Bearly Made
  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact Me
    • Privacy
  • Home Decor
    • Year Round
    • Christmas
    • Halloween
  • Home Care
    • Cleaning
  • Fashion
    • Tips
  • Crochet
    • Amigurumi

Eye Bouquet

6/19/2015

4 Comments

 

Hi folks!

This post is about an awesome eye bouquet I made for Halloween!
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY

The Project

First, here is what the finished product looks like.
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY

Materials

  • Artificial roses (I got mine here.)
  • Artificial calla lilies (I got mine here, find similar here.)
  • Artificial lavender (I got mine on Amazon, find similar here.)
  • Red permanent marker
  • Brown permanent marker 
  • EZ Bouquet Floral Arranger (I got mine here.)
  • Vase (I got mine at a little convenience-type store in a Metro station.)
  • Plastic eyes (26 mm) (I got mine here.)
  • Plastic eyes (20 mm) (I got mine here.)
  • Plastic eyes (16 mm) (I got mine here.)
  • Red yarn
  • Clear nail polish
  • Elmer’s glue
  • Scissors
  • Craft tweezers (You probably don’t want to use the same tweezers you use for grooming, because they will get nail polish on them.)
  • Plastic (to protect your table)

Flowers

1. Obviously one of my first steps was purchasing my artificial flowers. I used search terms like purple, burgundy, and eggplant to find the colors I wanted.

2. The next step was coloring the lavender. It just wasn’t spooky enough for me! I spread out a plastic grocery bag to protect my table. Using a red permanent marker, I firmly pressed the dark purple petal between the felt tip and the table. I pressed the felt tip into the petal for a few seconds until the ink stopped spreading through the fabric. Next, I used a brown permanent marker to color the light purple plastic tips of the lavender.

3. I used a 2-inch EZ Bouquet Floral Arranger to help me arrange the flowers.  You can use a full sphere or a half sphere. I used a whole sphere, because when you have to stick the stem through the top and the bottom of the sphere, it makes it a lot more stable. My bouquet is very full and the opening of the vase is narrow, so I had to bend the lavender to reach around the back of the bouquet and also point upward.
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY

Eyes

CREATING VEINS

1. Cut a few inches of red yarn. Then unravel some of the string by pulling at the individual threads. The paint will dry quickly so it is important to do this in advance. You can plan out how you want your next vein to look. It could be just a couple single threads. It could be a bunch of single threads splayed out. It could be a thick group of threads twisted together that split into two smaller-but-still-thick veins.

2. Paint a section of the sclera (white part) by brushing from the outside edge of the iris (colored part) down to the flat edge. Your section should be about two strokes wide. Be careful not to get paint on your irises. It will make your eyes seem less realistic. For some reason, using nail polish remover to clean polish off the irises makes the clear plastic turn cloudy and scratched-looking.

3. Pick up your thread and place it on the wet paint. Don’t be afraid to push the threads around while the paint is drying using your tweezers, a toothpick, or your fingernails.

4. Repeat these steps.

5. After a few sections, use your scissors to trim off the excess thread. It doesn’t have to be perfect, because you’ll be sticking the eyes into the flowers.

6. After you’ve applied veins all around the eye, let it dry for a good while. Then, apply a topcoat of clear nail polish uniformly over the sclera. Let it dry.
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
INSERTING YOUR EYES

1. Before applying glue to your eyes, prepare the flowers. Try to insert the eye to gauge how much of the petals you’ll need to cut. Use scissors to cut out some of the center petals. The hole doesn’t have to be too deep. Just take off half an inch or so. Make sure to cut off some large scraps of petal (about .5 inch deep by 1.5 inch wide), not just thin shreds, so you can use the scraps later.

2. Apply Elmer’s glue to the inside of the eye. Insert it in the flower. Wait for the glue to dry a little and stabilize. Waiting overnight might be a good idea. Elmer’s glue can take a while to dry, but if you make a mistake with Elmer’s glue, it’s easy to correct.

