DIY Ombre Sequin Ornaments

Beaded, sequin-covered ornaments were a popular craft in the 60's and I have distinct memories of admiring them on my grandma's Christmas tree every year as a kid. If it was sparkly, I was all over it and those ornaments were the shiniest things around! I've been meaning to try making my own modern interpretation for years so I finally made the time and came up with these ombre sequined ornaments. I'm so excited with how they turned out! While the materials are really inexpensive and the technique is simple, it takes a while to do. It's not a quick craft by any means! I made mine over a couple evenings, sitting down in front of Netflix (Broadchurch, watch it!) whenever I had the time. This is the sort of craft that will become an heirloom so take your time and don't rush it. It's actually a pretty relaxing activity once you get going and the results are absolutely stunning. No one will believe you made it yourself!

Here's what you'll need:

• Sequin pins. These are shorter than regular pins and they come in silver or gold
• Sequins. You'll need at least three different shades to get an ombre affect
• Seed beads in the color of your choice. I chose clear with silver lining
• Tacky glue
• 2 1/2" Styrofoam balls
• Ribbon
• Short length of wire. Any gauge will work
• A tray or shoebox lid to work on
• Small containers

Separate the sequin colors into containers. Pour some of the beads into a shallow container. Cut a length of ribbon about 8" and tie the ends. Make a U shape with the wire, hook the end around the ribbon loop, and add some tacky glue to the ends. Push the wire into the top of a styrofoam ball until ribbon is flush with the top of the ball. Let dry. Draw a line around the center of the ball with a permanent marker, to help guide the ombre design.



Thread a bead onto a pin, followed by a sequin in your lightest color. Make sure it's right side up - u shape instead of n shape for maximum sparkle! Dip the end of the pin in some tacky glue, and push the pin into the top of the ball right next to the ribbon. Continue adding beads and sequins all the way around the ribbon, slightly overlapping each so the styrofoam doesn't show through.



Keep going!! When you get about a third of the way down, start transitioning to the middle color sequins, and then to the last color about 2/3 of the way down. I mixed in a few sequins of the next color here and there to make the color transition more gradual.



tips

• Instead of trying to thread each tiny bead onto the pin, just slide the pin through the container of beads. You'll pick one or a few up every time.
• Squirt out some glue onto a scrap of cardboard and dip the pin ends into into that. Make sure to use glue - you don't want the pins falling out when you're finished! 
• Set up all of your little containers and glue inside a tray or shoebox lid. This will help keep sequins, beads, and pins from going all over the place if it gets bumped, and makes it easier to put aside when you want to take a break.

These ornaments are so pretty - even better in person! I love the ombre look, but you can try other designs and patterns, too. Stripes, swirls, polka dots. When I bought my supplies I also got a styrofoam cone that would make the prettiest Christmas tree. We'll see if I have enough time to tackle that! I'm not even done with the aqua/teal/blue one yet! :) I hope you'll try making some yourself!


P.S. Check out lots of projects from holidays past in the DIY Gallery!

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DIY Halloween Flower Vases

Halloween season, how I love thee! I spotted these adorable little frosted vases at Michael's a few weeks ago, and as per my usual style, bought them with no idea what I'd do with them. I thought they'd be perfect for Halloween, though. They look like little apothecary bottles, don't you think? It wasn't until after I started playing around with paper flowers again that I realized they'd make perfect little flower vases, but they'd need a little bit of embellishing. You can use lots of different materials for this project - ribbons, foils, faux flowers, real, or paper ones like I did.

Here's what you'll need:

• Mini frosted vases. These came in packages of 2 at Michaels for something super cheap like $3
• Double-sided scrapbooking tape. This stuff is super strong and comes in all sorts of widths. I used 1/8"
• Transfer foil (This was the same brand I used but mine came in silver, gold, and copper colors)
• Ribbon, baker's twine
• Black paper
• Silver or white pen
• Hole punch
• Flowers. Faux, real, paper, whatever you'd like. I made these black paper flowers myself. Craft stores carry Halloween themed silk flowers or you could use grocery store mums.

Unroll a bit of the tape and stick it onto the bottom of the vase. Continue all the way around till the ends meet, and trim. Pull up the orange plastic to expose the other sticky side, and stick on the ribbon, match the ends and trim. So easy!


