Decorative Clothespin Container

 

Welcome to the July Pinterest Challenge Blog Hop hosted by Erlene @ My Pinterventures.  If you aren't familiar with the Pinterest Challenge, it's a monthly event that challenges us to not just be pin hoarders, but to make it happen! 

I have lots of clothespins left over from projects I've done before like here, here and here! Plus, there are lots of clothespin crafts on Pinterest for inspiration, too! One craft pin I have been meaning to do for quite a while now - is making a decorative container using clothespins. It's such an easy way to turn something like recycle cans (nut can) you're about to toss, into an item that's useful and decorative! And the best part, you can let your imagination run wild deciding how to decorate it!

Materials needed:

• Can
• Wood Clothespins (21+)
• DAP All Purpose Adhesive
• Ribbon/Cording
• Fabri-Tac Fabric Glue

Let's begin with the container! It's best to have one that's close to the height of the clothespins.  I didn't have one so I cut down an empty nut can from my stash. Then I placed a clothespin at the bottom of the can and marked on the can where the top of the clothespin hit. Wrapped painter's tape around the can at the mark .  .  .

to cut the can down. And don't forget to save the cut-off piece for another project!

I'm using matching ribbon and cording that I found at JoAnn for 70% off almost a year ago! I've been wanting to make something with them! 

Next, twist the clothespins apart to remove the metal springs and begin gluing on the flat sides using a quick grab glue like DAP multi-purpose glue or super glue.

I used 21 clothespins twisted apart for this size can giving a barrel effect look.

At this point, I had every intentions of painting the wood portion but got carried away with trying out how to add the ribbon and found myself gluing it on to see. Oh well!

So I then tied cording around where the larger wood indents are.

And decided to make a flower to help decorate the can.  By first, separating the cording and cut it into six 3.5" strips for the petals. Use Fabri-Tac glue to straighten the cords and glue them on the ribbon in a petal shape.

Once dry, cut out the petals.

Arrange petals like a flower and glue sides together towards center.

Add a bead to center and glue flower on container where cording is tied.

It's such a sweet container to hold your special knick-knacks and what-knots! 

 I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post also contains affiliate links.  I may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra.  The affiliate money I earn per month helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

Let's meet this month's Pinterest Challenge hosts!

My Pinterventures •  Cookies Coffee and Crafts 

Sew Crafty Crochet •  Eye Love Knots 

My Sweet Things  •  Across the Boulevard 

Suzerspace •  Purple Hues and Me 

Decorate and More with Tip •  Mom Home Guide 

Our Unschooling Journey •  Intelligent Domestications 

Craftify My Love  •  Life Beyond the Kitchen 

K's Olympic Nest •   Teadoddles  

Farm Girl Reformed • Simple Nature Decor

  Stone Cottage Adventures

To join next month's #pinterestchallenge, click here to sign-up ⇒ August Pinterest Challenge

 Now, let's see what the other hosts have created ⇓⇓

An InLinkz Link-up

Summer Fun Link Party Features

We really enjoyed all of the summer fun projects, ideas, recipes and inspirations shared at our Summer Fun Link Party! Today the hosts are featuring some of our favorites from the party! 

I love making crafts so it's no wonder I'm drawn to unusual craft projects! Here are a few of my favorites that I want to highlight! 

              DIY Origami 3D Paper Stars

Cristina aka Bird @ Birds Party shares  a fun way to celebrate summer, patriotic, christmas and themed parties with this awesome DIY Origami 3-D Paper Stars! You won't believe how easy Cristina makes it seem folding paper stars - so stop by and try your hand!


               Coastal Piano Scape and Dough Ornaments

You can't get any more summery than beach themes and Kristie @ Love My Little Cottage shares how she makes Coastal Theme Dough Ornaments - perfect for her Coastal Piano Scape! You've got to stop by and get Kristie's step by step tutorial!

French Terracotta Coasters with Decor Transfers

                      
Marie @Interior Frugalista shares how she repurpose clay terracotta saucers for outdoors using decor transfers - a cool, easy process that adds a lovely French country charm! Be sure to stop by and see out how she does it!

