Gold Link Bangle Makeover

Happy Friday!  I am so glad it is the weekend!  Today I have a simple makeover that I used to transform two bangles that I am not particularly in love with and are not really my style into something I have worn almost every day this week.  As with most things I make, this was so simple and quick [I'm easily distracted by other projects/ideas otherwise] and you may have something that could be transformed in the same way in your jewellery box?

Glitter Letters, Numbers and Shapes

Yesterday, I posted a simple DIY Cake Banner using pre-made glitter numbers and stars embellishments, string and skewers.

Over the weekend, I made a large batch of 21st Birthday invitations, which included a glitter 21 at the centre of the invitation.  To buy 24 of these would have cost in excess of £70!  So - [let's recover from how ridiculous this would have been] - I made my own and it couldn't have been easier - I hope you find this simple 'how to' useful!

Glitter Banner Cake Topper

Sometimes I find cake decorations really uninspiring and for a friend's recent birthday, could not find the cake / candles that I wanted for their big day.  The party was 'afternoon tea' themed, so I opted for a plain victoria sponge and having seen lots of lovely [but a little too expensive] bunting banner cake toppers, used these as my inspiration for a simple and sophisticated [like my friend - the sophisticated part, not the simple] cake banner of my own.

Tissue Paper Flower PomPoms

  {Pom, pom, pom, pom}

Warning: You will become addicted to making these.  Don't say I didn't tell you.

What I used:

Tissue Paper [5-10 sheets 75 x 50cm]

Elastic Band / Stapler

Scissors

Time Taken:
approximately 10 minutes a pom-pom

Cost:
per pom: 79p [for 5 sheets from Hobbycraft]

Stack a pile of between 5-10 sheets of tissue paper

Fold the paper in a fan style, folding back on to each fold

Now fold the length of your folded tissue paper in half to mark the centre and then fold out again

Fix the centre with a band, tie or staple [I bunched with an elastic band - if you staple, attach a long piece of string/thread with it, this will be your hanging string when complete]

then fold the length of the folded tissue paper back in half again, so both ends meet.

To create the petals, cut the ends of the tissue paper into rounded triangles

Unfold and fan the tissue paper out on one side

Now begin gently pulling apart the sheets from one another

[start from the top and work your way down]

Continue until you have completed all the sheets

Now repeat this on the other side [don't worry if you squash the other side when doing this - you can fan out and rearrange the petals at the end]

As the two sides meet, you can fill any gaps and begin to shape your pom-pom

 [I found a quick shake helped]

Once complete and you are happy with the shape, thread the centre and hang!

 

These were much easier to make than I expected.  If you try them, let me know how you get on - or if you have any tips or tricks from making your own, I'd love to hear them!

Variations:

• Cut the tissue paper ends in different styles to change the shape of your pom-pom [waves, spikes, zig-zags and curves] for variation.  If you have a border-punch, you could create amazing lace-effects or patterns you wouldn't be able to achieve with scissors [I'm giving this method a go next time!]
• I wanted block colour pom-poms, but layer different colours or even layer light to dark papers in the same colour for ombre effects.  You can also buy a huge variety of printed tissue papers [polkas would look great!] for themed or holiday pom-poms.

Notes:

• I used 5 sheets, but I think 8-10 would provide a 'fuller' pom-pom
• I bought some cheaper tissue paper to make a few more pom-poms in different colours, but it was of a thinner and lower quality - I found separating the layers much more difficult and the paper teared.  Invest in some quality tissue paper!
• As I pulled apart the sheets at first, I wasn't sure the pom-pom was going to turn out as I hoped - keep with it and you can rearrange the petals into a 'pom-pom shape' at the end [also, I think this is where more sheets would have helped]

[P.S: I apologise for the terrible quality of these photos - the result of late-night crafting!]

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Here Comes The Sun

{Here Comes The Sun}

For me, Autumn doesn't arrive with September.  My birthday is in the middle of the month and I like to pretend I have a summer birthday by ignoring the cooler weather, dark nights and wind and having garden birthday BBQ parties.

Luckily, September is playing the game too so far and I am loving the bright mornings and sunny days. One of my all time favourite songs inspired this project, so before the sun disappears, I create this sunny reminder to hang in my home.  Anything that gets 'Here Comes The Sun' stuck in my head cannot be a bad thing.

Barbara Speaks The Truth

© The Things She Makes

I've started blogs over the last 10 years too many times to mention and each one has started with the same good intentions before trailing off after a month or so.  I really don't want that to happen with this one.  I can't achieve daily posts, but in helping myself, I have been drafting a few posts and ideas to help me keep on track.  This is also the first blog I've started without any real specific purpose, other than to document my how-to's / DIY attempts and hopefully share them, in anything I create - jewellery, art, interiors.....

As a blog reader myself, I find myself drawn to the lifestyle blogs and inevitably comparing myself, which isn't what I want to promote on my blog.  I also want this to be honest - things that go wrong, the time it takes and how easy or difficult it was - truthfully.  I really hope that if anyone visits here and tries any projects out for themselves, it's to fit in with their own lifestyle and if you try any of my posts - I'd love to hear from you.

My first post quotes the fantastic Barbara Grizzuti.  As I've drafted posts and ideas, I've found many a blogger who already has the post on their blog, usually about 6 months ahead of me! so, although the idea or project is new to me (or more likely that I've only just got round to doing it), I'm not claiming originality, just my interpretation to fit in with my style, budget and ability.

I've learnt so much from other blogs - I hope I can contribute a little of the same.

P.S - I created the above quote picture, if you right click and save, you can print out your own x