DIY: Necklace Organizer

After I received jewelry as a gift from a co-worker I knew it was time to organize my necklaces, it was getting a little out of control! I spent more time trying to de-tangle them than actually wearing them! I decided to document the process of my craftiness. This idea I just kind of came across a few times, so no one to give credit to.

Materials:
8 x 10 frame. ($3 from a thrift store)

Mod Podge - I had in my stash from a previous project (You can find it at Michael's)

Scrap Fabric

Paint -White for me (I bought it for 69 cents at a thrift store)

Paint Brushes

Cork Board - Left over from College

Not Pictured:

Roller Sponge to apply Mod Podge
Colorful tacks -Making another appearance - left over from college

Instructions:

1. Paint the frame.

2. Cut cork board to fit in frame

3. Mod Podge the fabric to your Cork board

4. Pull excess fabric tight to the other side and Mod Podge

5. Cut off excess

6. Not pictured: Put the fabric covered Cork board under a big stack of books. I used Harry Potter books. Haha Nice and heavy!

7. Wait what seemed like an eternity for it to dry - At least a full 24 hours.

8. Put it all together

9. Put colorful -perfectly matching in my case :) - tacks in a uniformed position. 4 in the top row and 3 in the bottom row...not directly below, or your necklaces will tangle.

10. Hang on wall. I used a small nail and my picture frame already had a spot on it to hang up.

11. Put necklaces on and enjoy!

I am really happy with it and it matches my bathroom really well. I am now brain storming ideas on how to organize my earrings. I think I have it figured out, I will post an update blog when it happens. Thanks for reading and if you have any extra ideas or a jewelry organization tutorial too, feel free to post links in the comments!

Linked at Someday Crafts

Making History.

I know this Health Care "stuff" is a touchy subject for some, as it seems next to impossible to know everything that was mentioned in the 2,000+ page bill, but I know for me that approving the bill was good.

My health insurance was done the second I crossed the stage at my college graduation. I was on my mom's insurance and their rules were that you could stay on your parents plan as long as you were in school and didn't go over a certain age (that I can't seem to remember right now).

So not only did I have to worry about moving to a new city and working at a new job but I wasn't sure what I was going to do to get some of my medications filled. Luckily, I planned for this moment and worked with my doctor and was able to get all appointments in before the big day and I was able to stock up on some prescriptions.

But those plans were made with the assumption I would get a job that offered benefits within three months. Yes I got a job, but they do not offer benefits (sigh). But now thanks to President Obama and our new Health Care plan I will be able to join my mothers insurance again until I am 26 or get a new job with benefits, and this part of the bill just happens to be effective immediately. I know there is a whole lot more to the bill, but this is the one I am most concerned about, for now.

I do understand some people do not agree with the decision to put this bill in place, and that is fine with me...everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I am one of the "American people" and I am so glad we have government health care.

I'm a lucky gal...

To help this make sense I am going to explain that at my job I do a lot of things, therefor report to a lot of people and all of those people consider themselves my boss. With that said my favorite "boss" brought me gifts today! When she handed me the cutest polka dot bag I asked why and she said "just because". Her and I get a long very well and have very similar style choices. She also likes to consider me as her kid (as she has none of her own) and she is kind of like a Minnesota mom lol. Of course she is actually nothing like my mom but someone nice to talk to at work.

Back to the point (can I EVER stay on topic?? FOCUS!) I was so shocked with the gifts and I LOOOOVED all of them. So I am posting an appreciation blog, even though she doesn't see these. I am going to buy a vintage thank you card this weekend for her. She would appreciate vintage more than grocery store cards, another reason to like her!


I think the pictures are pretty self explanatory, but I will elaborate on the second one. I put on every necklace she gave me (4 of them) the sparkle bow head band, and the fake coco earrings. It is so funny, the necklaces she gave me are EXACTLY what I have been looking for to complete my outfits. I will have to do a follow up post with them in use :)

The moo cow has an inside joke. We have to deal with some high demanding people so it is for me to let some frustration out. It actually moos. So I will make it moo when I feel like they are "milking me" for everything I got. See how that works?? I love all of it, and it was all so fitting for me and nothing I have ever had before.

