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!

Marbled Jars

Today's blah to TADA! project is inspired by these jars I spotted at Anthropologie several months ago:

These jam jars were part of the store display, as if to mimic the sorbet colors of their spring collection.

They're just ordinary mason jars with a marbled effect created by different hues of paint. 

Well, I'm on a mission to reuse my bottles of nail polish that are waaaay past their prime. Did you know that nail polish are considered hazardous waste? You just can't throw them in the trash or in the drain; doing so is harmful to the environment. You can do this, or use them for crafty pursuits.

We'll make our own marbled jar using polish instead of paint:

blah: old bottles of polish and a clean & dry jam jar 

Work outdoors and cover your space with newspaper.

Randomly pour the polish into the jar. 

Use as many colors as you want {I stopped at three}.

You can allow the first polish to dry before 

adding the next for more defined colors.  

Swirl the jar so that all the walls are covered in color.

 Leave to dry outdoors for a few days 

{this also helps get rid of the strong polish scent}.

TADA! A marbled jar!

Notice that each side has formed a unique pattern

with a high gloss finish.

Use it to hold favorite supplies like pencils or make-up brushes. Please make sure to keep this jar away from flame {nail polish is highly flammable} and food products.

Painting with Polish

Hi ya' all! I hope your weekend was glorious!

Do you like nail polish? I wear it mostly on my toes during the spring and summer months for sandal and flip flop season. I only wear them on my nails for special occasions; I damage them quickly, I must admit. I'll have a dent in the polish even before I leave the salon, and I have yet to master how to professionally apply them myself.

I have a small number of bottles, tucked away in a cosmetic pouch in the bathroom cabinet. By no means do I have a collection this big: 

via the glitter guide

And this isn't in a nail salon. It's found in someone's home! Pretty neat, huh?  

Because I don't wear polish all that often, the bottles I have look like they're brand new, even if I've had them for years. Some sources say, the shelf life of nail polish is one to two years. Other say they don't expire at all.

Personally, I think I have to get rid of some of mine. Some have separated, and the others have gone beyond their second birthday. I know you can see it coming -- a little blah to TADA! is in order.

Just like the old lipsticks from a few posts back, I'll try using them as a painting medium on stretched canvas.

Abstract art using blues and purple...TADA!

A few sweet dots in pinks, peaches and red...TADA!

Do this project outdoors since the polish can have a strong odor. Allow to dry {also outdoors} for a few days before adding a frame and displaying your handiwork.

Homemade Gift Wrapper

A Happy Friday to all of you out there!

Today's blah are these plain tissue paper. Oh, you've encountered them before, as a secret layer inside a gift box or to secure things you've bought, tucked inside a shopping bag. 

Sure, it's easy to throw them away without guilt {they're paper!}. You know me all too well to know that I keep them. Because they've lived a smug life inside boxes and bags, it doesn't mean we can't show them off. 

Add a little paint to make it TADA! 

Play around with patterns and color. 

When the paint dries, used it as gift wrapping paper. 

Personalize it with more paper and paint. 

 Remember the bubble art we made a few weeks ago?

We can turn it into gift wrap, too. 

Top it off with a flower also crafted from the same paper.

If you want to avoid spending on gift wrap, 

rescue some paper at the same time, and

add a unique touch to packages, this might

just work for you!

Have a sunny weekend!