we’ve got a whole slew of diy posts coming up today so i wanted to kick things off with this fun and affordable idea from artist eleanor grosch. eleanor picked up some cheap blue and white ikea dishtowels and turned them into a “south of france-inspired” tablecloth. total cost? $5. such a clever idea and a pretty look for spring. click here for eleanor’s full steps on her blog. thanks, eleanor!

*click here for a sneak peek into eleanor’s home!

if i could scream “TGIF!” from the rooftops i would, but my voice is still blown-out from yelling at last night’s rangers game. so instead i’ll head out an hour early today and try to rest my voice with some tea and maybe catch a little cat nap before i have to pick up the laptop again. amy and i are going to check out the philadelphia flower show this weekend so stay tuned for some pretty garden and flower related pictures on monday. until then, i hope you all have a wonderful weekend! below is a summary of this week’s highlights and above is a beautiful set of sunshine yellow stairs from lois keenan. i’d be happy to run up and down those cheerful stairs every day…

• new d*s desktop wallpaper: wayne pate’s design for march!
• living in: in the mood for love (116+ comments, a new crowd fav)
• new sneak peeks: michael quinn, danielle deboe, nancy neil
• under $100: mirror roundup!
• new city guide: reno, nevada
• biz ladies: tips for transitioning from brick & mortar to online shops
• new diy projects: kate’s ikea signe rug ottoman, halligan’s handmade air freshener, sewing 101: zippered throw pillows, made with love: bookplates
• new before & afters: emily’s credenza + rj’s frame, melkorka’s pickled table + 2 chair makeovers, claire’s murphy bed + linda’s chair, melanie’s kitchen + living room
• we like it wild: flowering trees of spring
• small measures with ashley: appreciating and preserving heirloom foods
• to eat: in the kitchen with cerentha harris’ sausage roll recipe
• to drink: behind the bar with something’s hiding in here’s berry drink recipe
• new guest blogger: posts from jenny and isabelle at dos family
• misc: woodblocks + prints from john welles bartlett>, kuehn keramik bags and cups, calling cards from winged wheel in tokyo, new wallpaper from mod green pod, prints from bee things, heath ceramics 2010 designs

Truth be told, I have a little book lending phobia. I’m happy to give books away to friends, but the lending part is hard. I once got badly burned by a beloved old copy of A Catcher in the Rye which, sob, never made it’s way home to me. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on…. umm…. oh whatever….. you know where I’m going with this.

Bookplates are charming throwback and serve a very practical purpose, saying “Give me my darn book back, already.” so you don’t have to. I scoured my favorite collections of antique (copyright free) images and designed several bookplate templates for you to download and create your own bookplates with. Proof positive that necessity is indeed the mother of invention. So to that sweet boy with my Salinger slung in his book bag, I say thank you. -amy m.

CLICK HERE for the full how-to (and downloadable templates) after the jump!

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Next up in our learn-to-sew series: throw pillows!

Throw pillows are another fantastic way to incorporate cute textiles and DIY flair into your home without a great investment of time or money. If you’ve ever gone into a fabric store and wanted to buy everything because it’s just all so gorgeous, then pillows are a great way to put those fabrics to work in your decor. Bold or loud prints that would be too much used in large scale (like in curtains) can be just right for a little pillow pop on a sofa or bed.

I’m going to show you how to make a zippered pillow cover, which is easier than it sounds, I promise. It looks super-professional AND has the added bonus of being easily changeable—I love the idea of making tons of different pillow covers and just swapping them out whenever you want a little change in a room.

The best part? You can make the pillow shown here in less than an hour! -Brett Bara

CLICK HERE for the full zippered throw pillow how-to after the jump!

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I am a daily commuter and spend a lot of time in a car. Here is the perfect alternative to the everyday air freshener that uses all natural dried lavender. If you are lucky enough to not have to travel by car on the daily, this project would also put a woodland spin on a drawer sachet. Happy sniffing. -Halligan

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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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, so it is my first stop. but stay tuned for months ahead that might feature thrift shops, the grocery store, the dollar store, and others. if you have any shop suggestions, feel free to let me know!

this first project reveals my obsession with ottomans. i could have a whole room of poufs, stools, and ottomans, but that wouldn’t be super functional would it? oh well. this ottoman is actually super functional; not only does it act as a seat or a table, but it acts as secret storage! i have chosen to store my extra blankets and large fabric samples in it, but you can choose to make yours a more permanent fixture by stuffing it with a few inexpensive duvets. these cheap rugs come in a huge variety of striped patterns, all of which lend themselves to coordination. there is no wrong combination in my opinion. have fun! -kate

* the title is a tiny bit misleading, because the projects will require some supplies (tools, paint, etc) that you either hopefully have on hand or might need to get from the hardware or craft store. but the heart of the design will stem from the object from the store.

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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i’ve been on a mission to bring more green things into my home – growing more plants and visiting my local flower shop more often! even though it’s been a trend for a while, i still can’t get enough of science-y stuff (beakers, test tubes, etc.) in the home. so for this simple project, i used test tubes to create little bud vases – perfect for the delicate jasmine that just came into the flower shop this morning. spring is on the way! -amy a.

CLICK HERE for the complete project instructions!

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[today i'm thrilled to welcome brett bara of manhattan craft room to d*s with a special guest column. you've been asking for more sewing how-tos, so brett will be joining us for a sewing 101 primer, covering all the basics for getting started with home sewing. welcome, brett!]

Hello there! I’m very happy to be here at design*sponge to spread a little sewing love. I hear a lot these days from folks who want to learn to sew, but don’t know where to start. I’m here to tell you how EASY sewing can be—especially home décor sewing. There’s so much you can sew for your home that requires only the most basic sewing skills, from curtains and duvets to pillows and slip covers—so that’s what we’re going to explore in this column.

I thought the perfect place to start would be with the one home accent that is by far the easiest to sew and the most impactful on a room: curtains!

If you love textiles and want to incorporate a little DIY action into your life, there’s no better place to begin. Curtains can instantly give a room a facelift, and you can sew your own in a mere afternoon, with literally the most basic stitching skills.

CLICK HERE for the full curtain how-to (and Brett’s tips on sewing machines and how to choose a fabric) after the jump!

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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 me quite jealous of all you new englanders (i know some of you may shake your shovels at this…i admit it. like a true NH to CA convert, i tend to romanticize the winter weather when i don’t have to live through it. guilty as charged!). i decided to create a project for those of you who might be able to enjoy a “cold weather picnic” of sorts. this is a cheap project found mostly in the thrift shop: a few belts, and old purse, a blanket and a thermos. but the result looks pretty luxurious, and it will last a long time. you can attach some mugs and fill your pack with cookies, hot cocoa, and a book; hopefully you can steal a few scenic moments in the snow before it melts. have fun!! – kate

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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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 is that you can easily wipe it clean with a damp cloth, making it a perfect material for coasters or place mats. these are quick to make and super inexpensive, especially if you already own a craft punch. if you don’t want to make this design, or if you want to do a place mat instead, you can really cut these into any kind if silhouette or shape you want using scissors or a craft knife for a clean cut. have fun! -kate

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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