How to Make Feather Earrings- 3 Design Ideas

Don't you just love feather jewellery? They are so delicate and warm, and make a great accessory for summer. Ok.....so maybe you decided to buy some.......but what if it's too expensive for you..or if the designs you see in stores don't match your personality? Here is where I come in to give you a hand.
I will try to explain as good as I can all the steps here, and if you're not convinced check out the video at the end of this page to understand better the process.

First of all, materials :
 

1.Feathers-I used pigeon feathers-but you can use any feathers you like. Here are some suggestions:
2.Some Bead Caps of your choice. Here are some suggestions:

3.Some Pins with loops. Something like this:

4.Earrings hooks. I always use hypoallergenic hooks from stainless steel like these ones:

5.Some strong glue like this one-I personally prefer UHU glue because it doesn't smell bad and when dried it's pretty strong:

6. Two types of pliers. One for cutting and one for creating the loops

7. Optional! Acrylic paint and some decorative stones. Some suggestions:

Let's Begin! But first- something for you to pin

Step 1. Push the earring pin through the bead cap, pull it up as much as you can and then bend it at 90 degrees. Cut the pin, leaving about 1 cm. Then take the looping pliers, grab the end of the bended pin and start rolling inwards creating a loop.
Repeat this step one more time- if you are creating one pair of earrings.
Step 2. Take the feathers and cut off the pointed end. Pour glue into the bead cap and then squeeze the feather in there. Let it dry.
Step 3. Detach the loop of the earring hook and join it with the loop of the cap.Close it back when you're done.
At this point you should have some simple, natural looking feather earrings.

I continued to personalize them a little like this:
Step 4. For the first design I used 3 diferent colors : Dark blue, violet and bright green. Just apply the paint with a brush, and spread the lines of the feather.
For the second design I used  golden metallic acrylic paint and for the third I used silver color.
Step 5. After dried, I applied some dots of glue along the spine of the feather, then placed on them some decorative shinny stones.
And that's it, you are done! :)

Here is the video I promised ( I assure you it will be more clear after seeing this one ):

Summer Inspired Jewellery Holders/ Room Decorations-Dollar Store/Recycling Project

Since I started creating jewellery a few years ago, I had the opportunity to participate at various handmade fairs, and the one thing I learned from them is that the way you present your product can be more important than the product itself.
The same applies to your room and personal space, and even if you don't think constantly about it, you should invest more time in it. Your room is the place you sleep and maybe study or relax , so a beautiful and tidy environment will help keep you happy and positive.
This DIY consists of 3 items : a cactus earring holder, a watermelon plate (jewellery holder ) and a decorative jar that can also have a specific purpose : a vase , a candle holder or simply a place to keep your makeup brushes.
 Also I tried to do this as cheap as possible, with dollar store products or things you can recycle.

So let's begin! But first feel free to pin :

For the cactus earring holder you will need :
1.A cardboard sturdy box (you can use a cereal box)
2.Acrylic paint and brushes
3.Some golden glitter -I found this at the dollar store next to the nail polish
4.A glue gun and some simple liquid glue



Steps:
Draw a desert type cactus shape on a piece of paper and cut it out . Then cut 2 big pieces of cardboard from the box and trace the shape of the cactus on to them. Cut  out the cactus shapes of cardboard.
One of the pieces will be your base. As for the second-cut out from it the body and the arms of the cactus. Then cut all of them in half.
Next you will use the glue gun to stick all of the halfs on the cactus base shape right in the middle of the body and in the middle of the arms.
For this to stand you will need a support -so cut out a cardboard circle and stick the cactus on to it.
If these steps seem a little confusing please watch the video from the end of the article.

After all it's glued go ahead and paint it. I used a minty color for the cactus and a sand color for the support.
Once it's completely dried add some glue on the edges and sprinkle some glitter on to it.You can also add glitter to the support. After that shake it good and leave it to dry.

For the watermelon jewellery support you will need:
1.Transparent plate and cup- I bought this from the dollar store at a very cheap price- under 1 dollar each
2. Acrylic paints and brusshes
3.Glue gun

Steps:
Place the plate with the back facing you. Start painting the edge of the plate with green ( I used a minty color) -to represent the peal of the watermelon.
Then start painting the seeds with black in the center of the plate. After that's done start adding pink paint to represent the fruity part.
After completely dried go ahead and stick the cup to the back of the plate and you will have a beautiful watermelon jewelery holder.

