DIY COPPER POLKA DOT FRAME

Today I'm jumping on the copper home decor trend with an easy diy frame makeover. It's made using self-adhesive copper tape, the kind you use in the garden to repel slugs and snails. I've seen a lot of clever people use this tape to make some amazing diy's, like this copper edged mirror from Makers Society and so was a little intimidated to try it myself.

I decided it was best to keep my first project nice and simple, a diy copper polka dot decorated photo frame. The copper tape is thin enough that you can punch through it with a standard paper hole punch. I haven't tried it myself but if you have any of those crafty shaped paper punches like those used in card making or scrapbooking I think they'd be well worth experimenting with. How pretty would one of these frames look decorated in tiny copper stars or hearts?

A word of warning before we start - this copper tape does tend to mark easily so I recommend washing and drying your hands thoroughly before starting to eliminate any greasy fingerprints.

SUPPLIES: Self-adhesive copper tape // A hole punch or Crafty Shaped Paper Punches // A plain photo frame.

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Use the hole punch to punch out circles from the copper tape. I recommend taking the bottom off your hole punch and turning it upside down that way you can see where you're punching and get more circles out of your copper tape.

Remove the backing off the circles and stick to your frame. This part can be tricky and requires a little patience as the copper tape wrinkles easily. Smooth out any wrinkles using a bone folder or the back of your fingernail.

Cover your frame in the copper dots. I wanted to create a random pattern like confetti had been thrown on the frame but I think a regular repeating pattern would look just as good.

I decided to cover all sides of my frame in the copper polka dots but this is totally optional. If you want to do this as well I found it worked best to overlap and wrap some of the dots around the edges of the frame.

The copper tape looks so pretty when the light hits it. I'm already thinking up some other ways to use it. What do you think? Will you be giving copper tape a go? 

6 DIY'S I'D LOVE TO MAKE.

We're kicking off Monday with 6 diy's I'd love to make.

1. I love, love, love this diy driftwood wall hanger from The Effortless Chic. I have a similar piece of wood I've been holding onto for quite a while. I had plans to use it to hang a giant wall hanging I never actually got around to making but maybe I could use it to make one of these instead. What do you think?

2. Has anyone got a party coming up? These diy bunny party hats from The House That Lars Built are originally an Easter craft but I think they're too cute not to be used all year round.

3. A change in season always inspires me to get more organised so these diy leather catchalls from Diy In PDX could be a great place to start.

4. These dream catchers are lollipops, yes you read that right, lollipops! Pop on over to Sprinkle Bakes for the full tutorial. So beautiful and creative.

5. Wouldn't these diy pinecone fire starters from Something Turquoise make the best Autumn gift? Although they might be too pretty to burn.

6. If you've ever wanted to try weaving but didn't want to spend a lot of money on the equipment this simple cardboard loom from The Weaving Room could be the solution to all your problems. I've used a clipboard in the past and an old canvas frame so I'm looking forward to trying a cardboard loom as well.

What diy's would you love to make? Share them in the comments below.

HOW TO DECORATE CANDLES WITH NAPKINS.

Autumn is by far my favourite season. I love the chunky jumpers and the cozy scarves. I love the changing leaves and the crisp Autumn air. It probably doesn't hurt that my birthday also happens to fall at this time of year ;) As the darker evenings draw in these personalised candles are an easy way to brighten up a room.

Making your own decorated candles is easier than you think. I made a version of these candles (you can find them here) a couple of years ago using some paper napkins, a tea light and a spoon so I thought it was about time I updated it this time using am embossing heat gun instead. Here's how I made them.

SUPPLIES:

• Napkins

• Candles

• Scissors

• And an Embossing Heat Gun.

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1. The first thing you need to do is wrap your napkin around your candle and measure it. You need to cut the napkin slightly shorter than the candle and leave a small overlap on the width.

