Tag Archives: diy accessories

October 19, 2016 · 7:26 am

Daryl Dixon-Inspired Necklace

I really don’t think there’s a TWD fan out there that doesn’t love Daryl Dixon. Armed with amazing hunting and tracking skills, a killer bow and arrow (that you can totally buy at Wal-Mart!), and rugged sexy good looks, Daryl is the guy you want on your side should the zombie apocalypse ever happen. Modeled after Daryl’s winged jacket and showcasing an arrow with a little bead of blood, this Daryl Dixon Inspired Necklace is a moderate and fun way to show your true love for this bike-riding man’s man.

the-walking-dead-daryl-dixon-necklace

Daryl Dixon-Inspired Necklace

Materials:

  • Necklace Chain
  • Wire Cutters
  • Jump Rings
  • Metal Clasp
  • Jewelry Pliers
  • Wing Charms (2 needed)
  • Arrow Charm
  • Red Bead
  • E6000 Glue (optional)

 

Instructions:

  1. Cut your chain to size and attach your jump ring and metal clasp.
  2. String two wing charms on your chain, making sure the feathers on both sides face outwards.
  3. In the middle of the wings, use a jump ring to attach the arrow and red bead to the necklace.
  4. To make my wings stand out straight, I actually used E6000 glue to attach the two wings together on the back of the charms. This prevents them from moving around and flipping over when I wear my necklace.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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September 7, 2016 · 7:04 am

Deathly Hallows-Inspired Necklace

Made up of a triangle, circle, and vertical line, the Deathly Hallows symbol is one all Harry Potter fans are sure to recognize. Made to resemble the Elder Wand (the line), the Resurrection Stone (the circle), and the Cloak of Invisibility (the triangle), the Deathly Hallows sign represents three legendary objects that allegedly, if united, would make one the “Master of Death”. This symbol appears several times towards the end of the Harry Potter series and has become a mark several Potterheads now wear with pride.

deathly-hallows-necklace

If you want to sport this sign and join the ranks of Death Conquerors, you can create your own Deathly Hallows necklace with only a few simple materials! I made two different versions…so if you don’t like the free form look of one, you can reference the tighter look of the other.

 

Materials:

  • Long Gold Metal Chain
  • 2-4 Gold Jump Rings (or make your own!)
  • Gold Wand Charm
  • Round Nose Pliers
  • Wire Cutters
  • 20 Gauge Gold Wire

 

Directions:

  1. OPTIONAL: I didn’t have jump rings in the correct color for this project, so I just made my own using the 20-gauge wire. There are TONS of tutorials on YouTube for how to make your own jump rings. If you want to make your own, make 2-5 jump rings before jumping in to this project so they’re all ready to go.
    screen-shot-2016-09-06-at-11-36-37-am
  2. To make the circle, I used a bottle cap to act as a template for the wire. I just cut a small piece and fed it into the inner part of the bottle cap to form a circle. Twist the two ends of the wire around the circle to secure it in place.
    screen-shot-2016-09-06-at-11-37-30-am
  3. For the triangle, I created a small loop on one end of the wire, then drew a small triangle on a piece of paper. Line up the wire along the template to form your triangle, then feed the wire back through the loop to secure the triangle. Trim and turn the remaining wire into another loop to make it easier to attach it to the necklace.
    screen-shot-2016-09-06-at-11-38-07-am
  4. Once you’ve created your circle and triangle, add jump rings to both pieces, as well as the wand charm. This step is also optional, but I made a larger jump ring and attached all pieces together so the chain only had to feed through one ring.
  5. If you want a tighter look, you can make the circle and triangle out of one piece of wire. For this option, I made the circle first, then wrapped the excess wire around the circle to form the triangle, securing it at the base of the circle. Attach the circle and wand charms to one jump ring and feed the chain through the ring.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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July 20, 2016 · 7:05 am

How to Make a Braided Seed Bead Necklace

CONFESSION:  I hate seed beads.  Usually I avoid working with them because they get EVERYWHERE, they’re way too dang small to see, and THEY GET EVERYWHERE.

