Aug 16, 2013

Dresser Re-Do

Earlier this summer I bought an antique dresser for around $40. I sanded, primed and painted it to give it a new life as my entertainment center. 


Even after sanding, covering what must have been several coats of the stubbornest cherry stain I have ever seen, took more that a dozen coats of white paint. I still think that it is vaguely pink but I'm satisfied with it. It looks and works much better than the old printer stand.  

Steampunk Magnifying Glass Necklace

I want to preface this post with the note that the only reason I call this necklace "steampunk" is the fact that I'm going to be wearing it with a steampunk outfit. 



As a DIY this project was almost insultingly easy. All you need us a cheap magnifying glass, some copper-tone spray paint (or whichever color you prefer), a length of chain, some wire, and a pair if pliers.  Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures of any if this until I was done. 

1. Start out by taping off all the parts of the magnifying glass you don't want painted. For me this was the glass itself and the silver attachment piece. 

2. Spray paint both sides of the magnifying glass using smooth, even strokes. Trust me, you really don't want any runs!

3. Once the paint is dry, (about 30 minutes to be safe) remove the tape and measure out a piece of wire to wrap around the handle. You're basically making one gigantic jump ring. 

4. Slide the last link of each end of the chain onto your wire ring. Now, using your pliers crimp your wire ring closed around the handle of the magnifying glass.

See? Amazingly easy, even for me. And I have absolutely no jewelry making skills. 

Jul 10, 2013

Bowtie bracelets?

So I was browsing the buttons and notions in a quilt/fabric shop today and came across two hook clasps that look like little bows. 

Of course I had to buy them, they were too cute to pass up! (And on sale!) I'm planning some bracelets with ribbon I've had stashed away forever. Once I've got them done ill be sure to post a tutorial. 



Jan 15, 2013

Getting Green

Welcome to the new year friends! Here it is only January, and my green (-ish) thumb is itching to get started. Not helped of course by Pinterest and my new favorite book. A while back, my aunt gave me a call, just to tell me that she had all kinds of cookbooks for me to go through at her house. I got to pick out the ones I wanted, and the rest were being donated to charity. Hidden among the many diet books, and sugar-free cookbooks, I found this beauty. And I hereby dub it the Gardening Bible. This wonderful book is filled with all kinds of tips and tricks, plans for constructing beds, dealing with pests, even how to properly start seeds (which I needed).

The original list price is $17.99, but it is available on Amazon for as little as 74 cents. I however got it for free and I am going to use it this year as I start my vegetable garden from scratch. Not entirely sure which plants I'm going to put in it this year, but I am much better prepared to map this sucker out.