how to make glass bead magnets horizontal photo

Make glass bead magnets with the kids for a simple and easy craft project to help you get through those long summer days when the kids are home.

how to make glass bead magnets horizontal photo

How to Make Glass Bead Magnets

I love working with mod podge, especially for this decorative book with a secret hiding place and this vintage map lampshade. But, when it comes to a craft the kids can safely work on, I chose these Easy Decorative DIY Glass Bead Magnets.

We recently visited the Art Museum in Chicago and I found myself swooning over the beautiful paperweight collection. The glass magnifies the design inside the weights allowing you to see all the intricate details. While I don’t foresee making my own glass paperweights, the kids and I could get creative and use glass beads to make some beautiful magnets.

beautiful paper weight collection

A while ago, I happened upon a craft tutorial creating decorative push pins with glass beads. The next day my boys and I picked out glass beads and the rest of the supplies at AC Moore. My 3 and 6 year old were so excited when I pulled out the Oriental Trading Catalog and asked them to pick out their favorite pictures. We spent over an hour chatting and giggling as they cut out pictures from catalogs and magazines. If your children are looking for specific photos, you can always print them out from your computer first. Once you have your images, you are ready to get creative!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

glass bead magnet materials - scissors, mod podge, pencil, E-6000

Instructions:

Lay your bead on top of a picture you want to use.

boy laying out glass beads onto magazine pictures

Trace around the pictures and cut them out with an x-acto knife.

glass bead on top of numbers

Paint mod podge on the front of the picture.

paint mod podge onto glass beads

Center the glass bead on top of the picture. Then seal the picture by coating the back of the image with more mod podge.

painting mod podge onto back of picture cut out

After the beads dry, take out the magnets. Apply a dab of E-6000 glue to the magnet…

adding a small amount of E-6000 glue to the magnet

…then set the glass bead on top.

attaching glass bead to magnet
Within 30 – 45 minutes they should be dry and hardened.

glass beads drying with picture side up

Now you have beautiful custom glass bead magnets.

finished glass bead magnets

I chose mostly black and white images and graphic numbers and letters for my set.

number and letter glass beads
The kids on the other hand – well, let’s just say they do love their cartoon shows!

cartoon character glass beads
Let me know if you make your own glass bead magnets. What images will you use?

Be sure to pin this image for a friend. You know how hard it is to keep the kids entertained over the summer, right?!

how to make glass bead magnets vertical photo

DIY Boho EarringsDIY Boho Style Earrings

“Boho” or Bohemian style jewelry is the rage now and you see this style everywhere.  You can easily make your own Boho style jewelry with just a few items from the craft store. Whether you decide to make colorful beaded bracelets, tassel necklaces or Boho fringe earrings, you will have fun knowing you were the jewelry designer behind your creation. Who knows? Maybe you will have so much fun, you’ll be motivated to start your own Boho style jewelry company!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

DIY Boho Earrings

Instructions:

Select the color(s) of cording you want to use for the fringe. You need three strands of cording.

DIY Boho Earrings

Measure and cut each strand at six inches.

DIY Boho Earrings

Slide a large jump ring over the three strands and position in the center.

DIY Boho Earrings

Bend cording in half over the jump ring and pull snug around the jump ring. You now have six strands of cording after bending in half.

DIY Boho Earrings

Slide the D-Ring over the six strands of cording. To make it easier for the D-Ring to slide, use pliers to squeeze the D-Ring into a larger opening. Slide the D-Ring to the top where it meets the jump ring. Straighten and align the cords so they lay flat against the jump ring. Use the pliers to flatten the D-ring into its original shape.

DIY Boho Earrings

Step 6:

Open the small end of the fishhook earring using pliers. Slide the hook over the jump ring. Close the wire hook back up with the pliers to ensure it stays in place.

DIY Boho Earrings

Once you have everything in place, trim the ends of the cording straight across with scissors. Make them as long or as short as you like.

DIY Boho Earrings

Pretty fun and easy, right? Give your new boho style fringe earrings as a gift or enjoy them for yourself.

DIY Boho Earrings

Want more gift ideas? Visit Diane and Dean.

Diane and Dean Contributor headshots

We are Diane and Dean of (surprisingly) Dianeanddean.com, a DIY Home and Garden Blog. We love to DIY together. Some of our favorite projects have been this DIY Pottery Barn Inspired Farmhouse Table and a fun Cement Succulent Planter. Sometimes we take on huge DIY projects like this Backyard Gabion Wall.

Dean is a Landscape Architect, Sustainability Director, Master Gardener, Public Speaker, and former DIY Network co-host for Grounds For Improvement.

Diane is a writer, Certified Health Coach, Calligrapher, and she also has a Florida Real Estate license.

Together we want to inspire you with some achievable DIY projects! Feel free to join us on FacebookTwitterPinterest, and Instagram.

See all of Diane & Dean’s tutorials here.

