INSPIRATION [turquoise & gold]

I'm not going to lie, choosing the pieces for this INSPIRATION was difficult. I love the turquoise + gold combo right now, it's so beautiful and elegant yet totally casual and wearable! I decided on bangles as the theme since I seemed to be so obsessed with them!

BANGLE 1 [red feature]:

First find yourself a cheap bangle you can't wait to redo! Choose your favorite style, any material will do [for this bangle, a flatter bangle will work better than a curved]! I'm showing the use of nailpolish only because its readily accessible in most girls collection, but plastic paints, spray paints, acrylic can even work! First paint the interior of the bracelet gold, once dry paint the outer black. Using painters tape, cut into long thin strips creating a grid pattern on the bangle. Tape along the edges, and through the middle, then going down, perpendicular. The easiest way to do this is to measure your rhinestones and bracelet circumference first and create the grid off that. Place the rhinestones in the squares left showing, take the tape off, and place smaller rhinestones in the corners. Rhinestones can be attached using super glue, hot glue, or if they are self adhesive!

BANGLE 2 [zebra stripes]:

As always, find a cheap bangle you can redo without missing! Choose any style or material that suits your fancy! Again, I'm showing nail polish, but acrylic, plastic paints, even spray paint will work! Choose what works best for the material bracelet you chose! Cover the whole thing with gold paint. Once dry cut out zebra-like stripes in painters tape. Attach on in your chosen pattern and paint the rest using your turquoise paint. Once dry, remove the tape and place rhinestones over the gold still showing. You can attach the rhinestones using super glue, hot glue, or if they are self adhesive!

BANGLE 3 [dots]:

[Rinse and repeat] "find yourself a cheap bangle you can't wait to redo! Choose your favorite style, any material will do!" I've shown using nail polish, but any type of paint will do (read above descriptions). First cover the whole bangle with gold paint, when dry begin attaching your favorite rhinestone or embellishment. Check your local scrapbook store! You can find sheets of glitter, stone, pearl, or rhinestone embellishments all self adhesive on sale! You can use a piece of painters tape to line up the first row to keep you straight, or just wing it at random! How fun, can't wait to see how yours turns out!

BANGLE 4 [tribal]:

[Read above descriptions for how to choose your bracelet and paints!] First cover the whole bangle with gold paint. Once dry cut your painters tape into square pieces. Cut those in half diagonally creating triangles. Attach the triangles across the top and bottom of the bangle so that the 'point' is pointing 'in'. You can go one step further by cutting thin strips of paint and attaching the outer edges of the triangles to create the sections shown. Then paint the outside of the bracelet turquoise. Once dry, remove the tape and see your masterpiece!

Did you make one of these? What color combo would you choose? Send me a link or picture! I'd love to feature it!

To find out information about the products used, please click the image to head to Polyvore!
•This may be posted to any of the link parties•

 

INSPIRATION vases

I love vases, what could possibly be an easier way of bringing warmth, comfort and happiness into a home than a couple of flowers? And of course how would you possibly display those flowers without a beautiful vase to go with it? But lets face it, sometimes they can get a little...expensive. So lets bring them down from hundreds of dollars...to a couple dollars.

 BLUE VASE ($180): First off find a fabulous vase you love. You can get them cheap at thrift stores, or even at the dollar stores! Find a shape you like or see potential in! Then spray paint! Choose your favorite color and go for it. Personally, I don't like the idea of paint being inside the vase, so I would turn it over and spray that way and let it dry. Then head to your local craft store and find some great appliques! They come in wood, foam and more! Find your favorite and stick on! You can even paint over them before you stick them on, or after using watered down paint on a cotton ball for a distressed look!

YELLOW VASE ($800): I love how funky and vibrant this is; to make your own find a funky vase shape you can't live without! Spray paint your favorite color (follow the instructions above), and use scrapbook rub ons to put the fun decals! Rub ons are super cheap, super easy and come in everything from shapes to pictures to quotes!

