I offered up a tutorial on how to make these pretty dang cute red tassel earrings with fringe trim and chain. So head over there to check out the tutorial and snoop around a bit.

Cheerios!

Handmade items by Billie Monster on Etsy

What you need:

• wire cutters
• jewelry pliers
• crimp forming pliers
• 2 small crimp tubes
• 2 crimp covers
• beads or pearls
• length of chain
• 25ga/45mm metallic beading wire

You can use any type of beads or pearls, and chain that you like as long as they match each other in color and weight. Try to match your beading wire, jump rings, crimp beads and covers to the finish of your chain (I didn't have brass crimps/covers so I just used gold toned ones - w/e works). If you're using large or heavy glass pearls like I am, you definitely want to make sure you use beading wire to string them. Beading wire is strong enough to support the heavier beads, and will last a lot longer without breaking. String or thread would probably break a lot sooner than the beading wire.

Cut a length of beading wire that is at least three or four times as long as the length of the beads would be on the wire. My beads measured 3 inches long when lined up in a row, so I cut my wire to be at least 9 inches. The extra length gives you room to work with when you're putting on the crimp tubes.

On one end of the wire, slip on a crimp tube and loop the end of the wire back around and through the crimp tube again. You'll end up with a loop on one side of the crimp tube with both ends of the wire coming out the other side - one short end, and one long. Pull on the long end while grasping the crimp tube until the loop is fairly small, but big enough for your jump ring to fit through with extra room later.

With your crimping pliers, make your first pinch over the crimp tube using the half-moon shaped portion of the pliers. Ideally, you want each wire separated on it's own side of the crimp after you've pinched it the first time. If they shifted to the same side, it's not the end of the world. Then, using the rounded slot of the crimping pliers, grasp the pinched crimp again and squeeze it closed. If all went well it'll look like the picture below. To secure it even further, pinch it a little more with some needle nose pliers. That baby ain't coming undone!

Now you can slip on the crimp cover, and gently squeeze it shut over the crimp tube using your crimping pliers. Try not to catch any of the wires coming out of the bottom in the crimp cover when you're closing it. Trim the shorter tail so it's about a centimeter long then string on your pearls/beads. You should be able to slip your beads over the tail and hide it. Once you've got your beads on the wire in your desired pattern/length, you get to put on another crimp tube in the same way as the first. Only this time, it's a bit trickier since you have to put on the tube with all those beads in your way. Just take your time and remember to keep the beads in a curved shape as you're securing the crimp tube. Otherwise, the beads won't have enough wiggle room on the wire once you've attached them to the necklace, and they'll sit funny.

Once your second loop is crimped and covered, take the short wire tail and feed it through one or two of the beads next to the crimp, then snip it off with your wire cutters.

The hardest part is over! Woohoo! Now all you have to do is grab yourself a couple jump rings (a size/thickness that matches your chain more or less) and attach each end of the pearl strand to an end of the chain. Lastly, if your chain doesn't already have some kind of clasp attached you'll have to add that on as well with a couple more jump rings.

That's it! You're done! I will probably be making more variations of this necklace next week with different colors and metals and listing them in my Etsy shop. Stop by if you'd like one! :O)

As usual, let me know if you try this tutorial. I'd love to hear from you!

Handmade items by Billie Monster on Etsy.

This project feartured here: One Pretty Thing, also on CraftGawker, Pinterest

Link party ♥: Frugalicious Friday, Creation Corner, Frugal Friday, Sassy Sites, Kojo Designs, My Romantic Home, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Simply Designing, Simply Sweet Home, Fun to Craft, Cookie Nut Creations

The designers participate in many different design challenges throughout the season - it's very entertaining! Not only that, but you can find all sorts of inspiration watching them come up with unique and creative ideas to suit each challenge. With previous season's challenges like the "White Box Challenge" and the "Glass House Challenge", who knows what they'll come up with this season. For all you reality buffs out there, don't worry, there's sure to be a bit of drama!

Design Star premieres tonight at 9pm/8c on HGTV. I'll be watching.

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored campaign by Crafterminds and HGTV Design Star. My opinions are my own.

