~FriggleFraggle~: February 2014

Saturday, February 22, 2014

DIY Jewelry Diplay

DIY Jewelry Display made from things you have around your house

I like reusing things that might have ended up in the landfill if it hadn't been saved. I like jewelry. I make jewelry there for I have lots of it. I needed a place to display my bracelets not only for when I am not wearing them but for when I do a craft show.

Here is a tutorial on how to make a jewelry display made from things around your house.

Materials:
Tube from wrapping paper, foil, plastic wrap, paper towel and toilet paper
*You will need 4 sizes -15", 12", 6" and 3"
Piece of sturdy cardboard - 9 1/2" x 5"
Exact o knife
Scissors
Pen
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Chop Sticks
Fabric

Start with a sturdy cardboard base, cover the top in your choice of fabric leaving just enough fabric to wrap around and hot glue to the bottom. Make sure you do not make it bulky.

Some supplies

Cut your tubes to make the following sizes: 15", 12", 6" and 3". The 15 and 12 will be used as the top and the 6 and 3 used as the base to hold them up.

Cut tubes and connect

Cut a slit in the center of the 15 and 12 tubes just long enough to slide the smaller ones in. The 15" will have the 6" as a base and the 12" will have the 3" as a base.

Ready for fabric

Cover the smaller base tubes with fabric first wrapping around then securing with hot glue. Then move on to the longer tube trimming where necessary. Leave about 1/4" extra on the ends so you can fold the fabric over and glue to the inside.

Fabric covered

Using a pen hold your tube end on the back of the fabric and trace around it making a circle to cover the end. Apply a small amount of glue around the tube and place it down on the table on the circle. Trim the extra bits.

Trace and cut circle for end cap

Glue end for cover

Cover ends

Using a measuring tape, line up where you would like to position your tubes, draw a circle around them and trim the fabric in the area just inside of the circle you made.

Trim area for attaching base

For sturdiness I added a wooden chopstick to the center of each post having it go through the bottom and trim so it is flat. Hot glue the chopstick and the tube and place on the spots you trimmed.

Add chopsticks for support

There it is! You have made your own jewelry display out of materials you had around your house! Way to go you! Re-purposing always makes me feel good :)

Finished Product

Now to show off your bangles and bracelets at home or in a craft show.

Front View

Side View

Back View

Thanks for stopping by. I will be adding many more repurposing and DIY craft tutorials. Follow me to keep up. Also, if you have any questions I will be happy to answer them.

Ciao, April
~FriggleFraggle~

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, Love Day, Candy Day, Forget the Diet Day, Spend Money on Chocolate Day. It has many names.

When I was a child we made valentine's cards to hand out at school. We would make our own cards and draw or write on them and put someones name on it. If we got lucky our mom would buy the pre-made box of cards that I could rummage through to see which one was just right for that "special" someone, then my best friends, then friends, then the other people in my class until I ran out of cards. Usually by the time I had picked the cards for my special valentine and best friends I didn't care what the other ones said or looked like, I just scribbled my name on them and was done.

In the younger grades we were assigned to make a Valentine mail box as part of our art homework so we could have our cards delivered to our desks. You could always tell who had their mom make the box for them. They were beautiful and perfect, everything straight, perfect amount of glitter. Then there were the ones who actually made them by themselves. Usually looked like a left over Valentine pile of rubbish glued randomly to a box with way too much glitter or things sticking out in various directions. Making you afraid to drop the Valentine in the box wondering if there was something in there that might bite you.

We would all put our boxes on our desks, gather our cards, and go to the back or sides of the class. Then the teacher would say "on your mark, get ready, go!" There would be a mad rush of kids bumping into things, screaming, running to see who would get all of theirs delivered first so they could see what their own box would reveal when they were done.

There was always an admirer (or two-wink) that I hoped to receive a card from. It was just another popularity contest if you ask me. But when you are a kid it means the world to see if that "someone" gives you a card that might let on that they share the same feelings.

Then the moment arrives. The moment of truth... I dig through my valentines to see if I got one from him....There it is! I look around to make sure no one is looking. I smell it. I open it slowly, thousands of scenarios running through my head. Will it be so lovely? Will it say how much he adores me? I open it. WHAT!? It's a monster truck. It says "hope you have a smashing day". UGH... Smashing all right. My heart is smashed. I am no longer interested in the rest of the cards. I just want to lay my head down and cry. The good thing about childhood crushes is that they are usually short lived. You are durable and can move on quickly.

My best friend would come over and cheer me up by finding her valentine and placing it in my hand. It is shiny, covered in glitter just for me. She knows how much I LOVE glitter. It is a Lisa Frank valentine and it has two very colorful girls skipping together. It says "To my most colorful best friend, Happy Valentine's Day". It had a piece of chocolate attached to it. She cheered me up and I forgot all about "him".

As an adult Valentine's day is not about flowers, candy and gifts. It's about LOVE. I share my love with the people in my life that are important to me not just one day a year but everyday. That makes everyday Valentine's day.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Valentine Gifts for your Best Friend

Here are some awesome gifts for your Best Friend from video game geeks to princess' that need saving....

One of my favorites. The Pixel Heart Friendship Necklaces from LicketyCut.

You can wear it as one necklace which is a full heart, or you can share your heart and it becomes two.

Then there is the Pokemon Pokeball Friendship Necklaces.

Pokemon fans can show their love by sporting this jewel. As with the Pixel Heart Friendship pair you can wear this as one whole Pokeball or share it with your friend.