Crafts of Christmas Past: Fairy Walnut Presents - Curly Birds. Join me on pinterest Become a facebook fan I made these fairy walnut presents last year for my girls and their cousins. Needless to say, they were a big hit! To make some yourself: place walnuts on a cookie sheet and bake at 200 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes. Let them cool down slightly and pry open with a butter knife. Add some glitter for a festive feel. Cut an oval shaped piece of felt and fill with the loveliest tiny thing you can find. A little magical and ever so special. The “Melted Snowman” Ornament | Eyeballs By Day, Crafts By Night. I have been quite the lazy blogger lately, and for that I am sorry…I have been doing all kinds of little projects and finally just getting around to documenting them all!
This weekend I finally did a Christmas craft project that has been on my to-do list for quite some time – the “melted snowman” ornament! I thought they might be fun for my upcoming holiday craft show. I would consider this a “dollar store craft” because these shatterproof clear plasic bulbs were $1 ea. at A.C. Moore, and most of the other materials could be found at the Dollar Tree, i.e. the salt and peppercorns. I used salt for the “snow”, whole peppercorns for the “eyes / mouth”, and orange Fimo sculpting clay for the “noses.” I rolled out little noses and chopped off the thicker ends with a knife to make it look like a real mini carrot.
In the meantime, I propped up the clear globes in small cups and used a small funnel to pour in approximately 1/4 cup of salt. Waiting for the noses to finish baking…tick, tock… Brown Sugar Casted Chocolates. Brown sugar is the perfect medium for casting poured chocolate in a homemade mold. This simple project will set your imagination wild!
Press any convex object of choice firmly into packed brown sugar, pour melted chocolate chips into the mold and wait for it to set up. You can flavor your chocolate with spices, citrus zest- or even salt and pepper! I am picturing chess pieces, stones, vintage buttons, little hands and feet...all in different shades of chocolate... This is a fun project for kids- especially since it takes very little set up (or clean up) and there's not a lot of waiting around to see your results. I love projects that aren't tedious and don't have a lot invested so there's not that fear of a failed product. Brown Sugar Casted Chocolates: You can find a blurb about this technique in the amazing SprinkleBakes book (highly recommended!)
The brown sugar will create a grainy texture on the surface of your chocolates. Fill a bowl or pan with an inch or two of brown sugar. DIY surf wax candle. My favorite summer days are those spent driving with the windows down, surf boards stacked on top of the car, staying all day at the beach, and coming home salty, tired, and ready to do it all again the next day.
To bring some of these summertime vibes into my room (and to remind me of sunny days even when the weather turns cold), I created these surf wax candles. These could not be simpler to make! And if you've never smelled surf wax- it pretty much smells like summer in a bar of wax (aka the best scent in the world). I picked up some surf wax from a local surf shop (Coastal Edge). I found that Sex Wax melts well (and the colors are gorgeous). You'll also need glass containers for the candles (I found some at the thrift store) and candle wicks (I got mine from Michael's craft store). I melted my wax in a glass jar placed inside a pot of boiling water. When the wax was completely melted, I removed the jar from the pot with potholders, and poured the wax into my candle container. Rough gems: Home & Kitchen. Raw gemstones: Home & Kitchen. DIY Decadent Crystal Necklace | Fall For DIY.
In the past few weeks I’ve encountered many instances in which I have been referred to as a DIY Jewellery blogger. I don’t disagree with this as such but I always thought of myself in the more simple guise of “DIY blogger” and not wanting to pigeon hole myself into such a specific category made a conscious effort to branch out of jewellery from time to time.
I often wonder why I come back to jewellery so much. At uni I studied textile design and I’ve always had aspirations of making my own clothes. I have a huge appreciation for embroidery, printing, weaving and surface design. I fawn over interior DIY’s I want to fill my small flat with, but for some reason jewellery is my go to. The funny thing is I don’t even wear that much! Perhaps it’s the little details and embellishments. Materials: You can get some gorgeous crystals from this shop. Instructions: 1. 2. 3. DIY Upcycled Vintage Plates. My collection of vintage china is growing at a concerning rate. I’m addicted to scouring flea markets for the finest porcelain and snatching up affordably priced mismatched sets online. But honestly, what is one to do with all those saucers, tea cups and dinner plates?!
