Tag Archives: lace

DIY Pearl Daisies

Here’s a quick DIY project that you can do to bring flowers into your décor while you wait for spring to bring the real deal. I originally posted this DIY Pearl Daisies project as part of my 52 week series,
Girls Want Pearls.

For today’s project I raided my button stash and grabbed some pearls, wire, and twigs from the yard to create…

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To create the daisy I simply threaded the wire through the back of the button and, using one long continuous strand of wire, threaded pearls on and looped each petal, twisting together in the back before creating the next loop. Then I attached the flower to the twig with wire.

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You can glue on lace or burlap leaves to complete the look.

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I like the juxtaposition of the rustic twig with the fancy pearls. I placed mine in a “vase” of corroded copper pipe to give it even more of a rustic feel. The look can be easily changed up by using buttons in various styles and colors. Have fun with it!

I’m really ready for winter to be over.
I miss my bicycle.
And green grass.
And fresh air.

Only 39 days until spring!

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DIY Heart Garland

My favorite kind of crafty project are the ones that are quick and easy and inexpensive. And if I have most or all the supplies on hand already, even better. Whether you already have the supplies for this project or not, there are very few things needed. With Valentine’s Day coming up (and being a lover of seasonal decorating) I went to work thinking up a simple project to celebrate the holiday. This DIY heart garland is what I came up with.

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Actually I came up with two different DIY heart garlands. It’s difficult to see the second, smaller one in this picture so I will show it again later in the post.

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Along with wanting it to be simple, I wanted it to have an organic feel. So I dug around in my craft supplies, found a bunch of leather strips and knew they would be the perfect material to use.

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And like any good hoarder crafter, I also had a bunch of neutral fabric scraps and lace that would complement the leather and soften the design.

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For the smaller garland I cut heart shapes out of an old leather belt. It was a little bit more work than the first one but I like the way it turned out.

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The belt I used had grommets which added a nice texture and also gave me a good place to string the skinny piece of leather for the garland.

You could easily change up the design with whatever colors you like. It’s a fun project to complete in an afternoon.

All you need to make your very own DIY heart garland is leather strips that can be found at your craft store, fabric and lace scraps, and for the smaller garland you’ll need a leather belt or leather scraps that can also be found at craft stores. You’ll also need glue (I used Loctite), scissors and a pair of pliers.

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Now to create. The process for the larger garland:

STEP 1: For each heart, cut two strips of leather, 7 3/8″ in length for the outer strip and 6 1/2″ in length for the inner strip. The width of my leather ranged from 1/8-3/8″.

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STEP 2:Cut strips of fabric (and leather lace if desired) to desired length for the “tails”. They will be doubled over so you will want them to be twice the length to allow for that. My cut strips ranged in length from 12-20″ and in width from 1/8-1/2″. I used 2-3 per heart.

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STEP 3: Find the center of each piece of leather and using your pliers pinch it to form the bottom point of the heart.

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STEP 4: Fold over one end of the heart and glue a little further than halfway down on the other side.

STEP 5: Allow to dry then overlap and fold over the other piece, gluing in place as shown in center picture above.

STEP 6: Once that has dried glue one end of the second (outer) strip to the first heart at the top, center.

STEP 7: Allow to dry then glue the other end in the same manner.

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STEP 8: Take the strips of fabric and/or leather lacing and attach each to the bottom of the heart with a slipknot.

STEP 9: For the final step, thread them onto the length of leather to complete the garland. I used 1/8 inch deerskin lace leather for the garland length, cut to approx. 5 ft. and I used the extra for some of the hearts’ “tails”.

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To make the smaller garland:

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STEP 1: Draw or print a heart shape in desired size (mine is approx. 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″). Using the paper heart as a template, draw around it onto the leather to make five hearts.

STEP 2: Cut them out using heavy duty scissors or a razor knife. Don’t worry if the edges are ragged and uneven, the lace will cover that up.

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STEP 3: Decorate each heart with lace, covering entire heart or using it as a trim around the edges. Glue lace in place and trim.

STEP 4: Cut a leather lace or strip 2-3 feet long. This will be your garland base.

STEP 5: Unless you happen to have grommets in your leather hearts, you will want to attach them by punching a hole at the top of each heart. You can use a nail and hammer to do this or a leather punch. After punching a hole in each heart, attach them to the leather garland base, tying them on with small fabric strips.

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Love is in the air!

As always, feel free to ask questions and please let me know if you need clarification on my instructions. :)

Be sure to check back in a few days for more Valentine-themed fun.

