How To: Refurbish a Jewelry Box with Clip On Earrings and Paint

Some difference eh? I love it. A little bit of paint, fabric and shiny baubles and this once almost useless jewelry box is useful and pretty. I was on a big spray painting kit one day and collected everything I could find that might make a pretty accessory holder. The pulls were hideous (and hard to use being so small) so I dug into my thrifted clip on earring collection and voila! here is how I made it:

Gather Ye Materials
Jewelry box
Paint (optional) I used Rustoleum Apple Red Spray paint
Clip on Earrings (1 for each drawer/door)
Small piece of fabric

Gather Ye Tools
Hot glue gun
Scissors
Pliers
E600 glue

Begin at the beginning...



Step 1:  Remove hardware holding door glass and the door glass.
{If painting}Remove drawer pulls and tape a pice of paper to where door glass was.
 
Step 1.5: Paint

Step 2: Use glass as template for fabric. Cut fabric larger than glass.

Step 3: Glue down fabric to inside of door frame.

Step 5: Trim fabric.


Collect your clip on earrings.

Step 5: Remove backs from clip on earrings. I did this with a pair of pliers. I held onto the earring with a pair and pulled on the clip with a pair.

Step 6: using a glue that can bond metal to metal (like E600) to glue the earrings to each drawer pull.

Step 8: Add post earrings to fabric and you're done!

Add it to your bedroom and fill with your fabulous accessories!
Happy refurbishing!

How To: Picture Frame Brooch Display

I love red. Seriously. Since I was a kid I have been choosing red game pieces, red lollipops, red clothing and as an adult I still do that but I also choose red home decor pieces like my red Ikea duvet cover. So it was only natural that when I had two cans of apple red spray paint land in my lap that I go to freakin' town on something right? Well, I did.


Looks like this Island of Misfit home decor doesn't it? It kind of is.


I gathered together two plastic dollar store picture frames, one hideous and almost not even useful jewelry box from my Mom, a thrifted mug rack and an empty picture frame collected during a trip to the dump (not shown). I gave everything three light coats of Rustoleum Apple Red paint, added some cork board here and clip on earrings there and voila!
And voila! You have a gorgeous framed brooch display made in minutes!


This is what happened to my closet when I put it all together! I love it!

While the mug rack is pretty simple (Find one and paint it.) The others do require a bit of a step by step. I am not going to make one or the larger earring display though. All I did was staple some wire mesh I had laying around to the painted frame. I had wanted to use lace but didn't have a piece large enough. I like the bigger mesh though, it supports the bigger post earrings. But i you need a tutorial there are lots of great ones out there. Here, here, and here are all great ones to get you started.

In this post I am going to run through the brooch display. I'll post the step by step for the jewelry box in just a couple days.


Gather Ye Materials
Picture frame finished to your liking
Piece of cork board at least as big as your frame
Piece of batting (or any bulky sot material like felt or fleece) as big as frame
Piece of fabric a couple inches larger than your frame

Gather Ye Tools
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Picture hanging hardware in case your frame doesn't have that. (Mine didn't)

Begin at the beginning...


Step 1: Place your frame backing on a piece of cork and trace. Cut out your cork and fit it in the frame. make any necessary adjustments.
Step 2: lay cork on batting and trace. Cut.

Step 3: Layer your fabric, your batting and your cork board so that the cork is on top and fabric is on the bottom.

Fold each side over and glue with hot glue one side at a time. Do this in opposite sides creating a nice taught front piece of fabric.

Step 5: Flip over and check for taughtness or in my case wavy stripes.

Step 6: Fit back into frame.


Step 7: If you are using the frame as a dresser top display, this is where you try and squeeze the back, back into the frame.


Step 7.5: If you can't fit the frame back on, or want to hang the display on the wall using tack, little nails or a good glue attach picture hanging hardware directly to the cork board.


And voila! You have a gorgeous framed brooch display made in minutes!

