She doesn't just make bookmarks, either.  She makes gorgeous jewelry, too!

 Isn't this cornflower necklace pretty?

You really aught to go check out Honey Case's shop.  She makes bookmarks, necklaces, earrings, brooches, rings, and bobby pins.  They are simply gorgeous!

Kibbles 'N Knits on Facebook

I've been posting lots of fun links I find on blogs like Colossal and Kottke over on my facebook page instead of posting them here.  Find me on facebook if you are interested in seeing all of my links.  It's a lot easier to post links on facebook than on blogger because the link shows a photo over on facebook!  Blog posts without a photo are generally sad.  It takes about 5 seconds to post a link on facebook and I like that time commitment.

Tweenbots

I saw this on Etsy's blog and I'm in love with these little bots!  Tweenbots are little robots that need human help to reach a destination.  Go check out the website and watch the video.  They are adorable.  It's really sweet to see so many people help them out.

Photo is property of Kacie Kinzer of Tweenbots.

Dear Photograph

"Take a picture of a picture from the past in the present."

If you haven't checked out Dear Photograph you really should. The posts are sometimes funny, usually sweet, and sometimes very sad.  Here's an example of what you would see out there.  Go see Dear Photograph!  (P.S.  Tell me if you submit a picture.  I have been trying to come up with one to send in.)

Dear Photograph,

I hated it when grandpa said, “let’s let the TV nap and go for a walk.” Funny how I miss those walks now.
Ariel

Garage Sale Treasures

Have you noticed that I love garage sales?  I like thrift stores, too but the real fun (and real bargains) are at garage sales.

Look what I found this past Wednesday!  (Yes, Wednesday.  It's actually a pretty good day to go garage saling.)

All four of these pieces of jewelry only cost me $5!  I am in love with the two brooches.  I really like the necklace and the bracelet was purchased because it's trendy.  I don't know if I'll wear it.

It's so bold!  Rope and chains (and big bracelets) are really popular right now so I'm going to give it a shot.  What do you think, is this bracelet a winner?

Fiber Art

I am an avid reader of the blog named Colossal.  It's an art blog and it's total fun.  I just saw this post and since I'm a fiber artist I wanted to link to it here.  Kaylee Hibbert has made amazing textile art that looks very much like spirograph art.  Go see it!

Hello, Beautiful!

I found a tin filled with my old glasses. This pair was my favorite. Let me set the scene: 7th grade (1988). Small town Wisconsin. Nerdy girl goes big on style.

I remember feeling very hot in these glasses. It may have been the first time I knew I was wearing something hot. I have rarely felt as stylish as when I wore these glasses.

Do you have something you remember owning, loving, and now don't quite understand the fascination?

P.S. The gray shirt slung over my shoulder is a vintage Givenchy found at a garage sale. I bought it thinking, "I own a designer something!" I really tried to make this shirt work for me. I tried so hard. In the end I sold it at a flea market. The girl who bought it rocked that thing! I also sold a couple of my vintage bags at that flea market. These two bags sold to one of the most adorably fashionable women I've ever seen in St. Paul.

Oh, Balls!

I made these little balls the other day. The pattern is available for free. They don't even take an hour to make (probably more like 30 minutes) and they are endless fun. You can throw them inside and nothing gets ruined. Kids can throw them and you don't get an eye full of ball.

These are a good stashbusting project. They don't take much yarn to knit (not too satisfying when you are trying to use up yarn) but I stuffed them with yarn as well. Awesome.

My red sweater

My garter yoke cardi is coming along great! In fact, I have only to knit the ribbing on one sleeve and then I'm on to the finishing. I made some changes to the pattern such as these increases at the bust (I'll post a full list of mods when it's completed).

I got a great tip from and old episode of the Knitmore Girls podcast. Jasmin mentioned that she likes knitting her sleeves two-at-a-time. I was almost to the elbow on the first sleeve when I got started on the second. I'm so glad I did this!

- I could more accurately decide on the length of the sleeves since I had two arms with sleeves to look at in the mirror.

- I was much more motivated to knit (it's really hard to start that second sleeve).

- I could make adjustments to tension, guage, size as I went instead of realizing it at the very end of the project.

Clever thinking!

TMI?

I'm going to share some personal information (perhaps a little too personal) but it's for a good cause! That is, if you think the earth is a good cause.

Some women get their periods like clock work. They know exactly when they are coming. Other women, such as the one writing this post, never know when the period is coming. It's usually somewhere between 15 and 45 days between periods. To avoid accidents, I wear a maxi pad just about every day. I really can't be teaching and suddenly think, "I have to get to a bathroom!" The honest truth is that I can't just go to the bathroom whenever I want to in order to check and see if my period has arrived. So, I have to have a little extra protection.

I was offended at the amount of pads I was using "just in case" my period showed up. I also seem to use a lot of pads at the end of period when I don't really need a pad but I don't want to stain my underwear. (I know - too much information.) So, I went out to Etsy and bought one or two pads from a variety of sellers. I found one I was very pleased with and went back for more. Pleat has a shop full of pads, and a line of happy customers.


These pictures are of the pantyliners. They are way more comfortable than disposable pads (I hardly notice I'm wearing them). One of the reasons I preferred Pleat's pads to the others I tried was that they were substantial enough for me to feel confident in them but still pliable enough to be very comfortable. They are very well made and they come in cute fabrics. The pads are made to order so you'll wait just a few days for them to arrive. The turn-around time is very reasonable. The seller must be sewing like crazy!

So far, I've only used cloth pads for the "just in case" time of my period and for the end of my period when the flow is really light. (Once my period starts I've been switching to disposables.) I just change the the cloth pads a couple times a day (for comfort and freshness) and they go in my regular laundry. I'm planning to switch to cloth pads for use when I'm at home but there are many women who use cloth pads all the time. I read that they are great for extra protection with a diva cup.

Pleat sells pantyliners, regular pads, overnight pads, and even thong pads! Instead of buying single pads you can also buy them in sets.

They are not hard to use or clean. Here's what Pleat's shop announcement says (and it's true!):

"New to cloth pads? Give them a chance and join the ranks of happy cloth users. They are super soft and comfortable - no more chafing from disposables. Secure, highly leak resistant, chlorine free, environmentally friendly and frugal, what's not to love about them? Oh, and I bet you would be surprised how easy it is to keep them stain free and fresh: just rinse in cold water after use, fold and snap, and then run through the washing machine at your leisure (before they dry out is best). A bit of white vinegar added to your wash load is an amazingly effective, inexpensive, all natural deodorizer that eradicates odors and mildew and leaves them fresh as new."

That's the end of my TMI post. I hope you will all consider cloth pads as another easy way to reduce waste.