DIY Dry Cleaning

Welcome back to Urban DIYs! Today's post was actually requested, and the more I thought about it, the more I love this idea! Last semester I had an internship in a very professional setting and I realized I wore my makeshift pantsuit more than anything. Between wearing it so often and being a messy eater, I ended up dry cleaning it more than I wanted to...

At home my mom uses the Woolite At-Home Dry Cleaner which removes minor stains and almost "refreshens" dry-clean only items. After paying for dry cleaning for a few months I now realize the value of this product! Keep reading to find out how to DIY dry clean, to save you money, time and an extra trip to the dry-cleaners...

Supplies:

Woolite At-Home Dry Cleaner

Directions:

1. Select a few items of clothing (of the same fabric) and place them in the dryer. Click on the link above to find out if your items are safe for this method. Woolite does not recommend fur, leather, suede or velvet.

2. Place one of the Cleaner Cloths, provided in the kit, in your load.

3. Turn on the dryer on medium heat or permanent press for about 20 minutes...and voila you should have dry cleaned clothes!


Pros:

• Less expensive than professional dry cleaning.
• Takes only 20 minutes.
• I can do this within my home.
• It is great at removing oil-based stains.

Cons:

• This product may not be suitable for dryers that have a standard timer, such as those in dorm or apartment-style buildings. 

I do not recommend using this method for your most expensive or cherished piece of clothing, especially if you know that a professional dry cleaner has good results...but if you feel like you are spending too much on dry cleaning, and if you want to control when you will have clean clothes, check out this method! Also, professional dry cleaners use a lot of chemicals and a lot of plastic, so reducing your support is also better for the environment :)

Best wishes!

- Urban DIYs

Note: I recommend Woolite but there are many other brands that sell a similar product that may be more or less effective. I do not have any affiliation with this brand.

DIY Review: Sugar Cookies

Welcome back to Urban DIYs! Since this is my last week of winter break I have been trying to make the most of it, and that has included a lot of baking! My idea of baking usually involves a store-bought cake mix, not only because it is convenient but also because I love how the cakes taste! ...Is it just me? But alas, yesterday I did not have cake mix on hand so I decided to take the plunge and try something new...

This DIY is influenced by one of my best friends, who is an incredible baker. After scarfing down her Christmas cookies a few weeks ago, I told myself I would finally do it myself. She sent me a variety of homemade cookies, but yesterday I thought I would start simple and bake sugar cookies and glaze. I love this DIY because I had all the ingredients at home and it made me aware of everything that was going into what I would later eat (ahem, all that butter). It was also a fun DIY that I was able to share with my family.

The recipe for these sugar cookies comes from: Allrecipes.com. I love using this website because the recipes are simple and the directions are clear and spot on! Check it out! And as I did with my previous review, I am taking you through the process...

Ingredients for Sugar Cookie (~ 30 servings):

• 3/4 cup butter (softened)
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Soften your butter. I put mine in the microwave (in a microwave safe bowl, not the one pictured below).

2. In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar.

3. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract.

4. Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt.

At this point I stopped using my electric mixer and used my hands and a spoon

5. Cover and chill dough in fridge (I chilled it for about 30 minutes).

6. While the dough is chilling, mix together the ingredients for the glaze. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk. It might look like it is not enough for the amount of cookies, but it is meant to be a thin layer on top of each cookie, so my measurements worked out well.  Instead of vanilla extract and milk you could try orange juice or use water and lemon juice.

7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

8. Roll dough into little balls and press flat on an ungreased baking tray. The thickness of the cookies should be about 1/2 inch. To avoid the dough sticking on the tray I sprinkled a little flour on the baking tray and I coating my hands in flour before shaping the dough.

9. Bake 6-8 minutes.

10. Take a small amount of glaze create a thin layer over each cookie.

11. Serve! If you have leftover dough, like I did, put it in a container and save it for another day!

Review:

Pros:

• I did not purchase anything for this DIY.
• Easy to make.
• Tastes delicious!
• You can decide (control) how many cookies to make at a time since the dough preserves well...
• You can decide how to shape your cookies each time you make them.

Cons:

• Glaze was too sweet.

Overall, I really recommend this DIY recipe! If you tend not to bake from scratch this is a great DIY recipe to start you off! I was proud of my results and I can't wait to use the leftover batter and make more cookies today! The only regret I have was not adding a twist to this recipe, even something like cinnamon or lemon, but now I know what to do for next time. Since Valentine's Day is around the corner, try making these! I would suggest using themed cookie cutters and maybe some red food coloring!

Enjoy!!

