Archives for October 2012

Guest Post: Jewelry Box Makeover

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Today Barbara from Chase the star stopped by to share with us a cute jewelry box makeover. I am a fan of trinket box updates, and this one is no exception. It never ceases to amaze me what a huge difference can be made with a little paint! See how Barbara took hers from drab to fab. Take it away, Barbara!

Hello everyone, I’m Barbara from Chase the Star, where I write about my adventures in crafting, furniture makeovers, recipes, and more! I’m thrilled to share my latest project, a jewelry box transformation, here at Saved by Love!

{Updating a Jewelry Box}

I found this old and slightly beat-up jewelry box at my local thrift store, it was on sale (oh yeah…second hand and on sale) so I just had to take it home and give it some much needed love.

I had so much fun making this little box over! All sorts of ideas came to mind. I envisioned it in a little girl’s room, or perhaps it would live with a sophisticated teen, or even a sit in a family room or entry way. So many possibilities! I decided in order to accommodate all of those scenarios, I’d paint it a pretty blue and white.

{Making It Pretty}

The jewelry box had lots of potential. Although the stain was fading, and it had a few scratches and small chips, the inside lining was in tact, and the bones were great! This made things easy because repairing and re-lining can take some time.

Makeover a Jewelry Box @savedbyloves #upcycle

With a small Phillip’s screw driver, I removed the hinges, and the mini drawer pulls.

The pulls and tiny screws with were sprayed a glossy white. In the meantime making sure to cover the inside lining (I used foil and painter’s tape to protect it), I sprayed primer over the entire piece.

Later, I added a coat of white spray (satin finish) to everything but the drawers.

Then with a small foam brush I painted the drawers and rims of the top and bottom in a shade of blue I’d mixed together to paint a stool a few weeks back.

I added a light coat of polyurethane to seal my work. Once everything was dry I screwed the hinges and pulls back on to the piece.

I’m loving the way this piece turned out! It’s amazing how a little paint can make a world of difference!

I’d love to see you over at Chase the Star! Stop by and say ‘hello’, and check out some of my other projects such as my fabric lined mason jars, and metal file cabinet makeover!

You can also visit me here:

Thank you so much Johnnie for letting me share my fun Jewelry Box Transformation with your readers!

Barbara @ Chase the Star

Autumn Pop Art Printables

by Johnnie Collier

[pinit] #Printable #Fall Decor by @savedbyloves #DIY #crafts

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It was time for me to update my wall with some fall art. If you have been around here for awhile, you know I switch out these 3 11×14 frames to match the seasons, and provide you with free printables when I do so. I made these fall themed prints in Photoshop, using the background layers from the Z Gallerie trio shared previously.

DOWNLOADS:

Click the thumbnail to bring up the full resolution file and print at home or send to your printer service.

Make a Mosaic Flower Pot

by Johnnie Collier

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My talented friend Amy of Plucking Daisies is back with a wonderful, whimsical flower pot upcycle. I love everything about it, but especially the hammer smashing of china plates. How fun does that sound?! See how she did it…

Hi there! So happy to be back at Saved by Love Creations! The last few times I was here I showed you how to make flowers. Today I’m going to show you how to make a fun container to put them in. The possibilities are endless with this project and it’s completely up to you how big you want to go with it. Do you have a bunch of mismatched dishes you don’t know what to do with? Well I have a solution for that! Get out your WORST China folks because we are about to break stuff! Opa!

How to Make a Broken China Flower Pot

First you are going to need a terra-cotta pot. Now is a great time to find them cheap. I got mine for a couple of bucks at Ocean State Job Lot. Spray paint your pot any color you like. Keep in mind that whatever color you choose is going to show through in spots after you add the broken china. I chose silver because I didn’t want the china pieces to get lost against a bold color.

You will also need to grab some Mosaic Tile Adhesive (Mercantile) and some cheap plastic palette knives. Both of these items can be found at Michael’s and most craft stores.

If you don’t have any spare china to break you will need to take a trip to the thrift store. Keep an eye out for bright-colored plates with bold and busy patterns. Stay away from dishes that have high ridges and deep curves these are much harder to adhere. The flatter the better!

*You can also use tile cutters to snip more even pieces if you like.

Breaking China:

To break your china simply place it in a towel and hit it with a rubber mallet or hammer a couple of times. *Don’t go crazy, china especially will break pretty easily and you don’t want your pieces to be too small.

