Super Simple Earring Organizer

This project is sooo easy AND you'll be able to make three with as little as just one product! Are you ready?

I've simply taken Gypsy Soul's Decorative Screen, applied a coat of paint, added a length of ribbon, and created an organizer for my dangly earrings. This is a serious improvement over plonking them in my jewelry box and creating a tangled mess. I just used the cut areas to hang my sparkly fake jewels from.

The Decorative Screen comes with three panels, and my little organizer only uses one, so you can use the other two parts for gifts, to sell, or if you have a bazillion pairs of earrings, to keep all to yourself. I've created three in three different styles.

You could put all the panels together to create a complete screen to sit on your dresser but I really like the hanging ribbon that lets me cart my jeweled bits all over the place depending on where I'm getting myself gussied up.

I'm certain you don't need any guidance for this project, but HERE is a video for creating the above Steampunkish version of this project.

The only extra bit of advice I'll give is that it's probably best to be a little restrained in your embellishing if you want this to be a functional item.

The bare necessities you'll need for this project:
Decorative Screen
Acrylic paint
Length of ribbon

If you want to get fancy add decorative elements such as Flourishes, or any shapes that suit your fancy. Additional elements I've used are:
Faux Metal Number Plates
Faux Metal Number Plates 1 to 25
Faux Typewriter Keys Symbol Set
Gears Shape Set
Stackable Labels Shape Set

Now, go make something perfectly suited to you!

Botanical Tea Mini Album Display Case by Sandy Trefger

Hello! Sandy here for this first week of May with another fun Spring project from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.  This will be a two part blog tutorial.  Today I'll share how I assembled the Mini Album Display Case and then in two weeks on May 17th I'll share how to assemble the mini albums. I love that the Mini Album Case has a drawer that opens and holds four mini albums!

This kit from Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts is really easy to put together and is very sturdy!  Let's get started!

Supplies/Tools Needed:

• Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts Mini Album Display Case Kit  C51M
• Graphic 45 Botanical Tea 12x12 Paper Collection
• Assorted Roses/Flowers
• Vintage Buttons
• Tim Holtz Drawer Pull Knob
• Button Twine, Natural
• Ribbon, 1" Wide
• 12x12 Kraft Cardstock
• 3/8" Double Sided Tape
• 12" Score Board
• 12" Trimmer
• 12" Ruler
• Bone Folder
• White Glue
• Distress Ink & Applicator (Brown Color)

Step One:

• Gather up your supplies and open up the Mini Album Display Case kit, take out the pieces for the case only.  Use a baby wipe or damp cloth to wipe off the black residue from the edges of the chipboard pieces.  Lay the pieces out according to the directions that come with the kit so you can see how the case and the drawer go together.

Step Two:

• Follow the directions in the kit on how to assemble the case.  Use glue to hold the pieces together and make sure to not get glue where the notches go.  I put each piece together with the notches and then applied a line of glue on each side of the piece and held it in place until dry.

Step 3:

• Set the case aside and allow it to dry completely.  While it dries, assemble the drawer in the same manner, following the kit instructions.

Step 4:

• While the case and the drawer continue to dry, I decided to finish the edges with kraft cardstock rather than paint.  This not only gives a nice finished look but also adds extra support to the case and drawer in case I did not get it glued well in all places.  You will need 12x12 kraft cardstock to create structure and finishing "hinges." Use your trimmer to cut the 12" cardstock into 1" x 12" strips.  Place each strip on to your score board and score on the 1" side at 1/2".  If you do not have a score board, you can fold the strips in half and crease the line with a bone folder.

Step 5:

• You will now attach a hinge over each edge of the case on the inside and the outside as well as on the drawer.  In areas where needed, angle cut to make the hinges fit properly especially on the inside.  You will need to cut each hinge to fit as you attach them to your case and drawer. Make sure to place the fold line of each hinge along the edge of the section you are attaching the hinge to.  Use glue to attach your hinges.

Step 6:

• Use a ruler and measure each section of the case and drawer.  Cut patterned papers with a trimmer to fit each section, leaving about an 1/8" margin from the edges.  Ink the edges of your papers if desired and glue to each section.  Burnish well with your hands to make sure you have no bubbles and that the paper sticks down well.  Pattern the inside and outside of your case and the drawer.  Attach a drawer pull knob to the front of your drawer as shown.

