We received a request on Facebook from D*S reader Lauren Proux for a Treasure Hunting post that tackles vintage flashcards. Well, ask and you shall receive! There’s one booth at my favorite local flea market that always has a huge array of old flashcards and educational posters, and every time I go, I like to…
The second installment of Treasure Hunting tackles something a bit larger than keys, but as someone with an incredible weakness for chairs, I couldn’t resist. Whenever I visit thrift stores or yard sales, I inevitably come across a chair that captures my attention. There are various design details to lose yourself in when looking at…
When I came across these old stove-burner tops at the salvage yard, I was immediately struck by their variations in pattern and how interesting they looked out of context. I never knew burner tops came in so many different shapes! After some heavy scrubbing, I found I liked them even more. They are nice, mid-sized…
Image above: Kate’s tech picks to get you moving! D*S editor Kate Pruitt is getting ready for spring over at MyLifeScoop, where she’s rounded up the Top 20 Tech Accessories for Health and Fitness. Since I’m glued to my laptop for the majority of my waking hours, I’m pretty obsessive about making some time to…
Every once in a while, I like to try out DIY projects that are very simple, almost too simple: few materials, even fewer steps and no big requirements for effort or money. There’s a time and a place for a massive, complex DIY, but right now, when it’s rainy and everyone I know is catching…
I’m so very excited to introduce Treasure Hunting, a new monthly column for DIY Wednesdays. If you’re like me, you can often be found browsing the aisles of thrift shops, scouring the tables at flea markets or haggling over prices at yard sales. Sometimes you inherit a random item unexpectedly, or perhaps you walk past…
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’ve had a lot of requests for urban/apartment friendly tree ideas. I can say from experience that lugging even the smallest of live trees into an apartment can be messy, unwieldy, and inconvenient. But that shouldn’t mean no tree, either. For those who live in a small space but would like to have a tree…
I’m very excited to announce a new monthly column: DIY 101! Sometimes it feels like DIY projects should be redefined as FIOY– “figure it out yourself”– projects. I know from experience that the gap between looking at an object and thinking “well I can make that” and enjoying a successfully completed project can be a…
i am a very sad person this week…i used to have access to what i thought was an inexhaustible supply of old stair balusters. i love having them around because they work beautifully for all sorts of projects, and whenever i ran out i knew i could walk into this one salvage shop and sift…
i have a really bad habit of procrastination. the laziness usually extends to all home projects, but none worse than framing artwork; i just can’t seem to get myself through the process of getting things framed, or even buying pre-made frames, and as a result i have a lot of rolled up posters and prints…
i guess it’s time to come clean and admit that i am not what you would call an outdoors person; sailing, camping, hiking, exploring…i can’t say i have much practice or expertise in any of those areas. but it’s never too late to learn new things, and i must say that after spending a good…
while i was cleaning out my random kitchen drawer, i realized i had a giant pack of drinking straws that was just gathering dust. i know i’m supposed to hate plastic, but i just can’t ignore the awesome craft potential in the humble drinking straw. they are one of those items in the marketplace that…
i’ve been thinking about public spaces a lot recently for numerous reasons, but mostly because the issue of public space always pops into mind in nicer weather. after months of abnormally cold temperatures, my neighborhood is finally getting warm sun and i want to enjoy it! i know a lot of urban dwellers have no…
i just returned home after a day at the beach, and i am very excited for summer projects! i know a lot of people find the ‘nautical’ theme to be a little tired, but after skimming over some highlights in nautical inspiration, i now understand why it comes around in fashion and interiors every summer:…
i was really inspired by the faceted designs grace noticed at ICFF, so for this week’s diy project i decided to spiff up my cheapo alarm clock with a faceted wood cover. i have become very attached to the sound my basic alarm clock makes, but the plastic body of the clock is not the…
this is one of the easiest projects i have made to date, and these nifty clocks have endless possibilities for customization. i can’t take credit for the brilliant idea however – these clocks are inspired by the gorgeous ones created by japanese designers d bros (although i am not sure if they are the first…
i don’t know why, but i have clocks on the brain. i like the idea of having a clock in every room, not because i always want to be aware of the time, but because i find the rhythm of clock movements is quite soothing. if you have the depressing image of me sitting in…
we have a big tree in our back yard that has become somewhat problematic. it grows at a very perilous 45 degree angle; i think it’s because its roots were dislodged by the placement of the neighboring fence and paved ground. anyway, our landlord has ordered a landscaper to come in and occasionally hack off…
i love the crisp, graphic nature of silhouettes. I know that you’ve seen a lot of silhouette designs though, so i tried to give you a project that rethinks the traditional form a bit by allowing you to add your own style to it. the great thing about working with these contact paper cut-outs is…