TURQUOISE VASE ($200): I wish I could find a cute vase like this around here! Thankfully my local dollar store has cute round vases that are screaming for this! Paint your base color first (in this color scheme that would be gold), let dry and then cut out the shapes you want in painters tape. Measure and place on the vase, once you have them in place (and pressed down tightly), spray paint again with your top color (turquoise). And Whola! Perfection and fun vases for a mere couple dollars! 

I can't wait to see what you guys are doing with your vases! Make sure to send me pictures if you try any INSPIRATION projects! You may just get yourself featured!

INSPIRATION shells

Unfortunately Summer is well on its way out, as a last ditch effort to bring the beach home with us, I decided to do an INSPIRATION using shells. Another fabulous (and FREE) nature item, that provides beautiful texture and color to anything, and welcomes summer all year round! 

FRAMES: These frames are so cute, and the perfect way to bring your summer vacation home with you all year! Grab a few of your favorite shells, along with a jar of sand and a shadow box frame or a frame without glass! First super glue your shells in the frame, make sure you are liberal with the glue and wait until they are properly adhered. Then slather on a thick amount of modpodge and pour the sand on, wait for it dry and shake off the excess. Once you have it ready (and no more sand falls off) hang on the wall, or sit up on a desk and remember your vacation forever!

FLIP FLIPS: I know, I know, once winter comes flip flops become a thing of the past. But if you wear them around the house, or just want a way to remember your summer vacation (in a functional way), these are perfect! Grab a couple shells, if they have a way to weave twine (or hemp or your favorite string) through, great! If they don't, use a drill bit made for ceramics to drill a small hole! Use the twine to weave or macrome the shells onto your cheap flip flips and whola! Cute, functional, and easy to change out if you feel so inclined!

LAMP: This lamp has so many possibilities! Grab your favorite shape from the thrift store, it can be traditional, or funky, or modern! As long as you like it, it's perfect! Then grab an assortment of shells (or all the same) and use hot glue or super glue to attach. Play with the placement, you can put as many or as little on as you like! When its all finished and dry, you can leave it natural to bring in those great colors, or spray paint your favorite color and leave the texture to speak for itself!

EARRINGS: My favorite accessory, I love earrings, and if I took a vacation to the beach, these would be my preferred way of saving the memento! Choose shells with natural holes, or use a drill bit made for ceramics to create a small one. Then attach a chain to your favorite earring backs (posts or hooks) and use 'O' rings to attach the shells to the chain! Custom, cute and colorful!

Have you tried one of these projects or techniques? I'd love to see it! Send me a link or picture so I can feature it on my blog!

To find out information about the products used, please click the image to head to Polyvore!
•This may be posted to any of the link parties•

DIY PROJECT: Memo Board Part One: The Calendar

The long awaited DIY project -better be good right? Well here was my dilemma. I originally thought up this idea in response the the Dollar Store Craft Challenge (on the 1st of this month…). I needed something to organize all of my thoughts and office stuff so it seemed like the perfect opportunity. The problem was I was unsure how I wanted to do it-so I kept going back and forth, even after I purchased the supplies. Then something came up so I couldn't post it in time for the challenge anyway. Then I was lazy and a 3 hour project suddenly became a 3 week project. Finally my last issue was, I wasn't sure how to post it because ultimately I was doing 3 projects, and it may be long for one post. Long story short, I've finally decided to break it up over 3 posts. 

 Part 1: The Calendar 

I needed a calendar desperately. Something big and easy to see that I didn't need to flip through pages in a book or a binder. So I could keep track of the generic things, like concerts and doctor appointments! This seemed like a no-brainer to me. 

Supplies: 

Frame-if you have one at home, use it! Mine was from the Dollar Store

  Spray Paint-I had extra on hand in white

  Scrapbook Paper-I had this on hand, but any paper, or wrapping paper you like will work

  Paint brush-a foam brush will work even better, you can get these at the Dollar Store

  Etching Solution-had this on hand as well.

 My cost: $1 

I started this project out by painting the frame, I used spray paint and it ended up using 3 coats-which I will explain later in my third post. I used the paper inside the frame to measure and cut my scrapbook paper to the size needed. Since my office is gray, pink and yellow-I chose a cute pink pattern, the pattern you use should not be bold or distracting, try subdued patterns (tone on tone) or plain colors. 