- Urban DIYs

DIY Marinated Salad

Saying that I love salad would be an understatement. I am obsessed. My family always says that I am programmed to only eat fruits and raw veggies! So today I thought I would share with you an old salad recipe of mine. I love this recipe for two reasons: I always have the ingredients on hand and the recipe isn't binding - you can stick to the amounts or stray, it is up to you - very DIY!

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 cups chopped cucumber*
2 cups chopped carrots
1 medium red onion chopped**
1/2 cup chopped celery

* Feel free to cut them in any style, I prefer chopped
** This amount changes each time so use as much or as little as you like

Dressing:

1 cup vinegar***
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

*** I recommend the Heinz brand as it is the sharpest and cheapest!

Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Colavita Aged White Wine Vinegar, 365 Sea Salt,
365 Black Pepper, Dominos White Sugar (in an upcycled jar!)

Recipe:

1. Cut all your veggies and place in a bowl.

2. Mix together the ingredients for the dressing in a screw-top jar. The ingredients will settle so make sure you shake it up!

3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables. If you altered the ratios, be careful when pouring the dressing, add as much or as little as you like. I tend not to use the entire jar...

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in your fridge for a few hours. This will allow the vegetables to marinate. Sometimes I make this at night so the vegetables can marinate overnight.

5. After some time has passed, place the mixture in a strainer. If you want to save the dressing, make sure to place a bowl or cup underneath the strainer.

6. Time to serve! I have two suggestions: wedge salad or bowl salad.

For the wedge salad, cut up a head of lettuce into individual size wedges. Place the marinated vegetables on top of each wedge. The presentation looks great, but make sure that you make as many wedges as people will eat. Since the vegetables are marinated, it does not last well beyond a day or two.

For the bowl salad, take a large bowl and cover the bottom and sides with lettuce. This does not need to be precise. Fill the bowl with the marinated mixture. People can take lettuce if they would like or just grab the mixture.


Enjoy! This dressing recipe is definitely on the sweet side of life, so if you're having trouble getting those veggies in, then try this out :)


- Urban DIYs

DIY Wrapping Paper

Welcome back to Urban DIYs! Today I bring to you DIY wrapping paper. Purchasing an entire roll of wrapping paper can be wasteful especially when you only have one or two gifts to pack. Also, most people tear apart their presents and the wrapping paper ends up in the recycling bin...or worse, trash bin! So today, I bring to you a sustainable way to pack your presents...where your wallet stays closed, your home stays uncluttered and the earth stays clean!

Supplies:

Newspaper
Used ribbon, string or anything to tie the present

Steps:

1. Select some old newspaper. If you or your family tends to recycle the paper directly after it has been read, plan ahead and save a few day's worth of material. This DIY is great because it is sustainable and entertaining! Select newspaper with interesting news, it will be fun to read when your recipient opens the gift!

2. Wrap your present. My gift was easy to pack since it was a standard size. If you are wrapping clothes or something soft, trying rolling it in the newspaper and scrunch either side so it looks like a tootsie roll!

3. Use your used ribbon or string to decorate the present. Instead of purchasing new ribbon, this method allows you to upcycle, making the entire process sustainable and waste-free! My string is from a bakery box!

Check out the New York Times Crossword Puzzle!

4. If there is any space, use a marker to write the "to and from". In my case I cut a small portion from a used grocery bag to make a gift tag. And voila, there you have it...a totally upcycled gift wrap!

If you look closely you can see where I used tape. I am going to be traveling with this gift so I wanted to secure the string and gift tag as best as possible. 

Remember, it truly does not matter whether your wrapping paper is fancy or if your gift is expensive, what matters most is the sentiment that goes along with it! Spending quality time is the best gift there is... (and of course the dinner I will be cooking for this special someone!)


- Urban DIYs

Handmade Cards: Banner

Welcome back to another Handmade Cards post! Today I want to share with you a card that can be appreciated by more than just the recipient! This card is perfect to display since it doubles as a hanging banner! Keep reading to check out how to make this creative DIY card...

Supplies:

Cardstock
Paper
Ruler
Pencil/Makers
String
Tape
Glue

Steps:

1. Take your cardstock, which will serve as the base of the card, and fold it vertically, or as we said in elementary school hotdog style. Place this aside...

2. Take your paper and place it horizontally in front of you. Fold over about 1" of the paper (toward you) so you create a long 1" wide flap. Take your ruler and mark 1" intervals along the paper; this represents the edges of the triangles. Move your ruler further down and mark the midpoint between the 1" intervals you just created. Use your ruler to connect all three dots to create a triangle...

3. Write the letters in the center of each triangle. I made a birthday card so I wrote each letter of "Happy Birthday" on each triangle. Then proceed to cut out each triangle. 

