When we have felt scraps, they tend to be really small pieces. I think these leafy accessories are a perfect way to use them up!
Or make a felted-flower belt for Ms Dress-up! Care of Shwin and Shwin
Grown up version? Go to Lark Crafts
When we have felt scraps, they tend to be really small pieces. I think these leafy accessories are a perfect way to use them up!
Nothing brightens a wool coat like a big, flowery brooch. If you have small felt scraps lying around, upcycled them into a flower pin with this great tutorial from Poldapop Designs.
Coffee stirrers???? Yes, wood coffee stir sticks ... (stand slowly and applaud, please). You want this on your wall right? I mean like, right now!!! Go make it.
Old silverware (or cutlery, where I'm from) is always so eye-catching. They just don't make it like they used to right? So why stick it in a drawer when you can WEAR it? Get ready to cut metal with this great "spoon ring" tutorial from Through the Front Door ... while you're there, check out her round-up of new uses for old silverware!
Not really a ring person? Stars for Streelights shows you how to make a fork bracelet.
I used to own a beautiful wind-chime made of old spoons and forks ... think I got it in England. I lost it in a move - I remember it making a really soft, lulling sound in the wind. Tutorial at Freckled Nest.
It seems fitting, that paper be turned back into trees. Upcycle junk-mail into paper tress - instructions at A Little Hut.
Handy with a saw? This tutorial involves cutting, roasting (or nuking-to kill the critters) gluing etc ... but the result is great. Check out her mirror while you're there... thanks Pretty Handy Girl!
Wrapping yarn around balloons is a technique popping up everywhere ... lovely twist on the the idea at Made by Michelle ... she also has a sweet fabric heart garland tutorial.
A page is for folding
A plane is for flying
A feeling is for saying
and sending and sighing!
Write a letter to your love ... then send it across the room via paper plane (printable - designed by Cathe from Just Something I Made)
I'm also loving these printable soap labels (could be used to wrap candy bars or decorate DIY party crackers!) ... care of Soap Deli News.
Super-cute printable notes from Fresh-Picked Whimsy ...
And .... some pipe-cleaner decor! Tutorial at Sweetie Pie Bakery
Heart-shaped page markers from Craft & Creativity (tutorial in English and Swedish)
Classy printable card and "coupons" care of Love vs. Design
One of many printable vintage valentines care of Cheeky Magpie...
One of many printable vintage valentines care of Cheeky Magpie...
Tutorial and free printable from Creature Comforts...
Four adorable printables from Hello!Lucky ... For many, many others see the round up at The Long Thread.
Make a puffy origami heart garland ....
Four adorable printables from Hello!Lucky ... For many, many others see the round up at The Long Thread.
Make a puffy origami heart garland ....
In defense of making art from old books:
I love books. I am a "reader" in every sense of the word - I devoured them as child, I have a PhD in linguistics, I was a reading teacher for 7 years, I'm a full-time copywriter, I have a kid's book "in the works" and I revere authors.
I love books. I am a "reader" in every sense of the word - I devoured them as child, I have a PhD in linguistics, I was a reading teacher for 7 years, I'm a full-time copywriter, I have a kid's book "in the works" and I revere authors.
However, there are mountains of old books out there that will never be read again. Never. It's a truth. Ask your local library about the life-cycle of its books - do not be surprised if you're told that many are, ultimately, sent to a landfill. Why? Because after trying to sell them and/or donate them, only a percentage can be recycled. Why? Because those that are bound in hard covers (especially fabric ones) cannot be recycled. There are also issues with antique binding methods (the glue, the thread etc). Yup. Books end up as garbage.
Besides the waste issue, I also want to point out that vintage or antique status doesn't exonerate poorly written, poorly researched, offensive, racist, sexist, outdated material. It's still unreadable and/or cringeworthy pulp that reflects a world none of us want to go back to. But now it's pulp on beautifully yellowed paper wrapped in a lovely hardback cover (that cannot be recycled).
How great then that we can still celebrate the artifact that is "the book". With information so easily accessible in other forms, I think books are coming to be valued for something else ... for their form, for what they represent. They have a life of their own.
Finally, I point you to Guy Laramee's Carved Book Landscapes and ask: do we toss mountains of completely useless encyclopedias into landfills or turn them into art? I say ART.
Rant over. Let's make some art!
There once was a magazine called Budget Living that folded pretty quickly (ha!). I loved it and ripped out many many pages of great ideas.
Rant over. Let's make some art!
There once was a magazine called Budget Living that folded pretty quickly (ha!). I loved it and ripped out many many pages of great ideas.
Decorating with books in unusual ways was one of those ideas. Their book folding project was inspired by the art of Mary Bennett:
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| Note: I cut up an old calendar featuring "maps of the old world" and glued them into the covers of the top two. The book at the bottom already featured graphics on the inside covers. |
The kind of folding I've done is simple - no real pattern required but I definitely inspired by the Budget Living feature. If you'd like to start easy, see my tutorial using an old kid's book. I also have a full tutorial for a hanging book fold.
This pretty display is care of BHG. Please note that they have NO instructions attached to their idea, nor do they credit anyone for this idea (it's "theirs"). I'm only including it here because I really like the grouping. See below for links to actual instructions for folds, which you could then group on a wall like this. How to hang them? Click here.
Find more step-by-step instructions for simple folds at:
Frugal Upstate
Ashbee Design
Sutherland Shire Libraries (Video Tutorial using a paperback)
Homeroad (folded book organizer)
Pandora's Craftbox
Instructables (folding a heart)
Inverted heart video
A Whimsy Willow (some great basic folds)
A couple of great sculpting videos by Johwey Redington and another here.
Book hedgehog video
Kid-friendly magazine hearts!
If you want to try your hand at something more complex, clever and ornate take a look at the amazing patterns offered free by Rhymes With Magic:
And how do you hang your masterpiece on a wall? Click here for my suggestion.
The owl and the pussycat went to sea.
In a beautiful pea green boat ...
The zebra was jealous
And yes, she lacks feathers
But nevertheless, off she floats!
I love paper lanterns but often see them tossed into dumpsters. How about making a hot air balloon instead? This whimsical, wonderful DIY is care of Momtastic.
If you know me, you know I love to decorate with books ... and pages of books. This is a lovely, simple way to create something new from an old book (a chewed up kid's book perhaps?) and a wire hanger. Mark Montano's Paper Flower key holder.
My good friend Lisa (of Poldapop Designs) recently found herself facing a NY's eve date with her hubby, minus the "great new dress" she'd planned to conjure for herself. Two little girls, the holidays, a small business to run .... and stomach flu (!) had all contributed to this fix. So what did she do? She refashioned a dress that had been collecting dust in her closet for years! Here's the before and after:
Awesome right? I've "reconstructed" a number of things in my closet over the years ... recently making a Target sweater a little more "Anthropologie" by removing an elasticized hem and adding a big button! You do NOT need to have mad sewing skills to pull this off. You really don't. So check out the great round up of projects (21 of them!) recently published at Crafting a Green World.