Thrifty Thursday...Cooling Rack For Earrings

The organizing continues at our house. As I mentioned in previous posts, our daughters are home from college and lots of "stuff" invades the house. Purging is the word of the week, but sometimes purging doesn't work when I keep some of their things for myself!!

They clean out and I keep their hand me downs, so not really a purge but more of a rearranging!! One clean out project yesterday was Kelsie's old jewelry drawer. I have my own jewelry organized in a drawer in plastic bins, but when I kept some of her earrings that have the wire hooks, I needed a different way to display them so I can see them better.

Baking cooling rack to the rescue...

Let's see how easy this is to do...

Thrifty Thursday...Packing a Necklace for Traveling

This is an easy Thrifty Thursday. Not really a project, but a great idea. I saw this some time ago in a magazine ( not sure which one, sorry) and thought I would share it with you too.

This is idea is great for packing jewelry when you're traveling.

All you need is a straw. If you have straws at home, great! If you don't, than you can be really thrifty and save the straw from your next soft drink purchase and rinse it out!! Lol

Tool Time Tuesday...Button Bracelet Tutorial

Happy Tuesday! Today is an easy tutorial for a button bracelet. Get your button collection out. If you don't have one, find someone who does and go through it!!

I have a small button collection made up of things from my own projects, from my mother and my grandmother. They were both frugal and both loved yard sales...so I'm not sure where any of these buttons came from. If they had clothes that were no longer wearable, buttons were removed and saved in big glass jars. If they were at a flea market or yard sale and there were buttons...they would buy them.

and this is the result of all that button saving!

A family history on one bracelet...

Here's what you need...

I bought this charm bracelet at Walmart in the craft section for $2.00.

I also had these larger jump rings for the larger buttons. The little ones came with the bracelet, but didn't fit any of the buttons. You will need the larger rings for the width of the button from the holes to the outside. This package was about $2.50 for 60 and the size is 10mm.

You will also need buttons of course! You can buy new buttons in craft stores. Some actually come in group packages of the same color.

I used mostly pearlized buttons in different shades of cream.

First step...open up the large jump ring.

Slip the ring through any hole in the button.

Add to a loop of the bracelet and close the ring.

Plan out the larger base buttons to add them equally across the bracelet.

To make it look fuller without using a ton of rings, add 3 different sized buttons to one ring.

Depending on the thickness of the buttons, you might only fit 2.

Work your way down the bracelet.

This is so cute and you could be finished at this point.

or you can start adding different sizes, shapes and textures.

One pearl bead button and a small flat button.

I also found these clear crystal looking buttons. Can you see the thread still left on one of them? That shirt didn't have a chance. Lol

Look at this bunch someone tied up...so funny.

Added both on the same ring for a little bling!!

I love this picture of the pearl button towards the bottom of the picture. Can you see the shank of the button? It's verdigris. It must be brass or copper and old. I didn't want to clean...there's a story with that button.

Here's a Tool Time from someone out there...either my mom, my grandmother or someone who they bought the buttons from. My mom and grandmother are both looking down on me, so I can't ask, but I'll give credit to both!

They used bobby (hair) pins to hold the buttons.

Slide buttons onto the hair pin...and twist the bottom closed.

I love it!

I hope you had fun in my button box...

Hmmm...I'm thinking earrings too.

Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Washer Bracelet

Hi everyone!! So glad you've stopped by for another Tool Time Tuesday. This project is truly a "tool time" from the hardware store.

Today we are making this adorable bracelet (modeled by my daughter Kelsie!). Believe it or not, this bracelet is made from washers. It was fast and easy too. I think I made this in under 15 minutes. 

Most hardware stores have a section in the nuts and bolts aisle where they sell these baggies. In Home Depot, these baggies are only 98 cents each.

There are many different styles of washers. These washers that look like flowers are called lock washers.

This package is a number 6. The smaller the number, the smaller the size of the washer. Each baggie has 20 washers in it for 98 cents. What a great price compared to a craft store for some jewelry supplies.

Here's what they look like out of the bag...

and here's a close up.

I also used jump rings to connect the washers, because the washers don't open up and need to be connected with something. I also used a lobster claw clasp.

First step is to use 2 needle nose pliers to carefully open up the jump ring.

I added one small washer and one large one.

Close up the ring.

Here are the 2 washers.

I kept on adding a jump ring and then alternated one large washer and one small washer until the bracelet fit my wrist.

On one end, I added the lobster claw clasp.

and at the other end, I added one jump ring to close with the clasp.

Very fast and easy.



and stylish too!

These would be great summer time craft projects for older children and great gifts too. Just think of the possibilities...earrings, necklaces etc. Add pretty beads in between for color too.

Remember our Tool Time promise...don't tell the hardware people we use these washers for craft projects or they'll raise the prices on us. Shhhhh...it's our little secret.

Have a wonderful Tuesday,

~Karen~

don't forget to pop over to my Sunday party post...Sew Darn Crafty. So many wonderful projects for you to just click on a visit! Lots of inspiration!