String Art Letters on Old Books - Upcycled Tutorial

Some may remember my string art project a year or so ago with rubber bands

(I learned a lot from that project including why this is called string art - my rubber bands have since launched themselves across my studio at odd moments zapping me in the back of the head - but great art can be dangerous folks, so rather than take it off the wall, I just work with my bicycle helmet on at all times now - this has created a lot of bad hair days, but on the plus side I am ready to jump on my bike in a flash if I need to make a run for it - ie the zombie apocalypse the CDC was denying existed a couple weeks ago - not that they would tell us if there was a zombie apocalypse or if a Polarity customer has gotten themselves magnetized to a street sign or something - not that this has happened ... yet, but I need to be ready)

I also learned complicated patterns are not for me.

(save them for the experts - ie 10 year olds at summer camp who make those amazing owls and sailboats).

Now I am not actually spelling out the word POLAR here, although we are expecting 100 degree temps today so this would not be a bad thing - but am still working on my last 3 letters.

Trying to decide if I should flip the books over and work on the blank back sides

(this is actually a display project for my upcoming wholesale shows).

The blank sides may be what I end up with, but I really, really love seeing the titles, even though it is all a bit busy, so I am going to try it both ways, but for today in this heat I will just stop with POLAR and focus on this

(since I don't have an air conditioner in here yet).

This is a totally easy project.

Just print out your letters, double stick tape them to your books, drill nail holes - note drilling into books is kind of like rubbing 2 sticks together, so drill slowly unless you want burn marks, nail around the letter, remove your paper template, string your embroidery floss.

There is no right or wrong way to do this - if you like things orderly you will probably need to take your time with your nail holes and strings and want to use the blank book backs.

Some tips would be - if you use the front of books, outline your letters (zigzag in and out) with the floss so you don't lose track of your nails and fill in areas you don't want to fill in, use a thread color that totally contrasts with the book (notice my letter R will probably have to be redone), when threading don't cross a nail head - you don't want a thread hiding a nail head - and you can totally use the small nail heads usually used in string art I wanted a kind of furniture nail head look with this.

GIVEAWAY - Old New Again Winner's Choice of a 2 Hook Wall Vase, Two Wall Vases or a 12" Tall Letter!!

CLOSED- Winner will be announced this weekend!


Old New Again is the totally amazing woodworking shop of Liz and Rick from Green Bay, Wisconsin!

Old New Again features the most gorgeous wooden letters, wedding decor, key hooks, cottage decor, wood wall vases and more.

I love their warm, distressed color palette and all their wonderful pieces!

Liz and Rick have created an incredible, warm, upcycled shop of wonderful pieces for your home.

Every piece is sturdy with much attention to detail. The design and finish are what sets Old New Again's pieces apart. Rick's carpentry skills and Liz's art background work together so you get the most beautiful, well-made home goods around.

Their motto is DETAIL, DETAIL, DETAIL!!

We are so lucky to have one of their cool pieces that marry form and function so, so well for this week's giveaway!

WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive YOUR CHOICE of a 2 Hook Wall Vase, Two Wall Vases or a 12" Tall Letter!!

HOW TO WIN:

Visit Rick and Liz's amazing shop Old New Again and leave a comment below letting them know your choice of a 2 Hook Wall Vase, Two Wall Vases or a 12" Tall Letter!!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post

(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post

(5) Follow my blog

(5) Facebook this post

(5) Like OldNewAgain's Facebook Page 

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

DRAWING:

Enter by midnight JULY 4TH!! Good luck! CLOSED- Winner will be announced this weekend!

confessions of a dog person ...

I have a confession to make.

I do not really like cats.

I think this is true of all dog people.

I trace this uncomfortableness with four legged felines

(I am oddly not bothered by three legged cats, probably because I haven't met one yet)

back to the many cats my family raised while I was growing up who were

1. totally neurotic
2. totally destructive and
3. totally determined to BITE

(hubs and I once had a cat named Snowy who got out and got herself so high up a tree that we had to literally dislocate our necks or lay flat on the ground to see her. My daily pleadings with the fire department went on for 22 days

-they said she would come down when she was hungry - she didn't-

before they finally agreed to come over with their ladder truck. It took the firemen an hour to close my street and set up their ladder and then about 30 seconds to drop Snowy the 120 feet to the ground when she tried to scratch the fireman's eyes out.

