DIY Week 18: Burlap Dry Erase Board

I first saw this DIY project in an e-mail from Julip (which is a really snazzy nail polish company), and I knew I was going to have to make it. It proved to be just as easy as promised!

All you need for this project is an empty frame, a piece of burlap, a dry erase marker, and some scissors. I got the frame at TJ Maxx for around $7, and a whole yard of burlap at JoAnn's for $2.50. Not too shabby!

Once you have your frame and burlap, take out the inner paper and use it as a guide to measure how much burlap you'll need to cut:

Then, frame the burlap just as you would a picture, and you're set!

The words on mine look a bit blurry because I used a dry erase marker. If you were willing to really commit to a particular saying, I think a Sharpie would give you a lot more precision when writing out your quote. I liked the idea of using a dry erase marker so I can change out the saying from time to time, but I'll probably redo the words because they do look a bit blurry. Also, be prepared that you might have to go over the words multiple times with the marker to make them dark enough.

Hope you enjoyed this week's DIY project and that you're inspired to create your own! :) 

DIY Week 17: Belle Hair

Let's be honest. Who hasn't wanted hair like Belle? The unfortunate thing is once you hit about twenty years old, styling your hair like a Disney princess is no longer all that socially acceptable.

So when I discovered this handy bow on my praline wrapper, I knew I had something special in the works!

This week's DIY is probably the easiest yet, because this bow came to me pre-made... what's especially fun about it is that I bought this praline bag in the Atlanta airport on the way back from spending time with my Alley Cat friends. I knew buying the multi-pack as going to be a good idea!

So look at what they did. So simple, yet so versatile. They took a nice piece of ribbon, then attached a twist tie to it. I decided to use this concept for a hair bow, but really, the possibilities are endless. Think: front door wreaths, cute pins for cardigans, even bows for shoes!

All you would need to do to make one of these yourself is tie a ribbon bow, then secure a twist tie through the middle of it.

For this Belle-styled hair, I just did a side braid, then secured it with a regular old hair elastic band. 

Once that was in place, I put the bow in and secured the twist around it.

How cute would a bow like this be in a messy bun?

Hope you've enjoyed this week's DIY project and that you're inspired to create your own!

  

DIY Project Week 15: Fixing a Multi-Strand Necklace

I don't know about you, but when a favorite piece of jewelry breaks, I have a little memorial service in my heart. There's nothing worse than the feeling of your favorite necklace sliding down your neck in what feels like movie theater slow motion as the clasp breaks.

Such was the case with this little beauty. I bought this necklace from Heart of the Bride, an organization similar to Back to Africa, that helps empower women in Africa by giving them a trade. I absolutely love the color of these beads, and what's neat is that women in Africa not only made the necklace, but the beads themselves--and out of paper, no less.

For months and months now, this necklace has been lying in my projects-needing-help pile. Do you have jewelry like this? You aren't quite willing to give it up, but you can't wear it anymore?

Here's an easy way to fix a broken clasp on a multi-strand necklace.

First, you want to clip off the old clasp. Try to retain as much of the string as possible, because you may be able to use the string/nylon it was originally strung on, making your job much easier in the end. That's what I was able to do.

You may have to take off a few beads from the ends of the strands so you have enough string to work with.

Now that you've clipped the old clasp off, slide on a crimper bead. You'll also need a crimper tool in order to do this correctly.

Continue crimping each strand onto the new clasp, one at a time, until you've finished all the strands. This can get tedious, but I promise the end result will be worth it!

 

And tada! You're finished! Now you can remember what you loved about your necklace in the first place. :)

Have you ever had a necklace break on you? Hopefully this will help you know how to fix it!

DIY Week 14: Repurposed Glitter Flats

First off, my apologies for posting this blog so late in the afternoon. I had to make a run to the store for more glitter because I couldn't find mine! Now that's an emergency if I've ever heard of one.

I don't know about you, but I'll take any excuse to play with glitter. When I saw some people on Pinterest using Mod Podge to spray glitter onto high heels, I thought, why couldn't I do the same thing with a pair of flats?

So I dug through my closet to find some flats that had begun showing signs of wear.These were the lucky winners, an old pair of Gap flats from the Audrey Hepburn collection several years ago (remember that? LOVED that collection).

Then, I took some Aleene's Clear Gel Tacky Glue I had lying around the house, and used a sponge brush to sort of paint the glue glob on the shoe. I decided to do this project in sections: front, left, and right. I didn't wait for each section to dry (although I'm sure that would be a good idea-- I'm not patient enough!). Instead, I just made sure I fully covered one section before moving on to the next.

Once I spread the glue, I sprinkled the glitter on, then gently shook off the excess.

