Free Shipping Weekend

Hey, guys! It's Black Friday, and we all know what that means, right? You guessed it. I'm here to give you a sweet deal to my shop you can use all throughout this weekend.

I'm offering free shipping worldwide with the coupon code "FREEFORU" in my Etsy shop. Just enter it at check-out, and you're good to go. The code is valid until Monday, so you'll have plenty of time to use it.

TGIF, right? Have a happy weekend!

xo. Hanna

DIY Faux Fur Rug

As you've probably noticed, I don't do home DIYs all that often. Mainly, because I've never had the budget for it - big home decor projects equal more dollars than simple clothing or jewelry projects do. Also, I'm a renter, so trilling holes into walls or doing major remodeling has never been possible. But, I was all on board when my brother asked me to make a faux fur rug for him.

We gave our Tallinn rental apartment to my brother and his girlfriend. In exchange, I got to live there for another 2 months after Rein had already moved to Germany. So, I was more than happy to help them settle in.

My brother had his heart set on getting a faux fur rug for the living room, but all the ones we looked at were a bit pricey for their taste. So, I suggested I try and DIY one. Now, faux fur fabric can also be pricey, but fortunately we found one on sale that we liked. Win!

Here's how I did it:

 Supplies:

• Faux fur fabric in the size of your desired rug (ours was 150cmx220cm)
• Sturdy cotton or cotton-blend fabric for the backing (enough to cover the back of the rug)
• Photo mount spray glue
• ABS Latex (found in craft stores and used for making non-slippery socks)
• Wide bias binding (2x the width of your rug)
• Scissors

 STEP 1
First, I trimmed the cut edges of the fur fabric to make sure the angles were all 90 degrees. I used a canvas as a ruler, but you could use anything that's a rectangle or square shape.

 STEP 2
Time to cut the backing. I lined the whole rug with a thick cotton fabric I already had in my stash. It's a vintage fabric that my Dad gave me. Since it was not as wide as the rug, I had to cut two blocks - the blocks should be about 10cm longer than the rug fabric. I cut one of the blocks narrower so that the 2 blocks would overlap by about 15 cm. If possible, buy a piece of fabric that's already the same width as your rug fabric and the correct length. Then you can just skip this step :).

Roll the backing fabric into a tight even roll and you're prepped for the next step.

 STEP 3
Next, lay down a big sheet of plastic to protect the floor and place your rug fabric on the plastic right side facing down. Spray the backside of the faux fur fabric with the spray glue as instructed on the bottle.
Place the backing fabric on one edge of the rug and start carefully rolling it on the rug fabric making sure that the sides line up. This part can be a little tricky, so take it slow and don't give up. fortunately, spray glue doesn't dry that quickly, so you can always pull the fabric back and try again if you're having trouble.

 STEP 4
Once the backing is glued on, let it dry. Then, trim the edges of the backing to be even with the edges of the rug.
Start applying the latex. I started by free-hand drawing rectangles of latex to the back of the rug. Once one bottle was empty, I started drawing latex spirals in the center of the rug. I found that 2 bottles of latex didn't cover the whole back, but enough to make it non-slippery. Let dry.

 STEP 5
This step is totally optional. Since faux fur fabrics don't fry and the cotton one won't either because it's glued to the back, you could leave it at that. But, if you'd like a clean finish to your rug edges, add some bias binding. I always fold the binding in half and iron before sewing.
Place the raw edge of the rug between the binding and sew.
All done!

I'm really proud of my DIY rug. As always, making something for the first time and succeeding leaves you wanting more, so I'm already thinking of new ways to DIY a rug. I'm contemplating making a crochet one out of t-shirt yarn for our new apartment. 

What do you think? Ready to make a rug?

P.S! Don't forget to enter the giveaway (see the end of that post for details)!

xo. Hanna

Giving Back

Well, guys, the collections is finally in the shop and it's time for me to reveal a little secret I've been keeping. Or, rather, a small side note to my last post.

I do believe that true happiness comes from giving rather than getting, so I've decided to donate 5% of the proceeds from my shop to an Estonian non-profit organization called Lahendus.net.

Lahendus.net consists of volunteer psychology students who offer anonymous and free online psychological counseling to people who need it. I was one of those volunteers for a few years during my studies, and I know how valuable their work is. I also know how much of their time and effort they give to serve others.

I've always wanted to someday be able to somehow support this organization, and now seemed like the perfect time to do it. I hope you'll join me and together we can give back this season.

xo. Hanna

Introducing // Pearls & Scissors' Limited Collection (and a Giveaway!)

Drumroll, please! Pearls & Scissors' limited edition accessories collection is finally ready to hit the shop, and I couldn't be more excited! It's something I've been daydreaming about for months now, and to see it come to life is such a gratifying feeling. But, I'm getting a bit carried away with my feeling here. Let me introduce you to the heart-made creations that this collection consists of.

My main aim when creating this collection was to make items that would be sustainable, versatile and timeless, and at the same time beautiful, elegant, and unique.

