0 DIY Black and White Chevron Pillow

By Unknown | At 4:00 AM | Label : contributor , DIY | 0 Comments

Today we have a fun art tutorial from my contributor, Brittany! She is constantly coming up with great projects on her blog, brittanyMakes. I love a good pillow and especially a bold black and white one! This DIY has me swooning for sure! 

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 Raise your hand if you have a stash of the oh so classic black and white striped fabric. Who doesn't, right? Most times I'm at a loss on what to do with fabric remnants after I've finished a project. Maybe it's the hoarder in me, but I seriously hate tossing perfectly good materials - I'll think of something to do with them! And guess what? I'b here to share another pillow design! There are so many ways you can manipulate striped fabric and today I'm going to show you how to turn stripes into a chevron pattern. Let's go! Here's what you need:

• 1/2 yard striped fabric
• Kraft paper for template
• Angle square
• Ruler
• Chalk
• Piping (optional) - I used neon velvet ribbon!

 First thing you want to do is measure and cut your pillow template. I wanted to make a 20" pillow, so I cut out a template measuring 20"x20". Fold this in half diagonally. Lay the 90-degree edge of your angle square along the edge of a stripe on the front of your fabric. Then, take your ruler and place it at the 45-degree mark. I placed my folded template underneath my ruler as an additional guide (you actually probably don't even need the template if you have an L-shaped ruler, now that I think about it). Using your chalk measure 20" up for the first side of your pillow cover. Repeat this process for the second side, although you need to flip your angle square to the opposite 90-degree edge. Make sense?

Next, railroad both sides together. It is SUPER important to make sure the stripes align from top to bottom. I like to hold the fabric up to the light to make sure they align, then use like a million pins to make sure the fabric doesn't move when I sew it together. Now, the next step is completely optional. I wanted to add some flair to my pillow by turning some neon velvet ribbon into piping. My suggested method for doing this is to sew the piping to the front of the pillow cover first, then sew the back side on top of it. I recommend going very slowly when sewing the ribbon/piping. You can choose to add a zipper or do an envelope closure for the back side. This is a great zipper tutorial, and this is a straight forward envelope pillow tutorial.
 It looks pretty fantastic, right?? I'm totally guilty for making way too many pillows, but in my defense they're just so easy to make and can transform a space in a hot minute! Toss this bad boy on your bed and bam! Instant upgrade. Not to mention your friends and fam will oogle over your pillow and wonder where they can buy this oversized chevron printed fabric :P

Learn about all of my great contributors on my Meet The Team Page. 

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Hi! I'm Brittany from the blog brittanyMakes, where I journal my adventures in DIY projects ranging from everyday home decor to handmade jewelry, from tips in photography to stories of bulldogs, and everything else in-between.   I am a fierce accountant by day and a zealous DIYer by night.  I spend my time balancing my love for home decor and design with the everyday responsibilities of my corporate day job.  My main mission is to inspire my readers to do what they love, take risks, and above all, to exercise their creative muscles!

0 15 Statement Mirrors For Under $150

By Unknown | At 4:00 AM | Label : contributor , shop | 0 Comments

 Cori from the blog Furniture Steals is back with another great roundup!  Her blog is full of great home decor finds at amazing deals! She's sharing a great pillow round up with us today.

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hey guys, sorry it's been awhile! hope you've been having a great summer so far, as sadly it is about halfway over already! :/

I have found that when creating a space-- whether it's your bedroom, living room, kitchen, entry or whatever- it is always a good idea to go with a mirror.

honestly, you can't go wrong with a statement mirror. you will be letting more light into the space, as natural light will reflect off of it + it is the perfect addition above your bed, in a wall gallery or just hanging alone.

the only downside I see is finding one for an affordable price-- I mean we can't all spend $700+ on one mirror [although we sure would like to]

so today I found 15 statement mirrors ALL UNDER $150! you are sure to find something you love + complete the look of a space in your home

one // two // three // four

five // six // seven // eight

nine // ten // eleven // twelve

thirteen // fourteen // fifteen 

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hello! I'm Cori, a lover of all pretty things in design. join me over at furniture steals where I post my favorite interior design tips, inspiration, and diy projects; along with furniture + home deals--- because nothings better than getting what you need [or just really want ;)] and getting it for a steal! Follow me on instagram @furnituresteals for extra posts and deals I find!

