D.I.Y.

crafty creations.

DIY – Accessories Organizers

Recently, I got some cheap supplies from the thrift store and the craft store and decided it was time to finally organize all my Fandom jewelry and, of course, my sunglasses. I’ve made a sunglasses frame style organizer before but it was time for a new one. Here’s how I did it all:

First up: Sunglasses Frame Organizer

What you’ll need:

Old frames (size depending on your need/use)
Spray paint
Ribbon
Super glue
Flat thumb tacks

1.) I picked up some ugly bathroom art at the thrift store.

2.) Spray frames

3.) Using glue AND thumb tacks, attach ribbon to the back of the frame. *Be aware of the space you’ll need for hanging the sunglasses. I attached one ribbon close to the top and another about half-way down the frame.

Done. Bingo-Bango, you’ve got your sunglasses organized and easily accessible. (I have a thing for sunglasses…)

Next: Jewelry Organizers

What you’ll need: *This is really up to you and how you want to organize. I chose:

Cork board
Bulby thumb tacks
Small dishes/bowls
Hemp upholstered bracelet holder
Hemp canvases (small, matches bracelet holder)
Spray paint
Acrylic paint

Necklace Display:

1.) To jazz up the cork board, I taped off the design I wanted and sprayed with gold spray paint.

2.) I also sprayed the bulby thumb tacks to match.

Bracelet Display:

3.) Using the acrylic paint (I chose teal), I painted a swirly design around the bracelet holder.

Earring Display:

4.) Using the same acrylic paint, I painted stripes on the small hemp canvases to coordinate and tie everything together.

That’s really it. Just getting creative with some cheap stuff so I can easily accessories my Geek-Chic ensembles without having to dig through boxes of tangled jewelry. I keep the fancy stuff in a proper jewelry box but for all the fun stuff, I really like my new set-up.

Plenty of space for even more jewelry like those I receive from my Fandom of the Month Club boxes each month… Oh, I haven’t told you about my Fandom of the Month Club boxes each month? Well, that’s a post for another day. 😉

Thanks for reading!

Love, GK

DIY – Crystal Ball Prop

Yesterday, I shared a DIY makeup tutorial for how I do my makeup when performing as Simza Vadoma Luminista in Balthazar’s Band of Beauties. Today, I thought I’d share how I made my own prop crystal ball. It’s really quite simple and lots of fun for a halloween decoration or theatre prop.

What you’ll need:

Old, round light fixture. (Or a new one, whatever)
Wood circles of various sizes (& small trinket box)
Gold spray paint (optional: glitter spray paint)
Super Glue
Wood Glue
Small battery powered light

1.) Spray your wood pieces and allow to dry completely. You can find these at any craft store. I also purchased a small, plain cardboard trinket box found in the same craft aisle that fit the light fixture perfectly and holds the light. Spray that too.

2.) Using both super glue and wood glue, I stacked these pieces. Allow to dry completely.

And thats really it! Super easy!

3.) Add battery powered light and then pop the glass sphere from the light fixture snuggly on top (trinket box fitting inside bulb).

*for extra security, I use double sided tape around the top tier (trinket box) to hold the bulb in place when performing. Its still easy to remove to turn the light on and off and can easily be replaced if needed. It’s also hidden so nobody sees the tape.

BONUS DIY: I didn’t want to use any of my real tarot decks during performances so I purchased some sparkley poster board and found a free tarot deck download online. I had the tarot images printed at Staples and then just glued them to the board and cut to size.

Thanks for reading!

Love, GK

DIY – Hollow Eyes Makeup

Earlier this year, as Ive posted, some friends and I from the Treasure Coast Cosplayers hosted a Creep Walk at a local Horror Con. My original character is a Gypsy Fortune-Teller named Simza Vadoma Luminista and she gauged her own damn eyes out, ya’ll. I wanted to share a step-by-step on how I do my makeup for this character, so here goes:

You will need:

Window Screen
Liquid Latex
Tissue
Fake Blood
Foundation/Concealer
Powder
Black eyeliner jumbo pencil
Black eyeshadow

1.) Using liquid latex and strips of tissue/paper towel/TP/whatever really, I attach the strips around my eye. This is the most time-consuming of the process but after a few rounds, you can slap it on pretty quickly. I make sure to go above my eyebrow so I avoid ripping out my eyebrows when I remove the makeup. I extend down along/just below my cheek bones.

2.) Once the tissue strips are attached and the latex is dry, I use cream foundation everywhere including the tissue so it’ll look like ripped skin. I used stage makeup whenever I’m doing special effects stuff because I trust it and it lasts the entire time. This foundation/concealer is by Ben Nye. You can order it online. It’s a very recognizable stage makeup name. (Masquerade and Kryolan are two of my other favorite brands and can also be purchased online)

3.) All inside the tissue circle, COVER your eyes using a black jumbo eyeliner crayon/pencil. I’m using one by NYC. it was super cheap at the drug store and works just fine. You’ll want to also seal the black using a highly pigmented black eyeshadow. (I forget what brand this is here but its of higher quality and provides great coverage.) I also used a regular size black eyeliner pencil for the details and getting every bit of my eye area.

