Foam Board Ice Cream Front Door Hanger

Lynn Lilly shows you how to make a DIY Ice Cream Front Door Hanger!

I love switching up my front door decor on the regular and I have been experimenting with creating front door hangers with foam board. A lot of die-cut front door hangers are made from wood but they can be pricey. So I thought why not give foam board a try and it has worked great and withstands weather! Whether you are an everyday crafter or someone who makes occasionally, it definitely helps to have your supplies organized. My go-to organizer for projects and long term storage is my DeflectoStackable Storage Caddy. It is great for general storage or if you are making a lot of the same type of project that uses the same materials like I have been with front door hangers it works great to dedicate a caddy with all the supplies.

Featured Storage Container: Deflecto Stackable Storage Caddy

Materials:

●     18" x 24" Foam Board

●     Pencil

●     Ruler

●     Box Cutter or Craft Knife

●     Acrylic Paint and Brush

●     Dimensional Puffy Paint

●     Decoupage

●     Hot Glue Gun & Glue or Industrial Glue

●     Rope/Twine

Project Directions:

1. Draw the shape of a cone, ice cream scoop, and a cherry on the foam board.

2. Use the box cutter to cut out each piece.

3. Paint the cone brown acrylic paint and let it dry.

4. Once the cone is dry paint criss-cross cone lines in gold acrylic paint. Add texture with squiggly lines over the brown. Mix white into the original brown to create a light brown. Let the cone completely dry.

5. Paint the ice cream scoop pink. Let it dry. Next mix the pink with white to get a lighter pink and paint polka dots all over the ice cream scoop. Next, use the dimensional puffy paint to add sprinkles. Let it completely dry.

6. Paint the cherry red and the stem black. Let it dry. Once it is dry add some reflection lines to the cherry with white.

7. Glue the ice cream scoop to the cone and the cherry to the scoop.

8. Paint the entire piece with decoupage to weatherproof.

9. Glue a string to the back to hang it on the door.

TA-DA!!! You have your very own fun, front door hanger. You can take this same technique and make so many other shapes. I have already made a watermelon slice and a popsicle. The popsicle has been hanging on my door for weeks and withstood so many storms!

The best part about this project is that clean-up was so easy as I just popped all my supplies back in my Storage Caddy!

Share your projects and ideas with us using #DeflectoAtHome #DeflectoCrafts on social media.

Craft Room Organization Tips and Tricks

Eliminate the clutter! 

See how Lynn Lilly at Craft Box Girls organizes her craft room. 

I love crafting, but one thing I don't love about crafting is the mess.

At the end of most days, my craft room tends to look more like my toddler created a massive tornado than a space for my creative energy and design. That’s why the Deflecto craft room storage organizers are essential for allowing me to focus on creating new, fun projects instead of spending my very limited time searching for a glue stick.

As a busy, crafting mom-on-the-go, I couldn’t ask for anything better! That’s why I’ve gathered some practical tips and tricks to make the most out of your craft room with Deflecto organizers so you can get back to what you love most: making beautiful projects!

Featured Storage Containers:

●Tilt Bin® Interlocking Storage Organizer

●Interlocking Stacking Organizer

●Rotating Carousel Organizer

●Three-Drawer Organizer

●Interlocking Marker Organizer

●Expandable Marker Accordion

●Stackable Caddy Organizer with 3 Containers

●Ribbon Dispenser

●Stackable Cube Organizer with 4-Drawer Organizer

●Stackable Cube Organizer with X-Divider

1.Tilt and Snap! (Tilt Bin® Interlocking Storage Organizer):

-Everything from my daughter’s craft supplies to my personal art essentials fits seamlessly into the Tilt Bin® Interlocking Storage Organizers. I love how these bins conveniently tilt down so I can easily grab what I need without having to dig through drawers. It’s a perfect tilt and snap! The lift and lock feature makes it super simple to stack and store for more storage space. And the secure hanging holes on the back is perfect for securing it to my pegboard wall without worrying about it falling all over the floor. For your craft room, think about how you can easily access your craft supplies without having to dig to find what you need. I highly recommend the Tilt Bin Interlocking storage organizer for the job!

