Seeing the World in Black and White

January 16, 2013
Decor, DIY Home, Everyday Crafts, Grown-Up, Organization

Screen Shot 2013-01-16 at 2.42.28 PM

{Image via Love Your Chaos}

I am no sports fan (shocker, I know), but my husband and I got invited to see the Brooklyn Nets play at the Barclay Center last night and we were curious (plus it was our friend’s birthday—yay Alex!). The place is amazing and I love how they really Brookl-afied a sports team…everything was very hip from the music to the mascot to the colors—black and white. As we were leaving, I joked that I’d parlay the experience into blog post with a “how to knit a basketball net”, but my brilliant husband suggested that I go with a black and white theme. Brilliant, I tell you.

Plates
20_0122I am so in love with these plates by Lisa Grue, I don’t even know what to do with myself. The black ink on white ceramic or porcelain is one thing, and then there’s the addition of the pom pom. Stop it.

65_crash630I swear I’ve seen every chalkboard paint idea known to man, but I’ve never seen a chalkboard helmet. Oliver would pee his pants if he could color on his bike/scooter helmet with chalk. By Tom Derracott.

SnowmanHow perfect is this minimal snowman craft? Just gorgeous. Via Pinterest.

Screen Shot 2013-01-16 at 10.19.17 AMMer Mag posts some of the best kids crafts, and this feather headband is no exception.

Craft room 444I’m always looking for craft storage solutions, and I love how people apply their craft to everything…even their organization systems. Found via The Daily Telecraft (cute blog name).

Rabbit-mug French_bulldog_ceramic_mug_dog_lover_gifts_home_decor_handmade_0002_9e425e5d
Ok, these are not DIY, but I love them so much! I found the bunny on Ebay and the dog on Art Fire. $55 each. Sold.

RockDominos1
Give me some flat, black, oval rocks and I’ll make this homemade domino set too. By Repeat Crafter Me (again, another cute name).


responses

Wearable Valentines

January 15, 2013
Everyday Crafts, Gifts, Holidays, Valentine's Day

Yes, you can wear your heart on your sleeve, but you can also wear it in your hair, on your collar, on your shoe. Here are some great gifts and DIY’s just in time for Valentine’s Day!

Elbowpatch16
I love elbow patches, and this heart-shaped one from Honestly WTF is such a cute surprise.

Heart-pin
I made these Heart Felt pins for Parents magazine last year. Sew easy!

Hat

Hearts make the perfect ear covers for a knitted hat. Spotted on Nicole Hill’s blog.

Clay-hearts

Turn these clay hearts into necklaces, pins, or magnets. Watch a how-to video on Parents.com. (Yes, that’s me!)

Heart-shoe-clips
Hearts on your shoes? Yes, please. From Ban.do.

Ear-buds
Diane Von Furstenberg makes these sweet heart ear buds. Only $15 on Net-a-Porter.

Glitter-heart-headband
I think I’d have to have this cute hair-do to wear this headband by Giant Dwarf.


responses

Couch Crafting

January 14, 2013
Decor, DIY Home, Everyday Crafts, Gifts, Me Time, Valentine's Day

Cardboard-tv
Last night was a smorgasbord of television—the Golden Globes plus the 2 pre-shows, episode 2 of Downton Abbey, then the season premiere of Girls on HBO. It was a hunkered-down, DVR-set, Indian take-out kind of a night. Yes, it is totally permissable for a mother of 2 babes (okay, a toddler and a baby) to zone out for a night in front of good television, but it’s also fun to take to some couch crafting. Yes, there are crafts you can do beyond knitting, sans glue and paint, that can be done cleanly in the comfort of your living room. Let’s explore the options, shall we?

Pom poms

Pom-poms are the perfect couch craft. Yes, they leave a little fuzz behind, but all you need is yarn, scissors, and your hand to make awesome pom-poms. These gorgeous gems are by Fox & Owl.

Origami-heart

Origami-heart-2
Origami is another ideal project for sofa crafting. Here is a great project that you can tackle to get you ready for Valentine’s Day! These orgami-heart bookmarks make a perfect Valentine craft for the kids to give out at school. By Oh Dear!.

Cross-stitch-iphone-case
A tiny needle craft is a fabulous activity to keeps your hands moving during tv time. Plus if you can make something utilitarian, even better! I love this cross-stitch iPhone case spotted on The Purl Bee. It’s tradition and technology all in one. You can buy the blank kit here (it comes in 6 colors).

Dear readers, what are other good, clean couch crafts? After all, Smash starts up again soon!

{cardboard tv via pinterest}


responses

A Portfolio: Kate Bingaman-Burt

January 11, 2013
Grown-Up, Uncategorized

8267895653_d90e4d8a72_o
If you challenged yourself to document everything that you bought, do you think you’d spend less money? And by document, it could be any format…a typed list, a phone snapshot, a voice memo. What if you told yourself you were going to draw everything you buy on a daily basis? Enter Kate Bingaman-Burt, a dedicated (gross understatement) illustrator who has been drawing every last purchase, from baggage check fees to a new hair brush, since Februay 2006. Here are some of her drawings from December 2012. Crazy or cool? You decide.

8275766467_a8700a8270_o 8308943539_f739ba3fbf_o

Chevron-drawing Hank-williams
Spotted on Flavorwire.

If you had the brilliant idea that she should make a book, well, she already has, and a new one is due out in the Spring. You can buy it here.

PS…Check out this post from 2 years ago about a guy who photographed all of his possessions!


responses

Faceted Finds

January 10, 2013
Decor, DIY Home, Everyday Crafts, Gifts

Can you call faceted a trend? Or maybe it’s called the facet trend. However you say, I’ve been seeing it everywhere for a while and I love it! Here’s a mix of some DIY and products I’ve spotted…

Facet-placecards-design-is-mine
What a gorgeous way to display place cards for a daytime wedding! Via Design is Mine.

Facet-cookie-jewels-of-new-yorkI love the unpredictable colors of these gem-shaped holiday cookies. Via The Jewels of New York.

Facet-pot-holder-design-sponge
There’s nothing wrong with a little bling inspiration in the kitchen. These are too cute to keep in a drawer! Via Design*Sponge.

Facet-vase-curbly

This vase is made out of paper. For real. Via Curbly.

Facet-clock-etsy-rawdezign
How elegant is this faceted clock? As the light changes during the day, the tones on the facets will transform. It’s a shape-shifting clock. Via RawDezign on Etsy.

Facet-magnet-pigeon-toe
I heart the jewel tones of these ceramic magnets. Get it? Jewel tones? By Pigeon Toe.

Facet-chandelier-matter
If you have a budget of $12,000 for a chandelier, then here you go. This is just beyond. Via Matter Matters.

Facet-crayon-kikkerland

Fun for kids to hold, these Crystal Crayons come in a set of 6 for $10 at Kikkerland.


responses