Sparkly Tulle Phone Case with Tutorial

This post may contain affiliated links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Here’s another makeover project. 

This time I’m taking my plain old cell phone case and making it super pretty.  And I made a tutorial, so you can try it too!

Here’s what you need:

• An old phone case
• A large scrap of tulle or another pretty lightweight fabric
• Scissors
• Tissue paper
• Pencil
• Various glues, see below for recommendations.
• Something to spread glue (sponges, cotton balls, etc.)
• Gems, beads and other embellishments

Here is my old phone case.  I ordered it online, but it didn’t look quite as pretty as the product photo.  It’s suppose to be rose gold, however it looks darker and blander in person.  Time to change that.

First you cover the phone case with tissue paper and trace around it to make a pattern for your fabric.  I’m using gift tissue I got on clearance last Christmas.

Mark areas that shouldn’t be covered, like the camera hole thingy.

Then carefully cut out your paper pattern and compare it to you case.  Trim off edges and such as necessary.

Pin the pattern to your fabric of choice and carefully cut out. 

I’m using this pretty sparkly tulle.  I’ve used it for this fairy costume dress and this wrap skirt (also for a costume), and now it’s being used for a phone.

One thing that will help make this part easier is ironing the fabric (yes, tulle can be iron on really low heat).  If it helps, you can also try tracing your tissue pattern on thicker paper if it’s too hard to use otherwise.

Next is to glue on the fabric by spreading the glue on the phone case and then apply the fabric, smoothing it down as you go. 

I recommend using Mod Podge, but you can also use Tacky Glue.  It’s best to water down the Tacky glue so it’s easier to spread.  I forgot to do that, and it shows.

Let the glue dry for a few minutes, and then dab more in areas that seem to need it.  This is also a good time to trim off any excess fabric that you might have missed before. 

Then set the case to the side to dry some more.

After it is dried completely, you can have fun gluing on gems, pearls, and anything else you want.  I recommend using Aleene’s Jewel-It for this part. 

Let the whole thing dry for about a day, then show off your pretty new phone case.

Here’s the updated list:

• Dress makeover
• Doll undies
• Cameo and Hearts
• Blouse makeover
• Phone case
• Outfit
• Mother’s Day
• Costume fix
• Jammies
• Bonnet

Three down, seven more to go.  The next project may take a while to put up, but hopefully not too long.

Give it a try:

• Aleene's Original Tacky Glue-4oz
• Aleene's Jewel-It Embellishing Glue
• Mod Podge Matte-8 Ounce

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Pretty Pill Organizer or Another Way to Store Craft Supplies?

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Here’s a nifty idea that I have been dying to try for months.  Decorating a pill organizer to make it cute or pretty.

I got the idea from this video on YouTube.  There’s other ideas there too, but this one stuck out at me.  I almost immediately got a pill organizer from the dollar store and……let it sit around.  Just gathering dust.

But let’s finally gather the supplies and do it. 

I used some gems and flat back pearls, lace, scissors, and two types of glue.  Aleene’s tacky glue and Aleene’s Jewel-it, my favorite glues. :)

The Jewel-it is specially for the gems since that’s what it is designed for, and it does a great job.  The tacky glue is for the lace because it just needs a good strong glue.  You could probably use a glue gun too if you are in a hurry.

Anyway, I just glued the lace around the organizer, being careful not to block the lids for the little compartments.  Oh boy, is that a bad shot.  These photos were taken on a rainy day. :(

Then I added a few pearls and a large gem in the center.  I could have added more, but I wanted something more subtle.  You could also decorate with bows, ribbon, flowers, etc.

Now the final step is to fill it, but I’m not going to fill it with medicine or supplements though that is a good idea.

I’m using it for craft supplies.  These organizers are perfect for storing things like jewelry findings and snaps.  Keeps them secure and neatly organized, in the cutest way possible.

Here’s the updated list:

• coats
• hearts
• organize
• blouse
• outfit

Two down, three more to go.

