Design Phoenix

DIY Menorah

2009-12-10T07:37:00.000-05:00

If you are still missing your Hanukkah menorah, here's a beautiful and simple tutorial to make your own modern version. Happy almost-Hanukkah all!

Stuff to Do With Paper Scraps

2009-12-09T13:46:00.004-05:00

Really enjoyed this DesignSponge post on re-using paper scraps for simple crafts. This could be a good idea for leftover wrapping paper!

More DIY Wreaths + Tutorials

2009-12-01T15:34:00.004-05:00

Speaking of wreaths (see my recent post)....

Brenda at Alpha+Mom shared these great ideas for creative (and sometimes recycled) wreath designs that can be done with kids or just with kids-at-heart. Love them! (via Craftzine)

DIY Gift Bows

2009-11-30T07:38:00.000-05:00

Awhile back, I shared a DIY trick for making gift toppers out of plastic bags.

As the holiday season approaches again, I thought I'd pass along this tutorial from How About Orange on making gift bows out of recycled items you have on hand, like maps or magazine pages.

Thanksgiving and Holiday Wreath

2009-11-24T16:47:00.000-05:00

I thought a nice wreath would be a good item to help transition between Thanksgiving and Christmas decor, but when I went to the store I found out just how expensive a wreath can be.

My solution: I found a cheap wreath at Michael's made of wooden sticks and added some berry garlands. It came in under $10.

Happy early Thanksgiving everyone!

DIY Fabric Stenciling

2009-11-17T16:24:00.003-05:00

Love this tutorial from How About Orange on using freezer paper to stencil on fabric. And don't you want to do that adorable design?

DIY Velcro Catch Ball

2009-11-13T07:07:00.000-05:00

This one could be fun whether or not you have kids. I am imagining starting up a game in the office....

Check out this super easy tutorial from Craftzine on how to make your own Velcro Ball game.

DIY Coffee Stencil

2009-11-12T07:39:00.000-05:00

I think How About Orange's idea of creating a DIY stencil to make words or designs on top of coffee etc. is very cute. Learn how to do it here.

DIY Poppy Pins Tutorial

2009-11-11T07:12:00.000-05:00

Check out the Grosgrain tutorial on how to make these great fabric poppies. So lovely.

She makes them to pin on sweaters as boutonnieres, but I think they could make great hair accessories as well. Make some of your own and come up with other creative uses!

A Childhood Classic Revisited

2009-11-10T07:13:00.000-05:00

Some people take coffee breaks, I take craft breaks. In honor of the cold weather we've been having here in DC, I present to you a (mostly clean) paper towel (from the office kitchen) turned snowflake. What can I say, I enjoy using scissors as stress relief.

As you may be able to tell, it's been strategically posed on my office chair, and photographed with the not super high resolution camera on my phone. As for the original, it is now hanging in my office window.

Cereal Box to Drawer Organizer

2009-11-09T07:58:00.000-05:00

Gotta love this simple recycling idea from A Little Hut. While there's no written out tutorial, her pictures provide a pretty good idea of the steps.

And given the normal price of such things, it's absolutely wonderful to find a free, environmentally friendly way to accomplish the same thing. I think these would look amazing covered in some fun fabric.

DIY Recycled Can Flower Magnets

2009-11-06T07:56:00.000-05:00

This is a great tutorial from 10th muse studios on using old soda cans to make adorable flower magnets. Just be careful not to cut yourself on the aluminum!

I'm Loving: Penguin Cloth Cover Books

2009-11-05T07:35:00.001-05:00

I've always said that it's fine to judge a book by its cover, as long as you take time to discover what's inside too.* Now (finally!) Penguin USA has released it's gorgeous cloth-covered editions of some fantastic books, many of my favorites, actually. And they are so pretty (plus, only $13.60 each)!

What do you think, would you buy a book because it looked nice?

In case you were wondering, and because I can't help myself, here is a list of the titles that I want (did I mention PRETTY????)

Available Now

Not Yet Available in the US

Crime and Punishment
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Emma
The Sonnets and A Lover's Complaint
Little Women
Oliver Twist

*I'm talking books, here, not people!

DIY Japanese Paper Dolls Tutorial

2009-11-04T07:21:00.000-05:00

These Japanese paper dolls that Kimono Reincarnate makes are super adorable. They could work as bookmarks for those who want a more grown-up way to play with dolls. Here's the easy tutorial.

Interior Personality Quiz

2009-11-03T07:30:00.001-05:00

Enjoyed this quick color/style quiz (via How About Orange). I thought my results were pretty accurate (leaning more towards the purples than pinks, though):

Young House Love

2009-11-02T10:33:00.004-05:00

Six months later.... I haven't been crafting much in the past 6 months, but as the weather cools, I'm feeling inspired to stay indoors and make stuff. So maybe I'll start posting here again. After all, this blog serves as a sort of idea scrapbook for me (and hopefully, some entertainment for you).

One great new find is the Young House Love blog, which is written by a great couple who have done DIY to their whole beautiful house (below).

They give tips on home decor, have a fantastic page of their house before and afters, and share how they managed to put on a backyard wedding for under $4,000! A fantastic site!

DIY Cereal Box Notebooks

2009-04-29T11:41:00.003-04:00

The long thread provides a great tutorial on using a cereal box to make your very own moleskin-inspired journal. A great re-use idea!

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T12:49:00.004-04:00

In honor of Earth Day, Crafty Chica is posting tutorials for 24 creative re-use projects....one every hour. The spectacular ideas she's posted so far include these great ribbon picture frames and mixed media wind chimes.

