Picture Frame Lantern

The weather is cooling down, it is dark before 6:30 and I am in bed before 9pm. It must be Fall!

Fall is very exciting in Southern California. It is when you start wearing long sleeve shirts and possibly shut your windows at night. Since we don't get typical fall weather here I try and find other ways to get in the spirit.


Lanterns have been very popular for a while now, I decided to shamelessly jump on the bandwagon with this tutorial.

Materials:

*4 wooden frames with glass. I used 8 1/2 x 11 ($1 each a the dollar store) 

*1 old recess light (I bought mine from Habitat for Humanity)

*Nails

*Hammer

*Spray paint

 

How much do the recess lights look like lantern tops?

Instructions:

1. Remove the glass from your frames.

2. Nail/Screw all 4 picture frames together to make a box. I used tiny wire nails.

3. Cut two squares, one for the base and one for the top. I made my cube and then decided how big I wanted the base/top. I made the base and the top the same size.

4. Attach your picture frame cube to the base. *Do not attach the top yet*

5. At this point I decided I wanted one more layer to the top. I cut another square that was 2" smaller on each side and nailed it to the top layer.
6. Attach the recess light to your top. I predrilled two holes and used screws to attach.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 Optional Steps

Freak out a little lot because it looks bad.

Decide it doesn't look *bad*, per se, but it looks like picture frames with a recess light on top.

Reaffirm that a picture frame with a light on top is not the look you are going for.

Run inside to answer your work phone. Don't they know you are crafting? Do they expect you to just stay by the phone from 9am-4pm?

Return to your project invigorated because nothing can go as bad as that work phone call!

                                                                                                                                                                                                       

7. Sand the entire thing to smooth wood and soften edges.

8. Wipe all dust from the lantern and proceed to spray painting!

Tralah! I love spray painting. I get all happy, excited and feel like the rest of the project is downhill from here......... Maybe it is the paint fumes. It probably is now that I think about it. I blew my nose the other day there was a little "Oil Rubbed Bronze" on the tissue. Huh. *makes mental note to check into spray paint poisoning symptoms*

9. Put the panes of glass back in, add an electric candle and enjoy the ambiance.

I love the lantern. I plan on going back to the dollar store to get frames in different sizes. My original plan was to place this lantern on the porch but it has found a home on my hearth.

You can customize this tutorial by adding frosting to the glass panes, changing the size and also adding more layers of wood to the base and top. Stacking flat pieces gives the item depth and makes it look more expensive.

If you are not inclined to using power tools I am selling these at my Etsy Shop. Mentioned you were referred from my blog for a 10% discount.

Show me lanterns, ladies!

Luxe curtains for $30

These might be the cutest curtains ever made by human hands. I also might be prone to exaggerating, you be the judge.

I woke up at 6am intending to go to hot yoga. Let me tell you, this is not a motivator to get out of bed. I hit the road to my friend's house (I wasn't about to pass out like a fool alone) and quickly went nowhere. *sitting*  *waiting* . Thirty minutes passed and I hadn't made it on to the freeway yet, DAMN YOU rush hour traffic. At this point I decided to head back home.

Or so I thought.

I decided to stop at Home Depot and get another can of grey paint (elephant skin) to finish my room. You guys, it took me THREE cans to paint my bedroom. Now before you can ask, NO, I do not live in a palace. I live in a standard house with standard sized rooms. I have no idea why it took so much paint was probably doing something wrong.

After getting the paint I decided to hit Walmart (What else is open at 6:30am?) to get supplies for a long planned project:

These curtains make my heart pitter patter.

Materials:

2-  Twin size flat sheets from Walmart (This will be the liner)- $5 each

2- 3 yard sections of medium weight apparel fabric from Walmart (this will be the curtain)-$1.50 a yard

3   spools of 3/4" pompom trim ($2.97 each)

    Thread in coordinating colors

Instructions:

This project took me 90 minutes from start to finish

1. Iron/dry your liners, I threw mine in the dryer on refresh.

2. Trim your liner to fit the curtain.

Note: Your curtain will be longer than the liner, you

can leave the extra length and let it pool on the ground or trim it to size. I like the length.

3.  Fold all the edges over and sew a hem, leaving the top for last.

                                                                                                                                                                     

 Optional Steps

• Scream at your dogs because they are playing Spartan Warrior all over your fabric.
• Lock them outside with no toys.
• Let them back in because they are tormenting the neighbor's dog
• Wonder why your neighbors are such jerks.

                                                                                                                                                                  

 MOVING ON

4.  Fold the top edge over and create a pocket approx. 3" wide. You will use this pocket to hang the curtains.

5.  Attach your trim! I chose little black pompoms. Make sure you sew the trim on opposing sides as shown in the picture, I didn't want to trim the entire curtain.

6. You are done, hang them up and enjoy.

The trick is to line the cheap fabric. It gives the curtains weight and makes them look expensive.

I am so happy with the way they turned out.

So, you tell me. Are the curtains adorable or am I prone to exaggerating?

Great minds think alike

I have this picture saved on Pinterest. I want to make them SO bad but have failed mightily at cutting wine bottles using nail polish remover, yarn and cold water.

My mom just sent me this picture on Pinterest

I don't know why everyone sends me ideas for wine bottles. I think I am starting to develop a reputation...... and I think I like it.