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Feb 22 2018

a collection of caps

Posted by hayley
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As little boys do, Bug collects things; sticks, rocks, hotwheels cars, those fake junkmail credit cards. But one thing he’s passionate about acquiring is bottlecaps. He finds them on the beach and in parking lots – all sorts of unsavory places. They each get an immediate “bath” with the hand sanitizer I keep in my purse and then go into a little cardboard box in his closet.

It’s like legit treasure every time he spots a new one and his excitement for the hunt hasn’t waned. So I wanted to find a fun way to display them in his new room. I considered a shadowbox or one of these bottlecap displays, but both of those options would restrict his love of handling them.

I decided to turn them into magnets. And if you have some bottlecaps laying around, you can too!

Pick up a pack of these 3/4 magnetic buttons. I found mine at Walmart, but I’m sure craft stores and Amazon have them too. There is foam adhesive version of these that I tried first, but found that it doesn’t stick well to the back of the cap.

Using industrial strength adhesive (I like E6000), first glue 2 magnets together. The depth of one magnet was juuuust shy of being tall enough to really magnetize the cap properly and stacking 2 of them keeps the sharp edges of the bottlecap up off the surface – preventing scratches.

Now glue your magnets inside your bottlecap. Be sure to read the adhesive instructions: with E6000 you put glue on each piece first, wait 2 minutes, then marry the surfaces. Give them 24 hrs to dry.

So stinking cute. But these aren’t just cool magnets – they have a purpose! Come back tomorrow to find out exactly how we’re using them in Bug’s room.

Tags: bug, bugs room, diy, diy crafts, kid stuff
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Jan 6 2015

my go-to gift

Posted by hayley
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When Songbird is invited to attend a birthday party (and I don’t feel like dragging two kids through the toy aisle of Target to find a gift) this is my trusty go-to DIY option for little girls. The main ingredients for this super cute headband holder is just an oatmeal container, a pillar candle holder, and some fabric! It’s always a hit for big kids and babies alike… and it’s a cinch to make. Get the full step-by-step tutorial over at Project Nursery!

Step by Step directions on how to make this headband holder from an oatmeal container   greyhouseharbor.com

Tags: diy, diy crafts, kid stuff, project nursery
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Oct 9 2014

make a mess-less glitter letter

Posted by hayley
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How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

You may have spotted this cutie in the baby shower post yesterday. After having several people ask about it, I thought I’d share how you can make one too.

I found these canvas-wrapped letters at Michaels and picked one up with a 40% off coupon. I liked how thick and well-made it felt, compared to some of their wood versions — although this technique would work with wood as well.

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

You could easily paint the letter with craft or spray paint, but I liked the look of the natural canvas. Plus, that saved me a step!

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

I also knew I wanted it to shimmer, but wasn’t thrilled about the idea of pouring loose glitter errwhere. Try as you may, that stuff is uncontainable and continues flaking off indefinitely. That’s when cruising the craft store aisles paid off big time. I found these sheets of glitter vinyl fabric in just the right size! Being fabric, it’s more flexible than scrapbook paper (for about the same $) and the glitter doesn’t come off even one bit. Their color selection was somewhat limited (silver, gold, red, purple, pink and black), but that was ok for me.

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

Flip the glitter vinyl over and trace the letter. Be sure to flip the letter too or it won’t line up when you put it back on!

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

Cut out your tracing: highly recommend fabric scissors if you have them for this part.

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

Cover the backside of the glitter cut-out with permanent spray adhesive, carefully align and press onto the canvas letter.

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

You could be done right there, but I added a little more color by sticking decorative washi tape along the edge. Fun tape can be a great way to coordinate the letter to any color scheme you choose.

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

Done! Took me all of 15 minutes. These would be great in a kid’s room or perfect gifts to give for Christmas! Now go forth and DIY some mess-less glitter letter awesomeness.

How to make a glitter letter with zero mess!

Tags: diy, diy crafts, glitter letter, kid stuff, tutorials
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Sep 30 2014

how to clean pinecones

Posted by hayley
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There are some advantages to living on the East Coast. Namely, trees. Had I wanted pinecones in San Diego, my choices were to either drive an hour out of town to collect them au natural or spend $5/bag to purchase some at a craft store. Here, I just walk to the grove of trees at the end of my street and take what I want. And of course I have my little helper spot the winners.

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

You may think a quick brush off and they’re good to go, but I would highly recommend a thorough cleaning if you plan to use them in your home. Let’s just say that what appeared to be fairly clean pinecones were actually harboring two baby crickets, several tiny spiders and a hand full of worm thingys. Gross.

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

Begin by filling a bowl or sink with warm water and a cup of white vinegar. Soak the pinecones for 30 minutes.

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

Rinse off and let them air dry in the sun if you can. I also cleaned some funky seed pods we found this way.

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

You’ll notice that even the pinecones that were full when you collected them will close up. This is because moisture and cool air causes the scales to contract.

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

If you want them closed, then you’re golden. But if not, line a cookie sheet with tin foil and space them out. The tin foil is important because you don’t want any leaking sap to ruin your pan.

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

Bake the pinecones at 200° for an hour. This removes the moisture and pulls the scales back open. It also kills anything that may have survived the vinegar bath!

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

If after an hour they aren’t totally open, don’t fret. Take them out and allow them to dry at room temp for a day or so. They will eventually become full, lovely pinecones ready for you to glitter, glue or do with as you please!

how to clean pinecones  greyhouseharbor.com

Tags: diy, diy crafts, fall, how to clean pinecones, tutorials
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I'm Hayley. Wife and mother by day, DIY enthusiast by night. Fueled by sweet tea and jelly beans, I own power tools and know how to use them. Consider yourself warned.

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