Archive for June, 2010
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating and Lighting on
30 June 2010, with no comments so far.
There’s nothing better than a double-duty DIY project—one how-to, two uses, infinite glowbasking.
This double header uses just a bit of fabric, an embroidery hoop, and a string of lights to create a mod windsock/garden lantern. “During the day, it will add interest & texture. At night, it gives off a soft, ambient light that glows like a firefly—a nice touch for a summer evening lazing outside.”
Jan, from the organic fabric company Daisy Janie, provides a fine how-to that you can whip up in about an hour. Spend an afternoon, and you can fill your outdoor space with soft glows and bold graphic punches. Your yard will never have looked so mod!
[How to make a fabric windsock garden lantern, via craftzine]
Tags: garden, lantern, yard
Posted in Decorating, Lighting | No Comments »
Posted by Sonia Zjawinski to Furniture and Gardening and Pets on
29 June 2010, with no comments so far.
Dogs love being outside. If you’re lucky enough to have a fenced yard your pup can frolic in you probably already know how important it is to have a place where your dog can retreat from the sun. A shady tree can do, but if a dog house is in order, you probably don’t want just anything sitting amongst your flower beds and vegetable garden.
Sustainable Pet Designs’ beautiful green roof dog homes are a gorgeous addition if you have the money to spend on one of these custom designed homes, but if you don’t, check out David Neighbor’s prefab Architectura dog house.
(more…)
Tags: dog house, frank lloyd wright, modern dog, prefab
Posted in Furniture, Gardening, Pets | No Comments »
Posted by Megan Jeyifo to Decorating and How-To on
28 June 2010, with 4 comments so far.
Have an old chair in need of some extra TLC? Can you crochet? Here is the project for you! Jo of About Mo and Me made this charming chair cover using a pattern from Attic24.
I know my way around a pair of crocheting needles as well as I do a spaceship but the hexagon how-to is full of close-ups, detail and simple language. Plus, it’s been lauded by the commenters for being easy to follow. Happy making!
[Images: About Mo and Me, Attic24]
Tags: attic24, chair cover, crochet, diy chair, hexagon pattern
Posted in Decorating, How-To | 4 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating on
25 June 2010, with 5 comments so far.
The whiteboard is a brilliant tool for capturing ideas, making lists and leaving reminders, and facilitating brainstorming and education. But, it leaves A LOT to be desired in terms of aesthetics, and we’re pretty sure it won’t be winning any home decor or design awards anytime soon.
Unless one came up with a dry erase board that could serve double-duty as a piece of wall art once you’ve erased your final to-do. Well, one has done just that, Brittni from Paper N Stitch.
“I am constantly writing notes and messages to myself to help me remember what I have going on for the day. But my office is also my bedroom, so an ugly dry erase board is just not an option….I wanted something that could pull double-duty, and that’s when I came up with this…an idea for a pretty dry erase board that serves as wall art when not in use.”
[Tutorial: Double Duty Dry Erase Board]
Tags: How-To, organization
Posted in Decorating | 5 Comments »
Posted by Megan Jeyifo to Decorating and Organizing and Storage on
23 June 2010, with no comments so far.
Added to the ReadyMade Flickr pool by user lakbdesign/fergusandme
When I was seventeen I moved from Milwaukee to the Virgin Islands. I drove my new-to-me Hyundai Accent from the Midwest to West Palm Beach, Florida in three days to ship my car and sent the rest of my belongings down by post.
What did I not trust the US Postal Service to hang on to? My books. Those I stashed in my trunk, the backseat and oh yes, the front seat. In the ten years since then I’ve moved five times and every single one of those titles and my many new acquisitions have traveled in the car each and every time. No moving service has laid hands on the majority of them and as neurotic as it sounds I always feel good knowing they’re close by.
But I have been bad. My precious books are now scattered around the house in different areas and completely unorganized. I have stacks upon stacks of books lining the walls in two different rooms and little piles decorating bedside and coffee tables. Do they look nice? Yes. Can I find the Walter Mosley section at 2am when I want an Easy Rawlins fix? No.
Here are some book displays from must-see Tumblr Book Lovers Never Go To Bed Alone that look good and make organizing a cinch.