2. Use Vertical Space (Interlocking Stacking Organizer):

My craft room is so tiny! While I may not have the large craft room of my dreams yet, I can utilize the vertical space with the Interlocking Stacking Organizer. I store small items in the clear containers by simply twisting the top for quick, easy access. Use your imagination to find ways you can use the often unused vertical space for more storage options.

3. Reach for What You Need (Rotating Carousel Organizer): 

-My daughter’s little arms have trouble reaching for her craft supplies. That’s why she loves the turn-table feature on the Rotating Carousel Organizer to reach for what she wants. The clear, removable containers make it easy to find supplies, customize it to fit her needs, and stay organized with little effort on her part (win-win for mom!) 

4. Beautifully Display Supplies (Three-Drawer Organizer):

-Washi tape is my secret obsession.  I love how my bright, colorful patterned washi tape is so beautifully displayed in the Three-Drawer Organizer. I can easily grab exactly which tape I need for a project without having to search in a bucket.

5. Add and Subtract (Interlocking Marker Organizer):

-More crafts call for more storage! That’s why I love the Interlocking Marker Organizer- you can easily add on or take off to fit your crafting needs. The silicon grid keeps my markers separated and organized so I can find the color I need right away. If you need more storage, find storage solutions that let you easily add or subtract to fit your needs!

6. Craft on the Go (Expandable Marker Accordion)

-My daughter loves to color! The Expandable Marker Accordion helps keep all her markers together and upright for her to find her favorite color right away. The best part about this organizer is that it unfolds seamlessly for a pretty display on a desk, and then folds up and carefully locks for travel.

7. Use Clear Containers (Stackable Caddy Organizer with 3 Containers)

-I am a visual crafter. I need to see what I have to know what I can make. With the Stackable Caddy Organizer with 3 containers, a small, medium, and large. I can see exactly what supplies I have and how much without having to open every top or open every drawer. Use clear containers to maximize your crafting organization for efficient storage. 

8. Display Within Reach (Ribbon Dispenser)

-For me, ribbon is the most difficult craft item to keep organized. The Deflecto ribbon dispenser is a game-changer. I love how it beautifully displays all my pretty ribbons and makes it easy to grab without having to remove all the ribbons to access the specific one I need. Best part? It fits perfectly into the Stackable Caddy Organizer container - a need for any ribbon-crafting enthusiast. 

9.  Find Multi-Purpose Storage Solutions (Stackable Cube Organizer with 4-Drawer Organizer and X-Divider)

-I like customizable products. I want to feel like the product fits into my space and needs, not the other way around. Get more bang for your buck by choosing storage solutions that can be customized and re-purposed for other storage options. The Stackable Cube Organizer is perfect for this exact reason. Want small drawers for storing smaller items? Simply slide the 4-drawer organizer into the stackable cubes. Need a multi-purpose X-Divider to store different styles of pens? Attach the x-divider into the notches. The possibilities are endless!

Keeping your craft room neat and organized doesn’t have to be an impossible task. Let me know which of these tips you used to maintain order so you can keep on crafting!

Share your projects and ideas with us using #DeflectoAtHome #DeflectoCrafts 

No Mess Toddler Canvas Painting

Working and crafting from home can be messy with kiddos. I know my little one loves to paint but she seems to get it everywhere but the canvas. I decided to create a mess-free way for my little artist to paint her own work of art! Neither one of us got a drop of paint on us during the whole set up and clean up process and we were left with a really fun piece of art to hang in her playroom.

