Make it Monday // DIY Hexagon Popsicle Stick Shelves

I am willing to bet you at least $5 that the first craft you ever made was using Popsicle sticks.  Today I want to share with you a really cool upgrade to popsicle stick crafts - one that I think is resourceful and also great for a crafty room.  It pays homage to our paper and paste days of crafting.  When we were young, free, and glued colored macaroni to various object.  This project upgrades the traditional popsicle stick to something a bit more classy.

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I present to you the popsicle stick hexagon shelf project!  I had a blast making this and it whipped up super quick.  This is perfect decor for a craft room - in my opinion!

supplies :: various popsicle sticks - I used 90 (3 total packs) of Super Jumbo Popsicle Sticks for the larger hexagon & 75 - 150 (1-2 packs) Jumbo Popsicle Sticks for each of the smaller hexagons, adhesive - E6000 is stronger but hot glue is faster (I used hot glue for this), painter's tape, spray paint of your choice (I used a rose gold paint), optional hexagon template, nails & hammer

To easily make an even hexagon I suggest starting off with a template.  I used my Cricut Explore to cut out an 11 inch wide hexagon from some unused scrapbook paper.  I love my Cricut Explore for paper crafting - I love that if I have an idea I can whip it up in a matter of seconds.  This is a simple shape for the Cricut but it would take me forever to come up with the correct shape.  (If you haven't thought about a digital die cutting machine - I suggest the Cricut for all your paper crafting needs).

Lay out your popsicle sticks along the edges of the hexagon template.  Adhere them together - in this case with hot glue - so that you are able to stack them against each other in a Licoln Log style.  You should have three popsicle sticks on the 'bottom' and the other three layered on the the 'top'.  This way you can alternate where the sticks are placed to get a 'woven' type of pattern.  So in the picture above the last popsicle stick is glued right on top of the the ends of the two beside it.  Continue gluing the sticks in this manner until you get the depth you'd like.  Repeat for as many little shelves as you like - odd numbers always look best, so I went with 3.

Using painter's tape, mask off where you want to paint your mini shelves.  It may help to arrange them on a table in the manner they will be on the wall to visualize where to paint.  Be sure to tape the inside as well so that you don't get spray paint in places you don't want it.

I also found it helpful to use a pencil to mark the up position so I'd know how I was hanging these once they were dry.  When they are dry, remove the painters tape and hang with two nails on either side of one side of the hexagon.

These shelves aren't going to be the strongest things in the world, but for little knick knacks I think these shelves are perfect.  Every time I look at them I have a little chuckle - I think they look super neat, but they are totally made out of a kids craft supply!!

Do you have any memories of crafting as a kid?  What is your earliest one?

xoxo, Moe

Dorm Dec Wednesdays: Creating a Space of your Own

I'd really like to be able to keep my room separate from my craft/making area but don't have room in my small apartment to do so.  Right now my room mate & I have both of our sewing machines crammed onto our dinning table under the only over head light in our apartment.  It gets cramped when she's trying to cut & I am trying to sew & vice versa.  There's no place to iron, no place to cut out patterns, etc.  We are both novice seamstresses, have two very different machines, & are doing very different things.

I recently found this adorable blog, Apple Blue where Amanda has created her own little sewing space with an old bookshelf, curtain, & type case.  So awesome!

and also take a look at her chairs:

aren't they perfect?

I definitely don't have room for this in our little apartment, but it's nice to dream.  I am hoping to have a loft bed in my new apartment & have space to create below. 

Do you have a separate space to work?  

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Dorm Dec Wednesdays: Soup Can Chic

I am all about saving & reusing jars, containers, bags, etc.  I am always needing something to put little bits & bobs in.  The stack of jars in my cabinet might soon be met with stacks of soup cans after seeing this project:

Aren't these great? At first I thought they were porcelain, which would be so gorgeous, but they are in fact slightly abused but totally reused soup cans.  Check out the tutorial here from Family Chic where you can take out your anger on cans:

paint them nice colors:

And end up with something great.  I can't get over how interesting they look.  What an awesome form!

How would you use the end product? I can totally see all my art supplies, pens, markers, brushes, hooks, etc neatly organized in cans like these!

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Dorm Dec Wednesdays: Tin Can Organization

I love the idea of stacking to take up less space.  In a small apartment, things need to go as high as they can.  I found this cute idea for a craft room, but it would be perfect for any other room in the house:

source

I'd make a dozen & here's how I'll use them:

• In the Kitchen - organize your tall & short spice containers.  Put fruits & nuts in it as well.  We always have nuts like walnuts around in the winter time.  Even granola bars & wrapped pastries would look much better here than in their boxes.
• In the Bathroom - put your make up in different tiers according to what they are, put wash clothes & soaps with in easy reach for guests, add in your toothbrush too!
• In the Bedroom - make a two tiered one for your glasses, change & random jewelry on your nightstand.  Create one for your beau for his watch, lose change & other pocket what-nots.  It would be great for ties if he doesn't have a lot!
• In the Studio - Store bits & bobs like shown in the picture.
• In the Office - store paper clips, pens, note pads, etc. Since its magnetic you can post notes to it for reminders.
• In the Living Room - use it to display decorative accents like the yarn in the picture or store small games like cards or Bananagrams!

These are just someways to translate this craft room decor to every day decor.

Visit the original post here on Better Homes & Gardens.  It calls for a jigsaw & pipes, etc but I think you could do it the same way you would make a cake stand.  Grab some candle sticks while you pick up your tins from the thrift store & some E6000 from the craft store.  Center & glue.   

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