Thanks again to everyone who linked up at the party!Be sure to stop by the co-hosts’ blogs to check out their featured posts, too!

Across the Blvd | Purple Hues and Me

Sew Crafty Crochet | This Autoimmune Life

Our Unschooling Journey | Coastal Bohemian

Two Chicks & a Mom | Domestic Deadline

Cookies, Coffee, & Crafts | My Pinterventures | Stone Cottage Adventures

Jingle Bells Mini Wreath Ornament

Hey y'all! It's Christmas in July and time to get a jump start on Christmas and avoid the rush and stress by starting your Christmas crafts right now! Plan ahead with making handcrafted ornaments to decorate a tree or give as gifts!  And I'm keeping it real simple with a project that looks impressive but super easy to make with just a few items - A Jingle Bells Mini Wreath Ornament!


 I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post also contains affiliate links.  I may receive a very small commission.  It does NOT result in additional charges to you or cost you anything extra.  The affiliate money I earn per month helps pay my crafting expenses. Thanks so much for your support!

To make this ornament you only need: 

• Jingle bells - 
• Chenille pipe cleaners
• Ribbon and trim

Begin by threading the pipe cleaner through the top hole of the bell, leaving 1.5" on one end to twist when finish.  Fold end down to prevent bells from falling off. Continue adding bells and sliding them together as tight as possible.

One 12" pipe cleaner will hold 28 - 20mm or .75" jingle bells .  .  .

leaving enough pipe cleaner to twist close into a circle.

Next, make a bow with 2" loops - I used my Bowdabra and bow wire to make my bow .  .  . 

and used the bow wire to make a loop for hanging! But you can use twine or thin ribbon to make a loop, too! See, quick and easy! Have fun making lots for tree trimming, embellishing gifts and holiday decorating!

I'm sharing this ornament tutorial as part of the Creative Crafter's Group Craft Challenge on Facebook hosted by Janet @Try It, Like It, Create It, where we are challenged to create  themed projects on the 15th of each month.  

Take a moment to check out our craft tutorial posts and feel free to share your own Christmas in July posts by linking up below!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Christmas in July - Cork Pine Cone Bow Ornament

It's Christmas in July and time to get a head start on making handcrafted Christmas ornaments like this lovely Cork Pine Cone Bow Ornament! It's made from recycle wine corks and foam eggs from Easter-time and topped with a pretty Bowdabra bow! So avoid the stress and rushed feelings the Christmas season brings and actually enjoy creating ornaments and holiday items this time of year.

Please join me on Bowdabrablog where I'm sharing this easy to follow tutorial on making a Cork Pine Cone Bow Ornament for a Christmas in July advantage!

Thanks for stopping by

and take a little time to enjoy,

Happy "Christmas in July" Crafting!

Decorate A Dollar Store Vase

It’s time for our monthly blog hop challenge. This month’s theme is a Dollar Store Craft. The participants were challenged to create a project using mostly items from a dollar store.

Meet this month's Dollar Store Craft Challenge Participants

Across the Blvd

This Autoimmune Life

Stone Cottage Adventures

Cookies, Coffee, and Crafts

Purple Hues and Me

It's sometimes amazing the things you can do with a dollar store item! Take this plain pink metal vase. Truth be told, I think I've had it for at lease a couple of years. You know how you pick up things and haven't a clue as to what you might do with them. All I know is that it is a good size - bigger than most, in a great color and just a dollar! So I got two! Lol! And who can resist these cool napkins - Keep Life Simple! Amen to that! And the pink in the napkins matches the pink vase! So I won't need to paint! How about that! Of course you recognize the Mod Podge sampler size! In addition, I'm using white twine that I'll braid for this project's trim and also use faux flowers that were picked up at the dollar store, too! All, great stuff found at the dollar store! 

I guess you've figured out that I'm going to decoupage the napkin onto the vase 

by first, lightly applying a layer of mod podge onto the vase. Then cutting out an oval shape portion of the napkin and separating the printed layer from the plain white layer.