A Flower Collage

2009-04-15T12:36:00.002-04:00

Hope you are all having a good day. Since it's gloomy and rainy out here, I thought I'd share a few pictures I took with my camera phone a week ago, when I believed it was actually Spring.

And I thought I'd use the opportunity to point out that using Picasa, Photoshop, or some other photo editing device, you can easily and cheaply make some simple art with just a digital camera and a little cash for prints. Many photo editing programs will even make a collage (like the one above) for you with the click of a button.

Design*Sponge Sneak Peeks

2009-04-14T14:49:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned on Friday, I spent the weekend moving into a new place. I'll provide some pics once I get everything out of chaos. But moving means decorating, and I love using the web for inspiration.

Design*Sponge's "Sneak Peeks" are perfect for those who A) need some new decor ideas, B) like snooping in other people's lives, or C) like me, fit options A and B. Basically, they just show behind the scenes pictures of creative people's homes. Have fun with the voyeurism!

Happy Easter!

2009-04-10T13:56:00.000-04:00

Or Spring....or belated Passover...or whatever you may celebrate! =) I'm in the middle of the fun process of packing boxes before I move tomorrow. But if you have free time, jinjerup provides these adorable chick bookmarks to print (via Folding Trees).

Shelterrific

2009-04-09T12:45:00.004-04:00

While we're on the subject of websites, here's another one that I just came across. Shelterrific lives up to its name, providing great ideas for crafts and purchases for the home. I'm totally addicted, especially to all the great earth-friendly suggestions.

Craft Fail

2009-04-08T13:01:00.002-04:00

Craft Fail is a new blog where people can post their craft ideas gone wrong (found via Craftzine). Sounds pretty entertaining to me. Always love to see what others are doing in the craft/diy world.

Which reminds me, if any readers here have completed (or not) craft/art projects that you'd like to share, I'd love to post them on here. Also, feel free to send in sustainable design projects (ie. recycling old objects for craft, repurposing stuff that's no longer useful, or fixing up something instead of throwing it away).

You can email me at designphoenixblog at gmail dot com (see the new link on the right).

Plastic Soda Bottle Vase Tutorial

2009-04-07T13:06:00.003-04:00

Here's a fun (and free!) project available on wikiHow: a tutorial on turning a plastic soda bottle into an attractive vase.

Ha. Cute Felted Puppet(s)

2009-04-06T09:18:00.000-04:00

"Puppets need puppets too." From the Craftzine Flickr pool by moxie.

Plastic Bags into Baskets

2009-04-03T08:56:00.000-04:00

Craftzine recently featured a pretty straightforward tutorial from The lucky ladybird craft blog on making baskets out of old plastic bags. Very cool. If you like this stuff, check out my older posts on using plastic bags as gift bows and art.

Business Card Artwork

2009-04-02T08:45:00.002-04:00

Whether you've been laid off in this horrible recession or you just have a lot of used office supplies hanging around, here's one idea for an alternative use for business cards: stick 'em together and make a quick and easy art project. (If you're interested, I previously posted about using business cards to make a nice origami-style box).

All I did was put masking tape on the back, so that they formed a single sheet. Masking tape or painter's tape works well because it comes off later. They don't need to be perfectly aligned.

Then I made my drawing. I used only office supplies on hand (permanent markers and highlighters).

Last step was to remove the tape. You could keep it together for a textured look. Or you could mount them on some other paper with space in between. Another option would be to hang each piece on the wall separately. Or how about using it as a simple puzzle? Anyone have other ideas? I haven't decided what to do with my little masterpiece yet.

Envelope to Gift Bag Tutorial

2009-04-01T09:02:00.000-04:00

I've posted before with tutorials for how to use envelopes to create beads and to make new envelopes.

This time, How About Orange provides a great tutorial so you can learn how to turn old envelopes into nice gift bags in just a few steps.

P.S. This is not an April Fool's Day joke! =)

Return from Radio Silence

2009-03-31T08:30:00.000-04:00

To quote my friend at Kniterations: "When life gets complicated (as it so often does), blogging drops off the radar..."

The past 2 months have been a little crazy for me too: mysterious health issues that finally disappeared, apartment hunting, and--most recently--breaking my elbow. Yes, I said "elbow." Anyhow, now that I'm getting ready to move (again, *sigh*) in 2 weeks, I'm back thinking about design and decorating.

To re-start this whole blogging thing, I wanted to share with you some great finds from the National Portrait Gallery gift shop, courtesy of my friend Queena:

Top: Bags made out of Coke bottle labels and bags made from candy bar wrappers/soda labels/food packages (all from Ecoist).

Middle: The non-paper paper cup.

Bottom: Bags made from aluminum can pull tabs (from Escama Studio).

DIY Pop-Up Photograph

2009-01-27T10:40:00.003-05:00

After my Christmas card debacle, I've pretty much had enough of pop-up card making for a lifetime. But if you still like them, wikiHow can show you how to make a pop-up photograph card. (via Craftzine)

Simple Tutorial: Googly Eye Tacks

2009-01-26T08:45:00.002-05:00

Loved this easy idea from Zakka Life: diy googly eye thumb tacks. I may have to put some of these on my work bulletin board.

Recycled Envelope Bead Tutorial

2009-01-23T08:51:00.000-05:00

A while back, I posted about re-using old security envelopes to make new, pretty envelopes. Well, here's another option: turning those junk mail envelopes into lovely paper beads. Laupre has an explanation of how to make them. (via Folding Trees)

Celebrate a New Era

2009-01-22T08:19:00.000-05:00

Things have been very exciting in our country--especially Washington D.C.--this week. I was lucky enough to get to go and see some of the inauguration events. It was amazing how many people came from so many different states and even countries to be a part of it all.

Well, even if you couldn't make it out for the inauguration, you can be connected to our new president by turning a picture of yourself into the style of the classic Obama poster. Visit Obamicon.me to make your own. (via How About Orange)

Yet Another Painting

2009-01-21T09:19:00.000-05:00

Another of my adventures with acrylics. This one is a mandala. I tried several things, scraped them off or painted over them and started again. This was a very fun painting to make.

My crappy photograph makes it hard to see this, but it's sort of textured. You'll have to come to my home exhibit to see it properly! Ha.

Tutorial: Mini Pinatas

2009-01-20T11:21:00.000-05:00

Aren't things always cute in miniature? These small pinatas from Ask Martha make great party favors.

Besides, pinata making was always exciting as a child. On the other hand, I remember trying to help a friend in college with a papier mache project, and it was a lot less fun to make than when I was a kid--so undertake this project at your own risk!

Paper Bag Wrapping Paper

2009-01-16T09:34:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd share with you this simple idea for re-use friendly gift wrap. I did this little wrapping project over the holidays, but it could be used for any time of the year. I wrapped presents using old paper bags. I simply cut them up, folded them flat, and used scotch tape for wrapping. It did take a little more tape than usual because the bag paper is thick.

Since all the gifts were for one person--they were small items--I cut out numbers instead of labels. I used red scrap paper, punched a hole, and put them through the ribbons for color. You could also do letters for initials, or shapes, or who knows what else. I cut them freehand, but you could also buy large stencils at any craft store.

Handmade Pop-Up Cards (Or My Excuse for Giving Up)

2009-01-15T20:48:00.000-05:00

So Christmas time rolled around and I felt incredibly ambitious about all the amazing crafts I would make. Among those, one of the simplest seemed to be handmade Christmas cards. I got the brilliant idea to make pop-ups. Somehow, the act of making just a few--I successfully completed only around 5 of them--drained me of all energy.

Yeah, that and the general winter blahs. So I've finally gotten the energy to post on here again. The above are pictures of a couple designs I used for the cards. Next year I'm sending out Christmas emails.

Mizuhiki Cord Knots Tutorial

2008-12-02T13:32:00.002-05:00

Wow. Just wow. I'm amazed by how cool this knot made with mizuhiki cord looks. Zakka Life provides a lesson on how to make this abalone shell knot. (via Craftzine) Decorate all your gifts!

Green Giving Guides

2008-12-01T11:37:00.001-05:00

I'm always trying to find ways to give gifts that are meaningful but environmentally-friendly and/or promote social justice. Here are a few online gift guides that I have found helpful for providing gift-giving inspiration:

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Grist Magazine
Environmental Defense Fund
Treehugger (also see Treehugger's general gift guide)

Plastic Bag Gift Topper Tutorial

2008-11-25T15:13:00.004-05:00

A great use for all those plastic bags: Creature Comforts provides this wonderful tutorial on turning old bags into pom-poms.

Junk Mail Art Tutorial

2008-11-24T17:07:00.000-05:00

Even if you sign up for those nice services to limit the amount of junk mail you get, it's still nearly impossible to avoid getting some unwanted mail. So I thought this art project from re-nest was a nice idea. The post even includes a nice step-by-step tutorial in case you want to replicate it.

Turkey Time

2008-11-18T10:57:00.003-05:00

Unlike all the stores, which started selling Christmas merchandise right after Halloween, I am eagerly looking forward to Thanksgiving.

Found these adorable Turkey Pops from Bakerella, who provides the recipe. Now, I'm waaaay too lazy to actually try to make these myself, so I'm hoping one of you will try it out and report back. =)

Going, Going, Back, Back, to Cali, Cali

2008-11-12T07:18:00.000-05:00

I'm off for an exciting 5 day excursion to my glorious California homeland. I'm not sure what sort of internet service I'll have there, so consider this fair warning: I may not post again for a few days.

Please have faith that this is not the month-long abandonment I did during September/August, but is instead merely a little break.

2008-11-11T07:09:00.000-05:00

However you feel about the outcome of the election (you know how I feel), these designs from Jeff Domke are amazing. You can download his font of 24 Obama-inspired dingbats for free! (via How About Orange)

Bridesmaid Dress Table Decor

2008-11-10T07:59:00.000-05:00

Singer and Craft are sponsoring an Upcyclist Party contest, in which they ask people to come up with creative party decor from unwanted materials. I like this idea for party decorations made from old bridesmaid dresses, posted by Flickr user Chica_and_Jo. (via Craftzine) I really encourage you to check out some of the other contest entries or submit your own (due November 14).

Zipper Jewelry

2008-11-06T12:11:00.003-05:00

I love these zipper jewelry items from Kate Cusack found via Make. With suggested retail prices starting around $85, though, I'm wondering if I could make something similar myself.

Handmade Gifts for Men

2008-11-04T08:13:00.000-05:00

After yesterday's post, I got to thinking about how difficult it is to come up with appropriate handmade gifts for men. A lot of the handmade items are aimed at women, or at least men with a sensitive side. So here are a few ideas for some gifts men might like:

A nice wallet. You can make it from fabric, duct tape, bike inner tube, or even classic leather.
Masculine scented soap (like this beer soap)
Food. Any kind of food. Except something he hates.
Shaving products (cream or gel, soap, razor and brush stand)
Framed photo collage
Liqueurs
A dopp kit (which is a bag for storing men's grooming tools for travel)

Handmade Gift Giving Guides

2008-11-03T07:37:00.004-05:00

Okay, Halloween's over and the stores have started stocking up for the holidays. As Christmas (and whichever winter holiday[s] you find meaningful and celebrate-able) approaches, I've started thinking about what to give my loved ones. I like to get family members things that are less harmful to the planet and its inhabitants. In a few weeks, I'll post a quick list of social justice-oriented gift giving guides. Another (arguably better) way to do that that is to make your own gifts.

