Craft Weekend - Part 4 {Tree Branch Display}

I love those metal tree branch jewelry displays... but wow - they can be pricey!! I've seen a few DIY branch displays...so I thought I'd put some use to this leaf-less tree in my patio:

I cut a few off...trimmed em up and put them in a mason jar vase that I had sprayed with chalkboard spray:

But I wasn't feeling them in their natural state...they needed some color...

Ahh, MUCH better....don't you think?

I think it works great with all these little baby headbands hanging from it - perfect booth display!

Pretty little things

And there you have it.... your DIY Tree Branch Display!

Linked up to:

Ginger Snap Crafts

Someday Crafts

What to Wear - Teal 'n Taupe

Don't you just LOVE when you find pieces of an outfit that you *hope* will look as good ON as it does in your head?

I found this pretty teal (pic doesn't do justice), 'Cynthia Rowley' long sleeve dress at Marshalls a few weeks ago for $25!! Serious score. I tried to find out what it retailed for online but could not find that same dress for the life of me (and I consider myself to be a pretty damn good 'Googler'). Aw well. It honestly didn't look like much on the hanger, but I liked the color, and thought the sleeves would be nice while on a boat for the evening. Much to my surprise, the sleeves had slits in them (love) and it fit beautifully!

I knew that taupe-ish/nude colored heals would go best...so I started from there & worked my way up to the top for accessories. I found a FAB pair of slingbacks on eBay (of all places) for $35, with this fun fabric flower detail along the outside ankle/strap. So I ordered them & hoped for the best. 

Also on eBay, I found this peachy bib/waterfall style necklace for $15... check!

Then at Forever 21, I found these pretty earrings & ring ($5 each)... check, check!!

All together, I hope think it'll look FAB for this wedding we're going to up in Newport Beach on Sunday...yay!!

cell phone pics just don't cut it sometimes - especially when trying to capture true color... but I swear they all compliment each other perfectly in person!

On another "OMG WHAT A DEAL" note...during the same shopping trip as the above teal dress - I also found this insanely gorgeous, delicate coral dress that I fell head over heals for. It's made by "Romeo & Juliet Couture - Gossip Girl Collection", which I was actually able to find online....retailing for $160 - and I got it for only $30!!! That's seriously an INsane deal my friends:

Here's the link to it online if you want to buy there ;-)

http://www.romeoandjulietcouture.com/shop/G25704.php

It was a random buy... thought I would mayyyybe wear it for Opening Day... but since I didn't, it now hangs in my closet, desperate for a fun night out, haha! I'm thinking our Palm Desert trip mid-August...with a great tan this'll look amazeballs!

My love for tulle

Tulle is a great material...it's so bright & fluffy...and I just love it! I'm sure as soon as a little girl has it on, she feels like a princess - I did when I put my homemade tulle veil on, while getting ready for my wedding!

These contrasting colors of light pink, hot pink & grey are gorg:

 ...and I love how it looks once I've completed a full tutu like this one:

 ...even better when it's paired with an adorable letter onesie with coordinating fabric yoyo flower:

While making the flower for the onesie, I accidentally made it too big at first....so I added a sparkly button and glued it onto a headband for miss K:

*Updated* Hair Clip Holder for K

It was time to update K's old hair clip holder... the previous one I made over 2 yrs ago was a little too small for all the clips & bows I've made Kapri over the years. I actually finished this aWHILE ago, but totally forgot to put it up on the wall...til now...love that it has a little shelf on top too.

I bought it on sale at Michael's for literally $1 (whoa) and it was just plain unpainted wood. So I unscrewed the black metal hinges, painted a few coats of a bubblegum pink color, added a coat of acrylic spray, screwed the hinges back on and added a 'self leveling' picture hanger hardware (the toothed kind) on the back.

Then I just cut strips of ribbon, 2 thick ones and 3 skinnier ones...hot glued them on the back, hung it up & added all her pretty bows. So organized.

