DIY Mickey Ears holder

Sorry for that little unexpected hiatus! I'll let you know what's been going on in my next outfit post on Monday but I just wanted to pop in today to share this ridiculously easy DIY that I came up with. I was looking for a way to store all of my Mickey ears when I came home from Disney World with two more pairs. I looked at some headband holders on amazon and then it dawned on me that the shape I was looking for was about the same size as a roll of paper towels.

I took a brand new roll of paper towels, rolled it in a pillowcase, and then tucked the ends of the pillowcase into the holes of the paper tube. Then I just put all of my mickey ears on the roll, and the ends of the headband keep it from rolling off the table. That's it! SO easy! And now all of my cute ears are on display without taking up too much room. I think at some point I'll probably get some cute Disney fabric to wrap the paper towels in instead of a pillowcase, but for an impromptu DIY the pillowcase worked perfectly! :)

DIY wicker accent sunglasses

I am a huge fan of the wicker/rattan trend going on right now. It's just so retro! My local Target has a whole area set up with their '70s inspired wicker on display and I feel like I've stepped into the department store where my Grandmom bought all her furniture 40 years ago. I love it!!

I thought "surely someone must have wicker sunglasses" since it's so popular right now, but when I couldn't find a single pair I decided to make them myself! These are pretty easy but a little time consuming, so put on your headphones and breeze through a few podcast episodes while you fashion yourself a pair of pretty wicker-accented sunglasses!



Materials you'll need:

Round plastic sunglasses (I used these)
Glue*
Natural colored twine (I used this one from IKEA)

I used Gorilla Glue hot glue sticks, which are supposed to be resistant to seasonal temperatures (so I'm hoping that includes hot summer sunshine!)



Start by popping out the lenses from your glasses, and then put them aside. I worked with about 12" of twine at a time, gluing one end to the back of the frames and just wrapping it around. Every so often I'd put a little bit of glue on the back again for added stability. Once you get to the end, cut the twine so that your end piece is in the back of the glasses and glue it down. I let the end piece totally dry down before adding a little more glue for my new piece of twine.

Work all the way around the lenses, except for the part where the arms meet the frames. I deliberately picked tortoiseshell frames because I thought that would look nice against the twine, but this would also look really nice with black frames too. Or hot pink! (I want everything to be pink, lol!)



When I reached the bridge of the frames I decided to add some more pattern to make this more like a real piece of wicker and not just "wrapped" frames. I made an X between the edge of the bridge and the frame, and then I started wrapping over that across the bridge. I think it would also look cool to just leave this part with the tortoiseshell showing through to match the edges, as well. (That would also be a lot easier, ha!)

Finally, the lenses! Obviously they won't fit back into the ridge where they used to be since that is now covered with the twine. So just put a little glue on the back of the frames where the bridge meets the frames, and where the arms meet the frames, and then pop the lenses back in! Make sure you get the lenses in nice and snug so you can still fold the glasses open and closed. And if you do use a glue gun, just be sure to go over the glasses once you're finished and pick off any little glue strands that are left on the glasses.

And that's it! It's a fun project to do at the end of February when spring and floppy hats and pretty dresses (and summery sunglasses!) are just around the corner :)

DIY projector cover

I swear most of the DIY projects that I do for my house are entirely so I can cover up something necessary but unsightly. Usually electronics, because it seems like nobody makes cute ones! Anyway, this is actually more like a "look what I made!" kind of post than a full on DIY but I'm definitely still going to explain how I did it in case you want to do something similar :)

I have a projector and pull-down screen instead of a television, which means that above my bed I have a grey projector attached to my wall with cords going down behind my bed. It's always bothered me, but I wasn't really sure how to cover it up. Then I got this shelf, and situated it so that my projector rested above it slightly. Then I made a cardboard cover that I can put over it whenever it's turned off.

I really only watch tv at night, so during the day the projector is turned off and I cover it up as part of my making-the-bed routine every morning now. I just found a box that was the right size to fit over the projector and I painted it to look like a little house! I used acrylic paint for most of it and then used a black sharpie to add some detail, like the shingles and little window boxes. I added a drawer pull to the top so that it's easy to take the cover on-and-off, and I also cut out the entire back of the box and part of the side. Two reasons - a) it helps the box to fit over the wires and b) I don't actually want the cardboard to touch the projector. Even though I only cover it when it's turned off I still want to be extra careful.



