Saved By Love Creations

Make Geometric Modern Jewelry With Balsa Wood

Have you ever wondered what you could do with balsa wood? I mean besides kid school projects? I inherited a stack of the stuff and it has been stowed away for years, waiting for me to be struck with inspiration. I saw these cool, modern DIY jewelry pieces from Infinity Blend and now I can’t wait to get started! You don’t have to have special power tools with this wood, just a craft knife and tiny screw driver you would use on your eyeglasses.

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Click on the image above for the full tutorial, or go HERE:

How to make handmade wooden jewelry with simple tools

Be sure and thank Maria for sharing with SBLC!

Be sure and check out our other jewelry tutorials here at Saved By Love Creations!

How to Make a Gorgeous French Typography Lamp from a Liquor Bottle

by Johnnie Collier

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DecoArt. All opinions are mine and honest. This paint rocks!

We are getting ready for a big move, and I am busy with DIY home decor on a shoestring budget! Today I am sharing a super sweet french typography Chalky Finish Paint lamp that I made from a discarded liquor bottle. You will see how to drill a hole in the bottle for the cord, how to chalk paint and distress the lamp, as well as how to transfer an image to the painted surface. This project is easy and cheap. The biggest expenditure is the $6 bottle lamp kit and the $15 lamp shade I just had to have for it! The new Americana Decor Chalky Finish paint is now available in Home Depot and Michaels stores. It is also available for purchase online at homedepot.com.

SUPPLIES:

Really cool liquor bottle

Drill and 1/2 inch Diamond hole drill bit

Small container of water

Towel or paper towels

Rubbing Alcohol or glass cleaner

Lamp Shade

Light Bulb

DecoArt Americana Chalky finish paint In Treasure, Inheritance, Everlasting and Primitive

DecoArt Americana Crème Wax in clear and Golden Brown

Medium grit sand paper

Paint brush and wax brush

Bottle Lamp Kit (I got mine at Wal-Mart for $6.47

White Tissue Paper

Cardstock

Masking Tape

Printer

Image to transfer (I used this French Typography Graphic from the fabulous Graphics Fairy)

TUTORIAL:

Begin by drilling a hole in the back at the base of your bottle where you want the cord to exit. I showed you how to do that HERE:

Upcycle a Glass Bottle into a Lamp

Once your hole is drilled, clean your bottle surface all over with glass cleaner or rubbing alcohol.

Use a soft, flat brush to paint on a layer of Treasure. When that is dry, paint on a layer of Primitive.

I sanded the gray, revealing the blue base layer. I decided I wanted a soft yellow top coat, so I mixed Everlasting with Inheritance to lighten and soften the mustard like color. Then I painted that in a cross hatch, random and messy fashion so that the final piece will have texture and depth.

To get my image for transfer, I printed some of my favorites from the Graphics Fairy. There are thousands of free images there to fit any style. The one I went with is a French Typography file which you can find linked in the supplies section.

Just cut a piece of white tissue paper to fit your card stock and tape it on with masking tape. Place in printer and print!

Cut or tear your image from the tissue paper. I like to tear it so the edges are feathered and not such a straight edge like you get with scissors. It blends in better.

Apply Clear Creme Wax where you will place the tissue. Carefully place the tissue and smooth out wrinkles with your finger.

Paint more Clear Creme Wax over that and let dry.

When the tissue transfer dries, sand entire bottle in areas where you want to bring out the underlying paint colors. Then apply clear wax over the entire bottle. Let that dry for at least 30 minutes.

Apply Golden Brown Creme Wax as desired and wipe back with soft cloth. If you use too much brown, you can wipe it away even further using Clear Creme Wax on a rag.

Now it is time to use the Bottle Lamp Kit!

Follow the included instructions, except for where it says to thread the cord. It has the cord coming out of the fixture just under the light bulb, but we drilled a hole in our bottle to avoid having an ugly cord running down the lamp from top to bottom!

