Embroidery Hoop Chandelier

A few months ago, a team of bloggers decided to get together for a thrift store challenge. The challenge was set to get paired up with a blogger who would send you a box of thrift store find(s) under $15 and you had the liberty to create whatever you wanted to create with those items. In case you missed it, you can read more about the challenge here.  

Today, I'm going to show you what I created with one of the items in my box. It's a project I've been wanting to make for quite some time. I'm so glad the challenge finally gave me the kick in the pants to make this embroidery hoop light. I love how it turned out and it's been a great addition to our back patio on our warm summer nights.

Let me take a second to refresh your memory. These are the items I received in my thrift store challenge box from Carol at Refurbish 360 Blog. I had a few ideas in my mind, but I kept going back to my original idea of making an embroidery hoop light. In fact, I had already purchased the lighting package from IKEA last year with this project in mind. I just hadn't gotten around to doing it just yet.

I started by using some Minwax stain in Bombay Mahogany. The same stain we used when we made our removable plank top table last year.  I put on two coats of the stain. I also had my IKEA lighting kit {if you don't have an IKEA close by, this light kit is really reasonably priced as well} and twine on hand. You will also need a lightbulb {I love the look of the Edison bulbs.} This one is a fantastic deal.

After your hoops are dry, start by sliding all of the embroidery hoops inside one another. I used three on the inside and then one went down to support the middle. Start wrapping your twine around to hold your first meeting point together.

Slip the middle ring around and wrap that in place at the meeting points as well.

Once you have all your meeting points wrapped, take our your light kit and decide how far down you want your light to hand inside your hoop. You will take your twine and slip it around like shown at the spot you want it to meet with your hoop.

As you can see, the twine was placed about two inches up from the light base.

Secure the cord to the side of the embroidery hoop point that you consider the top.

My husband helped me find larger twine to wrap the cord and secure the lighting wire in place.

He is more of a boy scout than I am and knots are second nature to him. He ended up leaving a loop at the top so that there was a place to hang the light on our patio when it was complete.

After the light was complete, it found it's place outside on our back patio.

I think it looks pretty great above this seating area.

Having this lighting has made us linger just a little bit longer outside and enjoy the warm nights just a little bit longer.

In fact, we have even fired up the charcoal BBQ and created some signature S'mores and enjoyed some amazing family time out back.

I was so happy to finally get this project that's been floating around in my head made. It's one of those things that I have enjoyed so much now, I wonder why I didn't make it sooner!

I also took the set of napkins that Carol sent and made some watercolor cloth napkins. I will have the full tutorial on that soon, but in the meantime, here's a sneak peak.

Take a second today to check out some of the other Thrift Store Challengers and see what they came up with!

dislaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Holy Craft. Thank you!

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Thrift Store Challenge!

If there is one thing I like, it's a good challenge. Especially when that challenge involves shopping at a thrift store and creating something new out of that item.  There is a twist! This challenge requires you to purchase an item for another person, send it to them and see what they create. That means a box showed up on my doorstep of my supplies, all purchased at a thrift shop, ready to see what I could create from one of those items. 

How much fun is that?! Come check out what I sent and what I received as part of the blogger's thrift store challenge.

As a gift giver, I always like to give what I would like to receive. I spent hours walking thrift store aisles trying to come up with the perfect item when I finally stumbled on these large pieces of leather. Sure, I saw plenty of random items in the aisles that could be upcycled, crafted and created, but if I were doing this challenge, I love the blank slate that comes from a pile of good quality materials.

My items got shipped to Randi at Dukes and Duchesses. Before I shopped, I did some blog stalking to see what Randi likes to create. I found out that Randi loves succulents as much as I do. She even created this amazingly adorable pineapple succulent planter from a small mason jar. 

She's a big fan of repurposing and creating new projects. I love this upcycled basketball coffee cup.

And anyone who creates a tea towel with MY favorite place, is bound to be pretty amazing!

I am excited to see what kind of project she creates with the leather pieces.

My challenge box came filled to the brim with lots of supplies and tons of potential from Carol at Refurbish 360 Blog.  

My mind immediately started thinking of fun ideas and projects that I could create. I'm excited to show you what I ended up making with the supplies and which supplies got turned into the first project. Check back with me on the 25th and see what I created. 

In the meantime, go check out some of the other thrift store challengers! On social media search #thriftstorethrowdown.

My Life From Home

Farmhouse 40

Refurbish 360 Blog

All Things New Again

Dukes and Duchesses

Paint Yourself a Smile

Lovely Etc

Shepherds and Chardonnay

3 Little Greenwoods

One Mile Home Style

One More Time Events

Holy Craft

Salvage Sister & Mister

dislaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Holy Craft. Thank you!

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Easy to Make Painted Rock Cactus Centerpieces

Last month, we celebrated my son's high school graduation with a little Tex Mex taco party. He's leaving the Seattle area and heading to the great nation of Texas to attend college, and while we were visiting colleges on our college tour, he fell in love with Tex Mex. What's not to like really? I couldn't think of a better theme for his graduation party, so I created these painted rock cactuses {cacti?} as centerpieces that we used around the party. They cost me next to nothing to make and look great. It's an easy craft you can do and I promise, even the blackest thumb can't kill these plants! 

Last month, I created some stone garden markers. While I was picking up rocks at the beach, I had my eyes peeled for cactus shaped rocks as well. I used paint that I had on hand already to create a few different greens and painted the rocks. This was the most time consuming part. If I was to do it over again, I might look into green spray paint. I do however, like the depth that you get from using several different paint colors. That's not something you can do with spray paint.

You will also need a white Sharpie oil based paint marker to draw the detail on the cactus.

