I am currently in the process of making a cover for our lounge. While the lounge is structurally sound, the fabric cover has seen better days. Stains, tears, fading, wear… it doesn’t look so good.

When I’m done, I’ll write more about how I went about recovering the lounge. Today is all about the zippers on the cushion covers.

I had originally intended to buy a couple of zippers. Instead I had a brain wave in the eleventh hour and decided to reuse the old zippers – the free alternative.

To remove an old zipper, grab a seam ripper and cut through the stiches holding the zip in place. In my case, I chose to sew up the seam left by removing the zipper. You can see by the state of the cushion why I had no qualms tearing out the zippers.

One of the zippers had separated long ago. If you’re wondering how to fix a separated zipper, here’s a YouTube video that explains it quite well. Try as I might though, the zipper would not go back together and after further reading, I found out this was an issue with the slider. Sure enough, a pair of pliers and a few attempts later, the slider broke in half.

This was not the end of that zipper though! I was pretty determined to get that darn thing fixed (after all it is the perfect sized zipper for the cushion and it is free).

You know that packaging you get when you buy sheets or mattress protectors or a whole host of other things?

I cannot bring myself to get rid of these bags. They are great for storage as well as a source of free zippers – just cut the zip to length and sew across each end to stop the slider from falling off. In this particular instance, I cut off just the slider and attached it to my zip.

Voila! Zipper fixed!

As for the rest of the vinyl bag, I can cut off the handles for to use in other sewing projects and I plan to use the plastic to sew a see-through pencil case for the little fella,with a zipper reclaimed from a pair of beloved (but torn across the bottom) shorts.

And here’s the zip in it’s new home – a good match colour wise too.

And the work in progress lounge cover:

If you are wondering, the fabric for the lounge cover is a painter’s cotton drop sheet from Bunnings, but more on that when I’ve finished the cover.

Have you read these articles?:

1. tip tuesday – wash your plastic bags
2. tip tuesday–desk drawer organisers
3. tip tuesday – starting a craft box for the kids

A recipe that’s a little different today – something that is edible, but not something to eat.

Homemade play dough is a fraction of the cost of store bought, is something that can be whipped up in minutes (with or without the kid’s help) yet can keep children amused for hours.

Play dough is definitely a favourite activity in our house. It keeps the little fella happily amused rolling and cutting or just pressing matchbox cars into it. Sometimes he will cook me play dough sausages and pancakes in a little toy frypan he has. Other times we will make ‘worms’ by pressing the dough through a garlic press.

If the little fella wants to help me cook dinner and I would prefer him not to help (like when I’m cutting up raw chicken or I’m feeling a little frazzled), I get a clean chopping board and a small knife and let him stand on a chair and practice chopping his play dough beside me. Maybe it’s the change of location, or being able to cook ‘with’ mum, but it means we can work in companionable proximity without him getting in the way.

I tend to make up a batch of play dough and then divvy it out a quarter at a time, keeping the rest in an air tight container in the pantry. This makes it last a bit longer – it doesn’t take long before the dough is full of dirt cat hair, despite the fact that our cat ran away over a month ago. If left out, the dough dries out pretty quickly. I keep it in a little airtight container on the little fella’s table. Even in the direct sun, once it’s in the container it will stay pliable.

Method

1. Add all dry ingredients to a bowl. In a jug, combine the wet ingredients and then pour into the dry ingredients.
2. Mix until the dough comes together then turn out onto the bench and knead lightly until smooth (good job for the kids although check that it isn’t too hot first).
3. Depending on the flour or how much food colouring you add, the dough may come out a little sticky. If the dough is too sticky, knead in a little extra flour until you have a smooth dough.

Have you read these articles?:

1. Easy Shortcrust Pastry
2. easy ‘what am i going to cook tonight’ pasta
3. tip tuesday–easy, healthy toddler snack

Recycled glass jars are great for storing all sorts of things, from pantry staples to nails in the garage. They are also make cheap drinking glasses in a pinch.

But there are many other uses for recycled glass jars as the tutorials below demonstrate.

If you’re like me and have trouble throwing out glass jars, here’s a few creative ideas for reusing them.

