Make A Matchbox Pendant With Hidden Compartment

Greetings, friends!  I propose that it's time to start thinking about handmade gifts.  This recycled necklace gift can charm nearly anyone: a simple matchbox turned into a secret-compartment pendant.

The awesomeness is threefold.  1.) It's simple and eco friendly.  2.) Customize the art to your loved one's style and interest.  3.) Because there's a tiny secret compartment, you can include an additional mini-gift inside!  Here's the secret drawer:

Aren't they fun?  Want to make one?  Here's how.

Tools:
jewelry pliers
wire cutters
something pointy for poking holes

Materials:
a matchbox
clear packing tape
acrylic craft paint
craft wire
1 or 2 headpins
a tassel
glue or mod podge
1 or 2 accent beads OR a strip of recycled plastic
spacer beads
optional: a bit of chain

The DIY

1. Embellish.  Paint the matchbox's outer sleeve.  If you like, paint the inner drawer as well.  Then embellish!  Adhere something delightful to the top of the matchbox - anything you like.  (A few ideas at the end of the post.)

2. Reinforce.  Reinforce the matchbox drawer with clear packing tape: cut 2 strips and crisscross them in the back, wrapping the tape over the edges and into the inside of the drawer.  Reinforce the inside of the matchbox sleeve with a bit more hidden tape (that you tuck inside and smooth down).

3. Turn it into a pendant.  First, poke two holes in the top of the inner drawer.  Thread craft wire through the two holes and make two loops at the top.  It's easy!  Like this:

To finish the bottom, there are two versions.

ONE HOLE VERSION: At the bottom of the inner drawer, poke one hole in the center.  Add a spacer bead to a headpin, thread it through the hole, add an accent bead and make a loop.  Add a tassel.  It will look like this:

TWO HOLE VERSION: At the bottom of the drawer, poke two holes.  Using the same headpin method as above, add either two accents beads or, as in the Lucky Cat version seen below, a rectangle of plastic with two matching holes.  Make two loops underneath.  Add a bit of chain, with a tassel suspended in the center.  Like this:

Functional Note: the accent beads or plastic strip should be just a bit wider than the matchbox.  This prevents the sleeve from sliding off.  (My accent beads in these examples were repurposed rubber washers, because I liked how they looked.  But any bead is just fine.)

Ideas for how to embellish the pendant:
Modpodge some original or found art.
Paint it, glitter it, doodle it.
Glue stuff on, like charms or buttons.
Add a polymer clay panel. (I made my Japanese-themed panels from polymer clay, impressed with rubber stamps I bought at a 100 yen store in Tokyo.)

Ideas for mini gifts inside the matchbox:
Photos
Love notes
Funny coupons to be redeemed
Candy
3 carat diamond earrings
Ca$h

Who can suggest some more tiny gifts for inside?

Alrighty, you guys - thanks for visiting, hope you enjoyed this one!

  

Woven Wire Dreamcatcher Made From A Repurposed Strainer

Check out my latest little brainwave!  A cool metallic dreamcatcher that looks it's woven with wire.

I've always loved dreamcatchers, but never tried one before.  Probably because I didn't want to figure out the knotwork involved.  (Q: is there an award for laziest crafter?)

So I came up with a simple five minute hack for the 'web' part of the dreamcatcher.  After that, it was all embellishment - the part of crafting I really enjoy.

Here's the DIY.  I began with a loose-weave metal strainer spoon.  I found mine at an Asian market for less than two bucks.  Try your favorite kitchen shop or dollar store for something similar.

First I squished the center of the spoon inward.

Then I flipped the spoon over and squished again, flattening the small inner bump.  It created a pattern of concentric circles in the mesh.

I untwisted and trimmed the handle wires.  Then I made small loops with the trimmed ends, like so:

Tip: that two-loop bail was the one tricky bit.  Because the handle wire was so curly, I had to straighten it with pliers before turning the loops.  You could simplify by just cutting the handle short, and turning a plain loop.

If you like the bright brass color, your dreamcatcher web is all done and ready to decorate.  I took one extra step: a dark jewelry glaze to add an antiqued look.

Tip: If you don't have glaze or patina, a simple wash with brown or black craft paint will work, too!

Then I had a great time with the adornments.  Metal feather charms, flying hearts, filigree and a tassel went into the final result.

And my dreamy catcher was ready to hang above the bed.

Of course, this is just an example.  You might prefer to include more traditional elements.  Bone beads, feathers, shells or other natural objects - there are lots of different styles when creating a dreamcatcher, with personal meaning for each maker.

Consult your own taste, aura, and sense of magic.

Now wouldn't this make a great gift, especially for a guy or someone who isn't really into jewelry?  Or hey - I would even count this as a handmade Christmas ornament.

