How to make a great earring rack!

It's my first new post of the new school year :)

My daughters and I have struggled with a way to store their earrings ever since we got their ears pierced. We kept them on the original cards, we used ice cube trays, we even bought those cute earring holders at Claire's. Nothing worked. The cards were too cumbersome, the ice cube trays left a bunch of earrings you couldn't see, and the retail racks require removing the backs every time you take them on and off. I knew there had to be a better way and there was.

I decided I needed a way to see all of the earrings and the only solution would be a flat wall rack. It would have holes large enough to allow a dangle hook to go through it with the small rubber back still on it. I also knew it didn't exist so I would have to make it.

I went to Home Depot and found these great metal sheets with different patterns punched in them (1' x 2' for $10). I chose this pattern because the holes where large enough to allow for the earring back to go through and small enough so we could hang a lot of pairs.  This is the assembled piece but a good shot of the sheet metal, too.

I then headed to the molding section. I knew it needed to be picture frame molding to allow the sheet to be recessed on the back. If I was going to hang it from the wall there would need to be space for the back of the earrings between the sheet metal and the wall. I found this l-shaped molding for 63¢ per foot.

I went ahead and cut it on their miter box there even though I have one at home. That way I was sure I had exactly enough molding, I could do a dry fit with all the pieces, and most importantly I could do all the sawing in air conditioning :)

So I headed home and began to assemble. I used two brad nails on each corner to secure each side of the frame. I used my staple gun that shoots small brad nails to make it go faster and my counter sink to sink them just slightly below the surface. 

Once the frames where assembled, I spray painted them silver to match the sheet metal.

 

Once dry, I used some glue to adhere the sheet metal to the frame, and done!

This project was so simple and my daughters were so excited. Now all those pairs of earrings will be worn!

Good luck and let me know of you have any questions :)

Notes:
- I did not use wood glue on the corners, but you can if you want it more stable during assembly. I'm too impatient to wait for drying :) and the sheet metal gluing stabilizes the whole thing in the end.
- I also did not use wood putty to fill the brad nail holes or corner joints. Again too impatient to wait or drying and sanding:) But you can if you want a more "perfectly" finished look.
- I already had the brad nails and glue and paint, so just use what you have! All can be purchased at home depot while you are there if you don't have anything yet.  This is the glue I had that worked great (LockTite Stik'nSeal Outdoor Adhesive).

- I found a few spots on the sheet metal needed to be weighted down during drying since it was coming up a little. Spaghetti boxes worked perfectly :)

Another zero calorie drink mixer post!

Yes, I'm fascinated with zero calorie drink mixers, but when I came across this one at World Market today I had to try it. It's all natural made with stevia! No gross saccharine, aspartame or sucralose.

Just tried it and OMG I love it. I'm shocked really because I usually don't like no-cal margarita mix. My recipe tonight:

Two shots Refine margarita mix
one shot tequila
one shot triple sec

Yummy! Doesn't taste like sugar free!

Hair dryer storage project complete

Whoever doesn't think Pinterest is the best website ever invented doesn't get on it!

Now that I have that off of my chest :), here is my "saw it on Pinterest and did it" project for the day.  The hair dryer storage using a magazine file.

So this is the best idea I think I've seen (did I say that before ; )

You buy a cheap magazine file (or use one you have).  These two are from Ikea, both from the as is section for $3 each (but they have a lot of options for cheap regular price ones).  I wouldn't use the strong paper ones for obvious reasons (wet area and cardboard don't mix :).  Their metal and plastic ones are mostly 2 for $7.  I personally prefer the mesh one, but my older daugther didn't want to be able to see through it, so to each their own ; )

Just screw it onto your cabinet door (use three screws that are short enough that they won't go through your cabinet door, two on top and one on bottom) and set the hairdryer in.  It couldn't have taken me more than 5 minutes to do both.

For the mesh one, it was easier (holes were already in it.  For the solid metal one, I used a nail to "predrill" the holes : ) 

I placed two screws on either side of the top just inside for both.

I also found that you need to secure the bottom as well to make sure it doesn't move around too much.  I used the hole on the spine to place one more screw on the bottom of each.  This was hard to photograph, but here's the bottom screw on the solid one.

And here it is on the mesh one.  This access hole on this one isn't very big, but it was still easy to secure the screw.

Again, don't use screws that are too long and ruin the front of your cabinet.  Also, if your cabinet is "raised panel"  make sure you are placing the screws in the right places (where you have the thickest part of the cabinet).

This is a must do if you own a hairdryer so get on it : )

Make a drawer out of your unused keyboard tray

If you have a keyboard tray you don't use on your desk (i.e., you have a laptop), turn it into a drawer with a drawer organizer.

This one we got at Ikea and used double sided tape to stick it down.

Just measure height width and depth so you get the right size (measure the depth with the keyboard tray open so it doesn't go back too far to be able to access the back bin)s.

$2.49 later my daughter has better places to store pencils, pens, etc.  Even looks good with the drawer closed since it matches the desk.  You could easily add a trim piece if yours didn't.

Quick, cheap and easy fix. 

Here's the before shot : )

Duct tape frame

I warned you that there would be several duct tape posts after my daughter's birthday :) And here's another. A duct tape picture frame...pretty simple actually.

Took an old frame I had in a drawer (really cheap dollar store type).  I cut duct tape strips the length of the left and right sides (with about and extra 1/4") and adhered it to the outside.

I made sure it was covering the corner just slightly ( to insure a good looking corner joint...no gaps). I then wrapped it toward the inside.

In order to get it to go around the inside corner, I just trimmed each side at a 45 degree angle once it was at that point.

As you can see the right and left side didn't have to be perfect since the top and bottom pieces will cover it up. 

I repeated the process for the top and bottom piece (I had to be more careful with my cut since you would see that edge of the tape.  Turned out pretty cute and more importantly...my daughter loves it!

Success...found all 5 favors of Crystal Light Mocktails

It took stops at two different stores, but I found them all.

The main three, Margarita, Mojito & Appletini at Walmart for $2.68 (I also picked up their Great Value brand version of margarita...I'll be doing a taste test :).

Found the Limited Edition Peach Bellini and Pomotini at Tom Thumb for $2.50 (Safeway or Randall's sister grocery store). I have such high hopes for the Peach Bellini that I got two.

My friend was at Target and said they only had the three main favors, but on sale for $2.48 and Margarita and Appletini were sold out.

Let the mixing begin. They won't be "mock" for very long :) I'll post successful recipes as I make them :)

Crystal light mocktails

Off to find all 5 of these flavors right now. Will report back as soon as I have found them and tried them. How have these been out for a year and I've never heard of them???

(I'll report back on which girl I feel most like after drinking each one : )  Marketers are so funny...and yes I used to be one.