However, I do love the look of a seed bead necklace.  I’m not one to shy away from color and seed bead necklaces are a fun and colorful accessory for summer…so I decided to give seed beads another try…

I still hate them.

Granted this was a fun project to make and I really like the way it turned out (I love the colors!), but DAMN! those beads are so freaking tiny.  It took WAY too long to actually finish this necklace and I’ll probably just resort to the creatives at Charming Charlie to create future seed bead accessories for my person, but if you’re looking for a fun jewelry project to make for the summer and are crazy bored one lazy, rainy weekend, jumping into a seed bead project will certainly help pass the time!

braided-seed-bead-necklace

Braided Seed Bead Necklace

Materials:

  • 2 strands of seed beads in the colors of your choice
  • Needle
  • Thread
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • E6000 Glue
  • 2 ribbon clamps
  • 2 jump rings
  • 1 clasp
  • Jewelry pliers
  • PATIENCE

Instructions:

  1. Using a needle and thread, restring seed beads so you have 16 to 18 long strands of beads.  If the seed beads you buy come on a string long enough to braid, you can omit this step, but my beads were on small strings.  Whomp whomp!  Make sure you leave long ends at the beginning and end of each strand.
    Screen Shot 2016-06-13 at 10.54.22 AMHelpful Hint:  I discovered this AMAZING trick to help you string your seed beads.  If you’re stringing with your right hand, wrap your left index finger with a piece of masking tape, sticky side out.  Use the tape to pick up seed beads and just slide the needle through the beads on your finger!  This saved me SO much time in making this necklace.

2. Once all your beads are strung, tie all the strings together with a knot at the top of the strings.  Tape your beads down on a flat surface and divide your strings into four equal groups of strings (I actually had two more strings than I needed, so mine were not even, but whateve’s!).
Screen Shot 2016-06-13 at 10.54.54 AM
Screen Shot 2016-06-13 at 10.55.23 AM
3.  Braid your beads in a 4-strand braid.  I found this video helpful if you don’t know how to braid with four strings:

4. Once your braid is complete, tie strings together like you did at the top of the necklace.
Screen Shot 2016-06-13 at 10.56.01 AM

5. Secure each knot with a small drop of E6000 glue.

6. Clasp the ribbon clamps on each knot.  The E6000 glue will also help keep these clamps secure.

7. Attach one jump ring to one end and a clasp and jump ring to the other.
Screen Shot 2016-06-13 at 10.56.35 AM

Show off your new braided necklace!

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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June 15, 2016 · 9:59 am

How to Make a Pocketwatch Necklace

pocket-watch-necklace-final

Last month I was helping my mom clean up her house and came across one of my dad’s old pocket watches. I recently lost my father to pancreatic cancer so finding this little trinket brought up a rush of emotions.

pocket-watch-necklace

The pocket watch no longer works, but I thought it might be fun to turn it into a cute charm necklace to remind me of him.

This was a surprisingly super easy project to do and one you can easily embellish and re-create if you want to transform a family trinket into something new. It would be great for pins, brooches, lockets, and even wrist watches.

I added a little rabbit charm to the clock since his favorite book was Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and that book always reminds me of him. Plus, it serves as a little reminder of how quickly time can get away from us. Cherish every moment!

pocket-watch-necklace-rabbit-charm

UPDATE: I first decided to just string the chain through the pocket watch but it kept sliding around and knocking into the charm…so I cut the chain and reattached each side to the actual pocket watch to prevent it from sliding back and forth.

pocket-watch-necklace-update

As an added dedication, I set the time to his birthday: 10:23:58.

pocket-watch-necklace-time-set

As we come upon Father’s Day, be sure to tell your parents how much they mean to you. Time passes too quickly and we just never know how much time we have together. I think about my dad every day and wish I could have just 5 more minutes with him to tell him again how much I love him.

pocket-watch-necklace-2

When you’re little, you think everyone—especially your parents—will be alive forever…and even in adulthood, it feels so strange that he’s not here. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it or it will ever seem “normal”, but I take every day as it comes and remain thankful for all the blessings in my life.

