Design*Sponge » Blog Archive » colorful + fun: pencil chimes! Hola, adorable idea! While I don’t use pencils very much, I adore the look of colorful pencils and think they’re perfect for bringing a little color to your desktop. But illustrator and craft stylist Vanessa Boer has found an even better way to display them — in color fade mobiles that use rulers as their bases!
Vanessa collects vintage pencils and rulers and turns them into “chimes” that she sells in her Etsy shop. I have a hard time resisting a good tonal fade like these greens and reds, so I’m hooked, but if you want to check out more images of these pieces, you can view (and shop) Vanessa’s collection online right here. Here’s a cheer for gently dangling pencils rather than the chewed-up versions that end up on the floor because of stress! Xo, grace. Design*Sponge » Blog Archive » morning eye candy: dodoplan holiday decorations. The holidays may be over, but I couldn’t think of a better way to start the morning than with this sweet piece of eye candy from Dodoplan, a young design studio in Poland. They created these amazing holiday decorations using simple materials, and the final result is pure heaven. Each little decoration unit was inspired by “Pajaki” or “spiders,” a traditional Christmas ornament hung under the ceilings of homes in Poland.
Dodoplan sourced all local materials (yard, tissue, straw) and created over 500 of these star-shaped modules with the help of local Polish folk artists. After they were installed in the Stary Browar Art and Business Centre and the lights were turned on, the full effect was just breathtaking. On a smaller scale, these would be fantastic to recreate for a small birthday party or even a wedding.* Thanks so much to Poznań for passing this on to me! Xo, grace *Stay tuned for a fun DIY wedding project (and book) at 11am today!
Paper Craft. Straw Clust Chandiler. Believe it or not, I have a drawer full of old drinking straws — superfluous craft supplies are an occupational hazard. So I was thrilled to see this straw chandelier project come across my desk, because now I can use them for something beautiful! As those of you who saw Aunt Peaches’ coffee filter flowers know, she is a genius when it comes to creating elegant designs out of mundane materials; so good, in fact, that often you can’t tell what the material is at first glance.
This straw chandelier is no exception. It reminds me of the garland light by Tord Boontje — I love the energy of the little straw bursts and the beautiful irregularity of the shape. CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump! Materials one bolt of 24-gauge wire120 drinking straws1 yard of 10-gauge wire (you can also use an old wire lamp shade or heavy gauge wire coat hanger) Time: 3–5 hours, depending on size and scissor skills (80% of time is spent cutting straws) Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
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