DIY Chanel Vase

Ahhh one of my favorites. Coco Mademoiselle smells so good. Yes I used all of it, but couldn't part with this beautiful little bottle. So why not fill my home with my favorites, right? I thought it would be fun to repurpose this bottle into a small bud vase. 

Here's What You'll Need:

Empty glass bottle

Eye protection

Gloves

Mask

Marker

Water in a squeeze bottle (I actually used an empty Sriracha bottle)

Dremel Hand Tool

Diamond Wheel

How To:

-Put on your eye protection, gloves, and mask...working with glass dust can be dangerous, especially if you're a newbie! So make sure you're suited up.

-Use a marker to draw a guide line around the bottle.

-Lay your bottle on its side.

-Turn on your Dremel tool with the diamond wheel and start cutting along the marked line.

-***You'll need and extra pair of hands to squirt a few drops of water on the blade while you cut (don't get water above the attachment site on the Dremel). This will help prevent the glass from heating up and fracturing. Always keep the cut line wet.

-Go over your cut line a few times -- gradually getting deeper into the glass until it cracks off.  Keep the cut even around the whole bottle. Cut a little at a time on each side. 

-After the top is off, you'll want to clean up the sharp edges with your diamond blade. Make sure it's smooth and safe.

Springtime in Paris Bridal Shower Watercolor Invitations

My Mom and I are throwing my best friend Shannon a Bridal Shower in a few weeks. Shanny and her man Justin are planning on honeymooning in Paris so my Mom and I thought it would be cute to throw Shan a Springtime in Paris Bridal Shower Brunch. We thought it would be fun to paint the invitation with French-esque scenes to make things extra special. As I was searching for some Frenchy inspiration I stumbled upon the Michael's Springtime in Paris Contest. What a coincidence! So I entered the paintings into the #Springtimeinparis #Contest. Cross your fingers! I hope it wins! 5 glorious days in Paris -- cooking, sketching, florist lessons, and a private tour of the Louvre. Awwww swoooooon.  Oui se il vous plait.

Here is a fun little blurb that I sent to Michaels:
I’m in love with France and everything Parisian – the culture, food and art etc. It would be a dream of mine to take my Mother to Paris with me. She has always wanted to travel but has never had the opportunity to do so. I would love to be by her side as she experiences her first overseas adventure (and to Paris of all places); to one of the worlds most exciting and beautiful cities -- the crème de la crème for 1st time travel. We are both very creative people and this trip would be absolutely dreamy. I could picture us having the best time exploring the Louvre, admiring art, cooking French cuisine and arraigning gorgeous bouquets. These artistic classes are right up our alley. I would love to take a stroll through Montmartre, buy some crusty bread and cheese from a local fromagerie and some bubbly champagne. We could sit in the park by the Eiffel tower, enjoy our goodies and watch its lights twinkle.  I know that Paris would bring out the best of our creativity and friendship and give us memories that could last a lifetime.

*Any visible addresses are fictitious.

Ok, so it's a few weeks later and I didn't win. Bummers...but congrats to all the winners. You guys did a fabulous job! Here is the link if you want to check out their amazing work. 

DIY Sharpie Mug {Breaking Bad}

We were OBSSESED with the Breaking Bad series. Dan was so sad when it ended, I thought I could cheer him up with a daily reminder of his favorite character Heisenberg. Now he feels like a bada$$ when he drinks his morning coffee.

Here's what you'll need:

-1 ceramic mug
-Sharpie (I also used a Sharpie paint pen)
-Oven

You can draw anything you want! Pop that mug into the oven at 350F for 40 minutes and your Sharpie design will stay put!

Fire Pit {Before and After}

 

We love fixing up things that need a little TLC.  My mom gave us a hand-me-down fire pit for our backyard. I am in love with fireplaces and since our little house is lacking one, I jumped at the chance for an outside one. The metal screens on the side had rusted through and needed to be replaced, so I thought a perforated metal sheet would do the trick. Now all I need to do is put some elbow grease into that copper top to make it shine...or do the easy thing and paint it black ;)

 



 

 

 

 



DIY Leather Tassel { For Your Keychain & Key Ring}

 

 

I've been wanting to make one of these for a long time. I have seen them in shops around town and really wanted to get one, but there was no way I would justify paying $25 to $30 for a tassel! So I decided to make one myself. I think I ended up paying about $3 for some soft pebbled leather at a fabric store and the rest of the supplies were already at home. Yay! I am so excited to share this with you! P.S. It's so much easier to find my keys now -- no more digging in my purse!

 

 

Things you'll need:

 

*key ring

*12 x 4 inch strip of leather

*razor blade or an x-acto knife

*fabric glue

*1 rubber band

 

 

{Cut off a small strip of leather and fold it over the key ring. Glue the inside together}

 {Make 24 - 1/2 inch wide cuts down the length of the leather strip. Leave 1 inch uncut at the top}

 

 

{Roll the leather strip around the leather piece from #1. Glue the inside of the roll as you go} 

 {Wrap a band around the top and let it dry}

 

 

 

Pictures: A Bit of Bees Knees

DIY Chalkboard Coasters

We threw a backyard party a couple weeks ago and our friend Genevieve brought us a cute host gift. She made her own chalkboard coasters -- what an awesome idea!
Thanks Genevieve, Dan and I love them!


