Wrapping paper and jewelry display

Hello!

This one is a little different-- I won't be posting a tutorial. Instead, I am featuring two mini-crafts that I have done lately that I hope you'll enjoy.

First I want to start with the jewelry display. I have always had problems organizing necklaces, untangling chains, searching for the earrings... I never had a real jewelry box (I put everything in a kiddie jewelry box until... I made this display...) It came as a present. Unfortunately, I already received another cork board for my workspace.

It originally had a black frame, but I painted it white in crafter's acrylic (it took a few coats). It hangs in my bathroom beside my sink! Easy access and much less hassle. I used regular sewing pins from the dollar store.

Place the pin through the backings if there are no hooks

No hole in the backings? Just push it right in...

Like so

I don't recommend it for special, secret, expensive jewelry, as this is meant for what you are okay having on display. None of my baubles up there are pieces that are meant for the safety deposit box. But the rest of them? Why not display? The end result? Like treasures in a museum.

Lots of compliments, and I never lose my jewellery anymore! It's like having art in the bathroom... but functional.

My cousin graduated from college years ago, and kept his textbooks. Understandable, right? Textbooks are expensive (think upwards of $120 each, used for 4 months). He thought that they would be a helpful resource for later years when he was in the work force.

He was wrong. Turns out, textbook knowledge expires very quickly. And once the publishers come out with a new edition (which they invariably do, every other year), past editions are toast. No more. Useless.

My dear cousin wanted every last cent from those books. So he tore out every page and used it as wrapping paper.

Which brings me to craft number 2: Home made wrapping paper. I wanted to get a little more festive and creative, so I dug out a box of paper that had been sitting in the garage that my dad swears we have owned since 1988. It's used for spreadsheets and is huge and cumbersome and takes up a whole lot of space.

The box of paper beside a standard bottle of wine so that you can get an idea of how much paper there is in there. Sorry about the angle!

I decided to paint and make up my own gift wrap without spending any money and it turned into a very satisfying 90 minutes. All you need is acrylic paint, paper (if you don't have a large box of spreadsheet paper lying around, use newspaper! Example below..)

Just make sure that the newspaper is appropriate and doesn't have shady advertisements or upsetting stories!

This is a great one for kids if you are able to let them have at it. Wrap gifts for family members in paper decorated by your kids for an extra-meaningful gift. I found that the best brush was actually a roller brush, but you have so much free reign. Add sparkles, sequins, stickers, anything.

Present wrapped in silver home made gift wrap, used silver crafter's acrylic paint and a roller brush. Surprisingly quick to make (about 45 seconds) and better looking than I had really expected!