Easy Wall Art

02 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Crafty Ideas

Tags

art, color, crafts, design, frame, interior design, magazines, wall art

Showcasing fine art on your walls doesn’t have to be hard. It’s easy to pick something from your favorite artist or from photographs you love, but creating something of your own is a little more impressive. You don’t have to be an artist for this project. Anyone can do it. It’s easy, ridiculously affordable and takes no time to complete.

{Materials}

X-acto knife or scissors
double-sided tape or craft glue
a frame and images of your choice

First, you want to decide on the image or design you want to use and how big you want it. Depending on the room, try to have it blend in with the decor. Just remember to have fun with it. This is where you can express your style and showcase your design skills. I’m choosing to go with a pattern for mine.

A good place to find images and inspiration are magazines. The pages also have a nice quality that will be noticed so keep that in mind. I recommend design magazines, like Elle Decor, because there is so much to choose from and it has an array of patterns that are inspiring. You’ll find something for each room in just one magazine.

However, there are tons of cool choices out there, so whatever you have lying around the house will work too. If your magazine collection is a little sparse try wrapping paper or scrap book sheets if you find a really cool pattern!

Once you have your image, it’s time to decide on another image you’re going to use. The idea with this project is to play with shapes and outlines. So if you have stencils around the house, this would be a good time to experiment or draw your own design.

Being a graphic designer, I have tons of stock illustrations and vector images to choose from, so I’ll look to my collection to help me out with this one. But I know not everyone has this privilege, so here’s a website I highly recommend you check out: vecteezy. Just click on browse and search their gallery. I’m sure you’ll find something really cool.

Now that you have your second image, trace it over the first one. Then, cut out the outline using an X-acto knife or scissors. Put it to the side and get your frame ready. Now, the only thing left to do is frame your piece. Use some double-sided tape or glue to adhere it to a piece of paper. You can use white or any other color you like. Put the frame together and you’re done! Hang your new creation up for everyone to see and I’m sure it will spark some conversation.

You can really get creative with this project. A cute idea for a kids’ room is to use the initials of the child’s name. Another good idea you might want to try is outlining your family in a photo or individual members and showcasing them in a new and modern way. Any way you choose to go, be proud of what you’ve made and remember anyone can DI, so go ahead and give it a try!

Here are some other cool ideas for easy wall art:

Tissue Box Cover

30 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Crafty Ideas

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Tags

balsa wood, contact paper, crafts, decorative paper, diy, glue, paper, tissue box cover

I work out of my home office everyday so its important to me that it looks good and exudes smart design. I want to be inspired, not tired. Being that I have allergies, I need tissues everywhere I go. So I thought of a way to make the tissue box look more stylish and came up with this project.

Now I am sure you have seen these in stores and some are quite expensive depending on the materials used. Well, my project is easy, affordable and it looks great. You can even do this with your kids for a craft project. The main reason I love this idea is because you can customize it and the options are pretty much endless. To top it off, it costs under $10!

First you need to get your materials together.

2 strips of balsa wood ( I used 4 x 36 in. with a 1/8 width)
X-acto knife
ruler
pencil
crazy glue or cement glue
craft glue or Elmer’s glue
contact paper or clear label paper
box of tissues

Here we go:

1. Measure the tissue box you are using and cut the balsa wood accordingly. You will probably have to use two pieces per side, which is fine. That’s what I did. Keep in mind that you are making a box so the each end piece will have to connect properly to the other. Remember to leave room at the top for the tissues!

2. After you have everything cut start gluing the pieces together with the crazy glue. An easy way to do this is to use the tissue box as a guide and connect the pieces around the box. Just be careful not to glue them together! Now remember that this does not have to look perfect. Thats the beauty of this part. The balsa wood is just the base of the holder so if there are small gaps in some areas its okay. It will all be covered in the end.

3. Now that you have the box together its time for the fun part. To design the box you can use just about anything. If you have some cool wrapping paper laying around put it to some good use. Any interesting paper or fabric would work as well. You can even design your own! Use some watercolor paper and paint up something snazzy or have your kids create an art piece and showcase it for all to see. Either way, it’s going to look great! I chose to use some old accounting paper from the 1920s I bought off Etsy. I thought since the box was going in my office it would fit right in. Plus, I love adding that vintage appeal.

4. Now measure the paper and glue it to the sides.

5. The last step is to take the contact paper or in my case, the clear label paper, and lay in on each side. This is important to seal the paper underneath so it doesn’t get stained or dirty. Because it already has an adhesive, this part is the easiest. Just make sure you go over the corners as well so you don’t have any rough edges. All you have to do is cut it to fit and bam – you have a stylish tissue box holder that everyone will be talking about.