 

Alice: “How long is forever?”

White Rabbit: “Sometimes, just one second.”

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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May 25, 2016 · 7:13 am

9 Wonderful Watermelon Crafts

Memorial Day is just around the corner, which means…SUMMER IS COMING!

katy perry pool watermelon

And nothing quite says summer like watermelon. Get your home ready for summer entertaining with these super cute and fun watermelon crafts! I mean, how cute are those little tennis shoes?!

WATERMELON

  1. Watermelon Doormat
  2. Watermelon Shoes
  3. Watermelon Serving Tray
  4. Watermelon Napkins
  5. Watermelon Garland
  6. Watermelon Sunglasses
  7. Watermelon Tote
  8. Watermelon Coin Purse
  9. Watermelon Coasters

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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November 6, 2013 · 8:02 am

12 Sly Fox Crafts

Perhaps it’s the “What Does the Fox Say?” video that went viral over the past couple of months, or maybe it’s just their natural cuteness and slyness, but foxes have taken the DIY world by storm.  From cute pillows to adorable scarves and blankets, there’s nothing that can’t sport a foxy motif.

If you’re looking for some fun and easy ways to welcome this sly little creature into your life, you’re in luck.  With these cute toys, pillows, scarves, mittens, hats, sweaters, and more, you’ll be able to bring the crafty little fox into your home decor and your fall and winter wardrobe.

12-Sly-Fox-Crafts

The Best Fox Crafts

  1. A Lovely Little Felt and Flannel Fox from Leigh Laurel Studios
  2. Baby Blue Fox Pillow from Maureen Cracknell Handmade
  3. Fox Pinata from Oleander + Palm
  4. DIY Fox Scarf from Pretty Prudent
  5. DIY Upcycled Muslin Baby Wrap from Patchwork Cactus
  6. Foxy Faux Cross Stitch Bag from Confetti Sunshine
  7. Amigurumi Fox from Fairfield
  8. Mr. Fox Fingerless Mitts from Little Things Blogged
  9. Foxy Applique from Reese Dixon
  10. Foxy Cardi from The Pretty Life Anonymous
  11. Sly Fox Crochet Hat from Goodknits
  12. DIY Fox Mug Cozy from Kittenhood

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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April 24, 2013 · 8:52 am

Anthropologie Knock Off Necklace

I’m all about the knockoff. I know there are people out there who will stop at nothing to have the real deal, but if I can have something just as good for half, sometimes a quarter, of the price, I’ll take it.

When I was browsing through my local Anthropologie store, I came upon a necklace that I just loved. It was made with 3 simple felt accordion beads and 3 contrasting color beads. I carried it with me through the store, contemplating whether I could force myself to splurge on this $100 necklace…and finally I gave up. I put it back and told myself that maybe I’d come back if I got a bonus, or lost 10 pounds, or happened to find a $100 bill in a pair of old jeans…

felt-necklace2

Needless to say I’ve yet to buy the necklace…however, I did discover a fun way to make my own rendition! While this one isn’t as colorful as the one I saw, it’s the same basic idea. I didn’t want to have to buy anything to make it, so I used felt scraps I had in my fabric drawer and the beads from a broken bracelet that has been sitting in my dresser for years. I didn’t have a chain that was empty, so instead I used some yarn and made it long enough so it can slip over my head.