Luckily she landed in some bushes. Unluckily she ran off and was not seen for another 22 days while I scoured the neighborhood nightly with my daughter, banging on cans of cat food with our spoons and calling her name.

One night we returned home to find her on the front porch calmly licking her front paws. She ran into the house and proceeded to down 6 cans of Fancy Feast

-my guilt over my role in her near death experience making me buy her the "good stuff" while she was missing-

in about 22 seconds, poop the entire 6 pack into her litter box and settle onto my lap to be petted and fawned over and then attempt to bite me)

But when my brother and sister in law asked me to care for their zoo 5 cats and 2 birds while they went on vacation this week I didn't hesitate because

1. they never go on vacation and really needed to get away and

2. they smartly asked me very late on a Saturday night hoping for an Absolut-soaked bad decision on my part

Anyhoo when I began my twice daily trips to their house, I arrived to find some rather complicated laminated "instructions"

including which pets listen to which radio stations, which are allergic to which foods, whose plates are whose, peanuts to be thrown under one tree for the squirrels (and oh yes, there is a family of squirrels in the attic), birdseed to be thrown under another tree for the robins, where which cat would most likely be hiding

(they are somehow under the delusion that I am going to stick my hands under a bed to remove a cat, somehow forgetting that I might need to end the week with all fingers still intact)

who gets petted under the chin and who on the head, etc, etc, etc
And the instructions for the cockatiels are even more precise and intimidating.

The birds have their own room and obviously it is very, very important that the cats (who live for an opportunity to put one over on an unsuspecting babysitter)
DO NOT GET INTO THIS ROOM.

Also there is such a thing as nightflight where the birds could throw themselves around their cages and die if the cats scare them

by doing something like banging on the door for example which seems to me rather likely to happen given the fact that it seems to be their life work to get into this room

(I have multiple cats at my feet when I try to slip in there - I have to fight the urge to punt them like fuzzy soccer balls)

so I have been up all night imagining the horrors that could be going on over there when I leave the little killers cuddly kitties alone in the same house with those poor birds.

I have 4 days to go before they return -

everyone please keep their fingers crossed for me that I make it through with 5 cats and 2 birds living to tell the tale (although I may have to bribe them to keep quiet about what is actually going on with the instructions sheets)

and 3 days before I delete this post.

how to not put people to sleep (unless they are under four feet tall and have gotten on our last nerve)

Very few people will like our best, most amazing work - the work that makes our hearts sing, the work we are being called to do,

the stuff that will not get done unless we do it

but the more we try to adapt our work to suit a larger audience, a more generic crowd,

the kind of people who will nod and smile at our stuff because it fits their idea of what stuff is supposed to look like

the more we water ourselves down for that - well the more ordinary our work is likely to become.

(Zzzzz - cue the caffeine please)

We will not have anyone who hates what we make, but we will not have anyone who would kill to get their hands on it either.

(yes, we want customers who are wild eyed rabid for our makings - peeps with itchy trigger fingers, hopefully poised on the $45 in their wallets and not an actual 45 - peeps who will tell 2 friends who will tell 2 friends and so on and so on and so on - free locket to the first person who emails me where the hell that tells 2 friends thing is from it is driving me crazy)

Think of crocs

(the shoes not the amphibian/reptile? - my brain has somehow lost access to the animal classifications we learned in 3rd grade, actually my brain has lost access to alot of things these days - I am trying not to let this worry me although every time I start to worry about things I have forgotten I then forget to worry so it is all working out very nicely for me)

they are the butt ugliest things on the planet, but fans are totally rabid for them - entire jewelry lines have been created to bedazzle them for pete's sake..

No one who first saw these things was thinking "Hmm, I like these shoes."

We were either thinking they were the stupidest things we had ever seen or they were freakin' genius and we had to have them and if we were thinking that - we bought them.

Now we probably can't be so specialized that we appeal only to eco friendly gardeners who grow zinnias in Nebraska (do zinnias grow in Nebraska?), but we have the whole wide world to market to now and eco friendly gardeners who grow zinnias sounds about right to me for the size of a marketplace we can RULE.