 Next I measured out lines on the back of the page from the frame to create the basis of the calendar on. I measured in half an inch from either side to create a border, then measured what was left and divided by 5 (for horizontal). Then I taped it to the back of the glass. Using masking tape (or whatever you have on hand) I placed the tape along the lines on the other side of the glass, leaving about an 1/8th of an inch between them. Using a ruler and exacto knife, I cut off the excess to create that border. 

 Measuring again I made the same divisions going down, dividing by 7 (for vertical). I left about 1/8th of an inch again between the boxes, and use the ruler and exacto to cut evenly. 

 Once my calendar was created via tape, I opened the etch solution and began dabbing it on. A foam brush would have worked better to create even strokes and fill it faster. Make sure you apply quickly and liberally. As you can see I did not and mine wasn't as even in the end result. Wait about 5-10 minutes before washing off. 

 After it's dry replace in the frame, placing the paper behind it as a backdrop. You will have a perfect calendar border with a cute interchangeable background!

Now you can write on it with white board pens, and erase when you're done to change the dates every month! Plus, you can purchase the markers at the dollar Store!

 

Stay tuned next week, for the next part of my office organization!  

•This may be shared on any of the link parties page•

INSPIRATION [wild in white]

I'm a huge fan of white, especially in high gloss. A quick coat or two of high gloss white adds instant glam and sophistication to anything. Since animal figurines at always popular and easy to collect I decided to do a wild in white theme for this weeks Inspiration post!

WHEN PIGS FLY: Such a cute, whimsical touch to any room without being overbearing or juvenile. The white adds an adult spin to the fun nature of the statue! Depending on the size you choose, you could grab a ceramic piggy bank, or go smaller with a plastic figurine from your local craft store. Add wings from any craft section (feather, wood, metal or even try jewelry pieces)! Use super glue to attach, grab a dowel rod and wood block to finish it off. If you are using heavier pieces, drilling holes to attach the pig to the dowel to the wood will be necessary! The finishing touch is white paint to bring it all together!

BUNNY LOVE: Another cute touch to a room, subtle but a great accessory to complete it! Grab a couple bunnies in different sizes or stances and glue together in a loving position. If you use plastic figurines, a tacky glue or even superglue and hot glue will work. If you go with ceramic figurines, make sure you use an epoxy made for that! Finish it off with high gloss white spray paint!

ANIMAL NAPKIN RINGS: These are so cute for your next party, or for every day use! Grab a cardboard toilet paper roll (or paper towel) and wrap sculpey clay around it, be creative to create shapes that resemble animals like owls and snails! Abstract is fun, stay basic with your shapes to keep it easy! Slide the clay off the rolls to bake (follow the instructions on the package!)-when its cool, paint it-but be careful, use food-safe paint since your napkin (which touches your mouth!!) will be touching it!

RABBIT CANDLESTICK: There are a lot of ways to create something fun like this, if you want to use heavy duty pieces (ceramic and porcelain) then grab a drill and use a metal rod to create the structure. If you want something a little lighter, grab a heavy base animal figurine (to weigh it down), and use plastic kids tea cups to build up the candle stick. If you are not using a rod to create the structure I suggest piling straight up, rather than creating the fun shape shown here. To top it off, cut off the top of a candle stick holder (a cheap one from the thrift store) and spray paint. You can get fire-safe paint, for this project I would suggest it! Have fun with your piling, be creative and get some fun shapes!

Have you tried one of these projects or techniques? I'd love to see it! Send me a link or picture so I can feature it on my blog!

To find out information about the products used, please click the image to head to Polyvore!
•This may be posted to any of the link parties•

INSPIRATION [shiny]

I may be alone in this, but I love all things shiny. Mirrors add instant glam to any room, and show off a saucy personality!