Soap dispenser @ Blissfully Content	Pin cushion jar @ Martha Stewart	Oil lamp @ Raised in Cotton
Hanging storage @ Liz Marie Blog	Magnetic spice jars @ DAV.I.SON	Craft storage @ Good Housekeeping
Soy candles @ Soap Queen	Jar herb garden @ The Charlotte	Tea light holders @ Mark Montano
Chalkboard labels at The Flibbertigibbert	Boredom jar @ Somewhat Simple	Mason jar lantern @ Intimate Weddings
Ideas for jar decoration @ Too Much Time	Jar planter @ Not Just a Housewife	Gift hamper in a jar @ Home for the Holidays
Add a spout @ The Cheese Chef	Drink jar @ 3191 Miles Apart	Cup cakes in a jar @ Cookies and Cups
Gardener’s hand soap @ Create Studio	Sugar scrub in a jar @ Maybe Matilda	Cookies in a jar @ Intimate Weddings

Have you read these articles?:

1. recycled paper craft roundup
2. gifts for men–12 weeks of christmas crafting roundup
3. up-cycled pallet roundup – transforming old pallets

Despite it being the regular hot and humid February in Queensland, I have the urge to knit. I blame it on overseas blogs, who, in the midst of winter (and what a snowy winter), are currently showcasing all their latest knits.

And I’m excited because this time round I’m having a Winter baby, so I can put down the dishcloths and try my hand at some baby clothes. I grew up down south where Winters are cold. While I don’t miss the cold so much, I miss the snuggling up in knits and getting warm part of Winter.

There are a trillion knitted patterns for babies out there on the internet – these are just a few I’ve been looking at over the last couple of weeks.

P.S. Lion Brand Yarn have over 4,000 patterns for free, but you have to sign up to their website. Some of there patterns are really, really nice.

Baby booties @ The Purl Bee	Yoked sweater @ Carole’s Baby Knits	Knitted baby vest @ Sam Lamb
Baby beenie @ Making Good Use	Snuggle wrap @ Stitch me Softly	Pebble vest @ The Thrifty Knitter
Baby blanket @ Altadnea’s Baby Designs	Pinwheel baby blanket @ Knitlist	Easy baby jumper @ The Purl Bee
Squares baby blanket @ Vintage Mamma Sews	Daisy Jumper @ Baby Projects	Baby leg warmers @ Dayna’s Knits
Baby Socks @ Plymouth Yarn	Baby vest @ Drops Design	Striped baby cardigan @ Dove Knits

[Top image source]

Have you read these articles?:

1. gifts for children – 12 days of christmas crafting round up
2. crafting for baby – a few non-essential items
3. winter wool projects part four – knitting roundup

The other day I read a great post on Down to Earth about planning for repairs and replacement items around the home. While we have an emergency fund, and we save each pay day for a lot of different bills, I had forgotten to put aside money for things like new towels and sheets, or tap washer repairs.

And we could do with some new sheets.

Have you ever mended sheets? I have never thought to mend sheets, partly because I didn’t know how and partly because the sheets we often end up with are cheap poly-cotton ones that become threadbare before tearing and are beyond repairable.

And I always wonder about the comfort of sleeping on a darned bit of sheet.

If you’re wondering, like I was, about how to mend sheets, check out the comments section in the Down to Earth article, there is a wealth of information from women who have much more experience in mending sheets than me. I learned a lot from them!

If, on the other hand, your sheets are beyond repair (like mine are getting), then here are some ideas for ways to recycle old sheets.

Use old sheets for sewing new things

Old sheets, particularly vintage linen (why can’t I ever find vintage linen?) in patterns you love or 100% cotton sheets, are great for all sorts of crafting. Things like:

• clothing
• aprons
• quilts
• napkins
• rag rugs
• table linen
• pillow cases
• cot sheets
• cushion covers
• lounge covers
• ironing board cover
• curtains
• pet bedding
• gift wrapping
• bags…

you’re only limited by your imagination.

The bag pictured above was made from an old sheet. I actually made it while I was in labour with the little fella (nearly two years ago) and I use it for the groceries still. It’s very strong, despite being cheapo poly-cotton (or maybe because of it). I used this pattern to make the bag but added tabs at the top to make it easier for the shop assistant to put in their bag frame and I made the handles a little longer than a normal plastic shopping bag. I keep meaning to make more – they are very convenient.

On another note, I was thinking of making the little fella this tepee for Christmas, but when I sat down and actually read the fabric requirements, it was going to cost a fortune, even in cheap calico! I’m on the lookout now for thrifted sheets or blankets to make a similar tepee for a lot less.

and… keep things clean with old sheets

Ok, so you can cut up old sheets to use as rags, but what else? Old sheets are great for painter’s drop cloths (for painting the house or going under a child’s easel), furniture covers, play mats and covering furniture when moving house. You can also cut them up and use them as garment bags in your wardrobe.