Many years ago I bought an industrial embroidery machine

(later I bought another one and I still have these 2 gigundo machines in our extra bedroom - they come in handy for overnight guests who want to add some monogramming to their bathrobes during their visit)

it was at a time when they had become sort of affordable

(with an emphasis on 'sort of' - this business was mostly a giant money suck for me - I will have to post about that sometime)

and numerous people were getting into machine embroidery. I met alot of people during my time involved in that industry and I can tell you that everyone I know from those days who is still doing it specialized in their best, most amazing work.

The girl who only embroiders baby bibs that she makes (and has 3 babies), the couple who go to horse shows and only do that (they have 2 of their own so know what horse people need), the guy who only does vintage car enthusiast caps (and of course he has a vintage car, too) - well, they are all still stitchin' away.

All the people who thought that more is more and tried to do everything for everybody is gone, closed sign in the window, outta business, machines gathering dust and rust in their spare bedroom .... (ugh).

The stuff we are called to make - the stuff that makes our heart sing - the stuff that keeps us up at night - the stuff that won't get made unless we make it is probably very, very specific stuff.

This is the stuff that has grown from our own life story

We just can't deliver our most powerful work when we try to appeal to everyone (cue the politicians in on this one) - we will only succeed in putting our audience to sleep - and unless that audience has been driving us nuts all day and is currently wearing footed pajama bottoms - this is probably not a good thing.

* be yourself print - art by erin leigh

repurposing vintage finds - we really don't need those colorful whoseewhatsees from Target

Just a quick post today while I finish up some orders and family stuff this week

(is family stuff ever finished ...)

before I get back on track next week with a SUPER cool giveaway and a new marketing series for makers.

I took some pics around my house of some easy-peasy repurposed vintage goodies. The key to being able to flea market is to use the stuff you can't live without.

1. Vintage sifters make great silverware caddies - I have these out all the time, although it may not be practical for everyone - they would be great for parties.

2. Gumball machine turned dog treat holder - Olive comes running from anywhere within a 2 mile radius when she hears the handle turn - it is also a great way to get her to do some work around the house since we charge her in nickels

3. Grater turned magnet board - perfect for recipes - if you would like one of these adorable magnets just pop me an email - I have a few left over from a party I would be happy to send one your way for free

4. Birdbath turned bathroom/dressing room caddy - perfect for appliances, towels, soaps, etc

My other tip is my stop at 3 rule - which means my collecting must stop when I get to 3 pieces - so I do not end up on Hoarders until I am really ready to be there

(ie glassy eyed expression, chin hair, knee stockings, pissed off children)

I am about 75% there this week .... still need those knee stockings.

the journey of energy into matter ...

I have always been surrounded by big dreamers - people who think big

(and sometimes this thinking big results in the kind of craziness that has someone proclaiming that they invented Facebook because they said to their college roommates in 1987 that there should be a way to keep track of who is single and who is dating - electronically)

but maybe don't always take action.

I have never found the expression 'the well planned job is half done' to be ... well, true actually.

There is a whole lot of space between the timeless buzz of a dream and the time-filling demands of actually giving birth to it.

Because the action part - the journey of thought to form, the journey of energy into matter - no matter how many affirmations are said and positive thoughts are thought

(and I know these things do help with our intention and focus ie attention, but have never actually gotten anyone off the couch)

is pretty much the key to the whole thing - nothing actually happens until well, until something actually happens.

Anyhoo, our saga with David for anyone who has been following it at all closed a chapter a few weeks ago when he went awol, relapsed, got violent in a social setting he should have never ended up in and landed himself in jail.

He is probably going to get out next week, still untreated by anti-psychotic meds for his schizophrenia and looking to come back to our house.

(or maybe just looking for us to say he can come back to our house so he can get out of jail - it is hard to say and there is no lasting truth here anyway since the disease outruns any chance of finding it)

But our house isn't the same place he left. The windows are still peeling and the stairs still squeak, but being inhabited this summer by one person broken open and one person closed down from the experiences of the last six months doesn't create a whole lot of healing energy for anyone else - so much has been expended without an equal amount of anything coming in that things have become unbalanced.

(when I first started meditating again after a long lapse, I noticed that although I could exhale for what seemed like hours, my inhalations could never keep up - a sure sign from our bodies that we are putting out more than we are taking in)

And the dream work - the turning energy into matter - part of our journey has become as splintered as David.


