I come from a family of die-hard tea drinkers, so I am naturally predisposed to liking pretty much anything tea-related: teapots, mug cozies, you name it. Last week, one of our readers, Austin-based blogger and crafter Emma Hadzi-Anitch, shared an adorable idea she had to make her own teabags for an easy and simple Valentine’s…
We have loved February 14 since our first doily-glued-to-a-red-card that we crafted for our classmates in the first grade. Every year since, we’ve covered our kitchen tables, desks or floors with supplies and materials weeks in advance while we work on our valentines. This year, in addition to handmade cards we’re sending in the mail,…
With February now here, I thought I’d share a little project you can make for your Valentine. I picked up a few vintage typewriter ribbon tins from my local flea market for a couple dollars each. You can find them quickly online, but by keeping your eyes open at estate sales and flea markets, you…
Hola, adorable idea! While I don’t use pencils very much, I adore the look of colorful pencils and think they’re perfect for bringing a little color to your desktop. But illustrator and craft stylist Vanessa Boer has found an even better way to display them — in color fade mobiles that use rulers as their…
For me, part of the joy of DIY projects comes from using items that most would pass by without giving a second glance. I appreciate decorative items that can also serve a practical purpose. This month, I wanted to share a simple project that you can customize in a million different ways to make use…
Well hello, gorgeous. Last night I plowed through a week’s worth of emails that I had missed while we were in Vegas and found this submission from Christoph in Zurich. Christoph created this AMAZING do-it-yourself Moravian Star PDF that you can download, print and assemble for free. It will require a little cutting and folding…
Every holiday season I make a small collection of ornaments. For this month, I wanted to share a fun “how-to” utilizing the crystal trend. You can find quartz crystal at your local beading store, on eBay or here. Check out the remainder of my 2010 collection here, and I hope you enjoy this Christmas DIY!…
Today I’m so thrilled to feature a series of guest posts from one of my favorite designers (and people), David Stark! Welcome, David! xo, grace My team and I just had a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We decorated the storied Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the State Department in Washington D.C. to celebrate the holidays and the rooms’…
Brrr!!! I don’t know where you are, but here in the mountains of western North Carolina, it’s cold. Seriously cold. Dangerously cold. And while I can layer up in wool and flannel, bracing most of my body from the ravages of dry, frigid weather, I can’t hide my face. My face takes it straight on,…
Our mother (the original BBB) set the bar pretty high with her gift wrapping each season and forever influenced the way that we paper, tape and top our presents. We admit to a little bit of (friendly) Blessing sister rivalry on the morning of December 25 when we eye each other’s creations under the tree,…
Growing up, I kept a daily journal. I always enjoyed looking back at previous entries to see what had changed over the course of a year. These days, I can’t seem to find the time to journal, but I do try to jot down a little note from each day on my perpetual calendar/journal. The…
Every time I stroll through a thrift store, flea market or garage sale, vintage tins beckon me to take them home. I always justify my purchase, since tins are great alternatives for small storage and unconventional gift wrapping. Nearly every tin I purchase is under $1.00 and has a perfectly weathered patina. I decided to…
This fabulous bushel basket lamp project comes from Erica Domesek, the DIY queen from PS – I Made This. You may have seen her gorgeous marbled paper project that we featured in September, or maybe you’ve already grabbed a copy of her new book. If you haven’t done either, get to it! I’m getting my…
High-end geode and crystal home decor is everywhere! Having a rock garden in my home is right up my alley, but can be expensive. So today I’ll share how to get the look of pyrite bookends using rocks scavenged from your neighborhood streets. — Halligan CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!
Believe it or not, I have a drawer full of old drinking straws — superfluous craft supplies are an occupational hazard. So I was thrilled to see this straw chandelier project come across my desk, because now I can use them for something beautiful! As those of you who saw Aunt Peaches’ coffee filter flowers…
I’ve been anxiously awaiting this event for weeks now and am thrilled to announce a little DIY get-together we’re having this week in Brooklyn as part of Design Downtown, an event series at the Nightwood pop-up shop! This Wednesday, October 6th, from 7–9pm, Brooklyn-based lighting designer Lindsey Adelman will join Amy and me for a…
we blessing sisters have loved notepads, notebooks and all things paper since our first wide-rule pads we bought in gradeschool. we have trouble letting go of even a single sheet of paper, lest we find a use to reuse or recycle it in the craft room! this time, we repurposed our old faxes and paper…
it seems i am always in need of extra storage space. i have an abundance of art materials and supplies that just keeps growing. i am already storing boxes of paints, paintbrushes, paper, pens and scissors, and a multitude of glues behind a linen curtain beneath our built-in desk. it is a great storage place…
august is officially over and i have to admit that i cannot wait for fall! i know the days are already getting shorter and my apartment is about to turn to ice, but i will always be a die hard autumn girl. these beautiful fresh floral accessories from the monkey flower group are already taking…
we have an abundance of useless sconces in our apartment. they are a pain in the neck to turn on and they provide illumination for about six inches of a small hallway leading to our back door, but the kicker: they’re ugly. in fact, if i hadn’t been walking through my local salvage yard and…