I like to sew, particularly quilt (when I get time) and while I have a decent stash of fabric from the days before baby, the truth is that fabric is expensive and I don’t want to let that stop me. Thrifted fabric, like old sheets, gives me the best of both worlds – I can continue to do the craft I love on a tight budget and it’s green.

Do you mend old sheets? What ways do you recycle your sheets?

Have you read these articles?:

1. 24 Creative Ways to Recycle Cardboard Milk Cartons
2. 12 creative ways to make money
3. ways with recycled glass jars roundup

I picked up an excellent book at the library the other day called Making Your Home Sustainable: A guide to retrofitting. This is an Australian book, written by Derek Wrigley (a retired architect based in Canberra) and has been recently revised and republished.

There’s a whole wealth of information in this book about retrofitting your house to make it more environmentally friendly, reducing your bills in the process. Everything from the more expensive options like installing solar, to free options for renters, like insulating your roof with polystyrene boxes from Woolworths! I’ll write more about some of his more innovative ideas when I’ve finished the book.

One idea that I found really interesting was his way of making use of the heat generated from the back of the fridge. His diagrams show the modifications that are possible to the space around the fridge to make the most of this heat.

By adding some shelves or a rack above the fridge and some simple, makeshift walls to direct the flow of hot air, he created a drying rack for fruit or to warm dishes or an extra place to dry clothes.

He also describes a system where you can vent this hot air out of the house during summer and then close the vent in winter to keep the warmth in, or, if your fridge backs onto another room, vent the air into an adjacent room. It’s not a lot of heat, but every little bit helps.

What I really like about this idea is the innovative way it takes the potential downside of a household item (the heat generated from the rear of the fridge) and turns it into something useful, saving money in the process.

I’ve written in the past about how we dry washing on the hot bonnet of the car when it’s parked in the garage, and how we put our clothes airers in the kitchen when I’m doing any baking, to take advantage of the heat given off by the oven.

I’ve also read about how others use the heat in the car when it’s parked in the sun to dry fruit or how people convert the bottom stair in an inside stairwell into a drawer for storage.

This out-of-the-box thinking is a great way to use the things (and the space) we already have rather than buy another item to do another task. It’s all about seeing things with different eyes and being solution-oriented rather than problem-focused. Young children do this naturally everyday.

I’m now on a mission to investigate how I can use other things in the house in ways they may not have been meant for.

What are your ideas for using everyday objects in ways they may not have been intended?

Have you read these articles?:

1. crafting for baby – a few non-essential items
2. ask the reader–mortgages, budgeting and living the single life
3. What Are The Actual Savings Of Turning Off The Lights?

Making Christmas decorations as a family lends a special touch to the occasion – decorations have sentimental value rather than just being something plastic and purchased. Crafting your own decorations is also a way to extend the Christmas joy beyond a single day, especially if your children are old enough to be involved in the crafting.

While it’s tempting to create ‘the perfect Christmas’ with all the bells and whistles, I’ve decided that we can start small with sparse decorations and craft more each year.

When it comes to finding inspiration, websites like Pinterest and Craftgawker are definitely great places to waste a few hours find inspiration. Below are just some of the wonderful things I found on these sites as wells as around the internet.

While looking for decorations, I came across the ancient Japanese tradition of Temari: making balls out of thread in gorgeous patterns (pictured above). This is not a casual craft but involves a lot of skill and dedication. The results though, are absolutely stunning! For information about this craft you can find some interesting Youtube videos here and here as well as tips, directions and patterns here, here, here and here.

Paper tree @ Milo Made	Button wreath @ Martha Stewart	Felt Houses @ Poopscape Projects
Yarn wreath @ Better Homes and Gardens	Felt ball garlands @ According to Kelly	Scalloped paper ball @ Laura Wears
Paper snowflakes @ Ellinee	Soft drink can star @ Milo Made	Monogrammed ornaments @ MADE
Tree ornaments @ Marvels and Jambalaya	Yarn balls @ Sew Wrong	Outdoor light decoration @ eHow
Paper ornament tutorials @ Etsy	Button decorations @ Childhood 101	String balls @ Simple Mom
Mini fabric Xmas trees @ Lemon Tree Creations	Wine bottle display @ Cleverly Inspired	Jersey and wool felt stocking @ Prudent Baby
Christmas card wreath @ Michaels	Felt snow balls @ Purl Bee	Paper garland @ Hambly Screen Prints
Paper wreath @ Pure Green Designs	Paper snowflake wreath @ How About Orange	Paper ornaments @ Design Sponge
Christmas ornament @ Little Blue House	Toilet roll ornament @ Michele Made Me	Felt covered balls @ Better Homes and Gardens
5 Toilet roll decoration ideas @ Paper Crafts	Felt ornaments @ Domestic Fluff	Felt star ornaments @ Purl Bee

Have you read these articles?:

1. handmade Christmas decoration roundup
2. 54 Handmade Christmas Decoration Projects
3. gifts for men–12 weeks of christmas crafting roundup

While teenagers may be hard to craft for, the men in our lives can be even more difficult (to craft for, that is). To the male readers of Frugal and Thriving, it would be great to hear what gifts you like receiving and whether you like handmade gifts of not.