You could easily just make a bunch of ribbon stripes, but I thought a metallic touch would be nice, so I repeated the steps with this foil transfer in silver. Once you expose the sticky tape again, just apply the silver strips with the shiny side up. Rub the strip down with your finger and then pull up. You're left with a super-crisp silver stripe!



Cut a strip of black paper, notch one end and hole punch the other end. Write our your party guest's names and tie with ribbon or baker's twine. Add your Halloween flower and that's it!



These would make adorable place cards at an October dinner or cute little party favors. They're so easy to make and customize. Plus the tape is fully removable so you can switch it up later if you decide. I like these so much I think I'll keep a few around all year. I hope you like them, too!

P.S. Check out my DIY Gallery page to see lots of diys from Halloween's past!

DIY Stamped Gift Tags

I'm excited to share this project for two reasons: first, it's really simple and the results are adorable! Second, I get to debut a few brand new products in the shop.



New retro lawn chair rubber stamps from my Patio Party collection! I have three different designs available - they're the perfect way to jazz up greeting card envelopes, letters, and all sorts of other paper products, like handmade gift tags!

Here's what you'll need:

• Rubber Stamps - you can find these three in my shop!
• Pigment ink pad
• Watercolor paper
• Watercolors. I've had this Windsor Newton set since college and I love it
• Paint brush
• Tag punch
• Hole punc
• Baker's twine, embroidery thread, or yarn

Start with the watercolors. Dip the brush in water and pick up some paint. Dab it onto the paper and then try blending the edges with more water. Experiment mixing and blending colors together. Small areas of color are all you need, so have fun with it! Let dry.



Time for stamping! Place the stamp rubber side up on the table and tap the ink pad over it. When the design is saturated, stamp on the watercolor paper. Stamp up the whole sheet of paper - experiment with placement and see what you like best. My favorites had some white space underneath the image. Let dry. (If you'd like to try a more precise option, try stamping the designs first and then adding color to the open areas afterwards.)

Center the stamped design (save some space for the hole at the top) and punch! Punch 'em all out. Add the holes to the top, and tie up with twine.



How cute! I love the mix of colors. I used blues, greens, and yellows, but these could easily be customized in any color to match your favorite gift wrap. Make a bunch and give sets as gifts.

DIY Easy Fabric Art

There's nothing better than a large piece of art in a room, but unfortunately, buying big framed art can get pretty expensive. I found a bunch of great vintage Japanese fabrics at a Buddhist Temple rummage sale last summer for a steal - something like $1 for the whole bundle. The prints were so great but the dimensions of the pieces were odd; long and skinny and not quite large enough to sew much with. I noticed this bright tropical print in my fabric stack the other day and realized it would look great on the wall! I have a trick for hanging up fabric panels on the wall that looks super professional but is actually so easy to DIY and inexpensive, too (the whole thing cost less than $10). I can't wait to share!

I love using wood canvas stretcher bars for this project because not only are they inexpensive but  you can also buy them in the exact dimensions that you are looking for. That said, this project could also be done with a picture frame.

Here's what you'll need:

• Fabric panel. Large scale prints work better than smaller ones
• Canvas stretcher bars, 2 for the width and 2 for the height, both about 4" shorter in width and length than your fabric panel. These 4 stretcher bars cost me about $8 total (cool, right?!)
• Staple gun with staples. I love this Craftsman staple gun. So easy to use.
• Picture wire and "i" screws
• Ruler and pencil

Measure and mark the location for the "i" screws on the vertical pieces. Since mine was tall (14" x 36") I measured 7" down from the top of each side. Twist in the screws.

Join the frame pieces. Mine made a pretty sturdy fit, but if yours are loose you can staple over the corners to secure.

Lay the fabric face down and center the frame over it. Make sure you've oriented the fabric so you know which way is up and the screws are near the top of the panel. Fold the edge of fabric down about half and inch, then fold it over the side of the frame. Staple in the center. Repeat on the opposite side of the frame, pulling the fabric taught before you staple once the center. Repeat on the other two sides. Continue folding over, pulling taut, and stapling on opposite sides, until the fabric is anchored all the way around the frame.
When you get the the corners, fold the fabric like wrapping a present to get a smooth corner and staple.


Attach the picture wire to the "i" screws and twist the ends. Done! Hang from a picture hanging hook. Enjoy your big, custom artwork!


This technique is a great way to make a big, high-impact piece of art for just a few bucks. Look for fabrics from your favorite designers to stretch and make art. I have a large scale Marimekko print that I've had hanging up for years. It still looks great and no one can tell it's not an expensive canvas print.

