DIY Corkboard

We have a whole bag full of wine corks at home that we use for all sorts of craft projects. We don’t really drink wine, so we scavenge for these corks along with other reusable things like glass jars, paper, boxes, ribbons and all sorts of stuff we can use for crafting and as props for our photo sessions at home. Our small storage room under the stairs is actually bursting to the brim with our growing collection.

Since we’ve both been spending lots of time at home this past week, eating lots of cupcakes and cookies, we decided it was time to get out of the kitchen for a little bit of exercise. Crafting involves lots of hand movements, sweating and concentration, pretty much like exercising, so it’s the closest we can get to leading an active lifestyle. Lol!

We like to leave each other notes and reminders during busy days and always write to-do lists because we are both so forgetful. There’s a magnetic board that we use in our bedroom but we need another bulletin board for the kitchen so we don’t miss out on anything.

This DIY Corkboard is inexpensive and fun to make, and we’re really hoping you get to try this project! Before you go out to buy materials, check out the items you have lying around at home. You’ll be amazed at the amount of things that can be re-purposed. We used a brand new picture frame that we found wasting away in the storage and we are glad to be putting it to good use now!

What you need:

1 wooden picture box frame (size depends on how many wine corks you have)
glue gun
glue sticks
lots of wine corks
paint brush
non-toxic washable paint or acrylic paint if you prefer

How to:

Choose a work area with a flat surface and cover with newspaper or a drop cloth for easy clean up.

Preheat glue gun. Set aside.

Prepare your box frame. If it comes with a glass top, remove this and keep for future craft projects. Retain the cardboard or wooden backing of your frame. This is where you will attach your corks.

Arrange your wine corks by lining them up inside the box to figure out how many you will need. Our frame measures 12” x 12” in size and we used a total of 100 wine corks.

Using your glue gun, apply hot glue to bottom of cork and press firmly inside the frame in upright position. Continue to do this, arranging the corks in rows. Don’t worry if your rows don’t come out in straight lines. The corks come in different sizes so it’s okay if there are gaps.

With a small brush, paint the tops of the cork in random colors to add some contrast to your board. Let dry for at least 3 hours.

We used non-toxic washable paint from Creative Kids Studio. We love using this paint because they come in bright colors, and since it’s water based, clean up is a breeze. 

Christmas is just around the corner and we’re hoping that we have time to make homemade presents for all our friends and family. Happy crafting!

This article also appears on PhilStar.com.

Halloween Candy Bouquet

It has been a tradition in our home to give out candies and sweet treats for Halloween. And since the only kid in the house is all grown up now, we really look forward to all the little boys and girls who pass by on Halloween with their eager faces as they hold out their open bags waiting to see what candy we would drop in. 

This year, we’re planning to do things a little differently. We’re still giving out candies, but for some lucky little kids, we’re giving out some “dressed-up” lollipops just to add a bit of fun! Besides, we love candy and the month of October is the only time we have an excuse to buy more :) 

Here’s a simple idea for a Candy Bouquet that can also double up as a table centrepiece for all you Halloween lovers out there. 

You will need:

Lollipops

White cotton material

Plastic googly eyes

Scissors

Twine

Instant glue

Floral foam

Plastic pumpkin container

Easy how to: Cut out 4” x 4” inch squares of white cotton material from scrap cloth like old t-shirts or socks. Drape over lollipop and secure with a piece of twine. Dab on some glue, attach a pair of googly eyes, and you’re all done!

Trim floral foam to fit your pumpkin or any container you’d like to use and simply stick in your little ghost lollipops.

We had so much fun making this easy Halloween craft while eating lots of candy too. Happy Halloween!

This article also appears on Philstar.com.

Floral Cupcake Centerpiece

I love flowers, and I try to have a fresh flower arrangement on top of our dining table every other week, at the very least. Nothing fancy. Just a simple centerpiece to brighten things up at home. Bianca's not as into plants, flowers and gardening as I am, so I'm not expecting any handmade floral bouquets from her this coming Mother's Day.

Last Christmas, I received a dainty (and very useful) white coated, wire cupcake stand from my cousins in New Jersey. I love its vintage look and remember seeing the same stand used as a floral centerpiece all over Pinterest.