I made 10 unique flower brooches/hair clips. Each and every flower was hand cut and sewn together by yours truly. Each flower is a one of a kind item. There was never and will never be a duplicate. Each and every one of you is a one of a kind individual, and I really wanted to create a collection of completely unique accessories that would compliment you in a very special way. Like I made that flower specially for you. Because I did.

The flowers were cut out of old t-shirts, making this a very eco-friendly accessory. Giving new life to discarded items is a passion I've had for years now. It's my way to give back to Mother Earth. Now, you can also be a part of this.

Five of the 10 flowers are dip-dyed to create a unique color palette. I love how the new color mixes with the base of the fabric to create a beautiful pattern of subtle color variations.

In addition to them being the perfect addition to any cardigan, jacket, sweater, or hat, all of the brooches also double as hair clips - so, they have a needle pin and a hair clip attached to the back. I love to re-invent my wardrobe, and this inspired me to add a second function to this brooch. I think it looks so pretty in the hair, and the hair clip also makes it really easy to attach the brooch to a thicker jacket collar.

I hope you love these colorful brooches/hair clips just as much as I do. It was such a joy to create these for you.

The 4-bead necklace was inspired by my statement necklace DIY I shared a couple of weeks ago, and is a simple yet versatile piece. I was really drawn to different shades of neutrals and metallics - I wanted this to be equal parts fun and elegance. This is the type of necklace I'd wear every day - it goes with most everything.

To balance the color and romance of the brooches, I created a collection of elegant and practical bags with a modern geometric design. Each bag was handmade by me using reclaimed leather and vintage fabrics. There will only be 2 of each design available.

The small sling bags come with a metal chain strap, which gives them just a bit of extra flare. The small bag is perfect for a date night or party, fitting just the necessities. I made 2 designs - one from orange velvet, which gives it a more luxurious feel, and the other from a vintage floral cotton fabric, which gives it a more toned-down, elegant look.

These fold-over clutches are the perfect everyday bag - you can fit all the things you need on the go comfortably inside one of these. And since versatility is a virtue in my eyes, these also have the option of attaching a chain strap.

They come in 3 different designs. The first is made of a vintage floral cotton with blue and black leather details. The second one is made out of a vintage forest green synthetic blend fabric mixed with bright blue and black reclaimed leather. And, the third (pictured below) is made of a fun subtle green vintage polka dot cotton mixed with brown and black reclaimed leather. All of designs are lined with vintage cotton. I'm in love with all of them!

I truly hope you love this collection as much as I loved creating it! The whole collection will be up in the shop tomorrow at 8pm Central European Time. If something caught your eye, be sure to act fast, because once it's gone, it's really gone. 

As a thank you for being such awesome, honest and supportive readers, I'm giving away one extra polka dot fold-over clutch. Just leave a comment below with your e-mail address, and you'll be entered to win. The giveaway is open until Sunday 12pm CET, and I'll announce the winner on Monday. Good luck!

xo. Hanna

Words for the Week // No.19 (I have arrived!)

It's been a while, eh? Well, I've finally arrived in Leverkusen. We filled the car to the brim on Friday and headed to Stockholm with a ship. From there it was straight down to Malmö, then over some bridges to Denmark, and finally to Germany.We arrived at 3.30am on Sunday. What a relief!

It's going to be a busy week of unpacking, finding furniture, getting the paper-work in order, and launching the winter collection. Amidst all the craziness, I find myself feeling content - we're finally together again, and I feel so loved. I missed my husband like crazy! I hope we don't have to repeat this any time soon.

I'm excited to get the decorating started. I have so many plans and ideas for this space. I love our little apartment - it's the perfect white canvas to create our own home in. So, stay tuned for DIYs and before and afters. I'm determined to take it slow and really only bring items into this space that we both love rather than settle for something that we need but don't like.

This is the state of our bedroom at the moment. Pretty, huh? Moving's a pain in the you-know-where, but I know it's going to get better with each passing day.

I'll be back tomorrow with a peak at the finished collection for the shop. Exciting!

xo.Hanna

Q&A // All your questions answered (my first ever video blog!)

Oh.My.God! Am I nervous about today's post! It's my first ever video blog post, and I'm so excited (read scared). I've been thinking about making a video for ages now, and your questions seemed to be the perfect fit for the first try. I'm still a total newbie at this, so excuse my awkward hmmms and the length of the whole thing. I'll speak faster and more to the point next time, promise

Here's the link to the funny blog about Estonia I spoke about in the video. It's not active anymore, and you definitely can't take it too seriously, but it's good fun. I'm going to do a separate post about my favorite touristy places to visit in Estonia in the near future, so stay tuned for that as well.

Let me know what you think in the comments below! And kudos to you if you watch the whole 15 minutes :)

xo Hanna

Behind the Scenes: Making of a handmade collection

For the last few weeks, I've been toying with the idea of a handmade, limited edition accessories collection. You can read my first report on it here. And the idea of creating a collection again, of designing and making, and filling my shop once again has really sparked me to work towards this goal.

It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Crazy. Busy. Yet, I keep sneaking in hours to make these gorgeous fabric flower brooches, and fold-over clutches/sling bags with geometric design. I'm not always great with goals. Sometimes I make it till the end and sometimes I don't. But, I always love the creative challenge of pushing towards the finish line.