I sat down with my paint marker and drew various designs on the rocks. Nothing fancy, just do what you like.

I found my Terra cotta pots at a garage sale. I bought a stack of 12 for a few dollars. You can find them at your local craft store or on amazon too.  I bought a few bags of decorative rocks from our local dollar store and used old newspaper crumbled up in the bottom of the pot so I didn't have to use as many rocks. 

I put two handfuls of decorative rocks into the pot and then stood my cactus rocks upright. I used three cactus rocks in each pot and then sprinkled some more decorative rocks on top to help them stand in place.

I think they turned out really cool!

These painted rock cactus centerpieces cost me around $5 to create twelve. I couldn't even buy a real cactus for that price!

I think these are lots of fun and the possibilities are endless!dislaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Holy Craft. Thank you!

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Customized monogram slippers

As a thrifty crafter, I'm always on the look out for plain surfaces that are cheap so that I can customize them and make them my own. If you hadn't noticed, sometimes finding plain items to use can be hard. Finding plain items that are cheap can be even harder! But, I'm always up for the challenge! Some of the best places to look are in the clearance rack {Target has some great tank tops I love to use HTV on} and of course, my favorite, at garage sales. 

I found this plain pair of slippers {they were originally from Victoria's Secret} for $3 and couldn't wait to get some sparkly heat transfer vinyl on them. I'm showing you how to make them today.

I'm always a big fan of showing you before and afters. The plain slippers were just fine, but, they needed a little something don't you think?

I used my Silhouette design software to create a monogram. Don't overthink it. You can follow Melissa's tutorial on how to create a monogram here, or simply do what I did and create two circles and make your letters different sizes. Easy peasy. I'm telling you this because I overthought it. Not all letters look good in a monogram. Trust me.

Cut your heat transfer vinyl out. I used this glitter HTV from Expressions Vinyl. I've never used it before and I thought that maybe it would be harder to use, but it cut like butter and didn't have any problems transferring to my slippers. I'm sold!

If you have never used HTV before you can find a full tutorial on how to cut it here.

Some HTV tips for you:

Always reverse your image
Put your HTV shiny side down into your machine
Always double cut and use a mat
Use a lightweight piece of cotton to iron your transfer on
Press your iron firmly and for at least 20 seconds in each area
Let your transfer cool and then peel {unless otherwise noted on your medium}

I think Sophie is thrilled with me trying to teach her how to fetch my slippers for me.

These monogrammed slippers would be great for a wedding shower gift, for a hard to shop for teenage girl, or really, for just about anyone.

Keep your eyes peeled for those blank items that you can jazz up a bit with your Silhouette machine. Think outside the box. You don't just need to put heat transfer vinyl on t-shirts. The possibilities are endless!

dislaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Holy Craft. Thank you!

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Small Box Turned Into A Custom Sign

It's gearing up for my favorite time of the whole year. It's nearly garage sale season! Is anyone else excited? I'm dying. I can't wait for Friday and Saturday mornings to be spent looking for good deals, future projects and other crap I just can't live without.

Last week, I got a little garage sale teaser when a random sale popped up just down the street. I stopped in and picked up a small wooden box for a quarter. I was thinking outside of the box {see what I did there?} and crafted a little handmade sign simply by turning the box on it's side, painting it and adding vinyl. 

Plus I added my new favorite, Deco Foil! I kind of want to foil all the things. Come on over and see how I made this. You won't look at a box the same way again!

You might look at this and see a wooden box. Heck, I did at first.

But once I turned it on it's side, I noticed a little lip on the bottom creating the perfect frame for a fun vinyl saying. Do you see it? So I slapped on a coat of paint and narrowed down what I wanted my new sign to say.

I love my Silhouette machine. If you don't have one, you seriously need one. If for nothing else than to cut out vinyl to create custom projects. It's a crafting game changer. You can find a great price on this starter kit with a whole bundle of supplies to get you started.

I used my favorite vinyl from Expressions Vinyl. I've never tried the glitter vinyl but I love it! I measured the space that I had and made a rectangle in my Silhouette design software. Then I found a font that I liked and the rest is history.

I used my transfer tape to transfer the glitter vinyl on to the box.

If you haven't tried Deco Foil yet, you totally should. It's my favorite new craft thing. I used double sided adhesive and cut that out on my Silhouette machine in an ampersand. I removed the back paper to make it sticky and put it on the box and then followed the directions for the Deco Foil.

It was so easy. I promise, you will be obsessed! And then all the things in your life will start to get foiled.

The best part about garage sales is stocking up on new supplies you can use for creating. Sometimes all it takes is to start thinking outside of the box.

I'm joining in with some other bloggers to share our Silhouette projects. Make sure you go check them all out!

1. My View From Home - Teacher Apprecation Watering Can

2. Holy Craft - Easy Vinyl and Foil Sign From Old Box

3. Patina Paradise - Painted Wood Mason Jar Door Hanger

4. Dwell Beautiful - Customized Coldplay Song Lyric Tote Bag

5. C'mon Get Crafty - Silhouette Shirt: Silhouette Monthly Challenge

6. Tried & True - Teacher Appreciation Travel Mug

7. Morena's Corner - Silhouette Wall Art

8. Simply Darrling - Easy DIY World Map with Hymn Quote

9. DIY Passion - DIY Cake Toppers and Birthday Banners

10. Dream Design DIY - Hangry Kitchen Tray

11. Pocketful of Posies - Thonet Yardsale Chair Makeover into One of a Kind Office Chair

dislaimer: this post may have affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing through them, I may receive a small commission. These small purchases help me to continue to keep writing content and creating at Holy Craft. Thank you!

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