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Interior Design How-to: 7 Fun Wall Decor Ideas

General | 07 November 2011

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I recently moved and realized how hard it was to fill up the blank wall space in my apartment. After reading multiple magazines for sources of inspiration and careful creativity, I finally found some awesome ways to spruce up my home. You will absolutely love these creative ways to liven up your walls, and they will be sure to keep you busy!
 
1. Full on Art Walls
 
 
 

 
Looking at walls full of different pictures in various frames reminds me of being in an antique shop, and I absolutely love the vintage feel it gives any room. Grab all sorts of different frames varying in color, shape, and size and frame anything from photos, newspaper clippings, art, or fashion magazine pages. This brings a sort of liveliness to a room that just can’t be beat. 
 
2. Actual Book Shelves
 
 
 
I absolutely love the concept of these bookshelves. Just get a shelf hook and place your favorite books on them. These are so cute and extremely simple to execute!
 
3. Arranging Photos in Specific Ways
 
 
Anyone can just hang up pictures in a straight line on a wall. But to me, that can get very boring and calls for a makeover. I love the concept of arranging photos on the wall in anyway you wish. One of my best friends just did this in the shape of a peace sign, and it was amazing!
 
4. Painting the Walls
 

 
If you are a good painter, then feel free to do something a little more complex than the picture that is shown above. However, painting is a skill I lack, so I prefer easy things that are hard to mess up. If you are still weary of painting on your walls, try wall decals. They vary from text to pictures but are extremely easy to use and look just like you painted them on!
 
5. Buttoning the Walls 
 

 
I did this in my grandma’s craft room upon her request. I simply hot-glued vintage buttons on the wall, and it turned out great! It can be time-consuming, and make sure you have a level and a ruler if you want to keep the buttons in an even line!
 
6. Empty Frames on the Walls
 

 
Something I love to collect are vintage picture frames. I realized that I had so many lying around without pictures in them and something needed to be done. Some picture frames are so ornate that they speak for themselves. I love the idea of just putting these up without anything in them because it allows the viewer to fill in the blanks and imagine something themselves. Try painting the frames to match an accent color or use the same color as your wall to just add some texture!
 
7. Plates on the Walls
 

 
As an avid thrifter, I love to collect vintage plates. If you go to Michaels, you can get wire plate hangers that clip on to the plate and allow you to rest it on a hook. I love this interior design idea because it is definitely a conversation starter and adds so much color to a room without painting the walls. 
 
Now start decorating!
 
(photos courtesy of pinterest and weheartit)

Granny Goes Guerrilla: Yarn Bombing Rages On

Art | 16 September 2011

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Remember how badass your grandma always looked, sitting there in her rocker, knitting afghans? Yeah, me neither. Which is why yarn bombing (guerrilla crochet, knit graffiti, yarnstorming, or any combo of the former…) is so freakin’ awesome. Sorry Nana.
 

 
The mother of the yarn bombing movement, Magda Sayeg, ambushed ninety-nine(!) trees with some shock and awe here in Texas (above), the birthplace of warm and cozy graffiti.
 
 
This world-brightening practice has gone global, and it manifests itself in a variety of styles, from subtle pops of color against the drab landscapes of the world…
 
 
…to full-fledged assaults on cars, buses, phone booths, you name it!
 
 
Who knew knitting could be so awesome??? I also LOVE what Juliana Santacruz Herrera has done on the streets of Paris, with her own special, super creative take on knit graffiti, below.
 

Called projet nid de poule, or Pothole Project, Santacruz Herrera takes unsightly cracks and potholes in the pavement and transforms them into beautiful works of art that are sure to put a smile on even the crustiest old curmudgeon’s face.

So rage on, knitters! I salute you!

 
(Photos courtesy of Street Art Utopia, Agata Olek, Facebook, Stickkontakt, Maluca Yarnbombing, and Knitta Please)

DIY: Things to do with Old Wine Corks

Art | 13 September 2011

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Ever wonder what to do with all of those wine corks? Being a wine enthusiast myself, I thought there had to be a better way than just tossing the old corks out. I did a little research and found out a bunch of awesome things we could all do with them! Corks are derived from the Cork Oak Tree. Corks can be reused for so many projects, so why waste them? 
 
Wreath:
 
Supplies
 
-Corks
-18” wreath
-Hot glue gun
-Florist’s wire
-Fabric for a bow
 
Instructions
 
*Glue corks to wreath, staggering them as you go. Continue all the way around wreath. Tie a bow around the florist’s wire and attach to the wreath.
 
 Arrangement:
 
 
Supplies
 
-Empty vase
-Glass candle holder
-Candle for center
 
Instructions
 
*Clean your empty vase well.
*Place candle into your glass candle holder.
*Place candle in the center of the vase.
*Proceed to fill corks in all the way around, leaving some space at the top.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Cork Curtains:
 
 
 
Supplies
 
-Heavy string
-Needle
-Beads
-Small wooden beam
-Hammer
-Nails
 
Instructions
 
*Use the needle to string the corks. Alternate between beads and corks for a beautiful arrangement.
*Hammer nails into wooden beam 1/2 inch apart, leaving nail head sticking out halfway.
*Wrap excess string at end of bead chain around the protruding nail and tie off. 
*Hammer the nail the rest of the way in.
*Repeat until finished!
 