And voila! Isn't it so cute?! I also got a cord cover and painted it to match my wall so that I didn't just have black cords hanging down the wall anymore. I can be a bit obsessive (okay, VERY obsessive) about making sure that literally every single element of my living space is functional AND pretty, and this finally solved one not-pretty thing that had been getting under my skin for a few years.



ps. my rattan shelf is from urban outfitters here, and my vintage inspired bedding is available in my threadless shop here.

Before/After daisy bookshelf

I just got this vintage wicker bookshelf last week and I'm so happy with how my paint job turned out! I painted the shelf light pink and then I painted the daisies off-white with yellow centers. It was a much more time-intensive job than I anticipated, taking about 4 hours total, but it was so worth it! Here is a before and after shot to show what a difference a little paint can make!



The shelf had originally been painted dark green, and then somebody spray painted it a light cream color on top. But they didn't do a great job, with lots of the dark green seeping through. The cream color was also yellowing from age, and even though I wiped it down it still looked really dirty. I think it would have looked so pretty natural, without any paint at all, but I wouldn't even know where to begin to get it to look like that. I absolutely love how it turned out, though! And I'm so glad that I painted the daisies white and yellow instead of slathering the whole shelf in pink paint. It adds more visual interest and makes the piece look more unique, I think!

I bought this piece used (obviously, haha) but someone on ebay has shorter 3-shelf versions of this shelf brand new, right here. I actually bought one of the little ones and I'm debating whether or not I'll paint it to match. Hmm..

DIY houseplant for your cat

Lately Arrietty has really been enjoying rubbing her face in my houseplants. They're cat safe, so I don't have to worry for her sake, but my plants on the other hand! They're already looking a little the worse for wear because of the lack of sunshine this time of year, and those cat nuzzles are not helping matters any. So I decided to make Arrietty her own plant that she can rub her face in as much as she wants! She's already taken a liking to it so I'd say this DIY was a success!



Materials needed:

A ceramic pot
Plastic grass
Two feather stick cat toys
River rocks
Spray catnip
Styrofoam plant base
Brown kraft paper
Non-toxic glue



When you're shopping for the greenery, make sure you pick something with very substantial leaves that your cat won't be able to ingest. Mine had some small, thin pieces sticking out of it so I plucked them out beforehand.

Add some river rocks to the bottom of your pot for weight, and then put the styrofoam on top of it. Insert your plastic greenery. Using a sharp utility knife, cut off the bulk of the stick on the feather toys and then insert the shorter sticks into the styrofoam.

I forgot to take pictures of the next step, but to cover up the styrofoam just attach small crumpled pieces of brown kraft paper to the foam with non-toxic glue. Once the foam is entirely covered in the brown paper (I did two layers of paper to make sure the foam was totally inaccessible) spritz the ends of the leaves with catnip spray to entice your kitty away from your pretty parlor palms and into their own feline garden!

I can't say how happy I am with this project! Arrietty is content with her plant and has been staying away from the real plants. I just spray the leaves whenever I think it needs a little catnip refresh.

DIY button display

Lately I've been making a lot more buttons (mostly because I can make them myself, so it's much more budget-friendly than having lapel pins produced) and I wanted a way to display some of my favorites in my studio. This DIY is so incredibly simple, and if you have an overwhelming collection of buttons, it's the perfect way to turn them into wall art when they aren't being worn :)



Materials you'll need:

A picture frame (I used an 8x10 frame, but use whatever size you'd like!)
A heavy duty stapler
7/8" wide grosgrain ribbon
Masking tape
A piece of patterned paper, cut to 8x10
Buttons!



Start by removing the glass from the frame and putting your patterned paper in. Then cut lengths of ribbon that are long enough to wrap around the edge of the frame and lay them out where you want them to go. At this point you should take a few of your buttons and lay them on the ribbons to make sure the spacing will work. I decided to only display 1.5" buttons on my frame, so four ribbons worked perfectly for me. If you'll be displaying 2.25" or 1" buttons your spacing might be different.

