Ombre Mosiac Tile Decor

I’ve been looking for ways to jazz up my workspace and bring  some color to my every day life.  So when I was browsing our local craft store and found these mosiac tiles on sale I thought they could be the perfect answer.  I started to brainstorm on the possibilities, and this is what I came up with.  Personally, I love the outcome, especially during the daytime when I can see the light reflecting through the tiles.

What you’ll need:

• Mosiac tiles
• Paper
• Pen/pencil
• Hot glue and hot glue gun
• Container (you can use whatever you want, but you should look for box shaped items, rather than round items)

Step 1: On your piece of paper, trace one side of your container with your pen/pencil.  We are going to use this to plan where we want to put each tile.

Step 2: Start placing the tiles within your outline until you are satisfied with your design.

Step 3: Start gluing the tiles onto your container with your hot glue gun.  Since the glue will dry fast, it’s important that you work quickly once you apply the glue to your tiles or else it will not stick well.

Step 4: Repeat step 3 on all sides of your container, and you’re done!  Yes, it really was that easy.

Mens Power Cord Knot Bracelet

My boyfriend and I were browsing a local craft store the other day and came across these parachute 550 cords.  I’ve never really thought about it before, but did you know that these cords can hold 550 lbs?  Okay it sounds obvious because I called it a parachute 550 cord, but if I just said parachute cord, I bet you wouldn’t have known.  Anyway, it got him thinking that having cord like this on hand could come be useful if we’re ever out in the wilderness (as often as that happens) or maybe in the case of an emergency.   So he asked if I could turn it into a bracelet that he could just wear around his wrist.  That’s right, this bracelet is dual purpose, for fashion and also in case for some odd reason you need to carry up to 550 lbs of something via rope.

What you need:

• 17″ piece of parachute cord*
• 70″ piece of parachute cord*
• Parachute chord buckle

*Note: This is based off of a a 7″ diameter wrist.  If you’re making this for a bigger or smaller wrist, you should adjust the cord length accordingly.  Generally, I take double the diameter plus a 3-4 inches for the short cord, and four times the short cord plus a couple inches for cushion for the long cord.

Optional Materials:

• lighter (for frayed ends)
• scrap paper

Before we start, let me share a little trick I learned to get rid of frayed ends on the cords.  Please be careful if you do this since it involves fire.  Also, if you are below the age of 18, make sure you do this with parental supervision or just have your parents do it for you.  That being said, start by trimming the frayed cord.  Then using your lighter, burn the edge of your cord.  We’re not trying to set it on fire, like we’re lighting a candle, we’re just trying to melt the cord down a little so the ends can fuse together.  After you light the cord, use your scrap paper to push the outside of the cord in.

Okay, now that we don’t have to worry about our cord fraying, let’s get started.

Step 1: Unbuckle the power cord buckle.  Take the 17″ cord, string it through one side of the buckle, making sure that the cord is now evenly split in half.  Then take the two ends and string it through the other side of the buckle, pulling about an inch through. You want the two ends to go in on the top side of the buckle and come out on the bottom side (this is to hide the loose ends on the underside of the bracelet).

Before we go on, make sure that the two ends of your buckle are facing the right way so that when you put the bracelet on they’ll click together.  Now is also the time to test that this length will fit around the wrist.  The length it’s at now will be the length it’s at when you’re done.

Step 2: Take your 70″ power cord and fold it in half.  Take the middle point and put it around the side of your 17″ cord with the two loose ends.  Make sure the top side of the bracelet is facing you.  The side with the loose strings should be facing the ground.

Step 3: We’re now just going to make a simple knot (this process is similar to the bracelet made here).  Take the string on the left from the 70″ cord and put it over the middle strings and under the other end of the 70″ cord on the right.  Then bring the right cord under previously left cord, as well as the middle cords and through the loop we’ve created on the left, making a knot, and pull tight.

Step 4: Push the first knot up to the buckle to make it as tight as possible.  Now we’re going to make another knot, but in the opposite direction.  Take the 70″ cord on the right and place it over the middle cords and under the 70″ cord on the left.  Then bring the left cord under previously right cord, as well as the middle cords and through the loop we’ve created on the right, making a knot, and pull tight.

Step 5: Repeat steps 3 & 4 until you hit the bottom where the other end of the buckle is.  Make sure that your knots in the beginning go around the loose ends from the 17″ cord to secure them within the knots.  Also, make sure you alternate between left and right knots or else your cord will start to twist.

Step 6: Take your two loose ends and string them through the top side of the buckle and pull them out on the bottom (similar to Step 1 above).