 Next, lay the printed side on top of the mod podge, smoothing out using a plastic baggy.

 And let dry!

 Next, cut eight strips of twine, 2 1/2 times the length around the napkin cut-out. Then group in two's and braid. 

 Measure the braided twine around the napkin and apply mod podge to the twine at the beginning and end so it won't unravel when cut. Glue on around napkin motif for border.

And finally, glue-on pretty faux flowers for a lovely effect!

And then add a bunch in the vase to brighten any room!

Keep Life Simple!

Be sure to check out these dollar store projects for ideas and inspirations!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Bead and Wire Wrapped Glass Jar

Have I got a fun bead project for you! I know you've seen those wire wrapped jars in all the home decor stores! I even found a small one in the Dollar Tree! Can you imagine that! The wrapped wire is a take-off of the jute twine fishermen knot on mason jars that's so popular. Only there are no knots - the wire is twisted instead. Anyway, I thought it cool to combine the two - beads and wire - and create a bead and wire wrapped glass jar! It's truly whimsy!

Materials needed:
Glass Jar

Wire - 20-22 gauge

Faceted beads - 12mm, 8mm

Wire Cutter

Nylon Jaw Pliers

Instructions:

Let's start by measuring the wire around the mouth area of the jar .  .  .

to string assorted 12 mm faceted beads on with a bit of extra wire to wrap ends together a few times. Once the beads are threaded on, secure the ends by twisting together and cutting off excess wire.

For this size jar, there are 26 beads strung on the wire around it and so I placed the folded wire every two beads - for 13 strips of wire. The jar is 6 inches tall and I thought cutting 20 inch lengths of wire would be enough to end the wrapping just under the jar, but it was not. So I would suggest cutting the wire four times the height of the jar. I'm sure there must be a mathematical way to solve this but that would surely give me a headache if I tried. Lol!

So, cut thirteen pieces of wire more than long enough to end just under the jar. Then place each piece, every two beads - by placing one wire over the beaded wire with both ends even together. Twist wire together at top about six times. 

Next, slide a smaller 8mm bead on each twisted wire to the top and spread  open the wires to keep the bead from falling down.  Do this for all thirteen wires. For the next row, grab one wire from the right bead side and one from the opposite left bead side, pulling down and forming a triangle to twist the wires together. Then slide a bead onto the twisted wire area. 

Continue to take opposite sided wire, pulling down to form a triangle and twisting wires together, and then sliding bead on, row by row.

If needed, nylon pliers will help smooth any wrinkles out of wire as you wrap.

I mentioned earlier that I did not have enough wire to finish wrapping the jar, so near the bottom I added a 8 mm bead and then a teardrop bead with the hole in the top. The wire was then threaded through the hole at the top to secure, and then twisted together at the back, cutting off excess wire. 

 The teardrop beads hang down for a finished look.

Oh, and did I tell you this jar had a top that .  .  .

I glued on a crystal bead for a handle! 

So Cool!

I'm sharing this adorable project on  

Bring on the Crafts — A Craft & DIY Blog Hop

Here's a bit about this blog hop! On the first Friday through Sunday of each month, a group of DIY and crafty bloggers join forces. Together with hosts, Marie from The Inspiration Vault and Habiba from Craftify My Love, bring you the #BringontheCrafts blog hop. Each blogger creates a fun craft or DIY project to share that follows a monthly materials theme. 

July's theme is Beads and Buttons! 

Each blogger chooses their own craft to make as long as they love it and it uses beads or buttons in the project.

Our July Co-hosts:

Jenny at Cookies, Coffee and Crafts • Marie at DIY Adulation  

Beverly at Across the Blvd • Gail at Purple Hues & Me 

Kim at Day To Day Adventures

Join in on the fun! If you'd like to participate next month, you can request to join our Bring on the Crafts Facebook Group. Next month's theme is Cutting Machines!

Not a blogger, but a creative mind none the less!? Don't worry, share your awesome creations in our Craft Cult Facebook Group. This is also a great place to ask craft & DIY related questions and find inspiration for your next project. Now let's see all of those amazing craft and DIY projects!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter