At the start of summer I like to head to an art supply store and pick out a spiral bound sketch book. Throughout the summer I bring this book with me on hikes, road trips, and other adventures. If there’s an available moment, I draw doodles, stick figures, and even sketches of things I have […]
Bonnie Thomas
How To
DIY Repurposed Memo Books
Have you ever spent time at a lakeside or mountain camp with friends and family? It is one of my favorite New England traditions. One thing I have always loved about “camp” is exploring the magazines, puzzles and games that have been used through the generations. I love finding handwritten scoreboards from previous visits, discovering […]
How To
Make Inspiration Tags
Inspiration Tags are small tags created from cardboard, or repurposed from countertop samples, that you decoupage with words and pictures that inspire you. The tags can be strung along a garland or ribbon, a stick, or in this example, a pickle fork (I love discovering new ways to display items and repurpose household goods). You […]
If you have followed The Crafty Yankee blog for a couple years now, then you know May Day (May 1st) is one of my favorite holidays. My grandparents used to deliver May Baskets to our house when my sisters and I were young and from then on I was hooked on this holiday. Not […]
Easter is like many holidays where family and friends gather to celebrate with festivities and food. These Easter Chick Cupcake Toppers can be placed on cupcakes, muffins, or hot cross buns but I used them for cupcake toppers. These toppers are so easy to make they are probably not considered a “craft”, but I […]
How To
Make Your Own Display Boxes
I wanted to add spring colors to our walls and I had several small cardboard boxes on hand — so I made these display boxes. Display boxes (also called “shadowboxes”) can be arranged on the wall for showcasing a collection of small treasures. The items in the boxes can be changed out as needed whenever […]
How To
DIY Easter Baskets
Easter baskets can be purchased in a variety of shapes, sizes, and themes. But if you are uninspired by the selections available in stores, or if you love crafting, you can make your own! These DIY Easter baskets evoke a nostalgic feel and are a nice size for party favors, gift giving, or decorating an Easter […]
How To
Make Ribbon Organizers
After a long and snowy winter, I have made quite a mess of my craft supplies. This week I set a goal to de-clutter and organize my materials before sunny spring weather arrives. Although most of my craft supplies can be put into labelled storage boxes and jars, I cringed when I came across this […]
Shabby chic paper flag garlands are surprisingly easy and inexpensive to create and you can use them for parties and home decor (including glamping decor– wouldn’t these look sweet in a vintage camper?). Materials needed: 6 pieces of decorative scrapbook paper sized 12″x12″ 9 feet of string ( I used embroidery string) Glue Scissors Decorative […]
Pocket Valentines are small but sturdy cardboard pockets that are decorated for Valentine’s Day and then filled with treats. The pockets are simple to create, so if you are looking for a last minute Valentine’s Day project, this is the one! The pockets are small enough to fit in a card-sized envelope as well as […]
How To
Decoupaged Hearts on Stones
New Englanders tend to be fond of collecting natural treasures from their outdoor adventures. Smooth round beach rocks, sea glass, and drift wood are examples of things we tend to pick up and bring home with us. Although these natural collections are beautiful on their own, you can actually transform many of these items into […]
How To
Make Tissue Paper Valentines
Handmade valentines have become a lost art. Although it’s convenient to buy mass produced valentines, many people still prefer, and treasure, the handmade ones. I love the simplicity of these tissue paper valentines– they’re created from a few easy-to-find materials and can be made fairly quickly. The end result is a valentine that can be […]