Earring holder!!

Two exclamation points in the title because

 I AM EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE, PEOPLE!

Here is my brand new earring holding hanging on the bathroom wall.  As you can see, it's also a ring and/or bracelet holder (right on the shelves) and a necklace holder on the sides!

Curious how I did it?

See below!

 

Here is how she started...

 It's obviously a wine box and unfortunately not the cool antique looking kind.  Garage sale purchase= 1$ (holy wow, I totally overpaid for that!  If you're interested, the story is below)

I stood it on end and hot glued teeny tiny (1/4") dowel rods in the gaps where the shelves go.

 

  Then I had my hubs attach some small hooks to the outside top... next I primed it...

 

Spray painted it an oil rubbed bronze...

(let dry)... and done!

It's everything I ever hoped for in an earring holder! Hehe!  :)  But really, I do love it lots.  And for only needing a few small supplies to fix up my dollar wine box... it's perfect!  And hey, if you love wine like I do, then start looking for some wine in a case and make your own.

The story:

I'd been thinking and thinking and thinking about a place to hang my 'fish hook' earrings.  They were previously in a pile next to my jewelry box... and that's no place for a earrings to be.  

Back up two months and I'm at some garage sales with my friend and my mom. 

It was the end of a long couple hours and at the very last house I spotted this wine box.  And it's nothing special... particle board... Robert Mondavi (oh, but I do like Robert Mondavi).  Anywho, I asked the lady how much?  She told me 1$, and what did I do???  I paid her a dollar! (what the who??? It was the heat! It was getting to me!) Argh!  I was so mad at myself the instant I pulled out a dollar and handed it to her... come on, I always negotiate prices!  Literally!  But, I was hot and tired and ready to go and I just handed her a dollar. Still trying to get over that one.

So, I had no idea what to do with this thing, but I figured it could sit on something and hold another something, somewhere (right?). 

 Let me sum up (Princess Bride anyone?)

 ...and then my lovely earring holder was born.  

I only wish it had more color.  But here is the problem, our bathroom (and bedroom for that matter) are still white.  No color there.  And we do plan on painting them someday and I just don't know what color, so I decided to leave it pretty neutral so I don't have to paint over it someday.

So, can any of you creative minds think of what I could do to add a little something (I'm not crazy about adding a busy design to the back, behind the earrings, because I love how the earrings just pop out against the dark color) to make it more pretty?

I think I have what, 2 maybe 3 readers now?  So, I expect a comment from each of you!  Hehe.

Thanks in advance! 

Craft Apron Love

As promised, here are some pictures of the craft (or in my case, garage sale) apron I made last week. 

Yup, that's me in the backyard with a little too much sunshine for a good picture. 

Wait, did I just say 'too much sunshine'?

I TAKE IT BACK! 

Moving on...

I put a snap on the center pocket (that is where I kept my cash- don't tell anyone!) so when I was moving around or bending over nothing would fall out.

It was so comfortable to wear two days in a row and held all my things rather nicely.  I made this up without a template or tutorial- just took a stab at it and loved it!  I like the look of the tie hanging down, so I cut my bias tape very long so I could tie it around front.

Happy Friday, all!

Feeling NEEDY.

The need to create something that is. 

All last week was consumed with the garage sale we had last weekend (oh, that's right, I DID create something last week!  Yea, part of being 'consumed' with the garage sale entailed making a 'craft/garage sale apron' to use to carry my money and things during the sale so I wouldn't be tied to a cash box- which turned out SO cute and exactly what I needed, I might add! I will post some pictures of said apron as soon as I take some!) so ALL day today I have been catching up on everything that I've let slide, including cleaning out Mr. Jack's closet.  (Holy never ending job that is! Not only would I like for him to take a break from growing for just a minute so that he can be my baby forever *sniff*, but how about a break from the multitude of clothes he can't possibly squeeze into, the one's that would fit if it were the right season, the pile that worked ONE MONTH ago, the pajama's that my wonderful husband hangs in the closet (?) and all the clothes that DO work! Ah!) 

Anywho, I have approximately one million projects swimming around in my mind that I am chomping at the bit to get at, but that darn garage sale took up so much time!  Not that I'm complaining... let me clarify, not only did people actually pay us for our junk stuff we didn't need anymore, but they actually hauled it away too {insert evil laughter here}!  Still, I probably won't do it again for many many years.  We don't accumulate much 'stuff', so I can't imagine having enough 'stuff' to have another sale for quite some time.

So, in a nutshell, I'd rather be crafting than cleaning!

Anyone else have this dilemma???

Oh, and here is a picture of my favorite tiny guy a month ago (and now those jeans are too short- see what I mean?). This is one of his one year pictures. He is wearing my Grandpa Jack's cowboy hat.  My Grandpa wore this hat all the time, I can hardly picture him without it.  Baby Jack likes it too. 

*sniff*

Extra Storage/Organization Anyone?

I Hate (with a capital H) piles of papers and 'things' in the kitchen. Buuuuuut, since we don't have an 'office space' (love that movie!!), piles inevitably happen. I finally came up with an organization method I can fit in the laundry room (conveniently located next to the kitchen) to create a place for everything that accumulates in our kitchen, so everything can be in it's place (did you see that coming?). And my favorite part is that it was super cheap too!

So my idea was this- use an old ladder I've had fur ever (and was begging to be used in a useful way)... you may have to cut it down to fit in your room like I did. Or my hubby did, whatever.

Pick a REALLY amazing day... well, hello sunshine!!
Paint the ladder RED...(which happens to be my very favorite color) oh and I had intentions of distressing it a bit, but clearly this ladder has been stressed enough in it's life without my help!

Run to Hobby Lobby for some buckets (they were only $2.50 each), then use Mod-Podge to label the buckets...

Then hang your buckets with a pretty ribbon (also cheap from Hobby Lobby) and WA-LA a 'Bucket/Ladder organizer'(that's what I will name it, yes, that's catchy!)!

Do you love it like I do? It rests against the wall in the laundry room, totally out of the way but easy enough to put things in. I wish the colors were better on the pictures, the turquoise ribbon really looks good next to the red ladder.
Some close ups you say? OK!



I labeled the buckets based on what accumulates at our house, but you could categorize these in any way! I think it would be so fun to do this in a bathroom for things like 'washcloths', 'soap', 'lotion', etc! Where else could you use it?