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Slacker Crafts: How to make an easy DIY necklace holder

Oct 182010

After adding two more necklaces to my collection yesterday (thank you buy one, get one free sales), I decided I needed to get them out of the jewlery box I’ve used since I was 13 years old. The drawers were getting crowded and they were getting tangled up in each other.

I knew necklace holders were a thing that existed, but I’ve only ever seen them in the store when I had no interest in them. Rather than chase an object I wasn’t sure I’d find easily (they’re not something I see every day), I did some Googling and YouTubing last night to get ideas on how to make one that worked for me. I saw several different kinds and they all gave me ideas for my own.

I made the pictured necklace holder in less than an hour on Sunday afternoon. I think it took me longer to pick up the supplies. Fussier crafters may take a little longer, but it really was a quick and easy thing to do.

Here are the supplies I used:

Framed bulletin board
Fabric
Ribbon (optional)
Chain
S-hooks

I went to the hardware store first so I could pick up the chain and S-hooks. Then I went to Sprawl Mart (hey, it’s near my house!) and picked up a bulletin board, some pre-cut fabric and some ribbon. I ended up needing two pieces of fabric because one pre-cut piece didn’t cover my whole bulletin board and I didn’t want to make a third stop at the fabric store. Slacker crafters unite!

When I got home, I found my staple gun and brought my supplies upstairs to my bedroom. I laid the first piece of fabric out and placed the bulletin board over top. I folded the edges over and stapled them to the back of the frame. I did the same with the second piece. A better crafter would probably have sewed the two pieces together first (and maybe even ironed the fabric), but being a slacker crafter, I used the ribbon to cover the overlap of the two pieces of fabric. I stapled the ribbon to the bulletin board. When I realized that the tape holding the ribbon to the spool left a mark, I put another piece of ribbon on over top so the mark would be covered. Stapled that on.

Finally, I attached the chain using – you guessed it – the staple gun. I missed the chain link on the first go, but that turned into a happy accident. It allowed me to bend the staple around to create a hook which will allow for chain adjustment as the collection grows. I repeated the happy accident technique on the other side.

Once the chain was attached, I hung one end of the S-hooks through the chain links and hung the necklace from the other end. Using S-hooks and chain rather than just attaching the necklace to a wire or ribbon allows the necklaces to hang neatly – no sliding to the middle and no drooping.

I’m thrilled with the results I got from such a small amount of work. The holder is sitting on a bookshelf in my bedroom. You could also put it on the wall, but I like mine where it is.

An alternative to chain would be to use furniture tacks and put them on the bulletin board and hang necklaces from them. My research taught me that furniture tacks would work better than regular ones because they are longer and heavier. Another quick Googling showed me that you can get some really pretty tacks that would look great with the right fabric.

Hope this helps any fellow necklace lovers out. Spend a little extra time and it would make a great gift for someone else. (You shouldn’t slack on gifts.)

Wordless Wednesday: Hand in hand

family, flora, life, parenthood, sean 1 Response »

Sep 222010

I got home late due to a dentist appointment. I was almost home when I came across this pair walking up the street to meet me. It made me so happy to see the two of them walking and talking. A proud mama moment. When we met up, Sean and I each took Flora’s hand and we swung her through the air. I am so grateful Sean took the time to take Flora out to meet me so we could have that moment together as a family.

I used to be with it

irritants, life, music, thinking 2 Responses »

Aug 202010

“I used to be with it, but then they changed what “it” was. Now, what I’m with isn’t it, and what’s “it” seems weird and scary to me. It’ll happen to you.“

Grampa Simpson, ‘Homerpalooza‘ episode of The Simpsons (Episode 3F21, original airdate: May 1996)

I didn’t believe Grampa Simpson at the time, but in the 14 years since this episode originally aired, I find this statement applies more and more to my life.

I’ve paid attention to music since I was a little kid. I remember rocking out with my parents when my mum and dad would put their records on and turn it up. I also remember when they’d turn up the music when they were having parties and my sister and I were supposed to be sleeping. Not sure how we were supposed to sleep through “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” played at top volume, but it helped when I knew what that song was when they played it at high school dances. (I clearly remember saying “Oh my *gawd*, my *parents* used to listen to this song!”)

I used to read a lot of music magazines. I didn’t always pick up the albums the critics recommended, but I liked knowing about them, and being able to know something about who was singing the song on the radio or on TV. Now, I rarely buy new music. I may pick up the odd album that a favourite band or artist has put out, but I find I’m even doing that less and less. Good thing I didn’t end up becoming a music critic as I dreamed of being when I was in high school.

I’ve recently started tuning into the pop stations when I’m driving by myself for errands and whatnot. I’m a rocker so this feels weird to me, but it gets me out of my head for a few minutes, even if I think some of the songs on today’s playlists are dirty dirty. (Another example of me no longer being with it – where did my cane go so I can shake it at the kids while I tell them to get off my lawn?) I’ve even been known to drive around a little longer just to hear the end of a song – something I haven’t done since I was a teenager.

While I’ve been writing this I’ve been trying out Grooveshark. I was happy to find some of my old favourites, but I got a huge kick out of the Lady Gaga/Beyonce/Metallica mashup “Enter Telephone”. Maybe I will catch up with today’s music yet. Or maybe not – Sean just bought us concert tickets to see KISS – a band that made it big before either of us were even born. We’re crazy excited about it – we’ve never seen them before, and the show should be high on spectacle. Should be good value for my buck.

Because the biggest thing I’ve discovered about music since becoming an adult is that I’m a lot choosier about what I spend my money on.

Are you still up on the music of your youth? Do you pay attention to the music the kids are listening to? Does music sound as good as it did when you were a teenager? Let me know in the comments.

Well, this is a rare occurrence

life, sean, silly 2 Responses »

May 112010

Sean and I: pretending to like each other since 1996

Hey look! A picture of Sean and I where we both look happy and not goofy. Well, maybe I look a little goofy. But I think that’s my thing so I just have to live with that.

Whee!

family, flora, life, parenthood, sean No Responses »

Mar 242010

Seeing Flora and Sean together like this makes me so happy. I’m truly grateful for the relationship they share. However, it’s hard not to be wistful sometimes as I watch their relationship grow and develop. My own father has been dead for nearly 19 years, and while he was alive until just before I became a teenager, I wish I could have known him as I continued through my teens. As I became an adult. As I became a parent.

I wish I could picture him as a grandfather, but I can’t.

I pray that Flora never has to go through that. I want all those things for her. I want all those things for Sean.

I want them to always be this happy together. I know it won’t always be smiles and giggles, but a long, loving relationship is something for them both to strive for.

(click for larger image)

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