Gingham Picnic Cooler Tutorial for Tailgating

'Tis the perfect season for

picnics, camping and tailgating!

We had a beat-up cooler

that I decided to upcycle,

and what is more picnic-y than

GINGHAM?

Isn't she cute?!!

So today I'm sharing

How to make a Gingham Tailgate Picnic Cooler

otherwise known as the

Gingham Picnic Cooler Upcycle Tutorial.

Let's take this step by step:

Celebrating Earth Day: 25 Recycle Craft Projects

 

I'm feeling extra appreciative

this Spring for our

beautiful planet that sustains

us in our every need.

I made this card quite awhile back,
but hadn't shared it yet.

While we're at it, here are

25 fabulous Earth-friendly crafts 

that feature recycling and upcycling

here at I Gotta Create:

Vintage Cassette Case Vase Tutorial

Today I'm sharing with you another 

music-themed DIY project from my 

wedding series: 

Wind up with a great conversation piece 

for a music-themed

party, wedding or shower

using old cassette cases!

Each vase or centerpiece is like

time capsule ~ a blast from the past ~

sure to provoke smiles and reminiscing. 

Let's go retro and get started with

How to Make a Vintage Cassette Case Vase

DiY Wood Branch Coasters

Nature makes some stunning patterns.

And that means we can bring those

natural design elements into our homes

in simple and elegant ways.

After pruning a hedge apple tree 

we noticed the gorgeous rings in this branch.

Aha! 

Such dense wood makes for beautiful coasters

for a wedding gift,

housewarming,

fathers day

or your own home.

Here's how to make

DIY Wood Branch Coasters:

Turn Plastic Food Containers into Pretty Planters

Seems like everything comes in plastic now.

Recycle most of it, but also have fun 

upcycling plastic food containers

into pretty planters!

What's more, I will show you how

with just a few simple steps you can

mix and match them around to 

constantly create fresh color combinations.

When you have 

all those starter plants that need repotting,

this is a pretty, earth-friendly and inexpensive way

to get the job done. 

Here's how to turn plastic containers like

yogurt tubs into pretty planters:

Duck Tape Chip Bag Totes

Get chic with your chips!

Some of those bags are so sturdy

they're a bear to get open.

So I thought,

why not take advantage of that in an upcycle?

10 Ideas to Spice Up a Guy Party Theme

Details bring any project to life. 

They are, as they say, the spice of life!  

Spice up a party theme for guys with

these 10 great ideas:

Happy Earth Day: 8 Earth-Loving Projects

We have at our feet a paradise.

A place perfectly equipped

to provide us with everything we need.

A place so full of beauty,

it sometimes makes me weep.

A place that unites

every human being,

every species of animal,

every bloom and blade of grass

because we all call it Home.

To celebrate and honor Earth Day,

here are some projects

that make us more aware

and more appreciative

of our environment:

Upcycled Totes from Feed Bags

Creativity and recycling

are two of my favorite things.

And when that results in something

beautiful, whimsical and functional,

you can bet it gets my 5-star seal of approval!

These bags are all that

and a bag of potato chips, too.

Actually... they were feed bags.

And they're super cool!
Check this out...

Make Your Own Fabric Softener: It's better!

I ran across a recipe for

making your own fabric softener

while researching the history of clothespins

for an article where I showed off

these beauties:

Funny how one thing leads to another.

I knew right away I was trying this!

While I love the smell 
of my usual fabric softener,

I hate that blue gunk it leaves on 

the dispenser over time....

TP Roll Funny Bunnies

Got T.P.?

Got kids? {ie: your own, nieces & nephews, or the grand-baby-variety}

Make some Funny Bunnies!
Well, at least they make me laugh.

They're simple, cute

and an inexpensive entertaining project for

Spring or Easter.

You get two bunnies out of every cardboard tube.

Here's how you make
TP Roll Funny Bunnies: 

Tutorial: Bunny Ears Headband with PomPom Tail

Here's an adorable way

to dress up for Spring Parties 

and Easter fun...

Bunny ears headband 

with a cute little pom-pom tail.

Whether you're an adult or a wee one,

these sweet little headbands

are charming on everyone!

And they're super easy to whip up!

Here's how to make...

St. Paddy's Green Mod Podge Gift Package

We're going green

and it's a perfect fit for

St. Paddy's Day,

Spring,

and being kind to the planet.

These

 pretty mod podge packages,

which can also be used as a centerpiece,

aren't over-the-top, yet

they're unique and they catch a

bit 'o sparkle in the "bow of clovers."

Here's how these scrap-busting gift packages

will also help with your Spring cleaning...

Fantastically Beautiful Snow Globes

Make a gorgeous snow globe that is different from the rest! Create a winter wonderland scene that will enchant you all season long.

Let's look at all the elements that take this snow globe up a notch....

Tinfoil Tree Ornament Tutorial!

Bring out your aluminum foil! 

I'm showing you how to make beautiful Tinfoil Tree Ornaments for the Holidays.

If you haven't seen all the lovely photos of the Tinfoil Tree Ornaments, click *here.*  

Let's roll up our sleeves and get busy making some now.

Happy Trails Gorp Snack Mix

Gorp. A funny name for such a tasty trail mix! We recently went camping and hiking, and we love to take this with us.

Upcycled Jean Lunch Tote with Belt Handle

Picnic Tote or Lunch Tote made from jeans:  front

This darling little jean tote is roomy enough for packing a small picnic and practical for carrying lunch to work or to school.

Pocket Detail

Don't you just love how that front pocket is perfect for your napkin and utensils?! 

With the weather cooling down and Back-to-School on our minds, it's the perfect time to share this Upcycled Jean Lunch Tote with you.

Vintage Images

The vintage images are so sweet. I used inkjet printable fabric, which I've referred to when making aprons, pillows, ornaments, and napkins.

Belt Handle Detail

I shared the basics for making this jean lunch tote more than a year ago when I had less than 25 followers. I was just a baby blogger!

  

Insulated liner & gathered top for roominess

Since making this lunch tote, I use it almost daily to carry my lunch to work.

Adorable. Portable. Yummy.

But we've also carried picnics-for-two in it!  Guess what we took with us most recently?

If you haven't seen the adorable and oh-so-portable Peach Crisp in a Mason Jar yet, you must *click here*!

No telling where our picnic road trip adventures will take us! There are so many places I want to show you while the weather is cool and the sky is so blue...

Keep riding along with me. We'll picnic this season at Fun Fall Field Trip sites and come up with some fantastic Fall projects in future posts.

You can pull over a moment and poke around this old farm house with me right now.

When you get back home, if you want the basics for making this Upcycled Jean Lunch Tote with a Belt Handle, you can find it parked right here: Part 1 and Part 2. Having written many tutorials since then, I realize those first few were not thorough. :)

Do you have any upcycled jean projects?  I'd love for you to share them at the Wildly Original linky party!