It happens every morning.
I pull on my shoes, search around for my keys, and realize I didn't put on my earrings yet. And as surely as I know that the bus is always running late, I know that I can't find the pair of earrings I want to wear.
Is it just me, or is jewelry one of the hardest things to keep organized??
Click through to see how I made this necklace and earring organizer!
Whenever I'm in need of new jewelry, I always turn to leather. It's one of those wonderful materials that's no mess, no fuss, AND the end result looks a million dollars. Now if that's not a crafter's dream, I don't know what is!
Since going back to work (after taking a year off for maternity leave), I felt like I could use some new necklaces to wear to the office, so I whipped up these pendants using leather scraps I found in my craft drawers. Want to make some of your own? Follow along below!
Trace around a circle cookie cutter onto the back of your leather scraps. To make pendants like the ones pictured, you'll need:
Cut out the shapes you traced in Step 1 with a pair of scissors.
Use your leather punch to make holes in each of the shapes as follows:
Use a pair of jump rings to fix the two half circles together.
Use your jewelry pliers to cut 3-4 short lengths of chain. Then attach them together with a jump ring to create a chain tassel. Repeat this step so you have 2 tassels.
Attach one tassel to your joined half circles, and attach the other to your donut shape.
Use jump rings to thread each pendant onto a length of gold chain.
Lastly, attach a jump ring to one end of your chain and a lobster clasp to the other end to finish your necklaces.
As fun as jewelry is to collect and wear, it can be tricky to figure out how to store all your pieces. If you're not careful, it can too easily turn into clutter. Home organization stores would love to convince you to run out and spend tons of money on jewelry organizers and storage. But if you're willing to get a bit crafty, you can easily make your own DIY jewelry organizer or holder to store your jewelry in style.
Raise your hand if you have trouble finding jewelry that you like! Modern and interesting jewelry at affordable prices can be such a unicorn, don't you think? Which is why jewelry is the perfect candidate for some good old DIY intervention!
I love rolling up my figurative sleeves to create unique, handmade accessories. My latest jewelry project is one you minimalists will love: DIY leather circle earrings.
"I have too many plants..." -- said no one ever.
Except, perhaps, people who can't keep plants alive.
Good news for all you plant-murderers: faux plants can often look as gorgeous as the real thing. Especially if you glam them up with my all-time favorite crafting material, copper leaf.
Today I'm going to show you how to make copper leaf plants so that you can bring some unique and botanical beauty to your summer decorating. That's right, we're leafing leaves! Ready to see how?
What do you do when you run out of horizontal space for houseplants? Go up! A vertical garden made of wall-mounted plants is easier to put together than you might think, and we have a step-by-step tutorial to show you how to make your own.
What do you do when you run out of horizontal space for houseplants? Go up! A vertical garden made of wall-mounted plants is easier to put together than you might think, and we have a step-by-step tutorial to show you how to make your own.
Now that summer is in full swing, I can't stop thinking about plants... and my indoor garden needs a bit of sprucing up. So I did a little Pinterest searching, and came up with tons of great DIY ideas to add some character to my succulents, cacti and other greenery. And today I'm sharing them with you. Find out how to dress up your plant babies with these ten gorgeous DIY planter ideas.
It's finally that time of year when people start to fix up their yards and spend their spare time outside. The grill comes out, the patio furniture emerges, and the neighbors stop by. Which means it's also time to get creative and find some fun things to do out there in the backyard. Here's a collection of our favorite outdoor games that are fun and easy to put together.
I love a quick art project! As I was preparing to (finally) hang some art on my walls, I was thinking of ways to keep my costs low and make my own wall art and the answer was as simple as making this paint scrape art with a few colors that matched the scheme of my home. Within 5 minutes, I had a colorful piece of art that I love.
One of the things I love about air plants - also known as tillandsia - is that they can be displayed in virtually unlimited ways. With soil out of the picture, an air plant can live in any container, on any ledge, in any opening, on any surface; they are one of the most versatile plants in terms of home decor. Which, for someone like me who loves crafting things, is the gift that keeps on giving. Looking to fill a bit of wall space, this wall-mounted air plant holder does the trick. Keep reading to see how easy it was to make!
In this post, you'll learn how to make a birdhouse two different ways ...
A few years ago, I made a mid-century inspired birdhouse, modeled after the iconic Case Study houses. I created it using my growing collection of woodworking tools, like a table saw and router table, cutting complex angles, and using joints like rabbets and dadoes. It was fun and challenging, and nearly three years outside later, it's still very strong and holding up wonderfully.
But, of course I know that most folks, even other creative-types and DIYsters, don't have access to all these tools. So, I wondered: is it possible to come up with a modern, handmade birdhouse that doesn't required bunches of power tools and knowledge of complex joinery?
Of course it is. So, here's a DIY mod birdhouse that requires only an electric drill and a few toolbox staples. The whole thing can be made for around $10 in materials, and in just an hour or two.
Spring is just around the corner (hopefully), so we're getting in the spirit with pretty florals and lots of spring-like colors. Today we're sharing some DIYs that will help you get in the springtime frame of mind too. Keep reading to check out 16 of our favorite floral DIYs for your home.
Do you remember this joke?: April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? The answer is "pilgrims" for those of you skipped the third grade. Cue eye roll. Anyway - we are headed right into the rainy season as March comes to a close and winter is finally releasing its chilly, chilly grasp. It's finally time to break out the umbrellas and rain boots! Keep reading to see how to make your rain gear more personal by DIY-ing this painted umbrella (P.S. it's totally waterproof, too!).
