Category: Fun

DIY: Jewelry board project.

My lastest project.
My lastest project.

I finished yet another pinterest-inspired project today:  a board for hanging my jewelry.   The inspiration pin can be found here.

Wanna make one, too?  Read on.

I bought an inexpensive corkboard, about 18″ x 24″ or so, from IKEA.   For future reference, you should note the thickness of the board material (not the frame part, but the field part of the bulletin board).   You may need to trim the screws that come with the drawer pull hardware, like I did.  The thickness of my board material was 1/4″.   When the screws were screwed all the way into the hardware, there was 3/4″ of an inch showing.  Which meant I would have to cut off 1/2″ from each screw (with a hacksaw) so that they would fit my board.  You’ll either have to do that, or look for screws that are the right length.

IKEA corkboard
IKEA corkboard

Then I bought some miscellaneous drawer pulls.   I also picked out some hooks and small chain and some push pins.  Yes.  This would have been less expensive if I had this stuff laying around already…

Laying out where the hardware will go.
Laying out where the hardware will go.

Then picked out some fabric and ribbon from Joanne’s.

Pretty bits.
Pretty bits.

Cut and hem the non-selvage edges of the material big enough to wrap around the bulletin board leaving several inches.

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Sew on ribbon to add some accents.

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Put the fabric you’ve just sewn aside.  Now using an awl, poke holes in the corkboard where the screws for where you want each piece of hardware to go.

Poke holes where the drawer pull hardware goes.
Poke holes where the drawer pull hardware goes.

Using a drill, with a drill bit no bigger in diameter than the fasteners for the drawer pulls, drill all the way through the corkboard and its backing board.  My corkboard had a thin, fiber board backing.  So, when I drilled through it, it sort of made a hole with rough, fuzzy edges.  After I drilled each hole I scraped away the debris from the front and back of the board around each hole.

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It’s a good idea to do a dry run and screw the hardware to the board, to make sure the holes are all in the right places.  If not, make adjustments, then take the hardware off again.

Testing to make sure the holes match the hardware.
Testing to make sure the holes match the hardware.

Now it’s time to wrap the board in fabric.  I did this using a stapler, into the back of the board.  Wrap the fabric tight, working your way around the board.

The back of the board.
The back of the board.

Again, using an awl through each pre-drilled hole in the back of the board, poke a hole through the fabric on the front.  Be careful not to snag your material.  This will allow the screws to go through the fabric without twisting it or tearing it.  Then, place the screws into each hole, through the back of the corkboard, using a screwdriver to turn the screws through the holes you’ve just pierced into the fabric.

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Pierce the fabric for each screw-hole, to make way for the screws.
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Turn the screws through the back of the board til they are clear of the fabric.

Now you just need to place the hardware over the screws and tighten them down.

I added some chain fastened with push pins on either end – more space to hang earrings.

Voila!

The finished board.
The finished board.

Island state of mind.

Bahamian nautical coin art.
Bahamian nautical coin art.

I’ve been going in to my office at work this week – a change from the work-from-home mode I’ve been in for the last 18 months or so.  In my desk drawer I found a handful of coins from our last trip to the Bahamas – a bareboat sailing charter through the Abacos.  A fabulous trip.

I’ve never really looked at the art on the back of the coins before.  They capture the nautical life of the islands … fish, sailing, starfish.

So, it’s stuck in the 30’s here all week, and I’m now dreaming of the islands.

I go to come back….

Lake day.

Colors flyin.
Colors flyin.

We took friends out for a sail today.  Chris was visiting Irene for the weekend, and after a lovely breakfast in Central Austin we headed to the marina.  Irene took the helm for most of the sail and did great.  The winds were light so we were able to set up the cockpit table with nibblies for the voyage while we were underway.

Lori and Dave came out, too, on Camelot.  And we crossed paths with Wally and Kurt on Zen on our way back.

The day was overcast, and a front was on its way, but it was a really nice day on the lake.

Back at the marina we saw a bunch of our slip neighbors.  Wally, Kurt, Lori and Dave joined us for a cocktail.  Then we packed it up before the front dropped in.

Our resident ducks stopped by to say hello.  They’re all grown up now.

The boys are back.
The boys are back.

That’s a wrap!

Next stop: 2013.
Next stop: 2013.

Adieu 2012.  Not the best of years.  Not the worst.

We celebrated the evening with friends.  The murder-mystery theme was fun.  It was set in 1969, so the costumes were a bit … far-out, man.   I was Enya Goddard-Daveeda, high priestess of the Church of the Vacant Mind.  My costume instructions were to wear all white:  gogo boots, flowing robe & miniskirt.   Can you believe I found knee-high white platform-heeled gogo boots that laced up the back?!!  Thank you Goodwill!

It is fun to get a little silly.   And we did.