 

Liked this tutorial? You’ll love these fun jewelry making tutorials too:

DIY Copper Ring Jewelry | Pretty Handy Girl

DIY Copper Ring Jewelry

Gear Bracelet

Close up two yellow scrapbook flowers on wreath

 

How to Create a Beautiful Spring Wreath with Scrapbook flowers and buttons

Inserting Spring into My Wreath

A few years ago I purchased a simple white berry wreath from Target (I don’t think it’s still available at Target, but this is a similar style wreath.) To save money, I challenged myself to use this one wreath through every season for one year. Did I do it? You bet your little penny pinching fingers, I did! So, today I want to show you how I transformed this simple wreath for Spring.

Inserting spring into the white berry wreath was as simple as pairing a green leaf wreath and some DIY scrapbook flowers.

Pretty Yellow Scrapbook flower wreath on green door

The best part about it is, this simple wreath can handle new colors and elements throughout the year. Can we calculate how much you’ll save on door wreaths for one year? Subtracting the minimal cost of crafting supplies, you’ll save at least $100 on wreaths (attractive wreaths usually start around $39.99.) If you want to see how I transformed the wreath for the other seasons of the year, be sure to scroll all the way to the end of this tutorial!

Inserting Spring Paper Flowers into your Wreath:

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

materials to make button flowers

Instructions:

Start by pairing your white berry wreath with a green leaf wreath to give it more bulk (or just add green sprigs to your berry wreath.)

white berry wreath next to green leaf wreath

To combine the two, simply wrap some of the berry branches around the leaf wreath.

wrap berry stems around leaf wreath

That’s it! This way you can separate them at a later date if you decide to use the wreaths independently.

base wreath green leaves and white berries

Making Scrapbook Button Flowers:

Begin by cutting flower shapes out of your scrapbook paper.

cut around flower shape

Lay your flower on top of a coordinating sheet of scrapbook paper and cut a second flower shape larger than the first.

match up flower with coordinating paper

Lay both flowers on top of one another and cut slits in toward the center of your flowers. Be sure not to cut too close to the center.

cut slits into both scrapbook flower layers

Fold the edges of your flowers up to give them dimension.

cut out scrapbook paper flower

Cut a length of floral wire long enough to wrap around your wreath.

cut wire

Thread the wire through your button. If you have a four hole button, you may want to thread it in an “X” shape as shown below:

thread button onto wire

Then poke the wires through the centers of the flowers (it is easiest if you have one on top of the other so you can poke through both flowers at once.)

thread paper flowers and button onto wire

You should end up with a scrapbook paper and button flower that looks like this:

button scrapbook flower made

Make as many as you like and then arrange the flowers on your wreath.

add button flower to wreath

Wrap the wires around the back and twist to secure.

tie floral wire around wreath

Repeat until you have covered your wreath in beautiful spring flowers.

Close up scrapbook flowers and buttons

Add a coordinating ribbon to your wreath. You can tie a bow on your wreath. . .

add ribbon to wreath

. . . or use a flat ribbon to hang your wreath. It’s your choice.

beautiful diy spring wreath

Enjoy your new spring wreath!

Close up two yellow scrapbook flowers on wreath

Although my paper flowers have faded a little, I’ve been able to use this wreath for several years (as evidenced by the change in color of my door.)

chartreuse green door with spring wreath

Here’s how I transformed the same wreath for Christmas through Valentine’s Day:

For Thanksgiving, I added some feathers to the wreath, (For a fuller wreath, you can add more feathers):

For fall, I paired free magnolia leaves with the white berry wreath:

signature

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you liked this post, you’ll love my round up of 24 creative fall wreaths (because frankly, some of these look pretty enough to hang year round.)

24 Creative Fall Wreaths | Pretty Handy Girl

You might also appreciate these 9 Holiday Storage Hacks:

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Who knew PVC pipe could look this good? With some paint and hot glue, you can easily make this heart decoration for Valentine's Day!

Give your Valentine's Day decor a pop of color with this PVC pipe heart decoration!PVC Pipe Heart Decoration

Hi there, Pretty Handy Girl readers! I’m Vineta from The Handyman’s Daughter, back with another tutorial! I was in the hardware store the other day, and I was inspired to create something using the many different sizes of PVC pipe. With Valentine’s Day coming up, I must have had hearts on the brain. That’s why I created this cute PVC pipe heart decoration for my mantel!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions for Making a PVC Heart Decoration:

At the hardware store, look for a rack with 2 foot long precut pipe. It was a relief to not have to haul home 10 foot long pieces for this small project! I grabbed one of each size.

Grab one of each diameter of PVC pipe for your heart decoration.

Most PVC pipes have letters and bar codes printed on the side of them. To remove it, just wipe down each piece with acetone.

Remove printing on the PVC pipe with acetone.

Once the PVC pipe is clean, mark 2″ sections and cut with a miter saw, jigsaw, or hand saw. You can also use a pipe cutter like Brittany shows in this video:


Mark your PVC pipe in 2" sections to create your heart decoration.

Cut more than you think you’ll need. You might find you’ll need more of some sizes and less of others to make your heart shape.

