Image borrowed from http://www.stylehive.com/bookmark/fork-bracelet-299684

If you want a truly unique piece of jewelry but do not have the money for it, here’s a great DIY jewelry project for you. The handles of many utensils are embossed, carved, and done with pretty patterns especially if they are from a matching set. If your fork, spoon, or butter knife is slightly dented and scratched but has a nice handle, don’t throw it away! You can make striking jewelry from it with just a little know-how and the proper tools. What’s great about utensil jewelry is that you’re not likely to run into someone wearing the same thing, because it’s one of a kind and not store-bought

For a fork bangle or bracelet, you will need the following tools:

a stainless steel or copper fork because they’re easy to heat and be bent into shape

a pair of protective goggles

a vise grip or locking pliers

long-nose pliers

some sticky tape

a pair of work gloves

a small propane torch

some spray paint or enamel paint

some decorative beads

a glue gun with glue stick

To make the fork bangle or bracelet:

Put on the protective gloves and goggles and make sure to work on a heat-resistant surface so you won’t burn anything. Use the locking pliers or a vise grip to hold the fork in place, tines down. With the small propane torch, start bending the fork by using a consistently moving flame to heat the fork. Don’t go closer than two inches with the heat to the fork or you’ll end up with unattractive scorch marks on the metal. Let the metal cool for a few minutes.

Wrap some sticky tape on the teeth of your long-nose pliers to prevent them from scratching the fork’s metal finish. Bend the handle of the fork using long-nose pliers gently to form a loop. Check if your whole hand can go through the loop and how it fits your wrist.  If it’s too snug a fit, adjust the loop’s circumference. You’d want the bangle to dangle (haha) and not cut off circulation from your wrist, nor be too loose that you have to keep adjusting it while wearing it.

You can opt to use two forks for bigger-looped bracelets, or if you like a layered look for your bangles. Do the same procedure on the second fork, but bend the two sets of tines so they intertwine with each other in spirals or coils, as pictured above.

Use canned spray-paint in any color you like to give the fork bangle a totally different hue, or just hints of color to go with the silver or copper finish. Set on old newspapers to dry. Coat with more colors if you desire.

You can also use decorative beads or chains and other charms to accentuate your new fork bracelet. Glue them with a glue gun in strategic places. Don’t overdo it or your fork bracelet will lose its vintage-looking charm.

Nothing beats the soothing sound of wind chimes on a breezy day. Any home can have a calming musical experience done the DIY way with wind chimes. The best thing about them is that they can appeal to several senses all at once: when done beautifully, they can be visually stunning. Wind chimes can produce a tinkling melodious sound that’s pleasing to the ears. And when wind chimes start to tinkle, you know a cooling breeze is coming your way.

You can either buy wind chimes or make them yourself. Depending on the kind of material used, wind chimes can be cheap or expensive, but of course, we highly recommend the DIY way of getting one for your home!

First, get your crafts tools ready. For this project, you will need a wood or hack saw (again, depending on the materials you want your wind chimes to be made of), eye-hooks, a tape measure, a drill, some glue, and nylon string. You can also use old necklace chains to hang the chimes on. For the chimes themselves, you can use just about anything: from wood scraps to bamboo slats to tiny shot glasses to seashells and old utensils, and just about anything that makes a pleasant noise when struck lightly.

Once you have chosen your chimes material, cut them in a series of gradating lengths and check the sound they make with a metal tube. For materials with roughly the same size, you can tie them up with nylon string or let them dangle on a chain in varying heights, as pictured above.

If you chose copper or metal tubes, drill small holes at one side of each tube and tying them up with a length of fisherman’s wire. Again, make sure they arranged according to length for a more pleasing musical sound. Tie the other end of the nylon string to a circular or rectangular scrap of wood. You can either arrange the tubes in a circle or side by side. Just keep testing the sound by striking them with a rod, and rearrange as needed.

You can also choose to attach a “striker” or a metal rod right smack at the middle of all the chimes for a louder sound. This way, you’re assured of chiming even in the slightest breeze. Just make sure to fasten everything securely so nothing will fall off and give anyone a concussion instead of a soothing, calming experience!

