bridge designs

Merging With etté studios

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 03:05:00 +0000

If you're looking for great sustainable DIY projects and art, head over to etté studios, which is my other site. After much deliberation, I've decided to merge them - mostly to make my life easier. Content is the same, but a whole lot better over there. Don't weird out on my though if stuff starts changing around. I'm still finding my groove and settling in.

etté studios

Inspiration of the Day: Film Slides Stained Glass

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:12:00 +0000

Wow. This is an amazing upcycling project. If you happen to have a ton of film slides laying around from the last decade when film ruled, you could whip this stunning little project up - a stained glass window shade from film slides. Look at the color that streams in through the slides. Beautiful!

Made by Flickr User YarnZombie, the Kodachrome curtain project was quite simple:

The slides date from the 50s and early 60s, and are all from a lot of slides I got in Kansas City last fall. The majority of slides on the right panel are of horses. Go figure. Travis drilled 8 holes in the slides using a Dremel tool in a Dremel drill press thingy, and I connected them all using aluminum chainmail rings.

Wish I had make more slides from my photography when I was younger, but if you don't happen to have any old slides, I'm sure they wouldn't be terribly hard to find online via ebay, a photography store or scrounging around fleamarkets.

+ YarnZombie
[via Gizmodo via Craftzine via Make]

Eco-Hack: Ikea Fira Wooden Drawers

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:10:00 +0000

{Romey14}

I have two sets of these Fira Wooden Box Drawers from Ikea. For months, nay years, I have been telling myself I need to dress them up and decorate them. But with what? Just paint or should I collage them with pictures? Then I saw this post over at Core77 of a collection of Ikea Hacks. There are some creative people out there. Makes me wish I had a bank of these drawers, instead of just two.

{rnjetta}

I love all these ideas for the drawers, but as you can guess, my hack has to be eco-friendly. So what are some great options for an eco-hack of these drawers? Recycled maps, newspaper, magazine pics, milk paint maybe?

{Damon of Crumley Family}

Ikea is discontinuing the drawers this month, so if for some reason you need more, now is the time to get them. They are a bit of a pain to put together, but oh so handy. Now, whether or not you consider that Ikea or these drawers are green is another matter. There are definitely worse ways to go. Check out more pics of the Fira drawers at ikeahacker and this Flickr group.

[via Core77]

DIY: Denim Scrap Rug

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:39:00 +0000

There's like a zillion things you can do with old jeans. I just need a sewing machine to do them. What kind of DIYer am I anyhow? No sewing machine - ridiculous, I know. But, if you are the type of DIYer that uses jeans, then you'll likely have lots of scraps left over, which could be turned into a really functional and cute floor rug, like this one from Passionfly on Instructables.

Since jean material can be very thick, your standard sewing machine needs some love for this project. This works, because you're not overlapping the scraps together, but joining them at the edges. Go slow and be patient.

What You Need

Scraps from old jeans* - wastebands, cuffs, inseams. This example used eight waistbands, 2 1" wide hem cuffs, and eight inseams.
Sewing Shears
Sewing Machine with heavy duty needle used for leather + thread
Extra material or contrasting color jean for edging.

Step By Step

1. Arrange scraps in the order you want, making sure to cut off any buttons or keep out hard parts of the jean that may be uncomfortable to sit or stand on. Cut all scraps to the same length to create a rectangle.

2. Sew the strips together using a zig-zag pattern joining the two sides together, not overlapping. Keep adding onto the right side and be sure you aren't just sewing into loose jean material or it won't stay together and the material will fray.

3. Tie any loose pieces of thread and then cut the strips on the short ends to make it a perfect rectangle.

4. Start sewing on the trim strips on one of the short sides in the same fashion that you sewed the denim scraps together. When you get to a corner or need to add another piece of trim, drop the needle in the material and then sew perpendicular to join the trim edges together. Keep going until you get back to the start.

5. To finish, tie and cut and loose ends and iron on cotton or hottest setting to smooth out and make flat.

[via Passionfly on Instructables]

*Here's a great link on how to efficiently deconstruct your jeans in order to minimize waste, (also from passionfly).

DIY Valentine's Day Roundup

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:22:00 +0000

I can't say I'm really big on the whole Valentine's Day thing - it seems a little contrived. Although I want to believe in it - I mean it's a whole day devoted to LOVE. I used to make handmade Valentines and send them to all the people who mattered most, but I've sadly fallen out of that habit. You'd think now that I'm married, I'd be all over it and sending handmade sweetness to my hubbie, but I've been too involved in my art lately. But, I did send him a Someecard, which made him laugh out loud when he opened it. See, we think alike on the subject.

Valentine's Day is a lovely day though, to remind your loved ones that you care about them, and handmade presents and cards are the best way to show that. I don't know if I'll get the energy up to do any of these this weekend, but I love them nonetheless. I do plan on however making my hubbie's favorite dessert on Sunday - Chocolate Pudding Pie.

