Leather + Copper Cup Organizer DIY

As much as I love making items that are pretty or cute just for the sake of aesthetics (which is a totally valid reason to make something), there's always a special satisfaction I get when I work on something that's functional as well as easy on the eye. I wanted some sort of hanging organizer for my bathroom where I could store makeup brushes and other everyday makeup items, but the whole "hanging mason jar with leather straps" look has been done exactly one million and eleven times already. Been there, seen that. Obviously the concept of storing items in cups or jars isn't new, but I wanted something a little more modern looking than mason jars that would still get the job done. I wondered if my copper Moscow mule cups would make a good organizer, but I didn't know if I wanted to use a mug with a handle as my holder. Thankfully, it didn't take much searching to find copper cups sans handles, and I was well on my way to the cute wall organizer of my dreams.

Supplies:
-wood board about 18"x 8" and 3/4" thick (You can make yours longer if you want more than 3 cups attached. Your local home improvement store should be able to cut you a similar size if you can't find a board already sized to your liking.)
-copper tumblers

-colored leather lace
-white semi-gloss paint
-drill
-sawtooth picture hangers
-staple gun (optional)

First, paint your board with a few coats of white paint. Place your cups on your board and stagger them as far apart as you like. I left more room at the top of the cups than the bottom so that they will look more evenly placed when there are items in the cups. Place a pen mark near the top of each cup on both sides so you'll know where to drill your holes.

Drill each hole with a bit that's just big enough for your leather lace to go through. Make a knot at one end of your lace, and thread the lace through the hole from the back. Wrap the leather around the top of your cup as many times as you'd like, thread it through the hole on the other side of the cup, and make another knot on the back side of the board to finish. If you wrap the lace around several times, make any crisscrosses on the back side of the cup so they are out of sight (this will make your front side appear neater).

If you have one, you can also use a staple gun to secure the beginning and end of each lace so your organizer will lay a little flatter on the wall when hung. Once all your cups are attached, you can install a few sawtooth picture hangers on the back, and your organizer will be ready to hang!

I had some items that were a little shorter than the makeup brushes (like the lip glosses), so I put a few inches of uncooked rice at the bottom of those cups to make the cup more shallow. Of course you can customize your organizer with whatever paint and cord color you like, but I think the teal is really pretty against the warm copper tones. I love that I can get a few things off my counter, free up some makeup drawer space, and add a cute detail to the wall (and it was pretty easy to make). I guess sometimes you can have it all! xo. Laura

Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.