Hey guys!
Now that I'm home, and have quite some time until I leave, I really wanted to find more low-key, inexpensive ways to enjoy my time here while home. I understand that this is something unrelated to Hawaii, and is most definitely something that I've never done before on this blog, but nonetheless I hope everyone takes a little something away from it.
Here are 3 fun and inexpensive crafts to do either independently or with others! I hope you enjoy.
Craft One: A Simple Twist On a Photo Frame
The first project I attempted is a simple revamp of two old picture frames. Funny enough, I did this project the second day I was home, and I really think it set the tone for how the rest of my summer is going to be.
To complete this craft you will need:
- Old picture frames
- String of choice (I opted for twine!)
- A stack of pictures, polaroid preferred
- Tiny clothes pins
- Gorilla glue
First, remove the backing of your photo frames and take out the glass. You should have nothing but the frame itself. Next, measure out the length of string you need. It's helpful to make the string not go all the way to the outer edge of the frame, because the line will become too taut. Instead, I made my string go about halfway on both sides, and this left the string nice and tight. Before you begin glueing, double check that the photos will be at a far enough length apart that they won't be overlapping or touching any edges.
After double-checking with your photos you can now begin to glue. This is the part that will take the longest because you will need to wait for the glue to dry before anything else can happen. However, a neat trick is to tape the end of the string to the frame so that you don't need to wait for one end to dry; tapping each end will allow you to glue them all down at once!
Once the glue is dried now the fun begins! Take your pictures and arrange them in the order most preferred and begin clipping with the tiny pins. The nice thing about this project is that no two frames will be alike, as my frame is going to be different from yours, etc. This means that you could have three photos on a line, like myself, or as many as 10! Personally I think less is more for this fun project, but you have complete liberty to do what you please.
With the photos strung, you will find that as you lift the frame they will begin to flip upside down. This is normal, so don't stress out about the staying put. What matter is how they look on the wall, not in your hands!
The final step is either hanging the frame on the wall or placing it on a desk or shelf instead. To show you the different options, I've posted two examples below. The first is my frame on my bookshelf and the second is one on my wall. Personally I like them more on the wall, but again its up to you! I also think they look super cute on a bookshelf or desk, as I've shown below.
Craft Two: Macrame (or "String Designs")
String designs, or 'macrame', has become a quick summer essential. However, the price for some of these pieces has always left me a bit unsettled. Stores like Urban Outfitters have inspired me to save the $50 I could spend on this art and instead spend $10 to make it myself. Plus, what cooler way to make a space more unique than by creating the item myself?
To complete this craft you will need:
- One wooden dowel
- Cord for the string (4mm recommended!)
Because the product you will end with varies person to person, there is no way to really explain how you begin this project. Instead, I will insert a picture below of what mine looks like. I found that using 5mm string has its ups and downs, primarily because there simply wasn't enough string in the spool! I do plan on adding more so that my art has some depth. For now, this is what it looks like:
Craft Three: Scrapbooking
Have a lot of photos that are too big for your space or that don't yet have a space? If that is you than don't worry, this craft is for you! Scrapbooking, or even just memory keeping, is a fun way to keep your photos alive for years to come. For me, I have tons of pictures from Maui and throughout this school year that I really want to commemorate, and I'm going to be soon making a scrapbook to preserve them. If this is something that interests you, try and pintrest or google some cute ways to get started! Tip: Michaels always has a 50% off coupon on their website, use this as a tool to motivate you getting started!
So there they are, the three crafts I will be working on this summer. For now, as you've seen, I have two done and will soon start on the third. I'm always open to new ideas, though, so leave a comment on my post if there's something you recommend I try!
Until next time,
Aislinn
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