Need someone to fall in love with you, why not brew up a batch of this Love Potion #9, which is an all around herbal elixer, sure to turn up the heat in your relationship.
{via Design*Sponge}

Don't need to make someone fall in love with you, but just need sensual aphrodisiac? Stir up a few of these Mexican Chocolate Truffles for a sweet and spicy night!
{via Miss Chevious Musings}

These adorable, tiny, little packages make for super sweet Valentines and save on paper too! It may be a little late to order these for Valentines, but why not make your own?
{World's Smallest Postal Service}

Tell everyone how much you love your Valentine with graffiti, like this super sweet, but honestly true message. Nothing says love like a little social disobedience.
{via Dude Craft}

Here's a great tutorial on handmade paper cut Valentines. Looks really quite simple after seeing a how to do it.
{Avie Designs via Design*Sponge}

And one of my favorite things I saw this year on Valentine's Day was a list of 10 Ways to a Geeky Girl's Heart. These are all GREAT ideas for romantic activities, that are perfect for Valentine's Day, or Any Day really.
{List via Wired and pic via EvilMadScience}

The Art of Nick Gentry - Floppy Disk Portraits

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:26:00 +0000

Verbatim

Take one brilliant painter and a reused material and you have fantastic recycled art. Nick Gentry is a UK artist looking into how technological advancements are making older means of data storage, like floppys and tapes, obsolete. He wants to know how storage of information, which is now kept on intangible servers, will ultimately affect society. Are we loosing our privacy and individuality as a result? His most recent works are beautiful portraits on discarded floppy disks, which are now given a new life through his artwork. Each disk was owned by a person and has recorded a story of its own, and now it will live on in his paintings, rather than end up meaningless in a trash dump. More pics after the break.

Reunion

Self Portrait

Gentry says about his art, "Each floppy disk used in the paintings has a history and story of its own. It represents the increasing pace of the modern life cycle, where objects are created, used and disposed of quicker than ever. To challenge this notion, as these personal artifacts of life are cast aside, the obsolete are now given new life and a renewed purpose by using them as a medium for art."

[Update: Just found this great interview with Gentry about his art work over at Swide]

The Reproduction Number 3

The Reproduction Number 5

+ Nick Gentry
+ Nick Gentry on Flickr

[via Dude Craft via Wooster Collective]

Secret Jewelry Box Hidden Behind a Painting

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:16:00 +0000

And yet another great way to reuse a fabulous vintage painting. This time, the painting is used as a top secret box to hide your jewelry in. Your vintage painting hangs like all your other artwork, but inside, your jewelry hangs neatly and orderly out of site. This DIY project could easily turn a painting into a medicine cabinet, key storage, or anything else you might want to hide away.

This lovely DIY project was created by Kate Pruitt, an Oakland artist, for Design*Sponge, and is yet another great reuse project. The How To is so well explained on the D*S website, that I highly suggest you follow it there.

Send me your pics if you decide to create this!

Via Design*Sponge

Wheat-Free Seven Layer Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:36:00 +0000

Possibly sinful, but incredibly delicious. I swear by this recipe for Seven Layer Bars. And they're wheat-free too.

This recipe comes directly from the Brown Eyed Baker, but with a tweak to make them wheat-free. To make my version of the classic wheat-free, I head to my tried and true trusty wheat-free graham cracker substitute - Puffins Cereal. I also use Puffins to make pie crust, which both my mother and husband find better than the normal store bought stuff. Puffins Cereal isn't gluten free, so if you're on a strict no gluten diet, you shouldn't go this route, but if you're just after wheat-free, it's a great option.

Now, Puffins Cereal certainly isn't cheap anywhere from $4 to $5.50 a box, and its certainly a heck of a lot more than graham crackers, but hey, when you can't eat wheat you take what you can get. I also like to think that the Puffins Cereal is healthier, but that might be canceled out by what you load on top.

The Seven Layers are:
1. Graham Cracker Crust or Wheat-Free Graham Cracker substitute
2. Chopped Walnuts
3. Chocolate Chips
4. Butterscotch Chips
5. White Chocolate Chips
6. Coconut
7. Sweetened Condensed Milk

Ingredients

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
5-6 oz Puffins Cereal, crushed (almost half a box)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup white chocolate chips
½ cup butterscotch chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

Step By Step

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the pan with two overlapping pieces of foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang to act as handles for lifting the bars out of the pan. Spray with non-stick spray.
2. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake until the outer flakes just begin to brown, about 4 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it – coconut can go from slightly browned to burnt in a matter of seconds.) Set aside.
3. Melt the butter and combine with crushed Puffins Cereal in a small bowl. Toss with your fingers until the butter is evenly distributed. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
4. In order, sprinkle the walnuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut over the Puffins crust. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire dish.
5. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.
6. Remove the bars from the pan using the foil or parchment handles and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or bench cutter, cut into 2 by 3-inch bars.

**Notes**
- Although I hate to use extra paper if I don't need to, I think lining the baking dish with the parchment really helps. It also makes it super easy to cut afterwards.
- These will be gone in less than a day, so don't make them if you're the only one around, because you'll eat the entire batch. Make them to share! You'll be glad that you did.

{Via Brown Eyed Baker}
[Photo Credit Brown Eyed Baker] because her pictures were far better than mine.

