DIY jewelry organizer

After seeing this cool idea for a jewelry organizer on etsy.com





I decided instead of shelling out the cash, I would do it myself
because I would have more fun and it would be inexpensive. First, I
did my research: web searches with keywords like necklace, jewelry,
organizer. Came across a little bit country at aidenloveszoe.com




and a wiki-how to. While finding sites like, www.craftzine.com and www.craftbits.com to be inspiring, I had little luck for more visuals or instructions.

In my process of research, I also consulted artistic friends for ideas. My supremely talented artist friend, Lindsay told me she had made something like this before and used embroidery floss instead of wire. After seeing the "country" frame, I was hesitant.

After I accidentally broke the glass on a frame I was using for photos, I had the perfect frame. It’s gold, long, slender and fits perfectly between my sink and mirrored medicine cabinet.

With the gold frame, I decided the wire would be too much, so I decided on
Lindsay’s idea of embroidery floss. At less than a dollar each,
embroidery floss is inexpensive and colorful. Then I bought an
inexpensive staple gun and staples at McGuckin Hardware, the best hardware store in the U.S.!

After I had gathered all my supplies, I chose one floss color and started
stapling the floss to the back of the frame. I went randomly from one
side of the frame to another side. Filling in space where I could,
then looping the floss around other pieces of floss to provide more
surface area for the jewelry.






I used the entire skein of blue floss, moved on to using the entire
skein of green, then finally I used most of the skein of brown floss.



Overall I am very happy with the way this project turned out and it
cost me less than $30! Since I am using the jewelry organizer mostly
for necklaces, it is a little difficult to take them on and off by
unclasping them, so I may add some buttons to hang them on to make
taking them on and off easier.

music for art's sake

Music has always fueled me to create. In the past it has always been a muse of poetry. More recently, as I listen to certain songs images appear in my head and I want to create a painting or collage of my muse. Here is a digital collage inspired by the song "My body is a cage" by the Arcade Fire. My goal is to someday use materials to digitize it. The song is below the image for listening.

my birds

I've been volunteering my time on Saturday mornings working with children creating art. Being around creativity has always been infective, but there is something about a child discovering their artistic abilities. It makes my heart happy to see the pride that comes over their faces as they present their finished project to their parent or friend. It's magical.

These birds I created are inspired by them. Also they are inspired by the muse I have found once again but this time it takes the form from a positive force coming from within.

clutter pains, the glimmer of hope that is DIY and my savior, Peter Walsh

The days are slow at work and I've been turning my creative wheels by crusin' the www in search of anything and everything to make my new apartment feel like an uncramped savvy home. After 6 years of living in various places that were at least double the size of my current space, I've found I have a lot of stuff that I've been storing away and not dealing with. I won't stop my search until I've found DIY ideas and advice on how to organize, snaze and declutter my new apartment space. With a limited budget and space plus a mountain of possible supplies already residing in-home, I'm gathering every resource possible to ease my anxiety and make my living a little more DIY my style.

My coach and spiritual supporter:Peter Walsh
Walsh encourages me to purge purge purge! Don't keep those 10 balls of yarn that have been sitting in my storage bin for the past 3 years that "someday" I will knit something out of. How many boring photos of your family vacation from when you were 5 do you really need?



I've been wanting to live a simpler and less full of stuff life. Walsh has really been an encouraging voice in this process. He makes sense. I want to know why I'm attached to my stuff and what I should get rid of. Walsh has the answers.

My do-anything-with-everything creative inspirer:Ready Made magazine
As if scrambling to keep the stuff, Peter tells me I should be purging, I'm scouring the pages of Ready Made to find creative ways to make those old photos into useful decor. Maybe I can make a much needed plant hanger quickly out of that yarn?



The reason I love this magazine is because it has clever ideas on how to make the coolest things out of stuff you would never think of. My one gripe is that often instead of telling you to salvage or going out to your local reusable home building materials company, they encourage you to go out and buy new wood and supplies at your local hardware store. Ready Made is inspiring. They always have at least one project that I would definitely make (using flat tennis balls for a herb potter) and tons of really great home tips (ie: using crushed aspirin to get out under arm sweat stains).

Being so inspired, I've already used old books, magazines and record covers to make decoupaged bird silhouettes (photos coming soon) to hang above my bed.



Tonight I'm going salvaging for old drawers to make really snazzy bookshelves.



Then instead of wearing that flair of band buttons to clutter up my hoodie, I'm going to use them to make a much needed place to hang my necklaces while decoring up the bathroom.

Inspired by the Salvage Sisters, I'm now on a mission to make my bleak room fixture into something cute and colorful. Plus I want to find a full length mirror which I can decoupage the frame and hook over the back of my door. Figure out how to make my own night light or make a cheap one more my style. Meanwhile, not purchasing more clutter that will sit for years in space that doesn't exist and organize the existing stuff to be functional or stored cleverly.

I'm on DIY overload and the creative juices are flowing. I hope to inspire you to declutter and create your own clever home decor.

Other note worthy www's to cruise:
Apartment Therapy
Instructables
DIY Network

Seahorse

"Seahorse" is a song by Devendra Banhart.

(staring thirty in the face)

It wasn't suppose to be
like this
I was not suppose to be
staring thirty in the face
and single

what went wrong?

there is no husband
only my overly fluffy blanket
to warm me
to comfort me

there are no children
only my cuddly kitty
to love me unconditionally

there is no career
only my job
to have the freedom
to do what I please

what went right.

there are friends
who lift me up
when the sea
threatens to drown me

there is freedom
to make new dreams
new plans
to not have my life
revolve around anyone
other than me

it wasn't suppose to be
like this
I was not suppose to be
staring thirty in the face
and thinking
my life has only
just begun