Homemade dryer sheets have answered one of my laundry conundrums. For the longest time I was using plain white vinegar as a fabric softener in the wash, but I started to miss having that fresh smell that store bought fabric softeners provided. So, I thought I’d try my hand at creating my own homemade dryer sheets! The bonus in my mind, is that I’m still not using harsh chemicals to scent my laundry which is perfect for my family!
Here’s how to make homemade dryer sheets:
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
a jar with a lid
1 cup white vinegar
20 drops of essential oil
several “rags” (ripped up t-shirts, baby cloths)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place your rags into your jar.
Pour 1 cup of white vinegar and 20 drops of essential oil over top the rags.
Put the lid on the jar and shake it up!
Each time you put a load of laundry into the dryer, take a rag out of the jar and put it in with the laundry.
Dry as you would normally.
For my homemade dryer sheets, I’ve been using old baby cloths and a few rags that I cut from stained baby clothing. I also used lavender essential oil, but next time I make a batch I’ll add 10 drops of vanilla and 10 drops of lavender!
Are you tired of figuring out how to display your Christmas cards year after year? They seem to fall down when you tape them up, and the store bought displays can be quite pricey and don’t provide much room. This year, why don’t you make your own instead? In about an hour, and with some common materials, you can make your own Christmas card display that looks like something sold at a specialty boutique. Take a peek at how easy it is!
I was able to find a large frame at a local thrift store for just a few dollars. Any large wooden frame will do, and since you don’t need the glass, the condition of the glass and frame backing do not matter. Clothesline or twine like the kind I used in the sample picture above can be found at your local dollar store, as can regular sized clothespins. If you want the mini pins, check your local craft store when you go shopping for your spray paint.
Directions:
Begin by cleaning your frame well. Apply a coat of spray paint so the frame is covered. Allow it to dry before adding a second coat, if needed. I chose a fun minty color, but you pick a color that suits you!
When the frame is dry, flip it over so the back is exposed. Cut lengths of clothesline that are about 4 inches longer than the width of the frame.
Use your staple gun to secure the clothesline into horizontal strips across the frame. Pull the clothesline tightly before stapling so it is not sagging. Repeat until you have 3 to 4 (more if your frame is larger and allows it) rows for hanging.
That’s all there is to it! Now take your clothespins and start securing those Christmas cards as they arrive in the mail. When the season is over, you can still use this frame to hang photos, birthday cards, recipe cards, or any paper items of your choosing. It is a great way to showcase your cards and photos in a way that really makes them look like a piece of art.
So gather your supplies and give this simple DIY Christmas Card Display a try. It’s a project you’re sure to enjoy, since it’s festive, frugal, AND functional!
It’s Christmas decorating week here in the Simply Frugal household! I thought it would be fun to do a round-up of some amazing frugal Christmas decorating ideas! Each of the links feature simple, but neat DIY projects from other fantastic sites! Enjoy!
Do you seem to accumulate a nice stash of beautiful Christmas cards every year? This year, I’ll be saving all our cards because I’ve found 15 ways to reuse Christmas cards!
If you’ve got some empty toilet paper rolls, this advent calendar idea is for you! Doodle Craft shows you how to create a tp advent calendar.
Giving Up on Perfect gives 25 Christmas book suggestions that you can wrap up year after year. Unwrap a book each night leading up to Christmas for story time!
If your family likes to do certain activities each December, you may like this envelope advent calendar idea from All Things Beautiful.
Unwrap a simple Christmas ornament everyday in December with this advent calendar idea from The Marion House Book!
Make this super cute Santa advent calendar using toilet paper rolls and the template provided at pysselbolaget!
For those of you not into the more costly option of creating and ordering photo cards from a company such as Vistaprint, Shutterfly or even Costco, I have a solution for you! You can create custom, cute photo cards for any occasion using PicMonkey! I’ll even let you in on a secret I know about how to get some printed absolutely free!
First things first, I’m going to do a step by step tutorial, with pictures, so you can be on your way creating your own beautiful cards in no time. PicMonkey is really quite easy to use! Here’s how to make photo cards using PicMonkey:
Step 1: Head over to PicMonkeyand click on “Create a collage”.
Step 2: Click on Layouts on the left side of the page.
Step 3: Choose a layout from “cards” . I recommend 5×7 for the cheapest option when it comes to getting your cards printed.
Step 4: Once you’ve chosen the layout you like most, click on the Photos image as shown in the picture below. Click on Open Photos to choose the picture(s) you want to use for your card. I chose only one image for my example.
Step 5: Click and drag your picture(s) into the layout where you think it would work best.
Step 6: Click on the Swatches image to choose some patterns to match your photo(s).
Step 7: Drag and drop the swatches you like best with your photo into the remaining spots in the layout.
Step 8: Next, click on Edit at the top of the page to add text to your layout.
Step 9: Click on the Add Text button as shown above.
Step 10: Place the text box where you want the text to appear. Add in your details and play with the font type until you find something you love.
Finally, you have a finished photo collage:
Don’t forget to save it as a JPEG on your computer!
Here’s the secret to getting FREE photo cards:
Shutterfly offers 50 Free prints to new customers as well as Snapfish who offers 20 Free prints to new members! Simply upload the JPEG of the collage you created in PicMonkey to your desired retailer. Order the 4×6 size (because they’re free) or the 5×7 if you want a larger size (but not free).
