Repurposing Ribbons and Beads

I'm so glad to be crafting with you today!

I came across this necklace in an old catalog:

It's made up of two kinds of grosgrain ribbon, beads, baubles and gems. While it may be quite an over-the-top accessory, it inspired me to create something similar using ribbons and beads from my craft stash.

These stripe grosgrain ribbons once decorated a gift I received. I never throw things like these away. I save them with this ribbon storage technique until I'm ready to use them.

 

I decided that I'm making hair clips with the grosgrain ribbon. For that, we'll also need a set of barrettes in various sizes that I got from the craft store. 

I found a necklace and two bracelets that I no longer wear. Time to give them a new purpose.

I unfastened the beads from the jewelry findings using a pair of pliers. 

Now that all the materials for the hair clips are ready, let's begin.  

I took a strip of grosgrain ribbon (this is 5.5 inches long). I made a running stitch on one end of the ribbon with needle and thread. 

Pull the thread so that the grosgrain ribbon gathers up into a circle.

Make the ends of the grosgrain ribbon meet and sew them together with the needle and thread. Finish the stitch with a few tight knots. 

Instantly, we made a ribbon rosette...TADA!

Embellish the middle of the ribbon rosette with beads, sewed on securely with needle and thread.

Take another strip of grosgrain ribbon (this is 6.2 inches long).

Connect the ends together by sewing. We'll end up with a circle like this one.

Press the ribbon circle to form a bowtie. Pinch the middle section together and sew so that it stays in place. 

Attach the ribbon rosette and bowtie by sewing them together on the back side.

Then sew on the barrette (sew it on both ends and at the center). 

Take a look at what we made: a grosgrain ribbon hair clip...TADA!

Now, let me show you another kind of hair clip.

Take another strip of grosgrain ribbon (this is 13 inches long) with the tails cut on an angle. Form the ribbon into a bow and stitch the center to keep it from unravelling.

Next, make a bowtie using another strip of ribbon (this is 6 inches long). 

Join the two by sewing them together on the back side and attach a barrette. Decorate the bows with a smattering of beads.

Pretty hair clips for young ones and adults. That's how I turned some grosgrain ribbon and beads from blah to TADA! 

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A Handmade Gift Box

Hey there lovelies! 

Today, I'm turning an empty box from blah to TADA!

This box once housed a pair of coffee capsules. 

It's no surprise that I kept the box for crafting purposes. I like that it resembles a little drawer because the inner box can be pulled out.

With the help of some black paint and a paintbrush...

I covered up the branding and produced a clean, almost brand new-looking box.

Use a hole punch to make a hole on one side of the "drawer."

Take some ribbon (this one is also recycled from a gift).

Trim the ribbon to about five inches long and knot both ends together.

Insert the ribbon, loop-side first, through the hole on the "drawer." This will serve as a pulling device and also a handle.

Take the outer box and decorate it. I chose uplifting words to describe my friend who will be receiving this.

I'm using a white pencil to sketch it out.

I chose the words: You are beautiful, generous and extraordinary.

With white paint and a paintbrush, I permanently filled in the letters.

Allow each side to dry for a few hours.

Cushion the bottom of the "drawer" with gift tissue or shredded paper and add a thoughtful present like a small bottle of perfume, lipstick or chocolates. Something you know a dear friend will enjoy.

Connect the "drawer" to the outer box and it's ready to be given away.

And that is how I turned an empty box from blah to TADA!

I have a few more similar gift wrapping ideas using a tea box, pasta box, and cheese box.

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Sidewalk Furniture

On the streets of New York City, you are bound to find furniture -- free for the taking! Maybe the owners no longer need them or maybe they're moving out of their apartments. Personally, I would call the Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity's ReStore to schedule a pick-up. The'll sell the furniture in their thrift stores and use the money for their community projects...TADA!

Here's one of the pieces I saw:

It's a half moon console table that looks brand new.

Had I taken it home, I would repaint it. The red is a little too vibrant for me. Here's what I would do:

via Pinterest

I'd paint it white and brush the table top with a natural wood stain.

via Pinterest

I could also give it a distressed finish and replace the knob with something more classic.

