Roundups on Remodelaholic

In case you've missed it, I've been sharing decor round-ups over at Remodelaholic for the last year. Here are some of the fun topics I've shared over there. Check them out if you're looking for inspiration for your next DIY project. And let me know if there's a topic you'd love to see in the future!

25 Table & Floor Lamp Projects

25 Gift Wrapping Ideas From the Recycling Bin & Beyond

25 Ways to Use Food as Decor

25 Curb Appeal Ideas

25 Nursery Decor Projects

25 Cool DIY Clocks

25 DIY Backyard Games

25 DIY Hardware Store Decor Projects

25 Chair Makeovers

25 Edible Garden Ideas

25 Clever Closet Offices

24 Inspiring Finished Attics

DIY Modern Woodland Mobile

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It feels a little like an overstatement to call this a DIY project. It takes pretty much no artistic talent to create and the only crafty tool I had to use was a pair of scissors to cut string. So if you're easily intimidated by DIY projects and doubt your natural crafting abilities, rest assured this is one project you can totally do!

When I started collecting ideas for Sebastian's nursery, I was really drawn to the modern and simple look of the Petit Collage Mobile (forest friends style no longer available), but it was a little pricey and I wanted to keep our spending down.

It looked like the kind of project I could make myself, but I wasn't sure quite how at first. Should I cut out cardstock to create the animals or maybe Shrinky Dinks would work better (because I know what cool things can be made with those)? But I really wanted the natural color and texture of wood, so I turned to Etsy. You guys, there are a million options for inexpensive cool wood cutouts!

Embroidery hoop + Bead cord + Wood cutouts

I purchased a cute little set of animals from here and picked up a 10" Wood Embroidery Hoop and some Clear Beading Cord at my local craft store.

First, I determined how low I wanted the mobile to hang. Then I cut six pieces of beading cord a few inches longer than the distance from the hoop to the ceiling. I cut a seventh piece a bit longer and tied all seven pieces together at the top. I tied the sixshorter pieces to each side of the hoop, being careful to keep them equal lengths so the hoop would hang fairly evenly. I let the seventh piece of cord hang down in the center.

I tied one cutout to the center cord and then added the other animals (I used seven in total, with two sets of duplicates) at varying lengths around the hoop.

And then I put my child in the crib and spun the mobile gently so he could watch it move. HE LOVED IT. Maybe all babies love mobiles, but my kid is obsessed with his. It is his happy place.

Knowing that woodland creatures are not the perfect fit for everyone's nursery decor, I rounded up some other cutouts on Etsy that work work really well too.

Feathers // Triangles // Dogs // Leaves // Metal Fish // Bikes // Tapered Shapes // Trees // Guitars

Which shapes would make the perfect mobile for your little one's nursery?

Clutter-Free Holiday Season

As you may know, we're going to have a baby this holiday season.

As if that weren't excited and life changing enough, we also decided in the 11th hour to buy a new house. Yes, we're going to move somewhere around my 36th week of pregnancy. I'm trying to look on the bright side-- I won't get the inevitable day-after-moving aches because I won't be able to lift all the much.

With all of this going on, it is no wonder money is top of mind right now. Specifically, not spending all of it.

So I have a plan. I am going to try my hardest to do my holiday decorating and gift wrapping only with things I already have. No trips to Michael's for craft supplies. No picking up new gift wrap impulsively at Target or online (even if it is really beautiful) My goal is to clear out the closet of gift wrapping odds and ends (half rolls of paper, and carefully folded pieces I rescued from gifts I've received), use art supplies I already have on hand (sticky letters, felt, and glitter galore), and get creative with alternative wrapping materials.

I think it will be a fun challenge. Are you with me? I'll be sharing my attempts on Instagram. If you'd like to join in (and provide me with inspiration too!), use the hashtag #clutterfreeholiday when you share your decorating and gift wrapping ideas. Gifts count too! At the end, I'll share some of the ideas we've come up with. Sound good?

Let's do this!

Ombre Heart Wreath

I had an impulse to craft something cute for Valentine's Day (despite the fact we don't really celebrate it) and I didn't want to spend any money (I feel like that is how all of my craft projects begin). I thought a little wreath of some sort might be fun and easy.

First, I rummaged through our recycling bin for some cardboard and packing paper. You could also go the styrofoam wreath route, if dumpster crafting is not for you!

I traced out the largest heart I could fit.

Then I drew a smaller heart inside, and cut it out.

Then I rolled up scrap kraft paper (newspaper would work well too!) and wrapped tape around it. This was to give the wreath some dimension. It looks pretty rough at this stage, but once the yarn is on, it isn't so lumpy and uneven.

I went through the yarn I had on hand and picked some colors that might work well together.

Then I just started wrapped yarn around the wreath, trying to put even amounts of each color on either side.

