Fine Craft Guild .com » Recycled, Upcycled, Refashioned

DIY: Shutters as Magazine Racks

Fine Craft Guild — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:15:00 +0000

: Shutter-love! Fancy owning this recycled shutter cum magazine rack. I want to own one. Teal, aqua, or Robin Egg’s blue happen to be some of my favorite paint colors, so this shutter caught my eye.

Note: this kind of aqua blue / teal always makes me feel like I’m on a tropical island. Love that color, particularly now that it’s snowing here…

Easy Step-by-step Instructions How To Make This Yourself

Yes, it’s easy, but there is a bit of work involved here:

1. Remove every other slate by using a dremmel (*: see below) which is a tool that does flat cuts on either side of the shutter frame.

2. Sand, prime and spray-paint.

3. Add whirl at the top.

Materials & Tools Used for this Project

An old shutter

* Dremmel Multi-Max

Note 1: You can remove the shutter slates by either snapping the ones to be removed with the claw end of a hammer, or by using a dremmel.

The dremmel – method leaves you with neat slates which can be re-used in another project. The hammer-method leaves you with a pile of firewood.

Note 2: the dremmel also includes a sanding component, so you can use it to sand down the frame.

Primer & spray paint in desired color

A Silhouette Cameo to create gorgeous vignettes in a snap. Gorgeous and professional, like the one here in black at the top of the shutter.

Source of this wonderful idea: Gail, from ‘My Repurposed Life’ (BTW. This is a great blog. You’ll love it. Lots of home decorating project ideas).

Free Fashion Sewing Patterns

Fine Craft Guild — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:46 +0000

: overview of free fashion sewing patterns, or DIY garment make-overs that I just luv’….

Yes, I’m showing you part of my Pinterest page on Fashion :: Free Sewing Patterns, as I know many of you are not yet following me there… You can fix this right now by simply clicking that bright red button in the right hand column.

However, if you prefer to first look at the sewing patterns here, go right ahead…

Fashion Inspiration

Besides building a collection of wonderful patterns for women dresses, skirts and fashion tops, I’m also adding the occasional inspirational design image.

This is my currently most fabulous inspiration dress.

(Not that I’m about to wear it any day soon, as it is literally freezing where we lived. First time since 50-60 years this village had this much snow…. Mmmm… did we import that from Canada…

We’ve had snow here every year we lived here now, albeit that it was a token snow in the last two. The snow melted instantaneously. Not so today: already white landscapes here for a whole week. Pretty, gut makes dresses like this look ‘freezing’.)

Fashion Trends 2012

However, this dress sums up a bunch of fashion trends that I like to ride with:

1. fun / strong individuality

2. ruffles

3. show some leg but not too short

4. romantic without being frilly

5. crochet-ed

6. beaded

7. matching bejeweled clutch

8. Empire waist

Because the dress is so dramatic, it is probably relatively flattering when wearing high heel shoes .

Anyhow, most of the sewing patterns on that page are more practical, albeit trendy & stylish. Have a look.

Women Fashion 2012 ~ Free Sewing Patterns (and nifty ideas)

If you click on the image you’ll see a giant version of it, so you can read the text and look at dress details.

Meanwhile, let me link up to each of the ideas shown here:

Top row:

1/ Ruffle t-shirt make-over = easy project

2/ Side-panels = to enlarge + jazz up t-shirts = great idea for kids cloths

3/ Reverse applique of dalia flower = beautiful (for sale item, but you can make your own easily)

4/ Inspirational fashion image: embroidery skirt with knitted ‘fishnet’ stocking = sooo cool

Second row:

5/ Ruffle dress sewing pattern = dress looks amazing different in different fabric choices

6/ Ruffle scarf = simple 15 min. project, which makes great gift

7/ Summer dress pattern

8/ Flower aka sunburst t-shirt embellishment = great gear, great tutorial on how to upcycle old cloths

Bottom row:

9/ Maxi dress = oh so easy, and I will make this for summer. Have just the fabric for it.

