Ever wanted to display all those beautiful photos from your Instagram feed into a craft easily and at home?
This is a fun project to turn Instagram photos into magnets commemorating a fun event or time. (AKA an “Instacation!”)
They’re surprisingly easy to make at home (and a number of the supplies used in this project are on sale right now!) Plus, you don’t have to use a 3rd part for the printing – you can just use a regular printer to print your images on cardstock. Print, cut, and stick and that’s it!
I’m a scheduler, and I love my To-Do lists more than anything. But…life is COMPLEX, and I can’t wander around with a million bits of paper with to do lists written on each. In managing this blog I need to be able to see at a glance all the days in the week – and the month – so I can plan out what I want to (ideally) post here. I’ve tried a digital calendar, which I’ve found doesn’t work for me because I like to jot ideas down on the side, rotate ideas for posts in and out of the hopper, or brainstorm away from the computer. I’ve tried a date book, which is too small for me to see the whole month at the size I need. And no matter what offline solution I’ve tried, I was constantly erasing things and having to rewrite posts on new days if I made the smallest change. Sooooo frustrating!
But now I think I’ve found the best solution to my blog planning problems: a DIY Blog Calendar, that uses washi tape as a way to organize posts once you’ve brainstormed them. No erasing necessary! And it’s super easy to put together. Here’s how to make your own DIY Washi Tape Blog Planner (which is yes, quite intuitive from the photos):
1. Print out your favorite calendar for the month. I turn off all my scheduled events and print a month’s view of iCal just so I can get the structure. I prefer to have a piece of paper for each month as I go, rather than using a laminated sheet and a dry erase marker, but you could do that too.
2. Tear small pieces of washi tape off, folding one edge under about 3/6″. This creates a tab for easy removal. I like to create a theme for my tape colors: one color is for DIY projects or my own designs; the other is for sponsored posts, reviews, or outfits.
3. Now comes the fun part: brainstorm! Write ideas for your posts, sponsored posts, reviews, whatever on each piece of tape. (I found that ballpoint pen or Sharpie worked best on the waxy washi tape.)
4. Then, once brainstormed, schedule into your calendar by sticking into the appropriate days. Some ideas won’t have a place just yet, so I left them floating at the top, ready to rotate into next month if needs be.
5. Follow the calendar for your posting schedule. At the beginning of each week stick your posts into the day you actually posted them (in case you missed any or the schedule moved around). Then you’ll always be up to date – and won’t miss any posts!
I like that this is a permanent way to collect your thoughts and keep your blog schedule on hand, but you can still move ideas around as you go. You could use this for anything; it doesn’t have to be a blog calendar! It could be just general life or a to-do list, and the washi tape makes it look so pretty!
Sometimes you’re feeling a little ladylike…and a little edgy at the same time. This pearl and chain choker pairs so well with both demure outfits and darker streetwear easily. All you need is aluminum chain, glass beads, jumprings, and a closure. And of course some hematite spike beads for that necessary wild child. Here’s how to make your own with some affordable supplies from PandaHall: (and a brush up on How to Use Crimp Beads, below)
1. Attach one end of the chain to one of the necklace ends with a jumpring.
2. Hold the flat curb chain against your neck and decide how long you want it (mine was 14″). Use the chain cutting pliers to cut it at that point.
3. Attach that end to the other necklace end, being careful to keep the chain flat.
4. Attach the next oval link chain in the same way, making a little longer than the first so it will drape lower and lay flat.
How to Finish a Necklace Using Crimp Beads
5. Crimp beads are an easy, clean way to finish a cord necklace, and they look really great. Thread one crimp bead onto the end of your Beadalon cord, leaving about 1″.
6. Thread a jumpring onto the end.
7. Curve the cord around the jumpring and back into the crimp bead. Make sure the loop around the jump ring is small.
8. Use crimping pliers to first smash the crimp bead flat (in the grooves closest to the plier center), then bend the flattened ends towards each other (in the hole closest to the plier tips). You’ll make the crimp bead into a flattened hot dog shape.
Voila!
9. Attach the jumpring onto the final loop of the necklace clasp, below the chains.
10. Estimate how long you need and cut the wire a little longer than the length of the longest chain.
11. Start threadiing pearls onto the wire. Use the first pearl/s to hide the end of the wire.
12. When you are close to where the center of the wire would be, start adding hematite spike beads.
13. Add a spike bead, a pearl, and another spike bead in a graduated manner.
14. Continue adding pearls once the center spikes are finished. Once your strand of pearls is as long as you want it (slightly longer than the bottom chain so it hangs below it), add a crimp bead.
15. Be careful to hold the crimp bead close to the last pearl, and finish the end of the wire as before. Tuck the long end into the last pearl bead/s.
16. Use a jumpring to attach to the remaining open loop in the necklace closure.
And that’s it!
It’s a little fiddly and something you’ll want to do while watching your fave TV show to pass the time…but once done this 3-strand sophisticated choker has maximum impact.
You can make your own just by checking out PandaHall.com for the best beading supplies!
Happy DIY’ing!
xo
Carly
FTC Disclosure: Pandall.com provided me with the craft supplies featured in this post for me to make a fun DIY with. I have received no other compensation. The opinions above are my own. For my full Disclosure Policy, click here.
My DIY Agate Keepsake Box was just featured in Darby Smart’s roundup of 33 DIY Ideas for Mother’s Day. If you’re looking for some DIY inspo, Darby Smart is definitely the place!
Who wants to learn how to do lumi photo print inkodye?? What is lumi photo print? Well, it’s a fun alternative to screenprinting that uses direct sunlight to transfer photos to fabrics – and Create and Craft has the perfect lumi photo print kit to get started. I wanted to share this neat video with all of you because although they make a wall hanging in the video, you could make anything, including photo-print bags, scarves, or even a cool graphic T-shirt sporting your favorite photography.
Who wants to get started with Lumi Photo Print? I definitely want to try it as my next project for Summer!
Carly J. Cais I am a DIY’er, designer, sewist, maker, and marketer. Chic Creative Life is where I share what I do, and help others bring their unique style into their own lives.
I’m a scheduler, and I love my To-Do lists more than anything. But…life is COMPLEX, and I can’t wander around with a million bits of paper with to do lists written on each. In managing this blog I need to be able to see at a glance all the days in the week – and the month – so I can plan out what I want to (ideally) post here. I’ve tried a digital calendar, which I’ve found doesn’t work for me because I like to jot ideas down on the side, rotate ideas for posts in and out of the hopper, or brainstorm away from the computer. I’ve tried a date book, which is too small for me to see the whole month at the size I need. And no matter what offline solution I’ve tried, I was constantly erasing things and having to rewrite posts on new days if I made the smallest change. Sooooo frustrating!
Happy DIY’ing!
My tutorial on how to take headshot photos that reflect your blog’s brand was just included in the weekly round-up of Links a la Mode on IFB!
Sometimes you’re feeling a little ladylike…and a little edgy at the same time. This pearl and chain choker pairs so well with both demure outfits and darker streetwear easily. All you need is 
And of course some 
