Pottery Leaf Dishes

POTTERY LEAF DISHES

Piper Pottery

Key hangers

KEY HANGERS

Coathangers

Mosquito repellents

Natural Mosquito Repellents

Mosquito Beater Tip 1:

Provide Habitat for Natural Mosquito Predators

Invite guests to your home that are natural predators of mosquitoes to help reduce the population such as:

Bats (Buy a Bat House Online.)

Frogs

Fish

Turtles

Birds

Dragonflies

Hang bird feeders, build a bat house, invert broken terracotta pots to make frog houses, and add a few fish to the pond. All of these amazing creatures will help control your mosquito population.

Mosquito Beater Tip 2:

Use Herbs and Essential Oils that Repel Mosquitoes

Several herbs, and some flowers, have been known to repel mosquitoes and other biting insects. Herbs make a great addition to any yard or garden because they are visually pleasing, can be used in cooking, and repel biting insects.

Natural Mosquito Repellent Recipes

Some of the Best Herbs for Mosquito Control

Citronella (lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena)

Geranium

Eucalyptus

Rosemary

Anise

Mint

Marigolds

Catnip

Wormwood

Lavender

Cedar

Tansy

Cloves

5 Ways to Use Herbs and Flowers for Mosquito Control

Plant herbs in your garden anywhere and everywhere you can squeeze them in, the more the better.

Make mosquito planter pots. Choose a couple of the plants mentioned above and create container pots to place by the entry doors, by your grill, by the pool and on the deck.

Potpourri. Dry the herbs and place in little bowls all over outside where you hang out and randomly run your fingers through the dried herbs to release the scent when you walk by.

In the dryer. Put a couple of drops of essential oils (any of the ones mentioned above) on an old cotton cloth and throw in the dryer with your clothes, it will give your clothes a natural insect repellent without putting anything on your skin

Herbal Insect Repellent Recipes

You can use or include as many of the herbs and flowers mentioned above to create your own insect repellent and it will work just fine. 

Herbal Insect Repellent Recipe Made with Varied Herbs

You will need:

Empty, Clean Glass Jar w/Lid

Rubbing Alcohol, Vodka or Witch Hazel (Buy Witch Hazel Online)

Herbs: Mint, Eucalyptus, Lemon Balm and or Lemon Grass, Rosemary, Lavender, and Catnip

Directions

Coarsely chop herbs and place the herbs in your glass jar (fill as full as you can). Cover with alcohol or witch hazel, leaving ½-3/4” space at top. Seal with a secure lid. Set jar in sunny location and leave for two weeks (can leave longer if desired). Try to shake jar every once in a while. Strain herbs and transfer liquid to a spray bottle. Shake before use.

Herbal Insect Repellent Recipe Made with Essential Oils

You will need:

Empty, Clean Spray Bottle (I used a 16oz spray bottle) (Buy a spray bottle online.)

Rubbing Alcohol, Vodka or Witch Hazel (Buy Witch Hazel Online)

Distilled Water

Essential Oils:

Mint (10 drops)

Rosemary (5 drops)

Eucalyptus (5 drops)

Lemon (citronella) (10 drops)

Lavender (5 drops)

Clove (5 drops)

Directions

Fill Spray bottle ¾ with alcohol or witch hazel, add your essential oil drops, and add distilled water to fill. Shake before use.

Source: Commonsense

Shower Caps hacks

SHOWER CAPS HACKS

1. Never have wet bike seats again!

2. Make a mini glass house for your seedlings by covering a plastic container with a shower cap

3. Protect your clothes from dirty shoes in your suitcase

4. Clean your shower head by tying a shower cap filled with cleaning liquid or white vinegar to it and let it soak for as long as needed.

pest repellent

Easy DIY garlic pest repellent for spider mites and aphids:

1) Peel and crush 1 head of garlic
2) Add the garlic and 1 liter of water to a medium-large pan
3) Cover the pan with a towel and allow it to rest for 24 hours
4) Remove the towel and simmer on a stove top set to low for 20 minutes
5)Allow to cool and then pour the liquid through a strainer into a spray bottle

Now you're ready to kill or prevent aphids and mites. Simply spray your foliage and stalks in danger and reapply after rainfall.

pom poms

POM POMS

Life Hacks Around The House

Life Hacks At Home

1. Bathroom Smells

Eliminate nasty odors while also giving your toilet bowl brush a bit of extra scrubbing power by pouring your favorite scented cleaning product into the holder.

