Weekend DIY Jewelry Display Project

I’m getting ready to do another craft show tomorrow morning and of course at the last minute I decide to improve one of my displays. You might remember months ago the Earring Display DIY I posted using an old frame and window screen to create an earring display. If you don’t remember you can find it here. Well it worked great for awhile until I tore the screen packing up from a show a little while ago, so it was time to revamp it! So here is the new version.

What you will need:
An old frame (I reused the frame from the last project)
Fabric that is cut about an inch larger then the frame on all sides
Cotton Batting the same size as the fabric
Ribbon cut the width of the frame plus an inch on either side
Staple Gun
A Piece of Masonite cut to snuggly fit into where the glass would go (Anything relatively heavy duty but not too thick should work here)

A Girlie How To

I love to be a girlie girl so it thrills me that things with ruffles, bows, lace and flowers are so “in” right now!

I’ve been inspired to try myself to make some cute little fabric rosettes. And where do you go when you want to learn how to do something? Well online of course. I found this great video to show me how. Originally I was going to write my own how to but since this video explains it better then I could hope to I thought I would just share the link instead.

So far I’ve made the few that you see here. I even used some pretty lace ribbon for one and I love how it turned out. I can’t wait to make some more from all the fabric I have just waiting for a project!

I’m envisioning everything I own will soon be covered in pretty little flowers! Check out the video and see how easy they are! Hope you have fun making them too!

Reuse Old Jars With This Easy Craft!

Everywhere you go people are telling you to “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”. You’ve probably got the “reduce and recycle” parts down to a science by now but if you’re like a lot of people it’s the “Reuse” that’s got you lost. Today I have a project that’s so easy anyone can do it. If you passed kindergarten then you have the scissor skills necessary for this project! You need only 4 items that I’m sure you will have in your house.

Paper

Scissors

Ruler

1. Wash the jar and dry it completely. I prefer to use vintage canning jars but you could use any jar of any size that you might have in your recycling box.
2. Measure the inside of the jar from the bottom to where it begins to curve in. You want only the straight part so the paper sits properly inside. Then measure around the outside of the jar.

3. It’s time to cut your paper. Today I’ve used scrapbooking paper but you can use anything you have. Old newspapers, magazines, construction paper or even print a quote or saying on plain white printer paper. Measure the paper to be as long as the jar is around (add a half inch or so to be sure the ends will overlap) and as high as the straight side of the jar is tall. Cut your paper.

4. Roll the paper in a loose cylinder and insert it through the top opening of the jar. It will fall right into place.

Now comes the fun of deciding what to use your pretty jar for! I use mine to collect my loose change but you could use yours for whatever you like. You could use it in your kitchen pantry to hold tea bags or snacks, hold clothes pins in your laundry room, in your craft area for pencils, paint brushes or buttons, hold cotton balls in the bathroom, or put a little tealight inside and use it as luminary in your garden. It’s such an easy project why not make several and use them all over your house for anything you can think of! You could even have your children decorate them and fill them with candies to give as a hostess gift during the Holidays! Have fun with it!

Do you have a craft idea that uses old jars? I would love to hear! Please post a comment with a picture to share with us!

Glass Jar

Earring Display DIY Project

Last week I talked about the frame I found at an antique store and said I would explain more once I had completed the projected. This past weekend I was up at the cottage and the weather was so beautiful it was the perfect weekend to spend some time outside working on the project I had in mind. For a little while I have been trying to decide what to use to display my earrings for upcoming craft shows. There were a few criteria that I wanted in a display. It had to be inexpensive, lightweight, easy to store and transport and most importantly I wanted it to look interesting and beautiful. My solution was a jewelry display frame. This is a very easy project that anyone can make on their own. Here’s how to make your own.

What You Need:

Any size wooden picture frame
Glossy paint

Metal screen (I found a small piece of metal mesh meant for crafts but the type of metal screen for window screens would work great if you have any laying around)

Paint brush

Utility knife

Staple gun

 
 

How to Make the Display:

1. Take the glass and backing off the frame and remove any nails that may be in the frame.

2. Lay the metal mesh down on a flat surface. Be sure the surface is protected with lots of newspaper of cardboard or use a surface that you don’t care about damage. Place the glass from the frame on top of the mesh. Hold the glass with one hand while using the utility knife with the other hand to cut the mesh using the edges of the glass as a guide so you end up with the mesh being the same size as the glass. This mesh will later be placed in the frame where the glass once was.

3. Be sure the frame is clean and dry. Paint the entire frame. You may need 2 or 3 coats to make sure it is fully covered.

4. Using a paintbrush that has very little paint on it paint the metal mesh. If your brush has too much paint on it the holes of the mesh will fill with paint. You may need 2 or 3 light coats to make sure it’s fully covered.

5. Once the frame and mesh are completely dry you are ready to assemble them. Lay the frame face down on a flat surface and put the metal mesh in the frame where the glass would normally have gone. Using your staple gun secure it in place by putting staples through the mesh into the lip of the frame. Be sure the screen is pulled tight as you go there are no ripples.

6. That’s it you’re done! To hang earrings you just feed the hooks into the tiny holes of the mesh.

 

 
 

This is how mine turned out! Such an easy project that is so useful and beautiful. You can modify the design to suit you by using any style frames and any colour paint or giving it a distressed finish. If you prefer a softer look you could even use lace in place of the metal mesh. You could use a small frame to stand on your dresser or a large frame and hang it on a wall like art. To hang it you would just need to add picture wire on the back after you have secured the wire mesh. Use what you already have around the house to make it work for you! I definitely plan to make more of these as soon as I find more frames. If you make one yourself please post a comment here with a picture so we can see how yours turned out.

Have fun creating!