Recycled Chalkboard Business Card

I was recently in need of business cards for my Mind Ruffle shop on Etsy, so I recycled some old cards in a new way. Using spare chalkboard paint from my basement, I was able to give these old cards a new face, and repurpose them for my shop. See how I did it here:

1) I gathered my materials: business cards, chalkboard paint, sponge applicator, chalk, chalkboard eraser, and a permanent marker.

2) After stirring the chalkboard paint thoroughly, I collected a little paint on the tip of my sponge.

3) Then in three even strokes, I covered the card with the chalkboard paint,...

4) ...waited til the paint was dry to the touch (you can add another coat if needed)...

5)... , and wiped them down with a used chalkboard eraser to provide a chalky surface for the writing to stick to.

6) Now, I can write and erase on these cards, or even add my shop's website on the back with permanent marker.

There are lots of ways to get creative with this concept, so try it out and see where your creativity takes you!

Handmade Snowflake Wall Decals

This may be one of my favorite holiday creations to date. These snowflake wall decals are super simple to create and add a splash of whimsy to your holiday home.


Here's what you'll need to start:

- Contact paper (white)
- A permanent marker (black)
- Scissors
- A magazine

Step 1 - Make your snowflake stencil

Cut a page of your magazine into a square (I find the easiest way to do this is to fold the upper left corner across to the right side of the page, making a triangular flap. Then I cut off the rectangular excess at the bottom). It can be hard to get an appealing design the first few times, that's why I recommend using a discarded magazine to create your stencil.

Step 2 - Trace your snowflake stencil
Once you've chosen the snowflake stencil you like best, tape down a square piece of contact paper, the size of your snowflake (I use scraps of contact paper as the tape). Then, trace the snowflake stencil with your permanent marker.

Step 3 - Cut out your snowflake design

Cut out the snowflake pattern inside the black lines. When you're finished, just peel of the back and stick it to your wall or window. I tested the contact paper on my wall and window, and it didn't peel away the paint or leave behind any sticky residue.

Click here for more pictures of these steps.

Enjoy your holiday season with homemade crafts like this one, and visit the Mind Ruffle shop this holiday season. Don't forget you can also like Mind Ruffle on Facebook.

Happy Holidays!