Drab to Fab - Eyewear Makeover

Need a quick pick me up? If you wear glasses, especially plain jane frames, I have a super easy way to dress those babies up.  

In total, this makeover will cost you all of $2. Yerp. That's it.  I'm pretty sure most of us can swing that.

DIY Wooden Tribal Necklace

Sometimes I forget that I'm not as young and hip as I think I am. Today is all about me venturing over to the wild side. You, too, can unleash your inner animal with this DIY tribal necklace!

DIY Faux Enamel Earrings

I have finally begun to work through the odds and ends in my Pick Your Plum grab box! I got a couple baggies of jewelry findings and decided to make a deceptively simple pair of faux enamel earrings.

For this project you will need: filigree medallions, earring hooks, and Martha Stewart liquid fill glass paint. I had a ton of the glass paint leftover from my Mason Jar Photo Frame so I was glad to use some in an unexpected way.

Glitter & Leather Bunting Necklace

On Monday I mentioned that I was auditioning for Season 15 of the So You Think You're Crafty competition and simply having the opportunity to do so kind of made my day/week/month/life. Just in case you missed the good news on Facebook, I made it through the auditions and will be a Season 15 Crafter!! To any of you who went and voted, I really truly appreciate it!

For my audition craft, I sort of procrastinated.. wait, I lie. I DEFINITELY procrastinated. The day the submissions were due, I had yet to create anything so I had to limit myself. It had to be something small and it would have to use things I already had on hand. I decided that adding a pretty little necklace to my collection was the best route to go.. That's where this glittered leather pennant necklace comes in!

Lace and Fringe Square Scarf

Have you ever been suckered into buying those cheap "pashmina" scarves at the craft store (or any store for that matter)? No? Just me? Shucks. Well I picked one up the other week because they were on super sale for $2! Despite the fact that Spring is supposed to be right around the corner, it's been cold as heck here so I grabbed a nude colored one. I had the intention of making this scarf but alas, I couldn't find black lace in the correct width. I did have a four inch wide lace piece in my stash so instead, I made this lace and fringe square scarf.

Paint Chip Brooches

Last last-minute project of the year! We'll be heading down to the beach tomorrow afternoon to ring in the New Year. Since it'll be freezing cold down there, we'll be bundled up instead of dressed up. To add a bit of glam {and glitter} to our NYE outfits, I made these simple Paint Chip Brooches:

Grab your quick-drying glue, glitter, and a couple of coordinating paint chips and we'll get started!

How To: Perfect Felt Bow {no sew!}

I finally wrapped a present. Yes, *one* present. Later tonight I'll wrap all of them but until then, I wanted to share project number twenty-three of The 25 Projects of Christmas: a tutorial for how to make the perfect felt bow. This can be used as a super simple gift topper, a brooch, or a hair accessory.

All you need is a small scrap of felt (double the width of the size bow you want) and a glue gun. I think we can all manage those few things.

Embellished Headwarmer & Glove Gift Set

Do you ever come across a really awesome tutorial and just know that you have to try it? That's the way I felt a few weeks ago when I saw I am Momma Hear Me Roar's rolled felt flowers. I couldn't figure out where I wanted to use them but I knew I would. When I stumbled upon a plain headwarmer and set of gloves in the dollar section at Jo-Ann's, inspiration struck. Number twenty of The 25 Projects of Christmas is the perfect last-minute DIY gift: an embellished headwarmer and glove set.

In a matter of minutes you can transform some dollar store finds into something worthy of gift wrap.

Color Block Circle Scarf Tutorial

I meant to do this post yesterday, but I'm a procrastinator. If you're anything like me, you have big plans for homemade gifts this Christmas but have barely started. Whoopsie. The fourteenth project of The 25 Projects of Christmas is the perfect gift for the trendy lady in your life: a color blocked circle scarf. Color block, color blocked... Honestly, I'm not sure which one it is so I'll use them interchangeably haha. You may remember seeing it pictured in the gift I made for my handmade gift exchange partner. It's also kind of a double dose of scarves today because I shared my 30-minute crocheted infinity scarf at Kristina J.; check it out!

Would you guess that this was made out of two $2 t-shirts? Thrifty and cute, what's not to like? Let's get started!

Scarves: The Ultimate Fall Accessory

My favorite accessory, especially when the temperatures drop, is definitely a scarf. I wear one almost everyday, no lie! Maybe yesterday's infinity scarf tutorial hinted at that. Scarves can work with every outfit in your closet and you'll always look fabulous.

Those are just a few of my favorites that I've collected over the years. A girl can never have too many shoes, diamonds, or scarves. Just sayin'.