And whala! Happy shoes!

Here are some things to remember:

• This is going to leave a mess. Be sure you put down a plastic bag or some newspaper to catch the falling glitter.

• More glue is not always better. I learned this the hard way, as you can see from the goopy-ness of the following picture. If you make a mistake like this one, though, this project is really low stakes because you are just dealing with glue and glitter... easy to clean up! Just take your brush, brush off the excess glue, and tap more glitter on to cover up the problem.

• I chose black glitter because my shoes are black. You can choose a contrasting color if you want, but just realize that you're going to have to pay close attention to the glue application.  Using the same color helps cover up mess-ups.
• I also used a fine glitter rather than the chunky glitter you often see used in crafts to give these more of a store-bought look. You can find fine glitter at any craft store... just be sure you pay attention to the size of the glitter pieces in the bottle.

And that's all there is to it! What do you think? Do you have a run-down pair of shoes at home you could jazz up?

Felt Bookmark: DIY Project Week 11

This project was so simple and fun to make! It would be a great project for older kids, and also is valuable practice if you're wanting to work on sewing stitches. The variations are endless with different stitches and colors. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

To start, you'll need a piece of felt. You can find these for about a quarter at your local craft store. You'll also need some yarn, and a yarn needle. I had a three pack of yarn needles that I use for crocheting and knitting when it comes time to weave in the ends. I found that one of these needles was too large to pierce through the felt, but the middle size worked perfectly. The nice thing about using yarn needles is that they are fairly blunt, so you're not going to poke yourself like you would with an embroidery needle.

This bookmark is so easy! Just cut off two corners of the felt, then trim them until they look like hearts. Make sure they are the same size/shape, because you're going to sew them together.

Next, thread your needle with the yarn color of your choice, and sew the two felt pieces together, being sure to leave space for where the bookmark will slide onto the page.

 

Continue by adding more embellishment. Try different stitches and different color yarn, and get creative with the design you choose! Little flourishes, hearts, flowers, etc. all look cute. You may even want to consider adding a button!

Now tie up the ends inside the bookmark so the knot isn't visible, and you're done! I hope this little bookmark brings a smile to your face each time you use it to mark your place in a story! These also make great gifts, because they are easy, economical, and can be personalized. Just imagine how cute this would be with an initial on it!

The $1 Scrapbook Picture Frame: DIY Project Week 10

This week's project was so much fun to make, and very easy! Even the "craft-challenged" will find this one doable. :)

Best of all, you may be able to make it for about $1, depending on how many supplies you already have at home! You'll need:

• Some kind of clear-drying craft glue or Mod Podge (I used Aleene's)
• Scrapbook paper
• Some kind of paint brush (I got a $1 multi pack of sponge brushes from Walmart)
• Scissors
• A wooden picture frame base (I got one of these for $1 at Walmart, but you can also find them at craft stores like Michael's or Hobby Lobby)

Now, you'll first want to start with your scrapbook paper. You can either pick one solid color or multiple colors. Be creative with your combinations! I chose three different patterns--one stripe, one floral, and a solid green-- but you can use any configuration you like. I'd recommend that you get creative and try putting different papers together than what your initial impulse tells you to do... you just might find an unexpected combination that really pops.

Measure your paper and cut according to whatever pattern you want to use. You could even use a pencil to draw a cutout on the page. I cut my paper to the general size and then ripped the edges to give it a shabby chic sort of look.

Next, you want to put a lot of glue down on the wooden frame. Spread it out with your brush, and while the glue is still wet, configure your paper however you want the pattern to look.

After your pattern is in place, add another layer of glue to the top of the paper to seal it and give it a glossy effect. Don't worry about mistakes... remember that you can always reposition the pattern as long as the glue is still tacky.

And wha-la! You're done! Hope you enjoy this DIY frame, and get creative with the details! Add ribbon, a bow, beads, or paint to give it an even more personalized touch. These make excellent Christmas and wedding presents because you can make them to match a particular person's taste. 

*Tip: You can also use any type of paper, so things like extra wedding invitations, important newspaper clippings, and comic books all make for great sources of inspiration! :)

Ombre Nails: DIY Project Week 9

This week, I tackled something I've had on my DIY Pinterest page for a while... ombre stained nails! I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, given that this was my first try.

I found a wonderful blog tutorial that really helped me out. You can find it here: http://thebeautydepartment.com/2012/04/pretty-polish-idea/

This gal's blog is fabulous and definitely worth a visit!

But for now, let me tell you more about what I did and how they turned out.

First, you pick out three or four similar colors that will look good together. Then, you want to take a couple makeup sponges and soak them in a cup of water. This helps the polish look more blended later on.

