5 Insanely Clever DIYs That Are Actually Easy

With tips to make yours come out as nicely as the pics!

Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed

1. Transform a $3 placemat into a clutch worthy of a designer boutique.

akailochiclife.com

It takes a few hand stitches, but nothing fancier than a simple elementary school project. When you're picking your placemat, make sure you find something that's woven and structured (like the one in the photo), because that will make the sewing more like weaving, and make it look like an actual clutch.

Get the how-to here.

2. Hot glue rope around a basket, box, tub, or whatever to make a pretty basket.

aliceandlois.com

aliceandlois.com

You can use anything for your form, because you're going to pull the form out at the end. Make sure to pick a cord that is going to be stiff enough to stand up on it's own without the form in the middle of it.

Here's the step-by-step.

3. Convert empty liquor bottles into homemade tiki torches to light up your outdoor evenings.

sugarandcharm.com

As long as you get the materials that the tutorial suggests, this one's pretty hard to mess up! And you can use whatever glass bottles you like, even if they're not liquor bottles. (Just make sure they are glass, so they aren't flammable or meltable.)

4. Fake pre-war charm by using grosgrain ribbon as faux molding on your walls.

onekingslane.com

This project will probably take up most of your Sunday, but if it's your taste, it's so worth it. A few pointers to make sure it comes out nicely: make sure you have enough ribbon and supplies, make sure you "measure twice, cut once", and don't forget to use a level to make sure your ribbons are straight.

Oh, and read the full tutorial a few times before you begin.

5. Dress up one of those typical blue and white coolers with the help of a few basic craft supplies.

almostmakesperfect.com

almostmakesperfect.com

All of your friends will ask where you got it. Assuming you go for the contact paper on top, make sure you measure, measure, and measure again before you cut. And if you intend to put this cooler to pretty heavy use (I mean, who doesn't), then make sure you don't skip the acrylic coat, $6.61.

Here's how to make it and make it right.