Top 10: Shelves And Shelving I recall an infomercial a few years back for a little plastic triangle that stuck in a corner, between two walls, to make a small corner shelf. I don’t remember the exact name of the product, but I do remember that the commercial exhausted all the obvious self/shelf puns: “shelf esteem,” “shelf confidence,” “shelf defense,” “shelf-employed,” etc., etc. So I’ll forgo the obvious opportunities this topic offers for shelf-referential humor and just get down to business. How-To: Turn Shelf Fungi Into Actual Shelves Bookshelf From Old Books How-To: Make Tetris Shelves How-To: Make an Invisible Bookshelf How-To: Build Your Own Secret Bookshelf Door Shelf Made From Back Issues of National Geographic Circular Bookshelf Perfect for Storing Philosophy Texts Ikea Hack Bookshelf Bench Sad Bookshelf is Sad… Shelf Pod is Both Bibliophile’s and Cat’s Dream House Did I miss a good one? Related
MaryJanes and Galoshes Water Balloon Luminaries A fun and easy project with a beautiful payoff. Learn how to make these Balloon Luminaries. You will need: High-Melt Paraffin Wax (IGI 1260)Party BalloonsDouble BoilerCookie Sheet Instructions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Here is an example of these luminaries when using dye.
Old Garage turned Mini Dream Home! | Hello there! It’s been a busy week with a trip to Seattle for the Picasso exhibition and a drive out to the coast but I knew I had to share this amazing remodel with you before the week came to a close. Everyone loves good makeovers and the ones involving tiny spaces, creative design and ingenious solutions are my all time favorites! The before… This lonely little detached garage is just begging for some love. The after! A cozy, light filled sleeping loft is so perfect for the space. The kitchen is well organized and accessible with open storage solutions. The rustic wood burning stove becomes sculptural in this room along with Michelle’s own art installations. The glass boxes housing pillow forms are actually a tribute to Michelle’s father. You know I am a big fan of great bathroom design and this one delivers. To finish our little home tour, I had to point out this old locker. Oh and just so you know…Michelle only spent $32,000 on the renovation! Have a lovely weekend!
More Ways to Waste Time photo lampshades PINTEREST UPDATE: This is a post from 2010. I do not take custom orders, only the tutorial is available. The lamps have held up wonderfully. As many of you requested, Marie is sharing a little tutorial here on how she made her lampshades. When she made them she was not planning on doing a tutorial for this blog, so be sure to thank her for taking the time to write all this out. Marie is happy to do custom orders for those that prefer buying over making! * LAMPSHADE – Hobby Lobby carries self-adhesive shades & nightlights, Target has some smaller lamps for $19 that would be perfect for this project, I’ve found some lamps & shades on Craigslist. * GLUE – I used a hot glue gun for the first lamp. * VELLUM – I buy this in packs of 20 (I think) in the scrapbooking section of Hobby Lobby. * CRAFT KNIFE OR SCISSORS, PENCIL & RULER – to trim the vellum, I used a ruler and pencil to mark the cut lines & then used a craft knife and self-healing mat to cut the vellum. That’s it! Marie Darby
Altered thrift store art: Some personal faves Unknown, via Reddit. Banksy, via Flickr user goldenticket. It’s a simple idea: Find some bad art, whether original or a print, for a song at a thrift store, then modify it to make, if not “better art,” then at least something that’s more entertaining to look at. (Is it the same thing? Yeah, that sounds like a productive argument.) Anyway. Etsy seller loudxmouse. Banksy, via Flickr user Darrell Godliman. Reportedly Banksy, via Reddit. Banksy, via Flickr user poly_mnia. Banksy, via Flickr user SteeveeGee. Woodgill at Monocol’s Etsy shop. Did I miss a good one? Related
RickRackUpcycled Plastic Cup Lamp Now that my university is closed for winter holidays, I finally have more free time to do all the crafty things I’ve been wanting to. One of these is a lamp made from plastic cups I’ve seen at taf, the art foundation, in the Monastiraki region in the center of Athens. When I first saw it at taf, I was amazed; I looked closely and I couldn’t believe my eyes! The object itself is so peculiar, modern and alien-like it could be in any design exhibition. With my best friend’s birthday coming up, I decided to make it myself and give it to her as a gift. It turns out it was the easiest craft I’ve even done, the epitome of DIY objects! Disclaimer: There have been some concerns about the safety of this construction (see the comment of user “when” below for example). I only needed a couple of things: 200-250 large plastic cups (recyclable, at least )600-700 staplesa staplera lamp socket, lamp cord and plug – mine came from a broken IKEA lamp! That’s all you will need. …to this! You might also like:
Wipe Off Weekly Menu Board I am a meal planner. I refuse to go grocery shopping without my week’s worth of meals planned out and list made. (It’s either that or wander aimlessly around the grocery store for two hours and then make ten more trips back during the week to get things I forgot.) Once I get the groceries unloaded, I usually forget what I planned for, so I put together this super easy wipe-off menu board to keep track of what’s for dinner each night! Wipe-Off Menu Board Tutorial Supplies: Picture frame with glass front (I love these 12×12 frames I found at Ben Franklin for only $7!) 1. 2. 3. 4. Now everyone in the family knows what’s for dinner each week! I decided my frame would look better black in my kitchen, so I spray painted it black. Little Birdie Secrets are regular contributors to Make and Takes and was born from the crafting obsession of three friends living in the Pacific Northwest.
DIY Thread LED Tealight Cover I was messing around with different materials trying to dress up a little LED tealight, and this is one of the versions I ended up liking (plus it’s dirt cheap since it’s just thread!). I love me some textures. This may be useful for those with wedding venues that don’t allow real flames. Finding these* at the dollar store is what started this mess… 1) Get your hands on some thin cardboard that you’ll be recycling anyway. 2) Find some wrapping plastic (try to use something you’ll toss anyway!) 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 13. You can make different sizes and shapes. … and configure it however you want! * Batteries were included, and they lasted for many hours. Happy crafting! Mrs. Location: Sacramento Occupation: Tea Analyst Wedding Date: August 23, 2008 Venue: Vineyard on the Delta