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…
well it’s the middle of april, and i must have springtime on the brain, because all i want to do is look at plants all day. i have had my eye on the sky planters by boskke since christmas time; something about upside down plants really strikes me as beautiful and intriguing. but i am…
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 have eyed ikea’s celeber jars for some time now, but something has always prevented me from buying them. i realized that i while i love the mix of white ceramic and dark wood, a row of them on my kitchen shelf seems like too much white. i love any project that involves image transfers,…
when we decided to move our bedroom to a different room in the house, we no longer had the space for our old bedside tables. i decided to use an old chair because it was narrow enough and it looked pretty good. unfortunately, i lost two important things in the switch: a place for private…
last week’s project really got me excited about woven materials. creating a simple weave is so easy (over, under, over, under…), but it creates amazing texture and a nice handmade touch. i spotted these new ikea blankö stools (so new they don’t seem to be online yet) in a gorgeous tomato red and an equally…
ikea really does have some amazing finds! while i do love some of their more unique, signature products, my favorites are the very plain, simple accessories; they allow you to customize them in so many ways to fit your own style. they beg for hacking! i’ve had my eye on the skala tray ($14.99) for…
i am going to experiment with a new theme this year, which i might pull out every once in a while: all-in-one shopping trips!* the month of projects will be devoted to transforming/hacking objects from one store into brand new designs. i happened to live a stone’s throw from the hackable mothership that is IKEA,…
my sister lives in grace’s neck of the woods (prospect heights, brooklyn), and she was telling me on the phone the other day that she and her boyfriend went for a walk in prospect park after the big snow. they watched snowball fights and dogs romping; it sounded like a perfect winter moment, and made…
the other day i was walking through my local hardware store looking for fun new materials, and as usual i was not disappointed; in the contact paper aisle i found these awesome rolls of grip drawer lining made of foam rubber! the material is non-adhesive and easy to cut with scissors, but the best thing…
i know a lot of people find valentine’s day to be a commercialized, over-hyped, pressure-cooker of a holiday (um, take it easy with the chocolate aisles, drug stores). in my mind though, valentine’s day is great because such little things can make huge statements on this romantic day. pretty much any act of kindness carries…
grace mentioned to me that jewelry storage is a hot topic for a lot of readers, so i set to work brainstorming some possibilities! i realized that there are basically two camps: people who like their jewelry on display (neatly of course), and people who like to hide it away (also neatly). so i am…
[hi guys! i'm so sorry for the delay on kate's project. my blogging schedule got all mixed up when i was in salt lake so we're going to post kate's project from last week today, as a special monday diy treat] hey everyone! i am back with another organization helper for your kitchen (and your…
unfortunately, the beginning of 2010 has me battling an epic cold, so the first few diys are going to be simple, mellow projects that you can do on a sick day or in front of a movie. i know that resolutions are kind of overwhelming, but i find that taking the time to complete a…
here’s a last minute idea for your gifts- wrapping them or making them! these log slices take mere minutes to complete if you have a saw and drill handy. you could also ask your local lumberyard to cut them for you if you don’t have a saw, because it’s just a few quick slices. you…
i purchased these miniature birdhouses from the craft store about six months ago, because they were so adorable and i knew i would eventually come up with a use for them. voila! a miniature wooden village for my mantel during the holiday season. i already had some lights lying around, so i went and purchased…
this last project using kid’s art supplies are ready just in time for thanksgiving. if you have some helping hands or a couple hours of down time between now and the big dinner, you should be able to whip these up for your table. model magic by crayola is this super cool clay substance that…
i love the seventies feel of the colors on these giant wood beads, so i decided to embrace it and make a cozy little chandelier for over my small dining table. the softness of the yarn and the smooth beads makes this a very fun lamp, perfect for winter evenings. you could also spray paint…
while working on the projects for the design*sponge book, i made a lot of trips to the craft store…let’s not say a number, but too many! every visit i rushed past the rainbow haze of the kid’s section to get to the serious adult stuff like balsa wood and X-acto blades…i know, i’m super hardcore,…