2. Peel away the layers of the napkin so you're left with only the top ply.

3. Wrap it around your candle. You can use a small amount of non-toxic glue to hold it in place if you have any trouble.

4. Use an embossing heat tool to melt the wax. You want to melt the wax just enough so it soaks through the napkin but not so much that it causes the wax to melt and drip.

I found it worked best to hold the candle on it's side and move the heat gun back and forth over a small area until the wax soaks through the napkin. You'll know when to move onto the next area as the napkin turns shiny from the wax. Work your way around the candle as evenly as possible so you don't end up with a lumpy candle.

5. Once your napkin is completely coated in wax set aside to harden.

I bought my candles from the local supermarket for a £1 each and used some Ikea napkins I'd been given as a gift so they were really inexpensive to whip up. I'm keeping these for myself but I think they'd make fantastic gifts.

12 FABULOUS FLAMINGO DIY'S.

Flamingos were everywhere this Summer, on cakes, in pools. as party supplies, and even wallpapers. I know Summer is technically over but the weather has still been pretty nice here (in fact we've just had the hottest September day in a 100 years) so I've rounded up 12 of the best flamingo themed diy's for anyone as enamored as I am with these tropical pink birds.

DIY No-Sew Flamingo Lumbar Pillow

Nothing says summer like pretty pink flamingos, so we’ve created this super simple DIY No-Sew Flamingo Lumbar Pillow to fill the void. Read it here and be creative!

Find here

2. Printable flamingo straw decorations from Design Is Yay!

3. Mini flamingo donuts from Shoes Off Please.

Flamingos Cookies

Why I have never made flamingo cookies before is beyond me. These cookies are the cutest, and they are not just any flamingo cookies, they are lawn flamingo cookies. How excited would you be if you found these all over your front yard?

Find here

Printable flamingo gift wrap

I just woke up one morning and felt like painting a flamingo. And because my pink feathered friend turned out a lot better than I’d originally expected, I decided to make up some gift wrap for you so you can join in the flamingo fun!

Find here

DIY Flamingo Ring Toss Game

This time I’ve gone and made a DIY Flamingo Ring Toss Game that’s perfect for your backyard parties. You can make this in no time. And you can use it with or without a grassy area on hand!

Find here

7. Diy flamingo party hats from Shoes Off Please.

Summer Snow Globes

Today we’ve got a fun little project for all of you crafty ladies and gents out there. We’re big proponents of adding personal touches to your home and truly making it your own. And along with selecting great art for your walls, of course, that can mean creating your own custom DIY decor.

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Flamingo Favour Bag DIY

We’ve included the flamingo template below so that they’re even easier to make. You’ll just need to purchase some bright pink cardstock and a white paper lunch bag. Everything else you should already have at home!

Find here

DIY Flamingo Macarons

I’m on a roll, you guys! I either need to get a new hobby or I need to notify all macaron suppliers to stop dealing with me, but until one of those things occurs, I’m happy to present to you a flock of DIY flamingo macarons!

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Easy DIY Scrapbook Journals

A handcrafted, super simple DIY scrapbook journal perfect for stashing away photos and memories. I’ve shown you guys plenty of bookbinding techniques, but today’s is a brand new take on creating your own notebooks. No sewing required and you’ll be done pretty quickly.

Find here

Flamingo Sugar Cookies

Oh boy, is anyone else feeling the tropical fever? January and February are the killer months, bitter cold = being trapped inside the house! But these sweet little flamingo cookies are sure to cheer you up! You don’t need a tropical vacation, just bake these little lovelies and you will feel better already!

Find here

Any favourites? I think I've got a soft spot for that snow globe.

CANDY COLOURED ETSY FUN.

I've got some pretty adorable Etsy finds for you today. I mean, seriously, how cute is that unicorn cushion? I'm adding it to my favourites right now.

1. Pink unicorn cushion from The Fox In The Attic.

2. I Love You To The Moon And Back Cookie from The Whimsical Cake Company.

3. Mountain Brooch from I Am Acrylic.

4. Pink Confetti Plush Cat from Julia Staite.

5. Star Garland from Maisy & Alice.