Weekend DIY ideas with Cut Out and Keep

Geeky Cross Stitch Rings by Owly Sh*t

What better way to while away a weekend than to get your craft on? We recently hosted a giveaway with the guys and gals at DIY mecca Cut Out and Keep to find the best festival inspired fashion DIY - and the winner of our £50 voucher was this Geeky Cross Stitch Ring tutorial by Owly Sh*t, so cute!

 

 

Let's Get Crafty - Bow Print Manicure with Kailey from Mermaidens

Hello fellow Crown and Glory enthusiasts! It's Kailey from Mermaidens and I was honored when Sophie invited me to do a guest post with you lovelies! I was immediately inspired to create a nail art tutorial based on Sophie's gorgeous Pastel Glitter Hair Bows!

Nail Polishes Used in this Tutorial: Sinful Colors' Easy Going, Sally Hansen's Lacey Lilac, Sally Hansen's Chartreuse Chase, Wet 'n Wild's I Need a Refresh-Mint, Revlon's Sunshine Sparkle, & CoverGirl's Disco Dazzle. However, just about any pastelly shade of pink, purple, green, blue, and yellow will do! You will also need a white nail polish pen and some chunky glitter polish.

Paint each nail one pastel color for a base. Wait until each nail is completely dry.

Apply a generous amount of your sparkly nail polish on top! I used two coats to make it extra sparkly.

Wait until the glitter has dried and then, using a white nail polish pen, draw little bows on your ring, middle, and index finger. Volia! Pop in one of your Crown and Glory Pastel Glitter Hair Bows and you're all set! ♡

Let's Get Crafty - Summer Manicure

When I saw this manicure pop pop on Tatty Devine's Instagram feed last week I just had to dust off my summer polish draw and give myself a hot pink and orange manicure! So summery!

So I decided to go for all Barry M nail paints to create a super bright colours block mani with flower and crystal detailing; go hard or go home nd all that! Because I work with my hands, doing any kind of nail or or manicure on false nails is an absolute must for me, else they'll chip within hours (and trust me, I've tried every top coat out there) These Classic French nails in Short are perfect for me, vile French manicure effect aside (is anyone still wearing that? Really?) as the lengths are really good and where I'd normally wear my nails, despite my long nail beds, and the quick numbered tab system means you only have to sort out the sizes for one hand.

Despite the orange being a Barry M Gelly Shine paint, I still needed three coats of these polishes to make the tipex white tips disappear, but hey, I'm a patient girl. Once the base was on, I dotted my ring fingers with lilac paint using a toothpick into daisy patterns, and then glued flat back AB crystals to the centre of the flowers, and then a line of them along the base of each index finger. Et voila, super summery, sparkly mani.

 

Let's Get Crafty - DIY Chalkboard Bunting with Cut Out + Keep

It seems these days that no party is complete without a photobooth or a bit of bunting, but if like us you're a bit over the chintzy, floral kind, why not pack a punch with chalkboard bunting? I can just imagine this being used in a wedding reception's photobooth saying 'just married' for the happy couple!


You will need
Thin Wood
Chalkboard paint
A paintbrush
String
Hole punch
Chalk


Step 1
Start by cutting triangles out of thin wood. We used some scrap shipping wood that came as packaging with a piece of furniture. You can buy wood triangles in craft shops, if you struggle to find a piece that works well. You'll need about 12 triangles to be able to write a nice long message.

Step 2
Paint your triangles with a coat of chalkboard paint and leave to dry.

Step 3
Paint with a second coat of paint and leave to dry again.


Step 4
Punch a hole at either side of the top of the triangle. My wood was thin enough to use a hole punch.

Step 5
Loop some string through the hole.

Step 6
Secure at the back with a knot and then string through the second hole, securing with another knot.


Step 7
Leave a small length of string between each triangle and continue threading them all on to the string.

Step 8
Now the fun part. Write on your bunting with chalk. I used a ruler to give mine a neat outline, but you can decorate yours however you like!

And you’re done! Hang up and admire your handy work!


This tutorial is brought to you by our friends at Cut Out + Keep, who are kind of a big deal in the crafting world - so much so that Google just made them the stars of their latest ad! With over 60,000 crafting ideas and counting, from how to fishtail braid your hair to sweet treats like Giant Peanut Butter Cups I could certainly think of worse ways to spend my weekend.