Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets

A few months ago, my sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She is currently going through treatment and fighting the good fight.  She is one tough lady with lots of love and support around her.

As you know from previous posts, I really enjoy making jewelry in my spare time, especially chain maille jewelry.  I was working on some projects when I got the idea to make some breast cancer awareness pieces for all the women in the family to wear in support of our family member who was diagnosed.  I began gathering all the charms and beads I could find to get started.

Here is the result of countless hours of weaving.

The idea is that the family can wear these in support of her and when she is wearing her's, she can know that she has alot of support and love standing with her.  I can not imagine going through anything like that.  Like I said before, she is a strong lady.

I haven't made the decision to continue making these and selling them, but am considering it.  I also plan to make similar bracelets in support of fibromyalgia, the disease that I live with.

Currently, I am a hand brace (I like to call a cast, as it might as well be).  I have to wear it for three weeks.  At that time, I will be finding out whether or not I will be having surgery on my hand.  The only upside to this situation is that it is my left hand (I am right-handed).  The downside, I cannot do any jewelry making or crafts until the hand is fixed and working properly again.

Once again, this disease is trying to beat me.  It will not.  I am way to determined for that.

I hope that these designs inspire you to go out and create your world.

DIY Flower Pot

I have been a busy, busy girl...of course.  I think that is just the way of my life.  I hate standing still, so in my down time I am creating.

Recently, I went on a search for a new flower pot for a plant in my home.  I looked everywhere for just the perfect pot to go with my new decor in the kitchen and dining room.  Everything that I looked at just wasn't right.  The pots that I could have settled for were very expensive for me.  I began to get frustrated until.....my "ah-ha" moment.  In the distance, I seen the shelves full of terra cotta pots.  I am not usually a fan of terra cotta, but there it was and my mind began creating it.

I purchased the size of pot that I needed and returned home to search through old scrapbook papers that I have stored.  There it was, the perfect paper, color, print and all.

My friend, Mod Podge, and  I got started smoothing the paper over the terra cotta pot.  At first, I tried to smooth out all the wrinkles.  This was getting more and more difficult.  I stepped back and took another look at the wrinkles.  Guess what?  They added more character, so I let them be.

It took two pieces of scrapbook paper to cover each side, which left me with a unsightly seam.  So, I used a piece of the coordinating  paper that I used on the top.  It worked out well.

A little blending and antiquing with some paint and it was coming together, except at the rim where the two papers met.  Solution:  I used some scrap jute rope from a previous project and began wrapping it.  It made the entire project some together.

Now for getting the soil in it and tranplanting the plant.  Since I have a black thumb, I hope that I don't kill it in the process.

Go out and create your world.  Always take a second look at items.  This will let you open your mind to changing that item to fit into your decor.  You might just like the results.

Dollar Store Upcycle Rope Vase

You can surely tell that it is spring!  Things are crazy busy all the time.  The yard work and flowerbed preparation has begun.  Together with appointments and just my all around struggle with fibromyalgia, I feel like I am either spinning out of control or stuck in bed.  It greats frustrating at times and I just don't feel that my long list of projects will ever reach its end.

I have, however, been able to fit a few small ones in here and there.  The lastest is an upcycle rope vase which was inspired by something that I seen on Pinterest, of course.  I have a box full of old glass vases from old flower arrangements or dollar/thrift store finds.  I have never been able to just get rid of them.  I have no idea why.

My solution to this problem is taking a few of them and wrapping them in jute rope.  That way they can match on the exterior, but it doesn't matter what size or color they are on the inside.  It's all the rage to have mismatched shapes and sizes.  So, I began.

On a recent trip to the local one dollar shop, I was able to find skeins of rope.  It is not as thick or dark in color as some of the more expensive choices.  But, it was only ONE DOLLAR for each skein.

A little Mod Podge and the vase, and I am ready to begin.

I started by placing a piece of waxed paper on my work surface.  I could see this was going to get real messy, real quick.  I then began putting a little Mod Podge (glue) not only on the bottom of the vase, but on the rope as well.  I held the end to the vase with my finger and began slowing wrapping and stacking the rope. Remember I told you it would get mess, well it did.

Make sure that you keep glue on the vase and rope throughout the process.  It makes the rope stay in place a little better because it keeps it tacky.  Also, keep an eye on your project so that you are making sure to push the rope together (downward).  You don't want too much space showing through.