* was it all a dream print by joy st. claire

major geek alert - adam savage (the mythbuster guy) at maker faire on why we make what we make

An inspirational 20 minutes with Adam Savage from Maker Faire last month.

He tells a great story about his Indiana Jones hat plus how he got started building his obsessions and why makers should embrace the things that they have no choice but to make ... love that!

a sneak peak at some new work for the NYIGF plus working with the stars

Right now we are all in the middle of an eclipse tunnel that started May 20th (new moon, new beginnings) and ends June 4th with the full moon (endings) - so there are alot of breakdowns and breakthroughs going on!

This tunnel acts like a kind of birth canal and is a great time to get creative work done if we can get in the flow of it -

I once had a mystical fertility counselor advise that if you have trouble starting a baby - start something else, if you have trouble finishing a baby - finish something else and this feels like good advice for our creative babies, too.

what part of our project/business is stuck? Leave it. Do some other creative something - either starting, developing or finishing - from a hand written letter to a from scratch cake to a garden.

It unblocks the creative flow that is always there for all of us .....

Then we have alot of Venus stuff going on in early June and you can google this if interested where astrologers can interpret it much better than I can - but things are definitely happening above us this summer folks!

Anyhoo, I have been working on these little cork backed washer book necklaces and a new fabric hinged locket style for New York International Gift Fair and my shops -

(these look awesome when worn - I am so happy with them)

after discovering these hoops in hubby's shop that I have been cutting and drilling and hammering and sanding and got things just about how I wanted them and then I ask hubs to get me some more and he says

"huh - what hoops" and I show him and he says "those are hose stabilizers, we can't get them without the hoses" and I'm all "what?!"

(this is the crafty girls nightmare scenario with supplies that we have to deal with again and again, but it keeps us on our crafty toes - this is probably why mine look like hobbit's)

but I will figure this out, have to talk to the junk guys at the salvage yards we deal with - they know everything (want to figure this out before the full moon on Monday).

Hoping everyone is having a wonderful week - I cannot believe tomorrow is June already - time has definitely sped up folks! xo

letting our message dictate our direction ...

We know that the internet is gigundo immense and that selling things here and creating a business here requires niche thinking.

(niche as in not everybody is going to love us - sniffle - and that is ok, more than ok in fact - it is necessary -

and this is actually a life lesson the internet has reflected back to us that we should have learned in grade school, but if you were like me you were maybe absent that day decorating plastic headbands with puffy paint)

This thinking isn't about our target market or our products or anything as tangible at any of that.

Niche thinking is all about our message.

And I am not really talking about the finding our voice thing that comes with or without the many off-key choruses of do-re-mi when we are alone in the shower.

This message is the very root of our business, the essence really - the part that all things amazing spring from

(and spring is not the right word here, because maker's makings do not "spring" - they meander like weeds in all kinds of directions while we run around behind them with trimmers and miracle grow until we have ... something)

the roots that define why we do what we do and when we get this part straight - and get a focus on this 

then deciding which makings to make, which people to connect with, how to attract our peeps and how to get in the money flow with this thing we have made becomes alot easier.

(and if we are thinking we are doing this to be making money, well, there are lots of things we could be doing to be making money - why are we doing this thing)

* does this poster .... print by 618love

Happy Memorial Day Weekend All - summer is official

This photo makes me want to put all the politicians everywhere into a room and spin them around and poke them with sticks until they get their heads and priorities straight - yes, that includes you Mr. Obama.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend - hubs and I had a nice dinner out last night that actually included a for-real photographer taking a picture of us.

He, of course, looks like he fell out of the Brooks Brothers catalog. I look wild-eyed and unkempt, like I’d arrived at the restaurant by clinging to the bottom of the car.

(I may link to this pic one day ... but I would have to be bribed with a new pair of gladiator sandals and a years supply of Bobby's Burger Palace sweet potato fries and I am thinking that none of you have access to these things so my secrets are safe for now)

xo all

caine's arcade - do what you love and the money ... and the flash mobs will follow - jealous maker tuesday without the jealous maker

This is the story of how Caine Monroy’s hand-built cardboard arcade in his father’s auto parts store led to a flash mob, a $60,000 scholarship fund and an inspiration to makers everywhere to do what we love!

(I especially love how his game pays off in tickets for his customers when they win - pure genius!)