What you'll need:
-ceramic tiles
-cork sheet
-glue
-chalkboard paint
-chalk

Here's how to make them:
-spray tiles with chalkboard paint -- let dry
-cut out your cork sheet to match the size of your tiles
-glue the cork to the bottom of the tiles

Simple as that.

Here are some cute ways to use them...

I would also suggest using a chalk marker. It'll help you make those nice neat lines.

Pictures: Rachel, Gouda, W

Make Your Own Cards

 What you'll need:

Glitter

 Fine Tip Glue Pen

Martha Stewart Scalloped Paper Puncher 

I also found some cheaper ones on Ebay

And a little bit of creativity <3

Simple as that.

Cute Wedding Gift

My Maid of Honor made us this beautiful ornament for our first Christmas. She cut up a copy of our wedding invitation and put it in a glass bulb. She even arranged the pieces so that specific sections of the invite would be visible...Brittany & Daniel, as they join hands in marriage, the date and time etc. And then she attached our stamp too!

I can see Mo now, sitting there at the table delicately maneuvering little swirls of paper into place. You are amazing Mo and this is truly a very special gift that we will treasure forever.

 

DIY: Mini Clay Dishes

Try your hand at making these mini clay dishes inspired by Lisa Storms. They are just so darn cute. My favorite is the faux bois dish - oh I want that on my nightstand! And hey...make one for your Mommala too! Moms day is just around the corner. P.S. Mom's day gift guide will be up soon!

DIY: Hammered Spoon Tutorial

Click here for a detailed step-by-step tutorial for creating hammered spoons - perfect for place cards, garden decor, wedding favors etc. I love these as herb markers in gardens!

Pictures: Elizabeth anne designs

Moss Graffiti

I found this recipe for Moss Graffiti on Instructables. 

In a blender combine: 

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

A few handfuls of moss

1 teaspoon of sugar

Blend until smooth enough to paint (mixture will be thick).

Paint on a porous wall (such as brick or concrete) and mist with water daily until it grows.

Paint freehand or use a stencil and tape if you want it precise.

I am so excited to try this out!

Pictures:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

DIY: Votives

#1 Romantic Painted Votives

Use complimenting colors of a water based paint and muddle them around on the inside of a clear glass votive (be sure to water down the paint thin enough for the light to shine through). Let them dry and place a small candle inside.

These are so beautiful, but I would advise that you only use them outside...most paints are flammable once they're dry, despite being water based. But they should be safe to put on an outside table for your backyard parties!

 #2 Lavender Love

 Find a narrow glass and cut your lavender stems just below the rim of the glass. Tie with twine. The heat from the candle will help carry the smell of the lavender.

#3 Simple Thyme in Baby Masons

Tie some thyme to a baby mason jar with twine. Simple and sweet

Pictures: Painted Votives, Lavender, Thyme

DIY: Cute I Love You Card

Adorable!

Make it even more special by writing a love letter to your babycakes around the pop-up.

Have fun!

Picture:Duitang

DIY: Silk Flowers

Edited Picture: A Bit of Bees Knees

Original Unedited Picture: Duitang

DIY: Lace Bowl

 

You can also check out my shop if you are interested in my bowls.

Edited Picture: A Bit of Bees Knees
Original unedited photo Duitang

DIY: Bracelet Making Board

Ummm why didn't I think of this?

SO SIMPLE.

 I have always tied the loop to my shoelace or placed it under a stack of books when I make bracelets.This looks much easier!

Picture:1

DIY: Valentine's Day Wrapping Ideas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some cute wrapping ideas for you.

Pictures: gingham, envelopes, doilies, jar lids, clay tag 

DIY: Glitter Dipped Mason Jars

This is a cute idea...
 

1. Cover half of your mason jar with paper (tape down the edge of the paper to get a smooth line) 

2. Spray or paint the other half of the jar with clear glue

3. Dip in glitter 

4. Peel of tape and paper

5. After glue dries, brush off excess glitter 

 

 

 Picture via (thesweetestoccasion) 

 

DIY: Tree Branch Lamp

These lamps are gorgeous! When I get a free weekend, I'll be making one of my own! Here's how I would break this down into a simple DIY project.

You will need

1. A Birch Branch

2. A wooden disc to use as a stand for the lamp * make sure that your disc is large enough to support your lamp, depending upon how tall your birch branch is. These wooden circles can usually be found at your local craft store or Home Depot.

3. Light bulb and cord can be found at any home improvement store such as, Home Depot, Lowe's, ACE Hardware etc.

4. Lamp Shade. Pick your style!

5. Assembling Tools

Power drill and screw driver, drill and screw bits, wood glue and screws.

 

Have fun my friends! Let me know if you make one of your own. I would love to see pictures!

Pictures: Tree Branch Lamp, Round Wooden Disc, Lamp Shade, DeWalt, DeWalt Bits, Wood Glue, Screws