After you've got that set up, squeeze out the sponge and paint a good amount of polish on it. You want to stripe the colors, going from darkest to lightest. This order will help with blending, as I discovered.

Then, you just have to sponge it on! Be aware that this will leave a mess on the side of your nails that you'll need to remove after they've tried. Also, if you make a mistake (as I did!) don't worry! It's very easy to "stamp" over your mistake with the sponge, or even paint the darker color directly on the top of the nail, using the sponge to blend it out.

As your last step, apply a topcoat, and you're done!

You can see that I still need to go through and remove the polish from the sides of my nails, but overall, I really like the way the topcoat helped blend the colors even more.

What do you think? Have you ever tried any kind of nail art?

The Mitten: DIY Project Week 8

This week's DIY project is a bit... erm... unconventional. Are you ready for this? It's a giant mitten.

See, my mom works at an elementary school, and one of the kindergarden teachers there is going to be reading The Mitten by Jan Brett to her students. This is the cutest little story about a white mitten that falls into the snow and provides shelter for a bunch of animals. So, naturally, the teacher thought it'd be a cool idea to have a giant mitten that she could put small little stuffed animals inside as she reads the book. What a great idea, right?

So I volunteered to make the mitten with little idea how I was actually going to do it. I mean, a giant size mitten couldn't be that different from a regular sized one, right? Not that I've ever made a regular sized one either.

Here's what I decided to do. I used chunky white baby yarn and purchased the large size skein intended for baby blankets. Then, I started the project like I was working on a crocheted hat. You can see the inside of it here:

Gradually, I kept increasing my stitches (again, like you would do with a basic hat) until I found it was the width I wanted. Then I just kept crocheting and crocheting until it reached a good length. Keep in mind that at this point, the "mitten" is going to look more like a floppy placemat than an actual mitten.

To give the mitten some depth, I took an extra piece of yarn after tying off the end, and I wove it through every two posts of the crochet stitches. I used double crochet throughout, so I had a nice amount of space to work with when weaving the drawstring through. Single crochet would also probably work just fine so long as you're using chunky yarn. Here's an idea of how it looked once the edge was drawn tight:

And finally the mitten was finished! It was hard to get a good picture because this thing is so big, but hopefully you get the idea! I considered attaching a giant "thumb" opening but decided to instead keep it more like a sack. You could also use this same template to make a really pretty (and easy) purse, or some place mats (in which case you would end your project when you're doing increasing). Remember-- the chunkier the yarn, the faster the work goes!

This would make a perfect craft for anyone looking to read this book to their kids, or to a story time group.

Have you ever made up your own DIY project? How did it turn out?

The Five Minute Wreath: DIY Project Week 7

So excited about how this week's DIY project turned out! It took about five minutes to make, and I found most of the materials half off at Hobby Lobby. This wreath is not only simple, but it's also relatively cheap, and I love the southern charm about it. My twiggy base cost $2.50, the letter also cost $2.50, my ribbon cost $4, and the flower picks cost $3 and $4. You could easily go without the picks, making a flower out of the ribbon instead, and get this whole wreath for under $10! Really a steal, considering you can personalize it however you like.

MY VERSION:

MY INSPIRATION (from a pin I found on Pinterest):

Source: nv-craftenvy.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Isn't the original version so lovely? I like how she wrapped the letter in fabric and created matching little flowers. I actually had originally planned to wrap my own letter in a funky pattern, but then decided I liked the way it looked plain. Plus it was a lot less work! But if you're up for a challenge, I suspect the original version would probably be even cheaper to make.

Here are the materials I used:

I found all this stuff at our Hobby Lobby, but you could probably find it at any other craft store as well, like Michael's or Joann's. I particularly went with a green colored burlap ribbon and some cream flowers, but I can imagine this in so many other color combinations as well. I think a light blue would be nice for the spring!

IMPORTANT: Be sure you get wired ribbon. Otherwise, your bow will look floppy and the ends won't curl. You could hypothetically use tulle or something of that nature, but just realize that it's going to have more of a "poof" effect. 

DIRECTIONS:

• First, I unwound a good amount of the ribbon until I got it the length I wanted the curled ends to be. 
• Then, I looped the ribbon through my C letter, around the top of the wreath, and tied a bow in the front.
• At this point, I did some adjusting to get the bow how I wanted it and to be sure the C was centered correctly.
• For the finishing touch, I just stuck these burlap flower picks into the side of the wreath, being sure to wrap the ends through the holes in the wreath (otherwise they fall out easily).

And that's all there is to it! Hope you found this pattern easy to follow and that you feel inspired to make your own. :) I think these would make for a really cute wedding gift.

