DIY Fix a Broken Candle Holder

 

     So as you know, we just got done moving and one of the saddest things that can happen to you while moving is to open your boxes and find that some of your favorite things have broken. Blaming the movers or lack of sufficient packing aside, what is done is done and what do you do with your broken things? I had a beautiful glass candle holder from Home Goods that I bought in Oregon. I couldn't wait to up it up in my new house in South Carolina. I was broken hearted when I found it in this condition:

 

I was trying to think about how I could fix it. The entire base had broken off! So I thought through a tutorial I had seen on Pinterest. They used an old lamp base, painted it and glued a piture frame to the top and made a table. Why wouldn't something like that work to fix my broken candle holder? I had to break some of the glass off with a rubber hammer so that it was level so a dish could be glued on:

 

And the end result:

 I was VERY pleased to be able to use my holder again! I just flipped what used to be the top and made it be the base while the plate on top served as, well the top! :)

 

Now that the glue is dry I am even happier!

 

Here is the like I found on Pinterest for the table tutorial: http://richmondthrifter.blogspot.com/2011/03/lamp-base-turned-pedestal-table.html

DIY Wooden Keepsake Boxes

Hi Everyone! This is a craft I did for my sister. She travels so much and I wanted to give her something to keep her memories in. She is a photographer (see her work at http://www.meganlovephotography.com/) so I knew she didn't need any photo albums. She's way better at that stuff than I am so I left that up to the professional. But what about the fun little things you pick up along the way that might be too awkward to fit in an album? A napkin from your favorite French cafe, a match box from the first English Pub you visited? Your train ticket traveling to Germany? I don't know, I have never been to any of those places. However, I wanted to give her something handmade by ME her loving awesome sister ;) and thus this tutorial was born.

What You Will Need:

• A Wooden Box
• Multi Surface Paint (at least two different colors - I used four)
• Stencils (alphabet and designs)
• Glue
• Paint brushes and mini paint rollers
• Corner Posts

The first step is to paint your box - I painted a section of blue first and the laid the stencil above over the blue once it had dried and painted the rest of the box brown (I did this at both ends on the lid and on both sides of the box). When I peeled the stencil off it showed the blue underneath perfectly.

This is the box mostly painted brown with the blue underneath showing through.

 

Once the brown paint had dried I put a different stencil over the brown paint and used a cream color to cover the brown. I was experimenting with different ways to use stencils and which ones work better and which ones I like better. The overlain stencils are much easier and less messy than the underlain ones, but they both produce fun and nice looking results.

 

 

Then I used stickable alphabet stencils to spell out words. I had fun with the paint and I used Martha Stewart Brand multi surface paint.

 

The next thing I did was to glue the corner posts to the bottom of the box while the lid was drying. I let the glue dry over night and then I had the finished product :)

 

 

I added embellishments to the lid. I painted a wooden birdcage to match the colors of the box and I added some buttons and jewels.

A few days later I was still feeling crafty so after giving myself a mani/pedi and playing with some henna, I decided to make another box for myself. This time I added some paper flowers and experimented for the first time with crackle paint. There are so many different things you can do with these. The possibilities are literally endless! Have fun making your keepsake boxes!

Hmmm OH YEAH! I Do Have A Blog!

Hey everyone! So....2 years later. I was married to a cheater cheater pumpkin eater, got a divorce, moved from South Carolina to Oregon and just about 6 weeks ago moved back to South Carolina from Oregon! I do so apologize for not updating this Blog in TWO YEARS! Oh my gosh I should be slapped! So what else has happened in the last two years? Ummmm well I am now engaged to the man who was actually my first real boyfriend in High School (awwwww!) and I am now completely addicted to Pinterest! Oh yes! Who isn't? You can see my Boards at http://pinterest.com/brittanyhdean/ woo hoo! You can see all my wedding ideas on my Rodeo Weddings Board and give me suggestions! Have a wonderful night and Happy Pinning! :)

Revamping your closet Step 3

Cut the fabric to your current measurments (in my case I made a sundress so I made a part for the top by holding it to my chest and pinning it) then sew it all together and viola! you've made an outfit from clothes you already had!

Revamping your closet Step 2

After you have decided what you want to make, pick out your clothes.

Revamping your Closet Step 1

Gather all your old clothes that you would have gotten rid of and sort them into piles of "like" colors. This will help inspire patterns and ideas as well as give you an idea of the quantity of colors you have. (Some projects may require more or less material than you have)

Recycling Old Clothes into New Fashions

If you can't tell by now I LOVE DIY things! I always feel so empowered when I create things on my own. I'm not sure if its because I can do something I never thought I could or the fact that the more I practice, the more money I can save while still having the look that I want... Anyway this post is to inspire SPRING TIME! Its getting warmer outside and just about time for all of those cute little sundresses. I have got a closet full of maternity and bigger clothes that I am finally just about out of. I could just drop them off at the local Goodwill, but where would the fun in that be? I spent hundreds of dollars on these clothes...I want to get more out of them! So I took an old dress and button up top and made a cute halter top sundress for Spring.