0 DIY Leather Camera Strap

By Unknown | At 4:00 AM | Label : contributor , DIY | 0 Comments

I'm so excited my contributor, Brittany is back with a new DIY! She is constantly coming up with great projects on her blog, brittanyMakes. I LOVE her latest DIY project. It would make a great gift! 

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Hello! It's me, Brittany! I hope you didn't forget me. I took a minute away to have a baby, but now I'm back and ready to share another fab DIY tutorial for you!

   

 Today's tutorial speaks to those who, like me, order way too much fabric for a project and then feel super guilty discarding scraps or remnants after using what was needed for the project. I usually tell myself 'oh, I'll find something else to do with this teeny tiny piece of leftover fabric", which never ends up happening and I end up with a slue of scraps that I don't know what to do with but continue to lovingly hoard. Anyway, today's tutorial is to show you something you can easily do with those scraps! I chose to use scrap leather left over from this project (you can also buy scrap leather from your local craft store, like Michael's), but you can easily alter this tutorial by using scrap fabric. Supplies:

• Scrap fabric or leather
• ruler
• scissors
• 2" brass D rings
• leather hole punch tool
• brass rivets

*I was able to get all supplies at JoAnn's

  

  STEP 1 | Cut your scrap leather/fabric. you want the sum of your scraps to measure 2" wide by about 36" long. I think the best length is anywhere in the 36"-40" range.
  STEP 2| Now, sewing scrap fabric together is pretty easy, but leather on the other hand... kinda tricky. My sewing machine is strong enough to sew through two pieces of leather, but yours may not. I chose to first lay my scraps facing wrong side out, sew them together leaving about a 1/4" seam allowance, opened up the scraps then folded the seam allowance out and sewed it down by hand using gold thread for added detail. *By no means do you have to do the first part of this step. If working with leather you can place the edges against one another and do the gold detail sewing like I did. Or, try gluing it! My seam is located where the strap lays at the back of my neck, and honestly it's a little gold detail I totally embrace.
  STEP 3 | Using your leather hole punch, punch 6 holes on each end of the strap, two rows of 3. My rivets weren't brass so I used Gold Leaf Rub n' Buff to turn them gold.
  STEP 4 | Using a little bit of strength, pull open your D ring and attach to your camera's strap joints.
 If you end up buying D rings that are not open, you will want to attach them with open jump rings.

 

STEP 5 | Fold the edges around the D ring and secure with rivets. That's it! So easy, right? I've already had people ask me where I bought my camera strap, and they're surprised when I say I made it! Not to mention a good gold and leather combo is a must have these days. So what do you say, is this something you'll try your hand at?    

Learn about all of my great contributors on my Meet The Team Page. 

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Hi! I'm Brittany from the blog brittanyMakes, where I journal my adventures in DIY projects ranging from everyday home decor to handmade jewelry, from tips in photography to stories of bulldogs, and everything else in-between.   I am a fierce accountant by day and a zealous DIYer by night.  I spend my time balancing my love for home decor and design with the everyday responsibilities of my corporate day job.  My main mission is to inspire my readers to do what they love, take risks, and above all, to exercise their creative muscles!

0 Pillows Under $25

By Unknown | At 7:21 AM | Label : contributor , shop | 0 Comments

I am excited to introduce you to my newest contributor today! Her name is Cori and she writes the blog Furniture Steals.  Her blog is full of great home decor finds at amazing deals! She's sharing a great pillow round up with us today.