Origami is the Japanese art of paper folding, and it has been around since the 17th century AD. Origami has evolved into something of an art form. Even gallery artists have found ways to integrate origami pieces into their exhibits, such as with this installation from Philippine artist Tin F Garcia called “A Thousand Cranes and One Shrimp”:

Image courtesy of the artist

Nowadays talented craftspeople have found ways to make origami into both functional and ornamental art…even wearable pieces as these origami earrings illustrate.

Image courtesy of http://www.paperproductions.com

Origami cranes symbolize peace, prosperity, and a long life. It would be perfectly understandable if you want to make yourself a pair to wear to embody all these traits. To make a pair of origami cranes, follow these steps:

1. Get a two 2 to 3-inch square pieces of paper (depending on how big you want them to be) to fold into an origami crane. If you have not done an origami crane before, follow the instructions in this video:

2. Get one of the origami cranes and guide a beading pin onto the hole at the bottom of the crane (people usually blow into this hole to make the crane’s body puff up). Guide the pin through the crane’s body and carefully puncture the upper part, right in the middle of the crease at the crane’s back.

3. Add complimentary-colored beads by slipping them through the beading pin on top of the crane, if you like.

4. Cut off the excess pin with needle-nose pliers, leaving about a centimeter of wire poking out of the topmost bead.

5. Make a closed fish hook with the end of the wire using the pliers to bend it.

6. Repeat steps 2-5 for the other origami crane.

7. Spray some fixative on the origami cranes, or carefully lacquer with clear nail polish or varnish to keep them wetproof.

Image borrowed from http://stylebakery.com/celebstyle/trendspotting_sienna_miller_and_kate_bosworth_wear_denim_vests.html

In the past years, Hollywood has witnessed a lot of boho-chic fashion from its denizens. Celebrities who like experimenting with a hodgepodge of fashion pieces and accessories include Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Kate Bosworth, Nicole Richie, and the Olsen twins, and have helped push the bohemian look into the style map in their own way. The beauty of the bohemian-chic look is that it is mostly DIY and not the product of high-fashion boutiques. This means anyone with a streak of creativity, an eye for fashion, and a few arts and crafts supplies can achieve the look without spending a lot.

Bohemian takes certain elements of hippie, folk, ethnic, vintage, and artsy-fartsy and then incorporates them into daily life. The look relies heavily on being anti- RTW (ready-to-wear). Those who can pull it off are labeled stylish and bold, and even creative. Off-the-rack is strictly not within bohemian jurisdiction, as anything too designer-labelish would go against the nature of being bohemian. Special emphasis is placed on DIY aesthetics, and a bit of vintage always lends credibility to the bohemian chic.

So how do you pull off this look without being mistaken for a bag lady? Layering is key. You have to do it the right way with the right cut of clothing. Take the images of Sienna Miller and Kate Bosworth above, for instance. A cropped, bleached denim vest works wonders with the soft floral and cottony tops the actresses layer with them. As for accessorizing, you can always make your own, or support the products of independent craftspeople to accentuate your borrowed bohemian lifestyle.  Bohemian-inspired garb and accessories can be had at specialty stores and online sellers who get their wares from various exclusive sources. The look is put together based on your own fashion savvy.

What are some of the more recognizable accessories for a totally bohemian look? Stock up on vintage shirts and jeans, long floaty gossamer skirts and dresses, tooled leather belts, boots with buckles and fringes, wide-brimmed hats or boaters, pashmina shawls and wraps, and a beautifully printed scarf or two. Also, don’t forget the wooden beads for your necklaces and bracelets, as well as the dangly chandelier earrings and a couple of ostentatious accent rings, to boot.

The bohemian look relies a lot on handmade jewelry, so you can either make some of your own, as future posts in this blog will tell you how to, or patronize those made by independent yet talented craftspeople. When thinking bohemian, don’t go for the polished, flawless jewelry designs. Mass-produced or high-end jewelry are often meticulously set and select the best kinds of precious metals and gems in their design. Bohemian sensibilities value the flaws and imperfections of accessories. Think chunky, rough-hewn, and maybe a combination of natural and artificial components in your earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and chokers, and you’re good to go.