OK, people, thanks a bunch for visiting!  See you again...maybe in dreams.

Colorful Spray Paint Sun Hats!

Here's a five minute craft for summer!  Something fun and creative from the brain of my husband.  A psychedelic painted sun hat!

The story: for 4 years, he has been wearing the same mesh sun hat for working outside.  Even though it went through the washing machine regularly, it was stained and unsightly and, well, take a look at what I mean...

Ew, right?

A few days ago I spotted him heading for the back yard, clutching three cans of spray paint and the hat.  I grabbed my camera and followed.

Hijinks ensued.

Isn't it awesome?  His colors: teal, purple and bright chartreuse.

I loved it so much, I made one for me.  They only take a minute, you guys!  I started with this dollar store straw hat:

I went with a slightly different color scheme - I kept the teal and chartreuse, but added touches of bronze and antique silver.

The paint dried in 10 minutes and the hats were ready to wear.

They look super cute hanging in your house, too.

Tips:

*Start with just a light spray, don't blast on heavy coverage.  (That way the hat will still breathe.)  If you want deeper color, add one or two more very light coats.  

*Don't paint the underside - you don't want to wear spray paint against you hair or skin.

*These won't go in the washing machine, but cloth hats can still be spot cleaned on the inside.  (Maybe even hand washed in the sink; I have had good luck with hand-washing spray-painted fabrics.) 

Okie dokie, I hope you liked Jeff's quickie idea.  Try it, have fun!  Give a sad old hat a whole new attitude.

Quick Jewelry Makeover: Refashion An Elastic Bracelet

Hi!  Today I have a frugal and easy makeover for you.  First let me show you the end result: these pearly, coppery little necklaces.

I've been wearing them a lot lately - they are subtle, so simple and go with everything.

Here's another design, this one a bit more shmancy:

The makeover began with this (sorta, maybe, kinda) cute elastic bracelet...

...which I probably would never wear in real life.  Not that it was awful, just not my personal style.   But I do love the individual segments.  Such a pretty dark copper color and a nice silhouette.

So I turned them into necklace focals.

For the simple version, all I did was thread two headpins through the focal.  At the top, I turned two small loops.

I added chain and pearls to complete the necklaces.

The fancier, tasseled necklace went together differently. It's created with flexible beading wire (tiger tail), covered over with hollow coiled wire.  You can see this a bit better in the closeup:

The coils are a cool way to disguise the plain tiger tail underneath, don't you think?  (In case you're curious, here's where I bought the coil stuff.)

I had lots of fun raiding my stash for copper-toned treasures to tie onto the tassel.

Btw, those tiny rusty flower buds began life as mini jingle bells - click here for the how-to.

Anyway, you get the idea - you can harvest eight (or more!) focal pieces from one bracelet, and go nuts coming up with various necklace designs.

As frugal as this is, it could be a great party project or craft night challenge: how many different ways can a bunch of people use the same focal?

Before I go, one more makeover to show you - and this time, the bracelet in question is genuinely ugly.

Yuck!  No.  Just...no.  But maybe the individual segments had potential.

So here's what I did with one of them.  Step one: string a few beads on craft wire, and thread the wire up through the two holes:

Make wrapped loops on top.

Add some ribbon, a chain, or a length of cord, like so:

And what is it?  Why, this - an eyeglass holder necklace.

I definitely think it's an improvement on the dreadful original jewel!  Not to mention useful as heck.

And hey - I have nine more sparkly segments to experiment with.  Got any suggestions?

Convertible Magnetic Bookmark Necklace

You know those magnetic bookmarks, right?  The kind with two flat magnets that stick to the edge of your page.  Like these woodland cuties.

They are always embellished with some type of nicely laminated art;  you can find them in thousands of adorable designs.

I have a funny little hack for turning them into necklaces.  As an added bonus, they are interchangeable - switch out the bookmarks to a different design in seconds. Wanna see?  Sure you do!

Begin by making a simple wire piece with a loop on each end.  The straight section of wire should be the same width as your bookmark.  (Optional: add two small decorative spacers.)  Here's how it should look:

Now add the wire piece to a necklace or a chain.

Open a bookmark, slip it over the wire, and let it fall closed.  That is it!

Switch it to another bookmark in the blink of an eye.

It's a great beginner's wirework project.  Couldn't be any easier - two loops and you're done.  Try it with a teen or a tween, or a jewelry-making newbie!

This would be a fun gift for a book lover: give a set of bookmarks and a convertible necklace to go with it.

I'm sure you can find an elegant bookmark out there to match anyone's taste.  Something sophisticated, or whimsical, or literary...

Or you could go in a different direction.

!!!Omg puppies!!!

Bye for now.

p.s. thanks for the puppy ones, mom!
p.p.s. fellow blogger Divya suggested making them for your book club - great idea!