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Welcome to the Friday Fluff Up! I love sharing deals, but my home is definitely a place that I want to enjoy too in the midst of all the coupon craze. So, last week after spending a little too much time over on Pinterest (if you haven't signed up over there you really should!), I decided that I'm going to challenge myself to a new penny-pinched craft each week, and I'll share it with you guys here.
I found this great idea for re-purposing cardboard containers last week through Pinterest from My Homespun Threads, and while I loved her idea to use it for her children's allowance containers, I knew we were in need of a way to freshen up our after-school routine. Just two weeks into the school year and my kiddos were starting to come home each afternoon completely grouchy, throwing their book bags and papers and stuff all around our house, and we really didn't have a great plan of attack. So I decided it was time to change our afternoons!
We have a room in our home (the Living Room? ha!) that goes almost completely unused, except during piano practice. So I decided to make the canisters fit the room, and also make myself step away from the kitchen . . . the cleaning . . . the computer (eek!), to help out for an hour or so with homework each night. It's made such a difference this week (truly, unbelievable!) Even if you don't need these canisters for school supplies, they're super cheap and a fun little weekend project.
Here's how to make yours . . .
Start with a few used containers (some folks on Facebook saw what happened to my Quaker Oats that inspired this craft . . . )
Remove tops of canister if you need to (I used scissors to cut off the top of the salt container.) Cut scrapbook paper to the size you need.
Use spray adhesive or rubber cement to attach paper to carton. To keep the paper from unrolling, sit and hold it around the canister while you check out new pins on Pinterest 🙂 . . .
Or, get a little smarter and let a rubberband do the work for you . . .
I used my Cricut Cutting Machine (which I love), to cut out labels for the containers. You could also pick up pre-made die cuts at Hobby Lobby or Michael's pretty inexpensively.
Here's what our new school work table looks like . . .
Including some items for Reagan (my youngest) to work on while I help my older two with their homework . . .
So, there you have it! Looking for more inexpensive crafts to work on this weekend? Here are a few favorites that I found this week . . .
Chalkboard Place Mats these aren't a deal, but I'm convinced there's got to be a way to make them less expensively!
Christmas Neighbor Gifts I'll definitely be making these!
Mini Buttermilk Cinnamon Pops not a craft, but I couldn't resist sharing . . .
And, if you're hoping for a craft deal out there, Hobby Lobby has their scrapbook paper on sale 50% off this week, and you can use this Michael's coupon for 40% off any regular priced item.
Do you have any craft projects that you're working on at home right now? If you have a blog and have made something, I'd love to see it, so leave your link it the comments section! Also, if there's a craft you've seen on a website that you're hoping to make, feel free to link up to that as well.
Happy Fluffing 😉
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I’m following you on Pinterest! LOVE it!!! The next craft I’m setting out to make penny-pinching style is from there- a head band holder for my daughter’s collection of headbands. Here is the link:
http://thegainesgang4.blogspot.com/search/label/Before%20and%20Afters?updated-max=2011-02-28T06%3A35%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=20 (scroll down)
For my 3 year old: A jet pack DIY
http://sewingin-nomansland.blogspot.com/2010/10/rocket-man-little-boys-space-party.html
Among many others when I have the time 🙂
It’s so fun, isn’t it Crystal? I did make my second Fluff Up Friday craft last weekend and wanted to share it, but got WAY behind. So, it’ll go up this Friday! Thanks so much for sending over your other ideas – I could hang out there on Pinterest all day!!!
Thank you so much for that respond! It was very inspirational to me and put a smile on my face! You’re really a great person and I’m so glad I found this blog.
You’re so welcome Bree! 🙂 (& thank you for the encouragement!!!)
My husband and I have been couponing for two years and we still can’t afford an ipad. i keep torturing myself by scrolling to that picture. the case is super cute!
pinterest seems like a great site, but im just going to browse endlessly. joining would mean i would have to keep up with the account and i dont need any more distractions.
last year i found pictures of nutcrackers online and printed out two nutcracker images on a page in the landscape format. i wrapped the sheet around pringles cans so that each side had a different nutcracker. we purchased one of those big containers with popcorn that walmart sells for $5 and divided the popcorn into the pringles cans. we set them out for the family christmas get together and let each kid pick a can (some cans had a single flavor, some had all 3 flavors, we even poured a little of each into a bowl and mixed them so the popcorn would be layered). it was a frugal party favor for six kids and we still had leftovers from the canister.
sorry i meant, “wouldN’T be layered”
You’ll get there Bree! Until 6 weeks ago I had a phone that was probably made in 1992, and no ipad 🙁 But because of how much time I spend working on the computer, we decided it was worth the purchase (and I was able to use money earned through PPP.) I’m not sure that it was incredibly necessary, but it is nice being able to handle emails and basic blog work while sitting through my kids sports stuff!
I was thinking today that it would be great to do a series on saving through grocery shopping to use towards specific items (i.e. an ipad!) BUT, I know there are times in our lives when the money is really needed for just regular budget stuff. If it makes you feel any better at all, we’ve been at this penny-pinching thing for almost 15 years and it’s only been the last 4-5 that I really do feel like we can buy those extra things. So hang in there – I promise you’ll get there!
(BTW – I understand the Pinterest distraction . . . it really is just about the only thing that I do that isn’t “working” in some form or fashion whether blog work or mommy work, and so far I’ve kept it to a minimum but it sure is fun!!!) 🙂 Love the popcorn idea!
I am addicted to Pinterest!
Me too – whenever stuff on PPP doesn’t work, I just go over and wander a bit . . . helps me limit my frustration with the computer! 🙂
Want to know how to make your own chalkboards? You can buy chalkboard paint by the can. Add a sheet of masonite (or even heavy cardboard) and voila, you can make as many chalkboards as you want for a fraction of the cost of buying those.
That’s what I was thinking! We did a chalkboard pained area in our play room, and I’m wondering if I have any of the paint left. Hadn’t thought of using masonite – but that probably would work perfectly! I’ll put this down as one of the to do’s on Fridays, there HAS to be a way to make those less expensively 🙂
Thanks for the tip!!!
Those are too cute!