P.S. Like my palm tree nails? Learn how to do it yourself with my palm tree mani diy!

DIY Palm Tree Mani

Hey guys! I've got a good one for you today, that is if you're into nail art and tropical prints! And who isn't, amirite? Special bonus, this palm tree mani diy is actually pretty easy to do yourself - no need to pay a premium at the salon. And you don't need any special painting skills - if you can write your name with a pen I bet you can draw some palm trees that look amazing on your nails. So let's get to it!

Here's what you'll need:

• Base coat. I use Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
• Nail color. I used Essie Full Steam Ahead
• Clear top coat
• Sally Hansen I <3 Nail Art pen in Black, Fine (I found mine at Target for about $5)

Start with clean, painted nails: 1 coat of the base coat + 2 coats of nail color, and let dry thoroughly. Shake up the pen according to the directions and get it flowing on a scrap of paper. For one palm tree: draw one long line for the trunk. Add 4-5 small arcs coming out of the top of the tree. Draw small vertical lines under each arc to make the palm fronds. Repeat on all or just a few of your nails. Finish with a clear top coat and let the compliments start rolling in!!



These trees are painterly and somewhat free-form, so don't worry about trying to be perfect! I painted palms on both of my hands and didn't have any trouble painting them on with my non-dominant hand. Practice a bit on a piece of paper, or have a friend help you out if you're having trouble.

I hope you'll give this mani a try! This nail polish pen is seriously a game-changer! I can't wait to try some other designs.

P.S. Love nail art? Check out my gold leaf and heart manicures from the archives!

DIY Modern Staghorn Fern

Hey, did I tell you guys I love plants? I've been on the hunt (ha!) for a staghorn fern for a few years, so I was thrilled when I came across some for sale at a orchid show I attended a couple weeks ago. Staghorn ferns are named for their resemblance to, well, the horns of a stag. They're epiphytes, which means they naturally attach themselves and grow on the trunks and branches of other trees and shrubs. They can also be attached to other vertical surfaces and hung on the wall. They're really cool plants! When I originally picked mine up I planned to mount it to a slab of weathered wood, but I changed my mind and decided instead to attach it to a piece of wire metal mesh. The clean lines of the metal combined with the leafy, organic form of the fern really gives it a modern look. It would look great hanging inside or outside!

Here's what you'll need to make a modern hanging staghorn fern of your own:

• Staghorn Fern. I bought mine at a local orchid show, but you can find them online and in specialty nurseries.
• Sheet Moss
• Monofilament or fishing line (I used clear beading line from my mobile project)
• Hooks and/or spacers for hanging on the wall. My wire panel has loops on the sides that would prevent it from hanging flush against the wall - that is good! If your panel is flat it would be best to hang it 1/2" or so away from the wall so the moisture doesn't affect it. Try using pegboard spacers for the installation.
• Metal grid. Repurposed (I always see these at the thrift shop) or you can buy and paint a piece of wire mesh from the hardware store. Mine was a divider for my puppy's crate!  
• Scissors

Cut a few pieces of moss and dampen in a bowl of water. Lay the metal panel on your work surface and create a little "nest" shape where you want the fern to go. Make it thicker on the side that will become the bottom when it's standing up. Remove the pot from the fern, remove any loose soil, and loosen the root ball. Don't be afraid to use a little muscle loosening the roots. Set the fern in the moss nest.



Cut another piece of moss to go over all of the exposed soil. I was able to do this with one piece, but use more if you need to fill in any open areas. Bundle the moss around the roots, covering up any exposed soil.



Cut a length of the monofilament, about 3' long. Tie the end to the wire mesh next to the edge of the plant. Pull the line directly across the plant, making sure to go under all of the leaves (so it only makes contact with the moss) and loop on the other side. Repeat, looping back and forth until the entire base of the fern is securely attached to the wire grid. Tie off the end. Tuck additional bits of moss around any visible monofilment if you'd like, to help conceal it.



Screw in a two hooks on the wall and hang, or just lean it against a wall. If placing it outside, it will do best in a bright area with no direct sunlight. Morning sun is ok, but it will burn in direct afternoon sun. Bring inside during the colder months to avoid frost. It also likes humidity so place it near a water source like a pond, or hang it in the bathroom when you shower. Give it a soak once a week or when the soil and moss feel dry.



I can't wait for this guy to grow! Do you have any experience with staghorn ferns? Aren't they cool?