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2. Fresh Dishwasher

Every once in a while, your dishwasher should go through a serious deep clean to prevent stagnant water and other icky buildup. To do so, simply place a dishwasher-safe container filled with white vinegar on the top shelf of an empty dishwasher. Run a normal cycle and then remove the container of vinegar. Next, sprinkle a cup of baking soda along the bottom of the dishwasher and run another cycle.

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3. Pet Hair In Carpets

If you have pet hair accumulating in your carpets, running a rubber squeegee over it makes cleanup much easier.

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4. Bag storage

Keep little bags from stores and takeaways in empty tissue boxes

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5. Use 2 cloths wrapped around BBQ thongs to clean your blinds.

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Easter Egg Coloring 2

NATURAL EASTER EGG COLORING

Make your own natural Easter egg dyes using garden vegetables and spices for color.

Boil vegetables and spices to create egg dye.

Homemade Easter-Egg Dye Recipes
Select a dyeing agent, and place it in the pot using the amount listed below. Add 1 quart water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar to pot; if more water is necessary to cover ingredients, proportionally increase the amount of vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat. Allow the ingredients to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain dye into a bowl.

Red-cabbage dye: 4 cups chopped cabbage
Turmeric dye: 3 tablespoons turmeric
Onion-skin dye: 4 cups onion skins (skins of about 12 onions)
Beet dye: 4 cups chopped beets
Coffee dye: 1 quart strong black coffee (instead of water)

Color Glossary
Natural dyes can sometimes produce unexpected results, so don't be surprised if, for example, your red-cabbage dye yields blue eggs. Use the following guide to help you achieve the colors you desire.

DEEP GOLD: Boil eggs in turmeric solution, 30 minutes.

SIENNA: Boil eggs in onion-skin solution, 30 minutes.

DARK RICH BROWN: Boil eggs in black coffee, 30 minutes.

PALE YELLOW: Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution, 30 minutes.

ORANGE: Soak eggs in room-temperature onion-skin solution, 30 minutes.

LIGHT BROWN: Soak eggs in room-temperature black coffee, 30 minutes.

LIGHT PINK: Soak eggs in room-temperature beet solution, 30 minutes.

LIGHT BLUE: Soak eggs in room-temperature cabbage solution, 30 minutes.

ROYAL BLUE: Soak eggs in room-temperature cabbage solution overnight.

LAVENDER: Soak eggs in room-temperature beet solution, 30 minutes. Follow with room-temperature cabbage solution, 30 seconds.

CHARTREUSE: Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution, 30 minutes. Follow with room-temperature cabbage solution, 5 seconds.

SALMON: Soak eggs in room-temperature turmeric solution, 30 minutes. Follow with room-temperature onion-skin solution, 30 minutes.


MATERIALS

• Natural dyeing agents (red cabbage, turmeric, onion skins, beets, and coffee)
• 3-quart pot (or larger)
• White vinegar
• Strainer
• Small bowls
• Eggs
• Large metal spoon
• Paper towels
• Drying rack

STEPS 

1. Remove eggs with spoon, pat dry with paper towels, and let dry on a wire rack. The cold-dipping method produces subtle, translucent shades, but can result in uneven coloring unless the eggs are rotated vigilantly while in the dye. For hollow eggs that will last indefinitely, cold-dip raw eggs, then blow them out after they are dyed.
2. With this method, the eggs and the ingredients for the dye are boiled separately. Using a metal spoon, lower cooled hard-boiled eggs into a bowl of cooled dye, and let them soak for as little as 5 seconds or as long as overnight, depending on the depth of color you desire. Remove eggs with spoon, pat dry with paper towels, and let dry on a wire rack. The cold-dipping method produces subtle, translucent shades, but can result in uneven coloring unless the eggs are rotated vigilantly while in the dye. For hollow eggs that will last indefinitely, cold-dip raw eggs, then blow them out after they are dyed.
3. This method involves boiling the eggs with the dye; the heat allows the dye to saturate the shells, resulting in intense, more uniform color. Set raw eggs in a pot of strained dye; bring to a boil for the amount of time specified in our color glossary (see below). Remove and dry eggs as with the cold-dipping method.
4. Natural dyes tend to fade over time, so finish any eggs you plan to keep with a matte or gloss acrylic spray varnish. To create an egg-spraying stand, stick a 6-inch length of wire into a block of Styrofoam; prop a hollow egg onto the wire through one of its holes.
5. Spray egg with a coat of varnish in a well-ventilated area, and let dry.

Natural dyes tend to fade over time, so finish any eggs you plan to keep with a matte or gloss acrylic spray varnish. To create an egg-spraying stand, stick a 6-inch length of wire into a block of Styrofoam; prop a hollow egg onto the wire through one of its holes.
Spray egg with a coat of varnish in a well-ventilated area, and let dry.

