jewelry display idea :: diy

i'm always looking for new ways to display jewelry here at the shop.  the most recent idea i've had is adhering a wooden hanger to candle sticks or lamp bases. old candle sticks & lamps are a dime a dozen at goodwill and salvation army, however, vintage hangers are hard to come by.

i bought some brand spankin' new wooden hangers the other day and when i set them up with the old candle sticks, i didn't love the contrast. so! out came the stain & ink.

here's how to make your wooden hangers appear vintage:

you'll need:

• new wooden hangers
• stain
• ink pad
• stamps and/or rub-ons

the DIY details:

1. rub your stain along the wood of the hanger. because of the protective layer of lacquer that is on the new hanger, the stain won't seem to seep in. that's ok though, 'cause it will soak in through parts of it, leaving a somewhat uneven appearance. perfect vintage.
2. use your ink pad and gently rub along the rims & corners of the wood.
3. apply stamps or vintage style rub-ons for a little extra cuteness.

either stop here, or continue on to adhere your hangers to candlesticks for a jewelry display. i used hot glue so that i can easily remove them later, but if you are looking for something more permanent, use e-6000 or even wood glue.

i think these would look fun in any dressing room - they certainly don't need to be contained to a shop display. set one on the corner of your vanity and style it with your favorite necklace as an art piece when you're not wearing it!

xoxo

leather feather :: diy

this weeks diy is so lovely, i want to take it home with me! i am still all-aboard the feather trend... are you? if so, you'll have to give this a go!

you'll need:

• scrap leather
• scissors
• gold, silver and/or glitter spray
• hole punch (not pictured)
• jump rings
• chain
• clasp

the diy:

1. cut your leather into a moon shape. this will allow your 'feather' to lie just right
2. carefully begin cutting slits up both sides of your moon shape
3. spray with spray paint and/or glitter
4. use a hole punch or leather punch to create small circles on each end for your jump rings to fit through
5. attach you chain to the feather using your jump rings
6. add a clasp
7. wear with pride, you just made a beautiful necklace!

sailor knot necklace :: diy

well hello there friends! i'm pretty excited about today's DIY because i think it turned out crazy cool! and, the best part is that i spent exactly $0 on making it because i had everything lying around (i bet you do too).

you'll need:

• rope and/or t-shirt string of various colors & types
• scrap leather
• beads
• hot glue gun

the details:

1. collect your various pieces of rope and cut all longer than you think you'll need
2. create your figure 8 knot by mimicking the pictures above, or following this tutorial.
3. add a few beads for interest
4. hot glue on any scrap leather for securing (and awesome style)
5. wear or gift!

earring & cuff :: diy jewelry

i'm loving the ear cuff trend right now. are you? if so, here's a new diy for you to try!

1. cut about 3.5 inches of jewelry wire
2. push one end through the small hole in the ear cuff and wrap wire around securely
3. slide long, curved bead bar (or multiple small beads) onto wire
4. wrap remaining wire around a simple earring stud
5. tip: when putting on to wear, first put on stud. then twist and bend wire if needed to fit cuff comfortably.

easiest necklace upcycle ever :: diy

have a few old necklaces lying around that you don't wear anymore? here's an idea to refresh your style! simply fold in half (or more if the necklace is especially long) and loop ribbon through. hot glue the ribbon in place, then tie around neck. see... told you it was the easiest necklace upcycle ever!