Upcycled Chalkboard

I found a framed restaurant brunch menu at an antique store and decided that it would make an awesome chalkboard. In addition to a reflective background, the frame also has very useful hooks and a sheet of metal sitting behind the glass part (making the surface magnetic as well). I picked up a can of Rustoleum spray chalkboard paint for less than 6 bucks at the hardware store and gave the sheet of metal a couple of coats. You can use this idea for various types of material, making any surface a chalkboard. 

SNAG THIS IDEA from: Apartment Therapy, A Love for All Things Branches, Holiday Centerpieces

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/dining-room/5-low-cost-big-impact-diy-branch-centerpieces--132223

Fall Knits: Inexpensive Gift Ideas That Keep Everyone Warm

Earwarmer Headbands: keep your ears warm without getting hat hair from a full beanie, and they're super CUTE!

I just finished this children's watermelon beanie I crocheted for my goddaughter.

For the main hat portion, I used this video: http://www.videojug.com/webvideo/how-to-crochet-a-baby-beanie-using-a-single-crochet-stitch

For the scalloped brim, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=japGIpp4p5I

I experimented with some black buttons for the "seeds", but ended up hand stitching them instead using black yarn.

I am so excited to gift this to the little kiddies in my life. I want to make a similar beanie that resembles a strawberry.

Another project I just finished is this cowl neckwarmer:
I used circuluar needles to create a tube using the simple knit stitch, and then created the flower by using a scallop pattern. I then took the scalloped lace and configured into a flower. To attach the flower onto the cowl I simply sewed the whole flower onto the cowl using the same yarn and and embroidery needle.

Many prefer a cowl to a scarf because it consists of one looped piece; ie: no wrapping. This cowl can easily be pulled over your head, sit nicely around your neck and chest, and under your zipped up winter coat.

Framed Jewelry Stand

I like taking walks around my new Southie Boston neighborhood, you'll never know what you'll run into. I often pass by some old brownstone homes filled with ornate mid century pieces. I found this old crusty frame during one of my daily walks to the grocery store. To think, it was just laying there on the curb with a pile of junk ready for the garbage pick up date. I had to snatch it up! Yes, if you might ask, I did end up carry it around the grocery store, but the final result of the project paid off!  I wanted to convert it into a jewelry stand to display some of my accessories. 

Here are the supplies I used:

-chicken wire

-wire cutters

-staple gun

-framing wire

-eye screws (to attached framing wire so you can hang the darn thing on the wall)

Easy Instructions:

1. Lay the frame face down on the ground or table top. 

2. Use the wire cutters to trim a sheet of the chicken wire to fit the backside insert of the frame. Make sure to leave a 1/4 inch in excess 

3. Start from one corner of the frame and tuck the excess wire to the inside of the frame

4. With a staple gun, attached chicken wire to the inside of the frame. 

5. After stapling around the whole inner frame, make sure all the excess wire has been tucked in.

6. Attach eye screws and twist framing wire around firmly, wrapping several times around the whole wire itself as well as through loops.

Teacup Candles

Glad I didn't burn the house down with this project;) Due to unemployment freedom and boredom (mostly curiosity), decided to venture into a homemade candle project using teacups. I picked up some old school bone china teacups from a local thrift store ($0.98/each) and their saucers, and some candle making supplies from the crafts store. For an added touch I mixed in some designer perfume samples I found while cleaning out my drawers. Other than that all you need is a mixer (I used a wooden chopstick), a double boiler and some oven mits. Not owning a double boiler I created a makeshift, placing a tin can in some boiling pot of water. Be careful, always watch the melting wax, and enjoy!

Inspired by: http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/11/diy-project-kates-teacup-candles.html

Inspiring Article of a Woman Who Compares Her Love of Crafts to Running A Company

http://whipup.net/2010/09/13/2010-guest-blogger-series-journey-from-crafter-to-business-entrepreneur/

Headbands Galore

I made some awesome headbands out of ribbons and vintage buttons. I was able to order the metal headbands from Hair Hardware. Here are some of my creations. I will post more later. PS: That's my mom in the pic, already sporting accessories as a little girl.

Dogeared Inspired Necklaces

I picked up some stone gems and charms to make necklaces inspired by Dogeared.

beach wood creations.

currently i am sitting in my nice air-conditioned townhouse in Austin attempting to hide from the 95 degree heat and 70% humidity of june in central texas AND wishing i was on the california coast. which brings me to my on-going obsession with beach wood.

this past spring i went to visit my good friend from college in los angeles and on one of our coastal drives we decided to stop and breathe in the salty sea air. from the small cliff, i could see a piece of white drift wood floating in the shallow waves. too good to be true! ignoring my friend's protests, i climb down the cliff to retrieve my treasure. i awkwardly monkey my way back up the cliff ecstatic.

once i got back home to Austin, i let the wood dry out (took about a week) and found some knobs fromanthropologie (love that store) and drilled them into the wood. add a picture hanger to the back and it's the perfect place to display necklaces.

above my creation is another beach wood masterpiece... a picture frame (with postcard by San Francisco- based artist, Sabrina Ward Harrison) found in my good friend Alisha's beach-inspired shop Splendid Little Shoppe located in Petaluma, California. check it out, you're bound to love it.

Girlfriend Getaway, Cape Cod

So, for Memorial Day weekend my friends and I went to see Sex and the City 2 and then decided to whisk off to the Cape.  We grilled some burgers at my friend's Truro house, walked to the beach, had lobster dinner in Provincetown, and shopped at the Wellfleet Flea Market. It was so fun and relaxing-THANKS Nina for letting us stay your family's house in Truro! I thought I would show off the cute spots we visite. First stop: Wellfleet, Massachusetts

Chotskie Shopping @ the...

 

Back to Nina's for a BBQ Feast

The SIDES: 

-baked sweet potatoes fries

-spinach and onion sauteed in white wine and olive oil

-Cape Cod taters (obvs)

-fruit salad

-bruschetta

I was in charge of the Bruschetta, so here's the RECIPE (serves 4)

-2 cloves fresh garlic

-fresh basil leaves

-3 tomatoes

-salt and pepper

-French or Ciabatta bread

-Olive Oil

Instructions: Mince garlic, chop basil finely, and cut up tomatoes into tiny cubes. Mix in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. Slice bread into small serving sizes and coat both sides with olive oil. Grill bread until brown on both sides. Place bread on serving platter and top bread with spoonfuls of tomato/basil/garlic mix.  ENJOY with a glass of wine=)

   5 minute walk to the beach to walk off our food babies

Bobbles and Beads

I started making my own jewelry at the age of 7 or 8. Correction, I started beading my hair because my friend had a Swedish hippy nanny who put different colored seed beads in her hair. Annnnnd as their gardener found out, this Swedish nanny also fancied the act of tanning poolside in the NUDE-whoaaaa, chotskies!@#$+%. Good thing Tiger wasn't nearby. Okay, I know that's neither here or there, but anyhoo you get the idea of how the bead obsession started. My hair beading evolved into making those chunky plastic beaded bracelets. You know the ones you can get in a big mixed bag of assortments at the crafts store. I started making raver bracelets. Some even glowed in the dark. I used to make them for all my friends at school. I've had a lot of busted projects, but here are some of my more postable creations:

Bobbles of Pearls Necklace

               Bracelet of Square Blue Glass Beads                               

      Green Glass Bead Earrings