Fairy Wings Nail Tutorial

This week's IFB Project is all about nails! For my nails, I wanted to use a lot of glitter and was inspired by fairy wings.

The colors used

One coat OPI Las Vegas Strip Poker

A bit of MAC Bad Fairy on the tips

Some MAC soiree applied in the middle with a wet Q-tip

A coat of Ulta Diva all over plus a second coat on the tips

A dash of glitter on the middle and tips with China Glaze Cleopatra

Top it all off with Cover Girl Disco Dazzle

What are you wearing on your nails?

DIY Earring Photo Frame Holder

I meant to post this tutorial a couple of months ago, but silly me forgot to post it. This is a great way to display your earrings while working them into your room's decor.

Supplies:

picture frame

door screen or heavy mesh

exact-o knife or rotary cutter

scissors

hot glue gun

glue sticks

Step #1

Remove the glass and use a knife or rotary cutter to take off the back of the frame so that you get this.

Step #2

Using the glass or filler paper from the frame, cut a piece of mesh to fit into your empty frame.

Step #3

Place the piece of mesh inside the frame and make any adjustments so that the mesh is flat against the inside of the frame.

Step #4

Hot glue the mesh to the frame. You may want to use pins or a popsicle stick to press the mesh into the glue.

Step #5

Let the glue cool then flip the frame over and hang your earrings on the mesh.

Now you have a pretty way to display your earrings!

Holiday Memory Jar

It was way too hot to do much outside today. While sorting through keepsakes, I remembered an idea I had seen in a magazine about displaying mementos in a jar. I filled a jar from Ikea with small souvenirs from a cruise I went on a long time ago. The bottom of the jar is lined with a small paper bag to give the feel of sand. Inside is a bundle of cinnamon sticks, a pair of sunglasses, a butterfly bracelet, a couple keychains and plastic rings, a luggage tag, and a handful of various Caribbean currency. I'm rather happy with the way it turned out. Perhaps I'll make more and fill a shelf with memory jars or use the jars as book ends.

DIY: Easy Friendship Bracelets

Since I am still stuck at home fighting this cold/allergy/who-knows-what, I am running out of things to do. Camping out on the couch and watching America's Next Top Model is only fun for so long. After seeing the friendship bracelets featured on The Man Repeller and Craft Medley, I decided to liven up my afternoon by making friendship bracelets. Here's what I came up with.

Twisted Crystal Friendship Bracelet

Supplies:

embroidery floss

scissors

safety pin

crystal beads

measuring tape

pillow

Clasp

Step #1

Cut 3 pieces of embroidery floss a little more than twice as long as you want your bracelet to be. Knot the pieces together at one end. Then slide a safety pin through the knot and pin it to a pillow. Slid one clasp piece through the threads. Then slide crystals onto each piece of thread leaving the bottom half bead free.

Step #2

Hold the 3 pieces together and twist.

Step #3

Slide the other end of the clasp onto the twisted threads.

Step #4

Bring the ends together so that the bracelet twists over on itself. You may need to slide the beads in order for the bracelet to lay right. The bracelet should now be half the length it was in step #3. Knot the ends together.

Finished

Amethyst Braided Friendship Bracelet

Supplies:

embroidery floss

scissors

safety pin

amethyst beads

measuring tape

pillow

Step #1

Cut 6 pieces of embroidery floss a little more than twice as long as you want your bracelet to be. Knot the pieces together at one end. Then slide a safety pin through the knot and pin it to a pillow. Divide the floss into three groups and start braiding.

Step #2

Braid two inches. Slip a bead onto one piece of floss and continue to braid. Leave about a half inch between each bead.

Step #3

Continue braiding beads into the bracelet until you achieve your desired length. Then braid another two inches and knot to finish.

Finished

Don't forget the Vedette Sensuale Collection Giveaway

is open until April 30th.

Have a DIY Christmas

I love the idea of giving homemade gifts as Christmas presents, but I usually run out of time to make gifts for everyone. However, I found lots of inspiration at Not Martha and am now busy trying to decide what I can get done in two weeks.

• Lolly Chessie's Famous CP Christmas Trees
• Old-School Clay Crafts
• Homemade Gift Ideas from Your Kitchen
• Molly's Sketchbook: Felt Christmas Tree Pins
• Holiday Craft: How to Make a Handmade Wreath
• Create Your Own Heirloom Photo Ornament
• April's Mini Matryoshkas
• DIY: Ice Chandelier
• DIY: Bottles Full of Light
• Money Origami
• DIY Holiday Gifts
• How-To: Brown Sugar Scrub Gifts

Don't forget to enter the Holiday Giveaway!

