Cone ornaments

I love cones.  I have a trick for you that you will love!

These cones were made with paper birthday party hats I bought at the dollar store. 

Deconstruct them, use Mod Podge to cover them with gift wrap, tissue, sheet music or patterned paper.  Mod Podge works best with paper because it doesn't cause the paper to wrinkle.  

Sometimes I trim the cones to make them smaller or slimmer.  The actual size of the party hat is great if you want to fill it with treats.

Make a focal to glue on the front. This one was a dollar store snowflake covered with German glass glitter. A strip of crepe paper folded and gathered with a running stitch into a circle with a double ruffle. A Christmas image cut into a circle and glued on with hot glue. 

Crepe paper ruffles glued to the top edge inside, and a double band of vintage tinsel around the top edge. Finish off with a purchased tassel on the bottom, poked through with an awl, and embellished with more tinsel at the end.

Enter to win by posting a comment here after sharing on a social networking site.

Paper Ornaments

First up is the die cut paper snowflake. Using a Sizzix machine and the Brenda Walton snowflake dies, I created 3 fan folded ornaments. I stacked them one on top of another and hot glued it all down. I like the sheet music for this project, but they would be lovely with any decorative paper, even gift wrap. I am thinking Mylar, or a pretty pearlized paper would be really beautiful.

I use these circles a lot in my ornaments. You will see them as a focal point or embellishment.  Ribbon, lace, tulle or crepe paper can be layered between the circles for added depth.  if it can be folded or gathered, I will use it somehow. 

Remember to enter a drawing for these ornaments.  A winner will be chosen on December 26th.  To enter please share this page on a social networking site and leave a comment here of where you shared it.  Link back here if you will.  You need to leave a comment on an ornament post to be entered.  I will be pulling the names from the posts.  Don't comment on FB or other social networking site, comment here to enter.

Buckle Bracelet

I found this cool Marcasite buckle from the 1920's at a flea market.  This was a true find.  They are difficult and rare in a bargain box, and I swooped on it    Many times I will stack various findings on top and glue them down with E6000, then attach them to the buckle after I have made the bead chain and clasp.

First, you need some handy dandy bending pliers.  I got them from Gilding the Lily.  You squeeze the buckle in this tool a little bit at a time to create a bend the will fit naturally over the wrist.  Test it on your own wrist to make sure the curve is right.

Next, make your bead chain.  I find if I use strong steel pins, I don't need to wire wrap them.  If they are special beads, by all means, wire wrap them on to insure they will stay on.

Look at the bracelet for a good space to connect the bead chain.  If there is no space, you can make one with the riveting tool (also available at Gilding the Lily) or with a fine drill bit.  Sometimes you need to use a jump ring in the bracelet, and then attach the bead chain from there.

Create your focal assemblage with lace and broken jewelry parts.  I layered them all together into a pleasing configuration, and then glued it together.  Let it dry overnight, then glue the focal as one piece onto the buckle base in the desired position.  .

Measure your wrist, and make sure the bead chain is long enough to fit properly.  Add a clasp.  Now you have a lovely bracelet made from a buckle that is trendy and fashion forward.

Footstool Revamp

  I saw these footstools for my daughter Kayleigh's room at a garage sale when we lived in Yorba Linda.  I didn't buy them, but went back at the end of the day and the woman GAVE them to me because she just wanted them gone.  We had planned on recovering them all along.  They are plastic and the tops were flaking and peeling off.  Kayleigh is 16 now, for those friends who have not seen her in a while.  She was reluctant to paint them.  She didn't see the vision.  She watched me paint a bunch of things for my closet office and was inspired to paint them after all.   She wanted to create a little seating area in hr room for friends.  I have seen these finished with faux fur and leather at TJ Maxx and Ross for $49 each.

We bought a zebra print robe that had a silky plush feel to it at a garage sale for $2.  Kayleigh removed the tops of the stools and spray painted the bottoms turquoise.  I cut the fabric to fit the tops and she stapled it on.  She reattached the tops and viola!  2 chic little stools, when placed together make a cute little sitting area in her room.

Total cost for this makeover:  $5.89 for the can of spray paint and robe.  Next time you see a piece of furniture at a yard sale that you like, but don't like the color, get it, and whip out the spray paint.  They look so dang cute, I want some for my room now too! I am so proud of my little DIY barganista.  She did a fantastic job on her first official adult project.  She is so amazing.