Source: Martha Stewart

Easter Eggs Coloring 1

What you need: 

3 plastic cups with lid

Some unboiled rice

3 colors of food dye

Put the rice in the cup

Add the food dye to the rice and shake it

Put the hard boiled egg in the cup of dyed rice

Shake it

All done

Do the same with the other colors

Garden pond

Rainbow Pebble

Flower decoration

Duvet cover

100 Valentine Ideas

FOR HER 

1. Be a romantic scientist by custom-making a perfume especially for your sweetheart. 
2. If you have a keen sense of your lady’s fashion style, you just can’t go wrong with a black dress. 
3. Make her an omelet for breakfast. On the top, spell out I Love You with thin slices of red pepper. 
4. Purchase online a custom-made temporary tattoo with your sweetie’s name in a heart and wear it proudly. 
5. If you are talented musically then write her a song. 
6. Make her a movie from photographs and videos of your relationship together. 
7. Relieve your partner of a chore she dreads for a week. 
8. Frame a picture with song lyrics from your wedding song or a special moment together. 
9. Make her a basket with her favorite goodies such as favorite perfume, bath soaps, candles, and treats. 
10. Instead of jewelry, give her a jewelry box to house your previous gifts to her. 
11. For those active women, give them a gym membership or renew their old one. 
12. Pamper those tired tootsies with a gift certificate for a pedicure. 
13. Can’t go wrong with roses, but add a twist. On each stem, attach a romantic message. 
14. Go on a dinner date to a new restaurant you haven’t yet tried. 
15. Present your valentine with IOU coupons to include: I will make dinner, I will clean up after dinner for a week, or I will serve you breakfast in bed. 
16. If you can, recreate your first date. 
17. A homemade card is more special instead of a store bought generic one. 
18. If it’s out of character, take the reigns on making dinner one night. PS – you’re on clean up duty too! 
19. Create a playlist of her favorite songs to download on her smartphone or computer. 
20. Explore your adventurous side together by doing something daring that both of you have never tried before such as bungee jumping, sky diving, and hot air balloon ride. 
21. Treat her to a day at the spa. Women love to get pampered. 
22. Create an indoor picnic with tablecloth, paper goods, finger foods, and dessert. 
23. Leave a note on your significant other’s pillow expressing your love. Add a single rose.  
24. Valentines classroom party volunteer sign up 24. Take a salsa or tango-dancing lesson together. 
25. Hit a music club to hear a live band and dance the night away. 
26. Say it from the heart – write a romantic poem for her. 
27. Design a customized t-shirt online for your sweetheart. 
28. Treat her to a shopping spree. 
29. A leather handbag is a luxury option for a serious relationship. 
30. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of French wine. 
31. A woman always appreciates a box of her favorite chocolates. 
32. A nice piece of jewelry is something that will keep reminding her of you. 
33. For a coffee lover, a personalized coffee mug with a photo of the two of you. 
34. Try something luxurious, like a silk robe.  
35. Pamper your loved one with a bath gift set of scented bath oils, bubbles, and body lotion. 
36. For those ladies who love to cook, gift her a cooking class. 
37. 37. Create a packet of 12 pre-planned dates that gives you and your sweetie something to look forward to each month for a whole year. 
38. Lingerie is another favorite for many women.  
39. Fast changing technology is hard to keep up with, so get her the latest smartphone or tablet.
40. A message in a bottle makes for a great keepsake. Write a romantic message on a piece of paper and place into a gorgeous bottle. 
41. Create a day of surprises. Enlist help from friends and family to help you create a Valentine’s Day she will never forget. 
42. Give her a gift card to her favorite store. 
43. An item she has been saving up to purchase. 
44. Order her a magazine subscription for the magazine she is always picking up while in line at the grocery store.  
45. Take her down memory lane by watching old home movies together with popcorn, sodas, and candy. 
46. Venture out to your favorite part of town for a glass of wine, appetizers, and dessert. 
47. Purchase her a new scarf or fashion accessory. 
48. For the fabulous cook in your life, a new kitchen appliance might help her time spent in the kitchen easier. 
49. Rent some chick flicks and snuggle the night away. 
50. Whatever you give her, don’t forget to say a simple and sincere I love you. The words truly speak volumes. 