I found the burlap lampshade at Wal-Mart for $15.

I love my new lamp! More than that, I love this line of paint. You will be seeing it in so many more projects coming up here at SBLC.

Remember this DIY Hand-Painted Sign? Yep, same paint line. It goes on beautifully, is easy to distress, and comes in an amazing color palate. LOVE!

Visit the DecoArt Chalky Finish website for more information.

DIY Wine Bottle Craft Rainbow Lanterns

by Johnnie Collier

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Who doesn’t love a good rainbow theme decorated space? This project is that, and so much more. For little to no cost, you can create gorgeous rainbow lanterns for your next party, or for every day spring and summer decor! Upcycle wine bottles by cutting them, pouring in some tinted Mod Podge, letting them dry and putting them over tea light candles. I am just the DIY blogger to show you how to pull it off, so lets go!

SUPPLIES:

Wine bottles cut to the size you want (I have showed you how to cut theme HERE: How to Cut Wine Bottles)

Tea light candles (I used flammable, but battery operated will work as well)

Mod Podge Sheer Colors

Wax paper or non stick craft mat

TUTORIAL:

Squeeze a generous amount of Mod Podge Sheer Colors into the cut end of your bottle.

Twirl Bottle to disperse color all over the inside of the bottle.

If you are having a hard time getting it to flow, you can tap the bottle against your wrist as shown.

Let the excess Mod Podge drip into back into the product bottle to save as much as possible for your next project!

I placed my bottles on my kitchen table, on a non stick craft sheet, with the ceiling fan on. Place them with the mouth down so they dry faster.

The color will be opaque in spots, and you may get discouraged, but fear not. They will dry beautifully. Once they do, you can cut any of color over the mouth of the bottle with a craft knife to open the bottle top.

Place over your tea lights and enjoy your gorgeous rainbow!

Upcycle a Rusty Grate Into a DIY Photo Display

by Johnnie Collier

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Today I am happy to share with you this rustic, quick & easy upcycle to display your favorite Instagram photos – all while saving a rusty old grate from a tragic dumpster demise! This particular grate is from an fire pit that is no longer. I just couldn’t part with it. Round objects have a hard time getting away from me since I love the challenge of using them to create unique repurposed wreaths.

Such as this repurposed hubcap wreath…

I digress. Back to the grate.

Here is the old thing. It has sat on my porch for months, begging for inspiration to strike me. Along came Susan.

If you haven’t been to Homeroad, you need to remedy that. Susan is a junker with an eye for upcycling that always inspires. When I saw her Barrel Strap Photo Holder, I knew what I had to do.

Find something old, rusty and round, and you can do it too, within just a few minutes!

How to make a Rustic Photo Holder

Photos

Photos – Use your Instagram photos or other photos and apply a fun vintage filter!

Scrapbook ephemera

I used ATC backgrounds I found at Hobby Lobby in a fun yellow, blue, vintage yet modern, geometric patterned, grungy style. you know that style, right?

The flowers are from Prima . I grabbed them at Hobby Lobby, but you can find them with my Amazon link too.

I used silver and white baker’s twine with the intention of clipping the photos with tiny cute clothespins. While digging through my stash I found the perfect Gator clips from 7 Gypsies. Their little hook fit perfectly over the rods in the grate.

I threw this piece together in under 10 minutes, and I will cherish it for years to come!

DIY Macrame Mason Jar Hanging Planter

by Johnnie Collier

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Mason jars are being cut like crazy around here. Today I am showing you how to make this easy macrame mason jar hanging planter. I have always wanted to make a macrame planter like this, and have finally marked it off of my to do list. It was super simple and fast to make. I truly thought it would be a long, complicated process and am pleased to report I was wrong! If you can count to five and tie a knot, you can make this. Let’s go!

SUPPLIES:

Twine

Mason Jar with bottom 1/3 cut off (How to cut mason jars)

Scissors

Masking Tape

Butane Micro Torch or Candle and Lighter

Bucket of Cold Water

Plant

Chain

TUTORIAL:

Cut 5 pieces of twine, each six feet in length.

