growing up in the south, i have a special place in my heart for mason jars. i enjoy them filled to the brim with icy sweet tea, but this fun project from d*s reader whitney gaylord may be my new favorite way to enjoy them. unlike most of our other diy projects, this one will require a bit of professional help (installing anything involving electricity is no joke) but the majority of the steps are easy to handle and will require only a quick call to your local electrician (home depot offers these services, too) to install the final project. click here for the full instructions or just click “read more” below - thanks to whitney for sharing!

designer jane schouten’s lace doily bowl was a bit hit during this year’s d*s diy contest- and today jane is sharing her instructions for making your own doily bowl at home. it’s a great way to spend a steamy summer day (when staying inside with your air condition is the only option) and allows for all sorts of personal customization. click here for the full instructions or just click “read more” below. also, you can click here to view jane’s portfolio, here to visit her new online shop packed with vintage finds, and here to view her last diy project, an incredible patchwork chair.

[ps: thanks to domino for posting the d*s scholarship winners on their homepage today!]

i know there are lots of silhouette projects out there these days, but i thought i could add one more to the mix. this portrait is made of super thin balsa wood that you can cut like paper, and the frame is made from decorative molding. the molding comes untreated in different widths and patterns and cuts very easily, so you could actually use this method to make your own custom frames for things too if you wanted! click here for the full post and step-by-step instructions- happy crafting! -kate

[ps: lisa’s second guest blog post for today is now live!]

ever since i saw one on a bedside table in domino magazine, i have been in love with and searching for vintage cork lamps. they are hard to find though, and often pretty expensive, so i finally decided to try to make one! i was looking for bases that had a nice modern shape, and surprisingly i found them both at ikea, in the form of a garden pot (upside down) and two cutlery drying caddies taped together! you could really use any base you wanted, as long as you can drill a hole in the top for the lamp kit. i am really happy with the bare cork right now, but i think if i ever get bored with it i could paint some stripes on it to liven it up…i hope you enjoy this one; clearly i have lamps on the brain! click here for the full post (or just click “read more” below) and happy crafting! -kate

full instructions after the jump…

these are two versions of modified ikea lamps, inspired by several designers i’ve seen over the years that use felt to create amazing textures. felt is inexpensive, easy to work with, and comes in a lot of great colors. i love how you can mold it and it will stay in place, almost like clay. these are also a fun project to share with kids since it involves cutting out hundreds of felt circles! i didn’t try it out, but i think these would work equally well on a regular lamp shade for a modern table or floor lamp. click here for the full post with instructions- happy crafting! -kate

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 left many of the cakestands bare because i love the original plate designs. if you aren’t happy with the plate or base you can always paint them, or give them a graphic silhouette design (instructions below) like sarah’s rehabilitated dishware. so, if you’re ready to create your own diy cakestands (which operate well as cupcake-stands, too!) click here for the full instructions. happy crafting! -kate

i always have a few small swatches of fabric sitting around the house (i’m a habitual purl soho and repro depot shopper) so this diy project is right up my alley. jessica jones at how about orange sent over her office supplies makeover project and we both thought it would be fun to share here. so, if you’ve got some office supplies that need sprucing up and a little spare time, click here to read the full instruction for this project. happy crafting! [thanks, jessica!]

today’s final diy project (and the project before!) comes from kate pruitt, an artist based in oakland california. kate’s diy crafty-ness landed her in the finalist roundup (twice!) for the 2008 diy contest and today she’s sharing a new project: canister makeovers. kate will be joining us while derek and lauren are on posting-vacation so i hope you’ll help me welcome her to the site! her introduction, material list and instructions are below, just click here for kate’s full post or click “read more” below. thanks, kate!

from kate: i love everything about candy stores, but i think it’s the endless, neatly lined rows of glass jars that appeal to me most. i wanted to recreate that aesthetic at home but give them a little more color. we use these to store our pastas, rice and other dry groceries, but you could use these in craft rooms, offices, stores, etc. or fill them with candy! the steps for this project are simple and perfect for a weekend activity. click here for the full project!