Crafty Times!

Afternoons can become really monotonous when you are at home. So I decided the best way to avoiding becoming lazy is to keep myself busy.

These days I have been totally involved in recycling stuff and hate to throw away anything even remotely useful. Luckily I have a knack of doing arts and crafts!

Doing crafts some times involves visiting craft stores and picking up colors, beads and other miscellaneous items that can some times be expensive. So I thought and thought and came up with the idea of using stuff that is easily available around the house and do something creative with it. Of course there are other people who have thought about it before. So I started an exhausting internet search of recycling stuff and making them into decorative items. One search item did catch my attention. "Jewelry making". Hang on.... decorative jewelry??? that too from household materials? You are kidding me!!!

After digging deep into my closets, I realized that one of the many things that we have available in ample quantities (sometimes even more than we require) are plastic bags!!! Lets face it - we are conscientious enough not to throw them in the trash after we have put away all our groceries and yet at the same time, we get lazy to collect all of them and put them in the recycle bin at the store :)

Anyway, leaving all that aside, let us begin with our project. I shall demonstrate how to make a simple anklet from plastic bags. I have tried to illustrate every step with an image below.

Materials Required -   Lots of Plastic grocery bags
                                    Plastic drinking straws
                                    Scissors
                                    Glue
                                    Some string

Yes. Thats it!!! So here we go...

Step 1: Lay down your plastic bag flat and cut off the handles and bottom part.
Cut out long strips out of these. Remember these will need to be rolled up so make them thin.
Step2: Place one strip on a flat surface. Place a drinking straw on one end of the strip and start rolling. Keep gluing the plastic to keep it in place.
Step3: Once the plastic strip has been completely rolled up, cut off the drinking straw at the edge. It should resemble this -

You now have one finished bead. Continue Step 3 till you have enough beads for your anklet. Keep these to dry for about an hour.
Step4: String the beads, you can use fishing wire or even dental floss to string them. I have just used some leftover yarn.
Step4: Make a hoop at the end of the string and string a bead through it. Just like the once we use to tighten a necklace. It should look like this -

Step5: Wear your anklet and tighten the bead. The finished product is the result of your efforts and some cool recycling :)

P.S. - It is great to use plastic bags of different colors for this project. Else, just get some old nail color out of your drawers and paint away... (make sure these dry completely before you string them). Happy Crafting!!!

Sweetness at the Square!

"So donuts huh??? Whats the big deal? Nothing new? Another highly popular fried food made of sweetened dough in the shape of a ring."  This is what I told my friend when I was told about the new donut shop at the square. Ring. Hold on… Did I say ring??? As in a circle with a hole?? I couldnt have been more wrong. Come over to “Denton Square Donuts” to have the image of your stereotype busted!!!

Here, the donuts are soft, flaky and square… yes square!!!!! The only donut that is as unique as the Denton square, I daresay. And guess what? They are baked? So come on you health conscious, fried food avoiding Denton-er; come take a bite of heaven.

The place is the coolest, strategically located and has a great décor. The people are friendly and efficient. If you have an iPhone, download the app, and you are ready to place an order through your phone. Talk about Cool!!!

 

If you come here expecting regular donuts be prepared to get pleasantly surprised. The donut menu comprises of bacon and maple, pizza, peanut butter…… even jalapenos and cream cheese. And this is just the starting line-up. I am sure there will be more sweet and savory options as days go by. All this and more for a couple of bucks each. I am sure the Oreos and s'mores donuts will have you craving for more!! Surely, the biggest strength of your will power would be to stop after ONE!!