Apr 21, 2016 | DIY
FTC Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary bouquet of my choice from ProFlowers.com to create a DIY tutorial. The below opinions are my own. I have not been otherwise compensated for this post. This post may contain affiliate links, wherein if you click through and make a purchase I receive a small percentage of the sale. My full Disclosure Policy is here.
With the Weekend 2 of Coachella coming up, you’re probably prepping your floral crowns and boho headdresses right now – or even trying to reuse what you had from the first weekend. By now perhaps your flowers have withered or maybe you want to go for an entirely different look the second time around. Why not try a handmade leaf and crystal crown and stand out from the crowd? Here’s how:
DIY Music Festival Leaf and Crystal Crown (for Coachella, Bonnaroo, etc.)
I received a beautiful bouquet from ProFlowers.com, reviewed here – and wanted to try something a little different with the included greenery.
You Need:
crystals (preferably drilled) – mine are C-grade Quartz Crystal Points / thin brass jewelry wire (20ga+) / wire cutting pliers / gold-tone headband with decorative piece (mine is from Target) / green leaf stalks and/or flowers
How To:

1. Thread one of the crystals onto a long piece of cut wire, and place onto the flat design element of your headband. Start wrapping one end of the wire around the headband wire, leaving a couple inches at the tail end.

2. Secure the crystal by continuing to wrap.

3. Add another crystal on, and wrap the wire around the headband base again to secure. Keep adding crystals on in this manner, in a row.

4. When you are satisfied with the number of crystals secured to your headband, wrap the wire around the headband base a few times to secure, leaving a couple inches at the tail end.

5. Now is when those couple inches of wire come in handy. Place a green leaf stalk near the crystals, and wrap the wire end around the stem to secure. Wrap any sharp ends underneath so they don’t stick out.

6. If needed, add another piece of wire to wrap the stalk to the headband. Cut the stalk about 2″ shorter than the end of the headband, and secure with wrapping the wire around it.

7. Once your greenery is secure, you can add flowers to fill in gaps if you like.

Pretty easy!

And pretty!

In order to preserve your crown until you’re ready to wear, keep in a cool, dark place (like your fridge!) Enjoy-and feel like a woodland queen for your next festival or Summer gathering.
Happy DIY’ing!
xo
Carly
P.S. The weight of the crystals and stems is pretty hefty, which is why you need a strong base. There are other flower crown tutorials out there using dead-soft jewelry wire or elastic, but I wouldn’t recommend either because they would bend or get weighed down. Using a finished store-bought metal headband (made of tempered hardened metal) will provide a strong enough base – and it is ideal if you can find a headband that is 2 wires with a space between them (like this one). I couldn’t find one like that, so went with a headband that had some wire detailing in an area that would work well to wire some crystals on to. (Plus, you can remove the wire and floral elements and just wear the headband once your greenery dies!)
Save
Leave Comment
Apr 15, 2014 | DIY
Hello friends! Today I am sharing the DIY tutorial for the Radiant Rhinestone Belt kit I designed for Wander & Hunt. It’s a fun little project with maximum impact, and you can place your stones however you like to get totally different looks.
(My version is less symmetrical and more random, as you can see.) Here’s how:
You Need: (more…)
Leave Comment
Apr 9, 2014 | By Carly J. Cais, DIY
I’ve just completed a super-fun collab with DIY kit shop Wander & Hunt – and designed 2 special DIY projects just for them.
The first, the DIY Radiant Rhinestone Belt, was actually inspired by a rhinestone belt I spied on Anthropologie.com this past Winter, and figured it would be a snap to re-create. For $29 you get the ribbon base, felt for attaching the rhinestones, glue, a skewer, and an absolutely HUGE amount of rhinestones to deck out your waist embellishment. Gorgeous over a plain shirtdress or even a light coat, this will be an accessory you reach for again and again to dress up your outfits.
Check out the DIY Radiant Rhinestone Kit Here
For the second project, the DIY Gem Pendant Necklace kit, I drew inspiration from a Dannijo bejeweled pendant I saw on Pinterest. Again, for just $29 you receive a bevy of gems, glue, a skewer, PVC plastic, endcaps, jump rings, and a rope for the necklace. The design is super-chic – and creates a fabulous statement!
Check out the DIY Gem Pendant Necklace Kit Here
You can also check out all the other DIY kits available at Wander & Hunt here (everything under $70!), as well as all the other supplies and materials that they offer. They have a ton of tutorials on the site as well, so you can get your DIY on without even buying a kit. Standard shipping is also free worldwide!
Thanks so much to the team at Wander & Hunt for making this happen! I had a blast designing these projects. 🙂
What do you guys think of these kits? Have you ever bought a DIY project kit – and was it worth it? Let me know in the comments!
xo
Carly
Leave Comment
Mar 14, 2014 | DIY
While I was in Tokyo last year, I picked up another felt macaron coin purse kit. (I think I’m a little addicted!)
I made a cute little half-and-half cookie macaron coin purse the year before, and within 6 hours of hanging it from my handbag, I promptly lost it somewhere on the streets of Tokyo. I did look for it, but never found it. (T _ T)
So the next time I went I intended to buy another kit and re-make the purse…except I couldn’t find the same kit again. So I bought a chocolate chip cookie version.
Here are photos of the process of making these cute little purses. You need yellow and brown felt, a thread and needle, a 5cm-long zipper, 2 pieces of stiff cardboard (like cut from a milk carton), some fiberfill stuffing, scissors, a pencil, brown eyeshadow, and a small ball chain to make these.)
Hope you like it! Have fun making your own version 🙂

Happy DIY’ing!
xo
Carly
Save
Leave Comment
Feb 21, 2014 | DIY
Spring is almost sprung – and what better way to usher out those Winter blahs than with beautiful pops of color? Add a bright center to a faux stingray textured clutch with Tulip Neon 3D Paints from i Love to Create and add a dose of fun into your evening (or prom!) accessories.
(Plus it creates the look of elegant stingray skin – without any of the unsustainability and cruelty of the shagreen industry.) (more…)
Leave Comment