I know you probably haven't even started thinking about presents yet, but since it can be surprisingly time consuming to make holiday gifts, I decided to post a list of ideas early so you can all get started in plenty of time. Trust me, it's not fun when you are still knitting presents right before the relatives arrive!

Lucky for me, lots of other blogs have already done the hard work for me. [Disclaimer: because these are older posts, some links they use may not be active anymore]

Sew, Mama, Sew! issued roundup of handmade gift ideas last year that really captures a great range of ideas. I especially like the ideas from the gift compilations section, like the picnic set above.

West Coast Crafty also offers a long list of handmade holiday gift ideas. A favorite of mine are the cute matchbox ornaments (above) from Crafty Chica.

And another list of "festive" craft tutorials from Whip Up, including the wool wreath (above) from swallowfield
And another from Handmade Parade, featuring a cute cashmere headband (above) from Bitter Betty Blogs.

Finally, Skip to My Lou provides a fabulously creative list of options...too many good ones to pick just one, so you'll have to check it out for yourselves!

If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the options, take heart: there are always the basics.

knit a scarf or hat
make a food jar of some kind of mix (ie. brownie mix, cocoa in a jar) minus the liquid ingredients
make holiday ornaments...practically any material will work

And don't forget, if you're not up for making your own handmade gifts you can always buy other people's! Sign up to take the Buy Handmade Pledge.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T08:31:00.001-04:00

If you haven't carved a pumpkin yet, you should. It's a cheap, fun craft. You don't need any artistic ability...just do what I did and use a stencil. Lots of patterns on the web.

Have a sweet, safe, and spooky Halloween!

World of Wearable Art

2008-10-30T07:22:00.000-04:00

You guys know how much I love art involving textiles. These awesome pieces are just some of the winners of the World of Wearable Art competition. Please go look at the rest. So happy. (via Craftzine)

Where I Stop Pretending to be Nonpartisan

2008-10-29T17:15:00.004-04:00

We are too close to election day for me to pretend not to be completely and totally on edge about the results. Everyone who knows me knows that I'm supporting Obama and hoping for a big change for our country.

So, thanks to How About Orange, who has a notably more politically balanced post, you can download amazing Obama posters and distribute them to all your friends. Get out and vote, people!

Borrowed Art

2008-10-28T07:22:00.000-04:00

I am soooooo jealous. Cal (aka UC Berkeley), my very own alma mater, has started a program that allows students to check out framed original art from the library for up to a year. Students can now decorate their dorm rooms for free with art from a collection that includes

"more than 700 paintings, etchings, lithographs and engravings by artists including 20th century French Cubist Georges Braque, Surrealist Max Ernst, English satirist William Hogarth and contemporary local artists."

Why, oh why, didn't they have this when I was there?????

Housekeeping

2008-10-27T21:28:00.000-04:00

Just a quick note that I did a little fall cleaning with the links on the blog. They are now grouped into blogs I read all the time, ones I check in on every once in a while, and "old school" sites that are either infrequently or no longer updated but are still good resources.

If you have other sites you'd like to suggest, let me know! Comments of all stripes are always warmly received (hint, hint)....

Presidential Puppets

2008-10-27T15:49:00.004-04:00

Election Day is coming.... It's always been one of my favorite days of the year (yes, yes, complete dork). And if you wanna celebrate it with crafting fun, one way is to print out some of these downloadable presidential/vice-presidential finger puppets. No comment about which finger I'd suggest for certain candidates.

Yum! Gingerbread Skeletons

2008-10-22T10:38:00.000-04:00

From MyPaperCrane: Make gingerbread men and owls with icing piped on to look like bones for a yummy Halloween treat. She even includes a recipe.

What I Did Last Night...

2008-10-21T07:43:00.000-04:00

...Was make my Halloween costume using materials from Goodwill and my sewing machine. It took far too long, and I'm still not quite done. I'll post results, though I'm undecided whether to wait until after Halloween to show off my little creation. Either way, here's a hint about what I'll be:

Well, it's either a hint or just a photo I really wanted to look at longer.

Carpet Sample Reuse

2008-10-20T13:40:00.005-04:00

ReadyMade offers a few suggestions for creative reuse of carpet samples, including this great geometric rug.

2008-10-17T08:11:00.000-04:00

Ooh, pretty.

Bitter Betty Blogs provides a tutorial on how to make a gilded lace crown. Perfect for costumes or just your everyday tiara needs. (Via Craftzine)

Halloween Candle Decorating

2008-10-16T08:41:00.000-04:00

My friend alerted me to this cute project from Booga J after she saw yesterday's post. Using stamps and tissue paper, you can decorate candles! I love, love this idea! I want some candles, stamps, a heat gun...

Halloween Votives

2008-10-15T08:16:00.000-04:00

For a cute, simple Halloween craft, head over to Skip To My Lou for a tutorial on how to make these Halloween votives.

So Cute! Album Pillows

2008-10-14T08:13:00.000-04:00

Etsy seller Toggle makes these absolutely adorable crocheted pillows.

Maybe I'm feeling some kind of childhood nostalgia for LPs right now (see previous post), or maybe these are just the cutest things ever. Judge for yourself. You can get one yourself, for $50-68, with albums by the Rolling Stones, the Ramones, Bob Dylan, and others. (via Craftzine)

DIY Album Cover Wall Organizers

2008-10-13T07:37:00.001-04:00

Paper and Stitch has come up with this brilliant reuse idea for old vinyl covers. Make your own wall organizers using their ingeniously simple tutorial. (via Ready Made blog)

Falling in Love with Autumn

2008-10-10T06:57:00.000-04:00

Fall is my favorite time of year...sure, spring has the flowers and the rBlogger in draft: Design Phoenix - Create Postelief that winter is over. But fall has changing leaves, a crispness to the air, and football season.

In honor of the best season of the year, here's a collection of fall-themed crafts that I put together:

First Stop:

Threadbanger's own Fall Project Roundup, featuring their collection of fall-themed crafts

Fall Treats:

Ramshackle Solid--Making Acorn Flour
Kaboose-- Nature Luminary Candle Holders (pictured above)
Folding Trees-- Free Paper Chicken (or is it a Turkey?) Download that would make a nice Thanksgiving centerpiece
ReadyMade: Build a Brick BBQ and enjoy fall while it lasts (for the truly ambitious)
Truly wishing that I could find a decent knitted beer cozy tutorial online to share with you. I knitted some of these up in my guy friends' favorite football team colors. Come to think of it, though, I never heard of them actually using them....hmm....

Halloween:

Bakerella--Spooky Sweets (pictured above). You have to see these adorable treats.
Julie K in Taiwan-- Halloween Paper ornaments
For some [Warning: I Mean This] gross Halloween decoration ideas, Mental Floss--DIY Halloween Decorations 2007 provides some disgusting ideas
See my previous post How About Orange's pumpkin decorating roundup

Cool Weather Fun (maybe not Fall-specific, but I like them):

Resurrection Fern: Scarfette tutorial (above). I couldn't wear this cuz I'd feel like I was choking, but it looks like just the answer for a nippy fall morning
Knitty Magazine: Maple leaf purse (It's cute! Check it out!)

Another Painting

2008-10-09T06:50:00.000-04:00

As promised, here is the other painting I've completed (of a wave). One person who say it asked if I finger painted it. I take that to mean it has good use of texture and not that it looks done by a 4-year old. Although, finger painting always was fun....

Sorry about the terrible snapshot photo...all of the advice articles on having a nice blog say that you should only post beautiful pictures. And I constantly ignore that advice. Well, I'm doing it again:

Jeesh. I was even too lazy to crop the photo. But you get the idea.

Pumpkin Carving Crafts

2008-10-08T06:33:00.001-04:00

There's nothing I love more than a good holiday craft. Growing up, crafting was how we celebrated holidays: ornament making for Christmas, elaborate Easter egg dying, crafting our own lace Valentines....the list really went on and on. And of course, Halloween pumpkin carving. Usually, my mom and I spurned the messiness of actually carving pumpkins and instead created charming faces using good old permanent markers.

For those of you who want to transform a pumpkin this Halloween, How About Orange provides a great list of links to carve, decorate, and generally maim your holiday gourd. Hope all those pumpkin guts all over the place aren't too....horrifying!

Profiles in Craftiness: Rock Paper Scissors Collective

2008-10-07T18:17:00.000-04:00

My friend Tam told me about this awhile ago, but since I've been neglecting this blog, I haven't shared it with you all yet.

I'm very, very jealous of all the people in the Bay Area (that's the San Francisco Bay Area, for all you folks from elsewhere who think there might be more than one Bay Area) for many reasons, but partly because they have access to the Rock Paper Scissors Collective, a

"volunteer-run organization that fosters creativity and collaboration in order to strengthen local communities and encourage sustainable practices and alternative models

RPS currently realizes this through an accessible space that offers free and low-cost classes, curated and open submission art shows, the retail of independently made clothing/craft/zines/music, a drop in arts lab, community events space, and youth involvement."

In other words, it's a place with some of the awesomest crafting classes around. From classics like Knitting, Crocheting, or Silk Screening to wilder options like "Making Shoes out of Sweatshirts" "Girl-Friendly Skateboarding" or "Messing with Bikes" the options at Rock Paper Scissors are a crafty girl or guy's dream come true. Did I mention I'm jealous?

So if you are lucky enough to live in the East Bay (or you're willing to commute), check out the Rock Paper Scissors Collective.

My Next Project: Foam Board Decor

2008-10-06T12:21:00.004-04:00

Courtesy of Jessica Jones (of How About Orange? fame): Decor8 offers this simple wall art project tutorial.

Just grab some foam board from your local art store, glue on some paper, and start cutting. It's practically that easy. And it's lightweight, so you won't have any problem hanging it pretty much anywhere.

Back on Track: More Painting Pictures

2008-09-29T12:51:00.003-04:00

So I haven't posted in an eternity because.....I haven't felt like it. I'm still not sure whether I'm going to keep posting regularly or if this is just a one time urge.

But in case you're interested, here is the most recent painting I did. It's actually really just me repainting a lovely design of someone else with much less skill. But I think it cheers up my office pretty well. I took the picture with my camera phone cuz I didn't remember to take a picture until it was up on the wall at work.

Now that I think of it, I may get around to posting the other painting I've done, which is an unintendedly abstract picture of waves.

More Kirigami Fun

2008-08-25T09:05:00.000-04:00

Folding Trees offers a review of Easy Cut Pop Up Cards, a line of pop up card designs advertised as making kirigami simple to do. I think this card is super cute!

DIY Drink Pouch to Pencil Case

2008-08-15T10:33:00.003-04:00

I thought this tutorial on turning a drink pouch into a pencil case was a cute idea. (via Craftzine)

More Painting

2008-08-13T07:39:00.000-04:00

So I'm in love...with acrylic painting. I really just can't stop. Here's the latest (the slight color variation on the sides is cuz the paint was still wet when I took it) (Oh, and the design came from a picture I saw online--not my own):

You guys don't mind if this blog becomes all about my adventures with paint, right? Haha, no...I promise there will be other crafts coming soon. If nothing else, I really need to make myself a paint smock soon!

Weekend Project

2008-08-11T07:06:00.001-04:00

This weekend, I finally started getting serious about filling in my blank walls. This is one way I did something about covering the boring off-white:

I'd never actually painted with acrylics before, so I felt pretty pleased with myself for managing not to totally destroy any of the little canvases I had. If you wanted to make something like this, it's easy to find these small canvases at an art store. After that, you just have to glue ribbon to the back for a simple hanger (I was happy to get to pull out the old glue gun).

Meanwhile, I've fallen in love with painting. I want to do more!

Guitar Hero Cake Tutorial

2008-08-08T08:24:00.000-04:00

I want this cake. Will you bake it for me? (via Craftzine)

Checkerboard Coasters Tutorial

2008-08-07T07:20:00.000-04:00

I recently made these checkerboard coasters as a host gift for someone who enjoys board games. I thought they'd be fun to have out during a game night or just to liven up a dinner.

They didn't take too long to make, and it was exciting to see the materials come together. The hardest part was finding the patience for making all the squares.

Materials:

Some underlying coaster material. I used PVC board from the art store. It's used for modeling projects. You could also use chipboard coasters or pre-made coasters but they need to be 4"x4" or able to be cut to that size for this project.
Red and black paper
Mod podge or some other kind of acrylic gel medium ( I used the Utrecht brand). You can choose between gloss or matte finish. I chose gloss.
A brush for the mod podge application
Scissors
Pencil
Spray fixative, available at all art stores. (I used Krylon).
Utility knife (if you need to cut the coaster material to size)
Cutting board (definitely not necessary, but I found it very helpful because it has a measured grid)

Step 1:

Grab your PVC board.

Step 2:

Cut the PVC board into 4"x4" squares with your utility knife (I made a set of 4 coasters but you can do more or fewer). I swear this is not very hard. In fact it was so easy, I forgot to take a picture at this stage. All you have to do is mark of a square with pencil, and simple keep pushing along the lines with the utility knife. It will take a few go-overs before it cuts clean, but it cuts really clean.

Step 3:

Cut 4"x4" squares out of the red paper and affix to the PVC squares with mod podge/acrylic gel medium. I actually gave myself a little extra room on the paper squares just to make sure they completely covered the coaster. It's easy to trim the edges once they are attached on.

I did a coat on the bottom of the red paper to make sure it was attached to the PVC, and then a top coat (this is the really important one), which makes the paper hard and water-resistant.

Step 4:

Cut out 1/2"x1/2" black squares. You will need 32 for each coaster (that's 128 for all 4 coasters). This was probably my least favorite part of the project. But the grid came in very handy for marking off the right sizes. (Sorry for the blurry image below).

Step 5:

Affix black squares onto coaster by putting mod podge on the back of the black squares. It helped me to look at a picture of a checkerboard to make sure that I got the pattern right (it's not that hard, but who wants to mess up at this point?)

Because cutting paper squares out is not quite an exact science, I had to be careful to check for size issues to make certain all the squares ended up fitting properly.

Don't worry about it looking exactly perfect--the homemade quality adds to the charm! Just make sure you can fit all your squares. On a couple of coasters, I ended up specially cutting out a couple of extra large or extra small squares to make up for tiny differences in square size.

Step 6:

Add mod podge over the top of all the coasters. Let them dry for an hour or two.

Step 7:

Take the coasters outside or to a well-ventilated area and spray lightly with fixative. Give them awhile to dry, and you're done!

Gift Wrap Re-Use

2008-08-04T08:22:00.000-04:00

Hi guys, sorry for no posts in a while. I've been sick. Hopefully, I'll do better this week, but I am going out of town late in the week, so I'm not making any promises.

I often find myself saving supplies (cardboard comes to mind) with no actual plan for how I can reuse these useful items for some kind of craft. For those of you who have wrapping paper lying around for no apparent reason, I thought I'd post some ideas.

I found a few ideas via Tickled Pink:

:: Use pieces of old wrapping paper as cummerbunds around the gifts.
:: Use pieces of old wrapping paper to make a collage for new wrapping or create works of art.
:: Cut into squares and make origami.
:: Put it through a paper shredder for stuffing other gift bags and gifts going in the mail.
:: Decoupage it onto cardboard or wooden shapes to make decorations.
:: Use it as a mat for picture frames.

A few more thoughts:

:: Instead of using it as just a mat for picture frames, you could actually just use especially pretty wrapping paper as a picture itself.
:: Use it to make kirigami flowers
:: Add it to some blank card stock and make pretty greeting cards

Good luck!

Crafty Rx for a Bad Mood

2008-07-30T07:48:00.000-04:00

Ever just have a day when you feel useless at everything? Yesterday was one of those for me.... Work going nowhere, tired of my messy & undecorated apartment, unable to work out because of an old foot injury, and just feeling alone.

So a little venting: Why don't I have some actual hobbies or exciting events in my life? I feel like I don't even have clear interests anymore (I'll blame law school). Once, I knew where I wanted to go in life and had definite interests that I pursued. But now I just feel kind of lost and incompetent.

