Top 10 DIY homemade gifts for every boy on your list!

Every year I try to be creative and make most of my gifts.  Not just for friends but for my kids aged 2-8, my parents, my sister and even my husband!  I try to start in Nov.  If I don't get started getting them done I try to at least be compiling ideas.
Here are my current favorites and most of these I am currently working on for my 8 yr old or my 2yr old.

BEST DIY GIFTS FOR BOYS..

Fort Kit

LOVE this idea and already made my son one this year for Christmas complete with cool bag and with the downloaded tag from above.  Complete directions found HERE from Saltwater-kids.  You can also download the fort tags which in my opinion really add the final touch! PS you can make a cool girly version as well!

Cutest Sock Monkeys EVER

Full directions and pattern found HERE at craft passion.   I am trying to make two of these for Christmas for my 2 year old son and my coming new born. The eyes and ears make them SO cute!

Guys leather cuff bracelet

What a great simple idea!  I am making one for my sons, myself and sister!  Find a clear easy tutorial HERE at The Red Kitchen My girls shouldn't get to have all the fun dressing up!  My two year old is always wearing their necklaces and crowns, so I think it is time for him to get his own guy jewelery.

Guys nail cross necklace

I saw this at Molly Dodd listed as a summer camp craft.  There are no directions but it looks straight forward enough.  I love it because it is a visual reminder of  what Christ did for us as well as being pretty awesome.






Lego Tray

This clever idea from Some What Simple is perfect for my oldest son and my oldest daughter!  We are making them each one.  This enables them to keep a project they are working on and transport it out of a bedroom when a sibling needs to nap, or keep it out of reach of curious hands.  My daughter has recently gotten into the "Friends" girly lego kits and can play for hours!  When she is done though she doesn't want to put it all up as she is playing with it still so this is perfect!  I just bought the lego flats at amazon pretty cheap.

DS travel pouch 

I really like this DS travel pouch with spaces for games.  Keeps it all organized and together.  There is a full tutorial to print off but I hope you speak French as it is not in English.  I am still debating if I will be able to get to this one, but hope to!  I would make one for my daughter and son! Check out the tutorial HERE at By Gabs.

Super Hero Costume

This is the set I made for my Cruz (hence the C super cape)!  I know he will love it!

Find the mask tutorial HERE at Swanky Press   I used it as a guide and added thunder bolts to the sides. Check the eye holes to make sure the little one who will wear then will be able to see.

I used this tutorial from The Train to Crazy to make the cuffs, because how cute are they!  I just made mine with thunderbolts to match the mask and made everything out of blue and red felt.  Really easy project that really adds to the costume!  My girls always dress up so I wanted my son to be able to join the fun!

Hobby Horse or Stick Horse

My little cowboy would love this!  In fact I have one in the works right now.  I know there is only 6 days or so till Christmas so I better get on it!! This one has a great tutorial at  Light Blue Grey.  I love all the details she uses!

This one by Dandee-Designs is really cute too!  She has a great mane tutorial and her horse doesn't take many supplies.  I  think it turned out so cute!  I need to finish mine!!

DIY Dinosaur Fossil Kit
 
My son LOVES the fossil kits you buy that you chip away to find the dinosaur bones and then put it all together.  This is a similar idea, from Paper Vine NZ and it looks so simple!  I would like to find a dinosaur 3 d puzzle to use on the inside and probably won't bother with the mold.  A loaf pan would work great.  You can just hide the dinosaurs or dinosaur pieces all over.  As he gently chips away at the block he is rewarded with discoveries and you are rewarded with hours of silence!  A rare joy for mothers of boys!

DIY Art Station

Last but not least a fun was a bit hit with our son a few years ago.I made a space for both my son and daughter and filled it with fun glitter, pipe cleaners, glue, crayons, markers, etc.. Check out my post for more details HERE. 

Need more ideas?  Check this older post "Need to save some cash? Homemade gifts and online secrets for savings!"
Hope you enjoyed these ideas!  What are you making the boys in your life?  Love to hear more ideas!

Tutorial - Make an Ironing Surface / Table on Your Washer and Dryer, and Line a Book Case!

I have a mismatched washer and dryer and no room for an ironing board in my laundry room.  I needed to come up with a solution to make the two look more unified and give me an ironing surface.  My laundry room is a tiny multipurpose space that serves as my office, laundry room, back entry, and crafty sewing space.  So not only did I need an ironing surface I also needed a place to fold the laundry, as well as lay out any patterns for cutting and sewing.  This is what I came up with and it is serving me well!  I also love the way it looks and it was VERY simple to complete.  All for the price of two yards of fabric!

