No-Carve Stamps By Jeromina Juan Ever wonder about the possibilities of designing your own stamps without having to carve anything? There is a simple way! You’ll need one ordinary household object – silicone caulking. Materials 1/8″-thick acrylic plexiglass; can be found at hardware storesX-Acto knife Metal ruler Silicone rubber caulking (clear); can be found at hardware storesWater-based paint BrayerNote: You can cut plexiglass to size by scoring a straight line several times using an X-Acto knife and metal ruler, and then placing the plexiglass on a table with the score line over the edge and snapping it in one quick motion. Directions Step 1: Sketch your designs on paper. Step 2: Hold the caulk tube vertical and tap it against a flat surface 8-10 times to remove any air bubbles. Step 3: Let the caulking cure for 24 hours, and then your stamp is ready. Step 4: On a sheet of plexiglass, squeeze a dollop of paint. Step 5: Using your brayer, apply the paint on the stamp. About the Author: Related
Plastic bag bag Note: I make yarn as I go along, so I only cut up one bag at a time. I find this is a little easier for me, as I don't have to keep track of a whole bunch of yarn at once, and it's slightly less tedious when you switch between cutting yarn and crocheting. First, flatten your plastic bag as neatly as you can. Keeping the bottom seam as flat, fold the bag vertically until it's maybe an inch wide, as shown in the second photo. Snip off the bottom seam. Cut the bag into strips anywhere from about .5 to 1 inch wide. Unfold the loops and connect them by using a girth hitch, described here. Handmade geometric stamps for Handmade Living By Kate on January 11, 2012 I‘ve tried to make my own rubber stamps on many occasions but never really got the hang of it. I think half the reason is that it’s impossible to buy the proper carving blocks here in the UK. So…I put an article together for this months issue of Handmade Living on easy rubber stamps. (I actually wrote this article about three months ago….it’s taking me a while to get used to the print ‘time-lag’ thing). These stamps are made from erasers, using a craft knife and ruler. If you want to see how hand carved stamps are done the proper way then check out this ace tutorial at Geninne’s Art Blog. Hama bead weaving tutorial on its way early next week! You can pick up a copy of Handmade Living from Morrisons, Asda, Sainsburys, Martins, WH Smiths, Hobbycraft plus a number of independent shops and newsagents.
hardback book binding The art of book binding is an ancient craft, but actually it is not very difficult to do and with almost no practice you can get really awesome results. If you are on the lookout for fun craft projects or quick ways of making nice presents and gifts, then this could be the project for you. I know that there are other Instructables on the art of book binding but this project is meant to be a simple quick project that will give a very acceptable finish, and a book that looks like it has been professionally made, yet without the need for any special equipment. All you will need is: Some paper Minimum really is about 32 A4 or US Letter sized sheets, to make a half A4 (half US Letter sized book), although smaller books can be made as can ones with more pages. Some stiff cardboard or corrugated (fluted) cardboard Some fabric or leather Any old stuff will do for the cover.
Do-It-Yourself Pinhole Camera (Part 1) What is a pinhole camera? It's a camera with no lens. Pinhole cameras are usually homemade and can be made of almost any box that is dark and hallow. Photos are taken through a tiny (pin) hole on one side of the box and are manually exposed by uncovering the hole for a moment. You can read more technical info here. The thing I love about pinhole cameras is that it creates photos similar to a holga (or many other plastic toy cameras). This first section in our D.I.Y. is dedicated to introducing you to pinhole photography and getting inspired for the upcoming project! Here are some inspiring pinhole camera photos: here are two pretty pinhole photos by infaready. [source] [source] [source] [source] [source] Here are some neat handmade cameras: [made from Coke cans! [made from Legos! [made from a mr. potato head! [pretty box camera with woodgrain laminate. source] and here's a photo taken with the above camera! are you excited? more parts to this D.I.Y. coming soon!
DIY Fashion: How to draw fashion illustrations If you search for them on the web you'll find a lot of beautiful fashion illustrations. Often they are a piece of art on their own but they are not only drawings, they are the best way for a designer to keep track of their inspiration. A great collection of sketches can be found in the book 100 years of fashion illustrations. If you want to learn how to draw sketches learn humane figure proportions here and here then have a look at Marina you tube channel where she teaches how to color skin or how to draw fabric for example denim (it's in italian but you still can watch the technique). If you want to have fun dressing an icon Colour me good is the book for you. Take to life Kate Moss coloring her outfits. Cercando sul web si possono trovare illustrazioni di moda bellissime.
Concept Boards (source: design*sponge) I adore browsing websites like The Selby or Design*Sponge for sneak peaks into studios of artists and designers. So perfectly chaotic, so profoundly organized. Looking around my own space, I seek to project my creativity into my surroundings in hopes of becoming immersed in the concepts that float within my brain. Concept boards can be created on virtually anything; something simple like a poster board, a cork board tacked into a vintage frame, clip boards, dangling from a makeshift clothesline or even directly on the wall. (source: smile & wave) Images Magazines, picture books, and vintage photo albums are excellent sources of inspiration: from exaggerated fashion editorials to 1950′s family photos to a mesmerizing array of peaches in a cook book, any of these may provide a little kick of inspiration to get a project off the ground. Afterwards, look over your selections and see if any themes are prevalent. (source: erayo) Materials Inspiring quotes (source: jcrew)
Guest Post: DIY Mini Succulent Garden In An Altoids Tin This guest post is from Johnie Gall of DirtbagDarling.com. Sometimes, the best things come in small packages, especially when they’re as cute as this DIY party favor idea! Succulents are an apartment or office gardner’s best friends because they need minimal care and thrive in harsh conditions (aka when you forget to care for them!). Plus, when a piece breaks off, you can replant it and it will take root. Use your broken succulent pieces to make these miniature Altoids tin gardens. We love using them as inexpensive wedding or shower favors. What you need: -An empty mint tin or other shallow container -Potting soil -Fine gravel -A piece of a succulent plant -Water Step 1: Wash out your Altoids tin and place a thin layer of gravel on the bottom. Step 2: Mix up the remainder of your gravel with some potting soil. Step 3: Trim your succulent stem so it almost reaches the bottom of the tin. Credit: Johnie Gall is the founder of DirtbagDarling.com. More DIY projects from the BLDG 25 Blog!
Best DIY Projects and Link Party 73 How can you people out do yourselves every single week? Seriously! Let me show you what I’m talking about and give you some Stickers! I love this display of color by Life As a Thrifter. There are so many elements that I like here. The modern retro look of the hanging fabrics, the country style round table against the super retro chairs. The mix of color and patterns. What is there not to like? I am giving Holly the… This Pamper Momma Spa Party by Marigold Mom is gorgeous, fresh and clever. A celebration of womanhood and motherhood. You must see all the pictures… Love it! I am giving Marigold Mom the… Oh my! The next three projects have three things in common: They are fabulous, colorful and show the value of a good frame. Allow me… How fun is this colorful re-purposed GIANT Frame by my good friend Kristen from Capturing Joy? I love the idea of adding multiple pictures inside of one frame to make a single focal point. Here is another re-purposed frame. This is such an easy way to display your pictures.