DIY: To-Do List Memo Pad

Another DIY, whew! my creative juices are just flowing since last week! so, no further ado....

I gathered some old raffle tickets I had (I didn't win, huhu!)....these had no writings or printing at the back, so they were perfect! I also found some old ATM receipts I had stuffed in an envelope, and they were printed on thermal paper so through time, the print has faded and altogether disappeared. 

I also needed a clip and a same-sized card. I chose a yellow clip to match the shade of my Hallmark card. Besides, yellow is such a cheerful color :) 

Clip everything together in this order, from the bottom going up: the card (wrong side facing up, not the way it's shown in the photo), then the neat pile of raffle tickets (blank side facing up).

Write on your memo pad the list of errands you need to do for the day! Or make a grocery list! Or just doodle and daydream... on re-used and re-cycled paper. YEY! Love the Earth, it's the only one we've got! :)

back view

...and if you need cheering up, just turn over for a quick pick-me-up!


ENJOY YOUR DAY!!!

(Almost) Instant Sandwiches

Here're two things about me: I'm impatient and I love sweets :) No connection, right? Check out my own sandwich inventions, and you'll see the connection, instantly! 

Sandwich Invention #1: SMUUUUUSH-mallow Sandwich

You'll need a small bag of marshmallows and a couple (or make it three) pieces of bread. Place two pieces of marshmallows on top of the bread, toast for 3-5 minutes in an oven toaster, fold into halves, smuuush together and voila`! A yummy, sweet and chewy sandwich!!

Sandwich Invention #2: Yellow Sugar Sandwich

Sounds neat, huh? It's just a couple tablespoons margarine and sugar. hehe!

Whip together with a fork (or spoon, in my case!) and it'll come out creamy, like this!

Spread about a tablespoon on your kind of bread. 

Mine was wheat, the only thing at hand that time :(

Stuff into an oventoaster for 4-5 minutes. 

It'll come out looking sheen-y and golden like this!

Fold in half, then EATTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!! 

NOTE: 
ALWAYS be careful! .......HOT marshmallows and butter will burn your lips and tongue.

I think these are perfect as midnight snacks :) 

* * *

What's on your midnight snack menu tonight??

Part II: DIY: Dress, Skirt, Scarf, and Poncho from a Maxi Dress

TO MAKE THE INFINITY SCARF/PONCHO/MINI SKIRT

To make the scarf/skirt/poncho,

 you will only need an elastic and a safety pin

and the scrapped left-over fabric from a maxi dress
(see previous post)

use a sharp pair of scissors to make a tiny slit at the hem

Make a tiny slit at the bottom hem of the scrapped fabric, just enough for your safety pin to get through. Pin one end of the elastic securely to the safety pin. Make sure to measure just enough elastic to fit your waist snugly, or around your shoulders. Next, thread the elastic through the hole, pushing the safety pin into the hem. Knot together the elastic once it gets through around the hem. Re-sew shut the slit or hole at the hem.

To see how I turned my tube maxi-dress into an asymmetrical dress, please click here :)

idea inspiration 1

idea inspiration 2

Part I: DIY: Dress, Skirt, Scarf, and Poncho from a Maxi Dress

I got a Christmas present last year from a cousin: a maxi dress. I loved the print but couldn't wear it because it was too long. I couldn't bear to give it away, of course!... and was too chicken to cut off the extra length lest I ruined it. It took me more than half a year to get my courage up and do something about it. So, finally tonight, I happily present to everyone: my new wardrobe! :) CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!!

my Christmas maxi tube dress in a very pretty pink print

First, find your desired length. I wanted my dress to fall just below my knees, and to have a longer back...just like one of those trendy asymmetrical skirts! So I just decided to cut off about 17-inches off the front. To have a longer back-skirt, I subtracted about 3-inches from that to make the slant or curve of the hem not too drastic.

ready to do the measurements? 

You'll need a tape measure, some pins, a tailor's chalk for marking, and a sharp pair of scissors. Turn your dress inside out so you can easily see your markings. Lay the dress flat on a table (or bed, in my case!) and find the middle fold of the front part of the dress. Fold the dress horizontally, with the sides right side up. 

Pin the hem together to handle the material better. 

Mark where you want the shortest length of your skirt to be (front). I measured 17-inches from the bottom. 

