I’ve been feeling a little crafty lately so when I saw the pendant project at papernstitch I knew I had to put my own spin on it. Armed with a pile of neon floss, I …sat there for an hour and struggle with my design – random? stripes? chevron? The possibilities are endless! Then I told myself to chill the hell out and stop stressing about a tiny little DIY project. In the end, I went with a design that appealed to my orderly sensibilities.

Perfectionist much?

Fair warning: It’s a super easy project (especially if you’re familiar with cross-stitching) but it’s super tedious. I worked on one pendant on and off all weekend.

What you’ll need:

• wooden pendant (you can find them in a bunch of different shapes and sizes)
• Sharpie
• embroidery floss
• beading needle (I had a heck of a time using an embroidery needle so I think this will save you a ton of swear words)
• chord or chain
• scissors

How to:

1. Paint the pendant with a Sharpie or paint pen (I think it gives it a more finished look and helps the colors pop but if au naturel is your thing, them skip straight to #2).
2. Stitch your chosen pattern, securing the ends tightly (I like to weave the end of the thread though the back of the piece so that the ends are tucked in)
3. Thread the chord or chain through the pendant
4. Look fabulous

PS
Sorry for the boobs. They sometimes get in the way.

I got together with two especially crafty and Pinterest addicted coworkers this weekend for the First Annual Tipsy Wreath Making Party. I spotted this wreath from Design Sponge and thought sure – why not pick the most labor intensive wreath I can find for my first time ever making a wreath. And why not throw in sharp pins and alcohol to make it really interesting!

It actually wasn’t that daunting and I’m really pleased with the way it turned out. Here’s how it’s done…

No, that’s not pepperoni. I had to do a little pre-party crafting and spent about 2 hours cutting 400 3-inch felt circles. Super sharp crafting scissors are a must.

Once all my felt circles have been cut, all I needed were some pins (I prefer flat head since they are easier to hide) and a 12-inch foam wreath form. I folded the circles in half twice to form a rosette and stuck my pin through near the point.

I placed the rosettes around the wreath OCD style, fluffing and repositioning as I went, and voila! Two hours and three glasses of wine later, I had my finished wreath.

And I only stuck myself with a pin once.

Didn’t even draw blood. (She says proudly.)

I added a vintage glitter poinsettia because I can’t leave well enough alone, and hung above my living room couch for all to admire.

My tipsy-wreath-making-partners-in-crime were equally as successful with winter foliage, marshmallows, and ornaments.

Are you getting crafty this holiday season? What have you made?