Easy DIY Braided Bracelets
Create these super fashionable braided bracelets with old t-shirts and a few other things for SUPER CHEAP! These would make great presents. You can personalize them and mix and match to any outfit. These sell for upwards of $60 EACH at department stores, and you can make them for pennies!
What You’ll Need:
- Old cotton or jersey T-shirt you don’t mind cutting up. You can pick up a shirt at a thrift store. White, gray and black make good base colors for pastel or neon cord.
- 1 yard of rat tail cord for each bracelet you make. You can find lots of fun colors at JoAnn’s for 50-99 cents a yard and many dollar stores carry it, too. Get different colors for different bracelets!
- Little magnets to magnetize the bracelet closed (you can get these at the dollar store or craft store for about $2 for 10).
- Hot glue or Elmer’s glue (using both works the best!)
- Rubber band (to hold the pieces together)
Directions:
- Cut the shirt into 1-inch wide strips about a foot long.
- Cut the rat tail cord into three 10-inch strips.
- Put all 6 of the pieces together and hold at the very end with a rubber band and anchor to the table or something to help hold steady.
- Separate the pieces so they are three parts, with each part having 1 strip of shirt and 1 strip of cord then start braiding!
- When you get to the end, snip both ends of the braid so they are even, and glue one end to a magnet.
- Wrap the bracelet around your wrist and measure for size (trim if needed), then glue the other end to a magnet.
- Wrap a piece of t-shirt over the magnet to cover it and glue the two ends of it together (but not to the bracelet itself). This can be moved when you need to take the bracelet off by sliding it down the bracelet.
A big thanks to Henry Happened for this easy bracelet tutorial!
DIY Sparkling Leaves Garland
Spruce up your home and get ready for Autumn with this easy to make sparkling falling leaves garland. This is a great craft to do with kids and get them excited for Fall!
What You’ll Need:
- Artificial leaves (can be purchased at Dollar Tree or craft stores)
- Paintbrush
- Elmers Glue
- Glitter (natural colors)
- Hole punch
- Ribbon
Directions:
- Pick out about 10-12 leaves that are the nicest (or however long you want to make your garland).
- Doing 1 leaf at a time, paint a medium layer of glue over a leaf and cover with glitter. Let dry and shake off remaining glitter.
- Use hole punch and punch a hole in the middle at the bottom of each leaf so they will hang upside down.
- Tie a long string of ribbon in each leaf and hang from a long string of ribbon to create the garland. Hang and enjoy!
Thank you to Boxwood Clippings for the great decorating idea!
DIY Coffee Mug Sweater
With all the warm drinks being served up because of the cold weather, check out this DIY Coffee Mug Sweater you can make to keep your hot cocoa, coffee or hot toddy a little bit hotter for longer. It is incredibly simple to do! How cute!
What you will need:
- Socks
- Small sewing kit
What to do:
- Cut sock in desired location depending on the pattern.
- Turn inside out.
- Stitch together one end using your sewing kit. So the stitching will be on the inside.
- Put it on your coffee mug!
Kids Recycled Cardboard & Yarn Snowflakes
It’s snowing already in many places in the country. Besides green and red decorations, what else can we create and have our kids be involved? Snowflakes of course! This is a simple and adorable craft made from recycled cardboard and any yarn you’d like.
Materials:
- cereal box (or any thin) paperboard or cardboard
- yarn in any colors
- kid’s washable glue (like Elmer’s)
- glitter, rhinestones, beads, buttons, etc.
Directions:
- Make snowflakes from squares of paper and trace them onto the cardboard.
- Cut out the shapes (for small details use tiny manicure scissors or a craft knife. It’s not necessary, but it’s a pretty addition).
- Squeeze glue onto the cardboard snowflake in the pattern you’d like to place and decorate with your yarn.
- Carefully lay the yarn down into the glue and add additional glue and details as desired.
- Decorate however you’d like! Go nuts!
- Hang and enjoy!
Thanks to Creative Jewish Mom for the idea!
DIY Plastic Spoon Chandelier
Check out this awesome idea for creating your own lampshade. Such a cool idea!
Video Tutorial Below