In keeping with January’s theme of fresh starts and healthy resolutions, what better way to get motivated to exercise than with some new exercise accessories? I find that I have a better chance of sticking with new habits if I make them as convenient as possible, so having a handy way to tote my yoga…
This mountain pillow is the second project in our holiday DIY gift series with Merrilee Liddiard of Mer Mag. You can check out last week’s project, a lovely bleach-dot clutch, by clicking here. Enjoy! — Kate I don’t know about you, but I’m loving all things mountains of late, and this simple snow-peaked pillow is…
We’re excited to kick off a short series of guest DIY projects from Merrilee Lilliard of Mer Mag. Merrilee will be sharing some handmade gift ideas over the next few weeks, starting with this lovely bleach-dot clutch. Thanks for joining us for the holidays, Merrilee! — Kate Hello, Design*Sponge readers! Merrilee from Mer Mag here….
For the last few months, we’ve set aside our staple guns and dipped into our bag of tools and tricks to make everything from lampshades to slipcovers. This month on Upholstery Basics, we head back to the sewing machine to construct a simple shower curtain. For a clawfoot tub, finding a shower curtain that’s wide enough…
Although I’m admittedly a chair addict, they’re not my only obsession. I am a sucker for lamps, and after years of collecting lamps in every size, shape and color, I found myself with a lot of lamps and no shades. The success (or failure) of a table lamp has as much to do with the…
Of all the recreational activities associated with summer, picnicking is far and away my favorite. It offers an irresistible mix of food, nature, nomadism, and efficient packaging. I should have predicted this love from the hours I spent playing Oregon Trail as child: I focused entirely on monitoring my list of sundries and supplies and…
When Grace was in town a few weeks ago, we did a little shopping at some of the new shops in my neighborhood. While browsing the jewelry at Marisa Haskell, we noticed these beautiful striped beach towels piled in the corner. They were a steal at just $30 each, and I wanted to buy out…
With farmers’ market season upon us, it’s always a good idea to have lots of reusable produce bags on hand. But the problem with regular cloth bags is that they’re not see-through, making it easy to lose track of what’s in the fridge and resulting in tragic forgotten-vegetable casualties. To help keep track of what…
Summer is here, and I am so excited to start filling up my free time with warm weather activities. When it comes to beaches, pools, picnics and the like, I am definitely a planner — I like to bring everything I could possibly want along with me so I’ll never be caught without water, sunscreen,…
It seems no matter what I do, I can never get a handle on all the tiny odds and ends that accumulate around my house. From craft materials to hair ties, the bits and bobs are constantly trying to take over, so in the never-ending quest to corral them, these little fabric bins were born….
Lately my attention has turned solely to natural materials for making projects. In sifting through my collections of linen, wooden dowels and burlap, I realized that I usually buy these materials new when I could so easily find them at thrift shops, yard sales, flea markets and the like. When a copy of Maya Donenfeld’s…
This is the second project in Brittany’s summer DIY series! You can see the first project from last week, a copper tubing side table, by clicking here. — Kate Picnics and bicycles are an absolute must in Denmark. I’ve been wanting to combine the two, so I decided to maximize the space in my bike…
Reverse applique may sound fancy, but it’s actually a crazy-easy sewing technique that allows you to add tons of color, texture and pattern to your projects with very little effort. In this technique, two or more fabrics are layered and stitched together, then sections of the fabric are strategically cut away to reveal the color(s)…
I’ve been totally into the geometric triangle trend we’re seeing now in the graphic design world, especially because this motif reminds me of a patchwork quilt. So I couldn’t resist jumping on the triangle trend and stitching up some triangle patchwork wall art for my (very bare) living room walls, and I thought I’d share…
I read an article recently about the demise of watches. It seems most folks these days don’t wear them, preferring instead to constantly pull their phones out of their pockets. Sure, it’s one less accessory to deal with, but I can’t imagine going a day without a watch on my wrist. So, as a great…
One of my favorite aspects of working for D*S is meeting such open, friendly and immensely creative people. I’m constantly blown away by the design community’s talent and warmth. I met Heather Davidson while I was with Grace and Amy Merrick at the Portland Bazaar last December. She was teaching a DIY class as well,…
I don’t bring my lunch to work as often as I should. And by that, I mean never. What if I had a cool lunch tote? It might not help, but at the very least, it’s a fun project to practice your hand sewing and to make something interesting. Whether you need a lunch tote…
Thanks to a few recent online purchases, I had an enormous pile of long brown packing paper strips in my studio. I couldn’t bear to just recycle it; it seemed to have so much crafty potential. So tasked with the challenge of creating a project to help get organized for the new year, I decided…
Christmas is just a few days away, but there’s still time to whip up your own handmade gifts or decorations with these quick and easy stockings! Stitched in a thick, Pendleton-style wool fabric, only a few simple seams are needed to finish each of these; once you get the hang of the construction, you can…
I always wrestle with giving handmade gifts. I enjoy receiving them and cherish the extra thought and personal touch that comes with them. There is something about a handmade gift that is more treasured than a store-bought item, but what if the recipient isn’t so crazy about the gift? I want to be able to…