3. Position some of your scraps around the eye like an eyelid or just to create a fuller flower with more petals. Test the placement without glue. Then glue them on. I only added scraps to my center green eye. The others looked fine without additional petals.

Inspiration

I was inspired by a picture I saw on Pinterest. You can see it here.

I learned how to make these eye veins from a great video tutorial. You can see it here. 

There is also a great tutorial on how to alter the pupils and irises to be more realistic. You can see it here. There is a free download for different irises you can print.

You can also visit my Pinterest board, Halloween Eyes, where I have a lot of creepy craft ideas pinned.

Gallery

Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY
Eye bouquet #eye #eyes #eyeball #bouquet #flowers #Halloween #crafts #DIY

Thanks for reading!

Try making your own eye bouquet and share your results in the comments below!

Warm wishes,

Alex


4 Comments

Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel

12/11/2014

0 Comments

 

Hi folks!

So, I don't technically have a mantel... or a credenza... yet. So this post is about my Christmas Shelf! I've been waiting all year to put my bottlebrush menagerie together!
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel

Where I Got It...

Here's where I got all of my little friends.
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
  1. Cardinal candle hurricane:  I got it at Rite Aid in January 2014 in Virginia.
  2. White deer:  I got it at Target in January 2014. Find more information on my Pinterest.
  3. White fawn:  I got it at Target in January 2014. Find more information on my Pinterest. 
  4. Red and white birds:  I got them at Target in January 2014. Find similar here and here.
  5. Charlie Brown Christmas Tree:  These are everywhere. My mom gave us ours as a gift. I think she got it at Kohl's.
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
  1. Santa / Belsnickel:  I got him at Rite Aid in December 2013 in Virginia. They start selling all of their Christmas decorations at 75% off in November. They have a variety of rustic Santas.
  2. Two fawns:  I got them at Rite Aid in December 2013 in Virginia.
  3. Cranberry candleholders:  I got them at Rite Aid in November 2014 in Virginia.
  4. White parent polar bear:  I got it at Target in January 2014. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  5. White baby polar bear:  I got it at Target in January 2014. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  6. Hedgehog:  I got it from Nordstrom in January 2014. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  7. Fox:  I got it at JCPenney in January 2014. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  8. Penguin:  I got it at JCPenney in January 2014. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  9. Fawn:  I got it at JCPenney in January 2014. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  10. Bird:  I got it at JCPenney. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  11. Cranberry cone tree:  I got it at Target in December 2013. You can find more information on my Pinterest and something similar here.
  12. Owl:  I got it at JCPenney in January 2014. You can find more information on my Pinterest.
  13. Squirrel:  I think I got it at Target in January 2014.
  14. Lamp:  I got it at Ikea in October 2013.

Your Search

Here are some words you can use to Google search for natural-style Christmas decorations:

  • Sisal bear
  • Bottlebrush penguin figurine
  • Buri animal ornament
  • Natural owl ornament
  • Natural fiber bird
  • Pepperberry rattan cone tree
  • Tabletop wicker Christmas tree
  • Berry pinecone topiary
  • Birch tabletop Christmas tree
  • Burlap hedgehog
  • Glitter twig Christmas decoration
  • Twiggy Christmas ornament
  • Woodland squirrel ornament
  • Indoor twine snowman
  • Holiday white fox figural

Here are some places you can find natural-style Christmas decorations:

  • Pottery Barn
  • West Elm
  • Pier 1 Imports
  • World Market
  • Target
  • Nordstrom
  • JCPenney
  • Macy’s (Martha Stewart Collection)
  • Anthropologie
  • Etsy
  • Craft stores
  • Christmas stores

You can also visit my Christmas Pinterest board, where I have a lot of natural Christmas decorations pinned.

Gallery

Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel
Bottlebrush Animal Christmas Mantel

Thanks for reading!

I hope you create your own wonderful menagerie! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Warm wishes,

Alex
0 Comments

The Perfect Undershirt For A V-Neck Cashmere Sweater

11/28/2014

0 Comments

 

Hi folks!