To celebrate Mother's Day, I made myself a pretty arrangement that will  keep me happy for the rest of the week. Flowers always put me in a good mood : ) 

This non-edible but sweet looking centerpiece was easy to make. All you need are some floral foam, spring flowers, roses, or whatever flowers you want to use, and some wax lined baking cups.

How to arrange:

1. Soak floral foam in water. With a knife or cutter, cut out 2" x 2" blocks to fit your baking cups.

2. Cut off flower stems, leaving enough length so the flowers sit just above the rim of each baking cup. Insert cut flowers into foam then put inside baking cups. Important note: Use only wax lined baking cups so water won't leak out.

3. Arrange your flower filled cups on the cupcake stand. You can also use a tiered glass or ceramic cake stand. The blooms will last for about 5-6 days. Just make sure the foam doesn't dry out and re-soak in water as needed.

Happy Mother's Day!

 

DIY Easter Baskets

We're finally spending some quiet time at home today! My summer vacation has been mostly about tagging along with mom on her errands almost every day. I'm dragged to the supermarket, the bank, and the doctor's office, among other places. She makes me get out of bed, and I don't understand why - I'm perfectly comfortable being a bum for the remaining days of freedom I have left. Well, at least there's air conditioning and free lunch out if I'm lucky : )

On Monday, I start review classes for the college entrance tests I'll soon be taking. It'll last for a month, leaving me just two more weeks before school starts and I finish my very last year in high school. I hate growing up and having to be responsible. I wish I could stay a kid forever, but I know it's not gonna happen. My mom gives me regular pep talks on how to reach for my dreams - and though most of those conversations are one-sided, : P I'm really thankful for all of the love and support she gives me.

On our free days, it's fun to do a bit of arts and crafts together, like we did today. We always use the available art materials we have lying around the house. So, go ahead and improvise with what you have at home. These cute Easter baskets were really easy to make, and we hope you enjoy making them!

Easter Baskets

Materials:

Paper cups or bowls- we used plain white bowls but you can use patterned paper cups if you like.

White board paper

Assorted scrapbooking materials and gift wrapping paper

Green Japanese paper

Washi tape

Round head fasteners

Glue

Scissors

Hole punch

We have lots of these ribbon and flower foam cutouts at home that my mom hoards from the bookstore.

Step 1: Cut white board paper into a 1.5" x 10" strip to create a handle.

Step 2: Punch two holes, one on each end of the handle, and along opposite sides of the paper cup.

Step 3: Cut out a 2" x 12" strip of green Japanese paper. Snip the edges of one side of the Japanese paper to resemble grass.

Step 4: Attach the handle onto the paper cup using round head fasteners.

Step 5: Glue on the "grass" on the inside of the paper cup.

Step 6: Decorate your basket with washi tape, scrapbooking accessories or cover with pretty wrapping paper. 

Step 7: Fill with Easter treats!

 

 

Easter Baskets! 

Valentine's Day Party Ideas

My mom and I are having a simple dinner at home to celebrate Valentine's, and I'm hoping we'll have time to decorate our house a bit! Found some inspiration online and thought I'd share it with everyone : )

1. Floating Heart Backdrop / Looks really fun to make, and I think they'd look good with the lanterns in our living room!

2. Four Cheese Pepperoni Pizza / Two of my favorite pizza flavors in one. Plus points for heart-shaped pepperoni.

3. Je t'aime Colorblock Sweater / Still hoping the cold weather will come back - I just love cozy sweaters.

4. Carnation Cones / And of course, we need to have some flowers. Carnations are really pretty!

I can't wait to spread some love to my family and friends this Valentine's! Have a lovely Sunday : )

Paper Straw Wreath

by She Said

We usually start putting up our Christmas tree and other holiday decorations by the middle of November. We're running late this year, with not a single ornament in sight. And it's not because I don't have the time to do it, but more really because I haven't been in the mood to do it.

The recent disaster brought about by Typhoon Yolanda has certainly put a damper on my Christmas spirit. So, I got Bianca to get crafty with me this weekend to make these simple wreaths made out of paper straws and we put them up today. It certainly brightened things up for me and I'm hoping I get to put up the tree tomorrow.

