7 Lovely DIY Ways to Organize Your Jewelry
Collecting jewelry is fun. Keeping it organized and tangle-free may be another matter, however. Fortunately, there are several DIY ways to organize—and beautifully display—your jewelry. Since these organizers are “open air,” if you will, they’re not appropriate for your finest and most valuable jewelry, which should be securely stored in appropriate containers. Rather, these DIY jewelry organizers are perfect for the casual pieces you wear often.
1. Driftwood + Old Cabinet Knobs = Gorgeous Necklace Rack
This creative piece is part functional storage part upcycled art! Learn how to make it at Visibly Moved.
2. Stamped Squares of Corkboard
Using large decorative stamps or stencils to create patterns on corkboard tiles makes a lovely jewelry display—especially if you add pretty push pins into the mix. Learn more at Katelyn Brooke.
3. Jewelry Board with Repurposed Drawer Pulls
Liz Marie is the clever gal behind this creation. Cabinet knobs make perfect necklace hangers while upside down drawer pulls offer the perfect nest for smaller pieces.
4. Photo Frame Jewelry Display
Turn your jewelry into art with this clever photo frame jewelry display. See more on Home Decorating and Staging.
5. Simple Twig and Twine Jewelry Display
Perfect for a rustic touch, this understated way to show off your necklaces is quite simple—even for craft newbies! See how at Julie Ann Art .
6. Faux China Plate Jewelry Keeper
Love Chinaware and jewelry? Combine your loves with this beautiful DIY project from Craft A Doodle Do.
7. Pretty Potted Branches
Beautifully display your necklaces using found branches as seen here.
__
Photos: Respective blogs
Pretty Ways to Display Your Jewelry
The best part of owning jewelry, of course, is wearing it! But we can’t wear all of our jewelry all of the time. Artistically organizing and displaying our jewelry is a great way to enjoy the jewelry we’re not wearing at the moment, add a splash of beauty to our living space—and show off our impeccable tastes in the process.
We recommend displaying your more casual jewelry or jewelry that could easily be replaced. For truly valuable pieces, it’s better to store them somewhere safer where they will be protected from gathering dust and getting lost in the shuffle of things.
Display your favorite rings in a pretty dish.
Tip: In some cases, less is more. Too much jewelry in one dish defeats the purpose of displaying your jewelry.
Tip: Scour thrift stores and antique markets for vintage busts and designer forms. These pieces can "wear" and show off your jewelry when you're not!
Go for a modern, minimalist approach with this DIY Mountain Necklace Display featured on The Merrythought.
Tip: Unfinished wood can make a beautiful, refreshing statement.
Try this Delicate Necklace Solution from Cupcakes and Cashmere.
Tip: If you're going to pin your jewelry to a wall or board, opt for delicate pins in gold, silver, or white.
What are your favorite ways to organize and display your jewelry?
You may also be interested in:
Geometric Jewelry and Interior Design
Pantone Colors of the Year 2016: Rose Quartz and Serenity
Are Gold Facials Really Worth It?
Photos: Cupcakes and Cashmere, I Heart Organizing, Crafts Unleashed, The Everygirl, The Merrythought
Crystals in Beauty Products
The belief in crystal healing has been around for ages, but recently, these magic stones have made their way into more mainstream beauty and wellness lines. For some, crystal-infused beauty products may play an important role in daily spiritual rituals. For others, these products may simply be an outlet for dabbling in the now glamorized world of the occult. Either way, it’s hard to deny that crystals in beauty products may make getting ready just a little more fun.
I first heard of crystal-infused beauty products when I was given a sample of Modern Minerals Lotus Wei Infused Lip Gloss. Instantly in love with the product, I looked up the ingredients and was surprised to learn that there was tourmaline in the tube—right along with the coconut oil and shea butter! The gem is in the gloss to “uplift and awaken positivity.” A spiritual lipgloss was certainly a first for me.
In my work as a beauty editor, I embrace healthy skepticism about any product, and I try to learn more about popular ingredients by delving into peer-reviewed studies. On the other hand, what’s the point of beautification rituals if they don’t impart joy? I also acknowledge that many things, such as one’s spiritual practice, elude the reach of science. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s kind of nice.
Modern Minerals is not alone in its inclusion of stones in makeup or skincare goodies, of course. The following stones appear in multiple products with the purpose of beautifying the wearer while also imparting spiritual benefit. I encourage you to give them a try, have fun, and see for yourself.
Quartz
Celebrated as the most powerful crystal for healing the soul and amplifying positive energy, quartz is believed to absorb, store, release, and unblock energy. According to crystal philosophy, this “master healer” boosts immunity and serves just about any condition.
Try Aquarian Soul Cactus Flower & Quartz Essence Spray. This spray is designed to enhance meditation and calm anxieties. Infused with the full moon-ripened flower essence of desert cacti, this magical mist promotes spiritual vision and opening of the heart chakra. A quartz is included in the bottle.
Garnet
Associated with passion, wisdom, sensuality, and beauty, garnet is prized for its ability to revitalize the body and spirit and inspire hope. In skincare, crushed garnet is used as a gentle exfoliant.
Try Lotus Wei Joy Juice Mist. Formulated to inspire joy, laugher, and euphoria while dissolving the feeling of the weight of the world in on your shoulders, this fragrant toner is infused with garnet and a host of flower essences, including those of african daisy, lotus, chocolate flower, and pink spirea.
