Weird Things + Organized Necklaces

What weird things do you like doing or find calming? OK, answers to that could go sideways pretty quickly so I'll just get to the point...

(Insert smiley with heart eyes emoji)

I've always enjoyed detangling necklaces. I know, I'm a weirdo. I also enjoy detangling/unknoting slinkies. For some reason, I find it really calming. You have to focus on just that and can actually start to see your progress pretty quickly. It's so satisfying to unknot and organize something that's a complete mess. I'm sure there's a metaphor in there somewhere, but I'm too busy eying my pretty now-untangled necklaces to complete it.

This is at least three necklaces, and there's even an earring tangled in there! Jackpot.

While I do enjoy a good necklace knot, I don't always have the time to deal with the untangling process (zen as it may be) in the morning when I want to wear a necklace. I found this organizational idea here. So easy, right? This barely counts as DIY...I mean I even avoided having to eyeball a straight line by arranging the nails diagonally. This is where laziness meets creativity. I don't mind the silver nail color, so I didn't paint them the same color as the wall, but I might in the future.

I may have cured myself of the necklace knots for the time being, so if you have a mass of jewelry that needs untangling, I'm your girl!

xoxo,
E

Upcycled Candle Jars

I was digging through a box of old stuff (you know, those ones that never get unpacked no longer how long you live somewhere?) and found a bag of old candle jars. Each one had about an eighth of and inch of wax at the bottom, nowhere near enough to burn any of them again. The jars had been so pretty I couldn't bear to throw them away. I know, I'm a packrat/hoarder/whatever you want to call me. I just can't bring myself to throw out pretty things!

How could you throw out this beauty?

I've searched for a good way to clean the wax out of used candles and found the best way is also the easiest. Just pour boiling water into your candle jar, and the leftover wax will melt and float to the top! Let it re-solidify and then just scoop it out with a spoon. I run some hot water to get the clingy leftover wax out and put it through the dishwasher to get it really clean.

 

Bringing some much needed glam to frequently used kitchen utensils.

The only challenge I still have is getting the little metal disk that anchored the wick off the bottom. Sometimes it comes right off, and sometimes it's there to stay. Any pointers?

 

This hobnail honey corrals nail files, perfumes, tweezers, etc.

PS: My obsession with hobnail has been documented. Milk glass is only thing that makes hobnail better.

PPS: Do you like my coral "frame"? Make one!

I love having these beautiful containers around my apartment! So glad I didn't toss them! Hooray for hoarders!

Hey, you! Tomorrow's Friday!

xoxo,
E

Homemade Frame

I've had a pretty hand-painted picture from Prague (holy alliteration, Batman!) since I studied abroad one summer a few years ago, but hadn't displayed it until now. Why? Because apparently street artists in Prague don't necessarily create their pieces on standard frame-sized paper. It has traveled with me through four moves and now finally has found its resting place.

I created a "frame" from a piece of wood leftover from my jewelry organizer project. Other supplies I used: acrylic paint, spray adhesive, clear gloss spray paint, and eye hooks.

 I painted the edges navy blue first, which, in hindsight I should've done last. It made covering the little bit of blue that made it on to the front of the wood hard to cover with the tangerine color.

 I painted about three coats of a bright tangerine color (really thick on the edges to cover the navy) to get an opaque look.

 Here it is drying on my balcony after attaching the painting with spray adhesive and sealing the whole thing with clear gloss spray paint. Don't you love the painting? I think the orange paint makes the blues, greens, and grays really pop.

 I attached two eye hooks to the piece of wood to help with hanging.

Finished product (not hung yet; I need to get some navy ribbon first!)...and yes I know it's a little off-center, the result of some over-zealous spray adhesive-ing.

I think I'm going to hang this picture in my bathroom to give the space a pop of color.

I hope you're having a happy week!

xoxo,

E

DIY Ombre Art

I've been hanging art for the last couple of days, but couldn't decide on anything for above my bed. I used to have a wicker headboard that matched my bedside tables, but it wouldn't fit in my car during a move in Nashville, so it got left behind. Ever since, the space above my bed has seemed really empty. 

After seeing this tutorial, I knew that I had found my answer. Easy, cheap, big art that would make an impact...right up my alley! The painting in the tutorial is hot pink, but my bedroom called for a more subdued color. I chose an inky navy blue (and painted my lamps the same color) and just kept adding white to the paint for each step.

Final product...iPhone camera is not really doing it justice; I love looking at it when I walk in my room!

The entire project took about 10 minutes and was less than $30...talk about bang for your buck! Happy hump day!

xoxo,

E

Linking up at Hi Sugarplum! (love her blog!):

Check out all the "In About an Hour" Projects!

