How-To Diaper Storage Bins

So being a new mom, I've discovered that my home now has an endless supply of diaper boxes and I didn't want to just toss them all. When I saw some pretty floral duct tape in a reduced bin at the store, I knew it was project time!

Like many projects recycling diaper boxes, this one only requires a few materials:
  - 2 colours of duct tape (I actually found a fun green masking tape, so my project today has 2 rolls of duct tape + 1 roll of masking tape)
  - diaper box(es)
  - utility knife
  - scissors

So first of all, take your empty diaper box and cut off the flaps with your utility knife. Also cut off the flaps that are inside the handle cut-outs. (Watch your fingers!)

Next, cover the entire outside of your box in duct tape. I started with covering the underside and then putting strips around starting at the bottom, working toward the top. (In my case I used plain grey tape here and then covered it again with masking tape to achieve my desired colour)

take a pair of scissors and clip the tape at the handle openings to fold to the inside.

To "top it off", simply use your second colour of duct tape for the top edge.

All done!

Wipes boxes would alsi be handy for smaller items or shallow shelves.

DIY Babyfood, even healthier!

So today was baby food making day! My little one will soon be able to try these tasty dishes so I'm getting a head-start.

A couple of healthier choices I made for my baby food:
1. Garden Veggies grown at home - I know not everyone is lucky enough to have their own garden, but if at all possible I believe the best and most nutritious stuff is grown at home. I plant non-GMO seed in my garden from Livingston Seeds.
2. I've chosen to steam my veggies and fruits rather than boil them. Steaming results in a more nutritious food than boiling because fewer nutrients are leached away into the water, which is usually discarded.

So first thing's first, cut up your veggies and fruit to start things off. I'll be doing one vegetable at a time as it's better to introduce a baby to one thing at a time rather than a mix in the beginning. I cut and peeled off anything that will not take to being blended later (zucchini skins, bean stems, ...etc). Then the items were cut up into medium sized chunks and set in my steam tray inside of my pot, already filled part way with water. Boiling for about 20 minutes did the trick (give or take depending on how full tray is).

The next step was to fill the blender with steamed items and blend them well. I let a little water go with the veggies into the blender; this allowed them to blend smoother as my blender isn't top-of-the-line. 

Once everything was blended I poured the smooth veggies into ice cube trays. These are perfect portion sizes and won't take long to thaw on the counter (&avoid the microwave!). :)

I have Tupperware Ice Cube Trays which come with a lid and are great for stacking and keeping the food clean.

After each batch was frozen I dumped the tray of food into my Tupperware Freezer Mates. Any freezer bag or container would do just as nicely. I was sure to label everything cause sometimes it's hard to tell what you're looking at after it's all blended!

I'm going to make sure to utilize all of this year's home-grown produce! There are so many great foods to prepare!

Bath. Makeover 3

Okay done!
Day 2 ended with a reorganised space using things I had around to recycle and re-use - no shopping required!

I dug around the house for any baskets I wasn't using and put them to use storing my "plug-in's" (curling iron, straightener, hair dryer...etc), also storing my hair bands and odd hair items, and the taller one to keep all of my hair product bottles.

More bungee hooks proved to be perfect for hanging jewelry, keeping it out in the open and easy to pick from.

A tray from a gift bath set was just what I needed to lay out my pallet of make-up choices. I set it on the top shelf for easy, everyday reach along side a small jewellery box that houses my rings and Pandora beads.

Short on tin cans and not feeling like soup again for lunch,  2 mason jars workes well for lipsticks/gloss and all of my "tools"...like nail clippers & tweezers...etc. I never knew I had so many until I started cleaning all this up!

One shelf I kept a basket that I already had and filled it with all of my lotions and body wash. Beside it I kept room for the perfume I wear every day and an "optical station" to set my glasses/contact stuff on. Keeping my make-up in that huge cabudal on the top shelf was handy but just so in the way. Instead I filled the cabudal with items not needed so often like razor refills, wax & strips, extra contact boxes and solution...etc.

