Follow these very simple instructions at The Bulb Project for a modern art take on spring blooms!

Instructions:

1. Go outside to your garden or on a walk and gather a bouquet of spring blooms and leafy foliage.

2. Lay them on your scanner face down, layering and arranging as if it was a flower arrangement.

3. Cover the whole arrangment with a dark background of some type (a large black piece of fabric).

4. Scan the image onto your computer. Voila!

Photos via Beau-Allen, Gardening Gone Wild & Ellis Hollow

For more inspiration see Ellen Hoverkamp, her vignettes are amazing!

To me a vintage doily has so much character and history in it’s stitches. I love how each one is so delicate and unique, and cannot help but think of all the time that went into each stitch by someone’s granny, somewhere. I tend to find them en mass in thrift and antique stores and it really saddens me that they go unloved. Therefore, I have accumulated boxes of these white and off white handicraft.

I searched and searched for what to do with them finally used a fabric stiffener with a bit of fabric paint mixed in to change their color and give them a bit of flair. First you mix the stiffener with the fabric paint  and place in paste, wadding it up to wring out any extra stifferner. You then use a plastic bowl, or a porcelain bowl covered with aluminum foil to drape the coated doily over to mold it into place. Let dry 24 hours.

I saw that Shannon South of ReMade USA also came up with a creative way to repurpose the doilies as well in creating this lovely pendant light from her amassed collection. Each doily is sewn around a spherical mold and hardened with wallpaper paste. Love it!

Give vintage doilies new life!

Creative wrapping can always take a gift to the next level, it shows that you put a bit more thought into it rather than had someone else wrap it at the store. But if you have the time, this D.I.Y. can use up some of your junk mail or piles of magazines you have lying around. I think when wrapping a gift it is important not to create extra waste in doing so. This super resourceful tutorial from How About Orange is the perfect way to stay green minding while gift giving. It could also work in a pinch if you find yourself without wrap, by instead using newsprint as wrapping and crafting one of these recycled magazine bows. Great job Orange!

The end results have a certain quality to them that you cannot get with store bought versions. They have a bit more patina and more of a soft matte finish.

I think I’ll try out the map version with my already hacked up atlas I use for collages!

additional photos from Katie’s Flickr set

For more recycled magazine ideas click here.

Beginning to wonder just how many claw foot bath tubs are living out the rest of their material lives here on earth as garden planters. One of the easiest DIY projects ever, you just need a beat bathtub, soil and some seeds! Pictures of more repurposed bathtubs here.

Your veggie, floral or herbal garden awaits…..

Periodicals, catalogs and other junk mail can be reduced by visiting Direct Marketing Choice and opting out. If you do already have a large supply lying around try one of these great ideas for old rag reads. Use monotone colors to create these beautiful frames by rolling pages, gluing last wrap around and cutting into strips before afixing to a wooden frame. Or fold pages into thin strips and glue together in a circle for a functional tabletop trivet.

ReadyMade Magazine has just come out with their top 20 do-it-yourself projects for 2010. My favorites are the Recycled Wood Dining Table and the 2X4 chair. Find the instructions for both on their website and see all the other fantastic ideas here.

Not part of the Top 20 list, but these dog house instructions are also fantastic. More about Stephanie Rubin’s dog houses here.

I am very excited to have just received a subscription to Sunset, especially with all the new modern ideas that the magazine is featuring. My mother used to receive Sunset when I was little, and I am very happy to see that they evolve and have staying power as relevant then as they are now.

All of these DIY ideas were recently in the magazine, so easy and so brilliant.

Haute Ideas

1. Once was: sewer pipes                      Now is: plant containers

The inch-thick pipes painted a retro color, adds a modern vibe to any garden.

2. Once was: metal goblet                    Now is: Candleabra

Clean goblets with metal polish and a clean cloth. Then fill with Microwaveable Soy Wax for Containers (by Yaley; $6.99 for 1 lb.; from joann.com) and used Pre-Waxed Medium Bleached Wick with Wick Clip (by Yaley; $2.99 for six; from joann.com) to make elegant, long-burning votives.

3. Once Was: Window                         Now is: Garden table

Cut four table legs from an old 2-by-2 and secured them to a window frame (with safety glass*) using door hinges as brackets.

*If you can’t find a window with safety glass, add a sturdy, transparent surface to the tabletop (try tapplastics.com)

4. Once was: Wooden spools              Now s: Garden hose wrap

Bolt three wooden cordage spools, spaced about 1 foot apart, to a backyard fence. Paint the spools, or use a colorful hose.

See more at  Sunset Magazine

Just made these Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins, and I love them–super easy recipe and the turn out delicious.

2 cups unbleached white flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup walnuts

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin well.

Mix dry ingredients together; set aside. Whisk oil, eggs, pumpkin and milk together in a medium sized bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined. Fold in the walnuts and cranberries. Do not overmix. Fill prepared muffin cups full–even to top of pan.

Bake until you can cleanly remove a toothpick from muffin, 20 – 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool for at least 5 minutes before releasing them from the pan.

Makes 6 extra large muffins, or 12 large muffins.

Remade and reinvigorated old globes at ImageNations give thrift store relics a new life for a playful decor. them with recycled materials. San Francisco artist Wendy Gold paints and decoupages images onto the surface of these spherical canvases, for a recycled worlds.

via Design Sponge

So thrilled to be a vendor at the first annual Firefly Handmade indie craft show in Boulder this December. Yes, our little town is amazing for upstart businesses, so its a wonder the indie scene hasn’t taken off yet–but it will be impressive to say the least.

I will be showing some lovely collage art and various other creations.

The show will be a collection of amazing local talents from the Front Range area–check out the vendor list. There will be delicious food on hand from Dish Gourmet and arts and crafts to keep your little ones busy while you shop, courtesy of Clementine Studio who have a line of eco friendly art supplies.

If you are in Boulder during December 10,11, and 12th, do stop by and check out all of the handmade art and goods.