Designing a DIY Faux Corkboard from Supplies You Have on Hand

   Have you ever needed a corkboard but didn't want to spend money on one? That's exactly where I found myself. I wanted a place to pin photos, reminders, and little notes, but I also wanted to save money and see If I could make one using materials I already had around the house.

   With just a few simple supplies, I created a faux corkboard that actually works! I started with a thick piece of cardboard that was large enough for the bulletin board I wanted. If your cardboard is thin, you can glue two pieces together for extra strength.

   Instead of buying cork, I reused an old Five Below cloth shopping bag to cover the cardboard with. I tore the seams of the bag and cut it to the size/shape I needed. Then I spread a healthy layer of fabric glue across the cardboard and carefully smoothed the cloth over the top and edges. I reinforced some spots with hot glue, and then once the front was dry, I taped up the back for extra stability. Since the back isn't seen, I didn't worry too much about aesthetics here. 

   I also added a little bit of white paint (well actually it was whiteout - using what I have on hand here haha) to the cloth, to give it a streaky artistic look. Once everything was dry, I added a little twine loop on the back, to hang it on the wall. Once I got it on the wall, I decided I needed something else to hang it with, because the twine hook made the board fall forward. I then used binder clips on the top corners, so I could hang the board with tacks. I actually like how this looks better! 

   Once the board was complete, I tested it with regular pushpins, and thankfully they pushed through the cloth and cardboard! Otherwise I would be having a "Let Go & Have Fun" piece of art on the wall instead! The tacks went through easily, and they work perfectly to hold lightweight items. I like to hang up different things like stickers, important reminders, quotes, ect.

   One of my favorite things about this project is that it cost me almost nothing. Instead of throwing away a shopping bag and a piece of cardboard, they became something useful for my home. It's a great reminder that you don't always need expensive craft supplies to create something functional. Sometimes the best DIY projects start with items headed for the recycling bin.

   I love finding simple ways to reuse everyday materials, and this faux corkboard turned out better than I expected. It's functional, easy to make, and gives discarded materials a second life. 

If you have cardboard, glue, and an old cloth or shopping bag lying around, you already have most of what you need to create your own DIY bulletin board! I would love to know if you've made one before or if you plan to make one soon!

Have you ever made something useful from items you were about to throw away? I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

20 Creative Ways to Recycle K-Cups Instead of Tossing Them in the Trash

   Since I recently won the giveaway for Java Factory Roasters Cherry on Top flavored coffee K-Cup Giveaway, I thought it would be a great time to look into ways to recycle all these K-Cups I will be going through! Below is a list of different ways you can recycle K-Cups into fun and usable things you can work on daily. 

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   If you're a coffee lover who uses a Keurig or other K-Cup Brewer, you know how quickly K-Cups can pile up and unfortunately, most of them end up in the trash. But did you know those tiny plastic pods can have a second life? With a little creativity and care, K-Cups can be reused, upcycled, and even repurposed into fun projects and helpful tools.

Here are 20 clever, easy, and eco-conscious ways to recycle your K-Cups instead of sending them to the landfill:

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1. Seed Starters for Gardening

After brewing a cup of delicious coffee, clean out the old grounds, poke a hole in the bottom for drainage, and fill with soil and seeds. They're the perfect size to start herbs or flowers on a windowsill!

2. DIY Mini Planters

Decorate the outside (or you can leave it as is), add succulents or air plants, and turn them into tiny decorative pots for your home or to share little startings with friends! 

3. Organize Small Craft Supplies

Use K-Cups to store beads, sequins, buttons, or pins in your craft drawer. Label the containers for easy access, and then turn the extra cups into a fun piece of art!

4. Paint or Water Cups for Kids

These cups are just the right size for rinsing paintbrushes or mixing small amounts of paint during craft time.

5. Mosaic Art Pieces

Cut them up and use them to create colorful mosaic designs on picture frames, flower pots, or trays.

6. Holiday Ornaments

Add some glitter, paint, and ribbon to make adorable ornaments for Christmas. They make adorable Snowmen, Reindeer, Santa Clauses, and more! Endless options. 

7. Mini Snack Cups

Use them for portioning out small snacks like raisins, trail mix, or nuts for kids or lunchboxes.

8. DIY Advent Calendar

Glue 24 K-Cups to a board and fill each one with a treat, note, or small toy to count down to a special holiday. Glue cut squares of tissue paper over the tops and put a number on each, one yo be opened for every day of December, up until Christmas.

9. Bird Feeders

String a few together with twine, fill with bird seed, and hang in the garden for a cute mini feeder.

10. Ice Mold for Crafts

Fill them with water and freeze to make ice cubes for sensory bins. Add a couple drops of food color to each one for an added extra bit of fun!

11. Stamping Tools

Use the open end to dip in paint or ink and make circle patterns on paper or fabric. This is so cute when making snowmen!

12. Store Homemade Lip Balm or Lotion

Sanitize and reuse as containers for small batches of homemade beauty products.

13. Homemade Bath Bomb Molds

Perfect size for shaping round bath bombs or shower melts! Pop them out once dry.

14. Party Favor Holders

Paint and decorate, then fill with candies or toys for birthday or holiday party favors. This also works well at making name plates for table guest seat decor. 

15. Mini Candles

Melt down old candle wax, pour it into clean K-Cups with a wick, and let it set for a tiny but cute candle.

