Cuff Bracelet and Flower Pot

Hi everyone. I just came in and it was 102 on our covered back porch. I can't stress this enough - please be careful when you are outside.

I did get some housework done this morning then I worked on two projects and will share those with you. The first is my latest cuff bracelet. It is still in the drying stage, so won't know if it needs more things added to it until it is dry and I can put it on.

This is my first time to use lace on a cuff bracelet. I found this at Hobby Lobby and it was perfect for trying out my latest idea. I used glue that bonds rhinestones and metal to fabric. It takes longer to dry. We'll see how it turns out.

The double heart in the center is an old pin that was broken. On the left is an old earring and the same with the pearls on the right side. I glued just the base down so the pearls can move around when you are wearing the bracelet. The tiny gold flower between the hearts and the pearls is a 12K gold piece from an earring. Then I added a heart with a butterfly on it. Then came some rhinestones, old buttons and a couple of ribbon flowers. This bracelet will have 3 buttons lined up that you can fasten with. I decided to do this since not all wrists are created equal. My friend, Cindy, helped me think this through and I thank her for that.

Cindy and I are known as the picker cousins on Facebook. If you get a chance, go in and see the ideas that we have on taking junk and turning it into something great! Don't forget to 'like' us. I am a Junk Gypsy fan. Cindy and I like to junk with her daughter (and my best friend), Jessica. We have a ball and come up with some pretty neat things. It's fun to look at something and the three of us see the item turned into different things.

I wanted something cute to sit in my office and keep my bracelets in, after they were completed, but not packed away. So, I got busy and turned an old dirty flower pot into a bracelet hideaway.

You will need a flower pot, a foam brush, a disposable cup, some pretty tissue paper and either Mod Podge or Liquid Laminate. I am a big fan of the liquid laminate. I get it at Hobby Lobby and you use to be able to order it from beacon.com.

Start by putting laminate in the cup. Now tear big pieces of the tissue paper.

I keep straight edges along the top. Use your brush and apply the laminate, put your tissue down and brush laminate over the top. Get the  laminate on your fingers and start working the wrinkles either out or work more in. This is the fun part. Continue doing this until the outside of the pot is covered. I don't put tissue on the bottom of the pot.

While the laminate is drying (and it doesn't take long) cut a circle to go down in the pot if you arent' doing to use it for flowers. Then I just glue the tissue on with a glue stick, cut out a bigger circle than the cardboard, clip all around the tissue, turn it over and glue stick it to the back. I do not glue the circle to the flower pot bottom. I might decide to plant a flower next year.

After I started looking at the inside of the pot, I decided some Martha Stewart gold acrylic paint was what it needed. I washed the foam brush and put paint in my cup and just painted the inside. No worrying about seeing the lines or anything because, I took a slightly damp paper towel, waded it up, and dabbed all over the inside to give the paint a different look.

Don't know if you can see the gold paint on my tissue. I just pounced some on and blotted it with my paper towel. Just here and there to give it a antique look. And below is the finished product.

What do you think? If you want to, you can buy wooden balls that are flat on the top. You will need 4. Cover them with tissue or paint them gold and hot glue to the bottom. Now, that you've gone that far, get the base that this pot would sit in, paint it or tissue it (get the ball feet and top to match), and add another knob to the base (turn it upside down) and you have a lid for your pot.

I have made these and filled them with bags of hot chocolate mix and put a cup in a bag and given as a gift. I can see the wheels turning.

I am glad you are reading my blog and I will be back in a few days with more things for you to make. Until next time - Jan