I love jewelry, anything handmade, and a good DIY project. I didn't realize they could all go hand in hand! This first started out as what I thought was going to be a quick search, both in-store and online, to find a cute holder for my necklaces. Let me tell you... the search wasn't quick (I scoured so many stores and websites), and sturdy jewelry hangers are outrageously priced! I just couldn't see myself paying a ridiculous amount for something so simple. So, my internet search then went to finding inspiration for a handmade piece to hold my costume jewelry.
The internet wielded some great ideas. But I decided to try and create something spending as little money as possible, and at the same time make it look better than all of the expensive jewelry organizers I saw online and in department stores. Believe it or not, this project didn't cost me a thing. It was done using scraps and supplies I already had on hand.
Most of my DIYs are chock full of photos. I apologize that I don't have pictures of the step-by-step process for this project. I actually made these last winter [before I had a blog], and I didn't even think to take pictures while I worked. But it shouldn't be a problem for you. The directions are pretty straight forward.... and I'm here if you need help :)
HANDMADE JEWELRY ORGANIZER
TOOLS & SUPPLIES:
- Board(s) of Wood : Cut to the dimensions you want. Lucky for me, I have a hubby who is a craftsman that works in a woodshop. The pieces I used are top-quality, sturdy hardwood blocks that were actually scraps from one of his projects at work. He cut them to size for me.
- A Power Drill: For drilling pilot holes to screw in your cup hooks. My handy husband did this for me at work in his woodshop.
- Fabric: Scraps work great here, if you have pieces that are large enough. You need just enough to cover the "front" and partially over the 4 sides. Remember, it doesn't need to cover the sides completely, that is what the next item is for...
- Ribbon: It should be wide enough to cover the "edge" of the wood and long enough to completely wrap around all four sides. (Be sure to singe the ends to prevent the ribbon from fraying.) The fat ribbon I had on hand for this project, was the perfect fit to the scrap wood my hubby gave me.
- Mod Podge: To bind the fabric to the wood.
- Cup Hooks: They come in a variety of sizes and finishes, and can be found in the tool and hardware aisle of your local Walmart.
- Sawtooth Picture Mounts: Gives you the ability to hang your organizer on the wall. They come in a variety of sizes and made to hold different weights. Be sure you choose accordingly. I had to purchase heavy-duty ones since I used hardwood which is pretty darn heavy. You can find these in the same aisle you found the cup hooks.
- Picture Hooks/Hangers: Consisting of a "hook-like" piece to be used in conjunction with the accompanied tiny head nails. They also come in a variety of sizes and made to hold different weights. Choose accordingly. You will find these in the same tool and hardware aisle of your local Walmart.
- Xacto Knife
- Hammer
- Sandpaper
- Tape Measure
- Pencil
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
DIRECTIONS:
- The first thing you need to do, if you haven't already, is cut your piece(s) of wood to the desired size. You may also want to smooth out the rough, raw edges with sandpaper.
- Decide how many hooks you want on your organizer. Using your tape measure and pencil, find the center (from top to bottom), then line up, measure out, and place evenly spaced "marks" on the piece(s) of wood.
- With your "marks" as a guide, use your power drill to make pilot holes for your cup hooks. This will make screwing the hooks in so much easier, especially if you're using a hardwood like I did. It's also handy to have these holes once your fabric is adhered to the front of the wood.
- Using your paintbrush, coat the "front" (the area with the holes you just made) of your wood with a layer of Mod Podge. Lay your fabric print-side down, and place your piece of wood (glue side down) in the center of your fabric. Once the wood is in the right place, press down on it for a few seconds to give it a good bond.
- Carefully flip the wood and fabric over to the correct side. Rub the front of the wood to make sure the fabric is nice and smooth removing any air bubbles along the way. Let that part dry before moving on.
- This next step is best done in sections. Use Mod Podge to adhere the excess fabric to all four sides of the piece(s) of wood. You may need to snip the corners a little with your scissors to get the fabric to lay nice and flat. It's okay to overlap the fabric a bit at the corners.
- This step is also best done in sections. Once your fabric is dry, use Mod Podge to adhere your long strip of ribbon to the "sides" of the wood, wrapping it from corner to corner. Smooth out the ribbon and be sure it is straight and flush with the back edge of the wood. Allow each side to dry before moving onto the next. (I let it dry with the wet side down on a flat surface, using the weight of the wood as the pressure needed to give it a good bond, as well as keeping the ribbon flat.) At the end of this step, the only wood you should be able to see is on the back.
- Next, you will add your sawtooth picture mounts to the back of your organizer, one on each end. (I didn't place mine directly at the top. I went down about half an inch so my picture hangers aren't completely visible when my organizer is up on the wall.) Your tape measure will come in handy, along with a pencil. Once you know where your mounts will go, mark the holes of the mounts for easy reference. Use your hammer to nail them to the wood.
- Flip the holder over to the pretty side. Feel around the fabric for the holes you drilled in Step 3. Once you locate them, use the Xacto knife to poke a hole in the fabric directly over each pilot hole.
- Now you should be able to easily screw in your cup hooks without ruining the fabric. The only thing left to do is attach your picture hooks to the wall so you can hang your organizer. And of course, add your jewelry. That's it...you are done!
I do have to say that the best thing about this jewelry holder is that I made it myself... and for next to nothing! Being able to use my own fabric and ribbon, really customizing it to what I like, makes it that much better than buying something in a store or online. I also know that no one else has it, and what they do have, they spent way too much on something they could have easily made themselves.
As you can see, I made two of them. They look fabulous flanking our cabinet! I just love them and I'm so happy I didn't cave in and purchase something I wasn't completely in love with, especially at those prices!
I hope you like this project as much as I loved making it! I also hope to inspire you to take that risk to make something yourself (rather than going out and purchasing it), because in the end, you never know... what you made may be 100 times better, cuter, and cheaper than what you can find in a store.
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