4. Measure your string. The length of your string will depend on the size of your cardstock and the amount of letters you have. In this case my string was about 8". I taped one end of the string to the cardstock to make Step 6 a little easier...

5. Glue together the open ends of each triangle. As shown below, try and make sure there is enough space to thread the string through.

6. Thread the letters through and tape the other end. I decided to use one string for "Happy" and another string for "Birthday".

7. Decorate the card as you like! I cut out circles (I actually used the hole on my tape as a stencil!) from different colored scraps of paper to create a polkadot background.

If your triangular letters are moving around, feel free to staple each letter, or every other letter, to the string. As long as the staples are uniform it will not detract from the beauty of the card. The only thing I would change about my card is to add something to cover up the ends of the string such as dots or stickers. 

On the front of the card I wrote the recipient's name and using purple construction paper and leftover string I made a balloon that appeared to be floating away! In terms of writing a message, I would either write it on the back of the card or include a separate note in the card's envelope. If you do not add a personal note on the card, at least write your name and the date. This card is so unique that your recipient might save it and when he/she opens it years later, your name will evoke warm (and creative) memories!

I hope you enjoy making this card! See you next time for more DIYs...

- Urban DIYs

DIY Review: Carton Wallet

Welcome back to my blog! Today I thought I would start a series called DIY Review. In this series I will share some intriguing DIY projects I have seen online and give you my thoughts throughout the process of making them. This DIY carton wallet comes from Spoonful. It caught my eye because it is functional and sustainable! Upcycle a used orange juice carton? Count me in! Keep reading to see how to make their DIY wallet carton...

Supplies:

Click on this link to check out their recommended supplies: DIY Carton Wallet

Remember to print out their template by clicking this link: Template

Steps:

Since Spoonful has clearly explained the steps on their website I will not write them out here. Instead, I will show how my DIY carton wallet turned out...

My orange juice carton

Cut at the seams except for the front panel

Reverse view (I made a minor mistake and cut the left seam by accident so I patched it up with some clear tape)

I printed out and put together the Spoonful template and placed it over my carton. I held it in place with some tape.

Cut around the template

Traced the template. The instructions say to trace the dotted lines, but I found that connecting the dots made a deeper impression onto the carton.

Close up view of my tracing. My lines were not as straight as I would have liked. The straighter your lines, the easier it will be to fold later...

I removed my template and used a ruler and scoring tool to go over the lines one more time. You can use a pencil or a paperclip to score.

I began to fold along the lines I created. The accordion fold is more difficult than it looks. It took some time to get even creases. If my lines were more straight and indented it might have been easier...

Before I folded the top part over I cut out the circle indicated by the template. If you are only working with scissors, like I was, this step is challenging! Try using a scalpel or knife to achieve smoother results.

Done! You can unscrew the top to drop in loose change or you can unfold the entire thing to store bills.

Review:

Pros:

• Great way to repurpose a used orange juice carton! 
• I did not purchase anything for this DIY.
• I did not use many supplies.
• It took me less than 30 minutes to make.

Cons:

• It was difficult to fold.
• The hole indicated by the template was not large enough.
• The screw top makes it bulky.

Overall, I had a lot of fun making this carton wallet. This DIY definitely rewards patience and exactness. If you try this at home, make sure you trace the template slowly and surely, too many aberrant lines makes the accordion fold very difficult! This carton wallet is not a replacement for a standard wallet as there are no pockets and it is only convenient to store loose change. I plan to keep this wallet in the car and use it to store quarters for parking meters. 

This DIY is definitely a practice-makes-perfect project. I think my second try will yield even better results!

- Urban DIYs

Note: Make sure you rinse and dry your carton thoroughly, especially if using a milk carton!

DIY Eye Makeup Remover

When I entered college I noticed that many of my friends wore makeup to class...the dining hall...and even just to come over to my room. I figured this was a natural part of growing up so I jumped on the bandwagon and started to wear makeup. I did not enjoy wearing it, I felt like I was obligated to and I absolutely loathed taking it off at the end of the day. My last year's New Year's Resolution was to wear less-to-no makeup. I am proud to say that after a year, the majority of days I do not wear a single makeup product, and if I do, it is a little eye-liner.

But I still need to take off that eyeliner at the end of the day...so today I bring to you a DIY eye makeup remover that you probably already have in your home...olive oil! Olive oil is a great eye makeup remover for several reasons...

