I'm a sucker for coupons and discounts. When I know a shopping trip is approaching, I'll start scouring the internet for any kind of deal I can find. But the absolute best finds are unexpected. Last week, I was perusing Old Navy and came across this sad white clutch sitting in a pile of dust with a few minor stains on one of the sale shelves. It had been marked down from $19.99 to $10. Knowing that Old Navy is amazing when it comes to taking care of damaged merchandise, I approached one of the salespeople and asked what the marked down price would be if I were to purchase the clutch. They dropped it down to $5.98 and it was as good as gone! I took it home that night, used an all-purpose green cleaner to wipe it down, and it looked good as new.
Before:
After:
After it was clean, I realized the crazy amount of potential for this little clutch. I did a little research on summer trends on Pinterest, and decided to move ahead full force with a DIY overhaul. Introducing...
DIY Color Block Clutch!
(I apologize for my disgraceful looking nails in advance, they will be manicured immediately.)
What you'll need:
White clutch (can be envelope-style, fold over, anything you want)
Jewelry strands of your choice (I prefer the Blue Moon brands, found at JoAnn's or Michael's)
Super glue
Acrylic paint
Fabric paint
Paint brush
Painter's tape (not pictured)
Acetone (not pictured)
Lay your clutch down and measure out how much of the jewelry strand you'll be using and if you'll have to cut some of it down. I had to cut my second strand in half and retie the string in order to fit it across the front of my clutch. I kept the extra beads in a pile.
Next comes the super gluing. I place a piece of paper inside the clutch so the glue wouldn't seep through to the inside and close it shut. Very carefully, lift the jewelry strand section by section, starting at the top, and glue the fixture down. Hold each section for 15 seconds after you glue.
Once you feel as though the entire upper jewelry strand is secure, starting gluing the bottom of the jewelry strand if necessary.
As fun little feature, I glued one of my extra beads to the zipper.
And with that, part one is complete!
Now before you move on to part two, ask yourself if you're happy with this product. My sister loved the clutch the way it was before I painted it, and it would certainly be functional without the color blocking. But I wanted to go that extra mile for a pop of color.
Take your painter's tape and mark off the section you'll be painting.
On a paper plate or in a plastic bowl, mix together 3 parts acrylic paint, 1 part fabric paint, and a few drops of acetone. I used acetone on my clutch because the material is simulated leather, and the acetone will break down the paint so the material on the clutch will still be pliable instead of drying rock solid.
Use long strokes to cover the section of your clutch. Paint the clutch as evenly as possible.
Set your timer for 15 minutes and repaint. After an additional 15 minutes, if the color has not reached your liking, repaint and wait an additional 15 minutes after that.
Wait until the clutch is completely dry before removing the painter's tape. Fix any additional blemishes and let it dry.
And there you have it folks!
Thanks for watching!
xo Jessica
