15 minute craft: Twine + Tea Canister

Tonight I was in a crafty kind of mood. I finally made a list of all the projects I have planned and WOW. I was just itching to get started. I adore making pretty things and crafting. Always have. And now that I'm starting to get settled into a routine, I finally have the time to create. I've been working on 2 projects for about a month now off-and-on. One should be done within the next 2 weeks and the other I'm only planning on finishing in a year. So it felt very satisfying to finish this twine-wrapped tea canister in only 10 minutes!

All I used was a tea canister, twine, hot glue, scissors and an old rice box to catch glue drips. I was inspired by Centsational Girl's gorgeous rope bowl. Isn't it awesome? So with the bowl in my mind, I decided to wrap an old tea canister in cotton twine that I had already. The cost of this DIY was about $10 for the glue gun & sticks. That's it! It's a pretty straightforward, but if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Here's the canister in all it's naked glory before the "makeover":

See? Even the canister doesn't want to be thrown away. 

A little dab of glue at the top to start it off.

Wrap. Wrap. Wrap. I put a very very small dab of glue about every 5-10 wraps around. Make sure you keep wrapping really tight so that the design underneath is fully covered. Don't worry about making it perfect....

 And.... done.

I really like the texture of the twine with the smooth metal.

I tested it out as a makeup pad holder. Not bad.

Or I could always tie a ribbon around it, fill it with tea and give it as a gift. But, I've offered it up to D so who knows what he'll end up storing in it. Pennies? Chocolate chips? Dog treats?

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

xo Janelle

simple storage using ish you already have.

I hope you're having a great weekend. We are in "Sunday-mode" today and are just relaxing, cuddling the puppy & napping.

For this weeks home post, I put together some easy, don't-even-have-to-think-about-it storage ideas. Baskets and bins are always, always a safe bet but sometimes it's fun to think outside of the box (so punny!). I wanted to share these ideas because they use things you probably already have kicking around, which means more cash for you (or for weekend booze) and means you're creating less waste (which will make you part of the "green/eco-conscious/environmentally friendly" club). Honestly though, they look pretty and do the job. And who doesn't love stuff that's cheap, pretty and functional?

Try storing your toothbrushes in a fun mug, instead of a holder or cup.
I have mine in this green Alexander Keith's mug, which goes with the haphazard tree/nature theme we've got going on. A mug with a pedestal bottom would look elegant, whereas a short round mug in a punchy tangerine or teal would bring some energy and color.

Use a pretty gift-bag on your dresser to hold clutter (headbands, perfume bottles, lotions, receipts etc.).
I had a teeny empty version of this Coach gift bag on my dresser and decided to clear some stuff off my dresser by throwing it in. The bag is up high enough that the junk doesn't show and I can always go back and put everything away later. Yay for procrastination!

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Store bathroom essentials in old berry containers or tangerine crates.
I love this storage idea from Real Simple! If you're like my mom and you hoard hotel shampoos and soaps, this is a great way to keep them all together. You could also grab a few travel-sized toiletries, tuck in a rolled facecloth and an extra toothbrush and leave it out for guests. Or tie a ribbon around it to fancy it up and give it as a sweet little hostess gift.

Real Simple

Keep utensils within reach in these charming pots.
These would work perfectly for parties, weddings, potlucks etc. and would make good office or kitchen storage too! How about using one as a napkin holder on the dining room table?

Simple Home Life via Pinterest

Use mason jars to store craft supplies, makeup, q-tips and things.
Confession: I am obsessed with mason jars. We used to use them as cups when we were kids so naturally they make me very nostalgic. I have so many DIY projects to do with these... everything from candle holders to painting them from the inside to making vacation jars. If you Google mason jar uses you'll see why I'm so inspired! Check out the idea below using hose clamps and what looks like molding. Cute, eh?

Source

I hope you enjoyed my tips. Don't forget that these can all be used wherever you need to control your clutter. If you always have pens and notes scattered by the phone, set a painted jar there to hold them. If you always drop your keys and phone when you come in the door, set a vintage butter-dish there to keep them out of sight. I get overexcited when I find something that looks nice and actually works well for me. Boxes, baskets and bins are fine for some things, but I need a little bit of personality, a little bit of "cute". This post actually has me excited about cleaning and organizing... never knew that was possible. I'll be sure to post whatever I end up doing. Keep an eye out next week for a heart shaped DIY project I'm working on....

Do you have any ideas for recycled storage? What do you think of these ones? Do you hate organizing, but love being organized? Let me know!

xo Janelle