16. Sensory Toys or Shakers

Fill with dry beans or rice and seal with tape for toddler sensory play or musical fun. They also work well to make confetti poppers!

17. Game Playing Card Holder

Decorate your K-Cup with the open part on the bottom, making a slice in the top, this will be where the cards sit. Check out this adorable raccoon idea to see how to make yours!

18. Bath Salt Samplers

Package different types of bath salts in K-Cups for gifting or travel.

19. DIY Air Fresheners

Add a cotton ball with essential oils, cover with fabric and a rubber band, and place in a drawer or car. This is a simple but effective way to get your space smelling good.

20. Science Experiments

Use them as measuring cups, sorting bins, or tiny containers for science or homeschool experiments. They can bring loads of fun!

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A Few Tips Before You Start:

• Always remove the used coffee grounds (they're great for composting!).

• Peel off the foil top and rinse thoroughly. Sand down any sharp edges.

• You can store empty, clean pods in a large container or bag until you’re ready to use them for future projects.

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Recycling K-Cups doesn’t have to be boring or complicated. With a little imagination, you can keep them out of the landfill and put them to good use around your home. Whether you’re looking for kid-friendly crafts, garden tools, or clever storage hacks, those little pods have big potential!

Which idea will you try first?
Have a fun way to reuse K-Cups not listed here? Drop it in the comments below, I’d love to see how you recycle these little pods! 

How To Hide A Turkey - Kids Book And Craft Ideas

 

   Thanksgiving will be here soon, it’s time to read all the turkey books and do fun crafts with your little ones! This book by Scholastic “How To Hide A Turkey” is an adorable story about showing kindness to all, building friendships, and helping a Turkey find his way home. The illustrations are so cute and the sing song rhyming makes it so entertaining! 

   The book even includes craft ideas and instructions on how to disguise yourself as a Turkey, that kids will enjoy making and it will bring so much laughter and fun! I also recommend this printable, so your little ones can make their own disguised turkeys! This book is excellent in teaching too, as it gives little facts about turkeys, as well as the history of Thanksgiving and why we celebrate.

 Definitely check it out! You can find “How To Hide A Turkey” available for purchase on Amazon or in a book store near you.

   

DIY Tombstones for Halloween Decor

 

   If you're looking upon some easy DIY Halloween Decor you can make from recyclables, check out these fun Tombstones made from cereal boxes!

   To make these faux stones, you need cereal boxes, scissors to cut the shape, tape to hold it down, and paint. You begin by cutting the front and back of the box, to make a round top. Make sure to leave the sides, so you can fold them down into the the top to form the round edging. Once formed, tape the tops, and you can begin painting! I used silver spray paint and then went over it with a Terra Cotta grey color of acrylic paints, because that's what I had on hand. 

   I think these would look even better with the stone textured spray paint, but use whatever you have on hand, to make this project cheap and easy! Once the faux stone-colored paint dried, I used black acrylic paint to write the words R.I.P. and Rest in Peace. Feel free to write something more clever if you make your own 🤣

    If you look at the stones closely, I feel like I did a pretty sloppy job, but they still turned out cute! These tombstones make some fun indoor Halloween decor for your house, and you can dress them up any way you like. I wouldn't recommend putting them outside, unless you live in a warmer dry climate, but they would look awesome as front yard decor! 

    If you decide to entertain yourself and make these fun little tombstones, please feel free to let me know! I would love to see how they turn out! 🤍

 

 

 

Enjoying a New Hobby with the Engraver Kit by Plaid

Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own. 

   If you're interested in trying a new hobby, you should look into getting an engraving kit! This Engraver Set by Plaid comes with everything a beginner needs: the engraving tool, plus six different interchangeable tips, an instruction sheet, and the storage case to carry it all in. You can engrave on anything that is wood, metal, plastic, or glass! It even includes a buffing tip and a sanding tip, to complete your project. 

I've never used an engraver before, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but I imagined it would be somewhat of a challenge to engrave on items such as glass and metal. I was pleasantly surprised with how quick the engraving does, it's just a small learning curve to figure out the right way to engrave things that look good :) The tool sounds like a drill and vibrates in your hand, causing an unsteadiness that I have to get use to, but it engraves into the material nice and quick!  The only flaw I've noticed, is the storage container for the engraving kit is really hard to get open. You can break a nail on that thing lol. Aside from that, everything appears great, and I can't wait to see what kind of projects I get into with this. Coasters, Hard, Rocks, and more, this is going to be fun!

 

 

You can find the Engraver Kit by Plaid available at Walmart, for just under $20.

 

 

 I received a complimentary product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions my own.

 

A Little Bathroom DIY and Cute Decor

 

  If you're looking for some easy to do, art for your home, here are some little DIY's I've done for a bathroom! They were so fun and simple to make.

   Did you know you could just add some quick Polka Dots to your wall?! This is a great renter friendly craft. All you need are some cheap cardboard coasters - the kind that are made for your cups to sit on. Add a little paint to each one, to give you the desired colors and attach them to your wall using sticky tack or double sided tape. Easy peasy and so cute!

   Another easy change was, I took an old wooden frame and painted it white. I used an old gift bag for the background and added some silhouette birds and blue confetti dots that I had on hand, to make a cute design. Now my bathroom has a little extra color and apparently a theme of blue polka dots. So cute!

   Peep these cute rugs I found and bought at Target for super cheap!!