So now that I have all of this new jewelry. I am currently working on a fashionable necklace organizer for my bathroom. Tutorial/pictures tomorrow, hopefully! :)

p.s. my first time using a mosaic...I will get the pictures centered better next time.

50% off to 100% hott!

So, I was shopping at the wonderful Mall of America and I came across these beautiful shoes. Let's not concentrate on the fact that I went to the mall to by one thing and one thing only and some how these ended up in my bags. Yes, I said bags with an s. I obviously cannot go to a mall and just buy one thing. I mean honestly, how could you pass them up if they are 50% off??

And here is the reason they were on sale. That hole, that hole that I can put my finger through and definitely ruin the whole look of the shoe. No worries though, I knew it was there. My crafty side of the brain got working and I knew I would figure something out.

Then today, Craft ENvy, a blog I follow, posted a shoe re-vamp blog. And I was inspired! Below is the final result!















I love them! Hopefully I can pull them off. I don't know if you guys know this but I am just short of 6 feet tall and these shoes have 4 inch heels. Haha I like to make a statement! :) I made last minute plans to visit family this weekend and Saturday I need to dress up, I hope I can find an outfit for these to work with. Have a great weekend!

Just like a produce market.

Being a "fresh" college graduate has left me confused and naive in the real world. To the point where I don't know if I am even considered a "fresh" grad anymore or not.

When does that end? When I am I no longer a new graduate? It has been 9 months, that's a full human gestation period...am I no longer fresh? Or was I done being fresh when the new graduates came in December... or do I have at least a year until the new May graduates? Or will I be grouped into the category of fresh grads who are facing the worse economy ever until this "recession" ends?

Am I moldy and rotten now? Will I not be fresh until there a new hurdle to cross...? I would much rather be fresh instead moldy. Maybe I won't be "fresh" again until I am a newlywed or a new mom. Or something along those lines.

I feel a little lost.

Thrifting Finds ...from a while ago...

I found all of these great items a while ago but with the absence of my computer and then the mechanical issues (read: broken) camera, there has been some delay with the posting. But without further adieu...

I didn't find too much this week, but there were a few treasures!

1. 2 pairs of earrings. - Silver Hearts and Green Triangles.
2. Knitting needles because my dear bff taught me how to knit and I need to practice!
3. A postage scale from 1973, and it still weighs pretty accurately!
4. Vintage alphabet blocks, they were such a good deal, I bought of a bunch them - most going to the bff.
5. Plexi Plastic Coasters, a nice collage project.
6. City Skyline fabric.
7. Polka D0t Fabric.
8. Vinyl with Musicals for my sister.
9. LA and NY poster things, also for the sister.
10. And a vintage music sheet book from 1937. "No! No! A Thousand Times No!"
11. "Think" sign. The other side says "Learn".

Since this shopping trip I have bought more stuff but didn't photograph because of the lack of camera, I will see if I can track them down to get another thrifting post, there have been more great items!

DIY: Flower Pillow

I found a tutorial for Felt Flower Pillows over at Craftzine and I had to give it a try, I did not use felt though. After an awesome trip to the thrift store yesterday I came back with arms full of fabric so I figured I would just give it a try with my new finds.













Above are the before and after. The pillows came with my couches that I bought from a thrift store when I first moved, I hated them. So, I covered them with these flower covers. They look WAY better, even if they don't match anything haha. Also, I barely spent anything to make them - thrifted fabric ( $5 - and I still have some left), thrifted thread ($.69 for 5 spools), and I already had the pillow forms.

Oh! And because all of this fabric is taking up space I don't have-dang studio apartment-I am looking for new tutorials or ideas of stuff to sew. Any recommendations?