Unorganized Ribbon. Photo courtesy of africankelli

Ribbon can be a beautiful addition to any package– but it can also make a huge mess. Is your ribbon sitting in a pile of unraveled spools? Keep your beautiful ribbon from becoming a tangled knot with these ideas for organizing your ribbon.

Wire Hanger

Store your ribbon neatly in a closet so you can grab the perfect color and the perfect amount any time you need it. Simply take a wire hanger, and untwist the top using a pair of needle-nose pliars. Thread your spools of ribbon through the wire so that they are resting in a line on the bottom of the hanger. Then, twist the wire back together. Now your ribbon is ready to go!

Shoe Box

A shoe box is a great way to keep ribbon easily accessible and completely organized. Line your ribbon spools up snugly in the bottom of a shoe box. Make sure they are all facing the same way. Now mark the side of the box with a pen so you know where to make holes for the ribbon to come out. Make one mark for each spool of ribbon. Cut small holes in the places you marked and thread your ribbon through. Put the lid of the box back on and lightly secure with tape or a rubber band. Any time you need ribbon just pull the right amount through the hole.

Storage Box

If you’re looking for a non-DIY way to organize ribbon, pick up a ribbon storage box like this one from Martha Stewart Crafts. It’s $16.99 and will hold several rolls of different sizes. This plastic storage box from CraftMates includes 17 removable dividers and costs $9.99.

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photo courtesy of LollyKnit

Sometimes the best (and most affordable) gifts are made by hand. But if your creative juices just aren’t flowing or you need to jump start your inner-craftiness, try checking out some of these eight ideas for DIY gifts.

1. Miniature Books: At LostButtonStudios.com you’ll find step-by-step instructions along with printable templates for making your own miniature books. Use wrapping paper, junk mail or old calendars as the cover. They’re great for keeping little notes or writing down thoughts.

2. Cookie Mix in a Jar: Everyone loves freshly baked cookies, but sometimes by the time the gift arrives, those cookies aren’t so fresh. By making your own mix and packaging it in a cute jar, the receiver can have yummy cookies whenever they want. Check out this recipe from About.com.

3. Creative Coasters: Coasters are a great gift for a wide variety of people. Pick up cork coasters for just a buck or two and use this tutorial from Paper and Stitch to embellish them with your own creative flair.

4. Dog Clothes: If you like to sew, make a gift any pet lover would love: a jacket for Fido! Check out this free pattern from Circle of Crafters.

5. Salt Scrub: Make your own salt scrub by mixing Epsom salts and baby oil until it looks like very wet snow.  Add aromatherapy oil to make it smell pretty. Package it in a creative way.

6. Storage Crate: Laura Gunn came up with a lovely way to transform ugly plastic crates into cool containers. Print off her instructions, pick up some fabric and get to work.

7. Cookbook: Create, organize, and store your recipes in your very own customizable cookbook with TasteBook. A hardcover, full-color book with tabbed chapters starts at just $19.95. Put in your favorite recipes and pass them on to friends and family.

8. Pin Cushion: This one is easy enough for kids to try. Using scrap fabric, a round container and a few other supplies, easily create a pin cushion and pin storage container that anybody (especially seamstresses) will love.

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Now, let’s talk! Have you tried any of these? Let us know your opinion! Leave a comment!

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If you are like me, you love to do creative things and give them as gifts. I consider myself artsy and I have made this Beta Plant craft as gifts for many of my friends, who all loved it. It is so simple to do, and inexpensive. The items you are going to need are: 1 beta fish, a clear glass vase, a plastic cup or saucer (can be purchased at most garden stores), small decorative rocks or glass, a plant, beta food (tropical fish food) and 1 gallon of drinking water. The plant you choose can be peace lily, photos, or philodendrons.

     1st thing you do is choose a beta fish, I like to pick out the color of fish I want so I can match it with my plants and rocks. Once you get home with all your supplies, you need to clean the vase and rocks in water. You also need to clean the plant and the roots, you can do this with a water hose outside or in the sink once you have knocked off all excess dirt. After this is done, you will most likely have to split the plant into pieces to ensure a proper fit into the vase. So you could make more with the remaining halves of the plant, if you wanted.

     Now all the cleaning is done, here comes the fun part. Cut a small hole in the bottom of the saucer. You need the hole big enough for the roots to fit through and still allow air into the bottom. Now place the roots through the hole in the saucer and place saucer into the neck of the vase to make sure it fits properly. If needed, for personal preference, you can trim the roots to make them look neater.

     Carefully, remove the saucer with plant so you can finish up. Add about an inch and a half of rocks or glass to the bottom of the vase. Make sure your water is room temperature and add it to the vase, leave about an inch below the neck of the vase to provide air for the fish. Yes, beta’s are air breathers…imagine, that .

     Gently pour the fish into the vase filled with water. I always give him some food now, just to keep him happy and calm from the move. You should only have to feed him once a week. Now, place the saucer with plant back into the neck of the vase. Check to make sure everything looks fine and there is enough room for the beta to swim around with the roots.

     If you are happy with the way it all looks, add some rocks to the saucer to help keep the saucer and plant in place, and to make it look prettier . Leave room for a small straw to poke through lid, to allow for feeding the beta. Now you are all done. Add ribbons or bows around the neck of the vase and you have your gift!

–image belongs to  www.prettypetalsplus.com

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