DIY :: storage box

When you have babies, you end up with a lot of empty boxes. What can you do with them? 1) Recycle them! or 2) Reuse them! How can you reuse them? If your kid(s) have more toys than they need - like mine - you can turn them into storage boxes. 

What you need:

empty diaper box

scissors

paint

What you do:

1. Cut to tops off. And remove extra top from the opening.

2. Paint and let dry completely.

3. Use!

If you want a more dressy look, you can cover with fabric. I used paint, since I'm out of fabric right now. Maybe my next ones will be more dressy. You would also decorate the boxes with glitter glue, stickers, etc. Whatever you want.

I made these to try and clear up some space in my son's play area in the living room. It was looking cluttered and piled up. It needed fixed! With these, the area looks better. I need a few more still, haha.

DIY :: piggy bank

Step 1: Get something with a lid to use as your piggy bank, peel off the label and give it a slot in the lid. (I used a formula can since I have some. Plus it teaches recycling.)

Step 2: Paint it any color you want and let it dry overnight. (I used green because I had a can here from my sister-in-law's old house.)

Step 3: decorate!! My son loves cars and planes, so I found a tablet of those type of stickers at the dollar store for a dollar. (You can let them decorate with buttons, paint, glitter glue, etc.) I rubbed the stickers over with a glue stick to help secure them a bit more.

Finished!! Now my son has a special place for his money that he recently got from his uncle and grandma.

DIY :: recycled boxes to blocks

Both of my boys love these and it helps my older son with his shapes/etc as well. Plus it really helps on teaching how you can recycle something for fun.

Step 1: Get some boxes. I used cracker boxes, stove top stuffing boxes, and even an old can of baby formula. You can use different sizes as well. Once you have your boxes, if the boxes seem weak, put one box inside the other. Helps make it more sturdy. Tape the ends closed.

Step 2: Use construction paper to cover the boxes. You could probably use other things to cover them, like scraps of materials. Tape the ends down, or glue... whichever you prefer.

Step 3: Decorate! I drew shapes, letters, and numbers on some. I even used stickers to dress them up some more.

And you're done! Now have fun! My older son loves to build them high then knock them over. Typical boy, haha.

Craftiness :: shelf makeover

Doing another night of my son and hubby's walks, they came home with a metal shelf. It was black, a bit rusted, and had some words painted on the front. But other than that, in great shape! So thanks to a can of blue spray paint left from when my sister-in-law moved, we were able to fix this up without spending a penny! 

I forgot to take a before pic...

Not sure what I will do with it. I'm thinking using it in the kids play area, or maybe in my son's closet to help organize things more. Either way, it will be put to good use. Hubby says he might use it. We'll see.

Craftiness :: chair makeovers

So one night while my son was out driving his John Deere truck, with my hubby walking along side him, they came back home with something. A chair they found sitting out for trash pick up the next day. It was in great shape, just needed painted. Then he tells me they are going to get the other two chairs! I was very excited that my hubby is becoming ok with used things. I come from a family that if it's in good shape, clean up to look new! So I managed to get one chair finished, but the other two might have to wait for cooler days.

Here's before and after...

I painted this one red so my son can use it in his room. Somewhere for me to sit when reading to him, or him to sit... whatever reason. I'm very pleased with it. Just need to get some Disney Cars material to make a cushion for it (his room is done in the Cars theme).