I repainted the frame of an old vanity mirror, the dresser part broken, and completed my much more organized bathroom stand.
Getting ready in the morning will now be easy with all the essentials at my finger tips!

Bath. Makeover 2

You've seen in before and you'll see it again: painted tin cans!

Recycling tin cans with a little paint and string gave me some handy dandy containers for my hair and cosmetic organization. Here I have made a container for my hair brushes using a pasta sauce can and two for make-up brushes and tall make-up items (such as maskera, eyeliner, lip liner...etc.) out of soup cans.

First thing's first, I washed the cans, and then drilled a hole in each one near the top (I used the sticky glue area as the back). Next was flattening the metal around the drilled hole with plyers, a couple coats of paint and a cute touch of a string bow. The labela I drew on with a sharpy pen and vuala!
I'll be using the "S" hooks from a cheep package of bungee cords to hang my cans.

I also plan on using a shorter pineapple can for my lipsticks.
Take a walk down the can isle at the grocery store and get inspired by the different sizes!

PLEASE NOTE: I used a Tupperware Can Opener on my cans, prying the lids off without cutting the can or leaving sharp edges! 

Bath. Makeover 1

In having an empty dishwasher detergent container, I really wanted to put it to use here. One of my pet peeves is buying a package of something and filling a decorative space with it but having leftover in the original package that you still have to store somewhere...this, therefore, worked perfectly for my cotton balls! A whole package can easily fit in this pretty paper-covered container.

I like to have Q-tips out and handy so I covered the sleeve with paper as well. Covering just the sleeve will allow me to keep using it with new boxes I buy, simply by switching the decorative sleeve for the plain one each time.

Trying to pinch as many pennies as possible, I decorated my own paper here; but I also thought that it would be even prettier to purchase a cute role of wrapping paper!

DIY bathroom clutter makeover

Today I decided that my bathroom stand needs a makeover desperately! I have always found that my hair products and cosmetics take up so much room and are hard to manage, so I am taking up the challenge of reorganizing this shelf of shambles into a cute, functional space.

Over the next few days I will be brainstorming and searching on Pinterest for great ideas to inspire organization and functionality into this space!

Cinchy Cylinder Vase

With Summer almost gone and Autumn right around the corner, I got motivated to throw together a pretty table piece.

I filled a simple vase full of painted pine cones, nuts and decorative balls in muted green tones; then finished the project with wrapping orange binder twine around the base near the bottom. This will look great with sitting on my table with my "burnt pumpkin"-coloured feature wall in the background!
...use ribbon or string to match the room you place it in for pretty coordination!

Play Gym for a Penny Pincher

This was so great and so fun to make!
I used an old pair of pants for the underside and an old throw blanket for the rest. My materials cost me less than $5!
Thanks Shannon from Thoughts&Thimbles!

Framed Pallet

My most favorite original decor idea ever: (Although I'm sure SOMEONE SOMEWHERE has done this before)
Frame your paint stir sticks with all if your house colours! It looks beautiful and it will be neat to have a record of your colour tastes in years to come!

Baby Bonnet

I recieved a second hand bonnet for my little one and I just love the design! It's not too old-fashioned and feminine for a little boy, but still gives you the essential brim and ear coverage that is a must.

The bonnet was made with a light-weight cotton and perfect for Summer, but with Autumn fast approaching I was inspired to create a replica!

I simply traced 3 easy pieces from the original hat (baby blue) - brim, back, & main strip - and then used an old flannel pillow case to assemble the new one (grey). Using the opportunity to recycle my plastic milk jug, I used a semi-circle piece cut out for the brim. It was perfectly flexible yet stable and worked great.

This pattern is so easy and would be so simple to make for different sizes. I made mine reversable so next time I'll use 2 different colours for some variety.