I have found the perfect shirt for wearing underneath a v-neck cashmere sweater.
Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew
On the one hand cashmere is soft, warm, and looks great! On the other hand, who am I kidding? Cashmere is itchy, even when it’s decent quality, especially in a warm room. (At least in my experience.)   

My solution is wearing a long-sleeve undershirt with my sweater. But there is another problem. I own a few v-neck sweaters, and it is hard to find a t-shirt with a v-neck deep enough that it doesn’t peek out from under my sweater.   

Here’s what I want out of an undershirt:   
  • A deep v-neck. Why? I don’t want it peeking out from underneath my sweater.   
  • Thin, light-weight fabric. Why? I don’t want it to add additional warmth. I don’t want it to make my sweater look bunched up or bulky. I want it to be flexible, because I don’t want it to feel binding, especially in the underarm area.   
  • Cotton fabric. Why? I want it to wick away sweat to protect my sweater, but I also want it to breath so I don’t get overly warm.

The Perfect Undershirt

Well, after much searching, I’ve found the perfect undershirt… the Vintage Cotton Long-Sleeve V-Neck Tee by J. Crew. When I put on my sweater, I do have to fuss with it a bit. But when I go out, the t-shirt very rarely peeks out from under my sweater!  
Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew

Where To Find It  

I’m petite. To give you a sense of how the sizes fit, my dimensions are: 5’ 0”, 100 lbs., chest 34A.

Vintage Cotton Long-Sleeve V-Neck Tee by J. Crew

Find it here. I own two of these shirts in XXS in the blue and pink. I bought mine a while back, some time in 2012 or 2013. They no longer have the blue color in stock online, but they do currently have the pink in stock. The color is Heather Blush. Don’t confuse this shirt with the Tissue Long-Sleeve V-Neck Tee by J. Crew. I tried that shirt on in the store. I thought it might be more light-weight than the vintage tee, because tissues are pretty thin, right. But, the tissue tee was much thicker than the vintage tee and felt a little binding.

Women Cashmere V-Neck Sweater by Uniqlo

Find it here. I bought mine in October 2012. I own two of these sweaters in XS in the orange and magenta. They no longer have the orange or magenta in stock online, but they have a ton of other colors. One great thing about Uniqlo is that they always have a ton of colors to choose from.

Care Tips

V-Neck Tee

I love this tee, and I want it to last a long time. Reviews have warned that it can get warped in the washer and dryer, so I wash mine along with my delicates.
  1. Use a delicates bag. I use the bags made by Real Simple.
  2. Machine wash cold.
  3. Air dry. I use the Room Essentials Heavy-Duty Metal Drying Rack by Target.

Cashmere Sweater

Lately I've been machine washing a lot of my "hand wash only" garments on the delicate cycle, but I still adhere to hand washing my cashmere. 
  1. Hand wash cold. I wash my cashmere sweaters in the kitchen sink using the Progressive Collapsible Dish Tub. And I use a gentle laundry soap, Soapberry, which can be found on the Kleinert’s website.
  2. Air dry. I gently squeeze my sweaters over the sink so they are not sopping wet. I do not wring my sweaters! Then I gently roll my sweaters in a towel to remove a lot of the moisture. Finally, I use OXO Good Grips Folding Sweater Dryer to air dry my sweaters.

Gallery

Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew
Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew
Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew
Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew
Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew
Perfect Undershirt for Cashmere Sweater from J. Crew

Thanks for reading!

You should totally pick up one of these shirts the next time J. Crew has a sale. Have you found the perfect undershirt somewhere else? Share your find in the comments below!

Warm wishes,

Alex
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    I'm Alex!

    I'm a lawyer and a feminist in my early 30's. I love dancing, dabbling in amateur graphic design projects, sharing tips, and trying new crafts.

    Sponsors

    Archives

    November 2016
    August 2015
    June 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014

    Categories

    All
    Amigurumi
    Christmas
    Cleaning Tips
    Costumes
    Crafts
    Crochet
    Fashion
    Fashion Tips
    Free Downloads
    Graphic Design
    Halloween
    Home Care
    Home Decor
    Humor
    Year Round

    Follow me on:

    RSS Feed

    Follow
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.