DIY Wrap Bracelet

I'm loving the wrap bracelets that I see everywhere. But, I just saw Chaan Luu bracelets on sale at Rue La La for $99! And that's on sale...they retail for $200. Yikes. This teacher's salary can't support that kind of buy. While I'm sure that Chaan Luu uses more precious materials than I do, mine is pretty cute and only cost about $22, and I have enough supplies to make at least two more! I found the tutorial here.

Yes, I used my lap top to bear down on.

I spy a nugget!

Finished product!

I hope you're having a happy Tuesday!

xoxo,

E

DIY Jewelry Dish

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I spent a relaxing one with my family in Florida watching the Olympics and crafting with my mom...perfect!

Over the weekend, I made this little guy to hold my bracelets:

I found the idea here. You'll need a dish (I got a plastic one from the dollar store), acrylic paint, painters tape, Mod Podge, and a paint pen.

Paint two layers with Mod Podge before each layer. In hindsight, I would've left out the Mod Podge between the first and second layers because I think it led to a snag I hit at the end.

I traced my first initial from an "E" that I printed on regular paper using pencil, and then went over it in silver paint pen.

Mod Podge over the top layer once it's dry. I would recommend taking the paint off a little before it's dry. As I took mine off, the paint pulled really bad. It ended up looking OK, but I was hoping for a smooth line.

Finished product with a few bangles.

Have a happy week!

xoxo,

E

DIY Jewelry Organizer

After stepping on a bag within a bag and breaking one of my favorite necklaces, I knew I needed a way to organize my jewelry that helped me see what I actually had (and kept it safe from inadvertent stomping). Pinterest to the rescue yet again! I saw a few variations, but settled on something like this. Instead of hooks, I decided to use drawer pulls/knobs, which I had seen in some other varieties.

It turned out really well, and I LOVE looking at it every time I go into my bathroom. It will probably go somewhere in my bedroom or closet in my new place, but you could definitely hang it on the wall, too. You would just have to make sure you really anchor it in there.

Supplies: frame (I used a 16" x 20" open back frame that was on sale at Michael's), fabric, wood cut to frame size (I used a piece that was about 1/2" thick), wood glue, knobs/pulls, drill, screwdriver, spray adhesive

I made this about a week ago and didn't have the presence of mind to take a lot of pictures, so...sorry about that. I know that pictures are way more cool.

1. Drill holes for knobs/pulls where you want them in the wood.

2. Spray adhesive and place fabric on the wood (press out any air bubbles). I used wood glue to glue the fabric down on the back:

3. Screw the knobs and pulls into place on the board. Once I did this and put jewelry on it, I realized I didn't like the placement anymore, so I had to McGuyver some new holes (I don't have a power drill like the bf does...) Here's the original layout I had:

I think it looks pretty good without the jewelry, but once it was on there, it didn't look very good. (Psst...don't you love that fabric! I managed to save enough for another mini project...keep scrolling!)


Here's the finished product:

Right now the board is just sitting in the frame since it's leaning against the wall. Eventually I'll need to either staple gun or wood glue it in (probably a little bit of both). I put all the knobs at the top so the longer necklaces would stay within the frame. I put earrings on the drawer pulls. Isn't it pretty? I feel like if I was lacking in art work for my walls, this could definitely pretty things up!


With my leftover fabric, I recovered my headband holder (aka a roll of paper towels + safety pins...easy, right?) and tied the ends with black satin ribbon:

I love looking at these two organizers next to each other! I'm not a naturally organized person (ask anybody who has known me for 5 minutes), but pretty organization is much more fun to keep up than boring organization!


Happy Tuesday!


xoxo,


E

I Carry Your Heart

I'm moving in a little less than two weeks and am so excited to rethink my decor for the new place! Since I am (like I'm sure the rest of the world, it seems) obsessed with all things Pinterest, I've been taking some DIY ideas from there to start making some new things for the new place!

I found a couple ideas for canvas art and wanted to make one for my new bathroom. I wanted to try to balance colorful and neutral, so this worked out pretty well. At first, I wanted to do something like this (seriously? $281??), but my local Michael's didn't have wooden letters small enough. This project's a little closer to this one. Still, I think this turned out well for my first try.

Here's how I did it...


Supplies needed: canvas (I used 18" x 24"), acrylic paint in various colors (including whatever color you want to be the main/non-letter color), vinyl letters (I got mine from Office Depot), and paint brushes (duh.)


Step One: Paint the canvas all crazy-like. This is the fun part! I waited a while between colors so they wouldn't get all blended.

Step Two: Once all the pretty colors are dry, put on the vinyl letters with your quote/saying/poem. I used the first lines from one of my favorite poems. (Hey, I was an English major, OK?) I didn't take any pictures of just the letters, so...

Step Three: Paint the whole thing with your dark color. Here it is with a few letters peeled off:

Step Four: Peel off the letters (I used a steak knife to help) a little before the paint dries. Here's the finished project again!

I hope you're having a great week!!

xoxo,

E