DIY: Tie One On

While looking for inspiration for a DIY idea, I came across some ribbon and rhinestone trim and decided it was time to tackle the ribbon jewelry trend (see Jessica Simpson's Ribbon Bangle). This very simple DIY calls for:

12" ribbon (or enough to tie around your wrist and still slip off)

6" rhinestone trim

scissors

needle

thread

Step #1

Place rhinestone trim on top of the ribbon and make sure the trim is centered. Sew the trim onto the ribbon by stitch in between each rhinestone.

Step #2

Tie ribbon ends together making sure you can still slip the bracelet on and off.

Summer Boredom Busters

Kelis - 4th Of July (Fireworks)

Happy early 4th of July! If the dog days of summer have you feeling bored and you don't know what to do, take a look at this list and do something new.

• Listen to the Sounds Of Summer - The Very Best Of The Beach Boys while washing your car.
• Put together a lookbook for your closet with the help of The Fashion Planner's Guide.
• Reread favorite childhood books such as The Babysitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins, and Nancy Drew.
• Act like a tourist in your town and visit your town's museums, gift stores, parks and other tourist traps. Don't forget to take lots of pictures!
• Go see a drive-in movie. Check here for a theatre in your state.
• Make homemade ice cream and have an ice cream social.
• Host a fashion swap party.
• Learn how to do the classic victory roll up do.
• Take tango lessons.
• Sew a dress.

diy: Denim Skirt

No need to spend money on a denim, cut-off skirt when summertime is the perfect time to cut up your old pair of jeans and make a cute skirt yourself. In about an hour, you'll be ready to head out the door!

Supplies

1 pair of jeans

scissors

pins

sewing machine

Step #1

Cut your jeans in half above the knee. Next, slice open your jeans following the seam.

Step #2
Using a bottom leg you cut off in step one, cut the pant leg in half along the seam then repeat for the other side. Even off the edges so that you have a rectangle.

Step #3
Flip jeans inside out and cut off extra material around the seam so that it is easier to sew on.
Step #4
Turn jeans right side out and pin rectangle into the inseam of the jeans. Sew in place.

Step #4

Turn jeans inside out and starting from the bottom seam, pin extra material together so that it hangs straight down. (You want to get rid of the extra material from the seat of the pants.) Then sew straight down leaving about a 2" slit in back.

Step #5
Cut off any extra fabric.

Step #6
Cut skirt to the length you want then wear and enjoy.

diy: Flower Hair Clip

I'm so happy it's spring! Flowers are blooming and so are the trees. The sun is out, and soon the pool will be open. In honor of spring, here's a quick and easy tutorial for a flower hair clip.

Supplies:

large silk flower

needle

thread

scissors

rhinestones

glue

small sequin applique

ribbon

bobby-pin or barrette

Step #1 - Cut off plastic stem and remove plastic pieces holding the flower together so that the back of the flower looks like this.

Step #2 - Sew a small sequin applique in the center of the flower making sure to catch all layers of the flower and sew them together. Decorate by scattering small rhinestones across the petals and glueing them onto flower.

Step #3 - Cut 2 inches of thin ribbon and form a loop by folding ends over each other. Sew loop to back of flower.

Step #4 - Slip bobby-pin or barrette through loop.

Step #5 - Wear in hair!

diy: Spring Nail Art

Lately, I have been fascinated by Japanese nail art. I love the colors and the 3-D pieces which declare to the world, "I am wearing art on my fingers and can't possibly be bothered with the dishes right now." I've been experimenting with my own designs and created something cheerful for spring.

Supplies:

Fake nails

Nail polish in assorted colors

Base/Top coat

Nail art brush or toothpick

Rhinestones or 3-D stickers

Small Hot glue gun

Hot glue sticks

Wooden skewers

Ticky Tacky

Step #1

File fake nail and apply a base coat. I find it easier to paint each nail when it is attached to a wooden skewer (attach using ticky tacky). Allow to dry, and then apply two coats of main nail color letting the polish dry between each coat.

Step #2

Using the pointy end of a nail art brush (or a toothpick) make dots by dipping end in nail polish and then gently touching the nail with the tip. It helps to practice on a napkin or piece of paper before trying it on the nail.

Step #3

Once nails are dry (wait a couple of hours), apply rhinestones. I used scrapbook gems from the craft store and peeled off the backs before hot glueing them onto the nails.

Step #4

Apply top coat over nail and gems and allow to dry.

Et voila!

See more designs on my etsy store!