Magazine Series: DIY Beads

I love this last part of the DIY with Magazines series because it's simple and fun! Magazine beads are so easy to create and they make beautiful bracelets and necklaces. I was inspired for this project by the Student Rebuild: Water Challenge! Have fun making this super simple project great for any age! 

Materials:

Magazine, paint brush, Mod Podge (optional), scissors

The Mod Podge (and paintbrush) is completely optional because the beads need to be sealed with something, but you can buy any type of spray sealant or just any sealant that suits you! I chose Mod Podge because that's what I always work with. If you plan on making jewelry out of these beads, I suggest you also buy jewelry wire or string. ALSO. you will need a glue stick. Like I've said before, I am constantly crafting but I never seem to buy a glue stick so I just use Mod Podge. It's my best friend.

Step 1:

Tear a bunch of pages out! I created my bracelet with just one page, but my wrist is fairly small and it was merely a bracelet. If you're not sure how many beads you will need, I would recommend tearing out 2 pages. I tried to choose magazine pages that were a certain theme - browns and blacks. Try to choose pages that fit your color scheme so you can have your bracelet different shades of one color. 

Step 2:

Begin drawing long triangles like so on your page. I used a sharpie to draw them because it creates this nice edge on the beads. This step is completely optional as some people go ahead and free cut their strips into triangles. NOTE: The width of your triangles will determine how big or small your beads will be. If you want smaller beads, make small triangles and vice versa.

Step 3:

Cut out the triangle strips.

Step 4:

Roll up each strip starting with the wider side first. When you have about 2 inches of the strip left to roll, place glue on it and continue to roll until your bead is finished! Continue to roll and glue until you've finished all your strips. Roll and glue...roll and glue...

Once you have all of your beads completed, seal them! This will keep them from getting dirty, water logged, and unraveling!

Step 5:

After your beads are all finished drying, use jewelry wire to create a necklace or bracelet! I used stretchy cord because I was feeling lazy.

Finished!

Here's my finished bracelet! I really like how it turned out, especially with the Sharpie edging. You don't have to limit yourself to simply bracelets and necklaces! Use your creativity to create a keychain or maybe earrings. Don't be afraid to experiment with any of these projects.

~Misbah

July Favorites!

Can you believe July is over?! July is one of my least favorite months, because of how hot, humid, and sticky it gets here. However, it won't stop me from sharing with you a few things I compiled this month that are absolutely amazing! I've included not only baking items, but also beauty items. Enjoy!

B E A U T Y :

Renewing Argan Oil of Morocco Shampoo/Conditioner: There should be no question as to why I put this on my favorites list. This shampoo is the best hydrating shampoo I've ever tried. The oil works wonders for my curly, dry, and often frizzy hair. It not only smells wonderful, but also detangles your hair while removing dirt and fixing any damaged hair.

Kirkland's Daily Facial Wipes: As you may or may not know, I love Costco. It has everything for cheap prices and it's all wholesale. I found these wipes in the beauty section as the generic brand for the Neutrogena facial wipes they also sell. The first time I bought cleansing wipes from Costco was the Neutrogena brand, primarily because I always think the generic brand is sketchy. After I ran out of the Neutrogena wipes, I decided to figure out what was different between this one and Kirkland's (Costco's generic brand). Well first off, Kirkland's was in fact cheaper and had a greater quantity. Next Kirkland's contained mainly natural ingredients versus the artificial scary stuff in Neutrogena. I was sold and decided to try it out. These wipes do the same deal as Neutrogena! They wipe off all makeup, even waterproof, and even moisturize!

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In: GIRL. This is heaven for your hair. I cannot express to you how amazing this leave-in spray is. All you do is spray it in your hair after you take a shower and oh my goodness, it really does do miracles. Your hair is completely tangle free and after your hair dries, it becomes so soft and lush. This is perfect for hair that is curly and frizzy!

etc! Golden Stud Set: Honestly, I've been looking high and low for a nice set of gold studs I could wear and at a local Rue21, I finally found them for $2!