K & I just love it...though this is almost full now as well...geez!

I'll still keep the other one up and remove the ribbons...I like the wooden sign...I'll probably use it to hang up K's outfits for the next day ;-)

Round #2 - Niki's Baby "Sprinkle"

Today my sister & I attended a baby sprinkle (for the 2nd & subsequent children) for our good friend Niki - her 1st shower was held almost exactly 2 years ago for little baby Pierce...cannot believe her 2nd (daughter this time!!) will be here soon...late March.

This time instead of crazy hosting duties, we got to relax as guests...in Niki's cousin's FABulous home in La Costa....indulging in some delish brunch-style food. I'm partial to baby girls, obvs...so I loved all the pink accents and decor. The name is still not yet decided, so Baby R it is for now ;-)

We did another diaper cake this time as well, and had so much fun with it! I knew her theme was black/white damask, with accents of pink and a bit of green...so naturally her 'cake' had to coordinate! We found the 'princess' sign, then added a big "R" with pink polka dots to tie it together. I found some adorable sparkly pink shoes and a pink rubber ducky to top it as well with the usual big flower.

 

Lastly, I added in a little round fabric flower hair clip, and this adorable black/pink polka dot skinny headband...love!

I also made her a matching wooden frame - made from a piece of damask print scrapbook paper, lotsa mod podge and a pink yo-yo flower:

We had such a fun day catching up with old friends and celebrating another baby...can't wait to meet her!! Love ya Niki!

Knit Ruffle Infinity Scarf

Pinterest has changed my life. I swear I have accomplished more 'to-dos' and tried out more recipes and DIY projects than I ever thought possible. Luckily I found this the other day, pinned it to my "Future To-Do" board, and went to work on some old beautiful sea-foam green knit I had laying around.

Source: skiptomylou.org via Calista on Pinterest

Took only a few minutes to whip this gem up...pinned on a dark gray felt flower pin...voila! My new fav.

Necklace transformations

After I posted the blog about my purty button rings...and commenting about my sad, un-used, out-dated necklace collection...I decided to do something about it. Yesterday I pulled out a handful of them and took em down to my craft corner (aka: the dining room table - sorry hubs). I'm kicking myself in the butt for NOT remembering to take BEFORE pics...but oh well, they were horrible looking anyway, HA.

Here they are...awww beauties...still have 1 or 2 more to transform:

Alrighty - so this gold one was probably 5049 inches TOO long to begin with. So I cut it at the very bottom & made some scrappy flowers with some fabric that had gold colors in it. Though, I think I'm a bit limited on what I can actually wear it with...besides this purple dress that I'm wearing it with today that I've already gotten a few compliments on...yay me!:

This one was long as well, but not as bad as the gold. I just wanted a few of the wooden teal beads since they're pretty big, so I slid them onto a sheer teal/black polka dot ribbon. This would be so cute against a plain black shirt or dress:

Now THIS one is my fav.... it was a suuuuper long, 2-strand, brown beaded necklace, that I'm pretty sure I've only worn once or twice in my life. I made a cute little flower (crazy easy), glued some beads in the middle, & voila! Again, limited on coordinating clothing options...guess that means I'll just have to get creative in the closet  ;-)

Button Ring Crafting

Big funky rings are all the rage right now. I wonder for how long...  I remember when long, chunky necklaces were HUGE...and now, they hang sadly from a wall in my bedroom collecting dust. Hum, maybe I should figure out a way to recycle those into something useful... **wheels are turnin**


Anyway, I love me a big, bright, 'loud' ring...it's a way to finally show love to my right hand again! After I got engaged in 2006, I no longer wore all my rings...I was dedicated to my one & only, beautifully flawless engagement ring! So, here's the lineup I currently own:

The skyblue 'starburst' ring up in front is probably my fav & most worn

Now...after seeing THIS awesome tutorial over at "Smashed Peas and Carrots", which required the use of some of my fabric scraps, I jumped on it. I had never purchased or used a 'cover button kit' before, BUT, now of course I'm hooked. It's pure genius. Now I just have to find more reasons to use these...a fabric button 'bib' necklace perhaps??

