last month i bought lauren a set of “the family creative workshop” books for her birthday. we’ve been having a blast learning all sorts of new things as we make our way through the incredible variety of projects collected in the volumes. one section we were particularly excited to explore was all about knots, which we’ve long admired both for their usefulness and their beauty. this project is based on a “carrick bend” and is great for creating trivets and placemats, but you could just as easily hang it on your wall to be admired for its decorative charm.
have fun!
derek & lauren
CLICK HERE for the full project after the jump!
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June 10th, 2009 - 01:00pm
to continue the entryway fix-up theme, i decided i needed something to hold coats and shoes. i have always liked the stylish, pared down nature of rolling racks. they always look clean and minimal in small boutiques, so why not bring the idea home? this is also a smooth hostess move if you have a party…actually having a place for guests to put their coats! my entry is teeny tiny so this rack is very compact, but you can size it up however you wish. i added some fabric covered hangers for a special touch. have fun!! - kate
CLICK HERE for the full project instructions after the jump! and click here to learn how to make the umbrella caddy in the picture above!
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June 10th, 2009 - 10:45am
this month i am going to focus on a room in the house that needs some design love. for me, it’s my entryway. it’s the first impression for your guests and it’s the first thing you’ll see when you come home everyday, so you should love it, right? this umbrella caddy is the first step for me to organizing my entryway. it makes me smile and it is super inexpensive. good luck! - kate
CLICK HERE for the full project after the jump!
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June 3rd, 2009 - 01:00pm
we’ve been obsessing over some 9-hole buttons we saw online a while back, and thought we’d try to make a few of our own using some oven bake clay from the art store. a film canister acts as a great cookie cutter for the buttons, and we indented the centers with an old wine cork. with 9 holes you can pretty much embroider any letter you want, which is great for personalizing your clothes or emblazoning your favorite coat with a catchy word or phrase.
have fun!
derek & lauren
CLICK HERE for the full instructions after the jump!
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June 3rd, 2009 - 12:00pm
In 2006 I started making cardboard horses. They were a self imposed assignment, a daily creative task intended to motivate and loosen me up, little experiments, paralysis prevention. My plan was to make a cardboard horse everyday, Monday through Friday until I had 100. I did and exhibited the group at Tinlark in Los Angeles in 2007. I’ve made 3 patterns, two adults and a colt, to share and I hope you make a cardboard horse or two or three or maybe a little family or maybe your own stampede! -Ann Wood
CLICK HERE for Ann’s full project after the jump!
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May 27th, 2009 - 11:00am
it’s an old habit of ours to roam the aisles of the hardware store looking for inspiration. this time of year is especially fun because the garden center is bursting with all sorts of flowers and herbs. while picking up a little basil for our kitchen windowsill the other day, we found these great little ecoforms pots. we loved the shape so much we got 2—we used one for the basil, and turned the other into a simple, modern pendant lamp.
have fun!
derek & lauren
CLICK HERE for the full project after the jump!
read more …
May 27th, 2009 - 09:00am
i just wanted to take a quick-time out to thank paige russell for her wonderful guest blog posts this week- it’s been so much fun to read her mini-city-guides to kelowna, BC and burlington, vt. and today i’m absolutely in love with her end of the week DIY project.
this morning paige is sharing her instructions for creating a ‘green space travel case‘. i love the idea of having your own portable picnic lunch (green space included) and this is just such a fun way to reuse an old suitcase and turn it into something that gives you a few minutes of happiness a day. click here to check out paige’s instructions. click here to check out all of paige’s posts from this week.
paige also has a great post on local artists in kelowna today, so be sure to check that out, too! i’ll be back at 9am with the conclusion of stationery show coverage for the 2009 season.
[images above: the work of teal & gold. see post for details]
May 22nd, 2009 - 08:00am
