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.
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.
Well hi! Today I thought I'd show you the quickest, simplest beaded home decor project evah. It's practical, it's pretty, it's economical - heck, there's even a little element of upcycling in there for good measure.
It's a scarf hanger system, for storage and display.
The DIY takes about a minute. You will need:
-a buncha big beads
-an old shoelace
Ready? Go!
Thread 16-20 inches of big beads onto an old shoelace (or any bit of cord or ribbon you happen to have handy). Tie a bow, and double-knot it.
That's it, baby! Hang one (or three or six or ten!) on your wall, as demonstrated here...
Then just add scarves.
I hung mine on a cute 3-hook coat rack, but you could hang these up in a number of ways. Use little nails, or individual hooks, or even those removable hooks for apartments.
I was looking for a way to use up a vast quantity of not-so-thrilling wooden beads, and this was just the ticket. I'm a VERY scarf-y person, so it's something I actually need and use - daily!
It could also be a fun project to do with kids, tweens or teens. Let them choose beads to suit their personal style to make hangers for their own rooms, or to give as AWESOME handmade gifts.
Hope this one catches someone's fancy. See ya!
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!
Hey, here's something I've been meaning to show you for a while. I have a lot of these ranged around my studio. Penny-pinching, earth friendly, practical jewelry displays...and they do brighten everything up!
Can you picture the top of the tissue box and how I used it? Got 5 minutes, scissors and a stapler? Here's the ridiculously simple DIY.
Cut the top and sides from a square tissue box, like so:
Cut a piece of scrap cardboard to cover the opening.
Glue or tape the cardboard to the inside; I use packing tape because it's a strong hold. Then poke a couple of holes near the top. Here's how it will look when flipped right-side-up:
Now staple together the two sides - one staple at the top, one at the bottom. And that's it! Here's your 3-D frame seen from the back:
Hang earrings inside and stand it up. So darn cute! And it's fun to match the earrings to the frame.
Tissue boxes are so pretty nowadays. Find one you like and give it a second life.
Later, gators.
Today's craft: a DIY ring made from scraps of fleece and felt.
A five minute craft for any age and skill level. I like it plain...
And I like it patterned.
Aw heck, I just like it.
The How-To is particularly fun, and involves a dog biscuit. So now you have to try it, right? Ready? Here goes!
You will need some floppy scrap fleece (the green stuff) and some slightly-stiffer felt. You will also need scissors and a tiny piece of string.
Cut a fleece leaf and a felt petal. (The petal can be a simple circle or a more flowery shape if you like.) Poke a hole in each as shown here:
Now make a dog biscuit out of fleece, like so:
Fold the biscuit in half and insert the string at the fold.
Stack the leaf and petal, then use the string to pull the folded biscuit through the holes.
Pull until the biscuit ends are bunched in the center of the flower and you can't go any further.
Done and done.
For the fancy version, I just Sharpied the heck out of both the felt petal and the fleece leaf (or leaves). Here you can see some potential different shapes for both elements:
And that, you guys, is my Scrappy Fleece Flower Ring. Sure hope you like it!
Oops, gotta go, someone has been waiting patiently while I wrote this post.
Thank you for coming by!