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hi babes--
as spring is  s l o w l y (and finally) approaching, I am getting antsy for a few fresh changes around the house.

you can always use a new accent pillow...or five, right? ;)

and nothing beats snaggin' one for under 25 bucks.

here are a few I am currently craving-- a couple are always this cheap, but most are on sale right now so don't delay if you have your eye on one!

one // on sale 44.00 22.99

two // 19.00

three // on sale 39.00 24.99
four // on sale 39.00 9.99
five // on sale 39.99 19.99
six // on sale 36.00 20.00
seven // on sale 39.99 23.99
eight // 24.99  
nine // on sale 24.99 19.99

happy shopping!!

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hello! I'm Cori, a lover of all pretty things in design. join me over at furniture steals where I post my favorite interior design tips, inspiration, and diy projects; along with furniture + home deals--- because nothings better than getting what you need [or just really want ;)] and getting it for a steal! Follow me on instagram @furnituresteals for extra posts and deals I find!

0 DIY Ring Display

By Unknown | At 3:00 AM | Label : contributor , DIY | 0 Comments

Today we have a fun art tutorial from my contributor, Brittany! She is constantly coming up with great projects on her blog, brittanyMakes. This latest DIY project would make a great gift!! 

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Hello everyone! I'm so happy to be back with another fun and simple DIY. Today I'm sharing arguably the easiest, most chic project ever! This DIY will certainly inspire you to display your jewels in the  highest of fashions. 

   The supplies are simple: grab a can of your favorite gold spray paint and a polyresin hand form. I picked up my hand form from Michael's, and using a 40% off coupon, it cost me less than $3! I buy my Montana Gold (in Gold Chrome Metallic) spray paint from Blick art supply, but many other art retailers also carry the brand.  

 Apply a few light coats, letting each coat dry for about an hour in between. I waited overnight before piling on the jewels. I love displaying my gold on gold, don't you? This ring display is such a statement in itself, it's really a show stopper! Don't worry, if gold ain't your thang, try Montana Gold Silverchrome spray paint!  And there you have it! 

A very chic ring display for about $10! Think about giving these out as Christmas gifts, you'd surely wow your girlfriends, sisters, mothers and all the other ladies in your life! Every gal needs one, if I do say so myself :)   

Learn about all of my great contributors on my Meet The Team Page. 

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Hi! I'm Brittany from the blog brittanyMakes, where I journal my adventures in DIY projects ranging from everyday home decor to handmade jewelry, from tips in photography to stories of bulldogs, and everything else in-between.   I am a fierce accountant by day and a zealous DIYer by night.  I spend my time balancing my love for home decor and design with the everyday responsibilities of my corporate day job.  My main mission is to inspire my readers to do what they love, take risks, and above all, to exercise their creative muscles!

0 DIY Cupcake Carrier Gift

By Unknown | At 3:00 AM | Label : contributor , Gift Ideas | 0 Comments

I love this latest idea from Sarah and Emily, from the blog Boxwood Clippings. They have great taste and are always coming up with simple and chic DIY projects. I love this simple gift idea and I think you will too! 

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Hi everyone! We are so happy to be visiting today from Boxwood Clippings. Over at our blog we have a feature named ‘Holler Dollar’ where we post our favorite finds for a buck.

Today we’re happy to share our latest dollar find, which makes the most absolutely adorable and perfect gift for the Holidays.

Yep, we’re talking about that sweet little cupcake carrier from The Dollar Tree.

We made easy cupcakes from a cake mix and topped them with homemade buttercream and crushed soft peppermint (also from The Dollar Tree).

 Then we added some black tulle and a bow to finish it off.

One cake mix made 18 cupcakes, and filled two cupcake carriers making this one very inexpensive gift for co-workers, teachers, neighbors and friends!