I ended up pulling an old book shelf from the garage and putting it on the end to make a little bit of a separation between the entry and the laundry area.  It will also discourage everyone from throwing things down on top of the washer as they come in the door.  I used the same material (scraps left over) to line the back of the shelves and it came out great! I am going to add a hook to the back of the shelve to hold my laundry basket but until then it is still on the back of the dryer.   I love it!  Now I have separation, more storage and a cleaner overall look.  It was a quick and easy project and I feel like my laundry room had a makeover!

So here is how I did it..
You will need :
A sheet of plywood large enough to cover your washer and dryer.
2 yards of fabric or a little less.  I like to use the thicker home decor fabric.
1-2 large bath towels you no longer need.
A staple gun.
This is what it looked like before.

 The first thing I did was measure the space that I wanted to cover.  I then (OK my husband) cut the plywood to the size I needed.  I then stretched the towels over the board to create a softer surface and stapled them down around the edges (you can see the bottom layer in the photo below).  .

 Next I laid the fabric under the board and trimmed it so that I could wrap the edges over and staple it down

 I made sure to pull tight before I stapled so that the top would be nice and smooth.

Then all I had to do was flip it over and lay it in place.  Mine stays in place, but if you have trouble with it sliding just add some sticky backed velcro at all the four corners of the board and down to the washer and dryer as well.

For the book case I just used the scraps from the project to line the back of this lackluster book case.  I simply cut rectangles to fit the back of the book case one shelf at a time.  I recommend using a rotary cutter with cutting mats and rulers to get a nice even rectangle.  Then I just used spray adhesive to spray the back of the material and the back of the bookcase and applied them one shelve at a time.  The spray adhesive is really smelly so make sure you do it outside or right next to an open door!  It doesn't stay tacky too long so I did them one at a time and reapplied under any areas that were coming loose.  Now if your shelves come out you simply do one big rectangle but my shelves wouldn't come out.

And here it is again after it was all said and done! I am thinking about adding fabric or paint to the cupboard doors on the bottom but like I said this was a quick afternoon last minute project, and the shelves were just an after thought.  I love how it completes the space a bit, and gives it a more organized feel.
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Back yard ideas with pallets!

Since it is summer I have been working in my little back yard a lot lately.  Currently I am needing some inspiration for a few projects and I  am guessing some of you might as well. I am going to share my finds with you!

One thing I have recently discovered while being on a really tight budget is that pallets are a great free way to start projects.  Here are a few of the things I am interested in making....

from house and home

Great idea hu? Some shipping crates or pallets plus a single mattress covered or with  a piece of foam, add pillows and an easy homemade awning.  LOVE IT!

Need some seating?  Feeling crafty?

from cuarto derecha

Love these sectional benches from vtwonen

How cool is this kids picnic table from ana-white

This chair looks pretty comfy from curbly

This chair from studiomama would look great painted and or with cushions!

Or how about a little planter?

from apartment therapy

The best part is that pallets are usually free at industrial areas, hardware and ranch supply stores!
have you seen any ohter ideas from pallets that inspire you?  Check on pinterest as there are tons of pallet ideas.  

DIY all natural cleaning products (these really work! )

I love saving money and all natural products so I wanted to share some great DIY all natural cleaning products you can make at home.  You will save money and keep those nasty chemicals out of your house.  All you need are a few basic household supplies and you probably already have most of them in your cupboards.  These are super easy to make so you can get started today.  At the end is my favorite recipe for cleaning fruits and veggies from pesticides.  Enjoy!

I just reused this spray bottle.

All purpose cleansers:
2 TBLS distilled white vinegar
1 tea White Borax (available at grocery stores in laundry aisle) 
16oz HOT filtered water
 1/4 cup liquid soap.
 Mix vinegar and borax in a clean 16oz spray bottle. Fill with water and shake until the borax has dissolved. Add the liquid soap, shake to mix again. USE: Simply spray and wipe.
or 
1/4 cup white vinegar
20 drops tea tree oil
1 tsp dish washing soap
hot water
Mix all the above in a spray bottle.  I just reused my simple green spray bottle.  Exercise caution when reusing other cleanser bottles.  

Dish washing liquid:

1/4 cup soap flakes

2 cups hot water

1/4 cup glycerin

1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil

 In bowl combine soap flakes and water and stir until the soap is dissolved. Cool to luke warm.

Stir in the glycerin and the essential oil, leave to cool. As it cools it will form a loose gel. Stir with a fork and break up the gel and then pour into a narrow-necked bottle. An old shampoo bottle or left over dish washing soap bottle make excellent containers.To use, squirt 3 teaspoonfuls into hot running water.

Automatic dish washing soap:

1/2 cup liquid Castile soap

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

3 drops tea tree extract (or oil)

1/4 cup white vinegar

Baking Soda

Mix together all ingredients except the Baking soda. Store in squeeze bottle. Use 1 Tbsp. in the first cycle and 1 Tbsp. in the automatic soap dispenser for standard size dishwasher. Sprinkle a handful of baking soda over dirty dishes and in the bottom of your dishwasher to absorb odors and boost cleaning power at the start.

Disinfectant:
Mix 1/2 cup of borax powder with 1 gallon of hot water. Add a few drops of fragrant essential oil such as thyme, rosemary, or lavender. Store the mixture in a labeled spray bottle.


Kitchen Cleanser: 
 Baking Soda 
Lemon essential oil. 
Fill a plastic flip top or stainless steel shaker (like the kind you use for powdered sugar) halfway with baking soda. Add 15 to 20 drops of essential oil. Stir, add more baking soda until it reaches the top of the shaker. Secure the lid and shake to mix.  Just sprinkle on counters or in sinks sparingly, then wipe with a damp cloth or cellulose sponge. Rinse well. 


 Floor Cleanser:
 2 Cups Distilled White Vinegar
2 Cups Filtered Water
(optional) essential oil of your choice like lemon, or tea tree or lavender 
Fill a clean 16oz. squirt bottle with vinegar and water. Add 15 – 20 drops essential oil and mix.  Squirt on the floor and wipe with a clean rag or mop. This cleaner is suitable for finished wood, ceramic tile and vinyl.


Tub & Tile Cleaner :
 1 2/3 cups baking soda
 1/2 cup liquid soap,
1/2 cup filtered water 
 2 TBLS. distilled white vinegar
 Mix baking soda and liquid soap in a bowl. Dilute with water and add the vinegar. Mix with a fork until any lumps are gone and the mixture has a pourable consistency (you may need to add more water). Pour into a clean 16 oz squeeze container like a shampoo bottle.  Shake well before using; keep the lid tightly closed to prevent mixture from drying out.  Squirt on tub, tile, sink or toilet bowl an scrub. Rinse well. If any baking soda residue remains, rinse with a mix of vinegar and water and next time use a little less baking soda.


Furniture Polish: 
1 cup lemons juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
Mix lemon juice with olive oil and water.  Apply sparingly to furniture using a soft cloth. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then buff.


Glass Cleaner: 
 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
 1/2 cup liquid soap,
2 cups filtered water
essential oil (optional)
Mix soap and water in a clean 16oz spray bottle. Add vinegar and essential oil. Shake well.  Spray on windows and either squeegee off or wipe with a newsprint, coffee filter or microfiber cloth. Once you have cleaned your windows a couple of times, omit the soap (which removes the waxy residue left behind by conventional cleaner) and switch to 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with 2 cups of water.


Alternately use a good microfiber cloth that is slightly damp on mirrors or windows and NO CLEANSER then dry with microfiber cloth.  This is what I do and it works great for everyday use.


Fruit and vegetable wash:

• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup baking soda

Pour the water, lemon juice, and baking soda into a spray bottle. Be careful, the lemon juice and baking soda will foam up. To use, spray on vegetables, and let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse the vegetables under cold, running water using a scrub brush.

To hide scratches in wood rub the meat of a walnut into the scratch till you don't see it anymore.


Use a slice of bread to wipe marks off wallpaper.


Copper pans and ceramic baking dishes can be scoured with salt.  

Jewelry design tray from plastic ware & wooden bead bracelet

Here is a great use for those large yogurt container lids!  They work as layout trays for jewelry so you can design your bracelet or necklace with out beads rolling all over the place.  It is also great for kids so they can see the beads they have to choose from with out losing them all over the table. We store our beads in a jar, but they always want to dump them out to see them all.   The ridge in the sides hold the beads in place so you can lay them out how you like and try different designs before stringing them.

We discovered this when making mothers day bracelets for gifts.  I had just been thinking I didn't want to pay for a layout board but wanted to be able to design my jewelry ahead of time.  This worked fantastic!

The bracelets came out great as well.  Just wooden beads on stretchy jewelry cord.  Great one for the kids to make since they come out beautiful and useful while still being very easy and educational when working with patterns.  

Even my 6 yr old son loves making these for gifts.