Yes folks, thrifting is not only about finding treasures at great prices, or amazing before-and-after furniture makeovers, oh no! It's also about one cold, hard, not-so-talked-about, ugly fact... and that is nasty little bed bugs! Despite being nearly eradicated in the 1940's, an increase in bed bugs in Canada and other areas around the world is back in the headlines. I thought I would spread the word for those who may not be aware, and who are happily bringing things home from second hand stores and garage sales having no idea what they could potentially be in for. Heck, I wasn't either until I started doing some reading online.

What exactly is a bed bug? There's heaps of info here on Wikipedia, but in a nutshell, they are a small little insect that prefers to feed on human blood... HUMAN blood (you read that right...). I told you they were disgusting! They are mainly nocturnal and active at night while feeding on their hosts (that's you!) usually unnoticed, until you see the welts on your skin to prove it the next morning. The exact cause for the increase in bed bugs is unclear, but Wikipedia states that among other reasons, one possible reason could be due to the exchange of second hand furniture among homes. While a bedbug's preferred habitat is houses and especially beds, or other areas where people sleep, that doesn't mean they cannot be found inside furniture, clothing, etc.

What can you do about it? Take the time to inspect the items you're planning on bringing into your vehicle and into your homes. Look for the bed bugs lodged into dark crevices, nooks and crannies of whatever it is you're buying, search any folds in the fabric for signs of bed bugs and eggs as well. Eggs can survive for a looong time. If they are in there, and you search hard enough, you should be able to see them (but not always). If you see them, say goodbye to that piece of furniture and do not buy it unless you want to risk spreading them into your home as well. In fact, if you ever see any at a particular store or garage sale... you'd be smart to just leave and not buy anything. It's not worth the risk.

What's the risk? Well besides having these gross little things crawling on you at night, and sucking your blood while you sleep, they are breeding machines and notoriously difficult to get rid of once they have infested your house. They can cause a number of health effects including skin rashes, psychological effects and allergic symptoms in some people.

Getting rid of them is the tricky part, and is mainly why you don't want them in the first place. Getting rid of them frequently requires a combination of pesticide and non-pesticide approaches. However, this isn't always an easy solution. For one, those with pets and children probably shouldn't use pesticides in their homes. Secondly, bed bugs have been developing a resistance to various pesticides increasingly over time. So there's no guarantee with pesticides. Another way to eradicate them is with heat. You can launder your sheets, clothes and blankets in hot water then put them in a very hot dryer for at least and hour, and hope and pray that gets rid of them. What you really want to do though is pinpoint the infestation at it's source (or multiple sources) and get rid of them there, otherwise you're wasting your time. They are crafty little buggers who are so good at hiding that it's going to be very hard for you to get rid of them once you have them, and they can spread throughout your entire house into any other bedrooms, couches, etc. 

Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images

I'm not a bed bug expert at all, I've learned all of this from reading articles about bed bugs. One thing I know for sure is that I don't want them, and neither do you. I hope I've opened some peoples eyes to this issue who may not have been previously aware. I'm not trying to scare anyone though, it's not like they are EVERYWHERE. More often than not when you bring something home from a thrift store or garage sale you're probably going to be fine, and there will be no bed bugs. The reason for this post is to hopefully make people aware of the issue who weren't before. I was not really aware of it up until a few weeks ago, and I consider myself lucky that I've never encountered any furniture or items with bed bugs so far, but at least now I can minimize the risk of acquiring them by checking items carefully before I bring them home, and so can you.

Sorry for the gross post, guys!

Handmade items by Billie Monster on Etsy.

Link party ♥: Luxe Boulevard, Somewhat Simple, Katie's Nesting Spot, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Nest, Chic on a Shoestring, Remodelaholic, It's a Hodgepodge Life

Which brings me to today's Monster Monday Feature - let me introduce you to the lovely Evange! I first stumbled across her sewing tutorials on YouTube a few weeks (months?) ago and loved her style right off the bat. And wouldn't you know it, she's a canuck just like me (extra Billie Monster points for Evange!).

Evange has several great sewing tutorials where she explains in simple detail how to sew many different things, including the extra cute ruffled Alice apron above. Her instructions are very simple and easy to understand, she explains what to do and what not to do, and she even shares her mistakes and fumbles, which I love 'cause then I don't make them (ok, I probably still do...).

