Ba humbug today. Here is a secret. Sometimes around this time of year, I turn into Scrooge. No, I am completely blissful about giving gifts, making cookies, seeing family and friends. All of these moments are beautiful and wonderful. I become a Scrooge when faced with wrapping presents. Don't get me wrong, and I love to give gifts. It is heartwarming and one of the true joys in life to see the people that mean something to me light up when they open tiny packages of love. It's the wrapping paper that makes me grumpy. Sure, it's pretty, the designs are mesmerizing, but every time I buy a roll of wrapping paper, it becomes trash. It's throwing money away! Ba humbug!

Today, I made a run to the local recycling center, and I realized we humans are killing ourselves. The amount of things we buy and then throw away is staggering. At the recycling center, there were bikes, electronics, paper, books, clothes, medication and tons of stuff. Where does it all go when it leaves our homes? Today, let's try to reuse something today. Let's create a recycled holiday, turn on our DIY and make our own wrapping paper. 

You will need:

• a few brown paper bags 
• scissors
• a stamp of choice and stamp pad  (or permanent marker)

Step 1: Cut down the side of the paper bag. Cut off the bottom and top of the bag.

Step 2: Stamp a fun pattern or draw a pattern.

Step 3: Wrap the gift.

Stand back and enjoy the recycled magic.

Until tomorrow Heros of the holidays! 

Day 34 - Hey Cupids. Valentines Day is getting close. Is there a better way to show your Valentine your unbridled love than through music? Insert flirty wink here.

With music and Valentine's day on the brain, today's project is to create a super cool Valentine portable speaker from a few @Starbucks cups from your coffee run today. Remember the movie Say Anything (affiliate link) from 1989? If you haven't watched the movie, or it's been a decade, it's about dreamy teenage love at it's best. Oh, John Cusack. Sigh.

To get inspired on how romantic portable speakers can be, check out the sound on this video and watch Say Anything (affiliate link).

Sweet right?

Now let's get down to making today's project. If @Starbucks cups have been saved, then the hard part is done. Make note that any paper or plastic cup can be used. It doesn't need to be @Starbucks but the @Starbucks logo on the large plastic cups just happens to be the size of the paper towel roll which will be inserted into the cup. When you use the @Starbucks cups, cutting the correct size hole then becomes easier. Here are the other supplies needed for the speaker and the directions. Get ready to pump up the volume. Happy creating!

All The Supplies You Will Need To Make Your Valentine Say Anything: paper towel roll, tape, scissors,  sheet of decorative paper or printer paper, a smart phone, 2 disposable cups, a Sharpie® pen and sticker glitter hearts. 

Pump Up the Jam For Your Valentine.

Day 17 - Hum, it is one of those days. It's grey outside. It's cold outside. It's a day that we need a hot beverage. @Starbucks anyone? Ah, Starbucks or any premium coffee equivalent is such a lovely treat but who else has guilt about the waste one cup of take-a-way hot beverage can produce? Well, what can we do but create treasure from our trash. Here is one idea, a coffee cup flower.  

Step 1: Rinse and dry out the paper coffee cup.

Step 2: At the top of the cup, cut a straight vertical line until there is 1 inch left between the bottom of the cup and the end of the cut. Continue to make straight vertical line cuts half-inch (1/2) apart all the way around the cup to make the strips.

Step 3: Take the first strip and tuck it under the base of the neighbor strip. Use the fold at the top of the cup to anchor the strip. Repeat.

Step 4: Enjoy your flower. You can use it as a candy dish, small shallow planter, paper clip holder or just a flower!

Hum. Now what can we make from the plastic coffee cup top and paper sleeve? Any thoughts?