Got any old and scratched CDs laying around? I know I do…kids are hard on CDs and they get scratched so easily.

If you love candles and you have old CDs…here is a project just for you!

You will need:

1. an old CD
2. a jumbo muffin pan
3. oven
4. oven mitts

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Place a CD over one of the openings of the muffin pan with the label side facing up.

Place the muffin pan into the oven and watch it for approximately five minutes.

When the CD begins to melt, remove the muffin pan from the oven and with your oven mitted hand, gently push the melting CD down into the muffin opening. The CD should sink into the opening and meld to the shape.

Allow the CD to cool and then place a votive into the CD candle holder.

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Got any tin cans sitting around waiting for recycling? Here’s a neat idea that will recycle them in a whole different way…make a tin can candle holder.

You will need:

1. Tin can(s)
2. Sharp nail
3. Hammer
4. Design
5. Acrylic paint and paintbrush

Let’s get started!

Fill the can to the top with water and freeze it until it is rock hard. While the water is freezing in the can, think about the design you want to create on the can. You can keep it simple and stick to geometric shapes or you can try to make some kind of a picture with the holes. Draw out your design on paper and be ready to tape it onto the can for an easy way to transfer a design to your can.

Remove from the freezer and get ready to punch holes with the hammer and nail. Tape your picture onto the outside of the can. Lightly tap the nail to make small holes along the lines of your paper. Make the holes approximately 1/4-inch apart. Continue until you have tapped holes along every line you drew on your paper.

The next step is to paint your tin candle holder. Choose a dark color to set off the candlelight as it shines through the holes. Dark blue or black would be ideal. Or…choose a color to complement whatever room you plant to use the candleholder in. The choice is yours.

Apply the acrylic paint to the outside of the can, making sure you apply it in a thin layer so the holes are not covered by thick globs of paint. Work until the entire outside of the can is evenly painted. Allow the paint to dry.

Place a votive or slightly larger pillar candle into the tin candleholder. The candle should only come up one-third or one-half of the way of the tin can to enable the candlelight to shine through the holes.

Make several tin candleholders to make a cluster group of beautiful candles!

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I came home with an interesting book from the library. It’s called “Simply Super Paper” and it is full of paper projects that are sure to appeal to you as much as they did me.

The book is arranged by season with many different crafts to make as each season of the year passes.

As I was browsing through the book this afternoon, this little gem popped out at me and I just had to make it. It’s called “Quilter’s Basket” and honestly…it took me about ten minutes to make and isn’t it cute?!?

This book is full of simple crafts to delight and enthrall both adults and children. Highly recommend it!

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Beat the rising cost consumerism and return to a simpler time by making homemade items. These make great gifts for family and friends, too. Homemade gifts show the recipient that they are special enough for you to spend precious time creating something just for them.

Here are some ideas for creating easy homemade gifts.

1. Give a gift of food. Food is often equated with love and so food items rank high among homemade gifts. Something sweet is always popular, but you can also come up other options: fresh bread or fruit breads, minestrone soup or chili, a spicy homemade mustard sauce in an attractive jar…there are lots of possibilities!
2. Give foods mixes to use in the future. Layer the dry ingredients of a cookie recipe in a jar. Mix a dry bean soup mix in an pretty bag, or put a hot cocoa mix in a tin. It’s easy to create nice preparation instructions to attach to the containers.
3. With the popularity of aromatherapy, adding special scents to lotions, bath oils and powers has never been easier. Make bath salts by combining a tablespoon each of baking soda and borax with 1/2 cup table salt. Finish the project by mixing in 1/4 teaspoon of a scented essential oil.
4. Birdhouses or picture frames make nice gifts and they are easy to make.
5. Create a gift from digital photos. A collection of favorite photos or maybe just one special photo framed is priceless. Perhaps a digital photo album for grandparents or find a booklet template from a publishing or photo program.  Simply insert photos and add text.
6. If you knit or crochet you can make gloves or hats. Quilters can piece together special quilts. Needlepoint and rug hooking makes nice wall decorations.
7. Download special songs to a CD-R. Or you could create a DVD from old family movies.

Remember, the presentation of a gift is almost as important as the gift itself. Use functional gift containers like baskets, mugs and flower pots. Decorate with paint and ribbon for a special appearance. Use tins as gift containers, too.

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I love to decorate with wreaths year-round…but there’s just something about autumn that really says “wreath” like no other season.

One of the neatest thing about making your own fall wreath is that you can do so with many of the things you probably have in your yard…or things you can find on a walk in the park or the woods.  Get your kids involved in this!  They will love it!

OK…let’s get those creative juices flowing.  Here are some things you could easily find and incorporate into a lovely autumn wreath.

• twigs

• grapevine

• leaves

• acorns

• small gourds

• bittersweet

• milk pods

• feathers

• pinecones

• rusty tin wire or shapes

• indian corn

• dried hydrangeas or mums or other dried flowers

• berry sprigs

• herbs from your garden

• dried grasses

• cinnamon sticks

• cat tails

Go ahead and take a little shortcut and start with a simple grapevine wreath (the kind you buy at Michaels or any craft store). To determine the size of the wreath form you will need, measure the width of your door and subtract 6 inches. Your wreath form should not be bigger than this number.

Choose your theme from the treasures you’ve gathered and get busy. There really is no “right” or “wrong” way to make your wreath. Experiment and use trial and error until you have a finished effect that you like. Simply weave your decorating material into the wreath and intertwine the stems with the vines. If you are concerned with staying power, a hot glue gun works well to secure any loose items.

Technorati Tags: Autumn, Bittersweet, Crafting, grapevine, wreath

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