The Anti Jewelry Box Solution - Part 2

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Yesterday you got to see the inside of my messy bathroom and what I did to help organize my necklaces without using the infamous jewelry box.  But what about the pile of ear rings?  I like to keep my jewelry out, so I can see it, and decide which item I want to use to accessorize my outfits.  I had been looking for an ear ring holder that could hang and display my collection.  I searched online and in stores for quite some time, but I could only find ugly and/or expensive holders.  And there is just something I don’t like about paying $15 to $20 for a small frame like thing with some wire mesh on it.  Just like any thrifty (and crafty) tightwad I decided to make one myself!  

I found a frame last year at the church yard sale for only $1.  I had no clue what I was going to do with it, but figured it was such a slick deal I had to get it (along with about 15 other dollar items!)  
Again, I didn’t know what I was going to do with this frame, but I really lucked out when I discovered that the backing of the frame was one that was attached to the frame itself.  Notice how it pulls out in the picture above (right side).  This was exactly what I needed and had no clue when I bought it!  
Take the frame apart by removing the glass and any cardboard that might be in there.  Pull out your glue gun, as well as your cat for any kind of assistance you may need.  I got some old screening (for windows) from the garage and trimmed it to be a little bit bigger than the piece of glass that I removed from the frame.  

     
Simply run the glue gun along the edge of the frame and press the screen into the glue, making the screen as tight as possible.  
And then stand it up and take a look!  Ta-daaa!  Not too shabby if I do say so myself… But wait, we are not quite done!
I wanted to be sure that my ear ring stand wouldn’t collapse or fall over so I found some scrap ribbon to use to help secure the backing.  Any good crafter keeps a stash of scrap ribbon somewhere in the house. I just so happen to be a JMU Duke so I have purple ribbon just about everywhere!  
Glue the ribbon the to edge of the frame and then to the back of the backing.
Then when you stand it up, it cannot slide open or collapse any further than then distance of the ribbon.  (Just keep in mind when you are choosing the length of the ribbon, you need to be able to get your hand back there to take the ear ring backs off.)  
diy jewelry rack
So there you have it!  The construction of this ear ring stand only cost me $1 for the frame!  I had scraps of the screen and the ribbon around the house.  If you have to go out and buy the screening I’m sure the cost would definitely go up.  But ask around before you do that.  It’s amazing how many people have old, torn, unusable window screens that are in the attic or garage.  (And if you are local, I have a ton of extra if you need it!)  
Now, to see the finished product, fulfilling it’s life purpose:  

diy jewelry holder
What do you think?  

The Anti Jewelry Box Solution - Part 1

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I don’t know how many of you are like me, but I am slightly opposed to the jewelry box concept.  I prefer to get ready in the morning and have most of my “jewels” visible, not buried in a box that I have to dig to find.  Yes, I do own a jewelry box.  It holds some of my older accessories that I do not wear to often.  I suppose if I had some fancy or nicer pieces I might actually appreciate the box concept a bit more.  But for now, I have a ton of ear rings and even more necklaces that typically lie on my vanity, taking up space and collecting dust.

Time for a change!  Let me present you with my Anti Jewelry Box Solution!

First of all, the necklace dilema was the easy one to fix.  Remember those Command Strip hooks you see commercials for around Christmas time?  The commercial recommends you hang your stocking with these hooks.  Well I recommend you hang your necklaces with these hooks!  Check it out!

The hooks only cost be about $4 for a pack of them.  Be sure that you clean off the glass before you stick them up there, just to make sure there is no dust stuck underneath it.  I had so many necklaces I sorted them by color and style (yes, OCD, I know) and hung them in each corner of the mirror so they wouldn’t really be in the way or distracting when it comes time to primp in the mornings.  
In that last photo you can get a glimpse at my bathroom a bit more.  Notice the pile of ear rings still taking up space?  Not for long! :)   Be sure to check out tomorrow’s “Part 2″ post to see how easily (and super inexpensively!) you can take care of your ear rings without tossing them into the bottomless pit we call the Jewelry Box.

Who says wreaths are only for Christmas?!

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Okay, so for the record, this project was done about a month ago so that I could enjoy it throughout the fall season.  I just became a bit of a blogging slacker and forgot to post this!  I mean, what’s the point of taking photos throughout the project if I’m not going to share them with the world?!