Amethyst
A stone known for it’s power to boost intuition and aid in meditation and lucid dreaming, the amethyst is a calming stone. It’s believed to inspire patience and peace while clearing negative energy.
Try Aquarian Soul Headache Oil . Created with pure almond oil and essential oils, this roll-on headache oil has a refreshing, minty and lightly floral fragrance. The oil is designed to soothe pounding headaches. The blend is infused with both quartz and amethyst to help dispel anger, fear, and anxiety while encouraging tranquil energy.
Rose Quartz
The stone of love, rose quartz is believed to inspire self-love as well as compassion for family, friends, and lovers. Rose quarts warms and soothes the spirit of those around it. It is also used to raise self-esteem and attract potential romantic partners.
Try KORA Organics Vitamin Enhanced Lip Balm. Crafted with jojoba, avocado, and rosehip oils and infused with rose quartz, this lip balm nourishes lips while potentially enhancing the wearer’s love energy.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline is believed to be particularly suited for those coping with hardship, loss, and emotional pain and is credited with the ability to dispel the fear or sense that one is being victimized. Crystal healing proponents also believe that tourmaline is anti-aging.
Try Aveda Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Cream. Finely-powdered tourmaline and marine extracts deliver radiance and anti-aging benefits to thirsty skin.
**You can also DIY your own crystal healing beauty product by adding a crystal to a bottle of pure body oil—like argan, macula, or almond oil.**
Photos: @PeaceDumpling, Aquarian Soul, Lotus Wei, KORA Organics, Aveda
Trend Watch: Tassel Jewelry, Plus DIY Beaded Tassels
2016 has played host to several fun and innovative trends. From glass nail art to Renaissance-inspired evening wear, there’s no shortage of ways to express yourself. The jewelry department is no different. Tassel jewelry, in particular, has made a splash this year.
The cool thing about this trend is that there are so many ways to wear it—from big tassels to tiny tassels, from a single tassel to several tassels, tassels are appearing on earrings, rings, necklaces, and bracelets. Some tassels are beaded, others are made of metal, and some are made with good-old-fashioned upholstery thread. Indeed, no two pieces of tassel jewelry look alike.
Here are just a few examples of this festive trend:
Lanvin Striped Tassel Earrings
Farfetch Aurelie Bidermann Tassel Bracelet
Eddie Borgo Silver Tone Tassel Necklace
Oscar de la Renta Acqua Polka Dot Beaded Tassel Earrings
Isabel Marant Mild Bead and Tassel Necklace
Want to try your hand at a beaded tassel? They’re actually easier than they look!
DIY beaded tassel instructions:
1. Cut roughly seven inches of ribbon (ribbon may be around ½-inch thick). You will be sewing your beaded tassel trailers onto this ribbon. The ribbon will also provide the base of the tassel.
2. Cut a length of fireline thread or upholstery thread. Choose a length that you’re comfortable working with (you’ll probably use more than one piece of thread.) Thread your needle.
3. Starting in the middle of the ribbon, thread the thread through the ribbon, leaving yourself a few inches of a tail (will be glued later).
4. Using a ruler for reference for trailer length, thread your needle through the beads you’ve chosen until you reach the desired length for your tassel trailer.
5. Loop the thread over the last bead, and run your needle and thread back through the entire row of beads (excluding the last). Gently tighten until the trailer is flush against the ribbon (but not so tight that it buckles).
6. Loop the thread back into the ribbon about a bead’s width away from the first strand, and repeat the process in step 5 until you have desired number of tassel trailers. (You may need to grab another thread if you run out of length along the way.
7. Fold the remaining un-beaded ribbon over the row of beads. Trim the other side ¼ inch past the end. Fold the ¼-inch bit over the raw edge, and roll the ribbon tightly until you have a round shape.
8. Create a few stitches along the top edge of the ribbon to secure the roll in place. Then create a stitch at the bottom of the ribbon, and stitch your way back to the top.
9. Trim any remaining thread tails, and glue them down.
10. Take a length of thread through your needle, and knot a single bead at the bottom of the thread. Add more beads to this thread—you’ll want your beaded thread long enough to be able to wrap around the rolled ribbon.
11. When you’re ready to wrap this around the top, use a little bit of glue as you go to prevent making a sticky mess. Let dry for at least an hour.
12. To create a beaded loop from which to hang the tassel, take your threaded needle, and run your needle through a few of the beads at the top of the tassel, coming out one side of the top of the tassel. Add five beads to your needle, and go through a bead on the other side of the top of the tassel. Weave your thread through a few more of the beads and tie off your thread. And you’re done!
If you’re a visual learner, check out this video tutorial for making a beaded tassel.
__
Photos: Lanvin, Farfetch, The Outlet, Halsbrook, Matches Fashion, Meijer Style
5 Beautiful Ways to Repurpose Vintage Brooches
Once a relic of the past, brooches now seem ubiquitous. From creative DIY project to haute couture runways, these sparkly pins are jazzing up clothing, jewelry, and even wedding ’dos.
How to Stop “Ring Spin” When Your Ring Is Too Big
Purchasing a ring that’s slightly too big is a common problem. Often, this situation is made more complicated when the ring in question is a custom-made engagement ring or wedding band that cannot be exchanged.
Trend Watch: Jeweled Necklines (Plus DIY Tips!)
One of the most festive trends of this year involves jeweled, or gem-detail, necklines, and these bedazzled necklines are appearing on dresses, sweaters, and blouses.