If you happen to kill every plant you've ever had, I have a trick for you: hang them at eye level! Sure, it's not much, but having your plants at eye level is a great way to remember to water them. And if you're new to plant ownership, there's no better place to start than with an air plant and this 15 minute DIY!
What you'll need
- bell cup
- hammer & nail
- cord
- wooden beads (you can order faceted wooden beads on Etsy)
- acrylic paint
On the bottom on your bell cup, hammer a nail into the center to create a hole. There should already be a divet on the bottom from where the stem was removed, so making the hole will be easy.
Paint both the inside and outside of your bell cup and let dry.
Tie a knot around the end of the air plant and string up. To add another pop of color, add some painted wooden beads before hanging!
To water, untie and pull air plant out of pod. You wont need to untie the knot, just make sure you pull the plant out enough to water. Avoid getting the pod wet and let plant dry completely before putting back in pod and stringing up.
Learn to make a pebble bath mat with simple materials and techniques.
For all those stay-at-home moms who have very busy lives, this DIY is for you! Or anyone who loves an excuse to be pampered just a bit every day.
Unfortunately, going to the spa isn't a realistic or practical option for many of us. Which is why something as simple as this DIY Pebble Bath Mat can make the world of difference, turning an everyday shower into a treat. So take comfort the next time you get a spare minute to soak in some suds!
I think we can all agree that moon phases continue to be all the rage. Not wanting to pass up on this bohemian trend, I brought moon symbols into my home with a lunar wind chime - keep reading to see how!
Photo: Brittni Mehlhoff
In an effort to get organized early in the new year, I've been making myself little desk accessories to get excited about computer work. And I'm happy to say, it's actually working. So, I thought I would share one of the projects that I recently made, for a jumbo wood block perpetual calendar. The larger size makes this calendar a statment piece and adds a fun playfulness to the typically bland work station. Click...
If you're anything like me, you have a running list of projects you want to try. Things you save repeatedly on Pinterest, ideas you scribble down in the back of your planner, or maybe you just keep a mental list in your brain. Clothesline baskets have been on my want-to-try list for forever, and this week I took the plunge. After conquering the first one, I want to make a million of these clothesline baskets. A million! Additionally, I'm loving the simple stripe in this basket. We're exploring all things Scandinavian this month, and this basket fills the bill with equal parts monochrome and texture.
If you follow us on Instagram, you may have seen my story about adventures in DIY basket land. No lie, it was a little rocky at first. I did have to start over twice, but hopefully my floundering can help you succeed. Here's what I learned: The key to a successful clothesline basket it to not rush. Take your time, and whatever you do, don't be forceful! Just sit back and let the machine do the majority of the work. Okay, let's get started! Watch to see how this basket came together, and follow the full tutorial below.
To begin, set your sewing machine to a zigzag stitch, and load it with the neutral thread color. You will want a wide enough stitch to join the edges of clothesline together. Next, coil one end of the clothesline in a snail-shape. Keep the coil in place using straight pins.
Using a zigzag stitch, sew around the coil starting from the center, following the snail-shaped path. Your zigzag stitches should reach across the divot between the edges of clothesline. Go slowly as you begin. As needed, leave the needle down and rotate after releasing the pressure foot to make tighter turns.
Continue following the coil shape, stitching the clothesline to the perimeter of your initial coil. Make sure that the zigzag stitch is catching both sides of the clothesline, otherwise you'll end up with holes in your basket. Do not pull or push on the clothesline as you stitch it in place - this will make the shape warp! The dogs of your sewing machine will feed the clothesline through as you go, keeping you at a good pace and tension. All you have to do is feed the clothesline through and keep it on track. Continue sewing until you've reached the desired size for the bottom of your basket.
When you're ready to start working on the sides, rotate the bottom of the basket up, and continue stitching as before. Try to force the bottom of the basket at an angle as you stitch, but again, don't pull or push. Stitch at an angle as you continue, and the basket will begin to curl up and take shape. Once your basket has successfully turned, stitch as before. Keep sewing around and around until your basket is as tall as you want it to be.
If you want to add a little extra detail to your basket, you can wrap the clothesline in floss, thread, or yarn intermittently before stitching it in place. I paused 4-5 rotations from the top to wrap the clothesline in floss, creating a stripe.
After wrapping the clothesline in floss, use matching thread to carry on the zigzag stitch.
When the basket has reached the desired height, it's time to add handles. Carry the clothesline away from the basket in a handle shape and pin in place, as seen above. Continue the zigzag stitch up to the point where the handle starts. Backstitch to tie off, and pick the zigzag stitch back up where the handle ends. Repeat for the other handle.
Stitch around again, and when you meet with the first handle, sew along the top of the handle, carrying your clothesline along the handle. Continue around, and repeat for the second handle. Repeat this type of rotation as many times as desired, depending on how thick you want your handles to be.
When you are finished, cut the end of the clothesline 1-2 inches away from the stitch. Sew the end in place on the inside of the basket.
And voilá! A clothesline basket!
After getting the hang of the process, I could see marathoning a Netflix show and making a whole slew of these. Once the basket starts to take shape, it's kind of relaxing and cathartic. Basically the perfect rainy day activity. Happy sewing!
As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to love burning candles at home. I now enjoy buying seasonal scents in pretty containers, and I’ve learned to love making my own candles. With industrial-style accents becoming increasingly popular, I made a set of concrete soy candles with beautiful wood wicks using rose, one of my favorite scents.