Don’t let the lack of space, time and money that comes with college life get you down. Tap into your creative side quickly and cheaply with a few projects that still look beautiful at a low cost.

Often times, going through tangled messes of earrings can be so overwhelming and frustrating that people skip ear appeal all together and head out with nude lobes. Never again will this happen, because with these next two art projects, brought to you by Sarah Ku, a sophomore undeclared major in the College of Arts and Sciences, your earrings will not only be displayed artfully and neatly, but also within quick reach.

Detangling your dangles

This first project will tame your dangly earrings. Take a piece of yarn about two feet in length, which can be bought at Michaels on Erie Boulevard East. If you have crocheting experience, you’ll know how to crochet the string like you would any first line, leaving six inches on each side of the string untouched. If not, all you need is five extra minutes to test it out — there are plenty of online guides to follow.

Next, pull a piece of colored fabric tightly across a rectangular piece of cardboard —12 inches by 5 inches — both of which can also be found at Michaels, if not lying around on your dorm-room floor. Staple this in the back. Take the crocheted part of your yarn and lay it along about an inch below the top of your rectangle. Fold the untouched string around the back and staple on both ends right in the corner. Then tie those ends together and hang it up. Start placing your dangling earrings into each of the string loops.

Have too many earrings? Repeat the same project, but instead of tying the ends together, staple them to the bottom of the first rectangle so it hangs below.

Secure your studs

Sometimes it’s hard to deal with your studs and smaller earrings, so they often get lost in the shuffle and tossed out. This project is similar to the previous one, but instead of cutting out a cardboard rectangle, cut out a cardboard frame. Don’t worry about the edges looking perfect; you will cover the whole thing by pulling a piece of fabric tightly over the empty middle and stapling it down in the back edges.

Take an 8-inch string and staple each end of it to the top corners of the back of the frame. Hang it alongside your first project. Start by poking the posts of the earrings through the cloth in the center, and then secure the backs from behind.

Light up your life

The third project is for more eco-friendly people and those who are afraid of the dark. Instead of throwing out your next empty milk gallon, you can recycle it in a creative way, thanks to senior industrial and interaction design major Roseda Lo. After rinsing the bottle out several times, fill it with water and put the cap back on. Next, take a camping headlight — available on Amazon.com for as low as about $5 — and wrap it around the container. Face the headlight inward so it’s facing the bottle and turn it on. Easy, fear-reducing art.

Mirror, mirror, on the wall

Don’t lie — every time you pass by the Physics Building you look at the tinted windows and check yourself out. Looking into mirrors is an unbreakable habit, unless the mirror breaks, of course. Thankfully, mirrors are not only tools for self-indulgence; they are actually the centerpieces of this project. Not really digging the eggshell-colored concrete wall you sleep across from? Go to Oriental Trading Company and buy 400 small glass tiles for $7.25.

Mount them with double-sided foam tape — cheap in most hardware stores — and you have a masterpiece. Not only did these tiles eliminate headaches, but mirrors are proven to amplify light in rooms and make them seem larger. Instant success.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Hanging Christmas lights is the classic dorm-room project. It’s easy, cheap and can actually make a room feel quite cozy. However, them falling and hitting you in the face as you sleep is a problem this project does not take kindly to.

Take a few empty mason jars and glass bottles, and stuff part of the string into each one. Plug in the lights — also available on Amazon.com — and experience the soothing effect. With ease, you can turn these fallen lights into an even more dazzling experience.

Making your environment into something more personal than it was the day you moved in can help alleviate homesickness and help you take pride in your workspace. It is important to take little, creative steps to get invested, because these actions can make you feel more at home.

Published on September 18, 2012 at 1:45 am

Contact Caroline: [email protected]