10/ Paper dress fashion = fun ideas

11/ how to embellish a t-shirt a la Antholopologie

below it: ruffle skirt tutorial

12/ inspirational fashion image: dress with jewel-studded lace top & burlesque wide tulle ruffle skirt. Seems impossible to find out anything about this dress, but it’s inspirational.

Want more ideas and free patterns?

Use the search button on this blog on the top navigation bar and jsut ask what you wish for. Chances are, we’ll have you covered. If not, hop over to Pinterest and find your answers there. … there are about a dozen more patterns and ideas in just on just this board alone.

Don’t forget to press that ‘Follow’ button, so you get to stay abreast of what I’m pinning there.

How to Make Solar Panels

Fine Craft Guild — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:59:00 +0000

heating solar panels made with 180 soda cans.

How to Make Your Own Solar Panels

You can see I am on a greenhouse / gardening – kick. And so I followed Daniel Strohl from Hemmings.com, who made this solar panel out of need for heating. He wanted to tinker in his garage but it was too cold in Winter. So, he created his own heating system. After 3 years of refining his solar heating project, here it is:

I love Daniels’ practical approach of just finding a key element and then adjusting all the other elements to match. For this version of his solar panel, he found an old glass sliding door, and then used that as his measuring stick for all the other materials. He cut his 2×4’s and back plywood to that size for the box, and just filled it up with cans, with turned out are 180.

Panel Effectiveness: How Much Heat Does it Produce?

Daniel recorded temperature differentials up to 120 degrees in full sun and up to about 80 degrees in a mixture of sun and clouds. Not enough to boil water (almost), but sure enough to heat up a garage, greenhouse or garden guest house.

source: Daniel Strohl who writes for Hemmings.com, yes, that funky car site! You can find the full details of how to make heating solar panels on his site.

We Can

"We Can Do It."

Buy From Art.com

Easy enough. We can do this…

PS I Made This

Fine Craft Guild — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:46:00 +0000

great title, great book.

Part designer DIY
Part fashion
Part lifestyle inspiration guide.

I counted 27 projects in this book. All are practical and with easy (obvious) to follow instructions.

Sample Trendy Fashion Project 1

How to Make a Fancy Ruffle Shirt

(Upcycling a plain boring white t-shirt)

Sample Trendy Fashion Project 2

Get real: How about a feather skirt? I love this one. Fancy the fun of making this, let alone wearing this. My entire village here would talk about it. Ha ha… Love it.

Sample Trendy Fashion Project 3

A glamorous top with glued-on glitter… Mmm..: this is more for me…

Get Inspired

Not only does the writer Erica Domesek give us great projects to do ourselves, with step-by-step instructions; she also shares where she gets her inspiration from, encouraging us to cross-pollinate ideas and be creative ourselves.

As styles are diverse, surely not all 27 will be according to your taste. However, they don’t need to be. If you are an avid reader of my blog, this book will be a teaser for you to apply your own creativity.

You’ll pick up some techniques, which you can take further and you restyle, refashion or reuse things to represent you, using the book as your initial starting point and how-to guide.

E.g. If you don’t like those bouncy balls in that tied pantyhose necklace, well, use something else instead. You could use some left over foam balls, or even some IKEA packaging materials, chopped up. The pack I opened last night had a great foam cube in it that just screamed ‘craft me’ into something good !! Or, use a could of standard black/white dices instead. All these would make great statement jewelry, riding along the lines of black/white and recycling trends.

See it, like it, buy it:

PAPERBACK VERSION: P.S.– I Made This: I See It. I Like It. I Make It
KINDLE VERSION: P.S.– I Made This

Click Here For Other: Craft, DIY & Interior Design Book Reviews

Enjoy free shipping on orders over $25 (conditions apply).

(ps i made this – images source: pinterest)

Valentine Heart Wreaths

Fine Craft Guild — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:55:00 +0000

Well-illustrated Tutorial
To Make Rag Heart Wreaths
as Valentines Gifts or Decoration

By guest writer Lilana

“Hello, Fine Art Craft Guild readers! I’m the “Lilly” in LOVD, Lilly Of the Valley Designs. I’m a hardly-at-home-stay-at-home wife and mom, retired rocket scientist, jewelry-maker, project seeker, and optimist do-gooder, and daily blogger at FeelLOVDeveryday.

