DIY – Signature9

A Light for All Seasons

Vanessa Quirk — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:09:36 +0000

In winter snow or summer haze, we love the instant romance of outdoor lighting.Â So, we’ve found three lighting options that will add some serious atmosphere to any yard – without any nasty environmental side effects and all forÂ under $10.

DIY Ice Lantern from Design*Sponge, IKEA ROTERA lanterns ($4.99) and SOLIG Globes ($9.99)

For a gorgeous wintry look, you should check out IKEA”s $5 ROTERA lanterns or, simply, make your own. Design*Sponge has an awesome DIY project for lanterns made from ice – and luckily Mother Nature does the majority of the work on this one.

And when the weather turns warmer, check out IKEA’s newest line of solar-powered, LED summer outdoor lighting: SOLIG. The remarkably efficient SOLIG lights will be on shelves in a few weeks at incredibly affordable prices: $9.99 – $39.99.

DIY: Thanksgiving Centerpieces

Vanessa Quirk — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:54:23 +0000

Craft goddess you may be, but your culinary achievements are… well, less than stellar. So, if you’re stuck hosting Thanksgiving this year (why oh why did it seem like such a good idea at the time?), we have a suggestion for you: Leave the cooking to the fine chefs at your local grocery store and showcase your skills where they can best be displayed – on the table (and not in the kitchen).

We’ve found some fabulous DIY centerpiece ideas that will make your table absolutely unforgettable! And here they are – in increasing levels of difficulty:

Pumpkin Candles from Better Homes and Gardens

This idea from Better Homes and Gardens is a quick and easy way to reuse items already in your home for a beautiful effect. All it requires is a pumpkin, a knife, a candle, hot glue, and – voila – a pumpkin candle holder is born. Add in a few pine cones and branches from the garden, and you have a stellar centerpiece without having to buy a thing.

Fabric Pumpkins from Thompson Family

These adorable fabric pumpkins, featured on Design*Sponge, are a great way to use up old fabric scraps as well as add color and fun to your Thanksgiving table. While sewing abilities are absolutely necessary to create these gourds, the Thompson Family blog has step by step instructions that should make the journey a little easier.

A DIY Cornucopia from Martha Stewart

Ah, trust Martha to give us a stunningly gorgeous decor idea that looks more than a little scary to attempt. Needed: burlap, twine, wicker, and some serious cajones. Don’t worry though – even Martha suggests getting the cornucopia from a craft store rather than weaving it from scratch. Hard work aside, this “horn of plenty” would be a great Thanksgiving centerpiece you could definitely use for years to come.

Safety First

Gabrielle Hennessey — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:15:42 +0000

Move over, punk rockers: the fashion world is stealing your safety pin stash.

Continuing in the same vein of the past seasons’Â aggressive heavy-metal/warrior trends, designers like Vena Cava and style-savvy people like blogger Pelayo Diaz, shown left, have turned to the humble safety pin for more than pure utilitarianism.

Designer versions of safety-pin-studded duds are of course costly, but the beauty of this trend is that pretty much anyone can have fun and DIY — with the cost being merely a missed latte plus a few hours of labor.

Read the full story {Refinery 29}