She Takes Thrifted Dishware And Makes An Eye-Catching Jewelry Holder

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Have you ever noticed that the best-looking jewelry organizers kind of look like pieces of finery themselves? What with their shiny patinas and delicate constructions, they're something your vanity could wear like its very own set of crown jewels. Such a jewelry storage solution is lovely to buy, but even better to make, as YouTuber Deidre from Our Upcycled Life demonstrated. Her piece started with a thrifted souvenir dish and a crystal candleholder, which she glued together and embellished with shiny paint. The result was exquisitely eye-catching, thanks to all of the decorative features sported by the dishes.

There's a very specific kind of plate the YouTuber used for this craft, known as a ribbon dish, which features holes around the edge. Traditionally, plate collectors would weave a ribbon in and out of the holes, and then tie a bow in the ends of the ribbon. The latter served as the plate's hanger. The added ribbon gave these specialty dishes their name. Because your jewelry will be hooked into the holes when this piece is done, it's important to find a dish with this feature if you want to make this DIY. Fortunately, there are plenty of ribbon dishes to be found on eBay and other auction sites, as well as at thrift stores on occasion. The DIY gets additional adornment from the candlestick that forms the base of the jewelry holder. A short one made of crystal or glass with beading and grooves would work nicely. It shouldn't be very tall — perhaps 6 inches or less.

Some non-dishy items are also necessary. You'll need a glue like E6000 Craft Adhesive. Lastly, either a metallic or mirrored spray paint, like Rust-Oleum Mirror Silver Spray Paint, is what Deidre used to create a shiny effect.

This is an easy DIY to assemble. When Deidre from Our Upcycled Life made hers, she simply glued the candlestick holder to the middle of the bottom of the thrifted plate. Although E6000 will set in just a couple of minutes, it doesn't truly cure for about 24 to 72 hours. If you're concerned about the jewelry holder popping apart, glue the two pieces together, then allow the adhesive to set for a day or so before you coat the piece with the spray paint. Give it a couple of coats to ensure even coverage. This addition unifies the two pieces to make them look like one item.

For a more dramatic look, you could instead opt for a dual-toned paint job. Spray paint a black or bright red paint to the candlestick base. Add the mirrored or gold metallic paint to the bowl. If you do this, it's probably helpful to paint the pieces first, and then glue them together once the paint dries. Alternatively, if you've found more than one plate, you could create a tiered jewelry holder by gluing a candlestick to both the bottom and top of the base plate. Then, glue another plate onto the top candlestick: It'll look like a tiered cupcake plate when it's done.

After painting is complete, you may want to further embellish the piece. Gluing on some sparkly additions, like these Tinkrstuff Resin Rhinestones for Crafting, would make the jewelry holder look very crown-like. Once your adornments are in place, it's time to organize your jewelry. Hang items like hoop earrings and necklaces along the dish's border, and reserve the plate's interior for items like watches and rings to make the best use of this thrift-store craft.