I can’t tell you how over-the-top thrilled I am to have been asked to share a craft project with you, let alone a Valentine’s Day craft project.

Here’s how your end result will look. Like it?

‘Craft’ Materials Needed

The best part about this project: it will cost next to nothing but will yield spectacular results. You probably already have all the items you’ll need just sitting in your closet:

- Dry cleaners wire hanger

- Old t-shirt, color of choice

- Scissors (not shown)

- Wire cutters

- Starch (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

♥ STEP 1: MAKING THE WREATH FRAME.

The hardest part of this project is bending of the wire hanger. Carefully unwind the wire hanger at the hook area and shape the hanger into a heart. You’ll have the hook portion at the heart’s center. Wrap the two wires into one. Take wire cutters and cut off the excess wire. You may need stronger wire cutters than those pictured. Be sure not to cut too closely to where the wires come together as you don’t want to break the connection. I actually cut the excess wire off after I tied each rag strip.

♥ STEP 2: CREATING THE HOOK.

Take the old t-shirt and cut the bottom right above the sew line. This strip will act as your hanging strip. The sewed seam will help this strip’s role from unraveling while it hangs your Rag Heart Wreath.

♥ STEP 3: CUTTING RAG STRIPS.

Begin cutting strips starting at the bottom of the t-shirt. I made my strips between a half an inch to an inch in width and between four to five inches in length. It’s not an exact science and the variation adds character to the final result. This width and length worked so well when I tied the knot that I did not need to use the starch to force the rags to lay outwardly.

♥ STEP 4: KNOTTING YOUR WREATH.

Begin knotting each strip to the wire and follow along until the entire wire is covered. It is not a double knot, just a simple basic tie.

TIP:

When you get to the center of the heart where there are two wires coming together, take a rag strip and knot both wires together. Continue along until the entire wire is covered. Push each knotted strip together tightly.

This photo shows the heart’s center and knotting both wires together.

♥ STEP 5: FINISHING YOUR WREATH

Remember that rag strip you cut from the bottom of the t-shirt?

Go ahead and figure out what length you need based on where you’re going to hang your Rag Heart Wreath. Tie each end to the Rag Heart Wreath around the area where the heart begins to curve upwards.

Try to make that knot blend in with the rest of the knots already tied on to the wire by positioning it between the knotted rag strips already there.

HEART RAG WREATH

All done!

Go hang your swoonie Rag Heart Wreath and be proud; a Valentine’s Day craft that cost nothing, nada, zilch! Good for you and Happy Valentine’s Day, you savvy crafter, you!

I hope you enjoyed this simple craft. I’d love for you to visit me at my blog, Feel L.O.V.D. Everyday, for uplifting conversation & beautiful inspiration.”

: ♥ :

And, if you enjoyed Lilly’s bubbly voice in this tutorial here, go visit her on her blog for more! She is clearly a delightful spirit!

Thank you Lilly for this fun,

eco-friendly project!

Happy Valentines Everyone!

: ♥ :

Enjoy free shipping on orders over $25 (conditions apply).

linking up here: www.homestoriesatoz.com

Make a Recycled Dryer Sheet Envelope

Fine Craft Guild — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:47:00 +0000

Great Idea: Make your own envelopes for keepsakes from used dryer sheets.

Jennifer from Sunny Vanilla executed this creative idea that was the brainchild of Paula Spahr. Let me show you her works of art:

How to Make Your Own Envelopes

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Just a few steps to success for this craft project:

she ironed the sheets,
folded them over,
cut the sides of the envelop flap (see picture), and
sew a decorative line at approx. 1/4” of the edge.
Then, she used that same contrast color for the card inside. Love that red-white striped card.

Perfectly Easy, Creative Recycling Project

Make a stack of them at a time, so as to make it worth your while to get the sewing machine out.