Tie a knot in the middle, leaving a loop at the top for hanging by chain.

Tie the pairs of strings together to make five knots about 4 inches down from the big knot you made. In the photo I have completed 2 knots and the third one is in progress. Tie all 5 pairs of string into 5 knots.

Now you will be making your hanger into a cylinder by joining the outer edges. About 1.5 inches down from previous knots, tie knots with pairs using one strand from each adjacent knot. For the final knot, tie the remaining string on each outer side (at the black arrows in the photo) together. You have a tube.

Repeat this step one or two more times, depending on how tall your planter is. You can insert your jar or other container into the planter to determine if you want another row of knots. I aligned mine so that the first row of knots is at the top of the container and decided that I would like one more row.

When you are happy with the number of knot rows, Insert plater and gather strands at the base of it to determine where to tie your final knot.

Tie the knot at the base, insert chain in top loop of planter and hang! (These last two pics are with a different container, but it is the same process for a mason jar. Sorry about the graininess!).

Make a DIY Terrarium Necklace

by Johnnie Collier

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This tiny little treasure is easy to make and takes just minutes. I found a new to me product from Tim Holtz called Corked Domes and knew immediately that I would be making a terrarium pendant with them. There is glass drilling required, but do not fear. You can do it, no problem. I will help you and you will be a pro in no time. I am warning you now that I used fake plants to make my terrarium. You can use live plants. It is way hipper if they are alive, but I have a tendency not to water things, so I went plastic. If you are honest and you don’t have a PhD in succulentology, you’ve gotta give me that they look like the real deal.

SUPPLIES:

Rotary tool (I use Bead Landing Rotary Tool

Diamond Drill Bits

Tim Holtz Corked Domes

Small container of water and lint free towel

Hot glue/glue gun or Flora Bond if using live plants

Moss, small stones, mushrooms and whatever you want in your dome

Succulents (live or fake) – I got my fake succulents at Michael’s

20 Gauge copper wire or eye pin

Round Nose jewelry pliers

Flat nose jewelry pliers

Needle nose pliers

Flush wire cutters

Chain or cord for hanging your pendant

TUTORIAL:

First you need to drill a hole in the top of your dome for a place to insert wire for hanging the pendant. Follow the detailed instructions I showed you in this tutorial: Mason Jar Chimes Tutorial and Drilling in Glass.

NOTE: These glass domes are very thin. I tried drilling the hole using my dremel and shattered the first dome I attempted. I like the rotary tool used in the tutorial linked above because it is way fewer RPMs than my dremel and it has adjustable speed. Many people swear by their Dremels for drilling glass. I find my rotary tool way easier and I have success 99% of the time with it.

Either use an eye pin (pictured) or cut a lenght of wire about 4 inches and create a loop in one end with your round nose pliers.

Insert wire through Dome hole so that loop is on inside, then use flat nose pliers to bend wire to 90° about 1/8-1/4 inch above where it exits the top of the dome.

Use round nose pliers to grab the a few mm past the bend. With your free hand, grab the wire end and wrap wire around the pliers to form a loop. (That gunk on the round nose pliers is Tool Magic – it coats your jewelry making tools so they don’t leave scratches and dents in soft wire).

Wrap the remaining wire starting at the base of the loop down to the top of the dome. Trim off excess wire with flush cutters and tuck in the end with needle nose pliers. Now you have your wire bail for hanging your pendant!

Lay out your goodies and start gluing things into place on the cork. Flora Bond works with live plants and won’t kill them! I used hot glue since mine are artificial.

Once you have everything in place, add the dome and string your chain. You are now super cool…

These would be cute as keychains too. If you go crazy and your junk won’t fit in the dome, just tear some off and patch up any glue spots showing with moss. Play around until you are satisfied with how it looks.

Remember last year when I showed you how to make bigger terrariums?