All was going just as planned until I got to this point.  The extreme curve in the vase turned out to be a bit tricky.  I solved the problem by adding some rope up the curve and keeping it as uniform as possible.  It proved difficult to keep the rope pushed down so that space wouldn't show, so I gave up on that through this point.

Once I had it applied the best I could.  I stopped and let that much dry overnight.  Don't cut the rope, just make sure it isn't touching the rest of the project.

The next day, I began applying the glue and rope the rest of the way up the vase.  At the top, I overlapped the rope a few times to give it a wider looking opening.  A trick of the eye.  Cut the rope and glue it down as good as possible.  Don't worry if it comes up a bit, you can cut it off closer after it dries.

I didn't forget about the mess around that curve.  Now you can go back to them.  Apply a good coat of glue over the rope that was applied before.  Fill in the spaces with more rope.  Stack it up as high as you want for design purposes, or just wrap it to fill in.  Use the same procedure for cutting the end as you did on the top.  

After you have let it set overnight, go back with some scissors and cut off the excess rope and any annoying frays.  The dollar store rope will have a lot more of those than the more expensive rope.  I used just over half of one skein of jute rope for this project.  So I spent less than one dollar for this vase.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS PROJECT:

• Patience...alot of patience.
• Don't use a vase with an extreme curve in it if you didn't learn the first point (patience).
• Don't be afraid to stack the rope up for a more 3 dimensional design.
• Be prepared to scrub and peel Mod Podge off your hands and nails for a while...especially if you have long fingernails.

Go out there and create your world!  It doesn't take alot of money, nor does it take alot of artistic ability.  If it looks good to you, then you are successful!

I will be making more of these and maybe use them as gifts.  I am always looking for a last minute gift for someone for a housewarming, birthday, etc.

Please leave me a comment and let me know how your project turned out.  Share what you learned from the process.

Beaded Chain Mail Necklace and Bracelet

Spring is here and I am off to a running start.  Getting the outside ready for planting, yard clean-up and, of course, spring cleaning.  Who doesn't love that?

In my spare time, which has been lacking, I have been crafting chain maille jewelry designs.  I am not sure what it is about this form of jewelry making that makes me so creative, but I love it.  I have no problem seeing what how I want the piece to turn out and just putting it together.

Chain Maille is not necessarily a difficult form of jewelry making, but it is definitely tedious.  Some of the weaves can be very intricate and hard to keep track of if you are not concentrating.  Others, however, are fairly simple and self explanatory.

I discovered this technique on Pinterest, of course.  You can visit my boards for the links to many free tutorials on this techinique.  Just follow me on Pinterest, or go to http://pinterest.com/kimberzkreation/ and visit my Jewelry Inspiration board.

Here is my latest creation, an anklet/bracelet and necklace set.  I used the single spiral beaded technique on the anklet/bracelet, and combined a couple of different techniques/weaves on the necklace.  It has the single spiral beaded technique and the flower.

This was a difficult weave to get down while introducing beads.  But, for my first beaded chain maille design, I think it looks pretty good.

I hope that this inspires you in your jewelry making.

GO OUT AND CREATE YOUR WORLD!!

Kitchen Organization Part II

I finally completed my label project for the kitchen!  Well, at least for now.  As promised a few days ago, I am here to share my results.  I hope that it inspires you, at least a bit.

As you can see, they look great on the canisters and up close, but at a distance they are still hard to read when there is product inside.  I like them, however, as I stated before, I would use a different font the next time.  Live and learn.  But look at all the extra room I have in my cabinet!  That is exciting.

Go out there and create your world.

 

Kitchen Organization

Where, oh where have I been?  Well, I could tell you that I have been creating and have a load of new projects to share with you, but that wouldn't be entirely the truth.

I have been continuing my quest to make more organized space in my home.  I have been doing let's say research too.  Ok, you got me, I have been on Pinterest....ALOT!  But, I have been getting inspiration.  That counts, right?

My latest venture has taken me back to my kitchen.  I decided to purchase some slide transfer paper and make some labels for an old set of canisters I have had since I first got married nearly 22 years ago.  These canisters, a three piece set, came with an bread box.  It has never been updated and is beginning to look hideous in my updated kitchen.

The first step in the project was to find some affordable slide transfer paper.  I went on a few websites after Googling "slide transfer paper".  The best place I found to purchase it was on Ebay, of course.  In a few days, it was delivered right to my door. 

