Recycled Jewelry Storage

I (Ranie) have a confession... I am an antique jewelry addict! Seriously. If I have had a hard day, or if I want a great weekend activity- there is nothing higher on my list to do than hit up the local antique store to raid their jewelry stash. I will show you other examples of this... but for today I thought I would show you one of my solutions for my addiction. Ok, maybe it isn't a solution for the addiction, but it is a solution for keeping my habit organized!

 Here is my collection of earrings, cardi clips, brooches, rings and a few bobbi pins and hair ties all mixed in.

This was a nightmare to sort through when I wanted to find that perfect pair of earrings to go with my outfit. Back in the day, I would just look at my stash and sigh... then proceed to let all of these gems sit there in hopes that one day I would get over it and sort through the stash to find what I actually wanted.

 Then I remembered these babies... That's right, they are empty Gerber baby food containers

 I discovered them back in my working-in-daycare days, but since I don't have a baby and therefore a ready supply of these, I had to beg. That's right, I begged them (for free) off of my friend/coworker who does have a little gerber food eating little one. She thought I was weird for asking, but I assure you, it was well worth the beg!

 First I selected some scraps of paper that would match my room decorations and cut them to the right dimensions. I also needed to round the edges so that they would fit in the lid wedge "just so"

Then I grabbed my favorite tools- good ol' Mod Podge and a spounge brush

I put the mod podge all over the little inlay on the lid

 Then set in the paper in their proper places...* Be sure to do one at a time and take the time to press the paper into the mod podge so bubbles do not form*

 After the base layer of mod podge dried, I covered the tops of the lids with mod podge. I put on a couple of coats because I have a little OCD

 While that dries... go ahead and sort out your piles and make sure your earrings all have their pair (evidence of OCD again)

Once dry, put in your jewels

I made 4. 1 for rings, 1 for earrings, 1 for brooches/cardi clips and 1 for bobbi pins/hair bands...

Now that they are organized... they are getting used much much more! Hooray!

Let me know if you make any!