1. It is oil based, not water based, so it will remove waterproof product easily.
2. It is a multi-purpose DIY as I already purchase olive oil for cooking. 
3. I do not spend anything extra (goodbye, $6.00 makeup remover wipes).
4. The only ingredient is extra virgin olive oil versus the ridiculous amount of chemicals in my old makeup remover.
5. It is gentle.
6. It is quick.
7. You only need a small amount.
8. If you are visiting someone, and do not want to travel with it, they most likely have it in their kitchen.

I was initially afraid to put oil anywhere near my face, but after trying it a few times I was hooked! I either put a little oil on my fingers and rub it over my eye area or I put it on a cotton round and do the same. The cotton round gives you more control and the dry portion of the cotton round will soak up any excess oil.

If you're skeptical, try it on the back of your hand first. Swatch a dark eyeliner and after some time follow up with a little olive oil and the mark will disappear! Just like my DIY shave gel, this is also a great transitional DIY since you most likely do not need to purchase anything to try this. Next time you have to remove some eye makeup, test out your olive oil!

- Urban DIYs

Handmade Cards: Giftcard Holder

Hello again! Welcome back to another part of the Handmade Cards series. Today I bring to you a way to personalize, what can be seen as an unpersonalized gift, a giftcard! I have mixed feelings about giftcards. As a college student, I welcome ALL giftcards, especially to places like Trader Joe's or Whole Foods. If I were to categorize where most of my spending money goes, it is definitely toward good food and drinks! However, purchasing a giftcard is definitely the easiest and most convenient gift to purchase and it does not require much thought. Keep reading to learn how to add a special touch to your giftcard! So next time, don't take that wimpy card holder and instead make this! I'm sure the recipient will appreciate it!

Supplies:

Giftcard
2 pieces of cardstock (preferably different colors)
Scissors
Tape
Markers (and any other supplies to decorate the card)

Steps:

1. Cut a piece of cardstock that is 4.5" wide and 8" long.

2. Place the cardstock vertically in front of you and fold the bottom about 1.5"-2" from the top.

3. Fold over the top.

4. Using tape, secure the giftcard inside the folded cardstock and decorate the interior of the card. I do not like how standard giftcard holders have an obvious line to write in the amount, so before I secured the giftcard, I wrote the amount directly underneath it. When the recipient lifts the card, he will see the amount in a more subtle way. This is a great trick especially when you know the recipient will be opening gifts in front of many people.

4. Cut another piece of cardstock that is about 1" wide and 9"-10" long.

5. Wrap the long piece of cardstock around the exterior of the card. Once you have secured it with your adhesive, decorate the exterior of the card. I would wait to decorate the exterior until the card is sealed because your design may otherwise be hidden by this "ribbon" cardstock.

6. There you have it! Now you're ready to give your giftcard with a special touch!

- Urban DIYs

DIY Shave Gel

Welcome back to Urban DIYs! Today I bring to you a DIY shave gel. For several years I used to purchase Skintimate shave gel. It was a convenient product but I finally stopped purchasing it for two reasons. First, I do not like to purchase aerosol cans since they are detrimental to the environment. Second, I ended up wasting more than I was using. After each pump I would always end up with more than I needed and there was no way to return the product to the can...thus it became incredibly wasteful. So, I was on the hunt for a more sustainable way to keep my legs smooth and my conscious free! Keep reading to learn how I use conditioner to shave...

A few posts ago, I wrote about how I use coconut oil as my go-to conditioner. When I made this switch (years ago), I was left with a half-filled bottle of conditioner and several of those pesky little travel size conditioners (that I somehow keep accumulating and never use). Instead of using conditioner on my hair, I now use it to shave my legs. This is a great DIY shave gel for several reasons...

1. I am using up what I already have.
2. I am not purchasing aerosols.
3. The conditioner bottle can be recycled.
4. I have full control over how much product I need and I do not waste anything.
5. I am using a product that can double as a hair product (for my mom and visitors).
6. The product lasts much longer than my old shave gel.
7. My skin feels so smooth!

This is a great transitional DIY since you most likely do not need to purchase anything to try this. Next time you hop into the shower, use conditioner as your shave gel and hopefully your results will be as great as mine!

Just a reminder, DIY or "do it yourself" projects are not limited to artwork or crafts, they can be as simple as this one. Notice how many times I used I in my list. This minor DIY has made me more self-reliant by finding an alternative that agrees with my budget and conscious! 

-Urban DIYs

DIY Gift: Wooden tray

Welcome back, blog readers! Today's post is about a DIY wooden tray, or in this case a PIY (paint it yourself) wooden tray. When I have some down time (hello, month-long winter break) and I'm feeling crafty, I head to my local craft store and pick up a few wooden pieces to paint. This tradition goes way back. Throughout my childhood, summers always meant two things: trips to the lake and trips to Rag Shop, the best craft store! Rag Shop has closed down and I have grown older, but I still find it very relaxing to take my paint brush to some wood and bring some color into my home!