See seeeee...look how purty they came out!! I heart them so.

Adorable. Easy. Quick. Cheap!
Perfect combo dontcha think!

My new adorable TOTE!

I decided I needed a fun, new tote bag - so I bought this adorable fabric & to my machine I went. I tried to find some good tutorials online...but wasn't coming across anything I really liked. So I just kind of went with it...and came up with this, YAY! Now that I've made one, I will definitely have a few tweaks here & there if I ever make another...but it was fun...and now I have something cute to 'tote' around my gym clothes & running shoes in to work!

Scrappy iPhone Insert

For maybe $.20 or LESS - I made a few fun inserts for the back of my iPhone. I just traced my phone against some snazzy scrapbook paper, cut out...then cut out the hole or shape for the camera lens....this is easiest when using your actual case to trace that little opening. This is super easy, as long as you have a clear(ish) type of case, it'll work! Mine is clear, but with a little tint...and has a quilted look which I actually really like because it gives the paper some dimension & texture.

I made a little template out of clear, thick, plastic tracing sheets, that way I can make a bunch. I LOVE this because I can change them out any day...even coordinate it to my outfit...without breaking the bank buying those super expensive pre-colored/designed cases!

SUPER simple rosette frame!

Lovvvving my new frame I made this morning! I'll probably take it to work to put on my desk, it's the perfect size...plus, I really don't have ANY space for it at home! haha

Anyway - I saw THIS tutorial from "The Secret Stitch Club" blog. I got the frame from Michael's for $1, used some white spray paint I had on hand, a few pieces of material from my ever growing bag-o-scraps, my handy glue gun and a few buttons from my stash.

Simple right?!! Love it.

Clever way to store headbands

**Update** check out my newer post with a similar BURLAP covered container for headband & accessory storage!

I wasn't looking for a way to store headbands, it came up on my Google Reader the other night. The next day, literally, I went & bought a container to make one for myself.

I follow the "UCreate" blog, who linked up this headband storage tutorial from "Emilie Handmade" - so genius. and easy. and CHEAP!

How cute is this, seriously? I did mine a little different...with 2 different styles of scrapbook paper (originally from Kapri's bday banner last year)...because I honestly didn't have enough of just 1 style to cover the whole thing, haha! Then I used ribbon down the sides to cover where the 2 different papers met together. Then instead of leaving the lid clear, I applied some fabric glue & cut out a cute coordinating fabric circle to put on top.

Before....a MESS...squished flower headbands inside the left cubby

And After...nice & tiddy...even threw a few hair clips inside the container. Love.

The winning piece

YAY...Kapri's adorrrrable strawberry necklace came in the mail the other day - which I won from a giveaway on Life Sew Good. It came with a ribbon necklace and an additional strawberry charm to interchange. Also in the envelope was a simple but crafty little handmade 'thank you' card. I plan on re-creating something like this for myself...store bought thank you's are priiiiicey!

Anyway, I put it on Kapri right away & she loved it! How seriously creative is this?? THANK YOU JESSICA!!

Fabric Flower Hair Clippies!

Okay...my name is Calista. And I am obsessed. I have a problem...I'm in a major CRAFT phase. I seriously cannot stop, I look for fun DIY tutorials online all the friggin time and bookmark wayyy too many - more than I really have the time for. However, luckily time is not really required for these little gems:

I recently became hooked on a new blog called "Prudent Baby" - it's seriously amazing stuff. I want to make everything. Though...again there's that little thing called 'time'.

Anywho, can you just 'oh' and 'ah' over these for a sec? They're gonna make it on my site for sale as well... price TBD.

YAY for easy peasy crafting  ;-)