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In The Studio: Earrings for Summer and Fall

Hey there! I hope you’re enjoying the summer! When it’s not 95+ degrees I’ve been soaking in some vitamin D. I just got back from a mini getaway where I was able to relax and rejuvenate at a spa resort. It’s the first non-work getaway I’ve had in exactly one year and I was way overdue! Pedicures, full body massage, pool time and girl talk was just what I needed after the hard physical work of the weeks before. It was also a chance to clear my head and get a new perspective, away from some of the close and extended family issues that have been making my heart heavy the last few months. I haven’t shared anything about this on the blog. Maybe I will eventually but for now I’ll just say that when your family members are hurting, you hurt too.

I’ve been spending some time in my studio, not creating ~ boo! ~ but organizing. After the garage sale (which was a huge success and earned about 3/4 the cost of the new mattress I want to buy) my house was a shambles. I tore up my studio and storage area during the clear-out, where I keep a lot of my jewelry supplies and props but didn’t organize as I went, leaving it for afterwards. Once I get it completely whipped into shape I will be ready to get in there and create! In the meantime I want to share with you a couple of pairs of earrings that I will be putting in the shop soon.

The first pair is perfect for summer with its vintage lace and gold shimmer.
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These could be worn for day or night. I picture them with a sleeveless maxi + other gold accessories by day, or with a romantic summer dress, hair up and heels for a date night.

The second pair can be worn year round but I always think of leather in conjunction with fall.
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I hand cut the cross pieces from an old belt and gave them a turquoise patina. I added a Swarovski crystal in Pacific Opal to the center of each cross.

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A couple of months ago I shared part of the makeover going on in our kitchen/dining areas. I will soon be sharing some pictures of the rest of our kitchen and dining room, pre and post painting/updating/farmhouse-izing. Thanks for stopping by!

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In The Studio: Lace Ball Earrings

It’s been quite a while since I’ve shared what I’ve been making in my jewelry studio. That’s because I haven’t been in there for a while! Today I have four pairs of lace ball earrings that all started with a large wooden bead.

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I hand covered each wooden bead using antique lace scraps from my stash.

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Each pair was designed to be unique, pairing them with different baubles.

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I like to wear shorter styles some days and longer styles other days, depending on my mood and outfit, so I created some of each.

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For the above pair, I incorporated pieces of an antique wooden rosary.

All four designs are now available in my shop, hand crafted and one of a kind at $20 a pair.
Thanks for stopping by!

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DIY Double Dip Flip: Lacy Box to Lacy Jeans

Welcome to the second installment of DIY Double Dip Flip where we start with an inspiration piece from either fashion or decor, then we each show you our unique take on how to use the idea on something entirely different in decor or fashion.

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And now for a look at this month’s inspiration:
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A pair of antique green lace metal boxes Lacy Metal Boxes

Here’s how I interpreted the design to turn plain jane jeans into lacy jeans.
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It’s really easy to create a lace insert in the pocket of a pair of jeans or jean jacket.

Here’s what you’ll need:
vA pair of jeans, jean shorts or jean jacket with a pocket
vA scrap of lace that has been washed
vA piece of card stock or paper
vA shape to trace around or a computer printer
vA washable fabric glue such as Aleene’s OK to Wash-It
vA button
vScissors
vMarker or pen

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Trace desired shape such as a star or heart, or print one from your computer

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Cut out the shape.

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Place the cut out shape on the pocket and trace around it with a marker or pen

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Cut the shape out of the pocket

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Wash the pair of jeans. After washing, the pocket will look something like this. You can fray the inside of the shape more if you want by pulling on the threads.

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Iron the design until it’s flat.
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Cut your washed lace roughly the shape of the whole pocket. Glue the lace inside the front panel of the pocket.

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Sew the button onto the lace and through the back layer of the jeans.
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There you go, you now have a pair of lacy couture jeans! Be sure to read the instructions on your fabric glue. Most of them have a dry time of several days to allow it to cure before washing.

So now you’ve seen my take on the design. Heather is sharing her super fun project on her blog using the same pair of boxes as her inspiration. I know you’re going to love it but you have to visit her to see what it is! Be sure to check out her flip over at Woods of Bell Trees.

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Purple and Pearls

I almost titled this post Purple, Pearls and Pudge because that’s how I feel right now! I have been indulging in fattening foods while hibernating during this long cold February. As a result, my jeans are fitting more tightly and I don’t like it! It’s time to shake it off, eat less and move around more.

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Just a quick outfit share, not particularly inspired. I purchased this sweater during a thrift shopping spree several months ago. It has a sweet look that is more fitting with how I dressed a few years ago. I was drawn by the pearls and the price and the desire for new things in my closet.

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I paired it with a white button down blouse, giving it a slightly preppy feel. I added a simple pearl bracelet and a pair of my lace covered ball earrings.

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I’m okay with the overall look for a casual day, but I’ll probably pass the sweater on after a couple more wears.

I’ve been doing the hula hoop for exercise. I’m bored with the treadmill and other “regular” exercise. I can’t wait to get out and bike ride when the weather gets nicer. What’s your favorite non-exercise exercise?

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