Color Block Necklace

 I saw a picture of an orange/tan color block style necklace on Pinterest and knew I had some beads in my stash that would work. I had planned on some brown beads for the center, but when loooking through I found those five orange beads and thought they would be perfect, and add more color - which I love! I strung them all together, looked at it and decided that they needed little spacer beads in between, so I started over with small sliver spacers in between. I love the result!





Here is a photo of it on my neck so you can see how it hangs. I love that purple beads on the sides so I can wear it with one of my favorite colors....that deep, dark purple.

Drop Necklaces

I had a couple family member birthdays in July that I wanted to create something for, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to use an idea I'd seen on Pinterest for a drop necklace.

For the first one, I wanted to use this turquoise drop bead because I knew she loved turquoise. I added a large jump ring and a couple brown beads on both sides - because turquoise and brown are meant to be together!













For the second one, I had a green glass bead that I thought would match my neice's style. I found a couple other green beads to match in my stash and put this together:

  I liked that they are different opacity and different shapes/sizes, but close enough to match each other. I also like that they are a little different tone, so that they will match more than only one shade of green.

Pallet Scripture with Shield

We have plans to soon change the room that our boys share so that they will have more space. The room they share is small and the bunk that they have is not helping matters. I like that it has a desk and shelf in it, but because it is one that is shaped like a "T" and takes up most of their floor it will need to go. My husband and I browsed through Pinterest and tried to find a few pallet decor ideas to make it rustic and boyish. This is the first that I made for the 'remodel'. I am quite pleased with how it turned out! You can't quite tell from the picture but it is over 3 feet tall!

I don't think the project really needs much explanation. I cut a pallet to size, sanded it and then made stencils - used a piece of paper that I cut to make a shield shape and my Cricut for all the lettering. I was planning to stain it, but think that I will leave it be for now and see how the rest of the room turns out before changing the color of the wood. 

Rolled Magazine Cross

When I saw this on Pinterest, I knew I wanted to try it:
http://fromliketolove.blogspot.com/2011/11/another-project.html

I started by rolling a couple smaller projects, because I was trying this craft out with my 11 year old. She didn't like it because she couldn't roll them tight enough to make them look nice, so I started on this bigger project.

I'm a get-started-without-a-real-plan kind of crafter, so I just started making some of the same size circles and then arranged them to get the look of the cross that I wanted. I didn't realize how much smaller mine would be until I actually had it glued together and hung it on the wall. I wish I'd made it a little bigger....so I might make another one another day.

(If you're interested, the biggest circles are 6 pages folded, then glued end-to-end, then rolled. The smaller ones are 2 pages. )

I was fussy with the pages that I used because I wanted bright colors and not a lot of white/black print. Especially on the pages that I used around the outside to create the 'border'. When I finished, I gave it a coat with high gloss ModPodge.

I enjoyed the craft, and think I may re-visit it for future projects.

Chalkboard Pallet Sign

I realized I hadn't posted one of my favorite things I made last year!

I took a pallet with slats that were differing sizes and laid them all together so that they were as close together as could be. Then I screwed them to two small strips, so that it would stick very far out from the wall. Then I spraypainted with flat black paint. No expensive chalkboard stuff here! :)
So far, I have used it to:

• say "Give Thanks" - in this picture
• celebrate our Christmas Tree Decorating Party
• have my kids draw a manger scene and put a verse on for Christmas
• say "Happy New Year"
• a couple "Happy Birthday" greetings
• write a verse about love for Valentines....
  and probably a few more that I can't remember (because apparently Thanksgiving was the only time I remembered to take a picture!!!)

Quilled Cross

I wanted an Easter Cross for my small frame (see previous posts for other small quilling projects for this same frame) that hangs on a tiny strip of wall in my house. I searched Pinterest for inspiration, but didn't find exactly what I was wanting. I decided to just make the shape of the cross and start filling it up with different colors, shapes, and sizes. I am excited about the random-ness of it. It is amazing how hard 'random' can be sometimes. ;)

Crochet Circle Vest

I made this last year, but realized that I had never shared it here. Since I wore it today, it seemed like a good time! :)

I did start by using a pattern that I found online, but quickly found that I wanted to do my own thing, so I stopped following the pattern and made the rounds into whatever I thought would work best as I went. It was trial and error.

I started with a beautiful teal yarn handed down to me from my husband's grandmother, and found a small beige at the craft store to match the thickness of the yarn. I love the pop of color on the back! And being so hot-natured, I love how it looks like it is warm, but doesn't really provide a lot of heat!

Leather Feather Earrings

I have this old purse.....and I have a hard time throwing things away that I see can be used. I don't know about you, but I love to take something bound for the trash can and make something new and useful with it!

I was inspired by some of the earrings I saw on Pinterest, so I spent last night creating myself a pair! 

I started by using a leaf shape and my Big Shot die cutter. I cut off the stem and shaved the sides a bit to make it a little more slim. Then I went down each side and cut slits into it. I inserted an eyelet from my paper craft supplies and attached it to an earring with a large O ring. Then I decided to use these tiny pearl beads from my husband's grandmother's craft stash (they were handed down to me & I am awfully sentimental - so it makes me love them more!) :)

I strung 10 of the pearls on a pin and put them on the ring too. I slipped them on and took a picture.


I decided though that they were not feathery-shaped enough so I went back and cut little slits to make more of a feather look, and less of a leaf! Best part: they are light as a feather, which is a great trait for earrings!

Pallet Style Pumpkin

 I made myself a little something today!
 I had been looking at all the fun fall decorations and the cute pumpkins, and my mom sent me a photo of a pallet pumpkin she had made.....and I decided to get on the bandwagon!

I started with a few slats of wood that my dad had given my husband years ago to make bird houses with, but we'd never gotten around to those projects. I thought they would be perfect for this because they are rough like pallets. So I got out his chop saw and got to work. I cut equal angle pieces from two side boards and cut the middle to length, then cut a smaller piece for the stem. I then gave them a quick sanding and took a photo....

I watered down some orange paint and 'stained' the pumpkin boards orange. Then grabbed an golden oak stain that I had and darkened up the stem, so it would have a nice contrast.

Then....I love all the monogramming that I am seeing around and thought the big monogram would help my pumpkin to pop. So I layed it all out like this:

Then I flipped it all sideways and liked it even more! So, after we put the kids in bed, I asked him to get me a couple thin slats for putting the thing together, drilled the holes and screwed the boards all together.

I actually used Velcro to put the "T" on the front, in case I decide to make a pallet style tree for Christmas, or an egg for Easter......

Frame Repurposing

While I love to show off my kid's artwork....this 'clothesline' type spot behind my table was beginning to bother me. It always looks messy. And when you open my front door, it is directly in your line of vision.  But, I also use this to hang Christmas cards and things on too at different times of the year...so I knew I couldn't get rid of it all together. Then I saw an excellent idea in a Woman's Day from 2012 that I'd ripped out....

So, I went down to the local Salvation Army store and found the biggest frame I could find. They had this beauty for $13! (outside dimensions: 43x31 inches) I set to work. I removed the print, pulled off the gold foil covering the frame and sprayed a coat of Kilz on top. Then I started to paint it silver. In the middle of painting it silver I decided I wanted to keep it white....so I started back with the Kilz primer! :)

I finished up with a coat of white spray paint, and stapled in some chicken wire. In the idea from the magazine, she was hanging cards with what they were thankful with for the Thanksgiving holiday. I will probably do that with the family too...and it will look great with Christmas cards!

Another Multi-Strand Bracelet

I really liked the look of the multi-strand bracelet I posted last week, and had another birthday to celebrate this week, so I decided to make her a bracelet too! I wanted to make it all browns and yellows, glass beads that shine. I used beading wire, made three strands of glass beads that were different colors/sizes/lengths and put them all on one ring. Then I added a little chain to give it a different medium. I had this great, large glass bead with all the colors in it and  added it as an accent to one end. I love it!!

Now to take the time to make one or two for myself!! ;)

Ashley's Bracelet

It was my neice's birthday and I checked out her Pinterest for ideas. I found a couple bracelets that were multi-strand, leather and charms, trendy. I looked around a few stores and didn't see anything like what I was looking for. Morning after the frustrating shopping trip, I decided I would try to make her one instead! It looks nothing like the ones she pinned....but I wasn't actually looking to make it just the same. What fun would that be? I like the multi-strand look. Chain, leather cord, beads, charms. Fun! 

Grandma's Bracelet

I wanted to make something personalized for my mom for her retirement gift. I had these gold discs and some metal stamps and decided to try my hand at stamping the grandkids names on them. It was tricky for me to line them up well, but eventually I made a disc for each child. I had originally intended to make a necklace, but half-way through decided to do a bracelet instead. I had to go out and buy some gold wires, o rings, and clasps, because all I have is silver! :) I decided to keep the colors very neutral so that it would match almost anything. This is the result:

Pallet Egg

We started with a pallet. I sanded it a little, so there would be no splintering in little hands. Then I quick coated it with a light spray of Kilz sealer, in a sort-of egg shape.

 Then we gave each of the kids a section to decorate with craft paint, and taped off the area that was in between so that when they went over their 'lines' it would peel right off. This is the result!

Then I cut an egg out of paper until I got the shape I wanted and traced it off. My hubby cut it with a jigsaw, and we got this:

We still need to cut off the bottom and middle boards from the back, but I am super happy with how it turned out!

Pallet Wood Ornament

This is one way that I am passing on a legacy of homemade Christmas to my children: I make an ornament each year to give to family. This means that my children each have at least as many ornaments as they are old! I am really enjoying doing it and they are enjoying putting them on individual trees in their room each Christmas season!

This years ornament was inspired by some I saw for sale at the Daisy Festival this year. They ended up completely different than what I saw there, but I love to improvise! :)

I cut lengths of pallet wood, sanded and stained them. Then I used ModgePodge to attach a paper to the front that has the names of Jesus all over it. I scoured the craft store and did not find a manger that was bold enough, so I used some scrap stamp rubber to make my own manger stamp and stamped it in brown ink on the front. Then I drilled two holes in the top, used clothesline wire (because that is what I had and I hate running to the store for more stuff when I can use what I already have!) through the holes and twisted them around with my jewelry pliers. The last touch was a little bow made of twine that I tied on one end of the wire. I am so excited about the result!