This idea is perfect as I get to display the wreath longer. Simply cover with ribbons and fasten suitable accessories with craft strings or metal threads. I salvaged these from Christmas log cakes. Chinese New Year hampers and floral arrangements.
// before
// after
// before
// after
Love collecting glass containers. This brown one was upcycled into a tiny indoor planter and to add some CNY cheer to it, I attached a voucher with a design using an elastic band. The dimension was perfect for the bottle, plus the voucher stays intact should someone wants to use it, it’s valid until March 2017!
My box of dainty new year themed tassels also comes in handy, just hang one over the bottle neck.
For this upcycling project, let’s go back to the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Mooncake boxes come with motifs and designs that are pretty close to Chinese New Year’s theme. I have kept this box made out of chip wood for a few years in my craft drawer for embellishments and tools. Very sturdy and still look brand new.
I remove the label on the cover and flip the base over.
Slip the cover underneath the base and found that it fits perfectly. I do this so that I need not find another place to store the cover. However, on hindsight, I believe that this was designed on purpose so that the cover does not take up extra space on the table when serving the mooncakes. Brilliant!
Flip the box over again and fill it with mandarin oranges.
Of course, not every mooncake box is designed to be reused the same way. Play around with it, flip over, deconstruct if you need to, you might just find a new purpose for that mooncake box that is too pretty to be thrown away.
So the year of the Rooster is arriving this weekend. I usually leave much of the festive home decor to the final week and force myself to work with what I already have, as oppose to the easier way out, which is to buy new ones that end up cumulating with the rest in the storage room for the next 12 months when the celebration is over.
Here are some waste free ideas that I have managed to squeeze out of my limited, but ample supply of festive accessories, which I reuse year after year. Best of all, they all fit inside a lunch box when the holiday is over.
// homebaked goodies are stored in air-tight glass jars, instead of plastic ones, and embellish with simple decorative features like this tassel (a big favorite around my house). The jars go back to the pantry for storing ingredients or snacks after we are done with the new year goodies.
// Even the standard glass containers for nuts are updated to fit the theme. Just look out for red/pink/floral accessories around the house.
// an old mooncake box made out of chip wood is upcycled into a unique display tray for mandarin oranges. After the new year, they go back to my craft drawer as a storage box.
// update indoor planters/vase with dainty tassels.
// another Chinese knot tassel, this one salvaged from a torn cushion is used to update my tiny vase with dried flowers.
// instead of stowing away the Christmas wreath, I swap the neutrals for red color embellishments and display for another month.
// these paper diamonds are so easy to make, and best of all, look contemporary enough as daily decoration, so there is no hurry to put them away even after celebrations are all over.
// pretty stickers for a new journal.
// assemble a sewing kit: finally, all the essentials in one box.
// handmade and used for 2 whole years.
// leaving my green garden to fate: the prettiest of the lot came from some unknown seedlings.
// frozen, because they were all bruised on our way home and there were too many to be eaten at one go.
// reusing a discontinued plastic membership card into a bookmark, absolutely no step-by-step instructions required.
// a plastic-free vegetable peeler.
// mini-adventure : a bus ride to nowhere.
// while giving away some children’s toys stashed away in the store room, we get reunited with a long forgotten one.
// simple 10-inch sponge cake sans buttercream fillings and chocolate icing, adapted from 2 x 8-inch recipe here.
// unplanned sand play, because school holidays are coming.
// freebie picked up on the way home.
// packaging instructions + magazine articles in japanese language translated.
// sauce dish with the right size modified for a favourite tea cup, because I like my drinks warm.
// handy-woman repaired sliding door all by herself.
Thirst quencher can be something as easy as turning on the tap here in Singapore. I am really thankful for that. But sometimes, I need something more delicious than plain water, it also has to be simple to make. I read about how lemonade can be made in a blender, just throw in the entire fruit, skin and all. As I don’t get organic lemons, I made it with just the pulp after removing the bitter pith. I also prefer to use my immersion blender since there is no hard skins involved, plus I always choose to wash and dry just one stick than a huge blender jar.
Here’s how I make my version of blender lemonade:
I used 2 lemons, enough to make about 4 glasses of lemonade.
Quarter the fruits and remove the skin, pith and seeds. Place the pulp in a large cup or a glass flask and top with ice water. Do not add too much water, in case it gets too diluted. You can always top up with more ice water later if it is too sour to your liking.
Instead of topping up with water, I added honey. In a separate cup, prepare the honey syrup by dissolving your favorite honey in water. I added 2 tablespoons of honey. Again, you can adjust to taste after combining the 2 liquids together. Stir well, and serve chilled with more ice cubes. Taken best on a hot afternoon.
Enjoy!
*The skin, pith, and seeds are frozen with the rest of my vegetable scraps that I sent off to a composting site when the container gets filled up. If you buy organic lemons, you can blend the skin with the flesh after scrubbing the surface clean.
As I go through the photo folders in my hard disk, I found some random shots of things that caught my eye, made my day, or meaningful enough to make me press the shutter, but just don’t seem to fit in anywhere or significant as a post. So I thought I will gather them all as an entry on a weekly/fortnightly basis, definitely better than stowing them away.
// these first few top leaves from my avocado plant.
// wooden stuff, all in one place.
// finally, I can cook and boogie.
// 100% hand sewn, because someone has been bugging me for a water bottle holder with carrying strap.
// because the plastic round case that came with the needles broke, so I made this by folding a layer of felt into 2 after getting an idea (that is amazingly no where close to the original) from a DIY one here.
MONO and CO 