3 Surprising Ways to Reuse Old Electrical Cords and Cables

3 Surprising Ways to Reuse Old Electrical Cords and Cables

  Since the dawn of cable TV, the number of electrical type cording we have around the house has expanded almost exponentially.  What started with coaxial and extension cords now include shorted out or plain outdated AV connectors, HDMI wiring, and USB cords in about every shape, size, and color. If you are anything like my family, you have at least one box filled with outdated wiring, some of which is so old you probably have no idea what ancient piece of tech you’ve since gotten rid of it used to go to. The first idea we usually have is […]

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Simple Reduce – Reuse – Recycle Methods

Simple Reduce – Reuse – Recycle Methods

  If you are a parent, the words “Reduce – Reuse – Recycle” may conjure up the theme music of Bob, the Builder.  But, that’s not a bad thing, unless you can’t get it out of your head. I used to enjoy watching that show with my son when he was still part of “Bob’s” demographic because very often they gave the adults sitting through it really good ideas about upcycling stuff. If you’re looking for ways to put into action the three R’s at home, here are some ideas to get you started.   Paper Products Egg Cartons –  […]

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How to Make Aromatic Potpourri

How to Make Aromatic Potpourri

If you are a flower gardener or simply love the smell of fragrant potpourri, you should definitely learn to make your own. You can harvest and process your own flower petals or buy your own and make several sachets to give to friends and family. There are few more thoughtful, easy homemade gifts than an aromatic sachet of potpourri! The most common bases for potpourri are rose petals and sweet geranium leaves. If you grow roses, this is a wonderful way to use the petals once the flowers begin to die. You can add to these whatever you like, and […]

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22 Ways to Use Beeswax

22 Ways to Use Beeswax

Beeswax is amazing. It is the only naturally occurring wax, and is produced in special wax glands of female honeybees. It takes 8 pounds of honey to produce 1 pound of wax! Vegetable waxes are rendered from fruit or leaves, while soy and paraffin waxes are produced by a toxic chemical process. Only beeswax is wax in its natural form, and simply can’t be produced in a lab, even in this day and age. But if you keep bees, you can essentially grow it in your own backyard! It has been used for centuries in many different ways, and there’s […]

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How to Make a Holiday Wreath (Video)

How to Make a Holiday Wreath (Video)

A holiday wreath is a really easy way to dress up your house for the holidays without spending hours hanging lights that you’ll just take down in a few weeks anyway. And for homesteaders, why not make some wreaths out of found seasonal foliage on your property? Even if you don’t homestead, this easy, homemade wreath is a great alternative to artificial or expensive seasonal wreaths at Walmart. I think my favorite thing about this homemade wreath is that you can customize it to use whatever foliage and decorations you have, you could integrate Christmas tree ornaments, tinsel, even lights […]

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Clove and Orange Christmas Decorations

Clove and Orange Christmas Decorations

As a kid I used to make clove and orange Christmas decorations but I hadn’t thought about them in years. I saw this video the other day and it reminded me of how sweet-smelling these decorations can be, and what a fun and simple craft for kids they are. In the winter time, indoor air can become stale really easily, especially since colder temperatures make it uninviting to open windows, but these cute and festive decorations also double as natural air fresheners. Chemical candles or Glade plug-in style air fresheners can pollute your home with toxic fumes and overwhelming, artificial […]

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Homemade Bird Feeders

Homemade Bird Feeders

During the fall and winter, as trees die and snow eventually covers the ground, many birds have a harder time finding their food than during the spring and summer months. But unlike their hibernating woodland counterparts, birds still look for sustenance in the coldest months! A very nice way to help them out a bit, and attract beautiful birds into your yard is to make your own bird feeder. It’s very easy to make and doesn’t require much at all. This is a great indoor, snow day craft for little ones. You can make the bird feeders with them, then […]

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4 Crafty Ways to Reuse Mason Jars

4 Crafty Ways to Reuse Mason Jars

Mason jars. Are they not one of the best inventions of all time? Originally designed for canning, mason jars (or Bell, or Kerr, or other canning jars…wide-mouth canning jars are just all-around awesome) have so many uses. They’re sturdy, difficult to break, have a big capacity-well, a quart! Lately, the annals of Pinterest have shown us that there are dozens of ways to use mason jars, so we picked a few particularly clever uses. Mason Jar Herb Garden Probably the most homestead-applicable, a simple mason jar herb garden is pretty much exactly what it sounds like! In lieu of drainage, […]

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How to Get Started Knitting

How to Get Started Knitting

It’s only the middle of August, but apparently snow is already accumulating above some US states-can you believe it? It’s already time to start thinking about getting out that winter gear. Or, if you want to learn a new skill-making it! Knitting is a wonderful skill to have, and it’s never too late to learn. It’s actually has some surprisingly health benefits, like improving cognitive function, memory, coordination and relieving stress. Not to mention you get scarves, hats, and or any of the many other things you can knit right at home! It’s a great way to give an original […]

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