Zero Waste DIY Recycled Penguin Gift Box

I finished the last of my birthday mango green tea (thanks sis!) just in time to recycle the tea container into a cute little penguin gift box.

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If you don’t have a round tea container, you can use any round container you have like an oatmeal, snack container, or what have you.

You will need:

How to Make a Travel Mason Jar Coin Bank

I’m putting my Annual Winter Restlessness (trademark pending) to use by periodically cleaning out and reorganizing a drawer and such to help combat our chronic Out of Sight Out of Mind Disease.

I gave myself an extra pat on the back for chucking the coins I found lurking in the kitchen junk drawer into an empty mason jar instead of tossing them back into the drawer to be forgotten. That happens more than you care to know.

The only thing this is my mason jar coin bank is not cute.

Let’s make it cute!

DIY Adventure Fund Adult Piggy Bank

 

Husband and I love to travel. In fact, almost all of the money saving tips and hacks I do here on Condo Blues and my food blog Lazy Budget Chef are so we can put more money into our travel fund.

My Annual Winter Restlessness always comes with a serious case of wanderlust, so why not make my coin jar bank with a travel theme?

Handmade Wedding Gift Idea: Mr and Mrs Pillowcases

I gave a few hints about the handmade embroidered wedding gift I was making on my Instagram (follow @condoblues please?) and Condo Blues Facebook page (click here to follow and get my latest updates!) Now that the Bride and Groom are happily Mr. and Mrs. I can spill the beans.

 If you are looking for a thoughtful handmade wedding gift idea, that’s fairly simple and quick to make then this hand embroidered personalize pillowcase idea is for you!

 In all honesty, I would embroider a set for myself if they came in King size.

 
I wanted a project I could work on during our evening Cuddle with Lacey on the Sofa Time. Embroidery fits the bill and I wanted a project to get back in the swing before I start a massive costume embroidery project.

How to Emboss Ribbon with a Sizzix Big Shot

I forgot to buy a birthday card.

I had a stack of colored paper, a brand new Sizzix Big Shot die cutting and embossing machine and the 10 dies from the Sizzix Big Shot Balancing Act Value Pack (courtesy of  Sizzix and The Balancing Act on Lifetime TV) sitting in front of me on the craft room table.

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I should be able to whip up a cute card in no time with all of this stuff, right?

Not so much.

I couldn't come up a design I liked and was feeling out of my element because I don't do paper crafts very often. Thanks a lot Pinterest!

Then it hit me. The Big Shot die cuts fabric (my comfort zone), as well as the  paper, card stock, metal (think soda pop can thin type) I tested while I was figuring out how I wanted to make the birthday card.

Fabric got my creative wheels turning. If I can die cut fabric, I wonder if the Big Shot can emboss ribbon?

Let's find out.