Luckily, though, there's one thing guaranteed to pick me up from any blue mood: using scissors! Yup, just spend 15 minutes cutting out pretty pictures from magazines, and (if you're like me) you won't be able to help feeling a little better. Sure, maybe nothing's actually improved, but a quick round of snipping gives me hope that things will be better soon.

DIY Zen Garden

2008-07-29T07:48:00.000-04:00

Curbly user DIY Maven shares a video tutorial on how to make a low-cost (under $10) zen garden. You too can make one that's soothing on your budget. (via Craftzine)

Love Letter Box

2008-07-28T08:52:00.000-04:00

Folding Trees comes through once again with this beautiful picture from Craftster user nicolatte (you can also see more views here).

You can also learn how to make your own box. So romantic!

DIY Recycled Disco Ball

2008-07-25T09:08:00.000-04:00

Um, this is so happening. Yes, I'm really gonna have to do put this idea to the test:

That's right: you can make your very own disco ball out of old cds. With glue (or better yet, a glue gun), a styrofoam ball, and some spare time, you can add some sparkle to your life. Here are a couple different tutorials: this one from wikihow, and this one from National Geographic Kids.

Cute Embroidered Notecards

2008-07-24T13:27:00.001-04:00

Craftzine recently posted about these adorable notecards from one of my favorite Etsy sellers, Bird and Banner. Much of Bird & Banner's stock includes the sweet phrase, "When you see this, think of me," but I am a big fan of these new cards with pre-punched holes and embroidery floss.

They say it takes under 10 minutes to make a card, and I'm sure your loved ones would like a nice reminder that you care! At $18 (plus shipping) for a pack of 5 notecards, these might not be the cheapest craft ever, but I think that it wouldn't be too hard to try making some simple embroidered cards of your own.

I'm Loving...Barbara Fleck's Plastic Bag Art

2008-07-23T07:51:00.004-04:00

Okay, guys, you are welcome in advance for sharing with you these amazing mandalas from artist Barbara Fleck, which I found via craftzine. You will love me for this. And I love these so much I'm ready to make one myself.

It's just so cool how she uses familiar logos to remind us of the prevalence of consumerism while she reuses everyday objects to make art.

How To...Make a Shirt out of a Muumuu

2008-07-22T09:14:00.000-04:00

Time for a trip to the thrift store. You can find out how to transform a muumuu into a cute drape-neck top on San Francisco's Stitch Lounge urban sewing blog. It turns out that you can actually make a few shirts out of the average muumuu, but you can also just use the free pattern on the site with one yard of any knit fabric (just use a sleeveless shirt for a template and then follow the instructions for cutting out the draped front). Who knew a muumuu could be this cute? (via ReadyMade Blog)

How To Make a Watermelon Keg

2008-07-21T12:08:00.004-04:00

As it continues to get hotter here in DC, I am inspired to share this exciting tutorial from Evite blog on how to make your very own watermelon keg, so that you can serve guests spiked watermelon juice right from the tap. (via How about Orange?)

Baking with Cardboard

2008-07-18T22:25:00.002-04:00

This post is written especially for those who like to look at food but not eat it.

Art on the Menu on Etsy sells handmade art that is inspired by food. All of the works are made with cardboard, acrylics, or watercolor. I would imagine that a creative person could figure out how to make fake food like this too. Mmm, crunchy.

Knit Organs

2008-07-16T12:05:00.000-04:00

Because...haven't you always wanted to know what your insides would look like if you were made of wool?

Hey, maybe God is a knitter. Oh, wait. These actually were made by artist Sarah Illenberger (via Craftzine).

Fashion from Paper

2008-07-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

You must check out this amazing collection of paper dresses put together by painter/textile designer Isabelle de Borchgrave and costumer Rita Brown. Papiers a la Mode is a traveling exhibit of these gorgeous paper craft takes on 300 years of fashion. Prepare to be amazed what some folks can do with a little paper. (via Folding Trees)

Rubbish: Reuse Your Refuse

2008-07-11T09:02:00.000-04:00

Here's a book I'm dying to check out:

It's called Rubbish: Reuse Your Refuse, by Kate Shoup. The book describes over 30 projects for materials you might otherwise have thrown away. A few intriguing ones include a clock made out of an old board game and a lampshade that incorporates photo-negatives (remember those?). There's even a tutorial on turning the plastic from lawn chairs into a cute clutch purse. One suggestion, the credit card bracelet, is reminiscent of my post on Starbucks card jewelry.

Anyhow, I can't recommend it, since I haven't had a chance to try out the ideas myself, but once I do, I'll be sure to report back. Anyone who has read it, please let me know!

Happy Friday!

'Picture Perfect' Picture Frame Tray

2008-07-10T08:01:00.008-04:00

Design* Sponge recently featured a tutorial from photographer Ashley Ann on how to make this picture frame tray:

It reminded me of a project that I'm doing (currently in-progress). I turned a picture frame into a coffee table top with the simple addition of some fabric remnants I had lying around.

Currently, it sits atop a less-than-lovely cardboard box. My next step will be to pick up some contact paper and liven up the cardboard, for a slightly less low-end look. Anyhow, here is the tabletop today:

Post-It Book Tutorial

2008-07-09T09:15:00.000-04:00

Just because Greetingarts has posted this tutorial (via Folding Trees...I love that blog) on how to make adorable notebooks using sticky note pads and scrapbook paper does not mean that you have an excuse for office supply theft.

Designing Fun With Polyvore

2008-07-08T08:51:00.001-04:00

"What is Polyvore?" you ask. Only the best time suck for the wanna be artist, designer, or procrastinator ever. To quote from the website, " Polyvore lets you mix and match images from anywhere on the web, to create outfits, interior designs, or any kind of collage."