 
MIRROR: The great part about this project is not only how customizable it is to your personality, but how cheap it can be to create as well! Find something sturdy for your backing, this will depend entirely on what size your mirror is. You can find them in any size (and shape) at your local thrift store, and even some home improvement stores. A small circle can be found in your local dollar store as well. For a small one you can use foam board, stiff cardboard, and a larger heavier one use wood. Make sure your backing is bigger than the mirror (how big is up to you) find rhinestones, or mirrored pieces at your local craft store, and apply to the backing, around the mirror using tacky glue, or glass epoxy!

CANDLEHOLDER: This candle holder is so cute, so classy, and so cheap to make! Head to your dollar store, find a small circle mirror, and pick up a bag of rhinestones while you're there! Use your hot glue gun to attach around the mirror and add instant pizzaz!

JEWELRY BOX: Find a wooden box, and use the Look Glass Mirror-Like spray paint to create the look. Adorn the top with rhinestones using hot glue-and whola!

FRAME: A cheap boring frame can be instant glam-a-fied by using varying sizes and shapes of rhinestones. Use larger ones to create a unique shape in the corner, and use smaller ones to grow out away from it, filling up the rest of the frame space. If your pieces are large and are over 50% off the frame surface, use a piece of cardboard to make it sturdy from the back. I suggest using modpodge to apply the pieces into place!

Have you tried one of these projects or techniques? I'd love to see it! Send me a link or picture so I can feature it on my blog!

To find out information about the products used, please click the image to head to Polyvore!
•This may be posted to any of the link parties•

GUEST SERVICES ombre

I love featuring other bloggers, it shocks me when I stumble across a fabulous blog with brilliant ideas and only a handful of followers! I decided to jump on the 'ombre' theme this week. I admit- I can't get enough of this technique-better late than never!

Dollar Store Necklace (made from pony tail holders!) by Madigan Made

Totally ingenious! Totally cute! Totally cheap and easy! (why aren't you making one RIGHT NOW?!)

DIY Ombre skirt by Harpers Bazaar

Talk about simple, I'm not a fan of the tie-dye look, so this is perfect- I get to play but get a look I love! I might need this in every color!

Ombre Painted Chevron Curtains from Owens Olivia (guest post on remodelaholic)

I've been eyeballing these curtains since their grand debut on Remodelaholic, I'm in love with them! This tutorial is perfect with great pictures too! (make sure you check out both sites)!

Ombre Necklace (Pistachio shells!) by Creme de la Craft

I can't get over how creative people are, and this is no exception! I'm not going to lie...I put pistachio's on my grocery list after I saw this!

Now get out there and start creating! Make sure you head to these great blogs and leave some love-and WHEN you Pin these projects, please do so from their blogs to give them full credit- tell them I sent you! If you've been featured, make sure to grab a button from the sidebar!

DIY PROJECT: Vintage Camera Bank

 Remember that awesome post I did about FUN into FUNctional (there's an update to that coming next week…oh yea and its awesome -I can't wait)! Well, for anyone following twitter and Facebook (you're NOT?! Get on that! Now!) found out that my original project failed. Before it started. Only because I thought I had the material..and I didn't…and yea that hasn't been working…YET! I will get it finished…someday! Anyway, I realized I had to find something else and while scoping out ZGallerie I saw these cute silver camera figurines…and for some reason that reminded me of my vintage camera collection (oops..how does one forget 30 vintage cameras in your bedroom???). And thus this idea was born…The Vintage Camera Bank. 

One day while surfing Ebay I came across a lot of vintage cameras, I have an obsession for brownies (nomnomnom-oh yea, the cameras too), and jumped on a lot that contained two. It also had this great Polaroid Land Camera. Unfortunately the dumb seller literally threw all of the cameras into a box without padding or anything and shipped it. It came to me in a hundred pieces (did I mention there is a guide to buying off of Ebay coming soon? No, well hit subscribe because there is!) I was sad, and took it to the camera doctor who told gave me a time of death. (RIP land camera!!) It has been sitting, collecting dust ever since.

MATERIALS:

broken camera

screwdriver

steel wool pad

Quarter (for sizing)

wood burner

box cutter

Spray Paint (I used silver metallic)

Tape (whatever you have on hand)

Total cost everything on hand): FREE

1. So the first thing I did, was took a steel wool pad to it, got the dirt and rust off (I know it looks so innocent and put together here doesn't it? Don't let it fool you, this baby was a goner). I left it in the sun to dry while I gathered my materials.

