Bling Light Switch Cover

I have been procrastinating on this girly toddler room for quite a while.  Apparently so long that she really cannot be called a toddler anymore.  So little girl room it is.  I finally have got some things going on in here, this being my absolute most favourite of late!!!  (I think it warrants extra exclamation marks!  Ha!)

Supplies:

Light switch cover

E-6000 (or other craft glue)

bling! (I used several sizes of clear rhinestones)

Directions:

Glue rhinestones onto light switch cover.  Start with the large and medium sizes around the interior of the switch plate and work your way to the edges.  Use the super tiny size rhinestones to fill in any blank spaces. 

Once finished, I waited 24 hours before hanging to ensure the glue was solid and no rhinestones were falling off.  This is going in the Chanel-inspired girly girl room.  I can't wait to tackle more!

Linking up with some great  parties!

DIY Gem Ornaments

Hooray!  It's Day 3 of Creating Christmas!  I am so glad to be a co-host with several other lovely ladies and The Girl Creative!




Without further ado, here is today's Christmas craftiness!

I had some leftover gems from this project, so I thought some coordinating ornaments would be cute.  My daughter's tree is pink, pink, and more pink with silver.  Her ornaments are sequined and the lights are globe-shaped.  Some of the gems are teardrop shaped and her garland is silver cubes, so we are really rocking the geometric shapes here!  Ha!

Simply put an ornament hook through the gem hole (resize the hook to fit) and hang it on the tree! 

So easy and cute.  I think this would be really precious done on a tree with only beads and pearls.

Linking up with some great parties!

Old Christmas Decor in New Ways

It is Day 2 of Creating Christmas!

This Christmas I am aiming to reuse the decorations that I have in ways I have never used them (or at least, not recently).  Here are some samples of things I made today...

A tealight holder became an modern-style ornament display for a windowsill.

When I decorate for Christmas, I sometimes reuse currently displayed vases or jars which means I have to store everything that is normally in the container.  I had dumped out a vase of red glass stones to be used for Christmas balls instead.  I was planning to store the glass stones until January but hey, they're red and it's Christmas!  I tried them in a couple of places, didn't like them, and into a jar they went. 

I pulled out my sleigh (that was filled with silver bead garland from the year before) and emptied it out.  I thought about filling it with some wrapped stocking stuffers, but I did that a couple of years ago.  So I left the sleigh and went back to the beads.

I thought the beads and glass stones might look cute so I grabbed an empty vase and started stringing the beads in.  I added a couple of stones every once in while. A sparkly red glitter Christmas ball went on top.  It's cute!  I am not sure where it is going to go yet, but I think it's a keeper!  Just something a little different.

Then the sleigh came back out and I saw some beaded stars that my daughter had unwrapped right next to the beaded fruits.  In went one apple, one pear, one cluster of grapes, and two stars.  I had one star left so it got hung on the side of the sleigh.

 

I placed the sleigh on a half wall and wanted a little something extra with it so I found some metallic XL tulle (leftovers from here) and some bits of raffia for a base.  Three gold mini balls in matte, shiny, and glitter were the finishing touch.  I think this is my most favourite way I have ever used the sleigh!

Linking up with some great parties!

DIY Window Prisms

I wanted to add something special to my daughter's bedroom window.  It isn't too big and I haven't decided on the window treatments yet, so I wanted to do something that would be (a) simple to assemble, (b) easy to install, and (c) removable in case it doesn't work later. 

I picked up some gems from the dollar store in different shapes and shades.  When I opened the package, I noticed the crystals had tiny holes for stringing!  I chose to use small and large pink crystals and spherical clear crystals.  I had lots of clear jewelry string, so each crystal got its own string and a couple were doubled up.  I just taped them inside the window frame and that was it!  The facets on the gems act like prisms and project rainbows into the room when the sun is shining.

UPDATE:  Some of the heavier crystals (the doubled strings) fell.  However, I only used regular scotch tape to hang them.  A little bit of duct tape should do the trick!  (Plus, since they are all attached inside the frame, you can't see the tape anyway!)

 Linking up with some great parties!

Figuring Out the Bed Situation

AKA The Nursery to Big Girl Room Transformation

While I am busy collecting images, dreaming of gathered silk and endless strands of pearls, and wishing I had about $10K to do this bedroom (hello, vintage Chanel necklaces framed in shadowboxes would be more than lovely!!), I have one little thing in the back of my head... a bed.  We are going to need a bed.  Since our sweet little girl is potty-training (YAY!), she will need to be able to get in and out of bed.  Taking a flying leap over the crib side rails is not an option here. Haha :)

Her room is the smallest bedroom in the house at about 10' x 11' which rules out anything larger than a standard twin.  (I was in a double bed by age 3 and a queen bed at 12, so I am not used to smaller beds.  Here's to hoping she doesn't fall out!!  Fingers crossed!)  I suppose if there were no other furniture in the room, a larger bed might work, but we want some statement furniture pieces as well.

Here are my top two ideas (and yes, they are at opposite ends of the design spectrum) and my pro/con list for each.  (Slight Rory Gilmore reference there, lol!)

IDEA ONE

Okay, so I love the idea of a trundle bed.  And I love the look of daybeds too.  I found this super gorgeous one at Posh Tots, my favourite eye candy mini-me site. 

pic from Posh Tots

Pros:

Light pink/gold option

Trundle Daybed

Only one side to fall out

Love the intricate detail and vintage flair

Looks expensive

Would go with existing paint job, which is NOT CHANGING!!!

