Iridescent Sneakers Dear fashion, lately we’ve been noticing a special glow about you, and P.S.- we love it. From iridescent Dior frocks to Burberry’s shimmering trench coats, Spring style is getting its gleam on. Slip into your own shine with this sneaky DIY that cranks up the wattage on a simple pair of kicks. To create: Cover the rubber rim and tag of the sneaker with paper tape. Next, use a foam brush to coat the shoe with a thin layer of acrylic paint (choose a paint color that compliments the iridescent film, as it will show through). Use scissors to cut 1” squares of the iridescent film, then crinkle each square. Get down with DIY and a dope playlistCLICK HERE for the P.S.- I made this..PlaylistCurated by The Jane Doze
Making Odor Absorbing Gel - Smelly Jelly OK, time to begin making our own odor absorbing gel, also known as smelly jelly! First, we need some ingredients. I sent my boyfriend out to two different Wal-Marts, because I'd heard you can get the gel component in their home and garden store. We did this in January and NEITHER one had any at all! Very odd, you would think people would be gardening in pots during the winter. He even asked employees - something that most men would never deign to do - and was told that this stuff was simply not in stock. So on he went to a Home Depot. Next he stopped by Whole Foods for some scents. So the total cost of purchasing ingredients to make a lot of "orange gel" (to replace my Natural Magic gel) is $13.06. It was time to start the measuring process. OK, this was fun! Here's the first six photos as we did this. Huzzah! Making Containers for Smelly JellyBasic Information on Smelly Jelly Cleaning Tips and HintsLisa Shea Site Homepage All content copyright © 2013 Minerva WebWorks LLC.
Blandito Is A Giant Pillow/Mattress Burrito We can't tell how comfortable (or uncomfortable) the Blandito is, but I have to say: it looks awesome. Not only will it make for a sweet wraparound pillow/mattress/blanket -- it can be repurposed for a whole lot of uses while chilling around the house, too. Created by Oradaria Design, it's billed as a "transformable pad for lazy living." And by transform, they're not kidding, since you can fold it and roll it and turn it into a wide host of things -- from a sleeping mat to a chair to a loveseat to a bolster pillow to a couple other things you can dream up. The Blandito starts out life as a round and cushy mat that lies flat on the floor. Using oversized buttons and hook straps installed along the edges, you can fashion it into numerous shapes, many of which look like you're being swallowed by a giant burrito (or, in some cases, a giant clam). Unfortunately, the Blandito is only listed as "coming soon" on the Italian outfit's website, without much details and specifics. Check It Out
Homemade Polymer Clay At different points over the last few years I've played around with different kinds of homemade "clay." My favorite is a polymer clay also known as cold porcelain. Its main ingredients are cornstarch and white PVA or Elmer's glue. I like it because it's smooth and a little bit elastic to work with and dries extremely hard. But it took awhile to get the recipe right. Materials 3/4 cup white glue1 cup cornstarch2 tablespoons mineral oil (I used baby oil but reportedly even vaseline will work)1 tablespoon lemon juiceNon-stick potWooden spoon Steps Add cornstarch to glue in a nonstick pot. Cook over low flame stirring pretty much constantly (you can take a quick break or two if your arm gets tired, which it will) until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes. Remove from heat! Pull off a bit to work with and put the rest in a re-sealable plastic bag with the top about half-way open until it's cooled down a bit. Let dry about 2-3 days, then paint, or not. Until next time -- Enjoy! Linda
joon & jung: 'pillow blanket' mar 26, 2009 joon & jung: 'pillow blanket' korean born, dutch based designer jungyou of joon & jung has sent in images of her latest design ‘pillow blanket’. it is approximately 3 x 3 meters in size. ridhika naidoo I designboom Baking Soda Clay Here's another homemade modeling compound that good for both kids and adult artisans. Compared to the homemade polymer clay I presented a few weeks ago, it's non-elastic when wet and much "softer" when dry---that is, easy to sand smooth or to reshape, to add etchings, and possibly even to carve (I haven't tried). I've used it to make a variety of small items, particularly small bowls and candle holders (shown below in order of finished-ness). Sanded nice and smooth! Materials 1 cup corn starch2 cups baking soda1.25 cups cold waterNon-stick potWooden spoonMed-large bowl (not pictured)Damp cloth, lid or plate (not pictured) Steps Combine ingredients in pot and stir until smooth. Cook over low-medium flame, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and let cool in a separate container either covered with a damp towel or mostly covered with a plate or lid. Sculpt. Allow to dry, about 2 days depending on the size and thickness of your finished piece. Enjoy!
