Heat Pack Belt Using A Scarf - Great Ideas

 

This is a great idea for those heat packs that you use for backache or stomach pain. My grandmother suffers from severe back pain and couldn't keep the heat pack in place so I used a scarf to wrap the heat pack in to keep it in place then tied it around her waist - she loved it.

 

I needed something more permanent and easier for her to use by herself so I found a scarf she no longer needed and made a pocket into it to hold the heat pack in securely. To do this all I did was fold the scarf in half and placed the heat pack inside and stitched up the sides of the scarf where the heat pack would sit. This was done by hand and only took a couple of minutes - so easy!

 

I have seen some people make waist bands for these heat packs using velcro and other fabric - but this one is so easy and quick - and works for my grandmother. She heats the pack in the micro and places it inside the pocket, then she ties it around her waist herself making sure the heat pack rests on her back where she feels the pain.

 

I actually make my own heat packs using cotton fabric and rice - they are so easy to make. If you want to know how I make the heat/cold packs, I blogged about this previously, here is my link:

hot and cold packs tutorial

 

This is also a way to re-use those scarves you no longer need or use. Scarves are also great to use as a belt to change your style of clothes.


My post this week is linked to:

  

Cork Board Makeover Tutorial

Here I have wrote a tutorial on how I did a makeover on an old cork board noticeboard that I had lying around unused.  I wanted to display something that looked a bit better than the plain cork and also practical and easy to use.

Requirements:

• Cork Board Noticeboard
• Glue or double sided tape
• Fabric
• Ribbon
• Stapler/Staples or pins
• Pins
• Plastic Money Bags (optional)

Step 1) Cut out the correct size of fabric (measure against board).
Step 2) Add tape or glue to the board
Step 3) Attach the fabric to the board
Step 4) Measure out the ribbon and lay flat against the board to the positions you want and leave enough length to go around the back of the frame to fasten.
Step 5) You need to temporarily secure the ribbon to the front (use pins or tape) so that you can flip the board over. When laying ribbon on board I used a weave effect so that it was easy to place items on the board.
Step 6) Secure the ribbon at the back of the board either with staple gun or pins. You may need to keep flipping over to check that the ribbon hasn't moved position.
Step 7) To finish off, I then placed some plastic money bags onto the board - secured with a pin (these are great to place small items onto the board that wouldn't normally stay secured - gift cards/business cards/loose coins/buttons etc.

My Post this week is linked to:

  

Dish Rack Organizer - Great Ideas

 

 

Great Ideas Post - Uses for Dish Racks

 

The photo above shows some uses for old dish racks. Keep your kitchen cupboards organized by storing all the pan lids together or those plastic storage container lids together. Keep stationery and books organized too! Below are some photos of the ideas shown above: 

 

 Here are some other ideas that you can use dish racks for that I have seen on the internet or on the great site Pinterest:

• Organize Sewing patterns
• Kids Coloring Books
• Jigsaws puzzles
• Post/Letters

 

 

My Post this week is linked to:

  

Picture Frame Makeover Tutorial

I was needing some more frames to decorate the house so decided to use picture frames that I already had but didn't need and give them a makeover!

I am showing one of the frame projects that I did. It was originally a Winnie the Pooh frame that I have had in storage for a long time. The new picture shows the Arabic word for 'Peace'.

Requirements:

• Old Frame
• Paint
• Varnish / Mod Podge
• Old Newspapers / Work Station
• Picture to Replace (I used a picture I printed)

  

My Instructions:

• Remove the frame from the Picture
• I kept the insert - as I could re-use it!
• Place frame on newspaper and gave the frame a coat of paint and allowed to dry.
• I then used scrunched up paper and dabbed the paint on the frame which leaves a kind of marbled effect on the frame. Allow to dry.
• I then gave a coating over the paint (I used my own homemade version of Mod Podge) Allow to dry.
• I then chose a picture (my son designed this on the computer) and printed it on my printer.
• I then placed the picture back into the assembled frame and hung on the wall.

My new picture is totally unrecognisable from the original and looks great hanging on my wall.

  
Parties linked to this week are:

  

Great Ideas - Magnetic Board from a Baking Tray

I have seen many magnetic boards on the internet which have been made from baking trays - that I knew I had to make my very own to hang on my Kitchen Wall. This is a great upcycling project.

I already had some black spray paint left over from another project and I already had a spare baking tray so this 'Great Ideas' project didn't cost me any money - brilliant!

If you just need a magnetic board for hanging on the wall or for the children to learn their spelling with (with magnetic letters) then you could even use the baking tray as it is without spraying it!

I wanted it to look good on the kitchen wall so I decided to spray it a nice black colour - you could even decorate it with paper and fabrics which also work well apparently.

Parties linked to this week are:

  

Time Out Chair Tutorial

 Here is a photograph of a project I did recently.  I have seen many photographs of Time Out Chairs on the internet. I have also seen them advertised online but at ridiculous prices. I had a small red chair which wasn't being used and thought I would make my own Time Out Chair with a bit of personal creativity

 My Instructions:

• Sanded down the chair with sandpaper.
• Painted one layer of paint (I used some leftover blue paint)
• Painted another layer (as dark red was hard to cover!)
• I printed out some letters on my printer and glued them onto the backrest of the chair - spelling out 'TIME OUT'
• I used a plate and used permanent pens (Sharpie Pens) to draw a clock shape onto the seat of the chair. I then hand drew the numbers of the clock and the wording 'Time Out'.
• I then gave the chair a coat of varnish.

 My children love the 'Time Out' chair luckily it doesn't get used to much as my youngest is not particularly naughty so it is more of a novelty for her!

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Eid Mubarak

Eid Mubarak to you all. Eid is a time of celebration for the Muslims who are celebrating the end of the month of Ramadan.  It is a Muslim Holiday that involves many visiting friends and family, sharing gifts and children are given new clothes to wear on this day by their parents.  This can be celebrated over a few days in some cultures but the first day after Ramadan is the main day of celebration. Our family have all been busy making lovely Eid cakes which is a tradition in our family, this year we will be sharing these with all or friends and family (both Muslim and Non-Muslim).

In the past I have never really had the opportunity to celebrate Eid fully. As a revert and because my in-laws live abroad I have only celebrated Eid at home with my husband and children.  This year however, I have met some lovely new Muslim friends and my children and I will be spending time with them for Eid so I am really looking forward to it inshallah.

As a crafter, the photograph above shows a card that I designed (my son designed actually!) which I will be giving to my friends on this blessed day IA.

To make this card, I bought some ready cut cream cards and envelopes from a local craft shop at quite a cheap price. My son (aged 13) designed the front of the card using Photoshop and I simply printed them out onto the card. It is really easy to place these cards into the majority of printers, my printer is just a basic Epson printer, for caution I normally only place one card at a time - but I don't think that is necessary - just me being cautious.

The photos below show the lovely cakes that we will be gifting to our friends and family IA

Parties linked to this week are: