DIY Hoop Canopy

I really love the look of the round hanging canopies for over a little girl's bed. So I became determined to make one for my own little one. I was pleased with the way it turned out, and how easy it was too! I made mine with ivory tulle, although I am sure you could use this tutorial with any other light fabric as well.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Embroidery hoop
• LOTS of tulle (I used 4 cuts of 3 yards, so 12 yards altogether)
• Scissors
• String

STEP ONE:

Fringe one of the short ends of your fabric into 3 inch wide strips. If you're using more than one cut of fabric like me, fringe all of them on one end.

STEP TWO:

Start tying pairs of the strips together around your embroidery hoop. Use only the inner hoop so that you don't have the screw part sticking out of your pretty little canopy!

STEP THREE:

When you've got them all tied on, fluff it up so that the fabric is evenly dispersed around the hoop.

STEP FOUR:

You may hang it however you like, but here is the way I did it. Cut four pieces of string, about the width of the embroidery hoop.

STEP FIVE:

Tie them each to the hoop, equal distances apart. Then tie them all together in the center. It's important that they are evenly spaced so that the canopy doesn't hang lopsided.

STEP SIX:

Cut a piece of string twice as long as you would like for it to hang from the ceiling and fold it in half. Slip the loop end under the knot of the first four pieces of string.

STEP SEVEN:

Tie the string to the knot by pulling the ends of your string through the loop and tighten.

STEP EIGHT:

Now fold the end over...

and knot it, so that you have created a loop with which to hang your canopy!

I hope that wasn't too confusing! Here is what it should look like when it's finished.

Then hang it and enjoy! A simple hook will do the job. Tie back with clips, or anything you like. I love the delicate, wispy feel it gives!

We will be linking to these parties!

How To Make A Notebook Organizer

((Download this tutorial in PDF format here.))

This cute book holder/notebook oragnizer/magazine container is easy to make and couldn't be cheaper. It's made of a cereal box! I've seen things similar to this in a few different places so I decided I would try making one on my own and sharing with you how I did it.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• Cereal Box (Cheerios works perfectly because the box is huge)
• Scissors
• Marker/Pen
• Glue
• Scrapbooking Paper

STEP ONE:

Use a straight edge to draw an outline of the shape you want on the box.

 STEP TWO:

Use your scissors and cut along the lines you made to get your organizer box's shape.

This should be the result.

STEP THREE:

Use the box as a rough template and cut out a strip of scrapbooking paper for the long side of the cereal box. Make it a little bigger on each side than the actual widths of the box so you will be able to fold it over the edges later on.

STEP FOUR:

Apply glue to the long side of the box.

STEP FIVE:

Glue the strip of paper to the box. If you would like, use an old credit card or even the blunt side of your scissors to flatten the paper down. Also, cover the other side as well.

STEP SIX:

Cut out the corners of the paper so that you will be able to fold the flaps down.

STEP SEVEN:

Glue the flaps down. For the top one, make sure it is folded tight against the top edge of the cereal box.

STEP EIGHT:

Glue down the side flaps as well. For this, I found it especially helpful to flatten and crease the paper using my scissors.

STEP NINE:

Cover the bottom side of the box as well, if desired. For the bottom, do not make flaps for the short sides of the box or else you will have unsightly, gluey flaps showing on the sides when you are finished.

When you are finished covering the sides, your box should look something like this.

STEP TEN:

Use your box as a template. Trace the large, flat sides of your box with the wrong side of your paper facing up. When you're done, cut it out.

STEP ELEVEN:

Glue along the outer edges of the box. You can glue the whole surface if you want, but if you are using liquid glue, like I am, you may find that the glue makes the paper lumpy underneath.

STEP TWELVE:

Apply the paper and smooth it out. Again, you can use your card or your scissors to help flatten the paper where the glue was.

Do both sides and you're all done! Good job!

FINAL STEP:

Embellish with whatever you want: ribbons, buttons, paint, labels. You name it! This is your custom organizer, so make it yours.

Home Organization Tip: Jewelry Art Board

Add a little decorative kick to your home while also doing away with that tangled mess of jewelry you have lying around. Take an ordinary cork board and hang your bracelets and necklaces off of it in a pleasing arrangement. Not only is it functional, but it's also beautiful!

For a little extra flair, try painting the cork, adding a pretty fabric over top of the cork, or slapping a nice wall decal onto the cork board.

Home Organization Tip: Clay Pot Storage

 

I love glazed clay pots as storage receptacles!  Here I have my big kitchen cooking utensils all tucked neatly into a medium sized clay pot meant for plants. I happen to have one of the tiniest kitchens in the world and that means not a whole lot of cabinet and drawer space. So I had to innovate. There simply wasn't any room for my big, clunky utensils!

I tried a vase but it turned out it was too narrow and also too long. My utensils would slide all the way down to the bottom and wouldn't want to come out. It was a tight squeeze. 

I got this glazed pot at the Bargain Outlet for a few dollars! It's nice and wide and shallow, meaning the utensils fit nicely inside and come out easy too. Not only does it look nice and neat, but it sure is handy when I'm cooking to have all of my utensils out and ready for me!

These clay pots are very useful, not just for kitchen utensils, but for all kinds of organizing. And like I said, I got this one at the Bargain Outlet for only a few dollars! There are all kinds of places you could go looking for some of these little guys for cheap.

Here are a few more ideas for clay pot storage to inspire you:

Remote "Control." Get a little glazed clay pot that will match your family room colors and stick all those television remotes in them. I don't know about you but remotes have a knack for getting lost in my house. I still have one that has yet to be recovered. A little clay pot can make your remotes look like part of the decor, while also keeping them contained and always at hand.

Desk Tidiness. Stick all those pens, pencils, scissors, paint brushes, whatever else you want inside a small clay pot. Again, it looks pretty and keeps it neat!

Kindlewood Container. Make a decorative display out of all those twigs you're hoarding for winter fires. Stick 'em in a large glazed clay pot!