Give it a try:

• Aleene's Original Tacky Glue 4 oz.
• Aleene's Jewel-It Embellishing Glue 4oz.
• M&J Trimming
• 7 Day Plastic Pill Organizers

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While We Wait, An Easy Fix for Fans

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

It’s taking longer than expected to finish the next project on my list.  Much longer, sigh.  So I thought in the meantime I would share an idea I had.  One I meant to share ages ago.

Fixing up fans.

These are a pair of pretty handheld fans.  The one on the right came from a craft store, and the other came from an Asian grocery store.  Fans like these are easy to find and usually sell for $1-2 each.  So pretty and useful, especially when Spring and Summer come again.

Just one problem with them.  The little “handle” thing has a tendency to pop off after several uses.  And since that’s the only thing keeping the fan parts together on the pin thing, this is a big problem.

My first attempt to fix this was to simply thread ribbon through the fan.  This looks nice and adds a useful strap, but it’s only a temporary fix.  It’s difficult to tie the ribbon snug enough to actually work well.

Enter the jewelry pins.

I bought these at Joann.  They’re intended for making earrings and such, but I thought they would be great for this task.  I’m sure regular jewelry wire would work too.

Just need to yank off that old pin thingy…

…Thread the jewelry pin through…

…and twist it at the end to secure.

I had to do it at both ends because the eye of the pin wasn’t big enough as is.  I should have measured first.  Oh well.

I’m sure with more practice (or more skill at jewelry making) I can make these look better.

But for now I am happy with the results.  My fans work perfectly now.  Now just need to wait for the weather to warm up enough to need them.

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Story Time — To Be a Princess

Updated 6/13/2023

Once upon a time there was a little girl who loved to wear pretty dresses.  Dresses with lots of ruffles, lace, and pretty ribbons that seemed to float in the breeze.

She liked to spin around while wearing her lovely dresses, and she felt like a graceful swan gliding across the water.  But mostly she felt like a beautiful princess as she twirled about in her dream world. 

One day the little girl was twirling around in her best dress.  It was her favorite one, all white with the loveliest of lace and a tiered ruffled skirt. 

Her head was so full of thoughts and dreams of swans and princesses that she didn’t notice several other little girls had approached her.  They were all wearing “fashion” jeans and t-shirts for the most popular TV shows. 

Most of them started giggling at the little girl in her pretty dress and teased her.  No one dresses like that except babies they thought.  This made the little girl so upset that she felt like crying and running home.

Instead she took a deep breath and held her head high.  Princesses were too dignified to let mean little girls see them cry.  So she gracefully walked on until she was out of sight, then the tears burst out and she ran home.

She got home and hid in her room.  The tears continued until her mother came in and asked what was wrong.  When the little girl had finished telling her story, her mother asked her a strange question.  Will the little girl stop wearing her pretty dresses and dress like those other girls?  This puzzled the girl, why would she want to dress like those mean girls?  She didn’t like jeans and those t-shirts all looked the same, plus she loves her dresses way more.  Why would you wear something you didn’t like?  When the girl told her mother this, her mother smiled. 

The next day, the little girl went out again this time in her second favorite dress.  A pretty sky blue dress with puffy sleeves and a lovely sash. 

Suddenly she notice one of the girls from yesterday coming toward her wearing one of those horribly “trendy” outfits.  She started to get scared that the girl would laugh at her.

But then the girl remembered the talk she had with her mother.  All the girls could laugh as much as they wanted she thought, it won’t stop her from dressing how she wanted. 

But the girl from yesterday didn’t laugh at her, she very quietly said that the dress was pretty and so was the one from yesterday.  This surprised the little girl, she didn’t know what to do. 

For a second, she thought about saying something about how ugly this girl’s jeans were, but then she would be like those mean girls and princesses are better than that.  So using her best princess-like manners, she said the nicest thing she could think of.  Thank you. 

Now there are two little girls who love to wear pretty dresses.  Dresses with lots of ruffles, lace, and pretty ribbons that seemed to float in the breeze.  And the little girl feels more like a princess now than ever before.  A strong, kind and beautiful princess.

Update: After years of pondering and what not, I finally adapted this simple story into a full-fledge book.  It is available here on Amazon as a Kindle ebook.  I am still working on the paperback and hardcover versions. Please check it out.

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