Come back soon to see how I made this gorgeous little number!

How To: Scrap Fabric Flower Accessories

What seems like ages ago, I gave away some vintage sheet fat quarters and a fabric brooch I made as a bonus. I was asked by a couple ladies how I made it so I put making a tutorial for it on my to-do list but, as most things blog related last year it was de-prioritized. Well, since I began my fabric scrap management series, it was re-prioritized and finally completed! *yay* Would you like to make one (or five) o these little beauties? Sweet!

Gather ye materials
Fabric scraps cuts into circles (What size, how many different sizes and how many circles is dependent on what you want your flower to look like.) I like six per layer, sometimes eight and even five works.
Coordinating felt scraps (Or now that I think about it, leather and vinyl would look good too.)
Baubles for the center of the flowers (Buttons, brads, pins etc.)
Findings for the back (Brooch clips, alligator clips etc.)

Gather ye tools
Sewing machine (Not necessary but I don't enjoy hand sewing that is not purely decorative)
Needle and thread
Glue gun & glue sticks

Begin at the beginning...
Step 1: Cut circle.
Step 2: Cut the circle in half.

Step 3: With right sides together, sew around curved edge.

Step 4: Turn right side out.

Step 5: Thread a needle, sew a loose running stitch along bottom of turned circles. Pull tightly.

Step 6: Continue threading petals onto needle and thread until you have enough petals or a single layer. Tie of after each petal if you find them unraveling to quickly. Tie after last petal before you tie two ends together.

Step 7: After you have tied the two ends together, arrange your petals. This might take a bit of shifting and such. I also stitched a few petals in place because I didn't like how they had gathered. You'll figure it out once you get playing with it.

Step 8: Repeat steps 1-7 until you have all the petals and layers you would like for one flower.

Step 9: Play with the centers. Try a few things out. Here I tried a vintage green button, an extra large white brad and finally a button pin.

Step 10: Cut a piece o felt for the back about a half inch smaller than the largest flower. Begin layering and gluing.

Step 11: When gluing, add the smallest bit of hot glue (or tacky glue) around the center of each flower.

Steps 12-14: Attach your desired accessory piece. If you use a brooch pin, I like to add a piece of felt to cover up the glue. But I also made one into a hair clip and one into a wrist corsage. And you're done!


Voila! Your new fabric scrap flower accessories! Now go make a billion for your little girl(s) and sister(s) and mama and grand mama and co-workers and BFFs and acquaintances!  

Reader Question : DIY Ring Storage & Display

ally74 asked you:
hello: i am a new follower and i really love a lot of ur ideas, i was wondering if u have any for storing rings! i have over 100 rings and i love to wear a different one every day most of them are chunky rings, do u have any idea's?
&eahrts;♥
Thanks for following and thanks for the great question!
This one was a little bit trickier than when I did a post on chunky necklace storage. There are far fewer posts on ring storage, and even less DIY ring storage posts but I did find a couple absolutely awesome ones!

Easy peasy and super practical (Not to mention eco friendly) is this egg carton displays from Whimsy Love. Not only to they display each ring perfectly but thy make great storage for your home (Label each carton with fat markers) or craft show booth. Bonus: Dust Free. Found via Etsy Handmade MN

These are black BEANS! I know super clever right? While they might be more practical for a craft show booth, it is a totally viable, practical and green solution for a dressing room table or dresser top. Photo belongs to Lean Dog Pottery & Jewelry and was found via Etsy Handmade MN

I think this is my favourite. Completely customizable in size (Most craft stores sell two three different sizes) and in finish (Have at 'er with Mod Podge and paint!) it hangs on the wall or sits on a dressing room table/dresser. C'est tres bon oui? Source: Punky Style

This super adorable cigar box holder was made by Stef with an old sweater folded accordion style. You needn't use a cigar box, you can use whatever sort of box you have laying around. Bonus: Dust Free. Full how to here @ Craftside.

