the Corkiest of Boards DIY

This has been a long-running craft because I've been collecting wine corks for almost 2 years. This summer I finally had enough to make my cork board, just in time for the new apartment!

I patiently waited 2 years to collect all these corks instead of buying a big bag on Amazon because I thought it would be more fun to have a board of drunken memories repurposed to something so useful and aesthetically pleasing.

And this is how it happened:
Corks! collected from friends and family
Frame from Michael's ($7)
Hot Glue
Some kind of straight-edge knife 
...rounding up a $7 craft

1) I took out the plastic covering of the frame (along with the adorable puppy preset photo) and put it aside (I have plans to make it a whiteboard type canvas). I was left with the cardboard backing and the frame.

2) I laid out the corks in a chevron pattern, but you can do it in straight horizontal or vertical patterns so that you don't have to cut up corks to fit in the empty spaces.

I had to chop off the edges of the corks running along the far left side. Once all the full-sized corks were securely hot-glued in their position. I took to the cutting board and saw-ed the corks into smaller pieces to fit in the empty sockets here and there.

I can't wait to put it up and pin things. Make your own board of wine memories!

Dip-Dye Watermelon Shorts

I saw watermelon shorts online and knew that I had to make my own. The epitome of summer in a pair of high-waisted shorts. And thus my crafting journey began...

It took about a month to get discounted high-waisted white shorts, but i finally found them at Marshalls!

So I rounded up the materials:

High-waisted white shorts from Marshalls ($15)
Rit Kelly Green Dye and
Rit Fuchsia Dye from Michael's ($2.30 each)
Puffy Paint
Bucket to fill with hot colorful water

1) I taped the shorts so I knew when to stop submerging them

 

 

 2) Follow the dye instructions on the box (hot water, mix, blahblah). I submerged the shorts but my bucket was a bit too small, so make sure you get a bucket big enough! I kept it under for about 10 minutes in the Fuchsia bath, and cleaned it up according to the box.

Then it moved to the Kelly Green bath and stayed there for 10 minutes.

3) I threw it into the washing machine and awaited my masterpiece.

...but wait! It's not done yet.

Although no one likes eating watermelon with seeds, watermelon shorts would be incomplete without those pesky black seeds.

4) I used puffy paint to draw in the seeds because I thought it would give the seeds that shine and 3D feel that they give off in real life.

I plan on wearing it to the beach, summertime adventures, and the Made in America Music Festival. Can't wait to show these babies off!