I love earrings, but I often forget to put them in because they're stored away in various jewelry boxes. Out of sight, out of mind.

This instructable uses simple materials to create an earring storage display that will both showcase and provide ready access to your earrings.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Tools Used:
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Stapler
- Hole punch
- Sharpie
- Hobby saw
- Vise grips or pliers (for screwing in eyehooks)

Materials Used:
Glue
I used Elmer's, but a glue gun would also work really well.

Cardboard
This instructable uses the cardboard pieces left over after punching out the playing tiles from the board game Carcassonne. The cardboard had a pretty pattern and reminded me of window frames, so I saved them.

(If you're not a compulsive saver like me, you could use any piece of cardboard and cut openings of any shape and size.)

Felt (or any cloth)
I chose black felt because it was cheap and contrasted well with my frame.

Wood dowel
I used a 1/8" diameter round dowel and a 1/4" square dowel. You can find these at hardware and craft stores.

Eyehooks and string
I used eyehooks and string as the hanging hardware.

Foam (optional)
I needed foam because I have post earrings as well as dangling earrings. If you only wear dangling earrings, you may omit the foam.

Vinyl Bumpers (optional)
I used these to create space between the frame and the wall, so the earrings would hang a little better.

Step 2: Post Earring Holder

1. Cut a strip of foam that is about 1/2" wide and as long as the width of the cardboard frame.

2. Position the foam strip across the back side of the cardboard frame.

3. Use a sharpie to mark spots wear the post earrings will go. Be sure to space them out according to how big your earrings are.

4. Use scissors to cut slits perpendicular from the top edge of the foam to each of the spots. You will slide post earrings into these slits.

5. Apply glue to the places on the backside of the frame that contact the foam.

6. Position foam carefully, weight it with a book (for clamping the foam and the frame), and let the glue dry.

Step 3: Dangling Earring Holder

1. Use a hobby saw to cut the round dowels so that they span the width of the cardboard frame. My frame had three rows for dangling earrings, so I cut three of them.

2. For each row, position the dowel across the back side of the cardboard frame.

3. Apply liberal amounts of glue to the places on the backside of the frame that contact the dowels.

4. Position the dowels carefully, weight them with a book (for clamping them to the frame), and let the glue dry.

Step 4: A Nice Idea, But...

I added spots of glue to the dowels to create bumps that would prevent my earrings from sliding around. I discovered that Elmer's was not the best glue to use here. It shrinks a little when it dries, so the bumps ended up being too subtle. A hot glue gun would have worked much better.

Step 5: Add Top and Bottom Rails

1. Cut the square dowel so you have two pieces that span the width of the frame.

2. Glue them across the top and bottom of the backside of your frame.

3. Clamp and let the glue dry.

Step 6: Work in Progress

Here's what the holder looks like so far.

Step 7: Attach Felt and Eye Hooks

1. Attach felt to the top rail. I used staples, but you could also try glue.

2. Screw the eye hooks into the topside of the top rail. A pair of vise grips makes this easier.

3. Use string, wire, or whatever to hang the holder.

Step 8: Finished Product, Version 1

This is my original earring holder design. I had another piece of cardboard frame and some leftover materials, so I made a second version. (See next step.)

Step 9: Version 2

Version 2 uses strips of black felt. I used a hole punch to create the holes.

The cuts in the foam strip are made downward and diagonally toward the center of the strip.