Circle skirts are one of Evange's favorite things to sew - and I can see why!

She shows you how to make your very own in her video tutorial.

Another of my fav project tutorials of hers is the box pleated skirt, and her tutorial on how to make a tote bag. Also, her tutorial on how to make your own leggings.

She's so lucky that she can pull off those skirts so well... I don't think I could!

Check out Evange's YouTube Channel for more sewing tutorials and other how-to videos as well, like how to make apple butter. Yiiiim!

You can also visit Evange at her website www.evangesews.com. All photos by Evange.

Handmade items by Billie Monster on Etsy.

Anyhoots, a few weeks ago I made this chevron pattern printable template to use for a tray project I was doing, so I decided I'd put it up on the site here for anyone else to use. A chevron is basically just an inverted v-shaped pattern. It's been in use for many MANY years and has always been very popular in fashion and home decor. It has a very retro-y type of look to it that I pretty much love!

What I have are four templates in total, each a slightly different size. Two thinner ones (small and large), and two larger ones (small and large). Hope that makes sense! Scroll down further to download all four in one happy .PDF file. Save it to your computer, open it up, print it out. You want to cut out on the dotted lines making sure NOT to cut the grey area out. Once you've done that, you can trace the pattern onto something a bit thicker to use as a template (like cardboard), or trace it onto contact paper which has a sticky side, or just use it as is.

I hope to post the tray project that I used one of these templates for very soon. If you make any projects using one of these templates please let me know. I'd love to see them!

This project is featured here (yay!): Ucreate, One Pretty Thing, The Red Polka Dot, Inspiration For Celebration, Craft Crave, also on CraftGawker, Pinterest and mentioned here The Crafty Scientist.

Link party ♥: Remodelaholic, Chic On A Shoestring, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous, Simply Designing, Sassy Sites, Simply Sweet Home, Fingerprints on the Fridge, My Repurposed Life, Design it Chic, Creation Corner, WhipperBerry, Crafterminds, Luxe Boulevard, Katie's Nesting Spot, House of Hepworths, It's a Hodgepodge Life

I've been wanting to make a stuffie/softie for quite a while now, but was too intimidated to try. My sewing skills aren't exactly pro, however I found him fairly easy to make. I might even say I had a hoot doing it! (had to). Some parts were definitely tricky; I had a lot of issues pinning and sewing the curves of the backside and tail together, but it came together eventually. There was accidental puckering involved, which looks mostly on purpose. :OP

In the end I was surprised how well he turned out. A big monster thanks to Ruth for the pattern. If you want to make him too, go grab the printable pattern here.

Link parties: Give it to me Tara!, Hop Along Friday, Sassy Sites, Facebook Friday

Handmade items by Billie Monster on Etsy.

For party purposes, here's the Billie Monster low down - I'm Billie, a DIY wannabe and coffeeholic. I'm a Canadian girl who dreams of the ocean and warmer weather! I just joined the 30 something club (yikes!) and am looking forward to tying the knot with The Jeff this September - but I still feel like a kid most of the time (do I HAVE to grow up?).

I've always been a creative person in many ways, so last year I decided to start up this 'lil blog to share some of my ideas and projects with hopes of inspiring people to be creative, and maybe meet some like-minded folks along the way! I haven't been able to post as much as I've wanted, but I plan to change that soon with a new blog design coming any day now. *yay!*  I'll be hosting my first giveaway as well as starting a new link party for shop owners. I've been saying that for quite a while now... but I promise... I am! Pinky swear!

Thanks for stopping by! You can also find me on Etsy and Facebook. 

What you need:

• felt (any colors you like, I had blues/brown/white)
• interfacing (or extra felt instead)
• sewing machine (or thread and needle)
• disappearing ink pen

First, open up the PDF template at the bottom of this post, and save it to your compy. Print out on an 8.5 in x 11 in piece of paper. You'll see that there are two snowflake shapes - one small, and a large one with lines on it. The larger one is the actual size of the coasters (you need two of this shape to make one coaster), the lines are where to sew. The smaller shape is for the interfacing that gets sandwiched between the two larger pieces. You want to have this interfacing in between the two snowflake pieces so it's a bit thicker, and can absorb a bit more moisture. 