Once you've decided how to space everything, take your masking tape and secure the ribbon in place. This is not only easier than measuring (I'm all for doing things the right way, but I'm even *more* for doing things the easy way. lol!) but it will help hold the ribbon secure when you're stapling it in place.



Flip your frame over, and staple the ribbons on the back. Do the same thing for the bottom of the ribbon, making sure to pull the ribbon very taut to make sure it won't sag when you hang the buttons.

And honestly, that is IT! You're done! Just attach your buttons, and hang it up on the wall!



All of the buttons pictured here were designed by me and they're available in my shop right here!

DIY Joyeux Noël tree topper

I've been looking for a cute tree topper for a few years now and still haven't found anything that really felt *perfect* to me. Then I saw these metallic pipe cleaners at AC Moore last week and a lightbulb lit up over my head! I am so incredibly thrilled with how this came out, and I think it'll be at the top of my tree for many years to come :)



You'll need:

This Joyeux Noel printable template
Pipe cleaners (I used these from AC Moore)
Scissors



Begin by tracing the letters with the pipe cleaners. I only used the rose gold color, but I think this would also be so pretty alternating each letter with a different metallic color!

Every time that you come to a joint (like where the two loops of the J meet) wrap the wire around itself so that it holds the shape. Each time that you need a new pipe cleaner, just twist the ends together with about 1" overlapping to make sure it's very secure. I did Joyeux separate from Noel and then combined them in the next step--



To attach Joyeux to Noel, just take a little piece of pipe cleaner (about 2") and wrap it around the two pieces to secure them together. I attached the J to the N, the X to the L, and (not pictured) the Y to the O.



Finally take one more piece of pipe cleaner (I used silver since it's the color of my tree!) and fold it in half, then slide it over the O in Noel. Twist the pipe cleaner pieces together, and then just wrap it around the top of your tree! You could definitely do this with other phrases, the Francophile in me just loves saying Joyeux Noël :)

DIY vote sweater

When sweater weather and the midterm elections coincide, there is only one thing to do - make a sweater that says "Vote!" This is a really simple and quick DIY that you can whip up during an episode of tv (sidenote: I just started watching Schitt's Creek and I highly recommend it! It's so funny!) It's so easy I already made two in different colors (mustard and this pink one.) Of course you can also make this sweater with another saying, but I can't think of anything more important right now than encouraging people to vote :)

And if you're not crafty but you still want this design, I added it to my Threadless store here so it's available on sweatshirts, t-shirts, totes, etc.!



Materials needed:

- A plain knit sweater (I used this one and this one)
- Thick yarn (I used medium size Red Heart yarn in Bordeaux)
- Large plastic needle
- Carbon paper
- Embroidery hoop (optional)
- Vote! template (Download here)



First you'll want to put a smooth hard surface in your sweater (I used a large hardcover book) and then lay the carbon paper on top of the sweater. Decide where you want to place the template, and then trace over the design. I used this stylus, but you can also use a pen with its cap on or the end of a paintbrush... anything with a pen-like tip that will apply enough pressure to transfer the design to your sweater.



Once the design is transferred, thread your needle (if it's hard getting the yarn through the needle eye, you can put some scotch tape on the end to get it through easier) and use a split stitch to embroider the design. I knotted off my yarn and started again each time I reached an end so that there isn't a lot of excess thread on the inside of the sweater. For the dot at the end of the exclamation mark I used a french knot stitch. You can find explanations of how to do all different stitches here.

You can also do a backstitch instead if that's easier for you. I tested a backstitch and a split stitch and this one created a thicker, more fluid line. But it was more time consuming and used a bit more yarn. It all depends on what you're comfortable with and how much time you have! I also tested this with and without an embroidery hoop. It's much, much easier with the hoop because you aren't really losing your design in folds of fabric. But it's definitely possible to do it without one as well. And it didn't really affect the design in any way (there wasn't more puckering without the hoop, for example.) So, again, just do whatever is more comfortable for you. I wouldn't necessarily go out and buy a hoop just to do this sweater if you don't already have one on hand.