When I saw Melanie Rose‘s upcycled vintage plates in London last summer, I was instantly inspired to DIY my own. No ifs, ands or bugs. And now finally, after some trail and error, I’ve finally narrowed down the proper materials and mastered the right technique. Thank goodness for all those spare plates! You’ll need:vintage platesclear waterslide decalsclear urethane coat or clear acrylic coatscissorssmall bowlwarm waterpaper towels Start by printing images onto the glossy side of the waterslide decal papers. Place the decal in a bowl of warm water for about 15 seconds. Place the decal onto the plate, with the liner still attached. Note that I’ve added the decals to saucers and not dinner plates or tea cups. Color Enhancing Shampoos & Rinses: Natural Alternatives. Looking for cheaper alternatives to washing your hair (or something with more natural ingredients)? I’ve moved the homemade shampoo, conditioner and color rinse recipes and tips onto this page for better organization, there’s a lot here to get you started.
Enjoy! First up, here’s an easy way to give natural color a boost without harsh chemicals or dyes. Directions: Mix 1 cup of shampoo with 1 cup of the following: Blondes: Steep 1 tablespoon chamomile, calendula or powdered rhubarb root in 1 cup boiling water for thirty minutes.Brunettes: Add 1 cup strong black coffee *OR* water in which is steeped 1 tablespoon powdered black walnut shells, allspice, or cloves for thirty minutes.Redheads: Add 1 cup red wine and/or real orange juice, *OR* water in which 1 tablespoon red hibiscus or 2 tablespoons red clover have been steeped thirty minutes.
To Brighten: (with 1 cup of shampoo) Source: Ageless Natural Beauty By Sally Freeman Bring Out Highlights: craftster.org naturemoms.com avocado.com Directions: Upcycle and Re-purposing. DIY Friendship Necklace. As soon as Lauren and I saw this editorial in Flare Magazine, we knew we had to recreate these awesome, friendship bracelet-like necklaces. We promise they are super easy to make and the perfect way to pass the time during those long summer roadtrips. To make a 2-tone necklace, cut a long piece of rope and wrap two different colors of embroidery thread around its own bobbin.
Tie a starter knot along with the two colored threads you are using, leaving at least 3 inches of slack, Tape down the slack to a flat surface or safety pin it something that will help keep it in place (feeling nostalgic yet?). Lay the color that isn’t being used (shown here in purple) in your left hand, along with the rope, and hold them taut. To alternate colors, simply put the inactive color (red) in your left hand and the new active color (purple) in your right. Once you’re done knotting, add a few nuts and/or washers to the necklace. DIY Ombré Denim. Dip dyed ombré denim has been popping up here and there and not only do we love the look, it’s super easy to do yourself! We’ve combined Tory Burch‘s dip dyed jeans and Miss Unkon‘s ombré 501s as inspiration for a pink infused DIY that could be done in a jiffy. Start by rinsing your shorts with water. A bottle of RIT liquid dye amounts to 1 cup; you’ll dye your shorts with the lightest shade first and darkest shade last.
Pour 1/3 of the cup of dye into 2 gallons of hot water and mix. When dyeing dark denim, you will want to use less water for a darker dye. Dip your wet shorts about halfway into the dye and let sit for approximately 10 minutes. Ring out the excess dye and add another 1/3 cup of dye to your bucket. It’s that easy: ombré dip dyed denim shorts! DIY Lace Earrings. Dolce & Gabbana‘s Spring ’11 collection undoubtedly furthered our already fanatical obsession with lace.
Honestly, how dreamy is the collection?! We thought we’d make good use of some vintage lace trim we had laying around and turn them into earrings similar to the ones we saw on the runway. And thanks to some tips from a DIY previously featured on Poppytalk, making lace earrings proved be a cinch! Mix equal parts glue to water in a bowl. Cut your shapes from your lace trim or doily, making sure both pieces are symmetrical. Submerge the cut shapes into the glue mixture. I haven’t stopped wearing mine since and can’t wait to make more. (top image from Vogue.com, rest of images by Honestly…WTF) DIY - Fashion. DIY Color Block Moccasins. Our love of Minnatonka moccasins and obsession with Balenciaga‘s Fall 2010 shoes made this DIY we created for Foam Magazine a no brainer.
With just a tube of Tulip Soft Fabric Paint, a pair of paintbrushes (one thin and one thick) and a pair of suede moccasins, you’ll be ready to make your own color block shoes. (Tulip Soft Fabric Paint is best paint to use, as it is highly opaque, flexible once it dries and great for suede.) To paint the tops of the moccasins, the fringe will have to be tucked under. Simply untie the bow, pull the suede strings out of all the holes (note how it is assembled), and fold the flap under. (Click images to enlarge) Start by making a test patch near one of the holes, as this part will be covered and it’s a great way to get comfortable with your brush and paint.
Let dry for at least 2 hours and reassemble the fringe to reveal your new pair of SICK color block mocs! (images by Honestly…WTF)