This floor-to-ceiling bookshelf would be perfect for the bay window in my apartment. Instead of just sills, I would love to construct two separate window seats for couples reading sessions in the breeze. Add a cocktail or a glass of iced tea and you have the perfect Sunday afternoon.
A series of small wire shelves for collections by author or type would help keep large groupings by author together. I’ll now be on the lookout for small shelving on thrifting and estate sale trips.
A nice spin on simple shelves for odd angles in your home. Simple to construct with plywood and brackets, it is also darn affordable.
How do you display and organize your books? Add your photos to the ReadyMade Flickr Group here.
[All images via Book Lovers Never Go To Bed Alone on Tumblr]
Tags: book display, book lovers never to go bed alone, bookshelves
Posted in Decorating, Organizing, Storage | No Comments »
Posted by Megan Jeyifo to How-To and Reuse on
22 June 2010, with 13 comments so far.
Chris recently posted about how wonderful anyone-can-do-it DIY projects are. This recycled-bottle dish soap dispenser definitely fits the bill and coming across it made me downright giddy.
I’ve been griping to the Mister for months about having an eyesore on our kitchen sink. Been searching high and low in every thrift and craft store I enter for something to replace it, something with some character and whimsy (I almost bought a vintage still-sticky syrup pourer with a smiley face sticker on it, that is how desperate we are talking). Claire, the blogger behind Blah to Tada, has come up with something simple and cute to replace the ugliness many of us have perched atop our counters right now.
Glass + spout + soap = problem solved.
Check out Blah to Tada for the whole post and do go through the whole site. It had me yelling out “TADA!” to my computer after viewing each transformation.
Thanks, Claire!
[Images: Blah to Tada]
Tags: bottle soap dispenser, dish soap, dish soap dispenser DIY, Kitchen, recycled bottle, soap
Posted in How-To, Reuse | 13 Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to How-To and Lighting on
21 June 2010, with no comments so far.
There must something about the chandelier that allows its material to appear instantly elegant, no matter from what it’s been made. Just see the blogosphere’s infamous tampon chandelier and the human bones chandelier at an ossuary in the Czech Republic.
Thankfully, these DIY large-scale light fixtures are created from something much more accessible —the standard paperclip. At a dollar a box, paperclips can be strung together in all kinds of arrangements to make, from the looks of it, a pretty big impact. For a bit of assistance, check out these instructions from Etsy seller Re:Design Technologies. “For the handy DIY’ers out there, I bring you the Paper Clip Chandelier Frame “Master Key” Tutorial—everything you ever needed to know about the concepts, theories and methodology behind the Re:Design Technologies Paper Clip Chandelier Line.
This 12 page tutorial covers the basic concepts of working with the unusual materials used and illustrates the steps that I take in constructing all four RDT paper clip chandeliers seen on Etsy; Romanesque, Operetta, Helianthus and Moderna.”
$6.50 for one, or $15. for all four.
[Re:Design Technologies - Paper Clip Chandeliers; via Dollar Store Crafts]
Posted in How-To, Lighting | No Comments »
Posted by Sonia Zjawinski to Pets on
18 June 2010, with no comments so far.
If you ever need a pick me up, I highly recommend perusing the Etsy shops of xmoonbloom and scooterKnits. While I don’t think my cats would ever allow themselves to be adorned with these adorable knitted hats (without ripping me to shreds that is) I find myself regularly visiting both sites to see what adorableness these crafters have not only made, but photographed atop little kitty and puppy heads.
Below, each xmoonbloom and scooterKnits take on the rabbit hat. A few other knitter winners after the jump!
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Tags: cat costumes, cat hats, dog costumes, dog hats, etsy, knit hats, knits, knitting, pet hats, scooterKnits, xmoonbloom
Posted in Pets | No Comments »
Posted by Megan Jeyifo to Decorating on
17 June 2010, with 2 comments so far.
If you have an big fisherman in your life, he may appreciate some fishing memorabilia for Father’s Day this year. Instead of a taxidermy or singing fish for the wall, how about something handmade?
Flickr user laughing.goldfish—how appropriate—sewed this felted fish out of old sweaters as a gift for her fisherman father-in-law. Much more appealing (to me) than taxidermy and not nearly as irritating as those mechanical singing fish, I think anyone who lives in the house with her dear father-in-law owes her a hearty thank you! After all, she could have given him a Big Mouth Billy Bass.
