Button Bracelet

Okay, after a brief departure from the simple DIY I'm back with something that almost literally could not be easier.  As I was going through my Granny's sewing table, I found a few tins of old buttons!  I wanted to make something with them, and I wanted it to be simple.

To make your own, you will need:

• Buttons!  I chose a group of pearlescent buttons in various sizes, but you can go matching, mismatched, whatever
• Embroidery floss
• 2 jump rings
• 1 clasp

Cut three (or more if you want, go nuts!) pieces of embroidery floss, 12-15 inches long depending on the size of your wrist.

Thread a button through two of its holes onto the floss.

Tie two knots to secure the button about 2-3 inches from the end of the floss.

Thread another button on, tying it about 1 inch above the first button.

(Please forgive my grungy rock climbing hands!)

Repeat the process until you have enough buttons to go tightly around your wrist. (Don't forget, you'll have the jump rings and clasp to add some length!)

Yep, I have tiny bird bone wrists

Repeat the process with the rest of your strands, varying the spacing a little on each one.

Then, use a double know to tie the strands together at one end, including a jump ring in the knot.

Repeat on the other side.

Gently open one of the jump rings to slide your clasp on, closing the jump ring after.

Ta da!  Done!

Seriously, so easy.  I love that the possibilities are pretty much endless.  The color of the buttons, the color of the floss, the number of strands, etc.  Hope you try it!

I realize this is the same shirt from the tassel necklace... :)

Saturday Snapshot: Tiger Lily

Pastel Flowers

Okay, full disclosure: this is not a "totally doable" DIY like the other two this week (tote bag and wreath).  But, I tried out this project and I'm so happy with how it turned out that I just had to share it with you!  Don't worry, though; at the end of this post, I'll share some ideas for how to get the look even if you're somewhat less than artistically inclined :)

To make your own, you will need:

• Old book with large pages
• Oil pastels (aka craypas)
• Exacto knife or other razor blade
• Pencil

Find a page of text that looks interesting to you.  I chose an old (free!) book on education theory since I imagine this piece going in the office where I will be grading papers, coming up with lesson plans, etc.  Then, I found an especially wordy page that looked good enough.

Cut it from the rest of the book using your razor blade.

Then, choose a design to draw on the page.  I found mine by doing a Google image search of old fashioned flower prints.  Draw out your design onto the page.

Now, it's all about layering color and blending.

Layer....

Blend...

Layer...

And voila!  You're done!  This was fun for me, but if it looks like just a little too much for you I have a few ideas.  First, you could save an image on a jump drive and take it to Kinko's (or use your home printer if you have a fancy color printer) along with your cut out page.  The ink shouldn't cover all of the text and you would have the same result only with way less work.  The other idea I had was to just do a simpler design.  Geometric shapes shaded to have gradient color would look super cool in a modern office.

Let me know what you think! How would you get this look?

DIY Ampersand Tote

I have been wanting an ampersand pillow, tote bag, anything!  I think it's such a fun typeface accent to add to your home or wardrobe :) 

To make your own, you will need:

• Canvas tote bag
• Fabric paint
• Paint brush
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Computer/printer

First, make a word document and fill an entire page with an ampersand and print it out.

Cut the ampersand out.

Trace it onto your tote bag.

Kind of hard to see, but you want a light pencil outline

Use your fabric paint to outline and fill in the ampersand.  I used a navy color that I had left from my shoe project (I've also used it on my monogrammed hat and stamped makeup pouch.  This paint has some serious mileage!).

Let it dry, then fill it up with books!  Or, whatever else you need to tote :)

Totally doable!

DIY Sunflower Wreath

I'm still on my wreath kick!  (check out some others here, here, and here)  And I love sunflowers :)  They're so pretty when they come out at the end of summer.  So, I decided to make a sunny sunflower wreath for our front door.

To make your own, you will need:

• Raffia covered wire, brown (I found mine in Michael's floral arrangement area)
• 3-4 sheets bright yellow felt
• 3-4 sheets deep yellow felt
• 1 sheet deep green felt
• Wire cutters
• Scissors

Start by winding your wire into a flat spiral until it is 10-12 inches in diameter.  Then snip the excess wire off.

Next, cut a few 3 inch pieces of wire.  Fold these around portions of the spiral so that when it's hanging on your door, the whole thing doesn't sag.  Hard to explain, hopefully the pictures help :)

Now, cut a whole bunch of teardrop shaped pieces of yellow felt for the petals.  You'll want them to be about four inches or so from base to tip.  Don't worry about making them perfect!

Next, snip two small slits in the base of the petal and thread it onto the wire.

This is the back of the petal- make sure you thread all your petals on the same way

Repeat the process again and again, mixing up which shade of yellow you use.  When you have about 3/4 of the circle completed, cut out two spade shaped pieces of dark green felt for the leaves.  Thread them on the same way as the petals.

Continue until the circle is complete.  For more depth, you can fill in two circles of the spiral with petals.  Wrap the wire around itself to finish the wreath.

Then, simply hang and enjoy!  I love how this turned out!!

Saturday Snapshot: Lilies

These are my favorite day lilies that we have in our yard :)

August Book Club

Last month, I read Brideshead Revisted.  It was a good book... but I didn't love it.  I think I'm kind of tired of the war story/someone leaves their spouse for someone else story line...

Up this month is The Almond Tree, by Michelle Cohen Corasanti.  This book was one that I won in a Goodreads giveaway!  If you haven't heard of Goodreads, I seriously recommend you check them out (and look me up so we can see what books we like!).  You put in a list of books you have read, books you want to read, books you are currently reading, and you can even make your own "shelves" for books.  You can connect with friends and read reviews, and Goodreads gives really great recommendations.  They have recommendations based on what you have already read, but they also will give you recommendations based on genre or even the list of books you want to read!  It's great.

Am I crazy, or does the guy on the right look like Ryan Gosling?

What are you reading this month?