As you break your plates make sure you have some containers handy so you can arrange your broken china pieces by color. This will save you tons of time once you start adhering pieces to your flower-pot. I used a variety of plastic containers from my recycling bin.

When working with the adhesive you will need to apply it to the back of your broken china and the spot on your flower-pot where you want it to go. Apply the adhesive like you would apply spreadable cheese to a cracker. You don’t want too much but you want enough to cover and form a strong bond.

*Keep some baby wipes handy to clean any wayward adhesive off of china pieces and fingers.

Lay your pot on its side and cover as much surface area as you can. Arranging the broken china pieces is a lot like putting together a puzzle. Experiment with different pieces before applying the adhesive to ensure a good fit! *You will need to let the adhesive dry overnight before moving on to the next section.

*Some of the sharp edges will stick out so just be careful when you pick up your pot.

Once you have all of your broken china pieces adhered to your pot you can embellish the uncovered areas with paints, gems, or whatever you like! I used Martha Stewart Acrylic paints to create a checkered pattern on the top and bottom of my pot. I also used glossy accents to add tiny silver stars in between the black squares.

The fun doesn’t stop with flower pots for this technique. You can use broken china to make a mosaic on pretty much anything. Maybe around a mirror, or to upgrade the inside panel of a cabinet door. You can also use other materials for your mosaic like glass gems, stones, beads, or found objects. Like I said, the possibilities are endless!

I hope you enjoy making a broken china mosaic of your own….breaking plates and putting them back together in this way is quite enjoyable if I do say so myself 🙂

If you enjoyed this tutorial you can find more inspiring ideas and creative tutorials at Plucking Daisies!

You can also find me on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Have a colorful day!

Amy*

Halloween Paper Ornament Tree

by Johnnie Collier

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Grab a limb from your back yard and you are on your way to creating this fun Halloween tree with paper ornaments. This project is super easy, cheap and cute. It came about as I was trying to think of a way to use up my Halloween patterned scrapbook paper.

I was going to make them into paper pumpkins, then decided they would cute as ornaments. Here is how to make your own.

SUPPLIES:

Branch

Black spray paint

Bottle or other vase

Paper

Circle punch or dies in various sizes

glue stick

Craft wire (20 or 22 gauge)

Wire cutters, flat nose and round nose pliers

beads

TUTORIAL:

Spray paint branch and set aside to dry. Once dry, place in bottle or planter, with pebbles or other filler to steady and hold branch in place.

Make the ornaments like I showed you in this paper sphere garland tutorial. Instead of stringing them as garland, string them each on their own wire, with a bead at the top and bottom as shown in the image.

Hang your ornaments on your tree and that is it! I think I will just keep this tree around and change it’s decor to go with the seasons. If you want to see more crafting with nature supplies, there is a 50+ for that. Click the thumbnail below:

Make a Fall Infinity Scarf

by Johnnie Collier

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I found a cool free infinity scarf pattern at Sweetest Keepsakes that I just had to share. Go see how Desiree takes a couple of yards of knit fabric and creates this beautiful autumn accessory with just a few simple steps!

Guest Post: 20 Ways to Reuse Old Bed Sheets

by Johnnie Collier

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In these times of economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to get creative. Instead of throwing something away, it is time to reuse it, recycle it, and make it into something new. That shoe box? A great place to hold your stationary. Those dried up mushrooms? Perfect to make a mushroom stock for cooking. There is almost nothing out there that cannot be turned to a better use. Old bed sheets may seem like they should be thrown away, but that is thinking inside the box. Instead of tossing them, put them to better use. Here are twenty ideas to get you started, but feel free to do something entirely different!

1. It’s almost Halloween so that means you can turn your bed sheets into a costume, one of the oldest, most well recognized costumes out there: Make yourself into a ghost!

Source: www.cafemom.com

2. If a ghost sounds too scary for you, think about creating a toga. Throw a Halloween toga party and invite all your friends! Or throw a toga party any other time of year. Great step-by-step instructions here: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Toga-out-of-a-Bedsheet

Source: www.wikihow.com

3. Make some aprons for yourself – they are meant to get dirty anyway, so why not use some old bed sheets to make them!

Source: www.craftyminx.com

4. Turn your old bed sheets into curtains for your windows. If you have patterns, use them to get even more creative! Cut out shapes and sew them on. Check out this handy tutorial from Fun Frugal Mom.

http://www.fun-frugal-mom-survival-tips.com/how_to_make_curtains.html

5. Cut up your old bed sheets and use them as cleaning rags. This is doubly good for the environment because it saves the sheets and stops you from using paper towels.

