Where can I get truly bad-ass fabric for home projects?
I’ve been super inspired by some of the DIY projects on Offbeat Home, but I have no idea where to get fabric that would make my home decor crafts really fucking awesome. When I go to Michaels or other big box fabric stores, it seems like I can never find anything that excites me.
Any suggestions for great online sources for bad-ass fabric?
Stop using plastic baggies: replace them with this homemade reusable fabric alternative
Like a good enviro-conscious Seattleite, I've been trying to reduce my usage of plastics and non-compostables. I realized the majority of plastic baggies we use are to hold dry snacks, and it seems like an awful waste to keep buying them, using them, and throwing them away. My friend stumbled upon some fabric reusable pouches on the internet, and per usual, I decided to try my hand at making a few!
Spreading love for the cuddly and kawaii amigurumi
Amigurumi are tiny yarn animals/people/characters/kawaii objects, crocheted for our enjoyment. They’re lovely, warm, and snuggly crafts with a big respect for nerd culture. I’ve never seen the variety of patterns that amigurumi-ers make in any other craft.
Enjoy these nerdcore examples of amigurumi — most have patterns if you click through!
Not your auntie’s boring curtains: how about a glittery/retro window dressing solution?
All the curtains I can find are way boring. Where do you guys go for curtains?
I’ve thought about buying fabric and making my own, but I’d prefer not to. Also, when I say redo, I mean going from a “Hey, this is cheap and we can use it” to a “Hey, this is thoughtfully put together and really shows off the occupants’ personalities.” Which in this case is retro ’60s (him) and anything glittery (me).
So if anybody has any ideas or links to cool curtains, I would love you forever. But since this is the internet I think forever means like a nanosecond…whatever, I would be really grateful. -Christine
Get hot for lighting: how to make a chandelier out of light bulbs
I’m hot for lighting.
Built-in lighting is never adequate or cozy enough for me, so there are at least two additional lamps or lanterns in every room in our apartment to add ambiance.
I don’t have much money, but I’m hoarder of unconventional items like burnt-out light bulbs, (no — really!) so I added up my scraps to make my most recent fixture: an upcycled light bulb chandelier!
3 quickie ideas for unconventional room dividers
When we lived in a studio apartment, we used an IKEA bookcase to divide our “bedroom” from the…front door area. (In retrospect, maybe putting the bed in front of the door was a poor choice.) BUT! I know how important and useful dividers can be in small spaces. I’ve got a few simple ideas.
I turned a storage barrel into a magical wine table!
I’m becoming a bit of a recycling center junkie — my husband and I go for a “hot date” every week and come home with a bootload of “treasure.” These barrells are storage barrells used by a health food company to import bulk spirulina etc. and cost a whopping NZ$1 each. The paper I used also came from the center — about $2 for a huge carton of old maps, sheet music and atlases — decoupage heaven!
Tiny monuments to geekiness: nerdy terrarium ideas
Offbeat Bride has a post up today that made my heart pitter patter: itty bitty dioramas of nerdy scenes.