Fit for a princess

Cons:

$8,200 price tag

Too many roses (they remind me of the Princess Bride)

Not enough glam (Swarovski rhinestones are extra!)

Too shabby-chic for me

Fit for a princess, but maybe not a Chanel princess

Here is a similar option at $5,700.  

I think I may like it a bit more than the one above, 

but I am not quite decided on that.

IDEA TWO

Again, how much do I love Posh Tots?  My second idea is a more modern take, with padded upholstery, nail head details, and luxe suede found here (ignore the fact that it is blue!):

 

pic from Posh Tots 

Here is a close up in black faux leather (again, ignore the black):

pic from Posh Tots

Pros: 

Sleek and modern

Could be pushed against a wall or left out

Double as a modern chaise/couch in the future

Nail heads!!!!

Upholstered, so no tears over bumped heads

Did I mention nail heads!!!!

Image this in a classic black/white boucle tweed!

Cons:

No trundle (although adding one would be okay)

Maybe too boyish?

Can we inject enough glam into it?

$3,120-$3,365 (faux leather - suede, respectively)

Girly-girl factor is lacking

So lots of things to think about...  I should mention that I am not trying to recreate a whole "31 Rue Cambon" style.  Gild, lions, etc., is not what I am going for.  I am aiming to pull together a very cohesive look using blush, ivory, white, black, and soft golds (with possibly some silver/steel thrown in as well), and of course, utilizing the logo.

Cross your fingers for me!  I am working on an idea board for this room, and hope to finish it this week.  :)

The Nursery is About to Be Reinvented...

Here is a sneak peak:

Chanel

+

Mod Podge

+

Bling

=

Craftiness coming in the next few days so stay tuned! 

Crazy Pink & Green Cake

Last year, I made a cake for my friend's birthday.  She is a super fun girl, so we had to have a super fun cake.  I was thinking of those cakes that are all off-kilter, and wanted to try my hand at that.


Crazy layered cake - lime and vanilla flavoured layers with cream cheese frosting and raspberry flavoured fondant.  Add in some coloured sugar, feathers, and pinky pearl luster dust, and this is what we get:

Handmade {Valentine} Cards II

In case you missed the first post, you can read it here.

Supply list according to card:

1. hand ripped construction paper, ribbon, beads, wire, large safety pin (this one was for an adult; no pins for kids!)

2. ruffled lace with thread, ribbon, foam hearts

3. red tulle, ribbon, foam hearts, pen

4. hand ripped construction paper, ribbon, foam hearts, pen

5. foam hearts

6. hand ripped construction paper, kitchen twine, foam hearts

7. ribbon (I wove it picnic basket style), foam hearts

8. pink striped clear packing tape, hand ripped construction paper, ribbon, foam hearts

9. pink tulle, pink striped clear packing tape, hand ripped construction paper, ribbon, sequin/bead trim

10. red tulle, ribbon, kitchen twine

11. silk flowers

12. lace, ribbon

Handmade {Valentine} Cards I

Well, I made these in time for Valentine's Day but didn't get them posted.  Oh well, I am just super duper early for V Day 2012!

I cut cardstock paper into 4 pieces and used a hot glue gun to attach everything.  This is where the box of vintage buttons and zippers that I got from my grandma came in handy.  I bought nothing - everything was already in my house.  We wrote on the backs and taped a chocolate heart on the back of each one.  I did spend $1 or so on chocolate hearts.  

My kids had a great time handing these out!

Supply List according to card:

Card 1: hand ripped construction paper, vintage zipper

Card 2: organza, thread

Card 3: hand ripped construction paper, ribbon, foam heart

Card 4: ribbon

Card 5: ribbon, vintage buttons, foam hearts

Card 6: red tulle, hand ripped construction paper, vintage zipper

Card 7: red tulle, ribbon, linen, vintage button, glitter

Card 8: kitchen twine

Card 9: red tulle, hand ripped construction paper, ribbon, foam hearts 

Card 10: pink tulle, ribbon, vintage buttons

I have more cards to post, so stay tuned!

Linking up with some great parties!

DIY Custom Crib Mobile

What You Need:

1. Skinny ribbon to match room colours, precut into 18" - 24" lengths

2. Small trinkets: beads, pearls, vintage buttons, keys, fuzzy pom-poms, etc.

3. Darning needle

4. Netting canopy

Directions:

1. Thread the needle with the ribbon.  Tie one end of ribbon into a knot.  This will hold your trinket in place.

2. Thread through your trinket.  Push it down to the knotted end of the ribbon.  I used two colours of pearls for mine.

3. Thread through netting, remove the needle and tie ribbon in a knot to secure the ribbon onto the netting.  I finished off my ends by making a bow.

4. Repeat as many times as you like!

I found it helps to take the netting down from the ceiling and work with it on the floor.  No sore arms that way!

For more about the nursery:

Read part 1 here.

Read part 2 here.

Read part 3 here.

Read about the table here.

Linking up with some great parties!

DIY Custom Bling Card

Supplies:
1 package plain cards (mine came in an 8-pack for $1)
1 package adhesive rhinestones ($1)

Time:
20 minutes

Directions:
Just attach rhinestones to your card in a decorative pattern!

I made a crazy-looking 'M' on the envelope for the recipient's initial, and a '65' on the card for her age. Add a sweet, personalized note inside and you have a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind card!

I am linking up with these parties!