Looks Like Candy

Hooray, we made it to Friday!

 Yesterday, I made this pastel-hued necklace from a

blah necklace of wooden beads. All I did was paint

the beads, and added a few plastic ones to 

create something TADA!

I had a few extra beads left, so here's what I did:

I strung them on a piece of wire, looping the

wire at the ends to prevent the beads from

slipping off and...

 ...to accommodate strips of ribbon that 

will act as the strap.

 TADA! Another necklace!

 They remind me of candy on a string.

The bow at the back adds an 

ultra-feminine touch.

May you have a colorful Labor Day weekend!

Color Infusion

I hope you're having a stress-free day.

Today, we're giving a new look to this blah necklace. 

All we need is paint and a few brushes. 

To make painting easy, I use these bamboo skewers.

I paint several coats, letting them dry in between. 

Empty egg cartons are TADA! -- they make sorting colors easy.

Here's my color palette so far.

Maybe I'll add a few plastic beads from my collection. 

Gather the beads on invisible string. 

Alternate colors for contrast. 

Make a closure clasp...I've used beads and a button.

TADA! A brand new necklace!

Red Dots

Recycling old things into jewelry is one of 

my favorite hobbies.

Today, I'll use this:

An old t-shirt

And these:

A bunch of bottle caps

...To create a fun necklace.

Here's what we need to do:

Cut out some circles from the t-shirt {I made 16}. The circles should be twice the size of the bottle caps' circumference. 

We'll wrap the bottle cap inside the cloth circle, a technique we've used here and here. Make a running stitch on the edge of the circle, pull the thread lightly so the edges gather up. Put in the bottle cap inside the "pouch" and pull the thread tightly. Finish with a knot. Repeat to cover all 16 circles.

Play around with how you want to configure the circles.

 Once you've decided, sew the back side of the 

covered caps together.

Here's what they look like sewn together. 

Sew on a chain with clasp and TADA!,

a handmade necklace!  

Keep it plain...

Or add some buttons, pins or brooches

to dress it up. 

It's an inexpensive way to add a pop of color to a plain look.

Have a nice day!

A Bit of Blue & Gold

If you're a frequent visitor to my blog {thanks, by the way!}, you know that I like necklaces. Wearing necklaces can give some TADA! to an otherwise blah outfit.

Here's a necklace that I never wore.  

It's made of wooden beads.

I think it was too short and the shade of orange didn't complement the clothes in my closet. And you know what that means -- make-over time!

I'm adding a few more beads, also from another old necklace.

I've chosen to paint the beads in a royal blue, inspired by this, this and this. For easier handling, I used skewers to aid me in painting and drying the beads.

 I put several coats on all sides of the beads and let them dry.

Then, I strung them on invisible string and added 

gold beads as accents. 

 It's a little longer now because of the additional beads.

A whole new necklace, and all I paid for was paint!

TADA!

Summer Souvenir

Hello Monday & hello everyone! This week is all about necklaces -- how to make new ones and how to give old ones a make-over.

 Today, I'm carrying over last Friday's blah: an empty nail polish bottle.

You can fill it with anything you want like beads or confetti. Use a paper funnel to make a neat pour.

I'm putting in some sand -- I gathered a small amount from a recent beach trip.

Close the top with a small craft cork {seal with glue to avoid accidents} and add a chain {attach to the bottle with a piece of wire}. Now, it's a necklace...TADA!

 I bumped up the "pretty factor" with a locket {fastened to the bottle with a ribbon}.

 The locket gives this necklace a touch of nostalgia, and is brimming with possibilities:

• For a married couple, put in sand from a beach where you honeymooned, and add your photos in the locket. It works for wedding anniversaries, too.
• For a single gal, sand and photos from your most recent adventure {by yourself or with the besties}.
• For a parent, you can give this to your daughter who's moving away for college or a job abroad. The sand can be from your hometown or from a beach where your family frequented as she was growing up. Mom and Dad's photos make it to the locket, of course. Okay, family pets can be in the running as well. 

 How can you not love this handmade present?

It's filled with meaning, and is as precious as the

most expensive diamond necklace, without

the hefty price tag.

Get Your Glitter On

The past few days, we used nail polish as paint. Throwing it in the trash or drain is a major blah to the environment, so crafting is a more TADA! alternative. Once the nail polish is consumed, it's time to get creative with the bottle.

I cleaned the bottle using nail polish remover: pour liquid half-way into the empty nail polish bottle and replace cover. Let it stand over night, swishing every so often to get into the corners. Pour out the liquid onto newspaper, allow to dry, and discard. The bottle should be rid of polish, but if there's any left, use a skewer or bent paper clip to clean it out. Allow the bottle to sit out overnight until completely dry and free of any polish remover scent.

Additional things we'll need: glitter and mini craft corks. 

Once the bottle is dry, pour in the glitter using a funnel fashioned out of paper. Plug in the cork. 

Decorate with ribbon and a matching message. 

Tuck into a box and mail to a friend to 

remind her how fabulous she is!

Have a shiny weekend, friends!

Nail Polish Pendants

Hello there and thanks for stopping by!

This week, I'm finding new life for old nail polish. 

Today, I'm sharing something I bookmarked 

from another blog that I would love to try.

Mona uses nail polish and resin to

create these babies: 

via craft klatch

They're pendants that remind me of Murano glass

and amber jewelry.

I can't wait to play around with bright colors

and glitter polish! Plus I've never worked

with resin before.

To make these pendants, you can watch

the tutorial here.

Have a great day!

Pearly Shell

Happy Wednesday! Before we get into detail with today's blah to TADA! transformation, let me show your a few photos for interior inspiration:

via the neo-traditionalist

via the neo-traditonalist

via the glitter guide

via the glitter guide

via the glitter guide

Notice the little bowls in each photo? Whether these are new purchases or flea market finds, they make adorable decorative pieces that function as a catch-all for keys, paper clips or jewelry. 

I feel I need a bowl just like those in the pictures. I also feel the need to craft! And  let's throw in some recycling, too.

I'm phasing out some of the blah nail polish I have, in favor of more safe and eco-friendly ones. I'll reuse these as paint for this glass bowl that's looking a little blah:

 {Look for glass bowls at garage sales or thrift stores.}

When painting with polish, it's better to work outdoors or in a well-ventilated area because the scent can be quite overwhelming. Don't forget to cover your work surface with newspaper.

Work with a clean and dry glass bowl, and liberally pour in the polish.

Swirl the bowl to evenly distribute color. Use two or three coats {allow polish to dry in between coats}. You can combine two shades of similar colors or try contrasting colors, too.

I love the pearlized finish provided by the polish!

Allow this to dry and air out for a few days

{ideally outdoors}.

 Once dry, use it for decoration.

And for storage as well. 

TADA!