Decide how many coasters you want, then cut out twice as many of the larger snowflake piece (if you want 6 coasters, cut 12 large snowflakes). To do that, trace the shape onto the felt with a disappearing ink pen. You only need to cut out one small snowflake shape for each coaster. You can use interfacing like I did, or just use more felt.

With your pieces all cut, lay them out and put them together with one large snowflake on the bottom, one small piece of interfacing in the center, then another large snowflake on top. Make sure you are happy with the colors! If you used fusible interfacing (like I did) make sure you iron it on before you put on your top piece.

Next, you're ready to sew them together. You can do this by hand, or use a sewing machine. The lines on the larger snowflake template give you an idea of how to sew them together. It's all straight lines, so it's pretty easy. Alternatively, you could sew all around the edges if you prefer, but you'd have to make sure the edges of your snowflake pieces line up perfectly. For mine, I turned the top piece slightly so the points didn't line up perfectly - I liked that better.

Tip: For some reason my disappearing ink pen didn't do a very good job of disappearing on its own. *grrr*  If that happens to you, all you gotta do is dab the ink with a wet cloth and it will disappear. 

As always, send me photos if you've made this! I'd love to see them.

This project is featured here (yay!): One Pretty Thing, eHow, also on Pinterest and Craftgawker

Link party ♥: Bella Before & After, Nikki's Nifty Knacks, Blue Cricket Design, Someday Crafts, Creations by Kara, Night Owl Crafting, My Backyard Eden, Sew Much Ado, We Are That Family, Women Who Do It All, Mommy's Online Garage Sale, Take It From Me, Trendy Treehouse, Sassy Sites, The Girl Creative

Handmade items by Billie Monster on Etsy

To find out more about her doll drive and to join in, head over to her blog for more information. Today Leonie has shared several links to softie/doll patterns that you can use as well.

For news updates visit NZ Herald.

Link party ♥: Supermom, Design it Chic, The Mom Road, That 22 Year Old Housewife

Handmade by Billie Monster on Etsy!

What do I do? I'm all about the reusing, recycling, and repurposing. I admit, I don't do those things JUST to reduce landfill waste - I love vintage/retro stuff! Some people might consider items to be trash just because they're old or have been previously used - but looking at these things from a different perspective may surprise you.

I picked up these adorable, dusty blue, vintage suitcases at the thrift store last week for $12 - they must have been previously LOVED to be in such great condition. I love them too! (notice how my cat, Scratch, managed to position himself perfectly so that his face was reflected in that little tiny mirror inside the suitcase..what a little sneak!)

Fenton Hobnail was very popular in the late 1940s as were the milk glass versions in the 1950s. Hobnail is making a huge comeback right now, and you can find it in many styles including pitchers, vases, jars, bottles, bowls, candle holders, mugs, and more. Being that all the Etsy sellers, and antique store owners, are snatching up all the hobnail from the thrift stores faster than you can turn your head - I was very surprised to find a vintage hobnail vase sittin' there on the shelf of my local thrift store recently for only $1. *yoink!*

Another big trend that I love right now is vintage books as home decor pieces! Oh sure, you COULD read them if you want, but it's all about how fantastic they look! You can find them at any thrift store... anywhere. Or, online.

Aside from the trendy stuff, you can also find a lot of craft supplies at thrift stores - especially if you're looking for vintage stuff. These are things that can definitely be reused. A lot of the time these things have never even BEEN used, just previously owned. Did you know you can finds tonnes of fabric as well? On my last trip, I picked up some brown corduroy and a patterned blue fabric that I'm going to make a pillow from. I also picked up a huge bag of vintage buttons, needles, and lace for $2. This stuff is gold! I'm working on a new line for my Etsy shop using all of this vintage lace I've been collecting - hope to have it online by the end of Feb!

So, my point of all this is - thrift stores aren't just for penny-pinchers, guys. If you love vintage or retro things, or want to reuse what you can in order to do your part for the environment, then don't be afraid to head over to your local thift or antique store and look around. You might be surprised at what you find, and who doesn't like to save a few bucks or pennies anyways, amirite?