For more Christmas ideas please visit us at boxwoodclippings.com

We wish you the happiest of Holidays! -Sarah and Emily xoxo

We are sisters whose goal is to have it all…balanced, organized and beautiful lives on a tight budget. Join us on our blog, Boxwood Clippingsfor daily tips on design, organization, bargains, DIY’s and much more

0 DIY Falling Leaves Garland

By Unknown | At 4:00 AM | Label : contributor , DIY | 0 Comments

I'm excited about this easy Fall craft from my contributors, Sarah and Emily, from the blog Boxwood Clippings. They have great taste and are always coming up with simple and chic DIY projects. 

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Hi Everyone! It's finally autumn, and today we're happy to share this DIY glittery leaf garland to spruce up your house for the season.

You'll need a bag of artificial leaves, which we bought from the Dollar Tree, but any craft store should carry them. Next use a paintbrush to apply Elmer's glue to each leaf and then sprinkle glitter over the leaf. Let the glue set and then shake off the excess glitter.

Next punch a hole at the top of each leaf and attach a ribbon that you can tie to a large ribbon strand.

These leaves are so shimmery and will add a little sparkle to your home for the upcoming months. It would also be a great project to do with kiddos, a little glitter ending up on their faces is always a good thing :)

-Sarah and Emily

We are sisters whose goal is to have it all…balanced, organized and beautiful lives on a tight budget. Join us on our blog, Boxwood Clippingsfor daily tips on design, organization, bargains, DIY’s and much more

0 Pearl Sleeve DIY

By Unknown | At 4:00 AM | Label : contributor , DIY , fashion | 0 Comments

Today we have fun tutorial from my contributor, Brittany! She is constantly coming up with great projects on her blog, brittanyMakes. Her latest DIY project will turn any basic sweater into a piece of art! 

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Hey friends! I'm so happy to share this tutorial with you today. I love coming up with easy ways to glam up my wardrobe. I just may or may not have a closet full of bedazzled sweaters, but I sleep well at night knowing jeweled sweaters are currently demanded by the masses this season. While we're in the spirit of glitz and glam I thought it would be fun to create a little DIY version using a casual closet staple - the crew neck sweater. Grab your collection of Forever 21 pearls - let's do this! Here's what you need for this project: sweater of your choice, beading needle, thread, patience, scissors, and a good 2-hour chick flick.

First, I recommend propping yourself up in front of the TV. This bad boy will take a couple hours, but the results are pretty incredible. Keep your loose pearls contained by pouring them into a little bowl.

Thread your needle, tie a knot at the end of the thread, and sew a base knot onto the sweater sleeve. Loop the needle through the bead, back through the fabric, and back through the bead again. I found it easiest to make the finishing knot underneath the top of the sweater right under the bead (rather than turning the sweater inside out and knotting on the inside). If you choose thread the same color as the sweater, the knot under the bead blends in so well it's practically invisible.

It helps to be as random as possible, don't over-think the placing of the beads, just make sure you don't poke your fingers during the meet-cute scene in that chick flick you're watching ;)

Ta-da! And now you have yourself a super cute sweater, my friends.

Like what you see? Find more tutorials by brittanyMakes here.

Hi! I'm Brittany from the blog brittanyMakes, where I journal my adventures in DIY projects ranging from everyday home decor to handmade jewelry, from tips in photography to stories of bulldogs, and everything else in-between.   I am a fierce accountant by day and a zealous DIYer by night.  I spend my time balancing my love for home decor and design with the everyday responsibilities of my corporate day job.  My main mission is to inspire my readers to do what they love, take risks, and above all, to exercise their creative muscles!

0 Fall Banner Printable

By Unknown | At 4:00 AM | Label : contributor , freebie | 0 Comments

This week I posted on instagram (@kirstenkrason) the beginnings of my Fall decorating. I get really excited to change up my decor with each season which is why I'm excited to share this Fall Banner printable that Diana has come up with! 

