Dowel Display Tree

After hitting the mother-load of vintage ornaments last year, this holiday season I wanted to display them in the most dynamic way possible ( the fine glasswork details can get lost on a tree). Growing up my mother had a wrought iron display tree in our dining room to house her collection of childhood ornaments, so I crafted something comparable but a little more modern with wood dowels.

What You'll Need 

Wood Clock Round or Wood Disk  

1.5" Dowel 

Skinny wood dowels with a drill bit in the same diameter

Drill
Jigsaw or Circular Saw

One Wood Screw

Shop Scissors 

Sander 

Glue

1. Cut 1.5" dowel to your desired tree height ( I made mine 3')

2. Measure and mark every two inches from the base of the dowel to determine the tiers of the tree.  Rotate the dowel 45 degrees when marking each tier so each dowel will be facing out in a different direction on each level like branches. 

3. Drill through the dowel (taking care to keep the drill perpendicular) to create a through-and-through hole. Drilling through at an angle will create branches that slope up on one end and down on the other -- not ideal for hanging ornaments.  Sand off any rough edges made by the drill bit. 

4. Cut skinny wood dowels at various lengths ( I made mine between 5" and 16")  with shop scissors  and twist into the 1.5" dowel to create the branches.  If your branches are sliding around secure in place with craft glue. 

5. Drive a screw through the center of the wood round into the dowel to secure it to the base. 

6. Sand off any rough edges and style with your favorite ornaments.  Paint your tree an accent color or leave the wood natural for a scandinavian feel.

Lovely right?! Be sure to share if you try this project by tagging me on instagram @lindseycrafter !

Monday Links

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The number/scale of tasks I have to complete this week are overwhelming -- and in attempt to re-focus energy and prioritize I'm working on something COMPLETELY unrelated to said tasks -- funny how that happens right?  I'm hoping to release a couple of prints on Society 6 this month in time for the holidays -- so stay tuned for new funky floral prints! In the meantime here are some things I've found in my internet travels this a.m.

Some serious knitspiration by Eugenia Kim

http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/accessories-hats/36550846.jsp#/

The power of matcha caffiene (my free trial shown above)

http://www.amazon.com/Midori-Spring-Organic-Ceremonial-Matcha/dp/B00TSSDLGK/ref=cm_rdp_product

This confetti chair giveaway by Studio DIY 

http://www.studiodiy.com/2015/11/16/introducing-the-studio-diy-x-modernica-confetti-chair-a-giveaway/

Where I'm doing all my holiday gift shopping 

http://www.brookfarmgeneralstore.com/

xo Lindsey Crafter 

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Homemade Lip Stain

Rescue your chapped lips from the fall chill with this homemade lip stain you can mix in your own kitchen! I have several lipsticks I don't use because they dry out my lips, so I used them along with a few natural ingredients to create a moisturizing lip stain!

What You'll Need 

Beeswax Bricks 

Coconut Oil 

Essential Oils
Measuring Spoons 

Old lipsticks or Powdered Blush

Estilo Clear Cosmetic Jars

Small Glass Bowl or Glass Measuring Cup

Small Saucepan & Stovetop Access
Sharp Knife

Free Printable Download and Printable Label/Sticker Sheet
Watercolors
Scissors

1. Test ratios of wax and coconut oil to reach your desired consistency-- if you'd prefer it to be more of a gloss than a stain simply increase the amount of coconut oil in your recipe. I mixed batches with a 1/2 an ounce of beeswax and a large spoonful of coconut oil.

2. Melt beeswax in a small glass bowl or measuring cup by creating a double broiler in a small saucepan. Cut into smaller blocks to decrease melting time.

3. Add in coconut oil, a few drops of essential oil and 1/2 teaspoon of lip color or powdered blush -- stirring continuously.

4. Carefully pour the melted mixture into the small jars and allow to cool until hardened.

5. Print out the sticker sheet and add watercolor before cutting out labels. Apply to lids before wrapping and gifting to your friends. Keep one in your purse, car and diaper bag for on-the-go primping!

Rachel's Garage Makeover

She might very well KILL me for sharing the before photos, but the AFTER was just too gorgeous not to share with all of you.  The transformation took about two days and instantly brightened up the space! Product sourcing included below!

Ian's sister Rachel just moved into a new home… and after needing to stage a few shoots in the garage for another project with Black + Decker I figured we might as well give it a facelift. I was a little concerned at first that my choice of paint would be too much of a contrast to the pre-existing faux wood veneer (I didn't want to paint the whole space), but look how amazing the two pair together--so much brighter!

Before

The paint I used was amazing, just 2 light coats and I was in business. The crates were hung from the wall to create cute entry-way catch-all cubbys (say that five times fast), I mix and matched some flea market finds with stained wood crates from Michaels.

The hook/ wire wrack system I chose only took about 30 minutes to install (once we found the wall studs) and created the perfect place to store things off of the floor.

Find the Black and Decker Article I staged the garage for Here!

Paint: Pussywillow
Paneling: pre-existing
Stain: Miniwax Classic Grey
Shelving: Kobalt K Rail System
Wire Baskets: TJ Maxx
Crate Shelving : unfinished wood crates from micheals and vintage

Fifteen Minute Felt Sunglasses Case

After buying yet ANOTHER pair of sunglasses I vowed to treat them like a responsible adult should- and store them in a case to prevent crushing and scratching.  Im not crazy about hard sunglass cases and the amount of space they take up in a bag, so a simple sleeve design is what I opted for .  Currently I'm aiming to "bust my stash" and make a conciencious effort to use materials I already own, so I dug through my fabric and trim scraps and produced a few usable pieces to create a quick felt sleeve.

Here's What You'll Need 

Felt Scraps 

Scissors 

Straight Pins 

Ribbon Scraps or Trim

Sewing Machine 

Free pattern

1. Cut out 1 pattern piece 

(first be sure your glasses fit within my template, if not just scale it up 10% when printing)  

2. Fold and pin along edge

3. Fold a piece of ribbon or trim into a loop and pin into the side seam 

(for attaching charms or tassels!)

4. Sew along the edge

Keep the edge of the fabric lined up with the presser foot for a straight seam.

5. Trim threads and DONE. 

Make one, or five -- these make quick and economical presents or bridesmaids gifts.