Today we’re sharing the last two projects in our DIY Gift Series from Merrilee of Mer Mag. To check out her previous projects — a cozy mountain pillow and a pretty bleach-dot clutch — click here and here. Thanks for sharing, Merrilee! — Kate Hi, friends! Merrilee here again to help you check off those items on…
A few months ago, we were asked to contribute some holiday gift DIY projects to the December/January issue of Ladies’ Home Journal. The magazine has just hit stands, and our projects are now available to view on their website! Some of these are variations on past projects, while others — like the vintage book tablet…
I was looking for nice little decorated plates for years. When I discovered ceramic markers, I was no longer afraid to try and make them myself. The markers are very easy to use and spill-proof. No baking — the paint just has to dry for 48 hours, and then you’re done! You can even put…
beatrix potter, ‘sketch of a greenhouse, fawe park’ (1903) via the v&a’s exhibition: the real mr. mcgregor’s garden If I had an outdoor space, I’d have my hands in the dirt right about now. Instead, I’ve been distracting myself by flipping through books about other people’s gardens and I’ve become entranced with the history of…
planting season!! so exciting. i want to admit right here and now that i am NOT a green thumb, by any means. i have the desire to improve though, so i guess that counts for something. i know there are lots of fancy new garden pots on the market, but if you’re anything like me…
i’ve been wanting to learn how to properly work with waterslide decals for a while now, so i was thrilled to hear from melinda at little old hat last week. melinda posted a great how-to for working with waterslide decals and she created some pretty adorable mugs in the process. i’ve been wanting to use…
This column is not about the cozy little cottages that dot the English countryside. Instead we’re focusing on those grand English country homes that were the power houses for the country. When I was younger, in addition to devouring Jane Austen novels, I spent an absurd amount of time pouring through my parents’ copy of…
i’ve been wanting to have a bedside water solution for a while now. unfortunately, my cat has decided he will only drink from human glasses, so the glass of water before bed is inevitably full of fur by the time i want to drink it. i love the look of vintage thermoses, so i decided…
i can’t get enough argyle! here’s a quickie friday afternoon project for your onesie socks (click here for yesterday’s argyle card project). while i was playing with them i found that the band at the top of the sock make a perfect little soft neck at the top of the vase. i might have to…
I’ve been dreaming of training a creeping houseplant to grown along a frame for years, thinking that it was going to require the ultimate crazy green thumb skills. Good news, it doesn’t. In fact, once I had all of the supplies assembled, I was done the basic frame in a flash, with no missteps along…
after we published amy adam’s sneak peek on monday i got an update from amy about a fun new project she finished at her home: painted flower tiles. i immediately updated her peek with the new photo and then asked if perhaps she’d be willing to share her project steps with us. and thankfully, she…
during these chilly winter months, we always like to have a hot beverage close at hand. whether we’re eating at the dining room table, or responding to emails from the couch, or even reading in bed, having a little heat-proof tray we can bring from room to room is a big help. this project is…
since it’s the season for entertaining (and i chipped a couple plates in my plate set) i decided to turn some of my old plates into a two tiered serving platter that has a bit of nature meets modernism. when i showed it to my boyfriend his first reaction was – i don’t want to…
i have opened up my collection of old knick-knacks to a world of possibilities with a wonderful gizmo: the multi-purpose drill bit for use on ceramic, porcelain, glass, tile, etc. they come in various sizes and allow you to drill holes in bowls, plates, cups, pots, you name it. having noticed a depressing lack of…
we came across these tiles during one of our regular hardware store browsing sessions. normally used to tile your kitchen or bathroom, they’re an irresistible bargain at 45 cents apiece. add a little spray painted design and some stick-on vinyl pads for feet and you’ve got yourself a custom trivet for less than $1. (while…
i’m loving these ceramic transfers that heather (skinny laminx) and jesse breytenbach have created. after drawing little plants she had collected on a walk on table mountain, heather turned her drawings into transfers and applied them dinner plates. they were made for a show in johannesburg (and promptly sold out), but thankfully heather created a…
this diy project is inspired by one of my favorite ceramic artists, sarah cihat. i found most of my plates and candlesticks at goodwill. i also used some of those little vases you get when someone gives you flowers, which normally i think are ugly, but here they seem to have found a purpose! i…