B A K I N G:

Duncan Hines Simple Mornings Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffin Mix: I made a batch of these muffins for the eid breakfast we hold every year and these muffins are so delish! They are so soft and delectable which is very typical of Duncan Hines' mixes.

Nestle Toll House Cookie of the Year: German Chocolate Cookie Dough: I have so many good things to say about this cookie. First off, it's german chocolate and I buy anything that has to do with german chocolate. Secondly, the taste is out of this world. These cookies are the most tasty, crunchy, and overall delicious cookies I've ever tasted (I've tasted tons of cookies). They are so moist and chewy and just melt in your mouth! The one odd thing about these cookies is that they come in frozen dough cubes, and when you bake them, their cube-yness stays. Here's a picture:

Cubes, but still delicious.

~Misbah

Magazine Series: DIY Wrapping Paper

It's finally here! Part 2 of my magazine series is quick and super easy. Using magazine pages as an alternative to wrapping is great if you're looking for something that's cheap and cute! Magazine pages create a cute look to any present and it's very unique. Of course, you are limited to how large your gifts can be since magazines are not that huge, BUT that's what makes it even more adorable because all your gifts are tiny and tiny things are always appealing. 

What you will need:

Any magazine, the item you will be wrapping, scissors, and tape

I used an old Seventeen magazine and I admit, finding cute pages was a bit difficult since most of it was advertising. I ended up using the outfit collage pages since that was the best I could find. I do recommend using other magazines such as Real Simple or Good Housekeeping. 

Step 1:

Tear out a page and pick which side you want showing on the outside and which side will be on the inside. Place the present in the center of the page. I ended up changing my mind and used the pictured side as the outside instead of the inside. The present I'm using is this mini makeup kit I was gifted and I was just using it for the sake of this tutorial. I love this gift and will not be sharing hehe...

Step 2:

Fold both pages over each other to meet in the center. Then place a piece of tape, vertically, in the center.

Step 3:

This step is completely optional because it depends on the size of the gift. My "gift" was super small so I trimmed the edges a bit. 

Step 4:

Fold the sides inwards. Honestly, if you're new to gift wrapping, there's no easy way to explain this step in words. So here's my best attempt: you take the two ends on the sides and just push them inwards together! 

Step 5:

After folding in the sides, you should have something similar to a triangle shown in step 4. Fold the triangle inwards while folding the entire flap up. Perfect it by folding the triangle piece more. Then tape it down! Repeat on the other side. (If you're lost, it's okay. I can't explain it well, but follow the picture). 

Finished!

It should looking something like the above! If not, keep trying. When I first began gift wrapping, I had quite a bit of trouble and all of my folds were messy and uneven. If you want to get more creative with this project, I recommend using washi tape which is a japanese paper tape. I buy a roll of 10 tapes for about $1-$2 on eBay! I also suggest creating a bow out of solid-colored magazine paper and placing it in the corner just for a cute embellishment! 

~Misbah

Eid Mubarak Dessert Toppers Tutorial

Yay! It's finally time for eid and all the last minute preparations are taking place, including this one! I decided to place these toppers on the the chocolate and savory muffins I baked for my family's eid breakfast. 

What you will need:

Scissors, toppers, tape, and toothpicks

I used Pages on my macbook to create .79" by .79" circles, added text and the star and crescent inside. Then I just copied and pasted 11 times and printed it out on a piece of construction paper. 

Step 1:

Cut out all the toppers! If you have a paper punch out, this step is so much easier. As for me, I didn't have one so this step was very time consuming.

Step 2:

Take a toothpick and tape it on the back of the topper. Make sure the toothpick is firmly pressed down and does not slide up and down.

Finished!

Repeat the above for however many toppers you have. Play around with the fonts and pictures for your topper and be creative! If you want a sturdier topper, I recommend using card stock.

The end product.

~Misbah