Do you have a favorite wreath or decoration that makes your house feel cozy?

The Super Easy, Super Quick, Super Cheap Scarf -- DIY Project Week 6

This week's DIY project is designed with the new sewer in mind. It's perfect for a first project! This is also a great project to practice sewing in a straight line. If you make a few mistakes, they're easily hidden when you turn the scarf inside out.




You'll need:

• About a half yard of fabric or a little less, depending on how wide you want your scarf to be
• Thread
• Scissors
• Pins
• A sewing machine

Step One: 

First, you'll want to cut the fabric. If you have a solid colored fabric, you can just make one cut, and then fold it over so it's the width you want. Since my fabric has a pattern, I cut out two different pieces.

Step Two:

Once you have your two pieces cut out, it's time to start pinning! Be sure you are working with the two "wrong" sides of the fabric because we are going to turn them inside out when we're doing, revealing a nice, hidden seam.

Step Three:

Start sewing! Sew along the edge of the fabric, keeping your seam as straight as possible--but do remember that we're going to turn our scarf inside out, so it's okay if you make a few mistakes! I started with the bottom edge, then unpinned it and pinned the sides, and then the other edge. 

Important: Be sure you leave a gap of about 4" so you have room to turn your scarf inside out when you've done all the other seams.

Step Four:

Reach your hand inside the hole you've left and turn your scarf inside out, much like you would turn a pair of jeans inside out.

Step Five:

Now, you'll want to seam up this last section. Fold the edges under and sew straight across them.

And you're done! 

Now your scarf is ready to wear! Next, try using various fabrics and widths to create different looks. I would definitely recommend a soft cotton to begin with. Jersey fabrics can be really tough to work with, as I recently learned firsthand! :)

Any questions? I made this one for one of my best friends for Valentine's Day... I hope she likes it!

Four Strand Necklace and GIVEAWAY! DIY Week 5

Hello friends! I'm so excited about my DIY project this week. As some of you know, I love making jewelry. If you've never tried it before, you'd be surprised how easy, cheap, and quick it is to make a pair of your own earrings. This necklace was a bit more complicated, but still doable for a beginner.

Here's the final result!

So how can you make your own? Well, first I want to say that this pattern allows for a lot of variety according to different experience levels. I created it by morphing together several patterns I found on Pinterest, so I'd definitely suggest looking there for some inspiration. What you will definitely want is a thicker-sized ribbon for the top half. Without the ribbon, the necklace wouldn't look the same. I wanted my necklace to add a pop of color but still go with a lot of outfits, so I chose a sage green colored ribbon, and beads that were cream, pink, and blue, along with copper colored chain. I've also seen some of these done using pale blues, and those are beautiful as well. Here's a photo of the supplies I used: ribbon, fake pearls, blue and pink glass beads, and a copper-colored daisy chain.

You'll need to decide how many strands you want to create and what you want to attach them to. You could just create one very long pearl strand, wrap it a few times, and then attach the ribbon to each end. That would keep things simple and would be a great variation for a beginner. I chose to make each strand different. One is just blue beads, one is just pearl beads, one is the chain, and the other consists of a combination of the daisy chain and pink glass beads that look like crystal (but are much cheaper!).

If you decide you want to combine chain with beads, here's a quick how-to:

First, you'll need to use pins with a curved end. You'll need a pair of pliers to create an opening in the circle. Then, hook that opening through the hole in your chain. Once you have it the way you want it, either close the circle with your pliers, or a little trick I like to use is to close the circle with a pair of jewelry crimpers. In the second photo, you can see the amount of space you should be creating in your circle.

You'll then want to create a loop on the other end (you can find YouTube videos that demonstrate this technique--it's very easy) and attach it to the other side of the chain.

After you've created the various strands of the necklace, you'll either need to attach them to a fancy strand divider or a simple jump ring. I created a makeshift jump ring out of jewelry wire because I was low on supplies... so do use your imagination! There is no one right or wrong way to do this. Make sure you keep the strands in the correct order as you attach them.

Next, you'll want to measure out the ribbon depending on how long you want your necklace. I cut a little over four feet of ribbon for mine. Loop your ribbon through the jump ring/circle on one side so that it folds in half, then loop it through the other half and tie a bow. Another option would be to knot the ribbon and let it hang, then attach a pretty broach to cover the knot.

Your finished product should look something like this:

GIVEAWAY TIME! I had so much fun making this necklace that I decided to make a pair of matching earrings that I'm giving away! All you need to do to be eligible to win is leave a comment on this blog. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, so be sure to check back--and also be sure to leave your e-mail address to I can contact you in the event you win! :)

Have you ever tried making jewelry before? What's your favorite piece of jewelry?