The Whole Enchilada | 4 Fiesta Crafts

Ahhhh, sweet sweet Cinco de Mayo… Although in Texas it seems like every Friday is reason enough for Margaritas and Mariachi. I used to teach a Chicano Studies class and I quickly learned that Mexican Heritage does not immortalize Cinco de Mayo quite as much as you would think. It’s a relatively small event on their holiday spectrum. But none-the-less, we Americans love to indulge in some Fiesta shenanigans. If you’re throwing a Cinco de Mayo party, or a Fiesta themed event anytime, here are four easy crafts that will make your event Hot! Hot! Hot!

Save the Date | $3 Dry Erase Calendar

I was watching HGTV the other day (I do occasionally stray from my beloved Bravo!) and I saw this idea on a Sherwin Williams commercial. Sometimes I have a little guilt about using paint chip samples, because someone is paying to produce these little things. But, I figured if Sherwin Williams was advertising this craft using their paint chips, then they must really WANT me to do this, right?

Hold the Phone! | Phonebook Upcycle

I love crafting with free materials. Nature, newspapers, grocery bags… and now that list can include the poor, outdated Telephone Book. It’s such a sad sight every time one of these yellow-paged bricks appears on my porch. I swear it actually lands with a gloomy-sounding thud. Who is still using these things? How have they not been wiped out with all the beepers and Rolodexes? Instead of just tossing out or allowing them to collect dust, add paint and pretties to create a beautiful decorative home-accent or event centerpiece. Step by steps below:

Going Wild | Easy Wild Flower Decor

The city where I live is overflowing with beautiful and vibrant wild flowers. They line the streets, fences and medians. There are rules about picking wild flowers, you know. If they’re an endangered or state flower, in a private park or yard, obviously that’s a no-no. But generally, people can gather what is known as the “Four F’s”  for personal use, and not for sale or commercial gain. The Four F’s include flowers, foilage, fungus, and fruit! So aside from a natural and rustic table bouquet, try these other  ideas to incorporate wild flowers into your Easter scenery.

I love this little vintage gold frame I found at Goodwill for 50¢. I change out the message often through out the year. For Easter, I created and printed this funny quote and pressed the wild flowers around the edge. Download this printable or a different Jelly Bean quote here: Easter.

Another idea is to create mini wild flower bouquets for each place setting. I simply took a few small stems and delicately tied a leftover piece of burlap around each. This adds such charm to any place setting for virtually no cost.

Lastly, if you have long stemmed wild flower try twisting them together into one long stem, then wrapping around your plate for an interesting alternative to chargers.

Lastly, I always love using wildflowers and foilage in my giftwrap.If giving any spring or Easter gifts, try adding flowers as a fun box topper. Nature is a wonderful decorating and crafting tool. Go on a walk, stop and smell the flowers, and maybe even pick a few. 😉 Xoxo.

Egg-Cellent | $2 Plastic Egg Wreaths

  

Cheep, Cheep, CHEAP!! Little ducks and chicks are rejoicing everywhere over these super easy and ridiculously cheap Easter Wreath options. Simply grab a value bag of plastic eggs from WalMart and hop home to begin. Keep reading for instructions and pictures. 

Tic-Tac-Stow | Storage Containers

My daughter has a slight obsession with any and all Disney princesses, PlayDoh and Grape TicTacs, which inevitably means I have an entire collection of empty TicTac containers. The easy flip tops and hard clear plastic makes these tiny boxes perfect for reuse. Here are two ways to recycle these boxes into useful and organizational tools.

“I got hot sauce spices in my bag, swag.” That’s my Weird Al version of Beyonces new song. 😉 Going on a picnic or camping? Need salt and pepper in your desk for lunch? Like cinamon in your morning work coffee? Simply fill an old TicTac container with your most wanted spice and take it with you anywhere. As Crawfish season approaches, I know I’ll be filling one of these with creole seasoning for my husband to take with him. Oh, the things we do for love.

“All the single ladies”  will appreciate this crafty upcycle. (Two Beyonce references, One Blog. #goals). Use an old TicTac container as Bobby Pin storage and never dig aimlessly through your purse again. Perfect for lockers, backpacks, gym bags, or travel! To add a little excitement, smooth some glue along the outside/bottom area of the box and roll it through a pile of loose glitter.

Reusable containers are all around us and what you think is trash, may actually be an organizational tool waiting for its chance to shine. What is your favorite reusable container?