Anyways, Kirsten and I decided that we needed to work on some seasonal projects, so here is one of mine.

You can find a vine wreath like this at almost any craft store.  The one I bought for this project was a larger size so it cost me $5.

Luckily Garden Ridge is an over achiever and has Christmas decorations out for sale in July… Grab yourself a few autumn colored Christmas ball ornaments.  The large box cost me $5.

And just past the Christmas section of Garden Ridge is the teensy tiny fall section!  I got a bunch of these leaves for $2.

I regret to inform you that this was the last project that my 8 year old hot glue gun will be doing with me.  Sadly the trigger is broken.  I spent this whole project pushing the glue stick through the gun… RIP Glue Gun.

To hang the wreath I found a piece of scrap ribbon (which every crafter has laying around somewhere) and tied it through the back of the wreath. 

fall wreath
The finished product!  Who said that sparkly ornaments and wreaths were just for Christmas time?! I’ve gotten so many compliments on this wreath that cost me a mere $12 to make!

Out with the old… In with the pretty!

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Sunday’s Craft Project Mission: Make pretty cork boards for over my desk.

So it’s old news that I got a roomie and had to condense my bedroom, guest room, cat room, and office into one.  What else was old?  The ugly bulletin boards I had.  Well, to be fair, they weren’t ugly, but they were very far from pretty.  So here’s what I did.

diy bulletin boards

$5 got me 4 square cork boards.
 I glue two together, just so it was thicker… I’d hate to be poking holes in the wall unnecessarily!
pretty bulletin boards
I picked a fun material (that doesn’t so much match my room, but whatev.) and cut it into a square a bit bigger then the cork.  Hot glued the top, then flipped it over…
make your own bulletin boards
Wrapped it up like a christmas present, and then got to run amuck with the hot glue gun again.
Times two, and got this.
Yes, there’s an app for that.  I used the droid to make sure the boards were level before I nailed them to the wall.
creative bulletin boards
The almost finished project… there’s still one thing missing…
(And for those who might be curious, I was watching Demetri Martin’s Comedy Central Show courtesy of Netflix!) 
Finished Product!  Ya gotta put the knick-knacks back on the boards!  
(And yes, that is Brian Regan on the imac!) 
Happy Sunday!

Row, Row, Row your… curtains?

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YEARS ago (I capitalized years because it was many more than 3)… anyway YEARS ago I inherited my grandfathers row boat oars.  This man used to spend his free time out rowing around the Albemarle Sound fishing and crabbing and protecting me from the vicious geese that seemed to take a liking to me.  When he passed away, wow, over 10 years ago, I believe his oars were sent to my family’s cottage, and sat there collecting dust.  About four years ago I asked my mom if I could have them, honestly not sure why I wanted them.  The oars came to my new house and sat on my back deck for three and a half years, not only collecting dust but tons of spiderwebs!

This past month I came home from visiting a friend in Richmond and felt inspired after seeing her super cute house.  I had gotten lazy with my projects and crafts.  After spending some time in her well decorated, totally crafty, Martha-Stewart-Would-Be-Impressed home, I felt like I needed to do something!

I walked out on my deck and saw the oars sitting in the corner.  I sanded them down but left them a bit rugged.  I found some random shelf hooks at ikea to hang the oars.  But I decided they needed more of a purpose than just hanging over a door… they were going to become curtain rods!  I went to the material store and bought some inexpensive burlap and some rope.  I’m no sewer, which I’m not proud of, so I had the lady cut them the length I thought I needed.  Instead of sewing the top of the curtains, I just cut holes for the rope to be the “curtain hooks.”  It’s supposed to look rustic, so who cares if there are holes and rope holding the curtains up?!

Next, I added a little flair.  The whole project looked nice, but it still needed something.  The wacky ikea shelving system had a hole, where you were supposed to nail the shelf to the shelf holder.  I decided to add some starfish and buttons to it!

I took photos of the entire process, which I think my macbok ate.  I will keep looking for the photos, but in the mean time you can take a look at the finished product.  Let me know what you think!  I’m sure my grandfather would be laughing, knowing that his rowboat oars are now curtain rods! :-)

oars as curtain rods with burlap curtains