April

Miniature Pies Baked in Canning JarsThis concept is rather simple. Instead of a large pie, you're making a miniature one.

 

Binding Carpet RemnantsAffordable carpet remnants can be found at thrift stores and carpet discount outlets; however, it's extraordinarily expensive to have a carpet bound with carpet binding.

 

Reuse a Paint Canvas as a Memo BoardGot an old paint canvas lying around? Perhaps from a botched painting attempt? Don't toss 'em! One great way to recycle these is this: Cover complete canvas with somewhat heavy material.

 

Photo: Red ShoesI have found that there are times when you can capture the soul of a child without even photographing their face. This picture shows exactly who my daughter is; a free spirit in red scuffed shoes and a tattered ballet tutu.

 

Inexpensive Chair Covers For WeddingAnyone who has thrown a semi-formal party or planned a wedding knows that chair covers are a huge cost. I'll let you in on a secret. Pillowcases.

 

Bucket from an Empty Juice BottleAs the mother of a toddler, I have 8 million empty apple juice bottles lying around. So instead of tossing them, I decided to recycle them. This particular bucket was made by cutting the top off the apple juice bottle with an X-Acto knife.

 

Bing (Budgie)Bing is a three year old Budgie. Initially, I bought Bing as a birthday gift for my husband. Bing was in a bin with close to 50 other birds and it took two employees and a fishing net to catch him.

 

Turn an Old Muffin Tin Into a Ribbon CaddyHow to recycle an old muffin tin into a ribbon caddy: Spray paint an old muffin tin and appropriate number of dowel rods (any size that will accommodate a spool of ribbon).

 

Homemade Pie Crust Protector RingAn inexpensive (and easy) way to protect your pie crust from burning is this: Lay a large sheet of aluminum foil over the pie plate you plan to use.

 

Princess Party CakeIf you're looking for a stunning cake and don't want to purchase specialty pans and dolls, then this is your cake. Use your preferred boxed cake mix and mix according to directions.

 

Toy Food From Felt ScrapsI have tons of felt scraps from various felt projects and couldn't bring myself to throw them away. So, using only scraps, I made a variety of felt foods for my daughter, using basic doll stuffing as filler for some of the "puffier" food.