I hope you enjoyed this DIY project and get inspired to do more. You can use balsa wood for a number of things and its really easy to work with. Just get creative and have fun. Remember you can do it yourself if you are motivated to do so. All you need is a good idea and a little bit of time and before you know it you have created something beautiful and unique.

Crafty Bulletin Board

24 Thursday May 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Art & Design, Crafty Ideas

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

bulletin board, buttons, canvas, crafts, fabric, ribbon, yarn

I think bulletin boards are great items to have. Whether you use one in your office or in another room in your home, they shouldn’t dumb down the decor. Sure, you can easily buy one at the store but usually they are simple and made out of cork. If you wanted one that has a little more style you probably have to pay over $25 for it. I have seen some for $50 and up.

I thought of a cool way to make your own bulletin board and customize it so it looks great in any room. Plus, you will love it because you made it.

{Materials}

stretched canvas (any size)
fabric
scissors
stapler

I am using a 5 x 5 inch canvas but you can use any size. If you need a big one, then go for it. You are going to have to stop at an arts and crafts store to get it so a Michaels or A.C. Moore would be your best bet. (Especially, if you use their coupons.)

Once you have your canvas, you have to decide on what fabric you want to use. You could even use an old shirt or sheet. I used an old pair of pants that are too big. If the pattern is cool, go for it. Make sure you give about two inches more of the size you need.

Now, take the fabric and lay it down and put the canvas on top of it. Take the fabric and wrap it around the canvas and staple it to the wood frame. Make sure its tight! For smooth corners just fold them as if you were wrapping a gift.

Now you need to figure out what this will be used for. If it’s simply for hanging things up than you are just about done. Just add a little extra love with some trim and decoration. You can use ribbons, yarn, fabric, felt, buttons… the possibilities are endless.

If you want it to be more organized, you can add some compartments. I created a small pocket for some pens and small items with other fabric and just stapled it on. I don’t mind that they show but if you do than use thread or safety pins. I like that this project looks hand crafted.

You can also make a space for a small pad you like to keep on hand by cutting a slit and slipping the bottom of the pad through. Have fun with it and customize as much as you need to.

I hope you liked this project as much as I do. I think it’s such an easy way to take something that is functional and make it stylish and unique. It would make a great space to show off your button collection or even hang jewelry. Another great thing you can make is a headboard. Just use a large canvas, cover with fabric and you’re done. That would make a great addition to any room. Now get down and DIY!

Birdbath Garden

15 Tuesday May 2012

Posted by melissaoconnor in Crafty Ideas

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Tags

art, birdbath, birds, crafts, garden, gardening, plants, succulents

If you are like me, then you love nature. Especially, plants. Bringing the outside in is a great way to provide cleaner air in your home. It is also proven to keep you happier. Plants are amazing for a number of reasons, but the fact that they look cool and can add a natural touch to any room is a reason all of its own to buy them.

A few years ago I stopped by a garage sale and noticed a beautiful bird bath they had on the lawn. When I asked if it was for sale they said it was $20. For that amount of money how could I let it go!

Birdbaths can be pretty pricey and finding one you love that is affordable and in good condition rarely happens. At the time I didn’t have a back yard but I was thinking of how I can get creative and use it inside my apartment. First, I thought of making it a table by filling it with rocks and shells and then topping it off with a piece of glass. Definitely something you should try But I was trying to make this a cheaper project so I thought of the next best thing, a birdbath garden.

Now, since the birdbath is not that deep you can only use certain plants in it. I find that succulents are the best way to go because they don’t need a lot of dirt to live and you only have to water them like once a month. So, I was on my way to creating a little haven of desert plants. Here is how I did it:

First, buy a couple of bags of rocks, any will do, and place a half inch layer on the bottom of the birdbath. You need to do this for drainage. Then buy some organic soil (unless you have some around the house) and fill a thin layer over the rocks and make sure they are all covered.

Now, plant about four to five plants with a couple of inches in between them. Give them some room to breathe. I purchased my succulents at Ikea (they are only $4 there) but any garden center or Home Depot type store should have them too. Usually, everyone has a store or nursery they like to go so feel free to do what you like or shop around.

Once you have the plants placed where you want them to be, fill in the spaces with some more soil so they are safe and secure. You don’t want the roots sticking out!

Last but not least, place another layer of rocks or sand on top so you don’t just see dirt. This will be the finishing touch that will make your birdbath garden look awesome. Now make sure you keep your garden by a window because succulents need lots of light. I wouldn’t want your new buddies to die to soon!

If you’re wondering where the birdbath is now, I will gladly tell you it is in our backyard in a small garden where the birdies play and explore. Finally, it has a place to really call home and is surrounded by nature and adorable little creatures.

I hope you have fun shopping around for the elements that will make this DIY project a beautiful addition to your home. I promise it will look amazing and end up being a cool conversational piece to any room. Good Luck!