And that's it! The last step is just wearing the sweater as often as possible between now and November 6th to remind people that they have to get out there and Vote! :)

wallpapered printer DIY

I have a large format Canon printer that prints up to 13" x 19". It's a necessity for me, but a two foot hunk of black and silver plastic can be a bit of an eyesore in my candy-colored room! I've been trying to come up with a good solution for concealing the printer, and I think I finally found it! If you like blending your necessary (but ugly) appliances into their surroundings, read on for my DIY instructions :)



Here's the before picture. It sticks out like a sore thumb!



You only need a few things to do this project:

- A ruler
- Scissors
- Peel-and-stick repositionable wallpaper

I used this design from my spoonflower shop. It's cheaper to just buy swatches for this project rather than a whole roll of paper. I measured my printer before ordering and calculated that I'd need four swatches (they are 2' x 1' each) but I actually only ended up needing three! So that's a total of $21 for this whole project!



The easiest part is covering the pieces on the printer that are perfect rectangles, since they're really easy to measure and cut. For the curved pieces and for cutting out an opening for the buttons, I just used plain thin copy paper and traced the form of my printer, then I used that as a stencil to cut out pieces of wallpaper that would match. To be on the safe side and to make sure I didn't waste my precious swatches, I transferred my stencils onto scrap paper first and wrapped that around the printer to make sure everything lined up perfectly before I actually cut into my wallpaper.

To apply the pieces, carefully line up the wallpaper in one corner and then slowly smooth it out as you apply the whole piece. I can't say for sure whether all peel-and-stick wallpaper functions the same way as Spoonflower paper does, but this was very repositionable and whenever I messed up at placing it, it was easy to peel it up and try again.

Also, it goes without saying, but don't cover any of the functional pieces of the printer. You need the buttons to still be showing and you shouldn't cover the parts that come into contact with the paper.

I hope this helps if anyone out there is as obsessive about having matching decor as I am! haha! :)

DIY inner beauty artwork

I know this DIY isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I personally LOVE it and thought I'd share in case anyone else is equally enchanted with medical imagery.

First a little back story -- In 2005 I was getting crippling migraines, so my doctor ordered an MRI of my brain. After a super scary couple of weeks in between my doctor saying she thought I had a brain tumor and a specialist telling me I didn't (PHEW) I was left with some incredibly cool images of my brain. I've always wanted to find a way to turn them into artwork, but couldn't really figure out how. I also didn't really want to have super dark pictures on my walls, and these images are always mostly black. I finally worked this out a couple weeks ago and now I'm trying to talk my (super reluctant) family to do a really unique family portrait wall. haha!



Okay, so the first thing you need is a medical image. Basically MRIs, X-Rays, CT scans, etc. If you have a printout (like an ultrasound) you can skip this step, which helps to capture the negative image. Just hold it up to a light source, like a window or a lightbox, and take a close-up photo. This highlights all of the details that you normally can't see on the negatives sheet.



When you open the image on your computer, it should look like the first image here, with a dark background. You want to invert the colors, so that the background becomes light. I used photoshop, but you can invert colors in a bunch of different programs, even MS Paint! If you aren't sure how to do it in a specific program, just try googling "invert colors [program name]" :)

Now this is where you can start getting creative! I played around with the hue/saturation controls to get a really bright purple image. You can even do hue/saturation in Preview on a mac. Just drag the controls until you find the colors that you like best. After I settled on hot pink, I used the Fill tool in photoshop to fill in the background with a light pink color. You could always do this part manually, printing out your image, cutting it out, and then mounting it on a colored paper background! Another idea, if you don't have access to photo editing programs, would be to have the image inverted and then printed on bright colored paper at Staples or Kinkos!

I really wanted artwork that showed my whole head, but maybe you want a more discreet way of showing off your inner beauty? ;) Simply crop the image to create a really cool abstract art piece. Here I used a close-up from a CT scan of my sinuses.



If you have photoshop or a similar program that allows you to select specific parts of your image, you can change the colors in sections, instead of the whole image. Here I selected two little areas in the pink and then dragged my hue/saturation control so that the colors would be teal instead.

Like I said, I know it's not for everyone. Personally, I'm absolutely fascinated by images like this. I mean, my brain is processing the fact that I'm looking at a picture of my brain. That's so awesome to me!!