How about our 50+ DIY Terrariums and Creative Planters?

Make a Stenciled Planter Box From Reclaimed Wood

by Johnnie Collier

*This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Blue Print Social for Ed Roth Stencil1 Stencils and FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint by Plaid Crafts. All opinions are 100% mine and honest.

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Today’s project is a simple, inexpensive stenciled planter box made from reclaimed wood . Use this rustic crate for house plants, flower bouquets, to display vintage bottles, candles and more! I used FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint and an Ed Roth Stencil1 stencil with some scrap wood and chicken wire I had on hand to build this versatile rustic home accent. Read on to find out how you can make your own version!

SUPPLIES:

Scrap Wood

Chicken Wire

Metal Snips

Wood glue

Ed Roth Stencils

FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint

FolkArt Antiquing Medium

Foam Brush

Lint Free Cloth

Stencil brush

Masking Tape

Table Saw

Nailer or hammer and nails

TUTORIAL:

Cut wood for the bottom, 2 ends and divider of your crate. I these all from the same piece of pallet wood.The two ends should be the same height, and the middle divider should be that height minus the thickness of the bottom piece.

Attach the ends to the bottom as pictured, placing a strip of wood glue at the contact point before nailing together. I used one inch brad nails with my nail gun.

Attach the divider by flipping box over so that the bottom is up and nailing through the bottom into the divider so you are left with the above image.

For the sides of the crate, I used a wood shim like scrap piece from my stash. You could use paint stirrers or vintage yard sticks here too. Cut four of them (2 for each side) the same length. To get the length just hold the wood up to the crate with one edge flush and mark the other edge to cut.

Cut chicken wire with metal snips to same length and height as crate. Put the wire in place and secure by nailing side planks in place over the top of the wire.

Repeat with the remaining side plank at the top, then flip the crate over and repeat on the other side.

Since all of my wood was random and mismatched, I decided to pull it together with FolkArt Antiquing Medium. This stuff is super easy to use and I love the aged effect, on top of how it unifies the various wood pieces.

Apply the medium with a sponge brush in a few inch sections at a time, then wipe back with a lint free cloth until you get the desired effect.

If you find it too dark, use a damp cloth to remove more of the stain.

Once that is dry, tape your stencil into place and apply the FolkArt Muti-Surface Paint using a stencil brush.

I found the stencil I tried easy to use. The lines were crisp and there was no bleeding.

The Ed Roth Stencil1 Stencils come in large formats that are ideal for walls, floors and furniture, and are made of durable, reusable mylar that is super easy to clean. These stencils will be available at Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft stores soon.
As for the paints, they work on any surface, are dishwasher safe and can be used indoor and outdoor. I personally can’t wait to try them on glass so I am sure you will be seeing that around here in the near future!

Once that is dry, you are ready to use your awesome handbuilt crate! I went with ferns, but the customization options are endless. Make it all you.

If you loved this project, you may want to fcheck out Plaid Crafts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram or visit their blog, The Plaid Palette.

Want more projects with Ed Roth Stencil1 Stencils and FolkArt Multi-Surface Paint from your favorite bloggers? Here you go…

Upcycle a Glass Bottle Into a Lamp

by Johnnie Collier

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If you have ever thought it would be too hard to turn a bottle into a lamp, I am here to change your mind about that. Not just any lamp, mind you, but a sparkly, polka-dot spangled, fabulous lamp thanks to Mod Podge Rocks adhesive stencils from Amy Anderson and Plaid Crafts! Read on to see how you can make your very own in less than an hour. It is true.

SUPPLIES:

Glass Bottle

Mod Podge Rocks Adhesive Stencils (Polka Dot Pattern)

Mod Podge Gloss Finish

Foam Spouncer

Podgeable Glitters

GE Bottle Lamp Kit

Lamp Shade

Light Bulb

Drill and 1/2 inch Diamond Hole Drill Bit

Lint free towel and rubbing alcohol

Dust mask

Protective Gloves

Protective Eyewear

Container of water with a a soaked towel or rag

TUTORIAL:

Wearing gloves, mask and protective eyewear, drill a hole in the bottle where you want the cord to exit your finished lamp (in the back near the bottom). You will be using a 1/2 inch hole saw diamond bit.