While I was waiting for the paper to arrive, I needed to find just the right printable labels.  I found a great place to get these free printables at I Heart Organizing.  They looked great with one drawback.  I wanted different sizes and words all on one sheet to maximize the paper space.  So, I downloaded the labels that I liked and went to my trusty Photoshop to incorporate the wording and sizes that I needed.

I printed out what I needed and began following the directions in preparing the slide transfers.  I got this information from a popular Pinterest site called The Painted Hive.  The free printables from these website have been trending on Pinterest for awhile.  The information on where to buy and how to use the slide transfer paper is easy to follow.

I will use the larger labels on some big glass canisters that I keep inside the cabinet.  I will be sure to post pictures of that process as well.

I liked the look of the labels and was happy to finally see this old set get an update.  However, I was a little bit disappointed when I actually put product inside the canisters.  It seemed, especially on the brown sugar canister, that my lettering blended in and became difficult to see.  If I where to do it again, I think I would choose a different font that is easier to see.

The final product, although not outstanding, turned out fairly good.  Now I think I will work on updating the box itself.  Maybe some white paint and a little distressing.

What I most learned from this project is that while on paper it may look great, I should look ahead at what the use of the project will be.  I am not overall disappointed.  And, anytime that you can complete a project and learn something new about the entire process, you are already ahead for the next project that comes down the line.  

Remember it is your world to create.  Sometimes we get caught up in what someone will think of a project when they first come into our home and see it.  This is not overall a bad thing.  We want others to appreciate our craftiness and compliment us on it.  However, I am a believer that you, the "artist", should be satisfied at the end of a craft project.  If you look at the project and know that it what you envisioned in your head when you began, then it is perfect.

So, go out there and create!

Sharing Inspiration

Over the past few years, I have developed a love for crafting my own jewelry.  It seems that every time that I walk into a store, I am drawn to the jewelry section, not to buy, but to get inspiration for my own creations.  

With my disability, I don't get to craft the type of jewelry I would love to learn, like wire wrap jewelry. I love the look and the designs, but my hand just will not operate that well.  I am having another surgery on my hand soon and am hoping that when this one is done that I will be able to teach myself this technique.

I rarely use an entire tutorial or design belonging to someone else.  It seems that when I begin, my creativity takes over.  I use other's jewelry as inspiration and tutorials in order to help me achieve the design in my mind.  

As promised, I am sharing with you some of my original designs.  I hope that you can gather some inspiration from my pieces.  Since I'm not good at step-by-steps when it comes to my jewelry making, I will not even try to explain how I achieved the look.  None of the pieces are complicated...I am not a professional jewelry maker :).  Enjoy!

Go out in the world and create something!  Hope that you now inspired.

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Magazine Files Repurposed

After completing the shelf unit in my dining room, I still wasn't quite as happy as I thought that I should be.  Every time that I walked by, the small, mismatched cookbooks just jumped out at me.  They were screaming for a solution to make them a beautiful as their surroundings.  My newest project emerged.

I didn't have any old magazine holders in the house, or they would have been recycled for the cause.  So, on a recent trip to Staples, I purchased some.  I paid $1.99 for a package of two (total cost approximately $1.00 each).  I had some leftover scrapbook paper from other projects, so that worked out well.

I layed the paper out and lay the magazine files on top.  Use a pencil to trace the shape onto the paper and cut.  Use Modge Podge, or similar decoupage medium to glue everything down.  I decided to put a heavy coat of Modge Podge over the entire thing when I was done, just to make it stronger.  I wanted to ensure that nothing came loose or ripped.

You could substitute Modge Podge with some watered down school glue (like Elmer's glue).  It would work just as well, and yield the same type of results.

I was able to get the smaller books organized, and hide some of the other mismatched books.  Now everything looks uniform and beautiful.  They aren't screaming at me any longer!

These magazine files can be used anywhere in the home.  If you have a space that needs a little organization and style, these would work out great.

Now on to the next project.  I wonder what it will be?!

Before I close this post, I thought that I would share another funny with you today...

Because I am addicted.  Not a bad thing...I get so much inspiration from the photos and ideas pinned by others.  It is a great place to gather a bunch of creative minds.  The sharing is great!

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Seamstress I Am NOT!

After remodeling my dining room, there was only one thing left to do...find curtains for the back door (a huge glass sliding door).  I searched everywhere on the net and locally.  I just couldn't find that one curtain that jumped at me.  I found a style that I liked, but could not find it in the deep, dark red I wanted.  