Plastic Bottle Apple For The Teacher This morning I sent my kids off to school with these cute plastic bottle apples for the teacher, together with a wish for a happy new year, written by each child. I filled the bottom of the bottle with a circle of round tissue paper, and left the top portion empty to view the red colored treats. For complete instructions, see my tutorial here. This is a simple project that's great as a teacher appreciation gift any time! Inspired Entertaining: DIY Chalkboard Wine Glasses Last month I got an email from one of those "deal of the day" websites featuring a very cute set of wine glasses with chalkboard stems from a company called Chalkboard China. I've seen chalkboard glasses before, and always thought them to be a fun and chic way for guests to keep track of their glass throughout the night so you don't end up with mixed-up glasses or dozens of half-full glasses left around the house. But all the ones I've seen in stores feature a strip of chalkboard paint across the bowl of the glass, which I've always felt looks awkward and takes away from the beauty of the wine or beverage in the glass. What I did NOT like about the glasses, was the price. $19.95 per glass is absurd and totally unnecessary. So I figured, "I can totally make that myself!" Here's how you can make your own set of inexpensive chalkboard wine glasses: Materials 1. 2. 3. Method Step 1. Step 2. Step 3. Once the glasses are completely dry (about 24 hours) they're ready to use!
DIY Solar Lamp: Make Your Own Eco-Friendly Sun Jars The principle is simple and seductively clever: solar lights that store energy during the day and release light at night. These can be purchased ready-made in a variety of colors (yellow, blue and red) but they can also be built at home. A simple, less-technical approach involves buying a conventional solar-powered yard lamp and then essentially harvesting it for key pieces to put in a jar. A more electronically-savvy individual can take the more complex route and built a solar lamp from the ground up using small solar panels – though the aesthetic result may not be as impressive. Whatever route you choose to go, these are fun and sustainable gadgets that make it easy to go green, automate the process of turning on lights at night and can add some color to your porch, patio, garden or windowsill.
Glass Etching Have you ever done any glass etching? Well, neither had I before today. But wow. Such an easy, yet sweet little touch that you can add to any glass. Check out my new and improved etched Trifle Bowl. The perfect bowl for desserts of all kinds…..and even a great place for fresh fruit on the counter. Glass etching is also a great way to stamp your name on your pyrex dishes, to make sure they come back to you. And how about adding a little extra detail, just because…… (Edited to Add: The font used here is called Smiley Monster and I downloaded the font for free here.) Sweet in every way. Are you wanting to make your own? (This technique permanently etches your glass. First, you’ll need a piece of vinyl with an adhesive back, like the vinyl you buy for vinyl wall decor. Then peel away the shapes, leaving the negative space all in one piece. The Silhouette code for the bird/branch is: bird_on_branch_C00044_23067 01/18/2010 Then peel the vinyl backing away. See how there are air bubbles? Good luck!
Crafty Kitchen: Owl S’mores Here’s a fun recipe for adults and kids alike–owl smores! Let’s just start off by saying, when the items below are the ingredients, you know the final product is going to be good! To make these owls you’ll need graham crackers, Reese’s peanut butter cups, candy corn, M&Ms, and large marshmallows. To get started, use a sharp knife to cut off the top 3/8″ of each peanut butter cup (PB cups). If you’re having problems with the chocolate peeling off the bottom of the PB cups when you take off the wrapper, try putting them in the fridge or a cool place so the chocolate isn’t as soft. Line the PB cups up on half a graham cracker so the rounded part hangs just off the bottom. Tear a large marshmallow in half and place above the PB cup on the graham cracker, sticky side down. Microwave until the marshmallows start to puff up. Lastly, press in M&Ms for the eyes. Keep going until your flock is complete! Also, check out this cute Hello Kitty Cake Pops recipe from CraftFoxes.
Rainy Daze Activity Sticks While on Pinterest the other day, I ran across some super cute color-coded chore sticks from Embellish. Loved the idea, but my daughter is only three and can’t help out too much around the house. So, I decided to alter the idea a bit and help cure boredom! Here’s my Rainy Daze activity sticks! So here’s the step by step instructions… First I gathered all of my supplies: White tin jarScrapbook paperWooden craft sticksSpray adhesiveElmer’s glueEmbellishments (I used Puffies)Hot glue gunRibbonAlphabet stickersPrint out of 30+ activities First thing I did was spray 10 wooden craft sticks to three different colors of paper (30 sticks total) using spray adhesive. While that was drying I started work on the tin jar. Then I used some scrap paper and the alphabet stickers to label my jar with “Rainy Daze” and added a little embellishment with a Puffie. Now it’s time to finish the activity sticks that were set aside for drying. Here are all of the completed activity sticks! Pretty cute, huh?
Create – wall art printable template Some months a go I shared the Love wall art template, along with that one I made this one, but unlike the previous one I wanted to make this word different and special, so no cardboard. Instead I used a piece of Styrofoam from a box we received last week. When I saw it a knew it was perfect for this project =] And instead of painting or covering it with fabric (my first idea) I decided to just go the Decoupage route with hot pink tissue paper. It ends up being so light! **The download is a PDF format file, so you will need to have Abobe Reader installed on your PC or MAC. THE MATERIALS - 23×8 inches piece of Styrofoam (I just used one from a box but you can buy a piece at Michaels) - Tacky glue - 2 sheets of tissue Paper ripped unevenly with your hands - Sand paper - X-acto knife - Download the template below - Marker to trace template - Sponge brush [ Click on Images to enlarge] I hope you all enjoy and CREATE =] ps.