Upcycled Mail Caddy Tutorial - Vintage Book & Dough Kneader

This is an easy peasy little mail caddy you can make with a vintage dough kneader and old book - I think this old stenographer's manual is perfect for office/studio mail!

(it unexpectedly ended up looking a bit like a giant mousetrap which is only a plus, since you know what they say about building a better mousetrap)

gather your supplies and your trusty drill - remember drilling into paper is kind of like starting a fire so unless you want your smoke detector going off or some possible eyelash loss (not that this has happened to me) - drill slowly

1. lay out your kneader with your pipe hangers and mark your holes 2. drill your book - I drill all the way through and then use screws that will be just a tiny bit shorter than the book depth 3. screw in your pipe hangers 4. add your mail - this would also make a great kitchen upcycle with an old recipe book and some recipe cards

the jersey head nod and the stuff mcgruff forgot to tell us about spring safety

Sooo now that the weather is warmer

(and I need to lose the 5 pounds of rice pudding I somehow managed to pack on my hips last winter)

I am back to my daily almost daily walk/run around our local reservoir.

(and by walk/run I actually mean walk but there is this one desolated area where I always run full out - I have no idea why I do this - I guess so I can call it a run)

I usually go around the same time, which is not such a good safety thing, but I have my regular peeps there that I do not want to miss.

Now, of course, I do not actually speak to any of these peeps, but we do this head nod to each other that says "Hello. I know you. Yes, this weather is amazing or yes, we are tough Jersey girls (and guys - although the guys are not so tough which is why Jersey girls are world-wide famous and no one is writing songs about the guys) and this weather sucks but we are out here anyway."

Head nods in Jersey are kind of like the myriad vocabulary Inuits have for 'snow' - we can say alot with very limited head movement.

(maybe so we don't mess our hair)

In fact my smirky nod to a mom putting sunblock on her child was really an entire head nod conversation about that crazy Jersey tanning mom that we both agreed is scary and sad and that we really, really wish was from somewhere else.

I feel a certain comfort in seeing the same faces everyday.

There is a couple who run with their dog - a very skinny brown dog who always looks up at me with eyes that whisper "help me, these people are crazy", a very old, very sweaty, very red man who encourages me to keep my CPR skills up to date, just in case and a woman who walks very fast clutching a golf club - the flat kind not the knobby kind, that would be weird.

(I don't nod or make eye contact with this one - she is my pacer though - I am always very happy to see her because she really keeps me moving - I am not sure what she will do if she catches up with me, or me with her so I have to maintain an equal distance - once she stopped at the port-a-john and I caught up with her, it was kind of terrifying, but at least I know who to ask to partner with me if I ever get invited to a miniature golf tournament)

Anyhoo, these walks have me thinking we need some walker/runner tips to keep us safe this spring:

1. If you are on a road - face traffic. You can see the cars coming at you and jump out of the way if necessary - you can also avoid dark panel vans carrying those guys with the candy and missing puppy posters.

2. Keep your music low. You need to be able to hear horns and dogs and people screaming "STOP" (and of course ice cream trucks because sometimes you just gotta have a pushup icepop).

3. Vary your route. Vary your time. Be safe.

4. Walk/run with a friend

(of course this means you actually have to have a friend which, of course, leaves this option out for me)

5. Be a 6'3", 250 pound dude

(or bring one with you - hubs has knee problems, so I still need to find one of these)

That's all I got- I am off to the reservoir since it closes at dusk. Have a wonderful weekend everyone - take some time to get outdoors - if you are in Jersey though - be careful - there is a woman with a nine iron out there somewhere ....

xo all

* no matter how slow you run by modern elements

why didn't I think of that - jealous maker tuesday - chalktrails

OK - this week's find is called the Chalktrail - how cool is this gizmo - it gets kids outdoors and inspires creativity - love it!

(we used to do something like this when I was a kid the old school way - baby brother dangling from back of wagon chalk in hand while we pulled him around the driveway - I think he liked it so much he has his wife still do this with him sometimes, but he probably doesn't want people to know about it so it will just be our secret)

This is a new design project by Scott Baumann in WA and I think you will be seeing these babies everywhere -

I totally want one for every bike in the house!

Olive Bites Philadelphia (crunch!) - some pics from Art Star Craft Bazaar

my "kindred spirit" - Noelle from the amazing shop Xenotees and my girl Kella!