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For this printable, I made a fall inspired plaid background with the words "happy fall"! I wanted to make something that could last from September to the end of November because this holiday season goes fast and I find myself taking down and putting up decorations.  Its nice to have something that can last longer than a month.  Once I had printed out my letters, I used my paper cutter to cut the straight lines and then used scissors to cut the angled part on the banner pieces.  I also used crete paper to tape on the letters since its pretty and colorful, but you can use twine or any type of string.  I think that it turned out great and will have this hanging up in my kitchen until November 30!

Since the letters are so big, I have several downloads for each set of letters because I know not everyone has access to a printer that prints larger than 8.5x11.  This is a Do it at home craft so I have made the printables on 8.5x11 paper.  You will have to save each download to do the entire craft.  

HA, PP, Y!, FA, LL

Diana is a graphic designer running her own shop called Livy Love Designs.  She loves using fresh color schemes and bright patterns.  She enjoys drawing, sewing, and learning new recipes.  She is married and has two little kids who she attributes where most of her inspiration comes from.  Aside from her shop, she has recently started working with Modern Yardage and is a fabric designer for them, which has been a dream of hers ever since she started graphic design.  You can follow along with her blog at Livy Love.

0 Three Ways to Customize your Ikea Frames

By Unknown | At 6:07 AM | Label : art , contributor , DIY | 0 Comments

Today we have a fun art tutorial from my contributor, Brittany from the blog, brittanyMakes. This project is so creative and easy! You are going to love it. 

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Hey everyone! I'm so happy to be back! I was away in July, you know, just getting married and stuff, but I'm finally back from all the wedding shenanigans and here today to share another easy DIY.

Ikea frames are fantastic, they're perfect for the budget-conscious decorator. Ikea's frames are super affordable, and you can pretty much find a style and color that suits your tastes. There's nothing wrong with how Ikea's frames look, but sometimes grouping too many together can look too "Ikea". I think you know what I mean. There are literally thousands of ways you can customize a frame to make it more "you" and to better fit your tastes, but for today's post, I wanted to share with you 3 ways to spruce-up your Ikea frames using household supplies you probably already have lying around!  

Polka Dots!

 

 These definitely aren't your average polka dots. These polka dots were made using two ingredients: adhesive dots and glitter! Adhesive dots come equally spaced on a strip of tape, all you need to do is lay a long piece of the tape on the matting, apply a little pressure on each dot to make sure it's secure, then pull off the back side of the tape to leave perfectly placed adhesive dots.  

The adhesive dots are super sticky, one quick shake of glitter and you're covered! I used a plastic container to catch the glitter.

 

I chose Adhesive Dots over Glue Dots because Adhesive Dots are perfectly round, Glue Dots are kinda misshapen, and I knowing how OCD I am I needed the polka dots to be perfectly round and equally spaced.

 

Voila!

Stripes

You will always go right with black and white, am I right? Ha! I give you permission to make fun of me now :P Anyway, instead of drawing or painting stripes, just grab a roll of electrical tape! First, I 

grabbed an Ikea Virserum frame... 

Then, some electrical tape....

and started taping off stripes. I just eyeballed the spacing of the stripes, but you can use a ruler if you don't trust your measuring skills. But seriously, this project took like 5 minutes and looks crazy good!

 

Chalk it Up

Chalkboard paint isn't just for walls! Using a little artist brush you can turn the matting from your Ikea frame into a chalky doodle board in about an hour.

 

You can draw a cute boarder like I did, or do something crazy like draw thought bubbles and insert captions to pictures. Literally, the creativity is yours!

Learn about all of my great contributors on my Meet The Team Page. 

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Hi! I'm Brittany from the blog brittanyMakes, where I journal my adventures in DIY projects ranging from everyday home decor to handmade jewelry, from tips in photography to stories of bulldogs, and everything else in-between.   I am a fierce accountant by day and a zealous DIYer by night.  I spend my time balancing my love for home decor and design with the everyday responsibilities of my corporate day job.  My main mission is to inspire my readers to do what they love, take risks, and above all, to exercise their creative muscles!