Tutorial: 30-Minute Infinity Scarf

It's official. I'm back on a crocheting kick. Despite having known how to crochet for nearly two decades, I still have no idea what the names are for most of the stitches so sharing my more "complex" projects would probably leave you more befuddled than anything. Here's a super simple infinity scarf that even the most beginner of beginners can whip up in less than one episode of your favorite tv show.

Purse to Camera Bag - A Tutorial

Ahhh, do you have any idea how much I love my camera? The only issue I have is that I'm way overprotective of it. I am so flipping paranoid that I refuse to bring it out of the house for fear it will get damaged or worst yet, stolen. My solution? A pretty, economical, functional, and undercover camera bag. 

You see, most camera bags are ridiculously expensive, not my taste at all, or so obviously carrying a very expensive piece of creative equipment. I wanted something that reflected my style, protected my beloved Canon, had room for accessories, but could easily pass for a classic handbag. I'm pretty sure that this bag hit all of the bases.

Anthro Knock-off: Cut Lace Carryall

I have been drooling over the white Cut Lace Carryall from Anthro for weeks now. The price tag isn't insanely excessive, but it's also not something I feel comfortable forking over when I'm *trying* to save. When you're like me and adore just about everything outside of your price range, you have to get creative. As they say, imitation is the best form of flattery.

The $198 original via Anthropologie:

I searched high and low for suede, leather, or vinyl that had the laser cut lace details that the original had but came up empty handed. After a dozen or so Google searches for vinyl lace, I came across a cute little store, Darlybird. Can you repeat after me... Uh-May-Zing. Seriously, amazing. It took all of my self-control not to buy everything I loved (which was practically the entire stock) but since everything was such a steal, I let myself get three things guilt-free: vinyl lace placemats, washi tape, and uber cute labels.

If you were going to make this you could use a rectangular doily or scraps of actual lace (both of which I considered) but I wanted the matte look of the original which I wouldn't have gotten from flimsy fabric. I love the look of the finished bag. It's perfect for summer and will be great next spring as well.  


What you will need:

• One yard of canvas or any other fabric of your choosing (consider using oil cloth or laminated cotton for a completely wipeable bag)
• 2 vinyl placemats from Darlybird
• 1.5 yards of rope for the handles
• Steam-A-Seam iron-on adhesive
• Coordinating thread
• Sewing essentials
• Iron & Ironing Board

Follow the instructions at Dana Made It for the Boxed Out Tote
I followed that tutorial to a T (put in a pocket and all) but this is what I did differently:

1. After cutting out the canvas pieces using the placemat as a guide, completely finish off the top edge as you will not sew through the top of the vinyl. 
2. If you are adding a pocket do so at this point
3. Attach the handles
4. Place the Steam-A-Seam between a layer of vinyl and a layer of canvas and on the hottest setting, bond the two wrong sides together (if your fabric has a wrong side)
5. Now use the tutorial to make a tote out of this bonded fabric
6. It's completely optional to box out the bottom of the bag, but to me it looked like the original had a base so I wanted to do it on mine as well.

If you like what you see, consider following Spool and Spoon for other DIY projects and recipes!

I'm linking to:

DIY Showoff | S3 | Classy Clutter | A Little Tipsy | I Heart Nap Time | Mine for the Making | Flamingo Toes | Craftomaniac | Shabby Creek Cottage | Somewhat Simple | Saved by Love Creations | My Simple Home Life | My Girlish Whims | Stone Gable

2 Minute Friendship Bracelet

Need a super simple idea for your next fundraising event? Want a quick gift to throw in the party bags for the kids at your little one's next sleepover? Or maybe you're ready to dive into the the cute woven bracelet trend seen here, here, here, here, and here?

Well, try this on for size:

Yep, you read that right. Two minutes. MAX.

Materials:

• Various colors of embroidery thread, yarn, twine, hemp, etc (think school colors, favorite colors, party color scheme, or anything else you can dream up)
• Appropriate sized crochet hook for your threads (I used an H)
• Beads (optional)

Are you ready for the easiest directions ever?
Get your threads together and crochet a chain. Voila you're done!


Details:
1. Choose your threads (2 to 5) in an assortment of colors and gather each in an equal length as so:

2. Starting 3 inches in, crochet about 4 inches of chain stitches, then cut leaving another 3 inch tail:

Don't know how? Simple instructions here

3. Knot the tails on each side to make a pretty, finished end. This would be a great time to use some spare beads [I just didn't have any :(]:

And there you have it. In two minutes flat and less than $0.25 a piece, you have an adorable accessory for you or your little princess / tween queen. You can jazz them up with metallic threads, or glass beads (added similarly to the buttons on this) and they'll look even better. These are perfect for a fundraiser/pep rally because you can make a ton of them in no time at all and in the colors of your choice. Plus, if you consider selling them at even at a minimal price of $.50-1.00, you're profit margin is going to be insane!