Don’t forget: Father’s Day is Sunday, June 20th.
[Image added to the ReadyMade Flickr pool by laughing.goldfish]
Tags: big mouth billy bass, father's day, fish wall hanging, fishing gift
Posted in Decorating | 2 Comments »
Posted by Megan Jeyifo to Reuse on
16 June 2010, with 6 comments so far.
Summer is definitely here in Chicago. It’s been a strange one so far, with eighty plus degree days followed by a few milder ones where we struggle to get up to seventy. I’d prefer something right in the middle—say eighty-two—especially since my apartment has no air conditioning.
When the temperatures have pushed past ninety, fan to the rescue! I picked up the turquoise baby pictured above from new-resale-shop-on-the-block Seek Vintage here in the Second City. Thirty bucks. It keeps me cool and was loud enough to drown out all of the fireworks and hootin’ and hollerin’ that went on last week when the Blackhawks took the Stanley Cup.
If you’re hunting for a fan to get you through to September look no further. Here’s a round-up of what’s available from second-hand Etsy sellers right now. Read the fine print: some are not in working condition but I think they’re gorgeous all the same. Perfect for you lucky ones with air conditioning.
Vintage Electric Brown Metal Fan For Display, $32 by Sweet Love Vintage // Vintage Industrial Small Dominion Electric Fan in Green, $34 by Junk Culture // Refurbished Westinghouse Electric Fan, $72 by Fishbone Deco // Turquoise Electric Fan, $28 by Finding Fabulous // Vintage General Electric Table Fan, $60 by Rhan // Vintage Shabby Chic Green Trav-L-Aire Electric Fan, $72 by Fishbone Deco // Large Vintage Electric Fan, $15 by Mrs. Potts Vintage, Tripl Aire Cintage Electrical Fan Lasko, $42 by The Vintageholic Frog // Large Industrial Fan, $145 by Hindsvik
Tags: etsy, vintage decor, vintage fan
Posted in Reuse | 6 Comments »
Posted by Sonia Zjawinski to office on
15 June 2010, with no comments so far.
Back in December I got hitched. One of the best parts of getting married (besides, you know, the whole finding your soul mate thing) are the gifts! One of the worst parts: sending out dozens of handwritten thank you cards. One way my husband and I got around painful hand cramps was to use one of our vintage typewriters to punch out personal cards. People really enjoyed them and, thankfully, didn’t feel short-changed by our lack of cursive.
One place our note card receivers did get to see my awful handwriting was on the envelopes. I hand wrote each address and return address rather than using our typewriter, because, well we’re trying to stretch out our obsolete typewriter’s ink ribbon as long as possible. But, the next time we have to send out a slew of thank you cards, I may get one of Primele’s custom-made return address stamps!
These red-rubber stamps feature name and address info, beautifully written out using a delicate typeface that easily looks like it was painstakingly inked out by hand. While $35 may seem a little expensive for a stamp, I think it’s a much prettier alternative than those free return address labels I get from Amnesty International. Plus, those stickers can really cheapen the letterpress cards you just spent a bundle on!
[via Oh So Beautiful Paper]
Tags: etsy, handwritten cards, return address, stamp, stationary, thank you cards
Posted in office | No Comments »
Posted by claire to Decorating and Reuse on
8 June 2010, with 4 comments so far.
A dugout home, a la Laura Ingalls Wilder
When I was a kid, my dad read all of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie books to me. I loved imagining life as a settler, and I was fascinated by the idea that for part of her life Laura lived in a house that they carved out of the ground. It seemed amazing to think that your walls, floor, and ceiling might all be made of dirt. As I was growing up in a very clean house I simply couldn’t imagine my mother letting the walls be made of dirt.
The Cave Home of Curt and Deborah Sleeper
In a recent slide show on extreme home make-overs, The New York Times looked at several innovative approaches to making existing spaces into homes. Laura’s dirt house came to mind when I saw Curt and Deborah Sleeper’s Sandstone Cave Home in Festus, MO.
