I have been saving wine corks for a long time. Like, ever since I turned 21 and that was….well a long time ago. I have plans to do something really cool with them. There are lots of ideas out there and with spring hopefully coming soon, this birdhouse tutorial is perfect. Don’t have enough to make your own? Check out this cute cork birdhouse from Etsy. Happy Upcycling! Jill    

We love this cute and easy tutorial for making a shamrock stamp from upcycled cardboard tubes. Prudent Baby is one of the blogs that I check frequently so I am happy to send you their way for this free tutorial. Go visit Prudent Baby! Happy Upcycling, Jill

The snow is flying here but I am ready for spring! Check out this free tutorial for upcycling egg cartons into a beautiful flower wreath. The colors are so pretty and vivid. Once again, another great project for all ages. Get the complete tutorial here.

Looking for a fun project you can do with your kids or while relaxing by the fire? Check out this easy tutorial for making your own drink coasters from old magazines.  They are simple, colorful, useful AND recyclable.  I think they would make great Mother’s or Father’s day gifts.  Get started here.

    One of the best gifts I ever gave my now husband was a life-size, stand-up, cardboard Storm Trooper. He is a Star Wars fan and when I came across the Storm Trooper, well…I had no choice but to buy it. My dear friend loaded it in her car and drove it across the state with me so I could give it to him. Ahhh, love! Interestingly,  after college and  having kids we really didn’t need a big Storm Trooper anymore. We sold it at a garage …

This fun table runner was made by one of my friends. Isn’t it cute? It is a fun and easy project that you can have on your table in no time.   How to make the table runner: 1. Select materials. This is made of old wool sweaters that have been felted. Learn how to felt wool here. 2. Draw a heart template from sturdy cardboard. 3. Using chalk, trace the template onto the wool. 4. Cut out the hearts using sharp sewing scissors. 5. Lay out the …

Felting wool from old sweaters is a wonderful way to give something old a new life. If the sweater is out of style, out of size or even if it has been attacked by moths you can give it  a new use by felting. Do not be intimidated by this process. It is fun and really easy. Remember that the process is irreversible. Felting wool sweaters: 1. Select your sweaters. If you notice any holes, you can repair them now by closing the holes with a few stiches. …

This tutorial is genius! Take a book with a cool cover and turn it into this neat activity center or satchel. I think this would make a great gift and the tutorial is easy to follow. So, go check out Cosmo Cricket and this cool tutorial.  

Here is a great kid-friendly tutorial for making a menorah. The flames on the candles are felt so it is perfect for little ones that you don’t want near a real flame. It would also be a great craft for a preschool classroom where real candles are definitely off limits. You can get the complete tutorial from Creative Jewish Mom.

Are you inundated with catalogs this time of year? Why not upcycle a few?  We found two great tutorials for making these cute trees. You can leave them as is or embellish ’til your hearts content with paints and other fancies. Check out “Just Like Martha”s picture tutorial here or “Family Fun”s video tutorial here.