Author: Laura

DIY Spiked Barrette

DIY Spiked Barrette

Hello World,

I’m a sucker for studded/spiked accessories and clothing. Like a lion on the prowl, I hunt for edgy pieces and beeline for that little sliver of metal peeking out in a rack full of clothing. Lately though, I have been having a harder time finding decent spiked accessories in my area, as many of the fast fashion stores have been pushing the floral trend instead. (Tangent- I recently went to Lana Del Rey’s concert in Seattle and it seemed like every third girl was wearing a floral crown. Her opening act even commented on it. Virtual high five to those of you who DIY-ed your headwear.)

Luckily, I stumbled across (and oh course had to buy) these sweet spikes on Darby Smart, and DIY-ed my own spiked barrette. Check out the simple tutorial below to make your own:

DIY Spiked Barrette

1. Gather your supplies: flat-back spikes, e6000 or other durable glue, and a barrette.

2. In a ventilated area, glue each of your spikes to your barrette. Use as little or as many spikes as you wish. I crammed as many on as possible and alternated the two sizes on mine.

3. Allow to dry, and tada! Pop that baby in your hair and rock your day.

Happy Crafting!

PS – I also used some of these spikes to make some DIY constellation art. See the tutorial here.

Wanderlust

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Hello World,

Instead of a DIY tutorial, I’m going to share a little life update about what I’ve been up to. I recently road-tripped to Seattle with my best friend to see Lana Del Rey and Lady Gaga. I was happily surprised by how amazing Lana sounded live, but I sadly don’t have any photos of her because Google Maps drained my phone on the way to the arena. Lady Gaga ended up canceling her concert due to bronchitis, and rescheduled later this summer.

Last summer I bought my first DSLR, and this was my first road trip with it, so you know I was snap-happy. Take a looksie:

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The day before our road trip, we went on a hike around Lake Pend Oreille.
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The next day we started our PNW adventure, and crossed the Columbia.
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We detoured north and explored Leavenworth. Even the Starbucks and Subway matched the Bavarian theme!
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For lunch we ate giant pretzels, gingerbread cookies, and other not-so-healthy items. 🙂
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Next up, Seattle.
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We visited the Woodland Zoo, and almost every animal was active except the lion.
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My wanderlust had been kicking in pretty heavy lately, so after the concert, we took a nice detour to visit the ocean. I love the ocean: the sounds of seagulls and water crashing into the shore, the smell of salt in the air, how endless it appears.
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On the trip home, we had no cell service in some areas, so we found directions the old-fashioned way.
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We took White Pass on the way home, and it such a perfect view on Mt. Rainier. Its summit is over 14,000 ft!

Do you have any fun travel plans for this summer?

 

How to Re-Wick Candles

How to Re-Wick Candles

Hello World,

I love buying candles, but I dislike how there is always unused wax in the bottom of the containers. In the past, I have melted the wax and used it in a wax warmer, but lately I have instead been re-wicking my candles, so I can light them again. Check out the simple tutorial below:

How to Re-Wick Candles

1. Gather your supplies: a burned down candle, wicks, wick bases, pliers, strong glue (I used e6000), a glass container, and a pot partially filled with water, and an oven mitt.

2. Place your burned down candle in the partially filled pot of water. Allow water to boil and wax to completely melt.

3. Crimp your wick base to your wick threading with pliers. (Use the appropriate thickness of wick, if you use on e that is too thick, you risk the chance of your glass container cracking while the candle is burning).

4. Glue this wick to the base of your glass container. Allow to set.

5. Carefully pour your melted wax into your glass container. Wipe out your old container with a paper towel if you want to repurpose it.

6. Steady your wick if it has shifted crooked. You can tape the tip to a pencil if you are worried it will shift as the wax cools.

7. Optional: I bought soy wax flakes, and partially melted some of them and scooped them on top of my cooled, re-wicked candle, to create a candle that resembled an irish cream drink.

I also recently went thrifting, and picked up a few glass containers for $0.10 each and made some of my own candles with them. Making candles is so much cheaper than paying $20 each for them in the mall!

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Happy Crafting!