Unlike some of my other DIY projects, in which the benefits literally outweigh the costs, I did spend money to acquire the supplies needed for this project. However, since I made this as a gift, it was less than I could have spent purchasing a less meaningful gift. Also, all the paints in my collection are well used (minus that dreadful vomit green, still wondering what went through my mind when I bought it three years ago) so it was not a one-time-use-kind-of-purchase. Anyway, enough intro, keep reading to see how I did this simple and relaxing DIY...

Supplies:

Newspaper/grocery bags
Wooden tray (or any wooden piece)
Acrylic paint
Paintbrushes
Empty/used cups
Water

Steps:

1. Set up your painting station. I like to sit on the floor and paint. I place my wooden piece on top of old newspapers or grocery bags (the paint does not seep through). Use a cup (one that you do not plan on drinking from) and fill it with water to wet and clean your brushes throughout the project. Use cups or plates to squirt your paint on.

2. Paint the tray as desired! Paint along the grooves (not the right word...) of the wood. If the wood has a vertical pattern, paint with vertical strokes, it makes a huge difference in the end. I chose three different colors for this tray...

Colors from left to right: Craft Smart Hunter Green, Craft Smart Wine, Deco Art Dusty Pink

3. Use several coats! This may take time since you need to allow the paint to dry. I decided to paint this tray over two days.

4. Top it all off with a varnish, this is optional but it adds a nice sheen to the paint. One of the colors I chose had a glossy effect so I chose not to use varnish.

This DIY is a great gift, because you are not only giving something "handmade" but also something functional. This tray can be used as table decor, for food and drinks and even to organize office space. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this simple DIY art project! You may have to spend a little to get the supplies but these projects make great gifts and serve as great stress relievers, so in my book they get an A+!

See you next time for more DIYs!

- Urban DIYs


Note: Despite all the DIY things I do, I am not artistically inclined. Any craft project I post on this blog is an example of something I do to relax. Thus, I enjoy simple DIY crafts like this one.

Handmade Cards: Lotto Ticket

Good morning! Today I am excited to bring to you another Handmade Cards post! This handmade card is not only a personalized note but also a gift! Ding ding ding, multi-purpose DIY, my favorite! It is up to you how to design the exterior of this card, but once the recipient turns the flap, he will be surprised by his very own lotto ticket! Why a lotto ticket you may ask? Keep reading!

Instead of purchasing a gift, have you ever wanted to take someone out to dinner or a movie? Instead of saying it, let your recipient pick it himself, lotto style! Follow the steps below to create your own lotto ticket card.

Supplies:
1 piece of cardstock
1 blue or black pen
1 white crayon
1 paint brush
Acrylic paint
Dishwashing soap
Penny

Steps:

1. Design the exterior of the card.

2. Think about the layout of your lotto ticket. Do you want your recipient to "win" one gift or more than one? This will determine the layout of your circles (or whatever shape you choose). You might want just a row of three circles or a layout that resembles a tic-tac-toe board. It is up to you!

3. Take your piece of cardstock and draw out your circles, or if you prefer, make a template on Microsoft Word, like I did. If you choose to write, use a dark colored pen. In this example I have three gift options but I want the recipient to choose only one so I made a row of three circles.

4. Write the gift options inside each circle (as shown above).

5. Color each circle using a white crayon. If you chose to use pen in steps 3 and 4 wait a minute or two to let the ink dry before using the crayon.

6. Mix 1 part acrylic paint and 2 parts dishwashing soap. This does not have to be precise but consider how many circles you need to fill before mixing the two components. I just used 1 squeeze of paint and 2 squeezes of soap (very precise, I know). Any paint color is fine.

7. Use a brush to apply the mixture onto each circle.

8. Leave your card open to let it air dry.

9. After the card is dry, secure a penny to the card so it is easy for the recipient to "scratch-off" immediately.

10. But who likes missed opportunities? Your recipient will feel like he is missing out on the other two options. In my case, I surprised my recipient at the end (back of the card) by allowing him to scratch off all three circles, revealing a full night of festivities! Jackpot!

In my example, the gift would be "redeemed" immediately upon opening the card, but if you would like to give the gift at a later date, add the dates and times for each gift. For example, if you want to take someone out to dinner, write "Spice 2/14 7:00pm" It shows that you took the time to consider both your schedules and it increases the likelihood that it will happen!

Note: I would recommend testing this out before you give this card as a gift. This ensures that your crayon and paint/soap mixture is just right. 


- Urban DIYs