diy christmas present | Sparkle and Shine

For my big diamond, Katherine, and little diamond, Amber, I had searched for hours on Pinterest to find the perfect Christmas present for them. I wanted to craft them something personal to show all the memories we had shared together. I had finally found the perfect gift for them, bejeweled photo collage letters!

Christmas is right around the corner, but you still have time to make these! You can complete a letter in a matter of a day.

First, you need to prepare to do the craft. I went to my local Jo-Ann craft store and got a cardboard letter. I then printed out pictures, right from my computer, of my favorite black and white photos of me and the gift’s recipient.

I didn’t want the letter to just be plain cardboard, so I used white acrylic paint to paint it.

The paint was super quick to dry. Make sure to paint every side!

I’ll be honest with you, readers, I am a perfectionist. So instead of just gluing the photos down with mod podge, I laid out the photos on the letter. I pieced everything together like a little puzzle to see how it would all fit.

Once everything was how I wanted it to be, I took a picture to remember. I then took the photos off the letter and began to glue it down! To do so, you need a sponge brush and mod podge. Both can be purchased at a local craft store. I bought mine at Michael’s.

To glue the photos down, I would first use the sponge brush to put glue down on the letter. I would then stick the photo onto it, trying to avoid allowing air bubbles pop up. Once the photo is on, I put the mod podge over it. The mod podge was put on top of the photo for a glossy feel.

Continue on by gluing down each photo with mod podge and put the mod podge on top of the photo, as well.

Once you have every photo glued down, run one last layer of mod podge over the entire thing. Make sure it is all even.

If you can see the white glue on the photo, it’s okay. That’s what makes the photo appear to have a glossy finish once it dries.

Before doing anything else, you need to let the mod podge dry!

You can always leave the letter just like this, but I decided to bejewel the letter with adhesive jewel stickers.

Once you finish adding the jewels onto the letter, it’s all done!

Amber and Katherine loved them. I am so happy with how they came out!

If you decide to make these bejeweled photo collage letters, drop me a message in the comments below and me know!

And remember to check out the site The Collegiate Standard for sorority and fraternity jewelry! PLUS use coupon code SAMI10 to receive 10% off! A post on their products will be coming soon!!

To make my best friends birthday gift, I let my sorority girl/Pinterest addicted self shine through by crafting a DIY sharpie mug with our favorite “Sex and the City” friendship quote – “Maybe our best friends are our soul mates, and boys are just to have fun with.”

The quick craft came out absolutely beautiful & better than I could have ever expected. More importantly, my coffee chugging bestie, Julia, loved it!! With the holiday season now here, a DIY Sharpie mug is a great gift to make and give to any coffee or tea lover in your life.

The make the mug, the steps are:

1. First, you need to get the supplies you need! They’re all very cheap and easy to get – Sharpie markers and a mug! Most mugs can even be found at the dollar store if you are trying to keep yourself on a budget.

2. Decide what you want to write on it. As I said, Julia and I always tell each other that we are soul mates because of the SaTC quote, so it was perfect! You can write any quote you want, draw a design, or even write a note if you would like! You have complete creative freedom!

3. Once you know what you want to do, start designing! Take your time, remember you can’t undo it once you start, so do not rush.

4. Once it is finished, place it in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. This allows the Sharpie to not come off after washing it and multiple uses. Once it bakes, let it cool.