Cut plenty of 2" pieces, so you can play around with the shape of your heart decoration later.

Give each end of the cut pipe a brief sanding with the 80 grit sandpaper to remove any rough edges. Wipe the cut pipes down with a damp paper towel to remove any dust.

Sand each end of the cut PVC pipe with 80 grit sandpaper.

Set out all the pieces with a little space in between, then give them a few coats of white spray paint.

Give all the pieces of PVC a few coats of white spray paint.

Once the spray paint is dry, paint the inside of each pipe with bright pink paint using a flat artist brush. Be careful not to get pink paint on the outside edge!

Carefully paint the inside of each pipe with bright pink paint.

Arrange the pieces until you achieve a symmetrical heart shape. Don’t get frustrated, it took me a few tries to achieve the perfect heart. Make sure each piece is touching at least two other pieces so they can be glued together in the next step.

Play with the arrangement of PVC pipe until you form a heart!

Apply a bead of hot glue to the sides where the pvc circles touch each other. If you get a big blob of glue, it’s easy to peel off and try again. Remove any strings of glue as you build your heart decoration.

Apply a bead of hot glue to each side of the PVC pipe to form your heart decoration.

Now your PVC pipe heart decoration is ready to display!

This PVC heart decoration is easy to make with various sizes of PVC pipe!

I love the pop of color, especially on these gray, dreary winter days!

Who knew PVC pipe could look this good? With some paint and hot glue, you can easily make this heart decoration for Valentine's Day!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Don’t forget to stop by and visit me at The Handyman’s Daughter for lots of woodworking projects, home improvement tips and DIY home decor ideas!

~ view more of Vineta’s projects ~

Want more Valentine’s Day decor ideas? Here are 10 Unique Ways to Decorate for Valentine’s Day:

10 Unique Ways to Decorate for Valentine's Day | Pretty Handy Girl

Or make this beautiful light up Valentine’s Day sign in no time!

Light up your Valentine's Day with this fun sign!

Hostess gift ideas pinterest image

Hostess Gift Ideas social media image16 Unique DIY Hostess Gift Ideas

Holiday festivities are about to begin, and you don’t want to arrive to those parties empty-handed! Thank your hostess by bringing a thoughtful and personal gift that is sure to put a smile on his or her face. Here is a collection of Unique DIY Hostess Gift Ideas!

YEAR-ROUND IDEAS

Hostess Gift Ideas - Personalized Wood Slice Coasters

Give your hostess something unique like these Personalized Wood Slice Coasters.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - DIY Gift Tray Box

Add wine or a few small items to this DIY Gift Tray Box for a sweet thoughtful gift.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - Gold and Marble Coasters

These Gold and Marble Coasters would make a sleek gift for your next dinner party hostess.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas Washi Tape Vase

Add some flowers to a Simple Washi Tape Vase for a beautiful gift at the next party.

 

Hostess gift ideas Drift wood Gift CrateBuild a Driftwood Gift Crate and fill it with some items as a kind gesture.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - Block Print Stamped Tea TowelDoes your hostess love to work in the kitchen? Make some custom Block Print Stamped Tea Towels.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - Eat Your Veggies Cloth Napkin Gift SetThis “Eat Your Veggies” cloth napkin set is sure to be the perfect gift for the hostess with a good sense of humor.

 

Hostess Gift IdeasFor a hostess who loves gold touches in her home decor, these Tissue Paper Candles would be a perfect thank you.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - DIY Cutting BoardHow about a custom DIY Cutting Board for your next hostess gift? Useful and beautifully crafted.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - DIY Faux cross stitch Tea TowelImpress your host with this adorable Faux Cross-stitch Tea Towel that is sure to make a lasting impression.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - rustic cake standDoes your hostess love to bake? Make this amazing Rustic Cake Stand!

HOLIDAY IDEAS

Hostess Gift Ideas - DIY Snowflake Christmas Trivets

These Snowflake Christmas Trivets would be the perfect gift to keep the table festive and protected.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - Paper Bag Ornaments

A Paper Bag Ornament would be a sweet holiday gift for their tree.

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - Hot Cocoa Mix in a JarMake your dear friend some Hot Cocoa Mix in a Jar as a thank you for their next holiday gathering.

 

Hostess Gift IdeasAdd some fun items to this Customized Gift Paint Can for a unique and fun gift! (This would also make a fabulous housewarming gift.)

 

Hostess Gift Ideas - Chalkboard Paint MugsAn adorable set of Chalkboard Painted Mugs would make the perfect gift for a holiday hostess.

I hope this post gave you some great ideas for gifts that you can give to show appreciation for your hostess! We all know how much work goes into a party or gathering. Giving thoughtful gifts is a sure way to keep the invites coming!

If you like this roundup, please Pin this image:

Hostess gift ideas pinterest image

 

Here are some other posts you might like:

Holiday Decor Ideas12 Great Upcycled Ideas for Holiday Decor

 

Creative gift wrap ideas21 Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas

 

35 upcycled gift ideas35 Upcycled DIY Gift Ideas