1. Country Pine Furniture

2. The Door Stop

3. Seelamade

4. C is for Cardboard

We had the best weather and I had the most amazing customers- didn't get a cheesesteak but I did slug down half a gatorade that someone had left at my booth when I was dying of thirst and couldn't leave .....(please don't judge me)

Come See Me at Art Star this Weekend in Philadelphia!

Megan and Erin have put together an amazing show this Mother's Day weekend and I will be in Booth 18, at the Great Plaza at Penn's Landing in PA, so if you are in the area stop by and say hey!

I will have a gigundo selection of cork necklaces and rings, locket necklaces, bracelets and rings and some amazing recycled wine cork awesomeness!

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

no fishies were harmed in the making of this post

Hubs and I are needing a little break and going away for a couple days - we'll be back at the end of the week.

For those who have been following our saga with David - we are pretty much back to square one or square minus 276 depending on which one of us you are talking to and whether or not there is any chocolate in the house.

(now I know that we are never really back to square one with any situation because although the situation looks familiar as in "how the hell did we get here again?" we have changed - this isn't a linear journey after all but more of a spiral and I know we have all spiraled to a higher place)

We just need a little space to reflect on what we must let go of here - asking for the strength to let go of what is not retrievable and the ability to see what remains that we can work with.

I know we always have the power to change - we just have to remember how to do that ... xo all - have a wonderful week everyone!

* gone fishing sign by kingston creations

Upcycled Paint by Number / Clipboard Tutorial

I picked up these amazing pups

(painted by Aunt Goldie in 1959 - I wish I had an Aunt Goldie - I think I will just start calling my Aunt Betty Aunt Goldie - I don't think she will mind)

at a vintage shop in Asheville last fall. I finally decided to add some clipboard clips to them and make gigantic clipboards.

 This one is easy-peasy, as mine always are!

You will need: a paint by number (of course you can paint your own), you can also use a puzzle - glue it down first - ack, clips (these can be drilled off old clipboards, just drill into the rivets or purchased new), screws, drill, screwdriver

1. Measure for center and mark your drill holes 2. Drill holes 3. Add screws - now I have a grinder to grind off the back of the screws like I do with the clipboard corkboards that I sell, you may need to add a back buffer of cardboard, wood, etc if they stick out too far - TIP - holding the clip opening while working with the screw hole takes the strength of 10 crafty mavens, so just do like I do and shove a book in it to hold it open.

These are super simple and are the perfect place to hold my growing (sorry hubs) people and their dogs picture collection!

why didn't I think of that? - new series for jealous makers

Too tired to blog a sensible sentence

(more on this later)

but I wanted to kick off my jealous maker spring Tuesday series with this sticker -

this is going to be hotter than those annoying dog owners bragging about their genius retrievers

(olive snickers at those)

also here is a picture of George Clooney as Batman for your bedroom wall girls .... (you're welcome)

GIVEAWAY - Wallpockets by Ampersand - CLOSED

Ampersand is the Ohio studio of Tim Karoleff -

an industrial design student who was inspired by clusters of barnacles and simple geometric shapes.

Tim's die-cut cardboard wallpockets are part wall art, part ingenious storage solution!

Recycled cardboard cleverness - what's not to love here?

We are so lucky to have a set of their Ampersand's amazing wall pockets for this week's giveaway!

WHAT YOU GET: One lucky winner will receive a set of Wallpockets!

HOW TO WIN: It's easy, peasy - leave your contact info in the comments section below!

For additional entries:
(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog
(5) Facebook this post

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone!

DRAWING: Enter by midnight on May 13th! Good luck everyone!! Winner will be announced on FRIDAY!

Recycled Key and Keyhole Jewelry Tutorial

Now this is an easy-peasy

(just the way I like 'em)

way to repurpose old keyholes into jewelry. 

Sometimes you have to add some paint

(if you do use a light sealer - varnish or wax)

and sandpaper to give your keyhole the kind of character that starts screaming at you

"do something with me!"

You will need : old keyholes from cabinets, cases, etc, old key, chain, doodads

I don't think we need a step by step for this one.

Once you get the keyholes the way you would like them just add some large jumprings to the screw holes and head into your stash of doodads, beads and junk and have some fun with them.

Don't be afraid to mix your cool and warm hardware here - upcycling works best when it's eclectic and messy (in a good way) and all about us!