On the opposite side of the skirt, mark the spot where the longest part of the skirt should be (back). This  should be 3-inches longer than the front, or 14-inches from the hem. Measure that and mark with your chalk. Connect the two marks you have made with a gentle sloping line or soft curve. You may use a ruler or freehand it.

pin together near the length you want to cut
so the material doesn't slip or separate
and for easier cutting

Ready to cut?

 When cutting, do not pull or stretch the material. Cut from one side (longer) to the other side (shorter). Or vice versa. 

cutting halfway through

After cutting through the skirt, pull and tug at the hem to stretch the fabric. It will curl a bit and you will not need to sew or hem it.

this is how the hem looks! 

ta-dahhhh! my new asymmetrical dress!

this is the remaining scrap from the dress.
I will make it into a scarf/poncho/mini-asymmetrical skirt!
Please see next post here

***

So many possibilities!!!

Check-in

it's been almost a year. it's time to check-in, i know. so much has happened. and yet, everything's the same. and yet still, everything's different. stay tuned. habang may buhay, may pag-asa, 'ika nga :)

DIY Bills Organizer

With the push for recycling and loving Mother Nature, I loathed having to throw out envelopes that come in the mail bringing in my bills. They get used only once if I don't find a way to reuse them. So, I found an easy DIY that's quite useful when it is that time of the month: PAYING THE BILLS. :)

These are the things we will need:
some used envelopes, of the same size
scissors
paste or paper glue
a colorful page from an old magazine

First, cut open the top part of the envelopes instead of opening the mail through its flap. Second, stack 4 to 5  envelopes and glue them together.

To make your organizer sturdier, spread glue over all the envelopes' surface.

Leave a bit, about 1/2 inch from the sides, free from glue.

It will look like an accordion.

Next, attach the colorful page and glue to cover your "accordion" with the excess part of the page acting as flap.

Mine had no excess paper, so I had to cut  out another piece  to make a flap.

Attach labels to organize your bills. 

Label according to your electric, phone, credit card or other bills.

So, ta-dahhhh! here's the final picture of my new Bill Organizer. It is pretty enough to show off :) I plan to make another one to organize all my bank accounts, too! :)

I just love the color blocking!

What else can you do to recycle old mailing envelopes? I'm sure you'll be able to think up of more creative "re-uses".

DIY

 I have always loved crafts. And DIYs always made me happy. So one day, I got inspired to make a couple projects after watching some YouTube clips.

For so many times, I get frustrated when I get home and I had to use my house keys to open the front door. They all look alike and I had the not-so-brilliant idea of identifying them with the use of teeny-tiny masking tapes.

they could be triplets for all i know! hehe

The labels aren't much help when I get home after dark. So, I decided that this ends here! hehe...I found some old almost-dried out nail polishes, and chose the most virulent colors among them all! These are my choices.

bright blood red, glittering copper, and insulting violet
would have been really fugly on MY nails!
(NOTE: I just made up those names, hehe!)

I didn't even bother removing the keys from their ring. I just slapped on some polishes on them, one by one, in just one coat. I let them dry for a few minutes and then, voilà ! Problem is solved!! 

They now look so pretty!

You can paint just one side like I did here, or both sides if you're more patient than I was. :)

The next project I did was painting my nails, for the first time with nail art. I had some nail art done way back in 2010, but that was done by a professional. Here's a trip back to my past life.

flower power

me, circa 2010....wearing my nail-art and some hideous pimples, ugh! :)

For P20 a pop, it doesn't cost much here to pay a manicurist to do some simple nail-art for you, but I wanted to see if I could do it on myself. So, I got my polishes ready, some nail polish remover, a disposable paper surface to work on, and most important thing of all, my improvised dotting tool. 

till up to this moment, I haven't decided on which colors nor design I was going to do!

How to make a dotting tool? Simple! Just grab a pencil (with an eraser) and stick in a pin on it as far as it would go! 

Like so! Simple, right?

Now, I've decided on not being too ambitious with my design coz I didn't have such a steady hand. I used to attempt French manicures on myself, but they never turned out any good. See my basic design :)

purple flowers on pink nail polish

I had to practice first on paper, but it was quite easy...easier than I thought, and easier to do than French tips. 

did the left hand first...

...and the right next!

for an up-close look. TA-dAHHH! :)

I have to say, DIYs are DIYs because they are so doable. With a little time and effort, it doesn't really cost you much to create something beautiful you can be proud of.

What have you done lately that's beautiful and you are still proud of? :)