In other words, you can literally spend hours searching not only the Polyvore site, but the ENTIRE world wide web for components for practically any kind of picture you'd like to make. Below, you'll see my first attempt.

One warning, (besides the obvious that you shouldn't start this if you have an addictive personality and somewhere to be in the next hour): Polyvore still has a ways to go in developing the tool to make it its best (it's only been around since sometime last fall). Cropping and rotating images are limited/non-existent, and it's a huge hassle to deal with changing things from foreground to background images.

Still, it's far too fun not to check out! There's also a Polyvore Facebook group, for those so inclined.

I'm Loving...Bokja {haute bohemian}

2008-07-07T09:19:00.000-04:00

Although I do sort of object to the phrase "haute bohemian," I love the beautiful furniture designs from the Lebanese company, Bokja {haute bohemian}, which I found via decor8. The colorful patchwork style is just so amazing. Exactly the sort of thing for which my blah walls and beige carpets are calling.

Unfortunately, this stuff is filed under "not cheap," since at least some of their chairs sell for around 2900 euro. There is apparently an American distributor, ABC Carpet & Home. I think I'll probably stick with feeling inspired by the beauty of this amazing handcrafted work.

July is Etsy How-To Month

2008-07-04T09:33:00.001-04:00

Etsy is hosting over 25 live tutorials this month on how to do any number of crafts (actually, they've already hosted a couple, so act fast or you'll miss more). So head on over to Etsy and view the schedule of classess. Monday, from 4-8 pm (all times are EST) they will host an origami-making class that I hope to catch. Via Craftzine.

Happy 4th of July!

Fourth of July Drink Charms

2008-07-03T11:14:00.000-04:00

Need a last-minute craft to make your 4th super patriotic? Plan on having folks over for so many drinks that everyone will be confused? Then this instructables tutorial on how to make drink charms using printouts of classic American posters is for you:

Craftapalooza

2008-07-01T22:35:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple other projects I've done recently:

Satin Pillow (I love the remnants section at the fabric store). I designed it to be a "mood pillow." If it's vertical, it means, "Beware; stormy mood ahead." Horizontal means, "You may approach. She is friendly." Haha. It's only been vertical so far for its photo shoot.

Newspaper strips + Cardboard + Permanent Marker Contour Drawing= Random Artwork for Kitchen

Less craft and more disaster. This picture shows most of the parts for the dresser I ordered. I'm still not completely done assembling it because one of the dresser drawer sides was lacking in holes, and they are sending a replacement part. Maybe one day I'll share the finished product.

DIY: Easy Felt Makeup Bag Tutorial

2008-07-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

Okay, so now my excuses for non-regular posting have dwindled. I was sick for a few days, which meant mostly sleeping in. And I have been doing more crafting, which takes time away from blogging about crafting. But, I'm gonna turn over a new leaf. And I'll start by doing a couple of immediate posts.

The following was a 15 minute craft project (from a kit that was on sale at Barnes & Noble).

To do it yourself: Just grab some felt. Cut out 3 squares of a different color felt. Sew them on by hand. Add a zipper (I attached with a sewing machine, but it would be easy to do by hand too). Unzip the 2 sides of the zipper, and sew up each side of the bag. Done.

DIY Business Envelopes to Pretty Envelopes Tutorial

2008-06-24T09:08:00.000-04:00

Hi all, wonderful news: my nephew is on the mend! Here's a fun little project from Design Sponge I came across via Folding Trees. All it involves really is carefully turning junk mail envelopes inside out. Check out the tutorial at Design Sponge.

MIA

2008-06-19T07:44:00.002-04:00

Sorry for no posting yesterday. I'm just writing to say it might be a couple days before I post again. I have been busy with a family emergency. Please say lots of prayers for my nephew, who was badly injured while riding his bike in a hit-and-run.

Warning: Your Sunscreen Could Be Killing Ocean Life

2008-06-17T08:41:00.000-04:00

This is slightly tangential to the site's theme, but when I read the San Francisco Chronicle article about how chemicals in almost all sunscreens are contributing to killing coral reefs (so rare, so pretty, and so fragile!), I was absolutely horrified.

And it's not just coral; algae and fish are also affected (and maybe even humans). But short of burning and risking sun cancer, or hiding inside, what can we do? Well, the Chronicle also offers a nice list of ocean-friendly sunscreens.

I'm headed out to buy some Burt's Bees sunscreen, since I love their lip balm, and the swimming pool is calling.

Easy DIY decorating: Google's "Earth as Art"

2008-06-16T09:19:00.000-04:00

I was doing some mundane Google mapping yesterday, when I saw a link to something called, "Earth as Art," which marks points on every continent. Click on them, and you can see interesting views from above, many of which I thought were very pretty.

Clicking "more" under an image links to the US Geological Survey/NASA website. There, you can read more about the images and download larger, printable pictures. Now here's an easy way to score some cool, very modern looking art. Just pop it in a frame and you're done.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Ocean Sand, Bahamas

Terkezi Oasis, Chad

Vatnajökull Glacier Ice Cap, Iceland

Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

Transit Sign Chairs

2008-06-13T10:04:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week, I mentioned eco-artware.com. I also saw these hilarious (if impractical) chairs on the site:At $800-$1,000 each, these chairs are more than a little pricey. Besides that, they don't look like the most comfortable options ever. But I have to applaud the creative re-use! They also make me think of a transit-loving friend of mine. If you have some extra cash on hand, you can get them here. Have a great weekend!