Found earrings

an assortment of do-it-yourself tutorials

I just thought I needed a sanity break from my "How to Plan a Debut" series, so I decided to scour the interwebs for some cute earring ideas. The challenge I gave myself was to find something made chiefly from materials that can easily be found at home. Just because, you know, mundane is the new black. 

To be completely honest, the only pair of earrings I feel comfortable wearing are a couple of nice and shiny pearls. Don't get me wrong though, I love all those dangling and quirky stuff. But only to look at. Oh, scratch that. I also like making them and giving them to friends and nieces as keepsakes. :)

Here are my top five and the links to their awesome tutorials. I thought I'd call these tiny trinkets of niceness, "found earrings". Have fun reading and crafting!

Paper clips and strings

PAPER CLIP EARRINGS via Evie S.

It's a boring day at the office and you only have a few minutes left before the week ends, what would you do? Oh hey, a pile of paper clips!

I used to tag along with my mom to work when I was young, and whenever I did, her desk became my playground. Paper clips, staple wires, stamps, pencils, sharpeners, notepads, typewriters--these were my toys. That's right, no computers back then, and Mama was always on the typewriter, so when I got really bored, what I used to do was make the longest paper clip chain. I also turned the chains into bracelets and necklaces whenever I felt more girly. But never did I imagine turning them into some fine dangling earrings such as this pair. I guess the internet came too late for me.

Bobby pins and nail polish

BOBBY PIN EARRINGS via The Metric Child

What I love the most about this bobby pin tutorial is that it lets you play with colors in thousands of ways.  

You don't even have to buy new nail polish. You may use the ones that are getting thick and are no longer advisable to use on your nails. In fact, you can still reuse the ones that are already dried up. Just pour some acetone into the bottle to make it thinner again. 

As for patterns and color palette, it would all be up to your wild imagination. You may also refer to your closet to see what's in there that would look good with your new funky jewelry.

Lace and ribbon

LACE EARRINGS via Trey and Lucy

I always end up buying more ribbons and laces than I needed for my projects and here is a great way to repurpose those scraps. 

These lace earrings look really nice and not as tacky as most dangling earrings out there. I actually think that if a time would come when I have to drop the pearls for something fancy, one of these would be the first thing I would consider wearing.

Scrap fabric

FABRIC EARRINGS via Tiny Apartment Crafts

Have I already mentioned about my preference for pearls? Well, the reason for that is they are as unassuming and classy as these fabric earrings. And the latter is even half the price, if not, priceless.

The picture tutorial says it all. You can make as many as you want and wear a different pattern every day of the year. 

Paper beads

PAPER BEAD EARRINGS via DaWanda

I have this bright idea of merging this tutorial with the paper clip and strings tutorial. I will post the finished project when it's ready. 

Now let's talk about paper beads. Oh, them paper beads, they are the reason why arts and crafts thrive. I remember when I first learned how to do this in my Home Economics class back in grade school, I was suddenly struck by a need to keep my hands busy, and that has changed the pauses of my life forever.

Every bead you roll is always a surprise. Different shades, shapes, and textures--they are like snowflakes; only more colorful and could last longer.  

Do you have any addition to my list of found earrings? Please share through the comment box.

Holiday gift ideas

a do-it-yourself guide

If people like us prefer to do things easy, then we all just need to go with the influx of shoppers this early to avoid the holiday rush in the coming weeks. But because we are the savvy, creative geniuses that we are, we can’t help but go the extra mile when coming up with the perfect holiday gift ideas for our loved ones. We still have time in our hands after all—time that we would rather spend on crafting unique gifts instead of buying mass manufactured items straight from the clearance shelf.

Pardon the smugness but this is not even about the cred. It’s about contemplating on the real reason behind giving gifts during the holidays. It’s not about the cost or the quantity. It’s about really caring for the people who receive our gifts. It’s about spending time thinking what could make them feel warm and fuzzy inside or what they might need to make their lives more convenient.

We have to admit that the expensive ones are great but 99 percent of us are not endowed with all the riches in the world for us to afford iPhone 5s and Swarovski crystals as holiday handouts. Some of us only have time and a few extra bucks to spare. This collection of tutorials is for the rest of us who pledge to give the gift of crafts this season.

Watermark tee 

Not really sure if giving Hallmark greeting cards to people is still being done today during the holidays but here’s an awesome alternative to that. If you have something to say, say it through a watermark tee. You could use a memorable line from a favorite song, a refreshing quote, a haiku, or your very own message.

The effort that comes with the whole process of finding the perfect holiday gift ideas, and actually making them, speaks what words could not possibly utter. via UCreate

Tropical spa set 

Everyone has that workaholic friend who needs a little pampering. This tropical spa set that includes a handmade scrubbie and a bath tea soak is the perfect gift for her (or him) this season.

The best thing about this unique gift is that you can actually make the whole set with things that can already be found at home. All you need are a few scrap fabric, cornstarch, oatmeal, dry milk, and some tea leaves. You can even make them in bulk at once, repackage each set nicely, and you now have a stand-out treat for your hardworking friends. via Flaming Toes

CD wallet scrapbook 

Whoever said that the internet cloud has made photographs obsolete is missing the point. Digital photographs are great for sharing events, happenings or any activity you do with other people. But with actual photographs, it’s more than that—what you share are memories. And these are memories that you wish to keep for as long as they last.

This CD wallet scrapbook that contains all the memories you have fortunately captured with a loved one works both ways. And because a CD wallet is not as bulky as the usual scrapbook or photo album, the person who receives this can take the photographs anywhere. Only a few holiday gift ideas can be this personal. via Weddingbee





Glow-in-the-Dark travel flask 

Oh no, we don't mean to tolerate you tolerating that friend of yours who likes to sneak a sip or two wherever there’s a chance. But you can’t deny it. This one’s clever and thoughtful. It can be one of those funny and ironic holiday gift ideas too.

You’ve been giving out presents each year, and what if this year is the perfect time to take things less seriously and add spice to the whole tradition? via Make: Craft

Sunburst mirror 

The hardest people to please with a holiday gift are the collectors. Those who collect coins—you just can’t figure out what they already have and what they still don’t. Those who collect toys—they won’t let pass a tiny dent on the packaging and consider the actual toy in mint condition. It’s difficult to try and impress these two yet again this year.

But it’s no longer the case for those who collect fancy home decors. This easy and affordable sunburst mirror project would certainly do the trick for you with minimal arts and crafts background required. No need to rummage the flea market too. via Home-Dzine
 
Missoni sneakers 

Here’s one for your fashionista loved one—a pair of missoni sneakers hand-printed by you. No need to shell out a hefty amount for a pair of shoes she would actually wear. Grab those cheap canvas shoes from a local department store (mind the size, of course), some fabric markers, and you are good to go. You don’t have to be a really skilled artist to follow the patterns. Just try to be creative with the color scheme. via Refinery29




So there you have it! Holiday gift ideas to keep you busy not shopping this season. Have fun avoiding more traffic jams and credit card bills!