Take a trip to your local dish washing aisle and you have some pretty adorable ring holders. While this is not practical for those of you with dozens of rings (Lucky ladies!) this is great for those of us with much more modest collections. Visit the how to here at Dana's Fashion Blog.

Some of you may recognize this photo from Tumblr user Legally Crafty (She has some great DIYs). A simple chocolate box turned ring storage is very eco chic (And I bet it smells divine every time you open it!). Bonus: Dust Free.

Last but not least we have the clear pocket hanging organizer. While not super fun in a crafty recycling sort of way it is super efficient storage. For those of use with next to no storage space, slim solutions like these are both dust free and see through making it a very practical choice.
And that concludes our lesson for today class! I hope you enjoyed the post and thanks for the super duper question! As always, I love to answer them (Even though they might take me awhile.) So keep them coming! Cheers,M.

Reader Question: Handbag Storage

Over at my Storage Geek blog, I get asked advice questions on organization and storage. (I know! Isn't that just the coolest?!) And the code copies perfectly to here, so I thought I would share with you the bigger posts I write up as a warm up to the new website (Which is ages from being launched!) so I hope you enjoy.

teafondknee asked:

Any  advice on how to store purses and bags? I have a ton but haven't found a  good way to store them!

Another fabulous question! Purse storage can be tricky much like shoes, we tend to acquire so  many so quickly. And a great bag is worth holding onto until it no  longer functions. I never used to be a handbag gal, I was so picky about  them that I rarely found one that 'did it for me'. Now though, I can't  get enough quality leather purses, granny purses, vintage beaded party  bags, plus I love making clutches so storage has become an issue for me  as well. That being said I have done some googling and this is what I  have discovered.



First off, for storing your high end bags I recommend a shelf system with divider supports. You can use these stylish clear Acrylic Shelf Dividers or more practical metal ones. The reason I recommend a shelf system is because long term storage by hanging can eventually damage(stretch) the strap.



These hanging closet organizers are probably my favourite because they are reasonably priced and also protect against dust. I had one for shoes given to me by my mom because she was tired of wiping the clear vinyl free of dust. To clean it, I just throw it in the washing machine with towels and hang to dry.Unfortunately, I haven't the space for the sweater hanger or carousel one though. *tear* US residents can purchase the two pack of organizers here on Ebay and the carousel organizer can be purchased here on EBay.

If you are not lucky enough to have shelf space to devote to your handbags, or none at all you have other options.



These Handy Hold Alls from Simply Sarah Shaw are definitely handy. My room mate bought me one for Christmas years ago and when I had grown out of it I passed it on to my mom who loves hers. For those with a small to medium sized purse collection this is definitely an option. I like it because it doesn't have to hang on a door (Which are of short supply in lofts and studio spaces.) but is small enough to fit in closets of all sizes or on bedroom walls. You could also DIY one these easy enough with fabric and snaps/buttons/ribbons etc.



Although I haven't the door for this you might and I think it is a fabulously pratical solution. The Jokari Purse rack holds up to eight purses per strap and mounts on a door. That is a lot of purse storage for under twelve dollars.



Source: beckster740

For those of you with more space and higher budgets you can always build cubbies and store your purses like works of art like this lucky lady on Flickr.

♥♥I would like to add two quick tricks as well; The first came from a Tweet on Twitter and that is to stuff the purses with newspaper. I thought brilliant because we already do that with our boots. Right ladies? You have boot forms for those fabulous boots right?!
The second was for your little handbags (You know the gorgeous beaded vintage ones you take to dinner parties.) You can keep them dust free and still visible by putting them in clear shoe bins.

There you go, handbag storage solutions for every budget and (hopefully) space limitations. Thanks so much for asking another great question! For those of you who have storage and organization questions you can reach me at any of the four links on my sidebar. And for those of you who haven't yet checked out my Storage Geek blog I encourage you to do so. Lots and lots of great DIY projects, fabulous design photos and even some container gardening and library photos.