So simple, and the price is right for a piece of decor which will only be up for a short while.

Also, did you see my Chalkboard Valentine on Instagram?

Linking up to the CSI Project Valentine's Day Linky Party.

Top 5 Projects of 2013

Happy 2014, everybody!

Last year was a pretty good one, don't ya think? This year is starting off with a lot of sniffles and sneezes (ugh!) in our house, but I know it's gonna get better from here!

In 2013, B and I had a few big adventures (like France and Spain!) and did some projects around the house (though you'd never know it since I haven't shared updates on our kitchen and bedroom...coming soon, I swear!), but I think the little DIY decor and craft projects were the most fun to share. And I guess you think so too, but they were some of my most popular posts!


Here were the top 5 projects of 2013:

Number 5

DIY Leather Strap Hurricane: this was the easiest project of all! A few inexpensive belts, cut and buckled, gave a new look to a plain vase.

Number 4

Super Easy Felt Pillow: wrapping up the year with a project which would make a great addition to your home, or a great gift for someone else (and as usual, I made it without a sewing machine!)

Number 3

DIY Captain's Mirror: this project proudly hangs on our bedroom wall, and I really do love it. I think even B has come around on this one. :)

Number 2

DIY Gramophone iPhone Speaker: B and I came up with this novelty speaker for a Christmas gift, and it turned out so cute!

Number 1

DIY Woven Rope Basket: this project was by far, the most popular one I shared this year (and likely the reason you're reading this now!). I've loved seeing other crafters and bloggers try their hand it it too!

Thanks to every single one of you who stopped by to check out my blog. I can't wait to share new projects with you in the coming year. And with that said, I have some exciting news to share...

I (along with fifteen other rad ladies) am going to be a contributor on Remodelaholic this year! I'm honored to be among some really great bloggers, and I hope I can bring some fun and inspiring ideas with my home decor and gardening roundups!

Super Easy Felt Pillow

I am not even going to call this a tutorial. Because who needs one anyway?

1. Cut felt into 2 pieces slightly bigger than a pillow. (Hot tip: Use a pillow case for reference!)
2. Sew Glue felt on three sides. (Hot tip: use fabric glue if you can't sew or are too lazy to sew!)
3. Turn inside out. (Hot tip: cut down the corners at a diagonal to reduce bunching when you turn it inside out!)
4. Cut out smaller pieces of felt. (Hot tip: pin felt to paper in the shape you want before you cut!)
4. Sew Glue other pieces of felt to your big piece of felt. (Hot tip:... I got nothin'. Make it pretty.)
5. Stuff big felt with pillow stuffing. (Hot tip: I've heard you can use plastic bags for this, but I've never tried!)
6. Sew Glue closed the felt pillow. (Hot tip: use lots of pins to help hold it closed while your glue dries!)

Let's just call this post a friendly reminder of an easy crafty project that would make a nice gift for someone.

Linking up to Dare to DIY.

DIY Gramophone iPhone Speaker

Have you seen those gramophone speakers for iPhones at places like Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn? I think they are just the coolest things. Super sculptural and they actually work! I really wanted to recreate one, but I could not figure out where to find a horn that was a reasonable price.

So I started thinking about what else I could use to recreate this. And then I realized, a funnel might do the trick! I picked up a galvanized steel funnel with a flexible tube (like this one) at my local automotive shop. I sprayed the funnel with a bronze spray paint to fancy it up a little.

While the paint was drying, I explained to B how I imagined the base would need to be drilled. He went out to the garage and 10 minutes later he had a "prototype" ready to go.

Basically, he used his dremel with a 3/4" spade bit to bore a hole into the back of the base (a piece of Redwood 4x4, approximately 6" long), about half the depth of the base.

 

Then, he marked out on the top of the base where the iPhone would sit. (It should be situated over the end of the hole you just made for the funnel)

Using a drill with a 1/4" drillbit, B started at the right edge of the marked out area and drilled down at a diagonal to meet the other hole.

Then using the dremel with a router bit, he cut away the section where the iphone would sit, which positioned the opening under the iphone speaker.

We sanded and stained the base (Mission Oak stain).

As a last step, we added little felt feet to the base and put the funnel tube into the hole.

Ta-da! A gramophone inspired passive speaker for the iphone!

We popped the phone in the base, turned on iTunes, and the sounds started coming out of the funnel!
It was pretty cool. Ultimately, the sound was not as amplified as much as I'd hoped, which is why I named this a "novelty" speaker. I mean, it won't replace your Bose sound system or anything, but you can bend the funnel to project the sound in different directions.

I think this could be a great Christmas gift for a music-loving friend. The materials are under $10 bucks (wood, funnel) and you can paint or stain with whatever you've got on hand!

So that's it. Pretty and pretty unique. Do you have anyone on your list who you'd make this for?

Linking up to Dare to DIY.