Sooo many VHS tapes are just taking up space in my apartment but I can't make myself throw them out.
This is a great upcycle.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Pants Box-$0-$2
I made this bc my boyfriend is addicted to magazines. And they are always all over the place.
What you need:
A box-whatever size you need, but roughly about the size of your hips (you'll see why in a minute)
A pair of old pants you'll never wear again
Contact Paper
An old belt (optional)
Ribbon or felt
Stapler and glue
1. Assemble the box normally on one side. On the other side cut off all four flaps.
2. Strengthen the corners with packing tape.
3. Strengthen the whole thing with contact paper.
At this point you have what looks like a box, except open on one end and covered in clear, adhesive plastic.
4. Place your old pair of pants around the box just as you would around yourself.
5. Cut off the excess pant legs leaving just enough material that you can fold and tape down on the end of the box that is closed, as if you're wrapping a present.
6. Use epoxy or other strong glue to adhere the fabric to the bottom of the box.
7. At the opposite end (the open end) staple around the perimeter of the top. Make sure your staples are going through both the cardboard and the fabric. Staple from the outside-in so that the rough parts are inside of the box.
8. Using ribbon or felt, glue around the inside perimeter of the box to cover up the rough staples.
9. If adding a belt, put it through the belt loops and buckle it.
Use prettier fabric to make storage for your crafts, yarn, et c.
Use children's clothes to make Pants Boxes to organize their toys.
Use pants with more pockets for more storage.
Send me your pics!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Retro Kitchen Art
What you'll need for this:
epoxy or other strong glue
empty can of tuna
8 wooden spoons
acrylic paint and paintbrush or sponge brush
picture hanger or other means of hanging on wall
I recently moved into an average apartment with average rooms and average walls. This meant my kitchen was, of course, average.
And very white.
And very ugly.
I decided I needed something, big, bold and Free to put on the ugly wall.
As always when I need inspiration I took a trip down the aisles of Tarzhay. I drooled over the ironic, the kitschy, the ultra-modern-but-super-retro-at-the-same-time. I lamented my empty walls and emptier wallet.
My eyes focused in on a print in a one-foot squared, silver frame. The print was of brightly colored and intersecting cutlery on a white background. I thought:
Wow, Targét has kitchen art of stuff you have in your kitchen!
Then my head exploded.
After cleaning up the mess, I gathered 8 wooden spoons of various size and an empty can of tuna fish.
After asking for the obligatory Fb opinions I decided the color of the spoons should be a smooth chocolately brown.
---runs out to get some smooth chocolately chocolate---
I used Folk Art brand acrylic paint #462, Burnt Umber. I knew the wood would absorb a lot of the color so I choose something a little darker than chocolate.
This is what I came up with at first:
I used epoxy to attach the spoons to the back of the tuna can. This was both efficient and made a more interesting piece by adding some depth with having the open part of the can facing out.
I did have a little trouble getting the spoons to attach. Because the outer ends were heavier than the ends glued to the can they kept being pulled down, thus releasing the adhesion. This was fixed by adding a piece of cardboard to the back so that the spoons were then sandwiched between it and the cardboard.
And this is how she ended up:
Cost:
2 sets of four wooden spoons, 88 cents each
Folk Art paint, 89 cents
*It has been brought to my attention that this piece would make a great clock. Personally I wanted the focus to be on the materials I used, not on its function as a clock but it could easily be modified to add a clock to the center piece.
epoxy or other strong glue
empty can of tuna
8 wooden spoons
acrylic paint and paintbrush or sponge brush
picture hanger or other means of hanging on wall
I recently moved into an average apartment with average rooms and average walls. This meant my kitchen was, of course, average.
And very white.
And very ugly.
I decided I needed something, big, bold and Free to put on the ugly wall.
As always when I need inspiration I took a trip down the aisles of Tarzhay. I drooled over the ironic, the kitschy, the ultra-modern-but-super-retro-at-the-same-time. I lamented my empty walls and emptier wallet.
My eyes focused in on a print in a one-foot squared, silver frame. The print was of brightly colored and intersecting cutlery on a white background. I thought:
Wow, Targét has kitchen art of stuff you have in your kitchen!
Then my head exploded.
After cleaning up the mess, I gathered 8 wooden spoons of various size and an empty can of tuna fish.
---runs out to get some smooth chocolately chocolate---
I used Folk Art brand acrylic paint #462, Burnt Umber. I knew the wood would absorb a lot of the color so I choose something a little darker than chocolate.
This is what I came up with at first:
I guess I was thinking it was going to look something like a sunburst.
But then I decided I didn't like that idea.
So I turned the spoons around.
And went for something like this. (<---click to see much cooler versions of this project I made)
I used epoxy to attach the spoons to the back of the tuna can. This was both efficient and made a more interesting piece by adding some depth with having the open part of the can facing out.
I did have a little trouble getting the spoons to attach. Because the outer ends were heavier than the ends glued to the can they kept being pulled down, thus releasing the adhesion. This was fixed by adding a piece of cardboard to the back so that the spoons were then sandwiched between it and the cardboard.
In order to hang it on the wall I put in a picture hanger, making sure to drive the small nails through the actual spoon of course.
Cost:
2 sets of four wooden spoons, 88 cents each
Folk Art paint, 89 cents
*It has been brought to my attention that this piece would make a great clock. Personally I wanted the focus to be on the materials I used, not on its function as a clock but it could easily be modified to add a clock to the center piece.
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