Leafy Beaded Sandals

 

So, I wanted a new pair of embellished sandals, but could not afford ones that I actually liked, so I decided to try updating an older pair. Here's what I came up with. I used a leafy charm, glass and wooden beads, thin beading string (kinda like fishing line), and some krazy glue to secure the knots. 

 Before.....

And after!

I've been wearing them for about a month now and all the beading is staying where it should. I love these ones very much and because I used sandals I already had they were practically free!

Botanical Spray Paint Bookshelf

This bookshelf was originally dirty, black and home to a large black spider and about 3 billion of her babies. I bought it from a thrift store for $14 and I must say I'm pretty happy with what my boyfriend and I were able to turn it in to. Here's what we used:

Various colors of spray paint

A drop cloth

An old book case

Cedar bows

Ferns

Leaves

We used 7 different colors, which I think worked really well, and started by randomly spraying the base using mainly darker colors.

Then we laid down foliage and sprayed over top, like natural stencils! The flatter the better here. Cedar was definitely my favorite, it was very flat so it gave clean edges with lots of detail.  I also specked so white over top and I really like the effect.

And the finished product! Took only about an hour and turned out great. A perfect match for my tie dye curtains!

DIY stretchy layering braclets

Lately I really love making stretchy bracelets. They're super quick and easy and look really great piled on or just a few. All you need is elastic chord and a bunch of beads! I like making them primarily one solid color, that way they don't look like such a jumbled mess when I wear a whole bunch at once. I use clear elastic cord like Elastomer from Beazu but anything close to that will work, just see what you can find at your local bead store or craft store. Just make sure your beads fit on it. to know the end I just tie a couple square knots, make sure to pull em tight! Below are some ideas of what kind of beads to use. 

I had a bunch of colored wooden beads in assorted sizes and I really like the way they look just strung on randomly with some metal charms thrown in! 

Plain wood is nice too! Try playing around with mixed sizes and adding charms here as well.

I love little metal spacer beads too. I think they make plain bracelets prettier. The pink is colored wood, the black is a mixture of glass and wood and the two blues are glass, one frosted one not.

 

There are few situations I would mix colors, but with pretty glass beads I think it works. This would be more of a statement bracelet

Magnesite is awesome. It a mineral that is dyed all kinds of colors and made in to sweet shapes like peace signs! I looks really nice, lasts, and has a great weight to it.

Plastic doesn't have to suck! Its cheap and can look quite nice. 

This one is coral, I really like the detail in it and it has a nice feel.

This is turquoise with metal beads, stones a great but a little pricey. 

If you've never made anything with beads now is the time to try! Let me know what you come up with!