For the pastel layered jar you will need:
 1.A simple jar - I used one from a jar of pickles I bought one day (recycling ! yay!)
2. Acrylic paint and brushes
3.Liquid Glue
4.White String

Steps:
Start painting the jar from the inside in layers. I was inspired by a sunset at the beach so first I added light blue, then minty color, then sand color and at the end some pink. I blended them carefully without mixing them together.
At the end I added some glue to the top edge of the jar and rolled some white string over it. This is optional. You can leave like that, add paint or even glitter.

And you are done!

Here is the video I promised above :

How to Make Bathroom Decorations on a Budget

Although some of us do not face it , the bathroom still remains a very important part of a home, because it offers you full intimacy no matter how many people are in the house. That's why it's likely you come up with new ideas while taking a shower instead of brainstorming at your desk.
Creating a nice decor for your bathroom can be very expensive and time consuming, so I thought to give you a hand with this DIY, by showing you how to make your own bathroom decorations, that can be personalized to fit your needs and surroundings and most important -at a very low price.
I chose to make my decorations using blue shades to remind me of the ocean- and to create a peaceful and relaxing decor. What you choose is up to you! Maybe you are more relaxed surrounded by rainbow colors or even black and white. Use your imagination and don't forget to have fun.

Materials:
1. Glue gun
2. Acrylic Paint and Brushes
3. Terracotta pots
4. Glossy varnish (Optional )

1.First step is to create some 3D elements using your glue gun . Just apply glue on the pots with strokes , randomly or following a pattern. I chose to create lines for the first pot, wired fence pattern for the second pot and randomness for the third pot (dots,lines,flowers).
2.Next add a coat or two of white paint on all of the 3 pots, covering also the glued part.
3.The fun part ! paint the pots in any color you like , avoiding the glued parts.Those must remain white so they can stand out.
4. To enhance them more, paint their edges of the glued parts using a darker color.
5. After dried add some glossy varnish. This is optional. If you like the rocky, dried effect just leave them like that.

And you are done!

If you want to understand better the steps check out the video :

How To Make Washi Tape and What To Do with It

Washi tape is one of the "must have" items that every crafter should have. But what if the ones from the store are too expensive or the designs that are out there don't fulfill your needs?

Here is a quick tutorial on how to create your own washi tape. You probably already guessing the steps. No? here's a hint : double sided tape !
On one side you stick your desired pattern - decorative paper,beads,lace,fabric etc and then you stick the other side to the object you want to decorate.
It's that easy!

Here is a picture to pin so you can spread the news:

 

And here is the video that shows every step-although I'm sure you already know what to do

Have fun!

Dollar Store Challenge -Wall Hanging Mirror DIY

I never found the dollar store very attractive,especially not in the home decor department, because you can sense the "cheap" effect from most of the things exposed.
Nevertheless, the dollar store is a magical place for a crafter like myself, a place where you can find inspiration to create beautiful things on a budget.
 This is my first project of this kind but I feel that there will be others in the future.

At first I was temped to paint this mirror cover in antique gold , because I noticed a trend with these types of mirrors, but then I thought that a white cover with flowers will be more cute and add more brightness to my home.It is up to you what color you choose in the end.

What will you need (from the dollar store) :
1. A round mirror- with a backing support- The backing support can be easily removed and we will use the holes to stick a hanger in them
2.A pack of wooden cloth pins
3.Some  artificial flowers
4.Some white string

You will also need
5.Glue gun and some liquid strong glue (I used Super Glue ,E6000 is also good)
6.Spray paint or acrylic paint
7.Scissors
8. A piece of tin foil

Step 1.
Remove the backing support of the mirror and identify one of the holes that it unveiled .Cut a piece of string and tie a knot at the end creating a loop. Squeeze the ends through the hole, until the knot touches the mirror frame and the loop hangs in the air. Add super glue and press it down for 10 seconds. You can add some extra glue with the glue gun. This will be your mirror hanger.

Step 2.
Glue the cloth pins on the mirror edge using the glue gun, leaving a little space between them. At the end it should look like a sun.

Step 3.
Cover the glass mirror with tin foil and spray paint it. I added only one layer of paint because I like the wooden touch from the cloth pins. If you like a matte, white look add 2 or 3 layers of paint.

Step 4.
After dried, rip some fake flowers and glue them on the mirror cover. I positioned them randomly. you can create a pattern or you can fully cover it with flowers. It's up to you.

Step 5
Hang it on the wall and take a look. You will look like a queen trough this mirror. Trust me!

 If some of this steps were not clear enough watch the video: