First, you will need:

hot glue gun and glue sticks, a base and a plate.

For this project, I used a small thrifted bowl and a thrifted vintage plate.

Turn the base and plate upside down and make sure they are clean and dry.

Apply a thin circle of glue around the edge of the base and a larger dollop in the center. Since my base and plate were not completely flat surfaces that were going to meet, I needed enough glue to fill out the gap and yet not too much that it ran out the sides.

Press the base into the center of the back of the plate and hold for a minute. It will dry pretty quickly and the key is to let it sit for awhile before using it.

Voila! Easy as pie (or cake. Whatever.)

I am using mine for an accent piece in my entry. This is the table where we dump our keys, glasses, mail, etc. I wanted something pretty to hold the leftover blooms from Mother’s Day so that I could see their prettiness right when I walk in.

I have to admit, I love it. And I get such a distinct satisfaction out of repurposing things I’ve already got around the house and mixing it up so that there is a freshness in my home. It makes me feel so productive, you know?

Welcome!

{please visit Leather Wraps here}

I have a bit of a confession to make. There are days when I don’t wear makeup, don’t style my hair, don’t put on anything besides the same tshirt and jeans I’ve been rocking for two days. There; I said it. This doesn’t mean, however, that I don’t care about what I see in the mirror before I leave the house. My secret? I adorn myself properly. A messy ballerina bun or a hat, some cute sandals and a well decorated arm of jewelry are all I need to transform my look from “Mom who doesn’t care” to “Unaffected lady with children.” (This might well be all in my imagination but I’m sticking with it!)

My search for the essential bangle is never-ending. In the sometimes over-saturated market of jewelry, it can be overwhelming to try and find those pieces that speak to you not only with their wearability but also with their chic and easy sophistication. I felt like I hit pay dirt when I stumbled across Leather Wraps. These gorgeously crafted leather bangles with gold and silver accents are the perfect adornment to take an ordinary day and make it extraordinary. Offered in a variety of colors, you can mix and match or stack as many or as few as you like. Personally, I’m torn between the Gold and the Yellow. There is just something about the idea of sunshine living on my wrist that just makes me smile. Maybe I’ll even add some lip gloss.

Leather Wraps is giving away one set of 8 bangles with double gold or silver tube accents (in the winner’s choice of any color available in the shop) to one lucky winner! To enter to win, please answer the following question by Tuesday, May 22nd.

What advice would you give to yourself 5 years ago?

Start checking the winner’s box on Monday, May 28th, to see if you’ve won!

Today we are honored to introduce you to Stormy Baker of Leather Wraps!

Please introduce yourself to our readers and explain a little bit about your business.

I’m a Southern Girl who was a full-time nurse who decided to enjoy life a little more! I down sized and moved to a small country, historic town with my family and started a business from my home. I love making leather jewelry! It just Rocks! I could do this 24/7!

We believe that one of the ways to achieve happiness is to “Do what you love, love what you do.” How does this philosophy apply to your life?

I changed my life by doing what I love and in return….. I see my family and friends and have an inner piece that’s undescribable! Everyone should Try this! Take a leap of Faith!

Our mission here at The Bright Side Project is to spread sunshine on a daily basis because we firmly that life is (still) beautiful. Where do you find beauty and inspiration?

My inspiration comes from the love of my family, the beauty of the earth and nature.

On a dreary day, what do you do to infuse your life with a little bit of sunshine?

Today was one of those days….and we went outside under a covered boathouse and fished with the family. Stay active and with the ones you love.

What are you most grateful for?

I’m most grateful for my daughter(she’s a miracle child from invitro) and my loving husband of 16 plus years! I love them so much!!!

Please check back later today for an amazing giveaway from Leather Wraps!

To download, click on the image to open it full size and select file “save as” for your own personal use.

And be sure to leave a comment or email us with your suggestion and you may see your “name in lights!”

Have a great week!

xo,

Miss Lindsey

Happy Friday, dear readers! Don’t forget to enter this week’s giveaways. We’ve got some lovelies to adorn you with from our friends at fresh grammar AND not Tuesday. Has anyone tried some homemade body scrub? Let us know how it works for you.

Here are a few links to make you smile this weekend:

::A brilliant reminder that our parents were fantastic young individuals once themselves over at My Parents Were Awesome.

::If you’re ever feeling down about the state of human affairs, click on over to Gives Me Hope and check out reader submitted stories of people doing good deeds.

::Love this article about how NOT to fight the blues. Sometimes taking care of ourselves means giving ourselves what we need, not what we want. A refreshing reminder.

If you have something wonderful to share with us, please leave a comment. Goodness is contagious, after all!

No one wants to be a cookie cutter. We all want to be seen as unique and special, even the shy ones among us. This isn’t to say we all want to be the center of attention; sometimes we just want to be noticed for being original. There is something about owning our individuality that allows us to become the best version of ourselves, that allows us to grow even more. Originality is the key. Our theme this month, Adorn, needs originality to live up to its full potential. What is the point of adorning ourselves if we are only going to look like every other lovely person out there?

Alex King of fresh grammar has done the impossible by creating a line of jewelry that screams fresh and new and innovative. Utilizing simplicity as a tool, each of these pieces speak to the fundamental reason we choose to accessorize ourselves in the first place. I firmly believe jewelry should enhance and accentuate and from the “beaded copper ball necklace” to the “silver and white chevron chainmail necklace”, King adds to the fully saturated market of jewelry a sense of uniqueness and chic originality that I haven’t seen a long time. Tell me you’re not longing to drape this “easter egg blue and gold lariat necklace” across your neck. (I am, too.) Let’s honor this month of Adorn with originality. Let’s honor this month with fresh grammar.

fresh grammar is giving away two of the industrial steel hex necklace to two lucky winners (one each)! To enter to win, please answer the following question by Thursday, May 17th.

What is your favorite word (g-rated, please!) and why?

Start checking the winner’s box on Monday, May 21st, to see if you’ve won!

Today we are honored to introduce you to fresh grammar!
Please introduce yourself to our readers and explain a little bit about your business.

My name is Alex and my ‘day job’ is a philosophy PhD student. It’s extremely consuming (definitely not 9-to-5) and could basically fill up all my waking hours if I let it. Reading, thinking, and writing all day is mentally exhausting, but physically boring, and I’ve always loved doing things with my hands. And it’s a great change of pace to express myself through things rather than through words. So my business is, more than anything, a way for me to relax and share the stuff that I dig with other people!

We believe that one of the ways to achieve happiness is to “Do what you love, love what you do.” How does this philosophy apply to your life?

I can’t imagine my life being any more a reflection of this. The only reason to do philosophy is because you love it, and my business is basically an awesome hobby I love and want to share with other people!

Our mission here at The Bright Side Project is to spread sunshine on a daily basis because we firmly that life is (still) beautiful. Where do you find beauty and inspiration?

I’m slightly obsessed with architecture and industrial design, so a lot of my inspiration comes from there. I also used to work at a boutique flower shop (http://www.ilexflowers.com/), so I see a lot of beauty in plants and nature.

On a dreary day, what do you do to infuse your life with a little bit of sunshine?

I may not like walking in the rain, but I love listening to it. So I open the windows a crack so I can hear it and brew a nice big pot of tea. Usually I’ll just get some (school)work done. If there’s not too much to do, I’ll bake something, or just surf the internet and play some video games.

What are you most grateful for?

It’s been a hard month for my family, so I’m most grateful right now for my health and the health of people I’m close to. Without that, you can’t really do much else.

Check back later today for an amazing giveaway from fresh grammar!

Now, I don’t really use specific measurements, I just add the dry ingredients until it is the texture I want. As a general rule, I tend to use more white sugar than brown but that’s just a personal preference. You can play around with your measurements to suit your liking. The ground coffee adds a great exfoliating texture and smells fabulous.

Shake and/or stir your dry ingredients to distribute as evenly as possible.

Pour in your oil, mixing as you go. If you are making a large batch, this works better in a bowl. I like the serious moisture that olive oil brings and there is just something so rustic about it, you know?

Add your essential oils or scents if you are interested. I added a couple drops of vanilla leftover from a soap-making brainstorm that never took hold.

Stir until you have the texture/consistency you’re looking for. I tend to go heavier on the oil than some. It’s a preference.

If you are giving this away as a gift (as I will be doing) then add some simple fabric and glue something pretty to the lid. Voila! Your very own coffee & brown sugar body scrub!

To use, I suggest standing in the shower. Cleaning up this mess off the bathroom floor isn’t the most relaxing way to wind down once your’e done. Simply rub the mixture into your skin and rinse off. You will smell great, feel softer than ever and feel proud of yourself knowing that you made this yourself!

Enjoy!

xo,

Miss Krista

This season let’s all make a pact to make a statement, shall we? In a world that sometimes pays too much attention to the drama and the pain and the darkness, let’s collectively focus on the positive. Let’s focus on celebration, on color, on love. Let’s embellish the greatness in our lives and adorn our very beings with the small things that make us smile. Because, honestly, sometimes one small smile can change everything. That’s the kind of statement we should make.

It is no coincidence that statement jewelry is the kind of stuff that gets people’s attention. It is the kind of jewelry that changes things. Personally, I find that a good statement piece with a pop of color has the ability to change the day I am having. It is a physical reminder to live life out loud, with purpose. Rachel Wightman of not Tuesday creates exactly the types of pieces I find myself drawn to when I need a dose of inspiration and brightness. From the humble simplicity of her handcrafted beads to the chic artistic designs, these necklaces make a statement without you ever having to say a word. They make a statement about color and celebration and, yes, love.

not Tuesday is giving away one ‘not quite cylinder beads make a long necklace’  (pictured above) to one lucky winner! To enter to win, please answer the following question by Tuesday, May 15th. Comments now closed…good luck!

What is your favorite personality trait about yourself?

Start checking the winner’s box on Monday, May 21st, to see if you’ve won…Good luck!

Today we are honored to introduce you to not Tuesday.

Please introduce yourself to our readers and explain a little bit about your business.

Well hello. I’m Rachel and not Tuesday is my little creation of accessories to hang around your neck. My former dining table (now the making stuff table) is the place where I am quite happy playing with polymer clay, mixing colours and putting together unexpected combinations of beads I make by hand, to create pieces of vibrant simplicity.

We believe that one of the ways to achieve happiness is to “Do what you love, love what you do.” How does this philosophy apply to your life?

The most obvious answer is my work. I create in a way that is completely me. I feel very lucky that others have appreciated and bought what I make, and the fact that I get to call this my job! I don’t feel the need to conform or please the boss anymore – so refreshing!

Our mission here at The Bright Side Project is to spread sunshine on a daily basis because we firmly that life is (still) beautiful. Where do you find beauty and inspiration?

I see beauty and inspiration everywhere! I live in inner Sydney and don’t have a car, so I do lots of walking. There are some gorgeous little laneways to explore and there are always new and interesting details/architecture/shops/bars/strange and funny graffiti/galleries to stumble upon. I love wandering around and absorbing the little things that you would miss if you were stuck in traffic.

On a dreary day, what do you do to infuse your life with a little bit of sunshine?

Watch some Flight of the Conchords. Those boys never fail to crack me up.

What are you most grateful for?

My ridiculously amazing 3 year old daughter who I am completely in love with, and the fact that she is finally now in bed at 11.36pm. That, and the glass of wine in my hand.

Check back later today for an amazing giveaway from not Tuesday!