Did you know my small bedroom is also my little studio? Well, you might imagine what a mess it's been the whole time. Every inch of space is covered by fabric scraps, scissors, pearls, thread - you name a crafting supply, and you could probably find it on my floor.

These are the bead necklaces I've created for this collection. I made only 4. After I posted this DIY, I was so inspired to create more similar pieces. And then, just the right beads just stared at me in the craft store. What was I supposed to do?

Oh, and the flower brooches (which double as a hair accessory). You know, these are all unique. I made only one of each, and I love them all. These would make a great gift for Christmas. I know my Mom would love one. I can't wait to make someones day a little happier with one of these.

And now I have no other excuses to postpone packing. Packing is no fun, let me tell you. It's almost like cleaning - everything is neatly put together, but you can't for the life of you find what you need. And, to think I have to leave at least half of my fabrics here in Estonia. Sniff. My family will most likely have to drag me away from my beloved fabrics kicking and screaming - it's not going to be a pretty picture. Oh well...

I hope you enjoyed this little update!
xo. Hanna

Want to get to know me?

I have a confession. Every morning when I open my mailbox, I secretly (or not so secretly) hope that there's a notification inside. A notification of a new blog comment. I love to read about your thoughts on a projects or a personal post. There has been a lot of talk about negativity online on different blogs lately, and every time I read one of those articles I think of you, my dear friends. I'm so lucky to have the kindest, most supportive and sincere readers. Ever. And I mean that.

Even though I share a lot about my life, and am honest about my thoughts and struggles, there are still a lot of things I don't get to talk about on the blog. Let's just say that my favorite ice cream flavor, or my guilty pleasure TV-series just haven't come on the blog.

So, I thought that it would be fun to do a little Q&A session with you. Is there anything you're curious about? Have a question you'd love for me to answer? Well, leave them in the comments, and I'll make a post with all the juicy details :).

Have a wonderful week-start! (why is week-start not a thing?)

xo. Hanna

This week was...

This week was crazy. It was also my last full week at work here. I'm starting to take care of loose ends and preparing for my last week in Tallinn starting tomorrow. It feels weird. I've lived in this apartment for the last 3 years, and not only am I moving to another apartment, that apartment is located a couple thousand miles from here. It's a roller-coaster for sure.

This week was emotional. I had more ups and downs mentally this week than I care to admit. I know it's all part of the process, but it's also pretty exhausting.
I had my send-off party with friends this weekend. Since I'll already be at my parents' next weekend, it was the last chance to get all the important people together...and make moving away feel even worse. It's going to be so weird (and so sad) not being able to just phone them and meet up. Or being able to hop on a buss and go visit. Estonia is so small, that even the friends living at the other end still seemed pretty close by.

This week was inspiring. I spent a lot of time getting creative, designing products, and putting them together. I spent today hand-sewing beads to these fabric flower brooches I'm making for the shop. I just sat on my bed, quietly, sewing away. And it was bliss. I had forgotten how much I need crafting time. How much I need to just sit quietly and keep my hands busy. All of a sudden my head was filled with ideas and inspiration. The more I create, the more creativity I have.

I'm actually looking forward to Monday this week. More time to sit quietly and keep my hands busy.

What have you been up to?

xo. Hanna

DIY Painted Wooden Beads necklace

Although I love the statement necklace trend, I don't own very many. When it comes to jewelry, I'm more of a earrings type. I don't wear necklaces nearly as often as I'd like to. And, I think part of the problem is that I don't like spending money on trendy jewelry that might not get as much wear or might go out of fashion next year. So, I thought I'd make myself a necklace that would be bold enough to make a statement yet subtle enough for my taste.

 This necklace is super simple to make. You don't even need fancy jewelry making equipment to create it. Just a few beads and nail polish is about it.

Supplies:

• 3 wooden beads (1 with a diameter of 3cm, and 2 with 2.5cm)
• Nail polish in the color of your choice
• Tooth picks
• Shot glasses or somewhere to hang the beads to dry
• necklace chain (as long as you want the necklace to be)
• hook-eye closure
• 2 small 5mm connection rings
• /or buy a ready made chain necklace

 STEP 1
Choose three bold nail polish colors for your necklace design. I chose teal, orange red and turquoise.

 Insert a tooth pick through one of the beads and start painting half of the bead in the first color. Once you're done, set it on the shot glass to dry.
Repeat with the other two beads and nail polish colors.

 STEP 3
Pull one of the connection rings open, insert the hook closure and one end of the chain, and push it back closed. Then, take the other connection ring, pull it open and insert the other end of the chain, close the ring.
You can skip this step if you use a ready-made chain necklace.

STEP 4
Once the beads have dried, pull the chain necklace though the beads, and you're done!

Wasn't it simple? Sometimes, describing the making process is so much more difficult than the making itself.

I've gotten a lot of wear out of my necklace already, so I'm thinking about making another variation, maybe this time in metallics and black. We'll see...

Happy making!

xo. Hanna