How to Make a Snowstorm November 25th, 2013 Email 355 users recommend Say goodbye to hand-cut snowflakes taped to windows. Instead, try a curtain of whimsical flakes hung on strands of dental floss. Jeff Rudell A guestroom plays host to a man-made snowstorm. Hung like beaded curtains in front of windows, these snowflakes make a subtle, modern, and whimsical addition to any seasonal room décor. Photo: Jeff Rudell A friend of mine visiting from the tropics wanted, more than anything, to see snow. So, in contrast to my chandelier post, I offer a low-skill, high-impact project sure to surprise your guests (and your family) and help put you in the spirit of the season (regardless of whether the weather is cooperating with you or not). View 4 member project galleries posted in: Stay connected with CraftStylish We dare you to make your own gifts and decorations this holiday season! Find inspiration and exciting how-to projects to get you through the holiday season in DIY style.
{ Pretty Calendar Project } With the economy in a funk it's really nice to be able to give handmade gifts this Christmas. Calendars are a cliche Christmas gift, since New Year's is right around the corner and all, but why not do it a little differently? Today I made a calendar out of blocks! It looks super cute on a shelf, and would help pretty up any office. It also cost just a couple dollars to make, what an awesome Christmas gift it would be! Here's how I did it! Supplies:7 wooden blocks, each side is 1.5 inchesdecorative papersMod Podge (I use matte finish, as I've found the gloss finishes can have a slightly sticky finish)sponge brushExacto kniferubber number stampsrubber letter stampsdark brown ink pad (I highly recommend Staz On, because sometimes Mod Podge can make ink smudge and run)other decorative stamps (optional)sandpaper (optional) First, you want to sort out the blocks to be labeled for months, days, and numbers. Once you have your blocks labeled with pencil, pick one to start with.
Brooklyn Limestone You might remember this little mail & display center I added to our hallway last year but I still needed some kind of tray or dish to catch those items that I am always misplacing! So when I stumbled onto some gorgeous decoupaged plates from John Derian while shopping and thought I should give my own version a try to serve that purpose. This is hardly a new idea but this particular project was one of the easiest DIY projects I've ever done so I just had to share. If there is one thing that I'm not, its organized. I printed the image on an inkjet knowing it would get a bit faded and cloudy from the water and glue. After watering down my modpodge (2 parts glue, 1 part water), I spread it on the back of my plate. Using wet hands, push all of the airbubbles out of the paper. I thought I would need a coat of paint on the bottom of the plate but that doesn't really seem necessary. Voila! What do you think? If you'd like to see my other tutorials, click over to the DIY .
Cognitive Edge Network You probably have many traditional approaches to meeting challenges, but what do you do to cope with a sudden shift in your organisation or marketplace? What do you do when traditional approaches break down and don’t work, or worse, you end up with an even bigger problem? Cognitive Edge is focused on rejuvenating management practices to better equip organisations when addressing intractable problems or seizing new opportunities in uncertain, unpredictable and complex situations, especially where traditional approaches have failed. The Cognitive Edge Network makes this available on a membership basis. Library: A library of proven tools and techniques. Education: Education that builds skills and equips individuals and teams with novel and complimentary tools and techniques Diverse Network: In excess of 3,000 members in more than 41 countries, consisting of Independent Consultants; In-House Practitioners; Academics and Researchers
Sew a bed canopy The bed canopy is the simplest way to evoke a plein aire bedroom: a quilting hoop and sheer fabric. Conjure up soft tropical breezes no matter where you live with this sheer hoop canopy. The airy fabric cascades down from a large wooden embroidery hoop, which is suspended above the bed. The fabric is gathered and crimped between the hoop rings. To evoke the mosquito netting used in the tropics, select a light, sheer fabric. For other dramatic looks, wrap the panels of the canopy over or through an open headboard or tie a loose overhand knot in the lower third of each panel and rest the knots against the outside corners of the bed. Materials 18" wooden embroidery hoop 10-1/4 yards 45" — to 60" —wide sheer fabric 3-1/2 yards white seam binding White sewing thread 2 yards x 3/4" white self-adhesive Velcro 2-1/2 yards white cord 1" wooden bead (?" You’ll also need Sewing machine, scissors, sewing shears, tape measure, fabric marker, safety pins, an an iron. Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Zebra Puzzle There are several versions of this puzzle. The version below is from the first known publication in Life International magazine on December 17, 1962. The March 25, 1963 issue contained the solution below, and the names of several hundred solvers from around the world. Text of the Life International puzzle[edit] There are five houses.The Englishman lives in the red house.The Spaniard owns the dog.Coffee is drunk in the green house.The Ukrainian drinks tea.The green house is immediately to the right of the ivory house.The Old Gold smoker owns snails.Kools are smoked in the yellow house.Milk is drunk in the middle house.The Norwegian lives in the first house.The man who smokes Chesterfields lives in the house next to the man with the fox.Kools are smoked in the house next to the house where the horse is kept.The Lucky Strike smoker drinks orange juice.The Japanese smokes Parliaments.The Norwegian lives next to the blue house.Now, who drinks water? Who owns the zebra? Solution[edit]
Dominos {Giant Syle} I am in the process of redecorating our play/game room. I decided to include some over-sized game pieces for an added element of fun. I went with a couple of my hubs favorites to start with chess and dominos. Dominos Supplies needed: One 2x6 boardElectric sanderWhite spray paintBlack spray paintThin blue paint tapeCircle stickersWax paperMixing cupsMixing sticksGlovesBrush4-5 oz. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Now, I just need an awesome shelf in the game room to house them! A big thanks to Crafterminds for choosing me to participate in this Envirotex Lite party! ETI sent me this product to try out. Silk-Dyed Eggs {aka TIE-Dyed!} I posted this tutorial a few years ago and it has become somewhat of a tradition to bring it back every year! One of our family Easter traditions is dying eggs with pieces of silk. I saw a cute lady show Martha how to do it a few years ago and I ran upstairs right then to steal a tie! Here’s the run-down: You need 100% silk for this to work. I try to find an assortment of colors and patterns. Usually it will tell you if it’s 100% silk right on the main label of the tie, but a lot of them don’t, and if that’s the case, check that little tiny end, it’s usually hiding there. The first step is to deconstruct the tie. Next you cut a piece large enough to cover an egg. Now, notice how I tied the eggs in the above photo- with the tie on the top of the long side of the egg. However, if you want the best part of the design on the wide side of the egg, you’ll want to wrap them horizontally, like this: Just wrap them as smoothly and tightly as you can for the best transfer. Gorgeous. Love it?
sunburst mirror DIY It has been soooo long since this first post went up and I thought it would be fun to include some updated photos of this mirror and show you how it has been used over the years. Still using it and loving it! Where ol' girl currently lives in our Houston house. Check out my tutorial below so you can make one of your own! Remember the teaser of my new sunburst mirror... Well here she is in all her glory! She's nice and beefy, and has lots of texture. It's hard to tell in these photos (because we haven't had sun outside our windows in DAYS), but she has a really nice shine too. Here's how I did it! I'm certainly not the first to make a wood shim mirror, I've seen several versions around blogland. What you'll need: STEP ONE: Lay out your wood shims to figure out a pattern you like. STEP TWO: Using wood glue, glue the individual shims in your 5 and 7 groupings together. STEP THREE: Once your groups of shims are dry, arrange them back into the exact pattern you want them to be in once finished. Cost:
DIY Braided Bead Bracelet It’s been awhile since our last bracelet DIY. I don’t know about you, but our wrists have been begging for another colorful addition for months now. So after playing with some materials that were already on hand, we’ve created a tutorial for a braided bead bracelet, which is a not so distant cousin of the hex nut and wrap bracelet. Because honestly, you can never have too many . . . You’ll need: Cut the waxed linen cord into a 26″ and 19″ piece. Tie a knot about half an inch down from the loops. Start braiding the strands. Push the bead against the base of the braid, and cross the left strand over the middle. Keep a finger at the base of the braid, holding the beads in their place and keeping the braid tight. Finish the bracelet with another inch of braided cord, measuring it against the wrist. Thread on a two hole button – two strands through one hole and one strand through another. Trim the end. Your bracelet is finished! (all images by HonestlyWTF)