 2. Next I opened it up: mind you every camera you use will have a different interior, and I actually got lucky that the land camera was built this way to be easily torn apart. I took out the back slide, and used the screwdriver to take out the metal springs, and the box cutter to cut out the string until everything was cleared. Note: I forgot to get a shot of it empty. 

 3. I decided where I was going to place the coin hole after measuring (using the quarter) both inside and outside to make sure it would fit. I used the box cutter to cut a straight line where the hole would go. Now for the wood burner, I used a small fine tip, and found I didn't have a spot outside (preferable), so I had to do it inside. The smell from melting plastic is not good, and definitely not good for your lungs, so either find a spot outside, wear a mask, or do it in a venerated spot. I chose the bathroom because it has a fan. As soon as it started to heat up I used it to go over the line I had already made, just deep enough to get started. Then I left the room and waited for it to heat up all the way. When I did I took a huge breath, ran in, stabbed it all the way through, dragged along the line and left the room for a few minutes. (Dramatic? Yes. But my nose/lungs thanked me). I repeated until the line was to my liking, and the quarter fit through the slot perfectly. Note: you could use a flat tip to cut off the excess on the top, or sandpaper. I chose to do neither because it really didn't bother me.

 4. Next I had to decide what color to paint it, it went back and forth between metallic silver and hot pink…I decided on silver because its classic and timeless and goes well with everything. Then I had to decide whether or not I wanted the glass to show and if I wanted to keep the handle on it. (Apparently I'm indecisive!) I decided I wanted both, so I taped off the glass and covered the handle with paper and started painting.

 5. I propped it open because I didn't want the camera to get stuck closed, using a piece of wood to prop up the handle out of the way. I lightly dusted the camera, and came back 10 minutes later and put a thicker coat of paint on. About an hour later I put a piece of tape in the door and closed it so I could sit it upright to paint another coat and make sure everything was even. NOTE: these pictures were taken before the final coat of paint which is why there are fingerprints! You also may notice the glass is silver, I decided I liked it better fully covered.

What I learned:

-Turns out it took 24 hours to dry, apparently what covers the camera doesn't love spray paint, so I ended up covering the silver with a clear coat just to get it to dry!

-If you don't have a wood burner, you could use a thin metal rod, heat over a candle to do it.

-I almost didn't post this project because I'm afraid people will run out to their closest thrift store and buy a perfectly good vintage camera and destroy it. PLEASE DO NOT. You CAN purchase broken cameras off of ebay etc for projects like these. Please leave the working ones for those who use them (IE : ME!)
•Shared on link parties Tuesday-Monday!•

INSPIRATION [patriotic shoes]

In keeping with the patriotic theme this month, I couldn't resist a fun Inspiration post for shoes!

Hello easy! No matter what type of shoes you prefer, there is a look for anyone and the technique is the same! First collect your tools, tape off the areas you're going to start with, and use star stickers in the areas where stars are going to be. Choose your paint: fabric paint/pens or nail polish! Once you've finished painting and its dried, cover it with clear nail polish to seal it!

Have you made some? Send me a link or picture! I'd love to feature it!

To find out information about the products used, please click the image to head to Polyvore!•This has been posted to link parties Tuesday!•

INSPIRATION [patriotic decor]

Patriotism isn't something that should be celebrated one day a year, it should be every day, something American's should be proudly living and breathing. Yes there are opposing political parties, and they don't always get along. Yes there will always be things in our government we don't agree with. But that's the amazing thing about democracy, we have the right to disagree, the right to fight. Whether we agree or disagree with what our current affairs are, it is our American right. Stepping off of my soapbox, I've found a few ways to bring patriotism back into the home in small ways, ways that may not prove to the world we are proud of our country, but instead offer a simple reminder everyday of who we are and what we are fighting for.