Come in at an angle to start the notch in the glass, then you will be able to come in at a 90 degree angle to continue drilling.

Here I am drilling at 90°. You can see the dust from the glass being drilled. About every 2o seconds of drilling, take the rag from the water and drip it onto the drilled area and the drill bit to cool things down and get rid of the glass dust.

* Some people do the entire thing in water, but I have found that to be inconvenient to pull off with just one person.

*Don’t press on the drill. Let the drill bit do the work or you risk breaking the glass. Don’t forget to cool things off with water. Again, the glass will break if things get to hot.

Here you can see the hole is complete, and the glass circle cut out is now inside the bottle (on the left). Clean away the debris.

Clean the glass well with rubbing alcohol and a lint free towel before stenciling. Once it is dry, place stencil and apply Mod Podge Gloss generously with a foam spouncer.

Apply Podgeable Glitter immediately after applying Mod Podge. Remove stencil and let dry!

I picked up this kit at Walmart for I think $6.

It comes with 3 different sized adapters for various bottle opening sizes. It turned out that all of them were to small for my bottle, so I dug through my stash and found a big cork that fit perfectly.

I found a drill bit just smaller than the threaded rod I needed to insert in the cork and drilled a hole for the rod.

I inserted the rod and assembled the lamp according to the instructions, running the wire through the hole drilled in the back of the bottle.

I found a burlap lampshade at Walmart as well. For this kit, you need one attaches at the base of the bulb (the lamp kit doesn’t come with a harp attachment). Mine was $8. I added a burlap flower to finish, and I am in love with my new lamp.

These stencils are so easy to use! They give great lines and come in 6 hip designs. Head to Michael’s to grab your own, or visit Plaid Online.

Here are more awesome projects using Mod Podge Rock Stencils. Enjoy!!

How to Make Your Craft Storage Beautiful

by Johnnie Collier

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Hello there, SBLC readers! This month I have a fun and really quick project for you. I just finished repainting an old desk that took me nearly a week. While I love how it turned out, I was ready to create something cute that only takes a few minutes.

I found these cardboard tubs at Target in their Dollar Spot. That place is dangerous! I snagged two, resisting the temptation to buy them all. I thought they’d be the perfect size to corral my paintbrushes, pencils and pens that are always everywhere but where I need them to be when I want them.

I had these pretty aqua and turquoise spray paints on hand and gave the tubs a couple of quick coats. The Krylon is Ocean Breeze and the Rust-oleum is Satin Lagoon, if you’re a turquoise-lover like I am.

I picked these houndstooth sticky letters up at TJ Maxx a while back, without any idea what I’d use them for. Perfect for labeling some craft tubs.

To get them to line them up straight, place the bottoms of the letters on one edge of a ruler, or any straight edge.

Gently press the tops of the letters onto the tub, give the ruler a little twist, and the letters will pop right off, staying in perfect alignment.

Only one problem though . . . with the letters too close together, the houndstooth pattern made it hard to read the word. So I just popped them off, lined them up on the ruler again, farther apart this time, and pressed them back down. Much better.

Some other goodies I found in my craft stash were these rolls of washi tape.

Have you used washi tape yet? Oh wow, is it fun! It dresses nearly anything up in a snap!

My first attempt was a little too . . . busy, what with the houndstooth already. But you can play around with the letters and washi tape for quite a while without losing too much adhesive and eventually you’ll find a design that works just for you.

I wound up layering two tapes, first a plain turquoise and then the polka dots on top of that. So there’s color and just a little extra pattern, without making your eyes go too buggy.

Then I loaded them up. The turquoise tub says “Draw” on one side and “Create” on the other and holds my pencils, gel pens, and pigma markers.