Just as I was going to give up, I was walking through the craft store.  I walked around through the fabric department and there it was, the fabric and color I loved!  I just had to get it.  Now what?

I hadn't even attempted to sew anything in years.  I didn't have a pattern and wasn't about to start another search to find a pattern to match the curtains I liked.  So, I decided to jump in.  How hard could a triangle be to sew?  Oh if I only knew.

Here is what I started with...

I measured, cut and guessed alot.  But, I think that the final product turned out pretty good.  They are by far not perfect, but they are different and look good.  These curtains really brightened the space.  Overall, I am happy with them.

Go out and get inspired.  Try something different.  Do something that you haven't done before (or in a long time).  You might just be surprised with what you come up with.

I also wanted to give you a little something fun today.  So here you are, Pinterest Addicts!

I still have many projects in the making.  Keep checking back to find your inspiration.

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Solution For Storing Cupcake Liners

I was feeling rather inspired today for some reason.  In my quest to get my home organized, I came up with a rather inexpensive project to solve a rather pesky problem in my kitchen.  I don't currently do a lot of baking, but when I do I tend to make cupcakes rather than cakes.  Most of the baking and candy making in my home gets done at Christmas time.  However, I do somehow always seem to collect cupcake liners.  They were wasting space in an entire drawer in the kitchen.  We can't have that.

Here my solution to just such a problem.  These jars can be used for many problem areas throughout the home.   You can adjust them to fit your needs in any room.  

I started by purchasing two glass jars with sealed lids.  I purchased two of them at Michael's.  They just happen to be on sale this week for $2.99. 

The larger one stands approximately 6-1/2 inches, the smaller one about 4 inches.  I also found a pretty scrapbook paper on clearance for 49 cents.  It is two sided, so if I get tired of the pattern, I can always flip the paper to recycle.  

As you can see, I have a lot of cupcake liners.

I used less than one sheet of 12" x 12" paper (only about 3/4 of a sheet).  I eyeballed and marked each sheet so that the lid wouldn't cut into the paper.  I then used a straight cutter and cut each sheet.  I then placed each sheet in its respective jar.  I used a small piece of tape on the inside to hold it.

Once I liked the look, I printed a couple of labels.  I glued them, but they could be stuck with a small piece of tape or removable tape that can be found with the scrapbooking supplies.

They came out beautifully.  (Sorry about the horrible photos...I was in a hurry)

Did all the cupcake liners fit?  Well, yes that did!!  I was able to make two stacks wide in the small container.  Problem solved!

On to the next project.

I would love to hear your comments on this project.  Be honest.

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Storage Solution for Small Spaces

Today I am going to show yet another Pinterest project.  First, you must understand that in my house, I never seem to have enough space.  I am always organizing and/or looking for storage solutions in order to give me more living space.  (The obstacles of older homes)

I started out with a huge china cabinet that I had crammed in a corner of my little dining room.  (didn't get the pic with it in there)  I was constantly having to work around this huge piece of furniture...with the dining table, wall space, cleaning, etc.  I got fed up.  I moved that monster out and put a fresh coat of paint on to begin.

I then had my husband build me four blind shelves and install them for me.  This was a little more work than expected, but I wanted them sanded smooth, coated well with paint and topped with a heavy coat of clear.  As you can see, we had a little supervisor.

A few baskets, a lot of organizing, some minor organizing and I HAVE SPACE in my dining room.

On to the next project.

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My Jewelry Storage Solution

As promised, I am sharing on of my newest completed projects.  I love to make jewelry whenever I am able.  Sometimes my body and hands do not cooperate with me.  However, when I can, I try to design new pieces to go with outfits that I have.  It isn't always cheaper, but at least I have jewelry that not only I designed myself, but are specific for the clothing that I wear.

Here is what I started out with.  It is a large piece...about 28" x 33".  My workable area measures approximately 20" x 27".  I purchased this at Hobby Lobby on a half price sale, and it already had the cork board back!

Then I added some large and small push pins, wire, hooks and name tag clips.  That's right, I made name tag clips work to my advantage here.

And then, the final product.

Not sure that I am completely done with it just yet, but I don't think it looks too bad for my first attempt.  Now to make some more jewelry to get it filled up...LOL.

Stay tuned for more projects I am working on.  I know I am not even close to done just yet.

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