6. Use your sheets to line your pet’s crate – they might be too old for your use, but your dog won’t mind.

7. Store your old sheets in your car trunk so that you will always have them on hand for impromptu picnics!

Source: www.blog.babble.com

8. Use the sheets as drop cloths for your next painting or other messy creative project to protect the floor.

9. Donate your sheets to a local charity. They are probably less picky than you are and won’t mind that they are old as long as they are clean!

10. Save your sheets to use in the winter to cover plants and protect them from frost.

11. Cover furniture in unused rooms in your house. The sheet will protect the furniture from accumulating dust, so you don’t have to keep cleaning it.

12. Turn the old sheet into a tote bag. Use it at the grocery store instead of a plastic disposable one. Check out this helpful tutorial from Craft Stylish.

http://www.craftstylish.com/item/39876/how-to-turn-old-sheets-into-shopping-totes/page/all

13. Build a tent in your living room! Or make it a teepee and teach your kids about Native Americans.

Source: www.thesoho.blogspot.com

14. Transform the bed sheet into a bed skirt!

15. Make a rag rug – it never goes out of fashion to be frugal! My favorite design is this one from the lovely Elizabeth Anne. http://www.elizabethannedesigns.com/living/2009/04/09/craft-braided-rag-rug/

16. Use the sheet for a skirt for your Christmas tree – holiday season is just around the corner after all!

17. If only part of the sheet is damaged and the rest is in good condition, turn it into a pillow case.

18. If your sewing skills are just basic ones, turn the sheet into a new laundry bag – it is one of the easiest sewing projects out there!

Source: www.ihavetosay.typepad.com

19. Make a new cover for your ironing board. It will make ironing feel less like a chore if your ironing board is covered in a funky new pattern.

20. Use the least faded parts of the sheets to make a cover for a bulletin board. You can still pin anything you want on top of it, but now the background is more fun thank plain old cork.

About the Author: Elena Morgan is a thrifty, DIY mom, committed to making the world a better place through recycling. When she’s not repurposing household items, you can find Elena reviewing bedding, furniture and home décor. Click here see some products she recommends!

Book Page Pumpkin Patch

by Johnnie Collier

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Today I am sharing with you a great eco-friendly project for you fall decor, using old book pages or music sheets. It came to mind when I ran across this paper sphere garland I shared with you last year…

The process is pretty quick and easy. Here is how I did it.

SUPPLIES:

Book Pages

Pumpkin shape die, or paper punch, or template to trace onto pages and hand cut

Craft glue

Sticks

Raffia or Ribbon

TUTORIAL:

Cut pumpkin shapes with your die cutter or by hand. I used 16-20 per 3D pumpkin. You could also use an oval shape if you don’t have a pumpkin die.

Fold down center and glue halves back to back like I showed you with the sphere garland:

When all of your 16 shapes are glued together, adhere the last and first pumpkins to complete the 3D pumpkin. There will be a hole in the center for you to place a stick for the stem. Add a line of glue along the stick to secure in place. Embellish with raffia, ribbon, leaves, or beads as desired.

You could use them on your Thanksgiving table scape as place cards, or as part of a centerpiece. Instead of a stick use wire & create a loop at the top of the stem. Use the loop to thread your pumpkins on string for beautiful harvest garland.

CeCe Caldwell Paint Distressed Table

by Johnnie Collier

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I am pumped about CeCe Caldwell’s Chalk and Clay Paint, which I had the chance to try out in a recent class. My friend Beckie at Infarrantly Creative hosted the session for some local bloggers to learn about the product. The lovely ladies of Bungalow 47, Chantelle and Jill, came to Indiana and spent the day educating us on this amazing, completely natural, earth/people friendly paint.

I have not worked with anything like this before, and now I am a full fledged CeCe junkie. Being an instant gratification, “spray paint it and move” on kinda DIY-er, I was elated to find this paint requires little prep. Not only that, but no experience is necessary to create a beautiful piece. Count me in.

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Here is how I turned a beat up $5 flea market find into a distressed, chippy table that I proudly displayed in our guest room.