As is the custom, Monte played Auld Lang Syne on the saxophone at midnight, and everyone sang along.  We also played an encore out on the front lawn just to make sure noone was asleep.

I don’t exactly know what my resolutions are.  I do know that I want 2013 to be a year with a little more peace, love and understanding.   I guess we’ll have to figure out what we each should do to make that happen along the way.

Cheers!

Merry Christmas!

His & hers Christmas libations.
His & hers Christmas libations.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!  Guess who’s is who’s.  🙂

The reason for the season.

Cross on Graveyard Point on Lake Travis.
Cross on Graveyard Point on Lake Travis.

We went for another sail yesterday.  It was a beautiful, mild day.  I took this shot as we were leaving our marina’s cove.  It’s a giant cross out in the middle of nowhere on Graveyard Point.  It’s at least 15′ tall and made out of steel beams that appeared out of the blue one day a year or two ago.  No small feat for whoever put it up overnight.  The guys at the marina like to refer to it as the “immaculate erection.”  heh heh.

Anyway, it’s hard for me to sail past it without thinking of Him.  I thought it was appropriate to post this pic today, on Christmas Eve.  A reminder of what it’s supposed to be about.

Have a Merry Christmas with the ones you love!!

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Oh. And the OTHER reason for the season 😀

Still here!

On deck.
On deck.

Rumors of the end of the world have been greatly exaggerated.  We headed out today with a boatfull of friends, Al, Tina, AJ and Ireni.   Lori went out as well with Doray, Laura and Ann.  A good time was had by all.   AJ took the helm and took us up and down the lake in mighty strong breezes.  He’s a natural.

We are blessed with great and fun friends.  What a great day spent with them!

Down at the Armadillo.

Inside Palmer Events Center.
Inside Palmer Events Center.

‘Tis the season for the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar!!  This is the 37th year of the Bazaar.  If you go, you can find local artists showing and selling their wares (over 150 artists this year), live music on a stage in the center of the hall, and food/drinks to fortify you as you make the rounds.  If you are anywhere near Austin between now and Christmas Eve, check it out.

While I was there tonight, Marcia Ball and Kimmie Rhodes shared the stage from 8-10pm – great music!  Here’s the obligatory shot from the floor…

Marcia Ball & Kimmie Rhodes.
Marcia Ball & Kimmie Rhodes.

 

A wee sailboat.

An Ace original!
An Ace original!

One of the most well-padded packages I’ve ever received arrived today, containing a lovely gift from friends Teri & Jim… a hand-made sailboat ornament.  L.O.V.E. I.T.!   🙂

Here’s to friends, family and fun.   Embrace them all, every day!

Fused glass ornaments.

While I was in Seattle a week or so ago, I took a glass fusing class with my sister.  We made 5 glass ornaments.  I had to leave them there to be fired in the kiln, and then they’d mail them to me.  Today they arrived.

Here’s the “after”:

After firing.
After firing.

And here’s the “before”:

Before firing.
Before firing.

The copper metal hangars and accents oxidized and turned red in the kiln.  The way we made them was to use 2 pieces of glass cut approximately the same – one piece of glass serves as a base, and then the decoration is placed by putting pieces of glass and metal on top of the base, with a little glue, if necessary.  And then the 2nd piece of glass is put on top, sandwiching the decoration in between.  During the firing, all the glass pieces fuse together.  The result is a single piece of very smooth glass with the decorations baked inside.

I had a lot of fun in the class.  I’d like to try it again.

And….voila!

This year's tree.
This year’s tree.

I felt like playing around a bit, so I created an animated gif to capture the transformation of this year’s Christmas tree from bare to decorated to twinkling.

To make the animated GIF, I used the web-based tool Picasion.com.  Note: before I created the gif, I reduced the size of the original images down to the size I wanted (i used the width of my wordpress theme as the target image width).  Then I created the gif w/ Picasion.

Gather round and be merry.

We went to Laura and Arnie’s Christmas party tonight.  It’s become a tradition, and a most fun one at that.  Everyone ends up gathered around the piano belting out Christmas songs.  Some scenes from the evening:

The setting.
The director.
The script.
The script.
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The actors.

Twinkle, twinkle.

Painting with a twist - holiday edition.
Painting with a twist – holiday edition.

Julie took her last final of Fall semester today – and is headed home for the holidays tomorrow.  Tonight we went to Painting with a Twist to create a work of art.   This is my version.   Not bad.  A little festive.  Probably worth hanging on the wall for a week or two (?)   🙂

Soccer chicks.

Ladies league.
Ladies league.

After work today, Noreen and I met up with Francine to watch one of her soccer games — they can play year round in a really nice indoor facility.  Fran’s been playing soccer since she was a wee lass.  30+ years later, she’s still playing, and turning her kids onto it as well.  Pass it on…