4.) Use a brush to apply stage blood all around the edges of the tissue. Smudge it in the crack where the tissue attaches to your skin. This doesn’t need any precision; it’s supposed to look like your eyes were ripped out so you can just squish that stuff all around.

5.) You can purchase window screen by the roll at any home improvement store for relatively cheap. I used a circular cotton pad to measure out a good sized circle and cut a few pairs out. Apply more liquid latex around the edges of your screen circles. Let the latex dry just a bit and then apply INSIDE the tissue. The ripped, bloody looking “skin” should still be hanging ragged around the edge of the screen. Allow to dry completely.

*One of the annoying bits of this makeup is that your eyelashes, depending on how long they are, may rub against the screen and it just feels weird but you deal with it for the sake of having awesome gorey makeup.

6.) Finish up by adding more stage blood. And some more stage blood all around the “ripped skin”, inside the lip where “skin” meets screen, and allow some to drip from the “wound”.

Bam! There you have it. In well-lit areas, your friends can see the whites of your eyes behind the screen but in photos, close your eyes, and in dark areas you can get the effect perfectly fine.

I hope this inspires some of you to explore horror and special effects makeup. Its something I’ve always loved and totally need to dive back in. Thanks so much for reading!

Love, GK

Darth Vader Accessories

As you know, one of my cosplays for MegaCon Orlando this year was Glam Vader (Lady Vader). I wanted to share how I made some of my glittering, fabulous accessories: my chest box and belt. My crafty and skilled friend, Scotty, helped me tremendously! Here’s how I put it together:

Scotty crafted the boxes for me in his workshop and I couldn’t be more grateful to him for that. Once I had them in my hands, I gave them all a good sanding and used a clear coat to help seal them prior to painting.

I sprayed them all down with a gray primer next. Then, I painted the majority of the boxes black. Once dry, I carefully (and time-consumingly) taped off all the “buttons” and painted each their respective flat color with acrylics. Before removing the tape, I painted the buttons again with the corresponding glitter paint and then, gave them each a healthy dose of regular craft glitter. For the silver pieces, I taped off the surrounding buttons and sprayed them with a silver glitter spray paint that I had.

Once all the boxes was good and sparkley, I decorated them with rhinestones using krazy glue. The final step in this process was to give them a good glitter-sealing clear shine coat.

After giving my belt (just a regular men’s black belt) a spray of glitter, I was ready to attach the boxes. I used velcro to do this and it worked perfectly. I had originally intended to remove the original buckle on the belt and add snaps but it was getting down to the wire (con procrastination is so real) and I scrapped that idea… for now.

I gave my Vader helmet a coat of glitter spray paint and sealer also because the Glam is strong with this one. For the chest box, I used another section of the velcro tape to attach it to my corset the day of the con. Perhaps not the best solution but it held all day at the con and I can always figure out another solution for next time. (But I’ll probably just use another section of velcro tape again.)

Thanks for reading!

Love, GK

D.I.Y. – Star Wars Jewelry

While shopping, I came across Star Wars epoxy stickers. Too cute to pass up, I chucked them in my cart. Once home, I decided that instead of using these all willy-nilly I would make some adorable jewelry with them! I had the supplies on hand but they can be purchased cheaply at any craft store.

First: I cut out each sticker, leaving the plastic attached to the back. These particular stickers didn’t peel easily from their plastic sheet to begin with so I didn’t have any trouble with them peeling apart on their own. (Should I encounter a future problem with the sticky side of the sticker being exposed, I’ll put a coat of clear nail polish on it.)

Second: To create a hole in each sticker for a metal loop to go through, I heated up a sewing needle and carefully pierced the top of each sticker. (The same method I use in my guitar pick jewelry post)

Finally: I decided which pieces would become earrings and which would become necklace pendants and attached the necessary metal rings and pieces.

The necklace pendants can be worn on any chain or rope but I decided to use some heavy duty, glittery ribbon that I recently found on clearance at JoAnn’s to make chokers a la 1994. I used the sewing needle again to create holes for the metal rings to loop through (attaching the clasps and pendants).

Here’s some pics of what I’ve made so far and my gigantic zit:

Stormtrooper earrings & Vader choker.

R2-D2/C-3PO earrings & Yoda choker

Thanks for reading! Love, GK

Ginger Kate

a chic-geek, american ginger on a mission to create

D.I.Y.

DIY – Accessories Organizers

DIY – Crystal Ball Prop

DIY – Hollow Eyes Makeup

Darth Vader Accessories

D.I.Y. – Star Wars Jewelry