DIY Decor Inspiration: 14 Eco Crafts for the Home
Hang a wreath on your door made from the pages of unwanted books, custom-color your own vases and mason jars, turn torn doilies into a pretty hanging lamp or organize your jewelry with a reclaimed rake. These 14 fun, crafty DIY projects for the home transform cast-off materials into stylish new decorative items. Custom Colored Mason Jars (images via: creative little daisy) Vintage blue mason jars can make a pretty addition to home decor, but a single jar – once tossed away as junk – can cost as much as $12 at an antique store. Branch Candle Holders (images via: fossil blog) Add rustic beauty to your mantle with twig candle holders. Tiered Cupcake Stand (images via: giverslog) Cupcake stands are a fun and dramatic way to show off these confectionery creations, but it makes no sense to spend a lot on one if you’re not a frequent baker. Round Lace Lantern (images vía: dos family) Recycled Barrel Planter (images via: design sponge) Fabric-Covered Pots (images via: ashley ann photography)
The Handy Hausfrau: Origami Lilies for May Day
Happy May Day! These origami lilies are just something I whipped up last night to celebrate spring. I used this tutorial here, and loved the result. I didn't have any origami (washi) paper lying around, so I used astro-bright bond paper (cut to size), and it worked perfectly. My first attempt was at making these GORGEOUS Kawasaki roses (can you believe those are made out of paper), but the tutorial was way beyond my folding skills, so I gave up that effort and resorted to the beginner-level lilies. This beautiful little bouquet arrived yesterday from one of my college roommates. And finally, in sticking with the flower theme for May Day, here's a collection of photos of Dale Chihuly's stunning "Fiori di Como" at the Bellagio in Las Vegas*. My husband is in Vegas this weekend at a bachelor party for a college friend. With all of these flowers, I'm reminded of my husband's dear grandmother (or G-G) as she was affectionately know by her great-grandchildren.
A Dozen Dollies...
We've got a secret. A new obsession. A slight addiction to folding Japanese paper dolls. These paper dollies, our take on Japanese shiori ningyo (bookmark dolls), are rather addictive once you get started. Just some scraps of chiyogami, a few clever folds, a dab or two of glue, and a little bit of fancy scissorwork, and suddenly you've got a bevy of beauties on your hands. While these paper dolls would make lovely bookmarks, we also envision them on cards, in frames, adorning gifts. And for you? 3 dollies with fashionable sleeves.Approx finished size 2 1/2" x 4 1/2 " (6.5 x 11.5cm) 3 dollies without.Approx finished size 1 1/2" x 4 1/2 " (4 x 11.5cm) (Of course, these dollies are designed to look as good from the back as they do from the front. 1. 2. For each piece of 5x7" chiyogami, you will have 10 pieces that look like this: 3. 4. 5. 6. Place body with collar in the centre of the kimono fabric. Repeat with right side. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
DIY Faux Curled Rosewood Wreath {Made From Rolled Recycled Book Pages}
I have seen various versions of Faux Rosewood Wreaths in just about every store and catalog for the upcoming season; most with a price tag running upwards of $40 or more. Some are crafted of paper and other of real wood shavings. Last year I made a few rolled flower gift toppers from recycled book pages and they remind me so much of the curled wood roses I thought they would make a good substitute. {with a much lower price tag} Materials Needed:Foam Wreath FormRecycled Book PagesLots of Hot GlueRibbon to Hang The full step by step tutorial I posted last year can be found {here}.Basically you layer three book pages together and draw a spiral circle. Starting with the outside of the spiral, roll the paper inward to create the flower shape. Give the wreath form a light coat of white {or light color} spray paint to help camouflage any see-through spaces. It seriously takes quite a few roses to fill the entire wreath, however I think the finished project has such a unique look. {Simply Lovely}
paint chip calendar | Maple and Magnolia
A few weeks ago, I saw this paint chip calendar on my friend David’s blog Cheltenham Road and knew I had to make one! It combines two things that I love…stylishness and organization. And the fact that it utilizes paint chips? Even better. I mostly followed David’s tutorial with just a few modifications. Since I planned for this calendar to hang in my office, I chose paint chips that would coordinate with the room and with the pin board that hangs on the adjacent wall. Here’s my version. materials needed: poster frame, fabric, hot glue gun, 35 paint chips, paper trimmer, corner rounder, fabric glue, foam brush 1) Purchase a poster frame (mine came from Target…$9.99). 2) Remove the edges from the frame. 3) Cover the cardboard insert with fabric using hot glue to secure it on the back, pulling tightly to keep the fabric smooth. 4) Trim the paint chips with a paper trimmer (I chose to leave the paint color names but cut off the brand). These BH&G paint chips came from Wal-Mart. Sharing here:
