DIY Archives

March 8, 2016

Blessings/Answered Prayers Jar

Hey ya’ll!

So a few years ago I was looking on Pinterest and I realized I had pinned a bunch of prayer jars onto my “Crafts I Love but Will Never Have Time to Make” board. It was summer time and for the first time, I actually had time to make a craft. The jars all were so pretty on Pinterest and seemed easy enough. So I went out and got the materials I needed from Michaels.

While I was making it, I was thinking about all the prayers I would write down and put in this jar. Even just thinking about it, I was thinking about putting in things like family, friends, future school endeavors etc. There were so many, that I thought if I wrote them all down I would probably fill at least a quarter of the jar in one sitting. Then I got realistic and realized more than likely I won’t actually use this every time I have a prayer because prayer is constant and I feel that I am just always adding to the list of prayers I have.

It was then that I realized how rarely I really sit down, praise God and thank him for answered prayers and the blessings he provides in my life.

It’s easy to forget to do that, huh? So I decided to make a Blessings/Answered Prayers Jar instead. I thought it was a great concept to write down answered prayers and put them in a jar as a reminder of the times that God came through and answered my prayers. It reminds me that when I am in the midst of waiting for a prayer to be answered, I need to be patient.

I have had this jar for three years now. Reading through some of these have brought tears to my eyes because God is good. He is so good. He provided. He answered my prayers in ways that I did not even realize until later. They were better than I had ever hoped. I had a prayer from before I even started college that wasn’t answered until the beginning of my senior year of college. His answer was better than I could have ever prayed for or imagined. Having this jar has changed the way I pray. It has reminded me to just say “Thank You” because He is working and He is working for your good.

Materials Needed:

Jar
2-3” Ribbon
Sharpie
Glitter paper
Hot Glue
Index cards
Scissors

Step 1: Go to Michaels/Hobby Lobby/Craft and buy any of the supplies that you do not already have.

Step 2: Pick a Bible verse that you like or that you feel reminds you to be thankful for your blessings. I chose 1 Chronicles 16:8-12:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.”

Step 3: Write the Bible verse or part of the Bible verse on the ribbon.

Step 4: Glue the ribbon around the jar. I chose the bottom portion of the jar for mine, but you can chose another spot.

Step 5: Cut out the colored or glitter paper and write Blessings Jar, Answered Prayers jar, or whatever you would like to call your jar. If you use glitter paper I recommend cutting out other non-glitter paper and writing on that and then gluing that to the glitter paper.

Step 6: Cut up a bunch of pieces of paper. I recommend index cards and cutting them in half as it stays sturdier and looks cleaner when it is in the jar.

Step 7: Enjoy your jar as well as thanking our Father for the blessing and answered prayers.

February 2, 2016

DIY Valentine’s Day Card

I love making & sending cards. I really do believe that it’s my love language. Got a new job? Send a card! Going to the moon? Send a card! Today, I want to share a super simple way to make Valentine’s Day cards. Your friends will be impressed by your craftiness, even if you’re terrible in this department. Give the cards to your friends, boyfriend/husband, co-workers, family, etc.

What You Need

Decorative paper – I purchased mine from Paper Source.
Paper for inside layer – Also purchased from Paper Source.
Envelopes – I recommend A2 envelopes due to the sizing I’ll be giving you. Again, I purchased mine from Paper Source. I just love that store.
Paper trimmer – I couldn’t find a link for the one I use, but I would recommend this one from Amazon.
Ruler.
Scissors.
Washi tape – The one I have pictured was purchased from Target in the dollar bins.
Pencil.
Double sided tape (not pictured).

On the opposite side of your decorative paper, mark 8 1/4 x 5 1/2. Since I’m working with a big piece of paper, I use my scissors to cut out the paper with an extra half inch on each side. I also mark my non-decorate paper – the dimensions I used is 7 3/4 x 5. I like it to be a little smaller than the decorate paper – it looks pretty professional that way.

I then use my paper trimmer to get an exact cut, which is straight and sleek. I unfortunately have shaky hands when I cut, so the paper trimmer is my best friend.

Next I put the pieces on top of each other and fold. I had to trim a little of my non-decorative paper so it looked even. Once you have trimmed and folded your paper, use double sided tape to secure the pieces.

And bam! Pretty Valentine’s Day card to send to all the special people in your life. Add some pretty washi tape & use your best penmanship. The recipient of these cards will feel loved by you!

August 22, 2015

DIY Frame Wall

Hey friends, Haley here!

If you have read my bio you will know that I am in my last year of college and studying Interior Design (such a random major I know). I have lived on campus for all four years at my University. As an interior design major, you can imagine how excited I get to decorate my dorm room every year and try to make it more like a home.

I kid you not, designing how I am going to make my dorm room my home is like Christmas morning for me (I know…such a nerd). This year, I am going for a shabby-chic and homey vibe. I want my room to feel like a home and not a traditional dorm room. To do this, I am pulling things you would normally find in a home into my room such as a nice wooden bookshelf, curtains, plants, tables and of course picture frames. A picture frame wall, I have found, is a great way for any young adult to have a cleaner and mature look, while still being able to express their interests and who they are.

Now if you are a young adult, and are like me, money is not something you have an abundance of. A DIY frame wall can look expensive, but with the help of the dollar store and some effort, I promise you it can be done for cheap.

Things you need:

•Frames

•Wall Hanging Adhesive or Velcro

•Printed photos

Step 1: Get the Frames

I recommend Dollar Tree or any other local dollar store you can find. Figure out what color or kind of frame you want. I have seen walls with different sized frames, different colored frames and even walls with all the same styled frame. I personally picked all the same sized generic black frames since what I am putting in the frames are colored. Try to steer clear of frames that have the stand in the back because it makes it harder to attach to the wall. The frames I found to be the most successful were actually the ones that have fake certificates in them. Get as many frames as you would like. I got 20 for my room because my frame wall is large.

Step 2: Pick Photos

Here is the fun part – picking your photos! Now depending on the type of look you want to go for determines what you should put in the frames. If you want your wall to look more cohesive and mature, use black and white photos. I personally am a huge sucker for inspiring quotes. I raided my “Inspiring Quotes” board on Pinterest and picked quotes that had a white or neutral background. I also picked a few sketched photos of coffee and high heels. Everything I picked is relatively neutral and soft to keep it as cohesive as possible.

Step 3: Print Photos

Depending on if you have a printer at home or not determines where you will be printing your photos. By no means do they need to be printed on expensive paper. I decided to print my photos on pastel cardstock that I got from Target for 3 dollars to give my wall a little bit of color, but printing it on white will look just as nice.

Step 4: Put the Photos in the Frames

This is pretty self explanatory 🙂

Step 5: Hanging the Frames

I recommend getting the adhesive Command Strips Velcro hanging tape from Target. Each box is around 6 dollars. Depending on how many frames you are putting on your wall, you may need a few boxes. The Velcro will go on the corners of the fames when you are about to hang them. How you hang it is all up to you. If you want a more organized look, the frames could go on straight and orderly. If you want a more relaxed look I recommend making the frames mixed between horizontal and vertical and fit them together.

Step 6: Step Back and Admire

Now just sit back and enjoy your new frame wall (trust me your friends who come over will too!)

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