Monday, March 18, 2013

My Jewelry Display...Months in the Making

So sad that my Halloween Wreath is still my latest post, and the one before was posted months before. This pattern is not only pathetic but old and is about to change. I have been using my pregnancy as an excuse, and the last few weeks my brand new baby (which, lets be honest is a legitimate excuse). But I think I am ready to craft, cook and party it up again and I can't wait to share my adventures with you. But first, because I just can't help it, here are some pictures of my sweet baby girl, Annali (pronounced Anna-lie)


 I came out from the bedroom one morning to this...Jason is too funny


 Okay, on to today's project, my new jewelry storage/displayer. My jewelry setup was a disaster. Pretty much a mess on the bathroom counter. My earrings were spread out in a few small containers that I was constantly digging through to find the perfect pair or to find the second earring to a pair. My necklaces and bracelets were getting into a tangled mess. Something had to be done. I have seen these things all over on Pinterest and I had a roommate who had one, so all I had to do was get my supplies and make it. This was a work in progress, pretty much throughout my pregnancy, a step at a time until I finished.

Here is what I started with:
~Picture Frame...whatever size and style fits your needs. I got mine at Michaels. It is an "oops frame" from the custom framing, super cheap!
~Wire, which I got on Amazon (on sale). The same stuff is also found at ACE Hardware. But there are a lot of different options. You can find some cute metals at Home Depot or Lowe's.
~Wood Knobs that I found on clearance at Michaels
~Heavy Duty Staple Gun
~Wire Cutters
~Glue Gun
~the trusty E-6000
~Paint for the knobs


First things, first. Paint the knobs. My plan was to get all fancy and use the tape as a guide for some really cool lines. But in the end I went simple, black with the blue accent along the bottom edge.


Next was the hard part. You will definitely want some gloves so you don't get attacked by the wire. Measure and cut the wire to fit the inside of the frame. Then staple the wire in place. I was retarded and didn't think things through. You'll want to staple into the side of the frame instead of towards the front of the frame. Also I ran some hot glue over the top of the wire to prevent scratching.


First of all, let me point out the obvious staples sticking out, since I know that was the first thing you noticed. I told you, you'll want to staple into the side, don't do what I did. Next, in an attempt to add some color and to hide the staples I used E-6000 and glued some blue glass beads and some chunky silver beads to the frame.


Last thing, is to just glue the knobs on with E-6000 and let it dry over night.

The End.

I think it turned out pretty cute and it does its job perfectly, keeping my jewelry together and my counter clean...er