PIGGY BANK: This piggy bank was way too much fun to pass up. A quick way to reinvent your boring childhood piggy bank into something sparkly, fun, and alllllll american! Simply using any paint or nailpolish on hand, paint the basic areas of the bank the preferred color, and bedazzle using scrapbook rhinestones, or cheap bulk rhinestones with a dab of hot glue! Instant beautification!

FRAME: This frame is such a great reminder of who we are, place a family heirloom photo in it, or update with your most recent family photo for a strong reminder every what you have to be thankful for! Using painters tape, tape off the areas, and using any paint on hand, or nail polish color accordingly! Use rhinestone stars to pretty it up, or place stickers on it before painting, and peel off when it dries to leave the shape!

PILLOW: Comfortable and cozy! Find a cheap plain pillow, use tape to create the sections and star stickers for the stars, and dab fabric paint in the areas. When it dries, pull it off, heat seal and wash!

Have another idea, or tried one of these? Send me a link or picture! I'd love to feature it!
•Posted to link parties Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday!•

To find out information about the products used, please click the image to head to Polyvore!

DIY Project: Wicker Hanging Lantern

So inspired by my $5 Dollar Store Crafts project (See my Ring Display here), that my mother decided to try her hand (and imagination) at it as well! So we headed down to the local Dollar Tree, and scoped out some projects. Since my own, I've thought of 3 more that I have to do, so stay tuned in the future for more of those! Meanwhile, my mother was distracted by these great wicker wreaths and a project was born!

Materials:
(3) wicker wreaths-preferably in differing sizes, she picked out great looking ones and set on top of each other to find ones that slightly varied in size.
1 package of floral wire-she ended up having some on hand, but got a package anyway!
1 votive candle holder-she had lots of these too, but couldn't resist the great pattern on the side of this! Make sure whatever you use has a lip on it!
Dollar Tree total: $5 (or $3 if you stick with materials on hand!)

Tools:
She had raffia wrapped wire on hand, which can be expensive, jute, hemp, string, ribbon etc-whatever you have on hand and matches your style will work!
Wire cutters
Tea light-most people have hundreds of these lying around, but if you don't Dollar Tree stocks these as well!
'S' hook
1) Lay out your wreaths, find your largest and second largest, and simply slide the smaller of the two inside of the bigger one. This can be difficult depending on how closely they are in size. These worked perfectly! Place them so they are crossing each other (when you look down on it, you see an X or +). Next, take your smallest and do the same to create a six pointed star looking down.

2) Next, using the floral wire, "sew" the wire through the dome, weaving through them to ensure they stay together. You could repeat on the bottom to keep it sturdy. If you don't have floral wire, you could use hot glue, super glue or even wire bag ties from the grocery store! Once you've 'sewn' them together, tuck the wire back into the wreaths so they aren't noticeable.

3) For the light, take your votive/candle holder/mason jar etc and use the floral wire or ribbon to wrap around the top (under the lip!). Tie in a knot, with excess wire on one side, pull the excess wire over the jar opening to the exact opposite side, and tie in another knot to create a handle over the jar opening. *NOTE: ribbon can burn! If you use ribbon make sure the jar you use is tall enough to keep the flame away from it, and never leave the candle burning unattended!**

4) Finally, cut an extra long piece of whatever you're using to hang it (here we used raffia wire), choose a top to the light, wrap around the wreaths as shown, allow a loop within the sphere to attach the light onto, tying securely. Attach the other end of the wire to an 'S' hook.

5) Drop your tea light within the jar, light using a long match or lighter, and hang anywhere!

What I learned:
The only necessary item for this to purchase are the wreaths. Usually anything else you need you can find at home!
Never leave the candle burning alone, these are flammable items, and even though a tea light doesn't give off much heat-there is still a chance!
Wire is much safer than ribbon for this project (in and around the candle), for safety sake buy the floral wire, or another type to use! However, ribbon and rope is perfect for hanging up!
These will look great hanging in a garden in bulk, or around a patio for those beautiful summer nights!
•This project is posted to link parties everyday!•