SUPPLIES:

CeCe Caldwell Chalk and Clay Paint; Traverse City Cherry and Seattle Mist

CeCe Caldwell Clear Wax and Wax Brush

Furniture to paint

Drop cloth or plastic

Good paint brush

Clean rags

Sandpaper or sanding block

TUTORIAL:

Apply wax in a section at a time, wiping away excess before moving to the next section. This is my first time with wax, so I have nothing to compare it to, but it was simple to apply. I purchase the wax brush for $18 and love it. You can tell with clarity where you have wax, since the paint turns much darker when it is applied. That way you won’t miss an area. I let my table dry overnight, then buffed with a dry towel for shine. To clean, just wipe with dry cloth after table cures. Takes one month to completely cure, so don’t run a sprinkler near it or put it outside in the rain until then!

I absolutely love the chippiness and texture of my finished piece. This was super easy to achieve.

Not bad for a $5 table, CeCe Caldwell supplies (thank you, Bungalow 47) and an afternoon’s work. You will be seeing much more of this product around here.

50+ Things to Make From Paper Bags

by Johnnie Collier

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Did you know that we throw away enough paper per year to make a 12 foot wall spanning from California to New York? 60,000 trees would be saved if every U.S. household reused a paper grocery bag for just one shopping trip (source). It is amazing that everyone pitching in by reusing just one bag would have such a huge impact. Today’s round-up gives you 50+ creative uses for paper bags. Some of them are familiar. Some of them redefine what it means to think outside of the box!

50 plus things to make from recycled paper bags @savedbyloves #recycled #crafts #upcycle

Roben-Marie Smith created this beautiful brown paper bag ribbon that I need. This would be the perfect project to gift the crafter on your list, or to give your gift wrapping a unique touch.

Are you kidding me with this brown paper bag flooring at Simon Says? Who does that? I would love to know where the inspiration originated, and how long that project took. The tutorial is very brief, but maybe there is a more detailed one out there. How cool!

Make an adorable Halloween candy bowl from paper bags and tissue paper. The Long Thread walks you through this craft that the kids are sure to love.

Take advantage of seasonal graphic shopping bags to create festive recycled paper Christmas stockings with Rock Scissor Paper. What a cheap way to bring a unique, handmade touch to your holiday decor!

This is one of those “That is made from what?” projects. Create these sweet and simple paper bag woven placemats with Free Kids Crafts. They look like something I would have bought from Pier One back when I bought things instead of making them!

The list goes on…

Make Lovely Chain Maille Earrings

by Johnnie Collier

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Yesterday I showed you some chain maille and pearl bracelets. Today you will see how to make simple, elegant chain maille earrings. If you are like me and thought of chain maille jewelry as masculine, you will be pleasantly surprised to find tons of patterns to fit your style.

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For this pair, I followed the steps outlined in The Chain Maille Lady’s chain maille flower earring tutorial. Since I didn’t have the exact jump ring sizes Lauren used on hand, I used 4mm 20 gauge copper rings (52), silver plated split rings 6mm (14) and 7mm silver plated jump rings (14). I like the dimensional effect created by using slightly different sized silver rings.

These earrings are simple to make, and would make wonderful handmade Christmas gifts, don’t you think?

For this pair, I used an Etsy photo as my guide. The pair is also by The Chain Maille Lady, here.

Mine are looser, and the size difference in the two silver (copper in the Etsy pair) is not as big. If your want your project to come out exact, jump ring diameter and gauge are important. Mine turned out a little saggier than I would like since the smallest jump rings I have are 4mm. Guess who just ordered supplies!

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I can’t wait to make more of these little guys. On the hunt for some orange jump rings to go with some black ones I picked up yesterday at Joann’s for a Halloween pair. Have you made chain maille?

Archives for October 2012

Guest Post: Jewelry Box Makeover

{Updating a Jewelry Box}

Autumn Pop Art Printables

DOWNLOADS:

Make a Mosaic Flower Pot

How to Make a Broken China Flower Pot

Breaking China:

You can also find me on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

Halloween Paper Ornament Tree

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

Make a Fall Infinity Scarf

Guest Post: 20 Ways to Reuse Old Bed Sheets

Book Page Pumpkin Patch

The process is pretty quick and easy. Here is how I did it.

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

CeCe Caldwell Paint Distressed Table

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

50+ Things to Make From Paper Bags

The list goes on…

Make Lovely Chain Maille Earrings

Meet Johnnie

Categories

Recent Printables

50+ Roundups

Archives for October 2012

{Updating a Jewelry Box}

DOWNLOADS:

How to Make a Broken China Flower Pot

Breaking China:

You can also find me on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

The process is pretty quick and easy. Here is how I did it.

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

The list goes on…

Meet Johnnie

Categories

SBLC Topics