Link Party ♥: All Things Inspired, Someday Crafts, The Thrifty Home, Bargain Shopping Paradise, The Colorado Lady

Handmade by Billie Monster on Etsy

On a different note, I want to send a huge thanks to Angela at Mommy Time Out for sending me another blog award. I'm sure feeling the love lately!

There are some rules attached to this 'lil blog award (you know the drill). I think, just this one time though, that I'm going to by-pass the rules (can I do that?) and just pass it along to some other deserving bloggers.

Bella @ Bella Before & After

Angela has the rules for you, ladies!

Handmade stuff by Billie Monster on Etsy!

This is the part where I'm supposed to share 7 things about myself. I usually feel pretty awkward talking about myself - so let's keep this short and sweet, eh!

1. ♥ San Francisco

2. I have 3 pretty awesome brothers

3. Spicy food! Yum.

4. I wish I lived somewhere warmer, near the ocean.

5. I wanted to be a singer "when I grew up"

6. I really don't like spur of the moment adventures, or surprises. *hrmpfh*

7. I play World of Warcraft sometimes. (I'm nerdy like that, blame The Jeff)

Aaaaand, done.

Onto the best part! You know, the part where I get to pass this along to someone else. Vanessa at Little Big Studio is very deserving of a stylish blogger award and so I pass the torch on to her! Plus, I love her Etsy store too, LBG Studio.

Handmade stuff by Billie Monster on Etsy.

She is also the tutu master behind her adorable Etsy shop Sweet Baby Tutus.

Yep, tutus for babies! D'awwwwwwww! I don't have any little ones of my own, but if I did, I'd definitely be buying one of these lovelies. 

Need more tutu? Visit Jamie and Sweet Baby Tutus on Facebook as well. 

Lastly, today I'm hanging out at Marketplace Mondays! Stop in and browse some really great online shops.

Handmade goodies by Billie Monster on Etsy

But what has become of these adorable little spoons nowadays? Oh sure, you might have a neat ole grandma that still displays hers up on the wall - but the truth is, they have pretty much lost their appeal to most folks these days (haven't they?). I know this because I see PILES of them at thrift stores - and the piles never get any smaller. So, the last time I was strolling past a pile of 'em, I grabbed some! Heck, they were only .29 cents each. Poor 'lil spoons. As further evidence that no one loves them anymore, the clerk at the till said to me, "I have no idea how much those are, no one ever buys them!".

These spoons are seriously adorable, guys! Taking a hint from a cute, sweet, little tea place in the city - I decided to clean mine up and start using them for their practical purpose,  A SPOON (you know, for coffee and sugar and that sort of thing).

It does require a eensy teensy bit of elbow grease to get them lookin' sharp. First of all, you probably want to choose some spoons that have some nice detail to them, and no wording etched in anywhere (unless you want that). As far as the little detail at the top of the spoon where the "I was here" doodad is, that doesn't matter cause we're gonna remove that (sorry spoon lovers).

Here's what you need:

• souvenir spoons (that you love)
• knife or small screwdriver
• Goo Gone cleaner and soapy water

You don't want to scratch the spoons, so be careful prying off the thingies at the top there. They are usually just glued on and will come off relatively easily. Try a really small screwdriver if your knife is too big to get under it. Once the tops are off you can throw them away, then clean the spoon with some warm, soapy water in case it's dirty (it's prolly pretty dirty if you found it at a thrift store).

If there is any glue left on there, try Goo Gone (I found it at the dollar store). If there's STILL some gunk left on there, you might want to let it sit in some warm water, OR you can try gently scraping it off - it doesn't have to be perfect. That's what great about these little spoons - all their vintage-y goodness showing!

If you want to clean your silver and remove any tarnish, you can use a silver cleaner, or make your own homemade silver polish, like I did.

Homemade Silver Cleaner/Polish:

• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 tablespoon salt
• aluminum foil
• glass dish
• hot water

Bring water to boil (an electric kettle works great). Line a glass dish with aluminum foil, then add spoons. Make sure they touch as much of the foil as possible. Reaction to the foil is what removes the tarnish. Add salt and baking soda. Carefully poor the hot water over the spoons. *bubbles* Let them soak for 30 minutes. Rinse.