Step 7:

• Wrap 1" ribbon around the case and tie into a knotted bow at the top.  Use hot glue or 3-in-1 glue and attach roses, flowers, vintage buttons and a button twine bow to the top of the case.  Punch out decorative paper corners and glue in among the roses.

The case is finished and ready for the mini albums which will be in my next post on May 17th.

I hope you'll check out all the great chippies and kits available in the GSL online store and create something beautiful for yourself or for a gift.

Happy Crafting!

~Sandy

P.S. Visit my blog/website at  www.sandytrefger.blogspot.com for more of my crafting projects and ideas.  I also have a YouTube channel and Snapguide.

Pink Flower Treasure Chest

Hi folks, Lora here today with a pretty Spring Flower Box. A friend of mine asked me for a little box that she could store things in on her desk at work....something springy and girly that would cheer her up on long days spent at her desk. Her favorite color is pink, so I went with that, and here is what I came up with!

She is a rather elegant person, so I worked under the premise that 'Less is more' and didn't get too fussy, but hopefully, I achieved the necessary girlyness.

 I began with the Treasure Chest....

I glued the basic box together and then glued that on to the base.

While the glue was still wet, I used a Q-Tip to wipe off any excess glue inside and out. Everything fits better when I do this and you'd be surprised at how a lump of glue shows up after you paint over it!

I gave the structure a good coat of gesso and set it aside to dry.

I wanted to use the pretty flower images I found on some napkins, so I peeled the napkin apart. Usually napkins are three-ply, so make sure you get them all apart or your image will not be glued on properly and will peel off.

I used matte medium, first on the box, attaching the napkin and making sure there were no air bubbles, and then put a coat on the napkin. Then I let it dry without fussing with it. Otherwise, it can tear or slide off the box and you'll be smooshing it back into place or having to start over.
Not that I have ever done that.

After it dries, tear away the excess napkin toward the inside of the box. Then using a piece of sandpaper, and the same 'inside' technique, sand off the rough edges.

While I was waiting for things to dry, I gave the rest of the treasure chest pieces a coat of gesso, let that dry and after sanding the napkins, gave the whole piece a nice coat of white acrylic paint, including the inside and the bottom of the chest.

I have some pretty little beads I found, rummaging around in a second hand shop, that I have been slowly using up. I got scads of them and they are great because they are a little flat and easy to glue. Pearls would work as well and if you want to get really snazzy you could use flat back crystals or beads. I glued these around parts of the chest, making a pretty border.

I added a cute little knob on the top and at the last minute, glued a flower on it. I like how pretty and whimsical it looks! A couple of brass findings in the top corners of the lid and a few of those little beads glued around  the base of the knob and I think I'm done.
An elegant and feminine box for an elegant and pretty gal!

GSLcuts Supplies:

Treasure Chest

Additional supplies:
Gesso
Acrylic Paint
Beads
Knob
Silk Flower
Brass findings (little flowers)
Don't forget the napkins!

Thank you for visiting!

Spring Flower Fairy Shrine

Hi Everyone,

Jess here with a really simple make. 

Spring is here and the flower fairies have been busy.  Here is one hard at work placing flowers. 

I started with my ATC shrine covering it with a mixed media canvas paper on the outside.  The canvas paper is awesome because you can really abuse it with a lot of media.  

 The inside is covered with regular scrapbook paper.  The inside and the outside were both inked the same way.  I was able to add more ink and water to the canvas paper without it warping in any way. I didn't cover the bottom since I will be gluing moss in there.

The front edges were hit with a tiny bit of green paint. I added a thin layer of gold paint to the entire shrine.When the paint was dry I hot glued a chunk of moss to the bottom.  

I have a thing for tiny ballerina cake toppers.  I buy them whenever I can find them.  

 I painted the candle holder part green and added a tiny paper flower.

I glued the ballerina in the box and then added flowers all over.  My trusty glue gun held them on nicely.  

I love that you can take one simple piece from Gypsy Soul and make it into something lovely.  You don't need a million pieces to pull it all together.  You could easily adapt this box and make one for each season.  

Happy Crafting! 

Jess

GSLCuts item used:

ATC Shrine with feet