 
 
 
Bulletin Board:
 
 
 
 
Supplies
 
-Any kind of base board (matte, foam board, etc.)
-Hot glue
-Push pins
 
Instructions
 
*Simply hot glue the corks onto whatever base you choose.
*Let dry before hanging on wall.
*Use push pins to hang up little notes!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Place Card Holder:
 
 
Supplies
 
-Razor blade
-Sandpaper  
 
Instructions
 
*Flatten one edge of the cork by sanding it down
*Use a razor blade to cut an even and thin notch through the rounded side of the cork
*Add a name tag and you’re done!
 Cork Ornaments:
 
 
Supplies
 
-Paper clip
-Ornament holder
 
Instructions
 
*Cut a paper clip in half and shove both ends into the cork
*Use an ornament holder to hang on tree
 
 
 
Coasters:
 
Supplies
 
-Hot glue
-Ribbon
 
Instructions
 
*Arrange corks however you see fit
*Glue together as you place them next to each other
*Put a decorative bow around arrangement and glue, securing ribbon.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Jewelry: 
 
 Supplies
-Long necklace
-Jewels or gemstones
-Small rings
 
Instructions
*Cut cork into think slices
*Paint the corks, glue on jewels, it is up to you!
*Fasten corks by drilling a small hole in each end of the cork. Bring together with rings
*Break the old necklace in half and attach each end to the small loops
 
Check out this AWESOME cork window display I saw in an Anthropologie window that inspired this blog:
 
 
Enjoy! 
 
(photos courtesy of pinterest and nikki in stiches)

Big Love for Lisa Swerling's Tiny People

Art | 29 July 2011

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If only my Polly Pocket collection had inspired me to do something like this….
 
The Night Job
 
 I’ve always been a firm believer that tiny makes everything cuter, but Lisa Swerling’s Glass Cathedrals go way beyond cute. Try: touching, silly, thought-provoking, whimsical; but most of all, they’ll make you smile. What Swerling has managed to capture with a shadow box and some miniature figurines (from architect’s models and railway toys) is a breathtaking collection of artwork that is both accessibly simple, yet strikingly complex.
 
Wallflower
 
In a recent interview with Sabotage Times, Swerling opened up about her path to Glass Catherals, and where she finds inspiration for her tiny worlds. My favorite snippets:
 
“Like a lot of people,” she says, “I have moments of inspiration, my own particular realisations about what it is to be a funny little human traveling around this big planet. Now what do you do with all these little thoughts? Well, I started putting mine in boxes.”

The Naughty Corner
 
Cleanliness is Next to Godliness and Of One Thing I Am Certain
 
“But what I like about the artworks is that there is an intrinsic sympathy one feels with the figures which softens the ridiculousness of their pursuits. So whilst I am saying ‘Check out that poor woman, spending her whole life cleaning an infinite floor — is she mad?’ you also feel what she is attempting is in her way heroic, soothing to her soul, and maybe as good a way to pass time as any. One becomes a benevolent, merciful god, looking into the boxes.”
 

Original Creation
 
Feeling Guilty?
 
“My inspiration for this series was the collision between the seriousness with which we take our lives, and the limitations of our understanding. In Glass Cathedrals the heros are the tiny figures, my boxes the space where they struggle, aspire, dance, dream.”
 
Evergreen
 
Swerling will even customize many of her creations, (like “Evergreen” above), to look like you and whoever you choose to bring into your own mini world. Glass Cathedrals are available for purchase on her website, and range in price from $350 for the smaller guys to larger limited editions at $1450. I want one!
 
(All images courtesy of Glass Cathedrals.com)

Amy Sedaris: Simple Times

General | 16 November 2010

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Perhaps you’ve heard of the mad comedian/crafter Amy Sedaris? 
 
Most famous for her role on Comedy Central’s, “Strangers with Candy”, Sedaris has brought an edgy yet mysteriously lighthearted air to her craft. 
 
What exactly is her her craft, you might ask?
 
Well, beyond being a a leading funny girl, Sedaris has begun authoring beautifully spoofy books filled with tacky retro-style pictures. Her newest follow-up to “I Like You” has just been released in time for Xmas! 
 
“Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People” features page after page of almost sickening technicolor photos with Amy pulling out all the stops in crafting ridiculousness. Besides the many project ideas, you will learn to, “create your own craft room and avoid the most common crafting accidents (sawdust fires, feather asphyxia, pine cone lodged in throat)”.
 
Wow!
 
Perhaps Amy will teach us to make this fabulous garb!
 
Or this handy typewriter!
 
While Amy may not fit into everyone’s craft basket, she carries such an innocent, wholesome way of making fun, you can’t help but feel that this nutty crafter has stitched herself a heart of gold!
 
Are there any other craft/Sedaris fans out there?
 

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