Materials:

• Washable Kid Friendly Paint
• Saran Wrap or Plastic Wrap
• Painter’s Tape 
• Canvas 

Featured Storage Container: Deflecto Stackable Caddy

I love my multiple Deflecto Stackable Caddies. The clear removable containers make it easy to find supplies and the handle is great to carry it from room to room. I have multiple caddies for storing everything from my daughter’s craft supplies to toys and even my personal art essentials. The lift and lock feature makes it easy to stack and store. You definitely can’t just have one!

Project Directions:

1. Cover the work surface with plastic wrap. 
2. Place the canvas in the center of the plastic wrap. 
3. Pour different colors of paint in piles on the canvas. 
4. Cover the canvas with another piece of plastic wrap. Make sure the piece of saran wrap is large enough to cover the canvas and at least 6 inches around the canvas. 
5. Tape around the top cover to the table and bottom cover to hold it in place. 
6. Grab your little one and let their little hands go to town smooshing and spreading the paint around. My daughter had an absolute blast. 
7. Once your child is done remove the plastic wrap from the top by lifting it straight up and discarding.
8. Let the canvas dry. 

TA-DA! Your kiddo has a mess-free work of art! This is probably one of the most relaxed stress-free crafts we have done in a long time! 

Are you coming up with creative crafts for your kids or ways to get organized at home?

Share your projects and ideas with us using #DeflectoAtHome #DeflectoCrafts

10 Tips for Getting Organized for Spring Gardening

Spring is in bloom and with all this extra time at home, now is the perfect time to get organized and get your yard and garden ready for outdoor fun. In addition to starting your yard work, I have a few other ideas to prepare your lawn and garden for Spring and Summer.

1. Get Organized:  The Deflecto Stackable Caddy is a great resource to organize all your small gardening essentials like gloves, hand shovels, twine, scissors, clippers, seeds, and more.  It is lightweight so you can move it around the yard with you.  With the clear storage containers, there's no more digging through boxes and drawers to find those essential tools.
 
2. Survey Your Yard & Make a List:  Take a walk around your yard, porch, and outdoor spaces to see what survived the winter and what needs a little help.  As you walk around create a list of areas you need to work on or things you want to change.
 
3. Do your Research:  As you survey your yard note, which areas have direct sunlight, partial sunlight, and shade.  Spend time researching which plants and flowers will thrive in those environments.
 
4. Create an Inspiration Board:  Cut pictures from magazines, save images from Pinterest or take photos of friends and neighbors lawn and garden designs that you love.  By pulling together all of your favorite images, it is easy to pull together a common theme and create a design plan.
 
5. Start with Containers:  Container gardening is an approachable way to kick off your spring planting.  Reuse planters from last year by giving them a makeover with a little paint.
 
6. Set Your Priorities:  We can't do everything at once.  Once you create a list of everything that needs to be done and things you want to change make a priority list.  Split that list into NEEDS and WANTS.  This will make it more obtainable and less intimidating.
 
7. Be Prepared:  Spring weather can be a little crazy.  One day is hot and the next night temperatures are freezing.  Be prepared with materials to help protect your new plants from freezing temperatures.  Have a pile of old towels and sheets that you can use to quickly cover plants and flowers when temperatures dip.  Do not use plastic tarps.  Plastic can increase the cold and damage the plant buds it touches.
 
8. Do the Prep Work:  Make sure your garden beds are ready for you to work.  Start by removing old leaves, weeds, and clearing the areas around perennials.
 
9. Time to Trim:  Spring is the time to trim and prune back any summer-blooming trees or bushes.  It is best to prune before any buds breakthrough.
 
10. Start your Vegetable Garden:  If you have been thinking about starting a vegetable garden, now is the time.  Cool-season vegetables like potatoes, lettuce, carrots, and other leafy greens are best to get in the ground while the soil is still cool.  Composting at home is also a great way to nourish your veggies. 

We hope you are enjoying your time at home and we are excited to see your garden grow! Share your home gardening and organization projects with using #DeflectoAtHome