Step 7: On the underside of your bracelet, you want to loosen the horizontal part of the last two knots that you made.  Note that if you prefer to just tie a knot and use some fabric glue, you could also do that, but I was challenged with finding a way to secure the bracelet, but still make it easy to undo it in case we need to use the rope.

Step 8: Now string your loose ends through the two loosened knots and then pull so that the knots are tight again.

Step 9: Cut off the excess cord on your two loose ends, but don’t cut it all the way to the knot it’s under.  I recommend leaving a little extra rope  just in case.  Once you do this, you’re done.

Home Organization: DIY Drawer Dividers

My boyfriend and I recently moved into our new apartment.  Needless to say, we have been quite busy spending all of our free time fixing things around the apartment.  One of my first projects was adding compartments into my dresser drawers.  Each drawer is so big with so much space that it’s way too easy for everything inside to turn into a big mess of clothes.  At first, I thought about buying pre-made dividers, but the problem is that it’s so hard to find dividers that are the right size for your drawers and give you the compartments that you want.  Yes, there are expandable dividers that use tension to stay in place, but I had bought these for my old room and the pieces kept popping out and the tension didn’t work well.  Long story short, they were moving all over the place in my drawers and just were not ideal.    So I thought to myself, there has to be a way to easily make dividers and personalize the compartment sizes to exactly what I’m looking for.  Nothing permanent or too complex.  After some brain storming, this is what I came up with, and let me tell you, it’s soooo easy and I love it.  Hopefully, this helps you with some of your home organizing.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Wood 
• Wood glue
• Tape measurer
• Pencil
• Sandpaper
• Scrap paper/cardboard to work on

Step 1:  Measure your drawer size, this includes height, width and depth.  Now think about how you want your divider layout to be, and make the appropriate measurements.  I wanted one big section on the far right and three smaller sections on the left.

Note:  Make sure you write down all of your lengths so you don’t forget when you go to buy your wood.

Step 2: Go to your local hardware store (we just went to Lowes) and pick out your wood.  My drawer measured 30 in x 21 in x 3.5 in.  Remember, you need to be able to place your dividers in so make sure the height of your wood is less than the height of your drawer.  In my case, I bought wood 3 inches high.  Also, if you are going to have your dividers all the way across and all the way down in your drawer, consider cutting it 1/4-1/2 in. short so you have some room to work with when you put it in (or if you want to take it out).  You can always use shims to fill the gaps if the wood is too short.

What’s awesome about hardware stores it they’ll cut your wood for you.  So take your plank and ask one of the workers to cut it to the right sizes.  At the end of the day, I had one 21 in, one 17 in. and one 12.5 in.

Step 3: Lay out your wood in the drawer and make sure it suits the layout you were looking for.  Then mark your pieces with a pencil so you know where you want to glue the pieces together.  In my case, some sides of the wood fit together better than others, so I also marked which ends of each piece should go together.

Step 4: On your work surface, sand the edges of your wood so that they’re smooth.  You don’t have to overkill it, you just want to avoid giving yourself or your clothes any splinters.

Step 5: Glue your wood together based on the instructions per your wood glue bottle.  For mine, I had to let the pieces sit for 30 minutes to dry.

 

I know you like this little structure I’ve built here.

Step 6: Place the dividers in your drawer and you’re done.

I hope you enjoyed this organizational DIY.  I can honestly say I’m quite excited about these and will be making more for all my dresser drawers.

Embroidery Thread Wrapped Love Chain Bracelet

I saw this necklace on the Anthropologie’s website and I thought I would take a stab at adding my own spin to it. 

 

{Thread wrapped sentiment necklace $48}

I turned the necklace into a bracelet, but you could just as easily put it on a long chain and add a tassel or maybe a charm.

 

What you’ll need:

 

• embroidery thread
• scissors
• side cutter
• round/long nose pliers
• jewelry chain
• clasp (I used a bar & ring toggle)
• jump rings
• jewelry wire (I used 14.1g)

{sorry I forgot to put the chain in the picture}

Step 1: Take your jewelry wire and create a loop at the end with your round pliers.  Then using your hands and the pliers bend the wire into the word “love”

 

Step 2: Cut the end of the wire and make another loop with your round pliers.

 

Step 3: Using the embroidery thread, tie a knot on your first loop and wrap the thread around the wire.

 

 

Step 4: Once you’re at the end, tie a final knot in the second loop and trim any excess thread.

 

Step 5: Add a jump ring to each of your two loops.

 

Step 5: Measure the chain around your wrist with your “love” wire, and using the side cutters, cut accordingly. 