Jennifer made the dryer sheet envelops for (Valentine) greeting cards. However, I can see a million other uses for these handmade envelopes, either embellished with lot of decoupage, or plain. Jennifer added a pretty, simple and nice button.

source: sunnyvanilla.blogspot.com

DIY ‘Porcelain Rose

Fine Craft Guild — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:50:00 +0000

Isn’t this an awesome glossy porcelain rose? However, it’s made from 13 old plastic spoons instead. Would you believe it?!

Next time you have a party, save those plastic spoons! You’ve got roses to make…

Find an excellent, step-by-step tutorial by Gail here, at the “Can’t Stop Making Things”-blog.

Tip 1: Take good care of nature: Please, please, please use recycled materials instead of new. We must collectively curb our collective consumerism obsession. Thank you in advance.

Tip 2: Take good care of yourself: As you are heating up plastic, you are best advised to work in a well-ventilated area. Never leave an open flame unattended.

Tip 3: Try these roses in red and pink for a Valentine – look!

This my Pinterest Fave for the day. Hope it inspires you.

I think it would be a fun Valentines Day or Mothers Day gift. I also have seen used stuck on a Vase to resemble an Anthropologie knock-off.

How to Save Your Cosmetics

Fine Craft Guild — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:59:00 +0000

Pin It

Save yourself hundreds of dollars with this handy eco-friendly cosmetics saver tip! Got some broken cosmetics ranging from compact blush, powder to eye shadow? No longer be sad; no need to throw it away.

This photo explains exactly how you can recover it. In essence, what you’ll need is a few drops of rubbing alcohol, a bit of rubbing, and a day of patience. How easy and inexpensive is that?!!

Yippee. I’m so excited. Can’t wait to try this with that gorgeous Guerlain purple eye shadow that I just loathed to throw out such expensive cosmetics.

How To Save Your Cosmetics

It does not look ‘perfectly new’,
but works!

Source: this wonderful discovery was shared by Katrina, who writes Katrina Lomidze.

Designer Lamps from Recycled Drinking Straws

Fine Craft Guild — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:51:00 +0000

How novel. Recycle 3000 clear drinking straws, and you can make this wonderful lamp. According to designer Tim Fishlock, it takes 7 days to complete. Like it? Make your own?

The Howto

1. Tim does not give us a clue as to how it’s made other than sharing that he interconnected all straws into one continuous length.

2. As the end result is to have a 80 cm diameter, I’d begin with a slightly smaller circle. You probably want to draw a circle with this diameter on the floor and start.

3. I’d use dozens of twist ties (that you recycle from your store-bought bread bags) to secure the first few circles of the sphere. You will want to remove these ties later, but to create the initial shape, I’m pretty sure you’ll need these. I’d do about 10 circles, at various degrees, so as to make a relatively stable sphere. You may want to stop there for a day and glue all joints.

4. The next day, make another layer of the sphere, and so on.

5. In the end you may want to get creative and secure straws differently, going in and out of the various layers of the sphere.

And there you go.

Get Your Lamp Ready-Made

Make your own or order yours at TimFishlock.com, but be sure to check he uses only recycled materials (washed of course)…. Otherwise, what’s the point!

Straw Spheres for Summer? Start Recycling Today.

I can see that for a fun summer garden party, you might like to make a couple of smaller ones in fun colors, that are perhaps not as densely woven, but are more open spheres. So, that means, start saving your straws today, so you’ll have enough when summer rolls around. Get your friends and neighbors to help you collect straws. 300 is a lot of straws, let alone 3000!

Amazing & Recycled Lamps

(beyond this article)

cascading chandelier from plastic bottle bottoms

glass baby food jar chandelier

ultra-modern plastic bottle lamp

Other unique & recycled lamp projects & ideas

Tassels, Fun Handmade Home Accessories

Fine Craft Guild — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:15:00 +0000

: shabby chic tassels like these are handmade home accents that transform a house.

This tassel is 100% recycled, and made of remnants of a sheer curtain & a shirt sleeve; a tiny bit of pre-used ribbon; and a broken bead spacer for the top. The white ribbon from which the tassel hangs from an old shopper. The only ‘new’ elements are 5 seed beads for a cheery finishing touch.

Click here for more