FOR HIM 

1. Add valentine-colored candies in a jar along with notes, which are redeemable for a back rub, 10 passionate kisses, etc. 
2. For the guy who loves to be clean-shaven, give him a customized shaving kit. 
3. A simple gesture as a handwritten love note makes a very thoughtful valentine. 
4. Make Sweetheart S’mores with heart marshmallows, graham crackers, peanut butter and strawberries. Or go the traditional way with marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars. 
5. Make a framed group of photographs that put your relationship in chronological order. 
6. Place a love note in your mate’s briefcase as a surprise when he’s at work. 
7. Bake heart-shaped cookies and decorate. 
8. Give a gift of multiple dates with a movie gift card loaded with a year’s worth of flicks! 
9. Create a red and white meal using food and drinks in just these two colors. 
10. Have a surprise lunch delivered to his office or even better deliver it yourself. 
11. Dip fruit into melted chocolate for a special indulgence after dinner. 
12. Leave a red-hot lipstick message on the mirror or shower wall. 
13. Purchase tickets to an upcoming concert or sporting event. It’s a great way to create a new memory. 
14. Decorate a leather-covered flask with a special message. Wrap the flask with a valentine-themed message. Cut the paper to fit and secure using tape. 
15. Keep your sweetie warm and cozy with a terry cloth, fleece or flannel bathrobe. 
16. Take your honey on a scavenger hunt around the house to find his Valentine’s Day gift. 
17. Surprise him with that special something he has been eyeing regardless of how big or small it might be. 
18. Stock his favorite beer in the fridge and his favorite snacks on the shelves. 
19. Personalized a set of beer or wine glasses with your names and a special date. 
20. Design coupon gifts for your special someone to redeem for activities as tame or as spicy as you’d like. 
21. Turn a pair of plain pillowcases into a romantic gift by using stencils and fabric paint to write a message of love. 
22. Plan a couple’s massage. 
23. Surprise him with a jersey or cap from his favorite sports team. 
24. If your partner is a bookworm, a hardback book or ebook are great choices. 
25. It’s the perfect time to splurge on an item he might never purchase for himself, like a bottle of nice cologne. 
26. For the bow-tie loving guy, give him a valentine-themed bow tie. 
27. How about a retro gift, a pair of vintage Chuck Taylor shoes – make it a red pair. 
28. Your guy loves to maintain his appearance, purchase a grooming kit to keep him looking good. 
29. If he’s into music, buy a high tech wireless headphone. 
30. Most guys love to lounge around on lazy weekends, you can’t go wrong with a pair of comfy pants. 
31. Book an unforgettable experience. Take him on a couple’s retreat. Find a place exclusively for couples only. 
32. Do something active. Plan a day of hiking, biking or kayaking. 
33. Dress up like you are going out, but make him a romantic dinner at home. 
34. Leave love notes all over the house. With his every turn, he will be reminded of your love for him. 
35. Cover the inside of your love’s car with cut out hearts with love notes written on them. 
36. Make him a scrapbook filled with loving memories of your time together. 
37. Take him on a distillery or beer factory tour in your area. 
38. If he loves speed, then take him go-kart racing at an outdoor or indoor arena.  
39. If he has always dreamed about soaring high in the sky, then give him an introductory flying course. 
40. For some good laughs, take him to see a live comedy show. 
41. Make a mix of songs from all the highlight moments in your relationship. Create a dance floor in your living room to dance to all your favorite memories. 
42. Pack him an empty lunch and show up at lunchtime with his favorite foods or reservations for two. 
43. Text your sweetie at work during the day and tell him what you love about him. Give him a set of ringtones for all his friends, family, and a special one for you. 
44. If he loves his morning cup of joe, then a gift certificate to his favorite coffee shop is in order. 
45. If a weekend round of golf is his thing, then new golf accessories would come in handy. 
46. Find some great love quotes and text him throughout Valentine’s Day. 
47. Dress completely all in red for Valentine’s Day including down to your undies. 
48. Exchange foot rubs. 
49. If you don’t have time to make a special meal, make or pick up a wow dessert. 
50. Start a tradition you can do every year, so choose one of these ideas that you can relive every Valentine’s Day with your special Valentine.

Source: Sara Kendall

Tea light Jars

TEA LIGHT JARS

Coconut Shell Box

Coconut shell box 

Smooth the coconut shell with sand paper and then start working on it..

Add an old jar lid at the bottom of the shell for the support with M-seal and glue, then decorate the design with M-seal for whole shell..

Color the total shell with black acrylic color and then color the M-seal part with  pearl metallic acrylic colors..

Here is the completed box ..you can use it as a jewellery box or if you have any idea to store in it you can.. :)

Source: Radhika Hobby Crafts

Beach In A Bottle

Great idea to bring back from holiday: Fill small sample bottles with sand from your favorite beaches.