Days of the Week Baskets

So, Rob and I have been trying to eat at home more. We have been planning our meals and then swearing we eat them at home. I have been grouping everything in the pantry. Last weekend, it occurred to me that I needed a better way to do it so I could see what I had. Thus, the idea of the baskets was born. Eventually I want to add a bar and hang them up. But this works for now. 

The Finished Product:

What You Will Need:

• 7 Dollar Store Baskets
• Pretty paper
• Cricut, Pazzle, or pre-cut letters
• Laminating machine (optional)
• Hole Punch
• Ribbon

Let's Get Started:

1. First you need to cut out your tags. We used the Pazzle machine, but you can cut them by hand, with a Cricut cutter, or even use dye-cuts. Be creative!

2. My tags had two pieces, so I had to stick them together. Don't worry if your pieces curl, we are going to laminate them and that will flatten them.

3. Laminate tags. We have a laminating machine, but I have heard that there are cold-laminate kits out there that may be cheaper to get started with.

4. Punch holes in the tags and use ribbon to tie them to baskets. DONE.

Now I can bring my groceries home and throw them in the baskets for the days I need them on. On the day I want to make that, I can just grab the basket and I have all the non-refrigerated items! VOILA!

PS. Thanks to my mom for getting these baskets from the Dollar Store for me!

Fall Wreath

In keeping with my deep, deep, deep desire for Fall weather and the holidays, my mom and I attempted a project today that turned out quite well, in my opinion! This one makes me proud because we used mostly silk flowers that we already had around the house and we used our 50% of one item at Michael's to buy our wreaths, so this project cost about $28 for two 22" wreaths!

The Final Product:

What You Will Need:

• 1 Grapevine wreath in whatever size you like
• Silk flowers
• Optional: gourds and berries
• Ribbon
• Wire
• Wire cutters
• Hot glue gun

Let's Get Started:

1.  Take your silk flowers and cut them from the base using your wire cutters. 

2. Lay all the flowers out the same direction so that you can see what you have.

3. This is the point where you would want to either make a bow out of your ribbon, or attach a pre-made bow using floral wire. I am lucky because my mom made my bow!

4. Lay wreath flat on the table and start laying your foliage out so you can get a good idea of what you want, but do not glue yet.

5. Remove all the pieces, CAREFULLY laying them approximately where they would go around the outside of the wreath.

6. Now is the artistic part. You can use your wire cutters to cut off the pieces that you want to use and just go to town. Wherever you put a piece in, make sure to use enough hot glue so that it won't fall off, especially if it is going to be outside. 

7. Keep filling in until you reach your desire level of fullness. Tip: add gourds, berries, etc. in groups of 3.

8. Optional: I added a C for my last name using hot glue and twine to secure it to the wreath.

9. Hang on your front door and enjoy!

My mom's is on the left and mine is on the right.
VOILA!