Category Archives: DIY

Here’s the index page leading to all of my DIY posts! Scroll though to see all of them and check back often to see new ones! XX, Angela

DIY Golden Leaf Crown

DIY Golden Leaf Crown- LoveSpunk. Super cute to wear and make during summer!

Flower crowns were so popular this past spring and during festival season. This cute little golden DIY leaf crown is a twist on that trend. I personally prefer this crown over flower crowns since they’re a little too feminine for my taste (I’m a ripped jeans and leather jacket girl). It’s so easy to make during a lazy afternoon and perfect to wear during the rest of summer. You’ll find yourself walking around feeling totally pretty and bohemian. Let’s get started! :)

Instructions

Materials:
– 1 yard of gold leather trimming (I found mine at Joann’s)
– 3/4 yard of 1/2″ wide ribbon for the ties
– needle and thread or sewing machine
– scissors
– leaf shaped template in small and large, making sure the larger one fits on the gold trimming (I drew/cut mine out from cardstock)
– a pen
– (optional) hot glue and a hot glue gun

1. Cut out a bunch of leaves using the templates you created. I cut out an equal amount of large leaves and small leaves.

2. Draw lines resembling the curves of the leaves on the back of the leather trimming. The back is the side with a line running down the center. You can use this line as a guide for the center stem.

3. Sew on the lines using needle and thread or using a sewing machine. The picture above shows it hand stitched, but I ended up using my sewing machine.

4. This part is totally optional but I cut jagged edges all along the curves of the leaves to give them some texture and mimic the shape of actual leaves. Then I scruffed them with my fingers to really create texture. That way when worn, the edges kind of blend into your hair seamlessly so it doesn’t look like leaves plastered on your head. If you plan to do this, I suggest doing this before step 3 so you don’t accidentally cut the stitching.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 until all leaves are stitched and cut (if desired).

6. Cut a piece of ribbon long enough to go around your head plus a few inches extra for the ties. Start sewing the leaves onto the center of the ribbon, overlapping them. You could also use hot glue to make this process faster. Finish sewing/gluing all of them on and you’re done!

If you try this, please send me pictures via Twitter, Instagram, or even blog post by leaving a link below! I would love to see your creations!

XX,

DIY Bauble Statement Necklace

I’m pretty basic when it comes to what I wear, even though I do love clothes and fashion. A typical outfit will just be a t-shirt, some jeans, converse, and I’m out the door. For events that are just a touch dressier or if I feel like being fancy that day, I’ll wear the same thing with a statement necklace. It instantly dresses the outfit up and makes you look much more put-together. I also love statement necklaces with party dresses and with anything really.

Today I’ll be showing you how I made this crystal bauble statement necklace. They’re really easy and cheap to make, so it’s perfect for gifts or one of those DIYs where you just can’t make enough of. I made mine with some pretty sapphire and clear glass beads but with chains that have a semi-rusty feel. I think it’s the perfect combination of modern and old-school. Ready to make one for yourself?

DISCLAIMER: This post isn’t sponsored. Also, this idea has been floating around the internet for a while now, and I don’t claim to have thought of the original idea. Thanks for reading! ♡

Here’s what you’ll need:

Couple of pointers before we start:
– These beads are made out of glass and are from Jo-ann’s in the pre-strung beads section under the brand “Blue Moon Beads”. Regularly priced, they’re pretty expensive but they were on sale for 50% so they weren’t too bad. I used 3 strands, two in clear and one in sapphire. Because they are glass, if you pick at them with the pliers or accidentally drop them on a hard surface (any table!), they will start to chip off and pieces of glass will fly everywhere. So be careful!
– The holes on the beads are fairly large so the headpins just slid through instead of acting as a stopper. I didn’t find out until I tried the necklace on and beads starting to fall off. I solved this problem by just putting two headpins through the bead and creating two loops and threaded both through the jump ring. For a visual demonstration, look carefully at the pictures at the end. If you have any larger beads, try this method.
– The headpins I got were a pain to work with and required a lot of pinching and my fingers were scraped raw by the time I was finished with the necklace. The wire is extremely stiff, un-bendable, un-cuttable, and requires a lot of manipulating by hand. With the pliers making the loop, the base (where the hole is) of the beads kept on getting chipped and again, glass went flying. Probably why it took me so long. They’re from “Blue Moon Beads” if you’re wondering.
– Make sure the chain you use is sturdy and can hold the finish bauble, which can get pretty heavy. Toggle clasps are easier to find in larger sizes for projects like these, unlike lobster claws which come in smaller sizes.

1. Making the Charms

Thread a headpin through the hole of a bead. Using your pliers, make a loop on the end of the headpin without the stopper. Repeat to all of the beads until each has a loop.

2. Making the Clusters

Open a jump ring and thread 3 “charms” on. Close the jump ring to create the first cluster of 3.

Open another jump ring and thread on 2 charms. Then add the cluster of 3 you just made, creating a cluster of 5. Close the jump ring. Repeat this step until all of the charms are in clusters of 5.

