DIY String Lanterns

Lanterns in the living room.

I originally wanted to hang large paper lanterns from the ceiling of my apartment, but I quickly discovered that they obstructed the view from the kitchen to the living room window. No good. After ample research, I came across a DIY string lantern project. It worked better for the view because of the open see through spaces in between the wrapped string. The project involved basic supplies and little labor. Only downfall? Extremely messy. Sticky, yuck. Worth it though, I promise.

Supplies:
Balloons
Corn Starch
Clear Protective Spray Paint
Elmer's Glue
Yarn


Directions:
Mix:
Combine 1/2 cup of corn starch, 1/4 cup of warm water and 1 bottle of average size Elmer's glue. (This is the mixture for each individual lantern).

Supplies

Messy, messy.

Blow up a balloon to the size lantern you want (I did three different sizes to mix it up). Take a the end of the string from the yarn ball and tie it to the top to the balloon. As you wrap the string around the balloon, continue to soak the yarn in the mixture. I decided to eye ball the amount of string I needed and dipped it all in the mix at one time. It's easier this way, but make sure not to the cut the end of the yarn until you know you're done wrapping it. When you feel the balloon is covered enough, tie the string to the top of the balloon. Hang from the ceiling with tarp underneath and let dry for 24 hours. Pop the balloon! Spray with protective spray paint and hang. Put up as many string lanterns as you want, the more the merrier in my opinion!

Finished product!

Portrait Party

My parents, Ray and Joyce

I only began to paint portraits this past year, but once I started, I could not stop. I literally painted all seven of these bad boys in less than a month. The portait OG was the one of my parents. After that, I had to keep on keeping on with all the people I love (I still have many to go, don't be offended). I came up with the quirky modern effect from a edited photograph I once saw. The segregated light in the picture was heavily defined. The fact that it was so non-technical looking, yet so obviously a picture of that person had me in pickle. I was intrigued. I did what any other curious artist would do, and took the technique for a spin. I painted each picture on computer paper then transfered it to a thin canvas by blending the background. I like the end result of a canvas (in terms of hanging), but prefer painting on regular computer paper (not quite sure why). I only use acrylic paint and always base the picture off an actual photograph.

A portrait is a bold gift to give somebody. You're really taking a risk here. In my experience, the recipient will always tell you they love it at first, but on average a week later you'll find out which flaw of theirs (unbeknownst to you) are royally screwed up. Please note that I haven't done a selfie for that exact reason. I probably enjoy the gift giving more than the actual painting. Due to the fact that we are not living in the 18th century, people don't usually receive painted portraits. It's definitely a unique gift to say the least. Below are the other portraits I've painted. Requests are being taken if you fancy my style.

My sister's dog Sebastian

Birthday collage for my handsome friend Kevin

My dapper pal, Michael

My favorite couple, Fernando and Kevin

My best friend and soul mate, Pamela

Pam's parents, Jim and Sharon

Revamp Your Dresser, Revamp Your Life

I'd like to start my blogging adventures with my most recent DIY project; revamping an old dresser. My parents recently purchased a new summer house in Long Island, leaving me with a gold mine of old furniture to rework and restore. My first pick was a boring ole bedroom dresser. I stood infront of it for a good 15 minutes before deciding which color to go with. Two years ago I painted my grandmothers old bedroom set white for my Boston apartment, but I really wasn't feeling white for this particular piece. I really couldn't decide, so I did what I normally do in a situation like this and acted on impulse. I went to the hardware store, stood in the paint aisle, and picked the color with the best name (how else do you think I got the idea to paint my living room "Icy Moon Drops"?). I decided on "Ocean Breeze Blue", probably because it's summer and I'm in that kind of Caribbean state of mind right now. You obviously can choose whatever color suits your personality best, but for me this electric aqua felt right. I later realized it matched my brand new sheets perfectly (picture attached), funny how those things work out sometimes. Now, onto the process.

Supplies:
Kilz Spray Primer
Medium Grit Sandpaper
Decorative knobs
(Knobs from Anthropologie are always my favorite)
Krylon Spray Paint
(I always go with a gloss finish for furniture because it's easier to clean)

Directions:

Remove all existing knobs and hardware from dresser. Lightly sand all surfaces to the point whereyou can see it's becoming a bit dusty. Dampen a paper towel and wipe down, now dry. Use the spray primer all over the surface until you can no longer see the wood color. Let dry. Use the colored spray paint to cover the surface. I used four bottles on one dresser, but only because I have OCD when it comes to making sure every last spot is completed covered. Place new knobs or hardware after 24 hours of drying.

I would say the hardest part of the process is waiting for the damn thing to dry. It looks like a lot of hard work, but the only true strain is the way your index finger feels after hours of spray painting. Dip the thing in ice and call it a day, because now you have a beautiful new bedroom dresser!

Welcome!

Hi. Hello. Welcome to my blog. My name is Julie, sometimes known as "The Crown Jules". I am 21, I live in New York City and I just graduated from college. A little bit more about me? I'm very high-energy and pretty loud. Some might say I have a bold personality (never fully understood if that was a good or bad thing, but hey, I take what I can get),  I'd say I have a rather obsessive attitude towards DIY/crafting/art projects... it's where I direct all this bottled up energy. Alright, maybe not an obsession, that's one hell of a statement, but definitely a much loved hobby.

Another thing about me? It's hard for me to focus, so please bare with my tangent filled posts... just a pre-warning for all you anal Annies out there. I recently moved into my Upper East Side apartment last month and haven't stopped decorating since the moment I walked through the door. It's been DIY heaven all up in here. I began my love for DIY/crafting/art projects recently, but as a young girl always loved to make things. Ever since I could remember, I've been the "artsy" type.  I'm not sure if it was the endless museums my parents dragged me to, or the fact that modern art always made me giddy, but I've consistently had a knack for the artistic aspects of life. In elementary school I belonged to an after school art club, in middle school I kept a consistant sketch journal, in high school art was my only AP class and at 16 I even studied studio art in Paris for a few months. You'd think with all this training, I would be quite the artsist, correct? Well, no. Definitely not. I would say my style is more "eccentric". Not so technical, as most of my art teachers would say. But like I mentioned earlier, I was more of a modern art kind of gal anyway. Whether it's art, crafting, DIY, whatever you want to call it, if it involves the left brain and creativity, I'm all about it. Through my blog, I'd like you all to hop on board "The Crown Jules" express, going non-stop to the DIY Kingdom, if you will. I'll be sharing my interior design ideas, art projects, general creative inquiries and anything else I feel is worth your time. I thank you for taking this journey with me and am humbled by your company. 

PS- To kick things off right, I've attached a few pictures I drew as a child. I want to give you all an idea of what's going on inside my brain when I "create". One is a picture I drew for my father at who knows what age, and the other is my very first self-portrait done at age 5.