DIY Chain Bracelet Tutorial

I've been getting interested in chainmail recently and was inspired to whip up this simplified chain bracelet. It's super easy to make.

For this bracelet you'll need:

1. Jump Rings. I picked up a value pack from the craft store and that was more than enough. You could also use different color jump rings to make a pattern.
2. A clasp. I chose a heart toggle clasp, but you can use any type of clasp you like as long as it has a loop to attach a jump ring.
3. Pliers to open and close your jump rings. 

1. Start with one end of toggle or clasp and attach a jump ring to it.
2. Add 3 more jump rings to the first one, then close it.
3. Open a jump ring and loop it through the 3 you just added.
4. Add an additional three jump rings, then close it.
5. Repeat this 3-1 pattern until you've reached the desired length.
6. End with one ring and attach the other part of the toggle or clasp.

And that's it! Now you're ready to add it to your army candy.

Mancave Decor DIY {Home Is Where the Controller Is}

My husband converted our basement into a bar/mancave and I'm always on the lookout for fun decorations he can use to add to it. While I was wasting time on StumbleUpon recently I came across this Home Is Where the Controller Is pattern and knew that I had to make him a cross stitch of it.

In case your interested in making one of your own, here's how I did it using this pattern.

Supplies:

• Needlepoint Canvas (an 8x10 will be big enough)
• Embroidery Needle
• Embroidery Floss (1 Skein each of: Black, Light Grey, Dark Grey, Lime Green, Green, Yellow, Blue, and Red)
• Medium Embroidery Hoop

I think all of the supplies for this project cost me about $7.00 from the craft store.

How to make it:

• Start by finding the center of your canvas. If it was folded like mine it should be pretty easy. About 2/3 of the way down the canvas, begin with the top center of the controller. I worked mine  in a circle going clockwise.
• Secure the area you'll working on in the embroidery hoop. You want your canvas to be taut where you're working, it will make it easier to count and follow the pattern.
• Each block on the pattern should correspond to one cross stitch. 
• Stitch the outline of the controller and the text in black, then use the corresponding colors to finish the controller.
• I used two strands of embroidery floss for the outline and the text and I used four strands of floss to create the controller details (this makes them look a bit more raised-up in person).

Now all that's left is to frame it and find it a home downstairs. I think I'll try the NES Controller next!

Silver Mirrored Vanity Tray Tutorial

I really like to keep some of my current favorite pieces easily accessible on my vanity when I'm getting dressed. While wandering antiques malls, I've always admired the silver mirrored vanity trays, but I am clumsy and would probably break one before I could get it home (which I can only assume would be 7 years of bad beauty luck). So I decided to try making my own. This one cost less than $5. 

For this project I used: a wood tray (I used a square 8x8 inch tray); a mirror that fits in your tray (also an 8x8 inch square--I found this one back in the floral department); acrylic metallic paint in a dark silver and light silver (I used FolkArt Metallic Paint in Silver Sterling and Gun Metal); paint brushes or a sponge brush; and glue (optional). I picked all of this up at A.C. Moore.

Start by painting the inside and outside of the tray sides with gun metal to create a base. This will make the silver paint show up better and create dimension in the finish of the final product. Don't worry about painting the bottom since the mirror will cover this area. I used one coat in the picture below.

After the gun metal coat dries, paint over it using silver paint. I used two coats to brighten up the piece. You can use as many or as few coats as you like to get your desired shade. Less paint will create a more pewter look, more coats will leave you with an antique silver look like mine.

Next remove any bumpers from the bottom of your mirror so you have a flat surface. Then use glue to to adhere the mirror to the bottom of the wood tray.

Once the glue dries, wipe off any finger prints and start curating your favorite things to display. 

(Optional step: add stick on bumpers to the bottom of the tray to prevent it from scratching surfaces.)

Here's the final product. How easy was that? If you make one let me know, I'd love to see it!