 

Step 6: Cut the chain in half and using your jump rings attach the clasp.  Then attach your chain to the “love” wire, and you’re done!

 

 

 

 

 

 

DIY: Earring Holder

I decided it was time to start organizing my earrings since most of them were just lying around my room.  I had some free time, so I thought I would try making my own.

 

1) What you’ll need:

• Picture Frame
• Scissors
• Hot Glue Gun/Hot Glue
• Screen (I got mine for like $0.50 at City Mill)

2) Take the picture frame apart (remove the glass and the backing).  All you should have left is the actual frame.

 

3) Flip the frame over so you’re working with the back and measure your screen based on the size of the frame.  All things being equal, it’s better to cut the screen a little big and you can trim the excess off later.

 

4) Using the glue gun, line the top of the frame with glue and begin gluing the screen down.

 

5) Give the glue a few seconds to dry (it should dry fairly quickly).  Once it’s dry, continue gluing the remaining screen down, but make sure to pull the screen tight as you go.

 

6) This is optional, but to make sure the screen didn’t fall off from the frame, I went back over the edges with glue for extra reinforcement.

 

And you’re done!  Pretty quick and easy.

 

 

 

Note: If you don’t have a hot glue gun, you could try stapling the screen onto the back of the frame.  

Studded Macrame Bracelet

I remember when I was little, it seemed like everyone was making these macrame friendship bracelets.  As time went by, we slowly forgot about them, but now it seems like the trend has come back full circle and I can’t walk into a store without seeing a new spiced up take on them.  I thought I would take a stab at adding my own flare to the bracelets by combining two colors together and adding rhinestones for some extra bling.  

You’ll need:

• embroidery thread
• scissors
• tape
• rhinestone chain
• embroidery needle
• fabric glue

Step 1. Choose your favorite color combination in embroidery thread and cut one 24 inch piece and one 72 inch piece of each color (my wrist is about 6 inches in diameter so if your wrists are significantly larger/smaller adjust accordingly).

 

Step 2. Fold the two shorter pieces in half and tape down.  Then fold the two larger pieces in half and place them under the shorter strings.

 

Step 3. Take the far left string and put it over the two middle strings and under the far right string (of the same color).  Then take the far right string (same color) and put it under the two middle strings and through the hole the was formed by the far left string.  Essentially, you’re tying a knot. 

Step 4. When you pull your knot tight, pull it down so it is about 3 inches down from the top.

 

Step 5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 with your second color.  When you pull the string tight, make sure the far left string of that color lies on top of the far right string of your first color.

 

 

Step 6. Now we’ll make a knot opposite of the first.  Place your far left string under the two middle strings and on top of your far right string, as well as the far left string of your second color.  Take your far right string and bring it over the two middle strings and down through the hole formed by the first string and pull your knot tight.

 

 

Step 7. Repeat Step 6 with your second color and continue doing these knots until you have enough to almost wrap around your wrist (I did it until I had around 5 inches)

 

Step 8. Take the long strings for each color and tie a double knot.  Place some fabric glue on top of the knots to make sure they don’t untie and cut the excess string. 

 

 

Step 9. Measure your rhinestone chain against your macrame bracelet and cut it to the appropriate length.

 

Step 10. Thread your embroidery needle and tie a double knot at the end.  I recommend making the thread a little over 2 1/2 times the length of your macrame bracelet.

 

Step 11. Push the needle through the back of the bracelet and lay the rhinestone chain along the middle of the bracelet.

 

Step 12. Stitch the floss between the rhinestone links, pushing the needle up through the middle of the bracelet and back down.  Continue this stitch between each of the rhinestone links, and after the last stitch tie a double knot on the backside and trim the excess.  Similar to before, place some fabric glue over the knot.

 

 

Step 13.  We’re almost there I promise.  Cut the loop that was made at the top in half and lay the two ends of your bracelet over one another.

 

Step 14.  Cut a new piece of string (I just used one of the long pieces that I cut off in Step 8), and place it under your overlapping string.  Then make a few additional macrame knots (I did 8).  This will make your bracelet adjustable.

 

 

Step 15. When you’re done, double knot the string, place fabric glue on the knot and cut the excess string.  For an alternative and added security, you can also string the excess on your embroider needle and poke it through the knots you made before you double knot the string (this is completely optional).

 

 

Step 16. Add a knot to the end of your remaining strings so that they don’t pull through the macrame knots you just made in the middle.  Cut the remaining excess string.

 

 aaaand you’re done!

I hope you enjoy these bracelets.  I really like the finished product and I think it’s really good for layering.