Below are some ideas for gifts for men from around the net.

Magnetic Fridge Clock @ Dollar Store Crafts	iPad sleeve @ Sew 4 Home	Leather Wallet @ Art of Manliness
Personalised tie @ Martha Stewart	Tool tub @ Sew 4 Home	Custom cap patch @ Just Something I Made
Beer coasters @ Handmade Mommy	Pegboard organiser @ Martha Stewart	T-Shirt quilt @ Craft Stylish
Felt notebook pouch @ Instructibles	Pocket knife wallet @ Only Knives	Leather glasses case @ Design Sponge
Nuts and bolts @ Martha Stewart	Pistachio brittle @ The Kitchn	Roasted spiced almonds @ Better Homes & Gardens
Men’s hoodie @ Craft Stylish	Knitted jumper @ Pickles	Men’s scarf @ Cotton and Cloud
Key ring @ Instructibles	Gadget case from tie @ Luvin the Mommyhood	Cuff Links @ Martha Stewart

Have you read these articles?:

1. gifts for teenagers–12 days of christmas crafting round up
2. gifts for children – 12 days of christmas crafting round up
3. handmade Christmas decoration roundup

Teenagers can be difficult to buy for and even more difficult to craft for (especially boys) and I have to admit that collecting ideas especially for teenagers was somewhat difficult.

If your teenage recipient is tech-oriented, there are plenty of accessories below that you can craft for their gadgets.

Leather journal cover @ Craft Stylish	iPod arm band for running @ Roubidou	Notepad cover @ Lark Crafts
Bead bracelet @ Morgan Made It	Jewellery pendants @ Mich L. in L.A.	Bi-fold wallet @ All Wrapped Up
Ribbon hair band @ Bugs and Fishes	ID wallet @ All Wrapped Up	Laptop sleeve @ Amelia and Atticus
Laptop sleeve @ Design Sponge	Journal cover @ Smashed Peas and Carrots	Leather CD case @ ECAB
Kindle Case @ Crafting a Greener World	Fabric covered notebook @ The Thrillz of Hillz	Suede iPod case @ Martha Stewart
Messenger bag @ Punkin Patterns	Make-up bag @ Sew Like My Mom	iPod cover @ Handmade by Heidi
iPad case @ Fresh Lemons	CD visor @ Instructibles	Ribbon lanyard @ A Spoonful of Sugar
Leather wallet @ Skip to My Lou	Tri-fold wallet @ Zipper Teeth	Pineapple quilt @ Instructibles

Have you read these articles?:

1. gifts for children – 12 days of christmas crafting round up
2. gifts for men–12 weeks of christmas crafting roundup
3. for the home–12 days of christmas crafting round up

I realise now that many of the links I used in the keeping young kids amused round up were meant for this post. Oh well. Double the links.

Some of these websites have many more ideas than just the ones I linked to, so have a browse if you’re inspired to. The Twelve Days of Christmas site has a whole host of matching craft stuff for dolls as well as the bassinet for instance.

Stuffed Turtle @ Make it – Love it	Football Softie @ Living with Punks	Play silks @ Make it Perfect
Tree blocks @ Twig and Toadstool	Kid’s wallet @ Ameroonie Designs	Critter blanket @ Flamingo Toes
DIY baby blocks @ Creative Jewish Mom	Dinosaur softie @ Little Black Teapot	Felt gnomes @ Wee Folk Art
Memory game @ Chez Beeper Bebe	Crayon roll @ All Things Heart and Home	Play mail @ Lu Bird Baby
Mail box @ Ucreate	Handmade doll @ Martha Stewart	Waldolf doll @ Dollar Store Crafts
Doll’s bassinet @ Twelve crafts till Christmas	Tool belt @ Paper and Cake	Roll-up kitchen play mat @ Balancing Everything

Have you read these articles?:

1. gifts for teenagers–12 days of christmas crafting round up
2. for the home–12 days of christmas crafting round up
3. gifts for men–12 weeks of christmas crafting roundup