Christmas is all about hope and love and what's in your heart, but a few trimmings around the house would certainly help warm me up for the holidays : )

Materials:

6 inch cardboard ring

red and green art paper

36 paper straws- we used red and green striped straws

satin ribbons

hot glue gun

all purpose glue

scissors

Instructions:

1. Cut out a 6 inch diameter ring from cardboard to resemble a wreath form and cover with art paper.

2. Cut off 1-2 inches from 18 pieces of straw, leaving the rest at their full length.

3. Apply a dab of glue near the center of the wreath form and adhere a full length straw. Alternate with short and long straws until the wreath is completely covered. Let dry at least 3 hours or more.

4.Tie a bow using your satin ribbon and attach onto the wreath using a hot glue gun.

Cardboard Box Playhouse

by she said

Halloween is a big thing in our village! Kids (and even grown ups) dress up in all kinds of costumes and it's really fun to go around and get lots of candy. : D

We've been thinking of making a playhouse made of cardboard for my little cousin when he comes to visit us today. It took us about a day to make this. All the materials we used, we found around the house. We ran out of glue so some parts aren't done yet but we're so excited to show you how it turned out!

Materials:

3ft x 2ft cardboard box

construction paper

glue

double sided tape

scissors 

cutter

paint brush

How To:

 1. Cut out windows on two sides of the box.

2. Cut out a door, but not all the way through. Leave one side still attached to the box so you can swing the door to open and close.

3. Raise the flaps of the top part of the box to resemble a roof and secure with double sided tape. We had some help here from my Tito Sonny, who is crafty like us : )

4. We have lots of construction paper at home. We cut out circles in different sizes and colors.

 5. We mixed regular glue with a little bit of water and used a brush to paint the glue over the box. Arrange and stick the circles on.

6. Create a doorknob out of an old wine cork. Secure with superglue.

Now we're all ready for our little guests : ) It can even come in handy as a photo booth for me and my friends!

Trick or treat? : P

I'm really looking forward to the rest of today, 'cause I'll be seeing some family and close friends. Hope you all have a very happy Halloween!

Cardstock Buntings ♡

by she said

We had a couple of hours of power interruption while some electrical repairs were being done on our street last weekend. And because we had no internet, meaning no connection to the outside world, my mom and I got restless. To beat the boredom, we got into our crafty mode and made these cute buntings to hang in my room.

My mom loves collecting scrapbook materials and all sorts of pretty paper. Whenever we're in a bookstore or happen to chance by a novelty store, she always buys something for arts and crafts. 

Mom: Biancs!!!!! These are really nice. We could use them for something.

Me: uh-huh.....ok

She has this whole collection of washi tape, stickers, labels, rubber stamps, bakers twine - the list could go on and on. But I only have two scrapbooks to my name, so go figure.

My mom got these designer cardstock in pretty patterns from Gourdo's.

We just cut them in half and folded them over bakers twine,

and secured with some double sided tape.

Fast and easy. Now, they're ready to hang in my room.

I tried them out on my bedroom light. Nah, too low.

On the wall above my bookcase. Cute.

On my study table. What do you think? My mom works here during the day when I'm in school.

I think this is the perfect spot.

Disclaimer: We fixed up and organized my room before we took photos. It is now back to its original messy state, so please don't be fooled : )

Washi Coasters

by she said

My mom and I have been planning to make Washi Tape Coasters for awhile! We thought they'd be cute to make as a fun party activity, but we just couldn't wait. So we tried out our idea yesterday : D

Here's what you need:

Set of cork coasters (or ceramic coasters, if you like!)
Washi tape
Scissors
Hobby knife or cutter
Craft mat
Paint brush
Mod Podge
Clear acrylic sealer (optional)

Mod Podge- waterbase sealer, glue and finish. You can get this at Deovir Art Supplies.

Cork coasters, set of 10 from Muji.

Just place strips of washi tape next to one another in any pattern you like. Make sure to get the tape as close to each other as possible and that no part of the cork coaster is showing. Don't forget that washi tape is removable and re-positionable so it's easy to fix if you mess up! We get our washi tape from Paper Chic Studio

After completely covering the coaster with tape, flip it over a cutting mat. Using a craft knife, trim the excess as close to the edge as possible.

Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge on the top and sides of the coaster with a brush and let dry 15-20 minutes. You may opt to spray with a clear acrylic sealer to waterproof them if you like.

They turned out so well, we're planning on making more to give as Christmas presents. Making these was definitely a way of de-stressing after exam week and also getting to bond (aka fight over who gets to cut the tape...hehehe) with mom! What a great Saturday. : )