Lastly, polish up with a soft cloth. Enjoy your new shabby-chic spoons!

I wonder if my mom still has some vintage spoons kickin' around somewhere. Hmm...

This project was featured here (yay!): Bubbly Nature Creations, Not Yo Mommas Handbag, also on CraftGawker

Link Party ♥: Momma's Kinda Crafty, Wildflowers & Whimsy, Funky Junk Interiors, Tatertots and Jello, Along for the Ride, Under the Table and Dreaming, The Tablescaper, I ♥ Nap Time, Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Making Monday Marvelous, Making the World Cuter, Someday Crafts

Handmade goodies by Billie Monster on Etsy

I found the tutorial for this pillow from the amazing Centasional Girl last month and I HAD to make it. Kate will show you exactly how she did so that you can make one too - so go check it out!

All you really need to do is make a very simple pillow case, any size that you like. Find some felt and paper, then freehand the petal shape onto the piece of paper. It doesn't have to be perfect, just draw one and when you're happy with it's shape, cut it out and use that as the template for making the felt petals. For the center button, you can pick up a button cover kit at any craft store, or probably any dollar store for really cheap, and they're very easy to make.

Make sure you head over to Centsational Girl for way more detailed instructions and more photos. She even has one that's NOT red and white, promise!

This pillow is featured (yay!) here: Craftgawker

Link Party ♥: My Romantic Home, The Shabby Nest, Finding Fabulous, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Chic on a Shoestring, Frou Frou Decor, Fun to Craft, Southern in my Heart, Wildflowers & Whimsy, Along for the Ride, Under the Table and Dreaming, The Tablescaper, I ♥ Nap Time, Making the World Cuter

Handmade goodies by Billie Monster on Etsy

1. Bath and Body Works Berry Vanilla Shower Gel - Looooove this! It smells so amazing and I don't usually like scented things either.

2. Under the Dome by Stephen King - The Jeff and I recently started listening to this novel in audiobook form, and so far it's pretty neat! In a nutshell, it's about a small town that is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible dome. Neat, eh!

3. Tim Hortons Ground Coffee - We've had our Tim Hortons coffee maker for quite a while now and I'm still loving it! I dare to say that I might even like the coffee from the machine a lot more than one FROM Timmies. *gasp*

4. Blistex DCT Lip Balm - I am definitely a self-proclaimed lip stuff junkie. You'll never find me without at least 2 or more on me at any given time. 

5. Starbucks Burlap Tumbler - Being the coffee loving addict that I am, this tumbler definitely gets a lot of use. No cold coffee for this girl! Plus, I heart the burlap. Burlap!

What things are helping you get through the winter? 

P.S. More DIY posts will be coming soon - do not fret! :O)

The enchantresses are three sisters who grew up together in the Land of Enchantment (not sure where that is but it sounds fun!), but now live miles apart. They come together on their blog by turning ordinary things into extraordinary things, AND they're dang good at it! Just feast your eyes on a few of my favorite projects:

What happens when you need a place to put your TV but all you have is an ugly 70's dresser?

After:

An amazing china cabinet makeover. I never find stuff like this on Craigslist. Hrmphf!

After:

How brave do you have to be to tackle this cabinet re-do? Such a difference!

After:

The enchantresses have many other projects on their blog but personally I LOVE a good furniture re-do. I'm definitely enchanted by this retro stereo cabinet turned entry table.

If you want to be featured here on Billie Monster send me your projects. I'd love to see them!

I've still got a lot of learning to do about Etsy though - there's so much more to it than you might think! Today I just learned about a neat little thing called Treasury. "Treasury is an ever-changing, member-curated shopping gallery comprised of lists of items. Members can feature their favorite items, items selected on a theme or whatever they like..."  It's a really great way to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. 

You can check out my own Treasury on Etsy right now. It's called "You're such a HOOT!":

Next day update! I couldn't resist making a second Treasury, "I love you a latte.":
 

So go check it out. :D