DIY Reed Diffuser Cover (Inspired by All You Magazine)

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and All You, but all my opinions are my own. #lifeforless #pmedia http://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO

A couple of weeks ago, I got a chance to check out All You Magazine for the first time. All You is awesome! It's perfect for someone like me, a crafty mom looking for great ideas, recipes, and money saving options. The coupons alone easily make the magazine worth it. I was thrilled to find that Publix started carrying All You Magazine, and hurried over to buy the July copy.

By far my favorite section of the magazine, was a little crafty show down, that is going to be a new monthly feature. Two craft/DIY bloggers went head to head with one challenge. I was thrilled to recognize both bloggers, who were already two of my favorites! (I won't tell you who, you'll just have to find out for yourselves. You can search here to see where All You is available near you.)

The Challenge: Take a tin can, and create a project for $5 or less that takes only 3 steps. Fun!

I decided to use Popsicle sticks to make a reed diffuser cover, but you could also use this cute little container as a lantern, a vase, a flower pot, or a pencil holder.

What you need:

1. A Tin Can
2. Popsicle Sticks
3. Paint and Brushes
4. A Glue Gun
5. Scissors
6. Optional Embellishments

What you do:

Step 1: Cut the bottoms off of your Popsicle sticks so that they are all the exact same height.

Step 2: Paint the Popsicle sticks. I painted half white and half neon pink. I wanted a little bit of the wooden texture and color to show through, so I painted a few very thin coats.

Step 3: Start gluing the sticks to the can with a hot glue gun. Put the glue on the back of the stick, right down along the center.

And you're done!

I can't wait to check out next month's All You Magazine to see the craft blogger challenge! I know that I'll be grabbing it off the shelves when I'm shopping for groceries at Publix next month.

Have you read All You Magazine? What aspect of the magazine would you be most interested in? What would you create for the tin can crafty challenge? 

Geometric Flower Pots and Oriental Lilies

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of iBulb for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.



What are your favorite flowers? I absolutely LOVE lilies. In fact, the entire theme of our wedding was built around gorgeous stargazer lilies. There is something so modern and dramatic about lilies that I just love. We had fondant lilies floating down our wedding cake, and included them in our centerpieces.



I especially love potted plants and flowers, because they can last for years and years, instead of just for a few days like cut flowers. Lilies make great gifts for all occasions, from Mother's Day to birthdays to anniversaries. They are available at your local grocery store, garden center, or florist, and make a big impact.
I found these BEAUTIFUL potted Oriental Lilies at Home Depot for just under $7, and I had to take one home with me. They look and smell incredible. They are perfect for my front porch, because they need 6 hours of sunlight a day, and I live in sunny Florida. They make me happy every time I step out of the front door.



A fun and quick way to turn these into a more personal gift, is to makeover a flower pot. I made these geometric spray painted flower pots to create a beautiful, handmade, long-lasting floral gift that costs about $10 total.



What you need: Oriental Lily, plastic flower pot, spray paint, tape



What you do:
1. Wipe down your flower pot of dust and dirt. Tape off geometric patterns around the pot with painters tape or washi tape. Make sure the paint is pressed down fully and evenly. My favorite pattern was the Chevron one seen in the turquoise pot.

2. Put your flower pot face down onto newspapers outside. Spray two coats evenly around the pot. Make sure that the spray paint you're using is intended for plastic surfaces.

3. Flip the pot over, and spray paint the top and the inside.

4. Let it fully dry, then remove the tape carefully. To protect the pot and pattern, spray a sealant or top coat of paint over the finished pot.






The vibrant colors of these lilies are so beautiful that I had to create an Oriental Lily color pallet.



Visit this Pinterest page for more lily ideas, arrangements, and inspiration.

What's awesome is that iBulb is giving away a $25 gift certificate so that you can enjoy some lilies in your home. Enter by leaving a comment below telling me what kind of craft project you would make with your lilies if you won.