The aqua tub says “Paint” and “Inspire” and holds some of my paintbrushes. The brushes I use the most often. Yes, I have quite a collection having painted for nearly 20 years. I actually have more markers too but I don’t use them as often so they’re tucked away on a shelf.

Of course, if Target still has some of these tubs, the markers might just wind up on my worktable with the rest of the group.

Yeah, I have a huge worktable. It’s actually a door, set on top of two bookshelves, so it measures 30″ wide by 80″ long.

And that’s why I need these craft tubs . . . because my worktable never really looks like this pic above.

No, this is more like it, with four or five projects going at once.

So if I’m doing some sketching, I grab my tub of pencils and pens and have everything I need. I usually have two to three paint projects in progress so it’s really helpful to grab all of my brushes at once, wherever I’m working in the studio.

I also love the subliminal reminders. I love to draw and paint and I create to inspire others to do the same.

Of course, if you don’t have little tubs like these, you could decorate a shoebox or any other box with a little spray paint, some stick-on letters and washi tape in a matter of minutes. And choose some words that have a special meaning just for you! It’s a great project when you need to get those creative juices flowing but you don’t have a ton of time.

When you do have a little more time, stop by Just Paint It and say hi. I’m getting ready to do some PIY Spring Flowers. (PIY = Paint It Yourself) You can always find me on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram too.

Happy Crafting!

More SBLC Storage ideas:

Wanna see how to store your markers for next to nothing? Click the following image…

How about some free, stylish book storage? Click the image below…

And here is a quick and easy dollar store 3 tiered organizer DIY:

Finally, for some more fun ideas to use those pallets, check out my 50+ pallet project roundup;

I hope you got some good ideas here today. Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Upcycle Craft How to Make a Mason Jar Candle

by Johnnie Collier

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Last week I shared this DIY Mason Jar Chimes tutorial and I bet you were left wondering what was to come of the bottom part of the jar. Since I cut the jar just above the “Perfect Mason” lettering, I thought it would be so cute as a candle. Turns out I was right, don’t you think?! Read on to see how to upcycle a mason jar into one of your very own, These would also be great as part of your DIY wedding decor, or as gifts!

SUPPLIES:

Beeswax

Soy wicks on metal tabs

Double sided adhesive

Melting Pot

Mason Jar bottom (see tutorial: How to cut mason jars)

Bamboo Skewer or pencil

Clips

Scissors

Lint free cloth

Soap and water or glass cleaner

TUTORIAL:

Melt wax per instructions. I used my Ranger melting pot, which was not really the best plan on earth since I could only melt a little bit of wax at a time, but that is what I did.

While that is melting, prepare container and wick. Clean container well and dry with a lint free cloth. Adhere wick tab to double sided adhesive, and stick other side into container. I used two wicks since the jar is big. Three might have been even better. That is yet to be seen.

Wrap excess wick around dowel rod, centered so that wicks are straight up and down. Use clips to secure in place.

Pour in wax until container is as full as you would like. Let sit overnight, trim wicks and enjoy!

I just love my candle, and the smell of beeswax is wonderful. This is my first time tackling candle making. Do you make candles? Do you have any tips and tricks to share?

Be sure and check out our other jewelry tutorials here at Saved By Love Creations!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of DecoArt. All opinions are mine and honest. This paint rocks!

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

Such as this repurposed hubcap wreath…

How to make a Rustic Photo Holder

Photos

Scrapbook ephemera

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

Remember last year when I showed you how to make bigger terrariums?

How about our 50+ DIY Terrariums and Creative Planters?

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

More SBLC Storage ideas:

How about some free, stylish book storage? Click the image below…

And here is a quick and easy dollar store 3 tiered organizer DIY:

SUPPLIES:

TUTORIAL:

I just love my candle, and the smell of beeswax is wonderful. This is my first time tackling candle making. Do you make candles? Do you have any tips and tricks to share?

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