Category Archives: D.I.Y

Homemade Bourbon Vanilla Extract

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Open the booze cabinet. I have a simple project for you. If you are like me, vanilla extract is used on the reg and disappears on the reg too. Those tiny bottles are not cheap either. That is why this project is a fun and cost-effective solution for you.

There are different types of vanilla beans: Madagascar, which I am using for my extract. Madagascar beans are powerful, bold and a full-flavored bean. Tahitian beans are fruity and floral, think piña colada, and Mexican beans are a more slightly softer flavor bean, smooth and creamy. I would choose your beans by what is most appealing to you. The same goes with your alcohol you can choose vodka, bourbon or rum. Stick to a clean (non-flavored) and 80 proof alcohol.

It is also fun to pick your container. I found this glass bottle with a clamp stopper, which is very reminiscent of a vintage flask. You can find it here.

Perfect gift for about any household, it just needs a cute label.

Bourbon Vanilla Extract

Need:

Bottle, jar or Jug with a tight closure

Vanilla Beans

Dark spot to store

Patience (takes 8 weeks till your extract will be ready)

How:

Thoroughly clean your jar. Split the bean open lengthwise and place in jar.

Cover the beans completely with alcohol.  It’s three vanilla beans per cup of alcohol, so if you use 2 cups of vodka split open six vanilla beans and throw them in the jar.

Give it a good shake, seal it and place it a cool and dark place for two months. Every now and then you can give it a good shake.

DIY | Personalized Denim Shirt {Boho Style}

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We are having a yard sale this weekend and in preparation I was rummaging through our garage and found a bag of pillows. Now, I have a thing for decorative pillows but I tend to tire of them and store them away and bring them out a few months later or so, I just do not like looking at the same pillows all the time. To me it is like wearing the same accessories every day. Back to my garage rummaging I found this old Ikat pillow and had this vision of it as a large patch on the back of a denim shirt. I do not use a sewing machine, so I hand sewed on the patch and love the results of my shirt.

If you want to try this with one of your shirts but do not have a fabric option, try visiting a thrift shop or vintage store for interesting garments. You do not need to worry about the garment fitting you, just that it is big enough for your fabric patch.

DIY Personalized Denim shirt

Need:

  • Denim shirt or other button up shirt
  • large scrap of fabric (big enough for your shirt)
  • good scissors
  • needle
  • thread
  • pins or safety pins

 

How:

Lay out your shirt with collar up (iron if needed) then lay your fabric over your shirt. You can cut to the size you want (drawing on the fabric could help) but do leave extra room of fabric to work with, you can always trim after. Pin down your fabric to your shirt and make sure it is smooth and secure. Begin sewing the fabric on to your shirt. Sew across the bottom, top and sides. After you are done trim away any excess fabric.

*I would recommend hand washing or washing your personalized shirt on delicate.

DIY | Mother’s Day Gifts

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Mother’s Day is this Sunday and in honor of my crafty awesome Mom, I created two DIY’s. One DIY is very similar to these jars, a catch-all for things like buttons, thread, and other baubles of things and the wreath was a simple and darling project that I thought would look nice in my Mom’s office/craft room.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms and my Mom!

Felt Wreath

Need:

  • Felt squares in various colors
  • good scissors
  • wood embroidery hoop
  • ribbon
  • and glue

How:

Begin by cutting the felt into leaf shapes. I do this free hand (while watching a movie). For a small hoop cut three felt square and double the amount for the next size up, etc.

After you have your leaf shapes, warm up your hot glue and begin glueing the felt leafs around the hoop on teach side (two sides, front and back)work your way around your entire hoop. Finish with a ribbon. Be sure to face wreath, its best side forward.

 

Fabric wrapped lid with critter

Need:

  • glass jar with lid
  • square of fabric
  • spray adhesive
  • scissors
  • glue
  • critter

How:

Take your lid and lay your lid on the fabric and draw a circle leaving about an inch around the lid. Then cut the shape. Spray a generous amount of adhesive to the lid, lay the fabric and soon it will start to stick. Cut off any excess fabric. To attach a critter just use hot glue to attach. Allow everything to dry for at least eight hours.

D.I.Y | Garden Stakes

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My garden area is not looking too fruitful this year. I made a conscious decision to let our garden go as we were planning on moving away by summer, but now that we might be sticking around a bit longer I decided to plant a few new herbs and such into large pots. So, I guess now this makes me semi-committed to my garden.

In my craft closet I found a package of leftover oven-bake clay from this project and decided I would use it to cheer up my garden. After spending an hour weeding and planting I felt a bit inspired to do more for my garden and maybe even more little touches like these cute garden stakes.

P.S. The clay stakes make a perfect gift for your gardening loving Mother too, as Mother’s Day is just around the … garden.

 

DIY Garden Stakes

Need:

  • oven bake clay
  • baking sheet
  • parchment paper
  • rolling-pin
  • knife (Exacto knife)
  • paint/paint brushes
  • sandpaper

How:

On a flat surface, roll out clay with rolling-pin, use parchment paper between surface and your clay. I rolled out the clay until it had the thickness of a cookie. Then I used a knife to cut long straight strips and created a point at the bottom of each stake. Then I laid out the clay stakes on a baking sheet line with parchment paper and put them in the oven.  Follow the direction to your oven bake clay. My clay called for 30 minutes in the oven at 275 degrees. Allow them to cool down at least an hour.

Gently sandpaper any rough parts of the clay to create a smooth surface. Use acrylic paint to paint your clay. When the paint is dry you can spray them with a sealer or put them straight into the dirt. Sealing it will help it hold up against weather.