I think this is an easy and fun statement piece and a great way to get the look you love for free!

felt-necklace

Felt Knockoff Necklace

Materials:

  • Scrap pieces of felt–you’ll need 5 small circles of the same size per felt bead.  I used a quarter as my template
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun/glue
  • Chain or yarn
  • Needle
  • Beads

 

Directions:

  1. Fold one of the circles in half and place a thin line of glue down the middle crease of the circle.  Fold another circle in half and glue the two pieces together.  Repeat this all the way around and then secure the bead by gluing the center fold of the last circle to the center fold of the first circle.  You can also make the bead lie flat by gluing the last circle to both halves of the first and last circle folds.  That way it opens up like an accordion.  
    felt-necklace3
  2. Repeat for your other two felt beads.
  3. Then with a needle and your yarn, string your beads into a necklace.  If you’re using a chain, it’s helpful to place the chain in the middle of the bead before you secure it closed to you don’t have to thread the chain through the felt bead.  

And there you go!  Easy, fun, and economical.  Plus it’s a great way to make a thrifty and fashionable statement!

 

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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January 23, 2013 · 9:40 am

Crocheted Bows

Need a yarn stash buster project?

These adorable little crocheted bows are great for using up that leftover yarn that you’ve been hanging on to for all this time. You can make one bow in as little as 30 minutes, so it’s a quick and fun way to work through any leftovers you may have lying around.

This is a great pattern for beginners and a fun way to create adorable accessories for your hair, purse, scarf, or hat! Make bows of any shape and size by simply increasing or decreasing rows and stitches on your foundation chain.

For my hair bows, I started with a foundation chain of 11 stitches. For the bow on the headband, I did 16 stitches. The amount is up to you. Play around with it to get just the right sized bow for you!

crocheted-bows

Crocheted Bows

Materials:

  • Yarn, in the colors of your choice
  • Small crochet hook (anything smaller than a 6.5 sized hook should be fine)

Instructions:

  1. For a smaller bow, chain 11. For a larger bow, chain 16.
  2. Single crochet in second stitch from hook, and in each stitch following until the end (10, 15 single crochets). Turn. 
  3. Chain 1, single crochet in second stitch from hook and in each stitch following. Turn.
  4. Repeat step three 4 more times, or more if you want a larger bow.
  5. To assemble, fold bow in half hot dog wise and wrap yarn around the middle of the bow. Tie off to secure. 
  6. If you want to wear the bow in your hair, just wiggle a hair clip through the back of the wrapped part of the bow. I don’t glue mine to the barrette, but you can if you want. I like to switch out my bows to match my outfit, and using a strong barrette like this works great for my thick hair.
    crocheted-bows3
  7. If you want to make a headband, create three chains of 70 stitches each, or larger to fit your head. Simply sew the bow in place and you’re ready to go!
    crocheted-bows2

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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November 28, 2012 · 8:30 am

Stamped Clay Pendants

I don’t know about you, but for me this coming new year is all about frugality. I’m embracing my inner DIY goddess and I’m going to finish up those half-completed projects, clean up my craft stash, and challenge myself to try new and exciting techniques (time to take that sewing machine out of storage)!

As I made my way through my craft box, I realized that I had a ton of leftover clay pieces from various projects I’ve done in the past.  I didn’t have enough to do anything too extreme, so I thought I’d make these cute little pendants, perfect for gift giving, wearing, or even using as gift tags for holiday packages.

These Stamped Clay Pendants are so easy to make…and no one will believe that you did these yourself.  You could also make a bunch of these clay pendants and turn them into magnets, necklaces, earrings, and much more.  Personalize them however you’d like and hand them out to friends and family this year.

2013 better look out…it’s bound to be a year of DIY madness!