After it's been painted, this is how I would use it:

via Pinterest

It would be a nice accessory in the foyer.

via Pinterest

It can be a practical display space in a small corner.

via Pinterest

A mirror is always a good match with a console table to make the room bigger and for that final touch of lipstick before heading out the door.

via Pinterest

I can use it to display seasonal decor like flowers in springtime, potted plants in the summer, pumpkins in autumn, and a small tree for the holidays...TADA! 

via BakedBree

I can turn it into a well-appointed coffee corner.

via Pinterest

Or in lieu of a bar cart, a bar console table -- glasses on top, bottles on the bottom.

via Wedding Chicks

It can be useful for a birthday party or baby shower for a candy buffet or sweets station...TADA!

via The Inspired Room 

I can even bring it inside the bedroom and put it in between two beds.

via Pinterest

I can add a mirror and a stool to make a vanity...TADA!

These are just some crazy ideas. I hope you'll use them as a jump-off point to turn your old furniture from blah to TADA!

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Envelopes Made from Paper Bags

How have you guys been? Quite well, I hope!

Last month, I took on the challenge of turning a grocery flyer from blah to TADA!

I turned the pages into envelopes.

Simply insert handmade stationery (plain cardstock decorated with brush lettering) and it can now be used for letter writing...TADA!

To make the envelopes, I used this template. It's just an old envelope that I opened up and traced onto cardboard. I must say, this template has gotten so much mileage already! 

Today, I'm using it on brown paper bags.

Trace the template onto the paper.

Cut along the lines.

Fold the three bottom sides and glue them together.

Then fold the top flap.

Now we've created these handmade envelopes...TADA!

For an added surprise, we can line the inside with colorful paper.

In the theme of recycling, I used old magazine pages and gift wrapping paper remnants.

Here's what I did:

I cut the envelope liner and glued it on the envelope before folding and gluing the sides together.

Inside, I chose plain and printed cardstock as my stationery:

Sometimes I like to pretend I'm a stationery designer and make use of what I already have. It's also a nice feeling when we are able to give trash a new life.

That is how I turned some old paper bags and magazine pages from blah to TADA!

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Repurposing Old Candles

How's it going everyone? I hope you are having a good start to the week.

Do you like candles? I use candles often -- for fragrance, to set a mood, or to get into a certain headspace (ex. meditation, writing, prayer).

Over the years, I've amassed these jars with candle wax at the bottom. To bring new life to the jars, I've learned to make my own candles.

But what about the candle wax? Surely, there must be a way to transform it from blah to TADA!

I turned the wax into candle shavings (using an old vegetable peeler or grater). I put the candle shavings into a plastic container and labelled it accordingly so that no one at home mistakes it for food.

For this candle, I used a plastic knife to pry the wax from the sides of the jar. 

In a previous post, I wrote about wax seals as a finishing touch for envelopes. Special sealing wax sticks are typically used but why not use the candle wax shavings? Why buy when we can D-I-Y? 

I dipped my sealing wax spoon in the jar of candle shavings and lit the tea light.  

I positioned the sealing wax spoon a few inches above the flame and let the wax melt slowly.

The candle shavings fully melted but I parked the spoon on top of the burner to allow the wax to cool a bit.

Then I poured the wax off the spoon and onto a waxy surface so it's easy to peel off (ex. wax paper, parchment paper, or the backing of sticker paper). When the wax is slightly cooler, the shape of the wax is easier to control (forms into a circle instead of spreading out in different directions).

I pressed the wax stamp on top of the melted wax and let it sit there for a few minutes.

Once the wax stamp is removed, the rose pattern is imprinted on the wax...TADA!

For a neater look, I trimmed off the wax that collected around it. The final result is thinner and more transparent compared to using wax sealing sticks. But I'm pleased that I was able to repurpose the candle shavings that would've just been thrown away.

That's how I turned old candles from blah to TADA!

I'll keep experimenting and I'll show you how I use these wax seals in my crafty projects. Meanwhile, please subscribe here if you want blah to TADA! ideas delivered to your inbox.