Tag / flowers

by Victoria. H

Decoupage Cell Phone Case DIY

 

Update: This post was originally published in May 2013. Even though I have moved on to a new iPhone this is a creative and fun way to personalize your phone case. This case lasted a long time and the jewels never fell off! Yay Mod Podge! 

Spring has finally arrived and it’s time for spring cleaning, swapping out the winter clothes for the summer ones, and giving things a general sprucing up. Some of these chores might not be fun but they need to get done. My iPhone case was something that need a spring revamp but instead of just picking one out at the store, which I admit can be fun, I decided to personalize one with this quick DIY. It’s also a great way to use an old case that might be scratched or your just tired of the current image. Just make sure you clean it well so the Mod Podge will adhere properly.

Decoupage is an easy and enjoyable way to decorate pretty much anything with a flat surface. It involves cutting out various shapes of paper, usually from magazines, and applying coats of varnish to seal it. I looked through old issues of Instyle and Cosmo to find pictures I liked then used my trusty Mod Podge to seal it.

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After finding some pictures of gems, flowers, and a cat I laid them out over a plain white iPhone case to get an idea for placement. Then I applied a thorough coat of Mod Podge to the back of the cut-outs and stuck them down. Your fingers will get sticky and you might have to carefully smooth out the paper if there are any air bubbles underneath. I wrapped the pieces around the edges of the case to get a full covering. The inside doesn’t look very pretty but no one will see it. Once you have all the cut-outs you want apply an even coat of the Mod Podge over the entire case. This will help the corners not to raise up.

 

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I wanted this case to be pretty girlie so I added stick on gems and glitter! After letting the glue dry for a few minutes (till it was tacky) I placed on the gems. Then I mixed some glitter with the Mod Podge and applied another thick even coat. I didn’t apply the glitter coat to the inside of the case. Let dry fully for a couple of hours and your case is ready for use!

 

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I wasn’t sure how well the gems would stay on. I’m not very careful with my phone, it usually hides out at the bottom of my tote bag/ huge purse, but I have been using it for over a week and they’re all still there! That Mod Podge really works!

conclusion:

We all use our cell phones so much now. It’s nice to have a case that makes me smile and that I like looking at everyday!

by Victoria. H

A little cowboy hat creativity

Well it’s day 5 of Stampede here in Calgary and hoo boy is it ever HOT! Although I have been to a few stampede events around the city I’m not hitting the grounds till this weekend and I thought my cowboy hats needed a little personalization. I just got a complimentary hat from a concert last Thursday and decided to keep the Calgary Stampede badge on the back but I took off the beer logo that was on the front.

I used the feathers off a head band from Forever 21 that I never wore, a necklace charm, and some vintage trim I already had.

First I snipped the hook off the charm and the feathers off the chain. Then using a crafters best friend, a glue gun, I glued the feathers to the charm and added a pin to the back. I thought this would be better then gluing it directly to the hat because then i could remove it and use it for a broach.

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I then glued the trim around the the hat to hide the stitching line and pinned the broach on.

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For my other cowboy hat I just added some glitter and beads to 2 artificial flowers and attached them to the back of the hat. I think this adds a little more pizazz to my cowgirl attire!

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Has anyone else done any cowboy hat customization? I’ll definitely be on the look out for some when I’m on the fairgrounds!

Conclusion

Using a little creativity and some glue can add a lot of style to an otherwise ho hum cowboy hat.

by Victoria. H

Crosswords, cupcakes, & commercials

I wanted to share some of the highlights of my weekend in this post, enjoy!

On Friday I thought I was going to be a hermit but fate, or rather Marissa, had other plans. And I’m so glad I didn’t end up being a recluse! I went with Marissa, Taryn, and Robin to Extreme Bean Cafe located at 3303 3 Ave NW. The plan was to just meet there and go for a stroll along the river, but the weather had taken a turn, as I have learned is the norm in Calgary, and we decided to have coffee inside. It’s a good thing too, or we might never have discovered how, when we put our brains together. we can achieve amazing things. Like completing the FFWD crossword!

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To some this may seem like no big feat, but I suck at crosswords and was impressed with our determination. We stayed till the end! And my mochachino was pretty tasty too.

Saturday I was off to work. Even though it is still winter we have some flowers at work to remind us that spring is on the way. They came from Twigs, look gorgeous, and smell amazing! I think they’re hyacinths?

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Another perk of the day was that there was cupcakes shared by Kristen and candy hearts!

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Sunday was totally devoted to relaxation. Armed with a large mug of coffee and some leftover cheesecake I settled in too watch Super Bowl commercials. I’m the kind of person who likes watching the previews before the movie and appreciates a well made commercial, especially if it makes me laugh!

My 2 favourite’s are both from Volkswagen. Perhaps that’s a sign….

 

 

 

I also downloaded John Mellencamp’s album, The Best That I Could Do from iTunes.  I have my Mom to thank for introducing me to Mellencamp and a lot of other great musicians. His song’s remind me summer when I was younger.

 

John Mellencamp performs Pink Houses live at the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony in the Grand Ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City March 10,2008

 

Conclusion: This weekend was brought to you by the letter ‘C’.