Stamped Clay Pendants

Materials:

  • Clay (I used Sculpey, at least 2 squares per pendant)
  • Clay roller (optional)
  • Wax paper
  • Assorted rubber or plastic stamps
  • X-acto knife
  • Toothpicks (optional)
  • Baking sheet
  • Paper towels
  • Paint
  • Paint brush
  • Mod Podge (optional)
  • String
  • Beads (optional)

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Instructions:

  1. Condition 2 Sculpey clay squares (warm it up in your hands until it’s ready to work with) and roll out into a circle shape, about 3” in diameter. Press your stamp into the clay. You can work on a table or lay wax paper down, which will allow for easy removal of your clay.
  2. Here’s what I used to create my pendants.  As you can see, I used a variety of rubber stamps, but you can also use everyday items.  The blue pendant is made with a broken earring.  Use coins, beads, or other unique pieces of jewelry to create a unique look in your clay.
  3. Once your stamp is on, remove excess clay with a knife or a shape cutter. You can include writing on your pendant by using a toothpick to poke out the letters.  I wrote “Sing” in the green pendant.
  4. Remember to create a hole in the top of the pendant to allow for your necklace string!
  5. Bake your pendants on a metal or glass surface according to package directions. Let cool completely.
  6. This is the fun part! Lay your cool pendants on a paper towel or paper plate and paint over the pendant with regular fabric paint. Working quickly, wipe off the paint with a damp paper towel. Some of the paint will stay on the clay, which is what you want. Try different techniques like rubbing the paint in one direction, dabbing or sponging with the paper towel, or using your painting skills to paint directly on the clay. It’s totally up to you! Use like colors for cool shadows and opposite colors for contrast.
  7. Let your pendants dry completely.
  8. Once your pendants are dry, paint on a layer of Mod Podge. This step is optional, I just like the shine! Let that dry, too.
  9. When your pendants are dry, string your chain through the hole. You can add a bead if you’d like…I used beads from a bracelet that snapped a few years ago.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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September 5, 2012 · 1:48 pm

Vintage Style Crocheted Purse

Why is it always so hard to find the perfect purse?  One is too small, or too big, or you can’t see inside of it, or it’s too heavy, or you don’t like the color…I mean, what is a girl to do?

One rainy afternoon, I decided to take matters into my own hands and just make a purse…one that I know I would like, I know it would fit all my stuff, and it wouldn’t be too heavy or hard to use.  And now, I share it with you.

This is a great summer bag and it’s so easy to make.  It’s perfect for the beginning crocheter and is easy to customize to suit your needs.  The flower I attached to the purse was made with the Clover Kanzashi Flower Maker (if you don’t have one of these, I highly recommend you get one.  Once you start, you won’t be able to stop!).  You could obviously use it or loose it, or you can embellish your purse with a pin or a fun fabric flower.

The lining of this purse is optional, but if you’re going to be using it often, I highly suggest you include it.  Leaving the purse unlined will cause the yarn to stretch…and this hand bag will be an over the shoulder bag in about 2 weeks.

All in all, this is a great weekend bag that is easy and quick to make!

Vintage Style Crocheted Purse

Materials:

  • 1 skein of yarn, color and brand of your choice
  • Medium to Large Crochet hook
  • Fabric
  • Embroidery Thread
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Sewing Needle
  • Flower or embellishment (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Ch 45.
  2. Row 1: Hdc in third ch from hook, hdc in each ch across, turn. 43 hdc.
  3. Rows 2-4: Ch 2, hdc in each hdc across, turn—43 hdc.
  4. Row 5: Ch 2, hdc in each of the next 15 hdc, ch 13, skim next 13 hdc, hdc in each of next 15 hdc, turn.
  5. Row 6: Ch 2, hdc in each of next 15 hdc, hdc in each of next 13 ch, hdc in each of next 15 hdc, turn.
  6. Rows 7-33: Repeat row 2.
  7. Row 34: Repeat row 5.
  8. Row 35: Repeat row 6.
  9. Row 36-39: Repeat row 2. Fasten off.
  10. Before assembling my handbag, I did a simple stitch to attach my measured fabric to the inside of the bag…then I simply sewed up the two sides. Easy breezy.

Celebrate creativity every Wednesday with a “Creativi-bee” post, where I share easy craft tutorials, project ideas, and craft collections.

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