Somewhere out there exists a Scrooge or Grinch who would not think this is cute. All I can say to that person: Bah humbug. And I hope you are remembering to feed Max.
For the rest of us, here's my little idea for the world's tiniest flower bud succulent planters.
They are made from jingle bells. (Cheap dollar store ones, preferably!)
Wanna make this? Here comes the DIY!
Begin by turning a jingle bell into a little flower. Go here to follow my easy tute - and see a few fun examples of jingle bud jewelry like these earrings.
Once you have a flower, fill it with a dollop of soil.
Grab some metal washers. (Glue is optional.)
Plant a scrap of succulent inside the flower, then balance on a washer (or two or three) so it has a stable base. All done!
Keep it for yourself, or give it away. A pair of them in an anchovy tin makes a darling hostess or neighbor gift.
I also envision these on the tables at a wedding or other celebration - wouldn't it be a sweet party favor to take home?
Tips Tips We Got Tips:
*If you are giving it as a gift, you might choose to glue the metal washers to the bottom of the jingle bud so they don't tip over en route. For the ones on my own windowsill, I don't bother to do this step.
*Water sparingly! 1/2 teaspoon of water once a week should do it. The bottom will leak, so place it on a plate or paper towel until the water is absorbed.
*After a few months, some rust might form on the petals. Try to think of it as patina. ;)
I sure hope you guys enjoyed this one! Thanks a bunch for coming by.
Once, long ago, I made some teeny little silver house ornaments, using recycled cardboard. These new ones are a bit bigger, with a fresh technique and several different uses. And...antiqued!
They can still be used as ornaments, but they are also fun turned into fridge magnets...
...or greeting cards...
...or standing up anywhere: your mantel, a side table, even the kids' room, hee hee.
They are eco friendly and so fun to make. For tools, all you need are scissors, a pencil and wire cutters. Materials:
-cardboard scraps
-aluminum duct tape
-double-stick tape
-shoe polish
-craft wire
Ready? Here comes the DIY!
Cut a little house from scrap cardboard.
Roughly cut out a tiny a cardboard door and some windows. They don't need to be straight or the same size! Lay down short strips of double stick tape, then stick down the doors and windows.
Cover the front with duct tape.
Trim away most of the extra tape. Cut slits at the corners so you can fold down the excess in back. It will probably look something like this:
You can cover the exposed cardboard with more tape - but only if you plan on seeing the back.
Lightly burnish down the tape around the cardboard cutouts, using something rounded like a pen cap (or just your finger.)
Now to etch in the details. Use a blunt pencil or a ball-point pen - very sophisticated tools, eh? Outline the raised door and windows first. Then add cross-hatched windowpanes, a doorknob and roof tiles. Maybe a few bricks on the chimney.
Remember, you are going for cute and rustic, not precision architectural drafting. Mistakes are okay.
Make a wire smoke plume, to look something like this:
(For the detailed smoke plume tutorial, go here.)
Bend some curves in the wire stem, and tape it to the back of your chimney like so:
And that, my dears, is a super cool shiny silver house! Adorable.
If you like, you can stop right there. I actually love the shiny silver version as-is.
But wait, there's more. The antiquing step is next, and it's so simple. Just rub on some solid shoe polish, then buff it out until you have the amount of antique finish you like. See the difference:
To make an attached stand, cover a scrap of cardboard with silver tape, then attach it to the house with more tape forming a hinge. Here you can see the stand in the mirror:
Here's one more thought I just have to share: a wonderful gift idea. Make a replica of a real house, and present it to the owner! Wouldn't it be awesome for someone moving into a new home? Or a senior who is moving to a smaller place? Yes, it would.
To make a replica house, refer to a photo of the house front, and approximate the main features with your cardboard cut outs. Then proceed as above for a custom mini house!
Well, that's the dealio! Hope you like it.
Thanks for coming by, friends; see you another day.
P.S. If you made one, what would you do with your mini house?
Mich
Sometimes I need a little protection. From malevolent spirits; from dragons; from windstorms generated by sad ghosts; from haunted ladies who walk weeping at the full moon.
So I make these shapely, swirly amulets to hang in doorways.
The charm is a Hamsa hand - an image of an open right hand, used for centuries to ward off dangers and the evil eye. I also make them using the Nazar or blue bead evil eye amulet.
My hanging door amulet is so simple to make! The secret is memory wire - it's what creates the springy swirl on the long stem of beads. You will need:
a Hamsa hand pendant (or a blue bead amulet)
some small blue beads
2-3 coils of bracelet memory wire
a cup hook
heavy duty wire snippers
round-nose pliers
The DIY:
1. cut a length of memory wire and make a small loop on one end.
2. thread blue beads onto the wire until nearly full.
3. when you have about an inch of wire left, add your amulet, then one final bead.
4. with the last bit of wire, make another small loop to finish the strand. Optional: add a bead dangle to the loop for a little extra movement.
Here's a closeup:
In the version above, I chose antiqued silver rounds as the final two beads, bookending the pendant.
5. screw a cup hook into your door frame. Slip the top loop of the beaded strand onto the cup hook. That's it!
Here's how it looks hanging in the doorway of my bead studio:
For a different version of spooky protection, here's a link to another tutorial - my beaded evil eye amulet made with craft wire and simple glass beads:
A handmade door amulet makes an awesome gift! Just right for lots of occasions. A new home...a hostess...a dude who isn't into jewelry...a Freshman dorm room...a wedding gift...
Or make one for yourself, for when the Big Bad draws near.
This summer, some friends of mine are going to a rancher's wedding. Location: New Mexico cattle ranch. Dress code: cowboy! Doesn't that sound fun?
Here's a mini Guess The Mystery Thing challenge, inspired by the event. Check out these fun little place card holders:
Who can guess the identity of those interesting white bases? Now hold your horses! Whoa, dogies! Take your time and don't scroll until you have it in your head.
Got your guess? Okay, here comes the scroll down.
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Some of you will know the answer on sight.
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Some of you might be offended. Maybe? I'm not sure...
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Ready?
Steady?
Okie.
Dokie.
The Mystery Thing is...
Oddly attractive shotgun loading wads. (That's what she said.) Don't be offended. They are so darn cute, with their little space age feet and ready-made slits to hold a place card!
Hope you got a laugh out of this one. Later, dogies!
Something cool to show you today (tho not my typical repurposed project). I have been making beaded vines by the yard, they are growing everywhere and taking over my life. Look!
What are they for? For making vine-y, va-va-voom-y bracelets.
This fun wirework technique can be played so many ways. And I do so love a full, intricate-looking bracelet that doesn't take a lot of work.
These 'enchanted vine' bracelets are featured in the Spring 2016 issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry.
I did a full tutorial for them with step-by-step pics; it's available March 1st. I'm rather excited, having been a huge fan of Belle Armoire Jewelry forevah!
A fancy vine jewel makes an impressive gift, and hey, nobody has to know how easy it was to create. How about for Mother's Day - you know it's coming up, you guys!
Or make one in bridal tones - white, taupe, oyster, cream - lovely for a wedding.
Hope you have a chance to check it out! Now please excuse me, I have to untangle myself from a few creepers.
Here's a reverse mystery for you! Look at these strange tiny objects, made with two big beads.
What are they for? They are a much loved little invention of mine, a contraption I've been making and using for years.
Puzzle your head for a few moments and see if you can guess! Then scroll down to see the answer.
Scrollin'
Scrollin'
Scrollin'
Check it out...bing!
Just tuck some recycled cardboard between the two beads, and voila, earring display stands! Yep, they stand up on their own.
I love these mucho. One, they're way cute. Two, they take up hardly any space when not in use. And three, they are an AWESOME way to use up big clunky orphan beads that I'd probably never use for jewelry.
I also use them as mini holders for small photos or art:
They have lots of other uses, too - like place card holders, buffet table signs, anywhere you need to label or display something while maintaining a tiny footprint. Fer example, they make the darlingest business card display:
Pretty cool, eh? Wanna DIY? Here goes!
Stack two big beads on a headpin, with a little spacer bead in front to schmancy it up a bit.
Use round-nose pliers to turn the tail of the headpin in a loop. Cinch it all the way down tight against the bead.
For the earring card, cut a cardboard shape with a small bite out of the bottom. Looks a bit funny, but it helps balance the weight of the earrings.
Then just tuck the cardboard into the slot. Here's a side view:
How easy was that?
For party or wedding place card holders: instead of orphan beads for those, you might decide to choose beads in your favorite colors and make matched sets to decorate your table.
Here are some tips on making these. 1. Use beads with flattish ends rather than round. 2. Beads with the same approximate diameters work best together. 3. I used acrylic and porcelain beads here, but any material will do. Heavier beads will support slightly larger photos or earrings.
So ends The Mystery Of The Thing With Two Beads. Did you figure it out before scrolling down? Do tell.