DIY Project: Ring Display

I heard about the Dollar Tree $5 Challenge from another blog, and was so excited! Partly because I've been itching to craft lately, and have been so uninspired to do so. And partly because I always thought it would be cool to do a project entirely from one store (insert Project Runway addiction). I was so excited, that I ran out to my closest Dollar Tree immediately after reading the rules. Unfortunately I not only came up empty handed, but uninspired as well. Thankfully the boyfriend came up with an idea to check out The Other Dollar Tree the next day. A much larger, much better stocked, and much more inspiring store 30 minutes away. So I went home and scoped out the Dollar Store Crafts site and was shocked and amazed at all the goodies I saw on there. Determined to not only come up with something cute and easy, but functional as well: something that I could use every day I restarted my search the next day. That's when I saw the zen garden and inspiration (finally) struck! A ring display! My rings have found themselves all over my room and bathroom, in various 'trees', jewelry boxes, and plate displays. I needed something large enough to hold all of them, but easy to get them out, and see at the same time. A ring display would be perfect. My mind started going, and after a carrying around $20 worth of goodies, I narrowed it down to four. A set of (3) washcloths in super soft and pretty green microfiber, a plastic frame, a pack of pencils, and a ball of twine. $4. And I got to work. Joining me was a hot glue gun, scissors, and wire cutters (optional)-all on hand. [note that the zen garden didn't make it home with me..]

1. Remove the glass and mat from the frame. I chose a 5x7 because it was a decent enough size to fit a lot on, without being too huge for my dresser. I also chose a frame that had a thicker inset so the ring rolls wouldn't push out past it too far. The first step was to wind the string around the frame, there are many ways to do this, you can glue the front and wrap it messy, or pile it on at random, or layer it neatly as I did by simply holding it tight and wrapping it patiently and gluing occasionally in the back of the frame. I did the sides first, leaving the corners to last. When I got to them I simply wrapped the string left to right slowly covering the corner and creating a neat layering pattern (see pictures). My boyfriend liked it better with black showing through, so really you can wrap it however you prefer it!

2. Next I glued the back of the frame (the part that hangs/easel) to frame. This created a tray basically to glue my rolls onto. I glued the top and bottom first, and the sides after I finished. No real reason other than I forgot. After this I chopped the pencils in half using the wire cutters. You can use anything to cut them, you can even go hulk and break them in your hands. Doesn't have to be perfect, it just creates a stronger roll and gives you something to roll the fabric onto.

3. I took the first washcloth and folded it in half, this way it was just slightly longer/wider than the hole it was going to fit into in the frame. I placed a layer of glue onto the pencil, placed at the edge of the washcloth and started rolling. I only rolled about 1.5 times, gluing at the end. I cut the roll away from the rest of the washcloth, gluing the inner layer to ensure it stays in place. Not entirely necessary but makes it slightly easier to work with.

4. As you can see in the picture below, I basically folded the ends in to place in the frame, and rolled it into position at the edge of it so that the folds went under neath the roll. I glued as close to the bottom of the frame as I could to keep in place on both sides of the roll.

5. Continue steps 3 and 4 until you get to the bottom of the frame. My rolls were about 1.5 cm each. I used 2 washcloths exactly, and 5 pencils to create 10 rolls total. Make sure you push them together when gluing so they tightly packed into place to hold your rings!

What I learned:
-You may not like the towel idea. I chose the washcloths because I loved the color and I swear these are the softest towels ever! Luckily Dollar Tree has a wide assortment of towels, clothes and blankets to choose from!
-5x7 was the perfect size! I can hold all of my rings, with plenty of room for more ;) and it looks great on my dresser!
-If I could do it over, I would cut off the edging on the towels. They didn't like being folded over and give it the messy-ish look in the pictures. Which I don't mind, it just took longer to deal with, and figured I'd mention to the blogsphere so they can get cleaner looking rolls in their own versions =)
-The pencils worked like a charm, the only non-preferable thing about them is they were slightly shorter than the width of the frame, which doesn't seem to affect how it holds the rings, but if you have something longer, or more pencils than I had on hand to cut the correct length I would try it!

Now, your turn! Can't wait to see your versions and suggestions! Have you made your own item for the $5 challenge? I'd love to see it, make sure you link it!
•project may be linked to a party, check the link tab to see which!•