The Sleepers had been living in cramped quarters with their two children when an eBay property caught their eye. The three acres of land also featured an empty sandstone cave that was once a quarry. In the days of Laura Ingalls Wilder, a dugout home not only kept the family from all the elements, the earth that surround the home acted as a thermal layer for the home, keeping the space warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The Sleepers realized their new land featured a cave that had the same benefits and with 15,000 feet of space, they decided to build into the cave.
(more…)
Tags: cave house, design, dugout homes, extreme houses
Posted in Decorating, Reuse | 4 Comments »
Posted by claire to Decorating and Furniture and Reuse and Salvage on
4 June 2010, with no comments so far.
Above and below: Recycled wood Armoires by RenziVivian.
I love taking old things and finding exciting new ways to repurpose them in our home. While wandering through the internet the other day, I stumbled upon these great armoires by RenziVivian.
Using existing parts of discarded furniture, these pieces are cobbled together like a big wooden quilt. The style and vintage of the various elements have little to do with one another and when combined make a unique scrapbook of references to different times and trends. The pieces can apparently be used for computer desks, televisions, or clothing storage. I couldn’t locate a place to actually purchase these armoires, but I think a similar DIY project could happen in your own home.
While we are on the subject a reclaiming wood and making artful and functional objects for your home, I would love to direct your attention to Whit McLeod. When my husband and I first arrived in Humboldt county I noticed some of his work on display in a local gallery. I was immediately attracted to the impeccable craftsmanship and the idea that all the wood was salvaged from 70-gallon oak wine barrels. Living in wine country makes these used barrels easy to obtain and McLeod reuses the wood beautifully.
Whit McLeod Folding Chair from reclaimed wine barrels.
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Posted in Decorating, Furniture, Reuse, Salvage | No Comments »
Posted by Chris Gardner to Decorating and How-To on
4 June 2010, with 1 comment so far.
Some of my favorite DIY projects are those that are really quite obvious and nearly anyone can do, they just needed some thoughtful individual to put two and two together and take photos along the way.
So, add this super quick and easy painted glassware tutorial to your “I should have thought of that” list, and then go grab some glasses and brushes, and whip some up!
Catherine from The Beat That My Heart Skipped says,
“I collected up a bunch of spare glassware, including bottles and glasses, and decided to give them a lick of paint on the inside. I was quite surprised by the results. If you use a similar palette for the different containers, and try to use glassware with different textures on the outside, the result is a set which is matching in tone but varied in texture. Which—I think—looks pretty effective. Also, using [matte] paint looks great because when you paint the inside, the glossiness of the glass really shows, which makes for another interesting contrast.”
We would have to agree!
[Get the whole tutorial at Catherine's blog: DIY Pastel Painted Glassware]
Tags: glassware, How-To, paint
Posted in Decorating, How-To | 1 Comment »
Posted by Garth to How-To and Kitchen and Reuse and Salvage and Storage and Uncategorized on
3 June 2010, with 14 comments so far.
The kitchen is one of the rooms in our house that we spend the most time in. Claire and I live in Humboldt County, California, which is blessed with incredible local food resources. College of the Redwoods, where I teach, has its own organic farm and CSA. Our local food co-op is well-stocked with local cheeses like Humboldt Fog, local organic meats and local seafood.
The kitchen was the first room that we started tearing into when we started renovating our house, and unfortunately, it was one of the last to be finished. We wanted the kitchen to be a place where we actually wanted to hang out and spend our time. The kitchen as we originally found it was fairly well laid out, but filled with horrible cheap 80’s cabinets, dingy floral wallpaper and cheap appliances.
We installed a dishwasher, put up drywall over the wallpaper and painted the room a bright yellow and installed some funky lighting fixtures. It was a great start, but the stove—an inexpensive Sears model with an old pegboard over it— continued to taunt us.
The horror. After removing the pegboard.
What could we do to make the stove area fun and functional? A new stove would be a good start. We started combing Craigslist for vintage stoves, and finally found a great (but really dirty and greasy) one that we could afford. Claire put a huge amount of elbow grease (and gallons of vinegar) into cleaning it. You can read about her valiant efforts HERE.
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Tags: crates, keeping up with the johnsons, Kitchen, remodeling, soda crates, spice rack, spices
Posted in How-To, Kitchen, Reuse, Salvage, Storage, Uncategorized | 14 Comments »
