When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold

I’m quite enamored with gold lately.

It all started with my 21st birthday party. As a newly minted adult, I wanted to impose a dress code and theme that basically revolved around A) getting all of my friends buttered, and B) me wearing a certain dress with a pair of gold boots I scored at Gladd Rags for a sparkle-themed New Year’s Eve party.

tiny dancer — aNd I LiT uP tHe DaNcE fLoOr. I actually don’t have pictures of the boots, but this NYE bash in Boston was mad cool.

So my 21st was “white and blacked out plus gold” – a raging success, in every sense.

Two more shiny yellow accessories brought my obsession to a hilt: the sparkling ring my grandmother gifted me for graduation, and the beaded chain sunglasses holder I made a couple months ago. I embraced the precious metal, both in its pure and imitation forms.

sunglasses chain — Crafting in the car, thus the seatbelt. Safety first!

Complex declared on Sunday that gold chains are totally having a moment right meow. Coincidentally, I was at Michaels that same evening, prowling the aisles for spray paint to jazz up this week’s Heave DIY.

Behold, the golden corkboard:

I called this post “The College Try” because I’ve been meaning to rip apart this monstrosity from my freshman year dorm room for months. For the first time in my life, I’m wishing that I had white walls so the metallic wash would pop. It’s a subtle step up from plain cork that makes a noticeably bright impact when it catches the light. Neutral suede lace and raw edges add to the distressed feel of the already broken in board.

While returning ceramic tiles at Michaels today, I made another gold purchase. And then I made these:

Women friends, this is the perfect solution to “I wish I had more rings.” One pack of wire costs about $3.99, and chances are you already have a handful of beads lying around.

Materials

20 gauge wire*
beads
jewelry pliers
a ring to size
nail polish bottle of the same size

*I used 28 gauge for the lavender ring. If you want to go this route, be extra gentle and be prepared to use more wire.

Step 1: Wrap the wire twice around your wrist to determine how much you’ll need, then cut.

Step 2: String the bead onto the wire. Slide your ring as far down as possible onto a nail polish bottle brush, taking note of where it stops.

Step 3: Center the bead there and wrap the wire around the brush, crossing the ends in the back.

Step 4: Bring the wires to the front and wrap them clockwise several times around the base of the bead.

Step 5: With an inch or so of wire remaining, tightly wrap the free ends around the ring.

Step 6: Pull the coil tightly with pliers and trim the ends. Smooth the tips with a nail file if necessary.

I will never be bored as long as I have gold spray paint and 20 gauge wire. There are infinite things to make, like those first knuckle rings and name necklaces all the cool kids are sporting.