3. Joining the Clusters

To join the clusters together, open a jump ring and thread a cluster of 5 on. Add another cluster of 5, adding up to be a cluster of 10. Close the jump ring and make sure it’s secure. It should look like a little ball at this point.

Continue this process: opening a jump ring, adding the large cluster (the one with 10 charms or the one with a bunch already attached together), adding a separate cluster (of 5), and closing the jump ring until the desired length.

4. Finishing Touches

Cut two pieces of chain. Mine were about 7″ long. Open a large jump ring, attach it to one end of the chain and one end of the bauble. I suggest using a couple jump rings for extra strength and security.

Attach the toggle clasps the same way, using a couple jump rings as well.

And that’s all there’s to it! They’re really easy to customize just by changing the beads and findings. If you do try this out, be sure to send me pictures! Also leave a comment below telling me what DIY you’d like to see next!

Happy Wednesday!

XX,

DIY Inspirational Quote/Message Jar

I’m a huge fan of sending positive messages around. These “inspiration/message” jars have been all over Tumblr and Pinterest, so I’d thought I’d share with you how I made mine. I love these for when you feel down and need a boost of positivity. If you didn’t know already, they are just a jar full of inspirational quotes or sayings to choose from and use to inspire you. Simply pick a strip out of the jar, just like you would with a hat. “A message a day, keeps the sadness away.” And there you go, your own inspiration jar!

Ready to make one?

All you’ll need is a jar (mine is a mason jar from Jo-Ann for a dollar), pretty paper (mine is double sided), and a chalkboard label and chalk if you’d like. There’s a bottle of glitter pictured, but I highly suggest you don’t use any unless you want to spend an hour cleaning up. Ask me how I know (sarcasm intended). (But if you’re seriously wondering though, I sprinked some into my jar so whenever I picked a strip out, some glitter would come with it just for fun and adds a little punch. Not a bad idea, just how glitter can be so annoying and likes to go everywhere. If you can make it work, props to you!)

Tip- When you go and get the chalkboard labels, don’t get the fancy chalk that’s from the same brand. The labels are pretty inexpensive ($1.50 for 12), but the chalk runs around $9 for a pack of 6 I believe. Don’t get them. Instead, go walk yourself over to the kid’s “Crayola” section and get yourself a pack of 12 for a dollar. Trust me, no one is ever going to know that you didn’t buy the “nicer” stuff.

I first stuck on my label and wrote “inspa jar” with a piece of chalk to the lid of the jar. “Inspa” stands for inspiration, since I couldn’t fit the entire word on there. Pretty self explanatory? It took me a bunch of tries to get the writing the way I wanted it to look; chalk handles differently than pencil I suppose. If you don’t want the writing to rub off, you can seal it with a clear sealant. Beware though, when I tried doing this, the chalk just washed away and I had to start over on a new label (since you can’t write over the seal), so make sure the spray you’re using is ok to use with chalk.

Then cut your paper up into strips. Pick a few quotes and sayings you like and write them on! Since the back of my paper was black, I used a white gel pen to write and I think it turned out pretty cool! Need some help picking out your messages?

Here are a few to get you started:

-Whatever you are, be a good one.
-Do what you love to do.
-Be with someone who brings out the best in you.
-Happiness is ours.
-You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough -Mae West
-Don’t do it tomorrow, do it today.
-Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde
-When life gives you lemons, squirt someone in the eye. -Cathy Gulsewite
-To live will be an awfully big adventure.
-Be gentle and kind, for everyone is righting a battle you know nothing about.
-Forget the rules, if you like it, wear it.
-In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.
-Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating YOU.
-We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.
-Life is like riding a bicycle, in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.
-You’re the fairest of them all.
-I will be grateful for this day.
-Live your life. Take chances. Don’t wait. Because this is the oldest you’ve ever been and the youngest you’ll ever be again.
-Take the time to appreciate what you have.
-A smile is the best makeup any girl could ever wear.
-Life isn’t about aiting for the storm to pass, it’s about dancing in the rain.
-Start the day off with positive vibes.
-You decide who your are, not society.
-Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.
-Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?
-Life is too short to be anything but happy.
-Enjoy the little things in life for someday you will realize they were the big things.
-Good friends are like stars, you don’t always see them but you know they’re always there.
-Imperfection is beauty. Madness is genius. And it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.
-Dance like no one is watching, sing like no one is listening and live each day like it’s your last.

When you’re done, just roll them all up and stuff them into the jar. Screw the lid on and you’re done! Add any sort of decoration you’d like to add personality and to pretty-up your jar. I just stuck on a line of blue washi tape around the rim.

These would make great gifts; you could tailor your messages towards the person, or let someone pick out their “fortune” by choosing a strip out of your jar. I plan to just give the strips all away as “fortunes”, letting people pick one each time they meet me (mostly because I have all of these quotes memorized already lol). Or you could make one as a room decor piece with crazy printed paper. It’s a pretty fun concept, and your message could just brighten someone’s day! Hope you guys enjoyed this DIY!

PS- A “fall favorites” is coming tomorrow. Be sure to check back here to read that post! ♡

XX,