Reclaimed Wood Sketchbooks

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:02:00 +0000

Yesterday I went through all my sketchbooks, looking back on drawings from elementary school as well as high school and college. There were a few gems mixed in, but mostly failed attempts to capture the picture I had in my head down on paper. I love sketchbooks. They hold such promise. I have far too many with blank sheets in them because I needed to get a new one. If I had a sketchbook like this though, I would do my best to fill it completely and make the drawings inside worthy of its beautiful reclaimed, handmade wood exterior.

Made by by Gary Robbins of Container Corps, Xylobooks, are incredibly heavy duty and are sure not to get torn and bent getting stuffed into your bag, although they could weigh you down a bit. Gary picks up wood scraps from a furniture factory in his local town of Portland, OR. In his words, the books "marry old-school bookbinding methods with a clean, modern aesthetic that emphasizes the tactile nature of the materials."

So not only are they made from reclaimed wood (awesome!), but each one serves as it's own desk. With a hardwood backing like this you always have a hard surface to write on. Each book is handmade and bound in Gary's Portland shop and is $45 for 128 pages. When you fill yours up, and you should, you can take it back to them, and they'll take out your old stack of paper and refill it with a new block.

Now, that's a good sketchbook.

{Xylobooks by Container City}

Via Core77

Remake a Frumpy Dress Into Something Spectacular

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:47:00 +0000

Oh, if only I had a sewing machine... Saw this idea for an amazing remake of a frumpy sailor dress into a cocktail worthy strapless number via ReadyMade's latest issue. I think I need to go pick up an issue.

In this ReadyMade article, designer and boutique owner Kyung Lee takes a vintage sailor dress (totally frumpy), cuts it down, adds a beautiful satin ribbon, and voila! you have a super cute strapless number.

This is the exact kind of project I would want to do if I had a sewing machine - remaking something vintage to fit into today's fashion. It doesn't involve a ton of work and cuts out my least favorite part of sewing, which is cutting out all the pieces and parts. The only challenge lies in getting it to fit properly.

Anyways, check out the latest issue of ReadyMade and learn how to update a frumpy dress.

Via MNN via ReadyMade

DIY: Glass Etching with a Dremel

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 20:51:00 +0000

I've been dreaming about etching glass bottles for a long time now ever since I saw this great DIY post about etching spice jars on Design*Sponge. BUT, their DIY how-to said to use the glass etching cream, and after I read the ingredients and warnings on a bottle in the craft store, I just couldn't bring myself to do it! I just kept thinking about all those chemicals and how they were produced and then what I'd be inhaling if I used them. I even searched for more environmentally friendly versions of the cream or other ways to etch, but couldn't find any until this week. Finally a non-toxic way to etch glass! Via Threadbanger, one of their readers posted some pictures on a forum of glass etched jars and glasses.

jadeTiger used a dremel tool with a diamond wheel point, which is perfect for engraving and can be used on wood, jade, ceramic, glass, hardened steel, semi-precious stones and other hard materials. I'm really looking forward to trying this DIY out now that we have a Dremel!

What You Need

Old jars or glasses that you want to etch
Dremel Tool with diamond wheel point (Threadbanger suggests using an Amaco Diamond-Tipped Glass Engraver if you don't have a Dremel)
Template, pattern or drawing you want to copy (optional) + tape
Mask or scarf to cover face
Safety glasses

Step By Step

Tape pattern or drawing you want to copy inside of the glass. You could also do this all freehand if you have a steady hand and some drawing skills.
Cover face with mask so you don't breath in the fine glass particles. Don your safety glasses.
Turn on Dremel and follow pattern inside glass.
Repeat as needed for jars or glasses.

Via Threadbanger
Photos by jadeTiger

DIY: Recycling Sweaters Into Boots

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:31:00 +0000

This cold snap keeps me in socks and boots pretty much all the time, and this lovely little project is the perfect antidote if you're tired of your boots or slippers. Using a sweater and recycling a pair of flats, these calf-high boots are super cute.

The tutorial by Urban Threads on Craftster is pretty clear and better explained from all the pictures, but I think it could be done a bit sturdier using than using just hot glue, so I'd recommend sewing it where possible.

What You Need

An old sweater
An old pair of comfy flats in your size
At least 2 buttons
Glue Gun
Sewing Machine + Pins (you could probably hand sew it)

Step By Step

1. Cut off the sleeves to the sweater, turn the sleeves inside out and form to foot, most notably around the ankle and pin. Make sure the cuff of the sleeve is at the top and higher than your calve. Sew up the back side, leaving the bottom open, and cut off excess.

2. Glue the bottom part of the sleeve (still inside out) to the shoe, leaving the sole exposed.

3. Turn the sleeve right side out and pull up and over shoe, and turn the cuff of the sleeve down to create boot cuff.

4. Decorate outside of cuff if desired. Creator of this tutorial embroidered the cuff. You could also add a patch, ribbon, more buttons, etc.

5. Sew button on the back part of the cuff to make the boot tight. And there's your recycled sweater boot.

Via Craftzine via Craftster

DIY Green Gift: Seed Bombs

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Need some handmade gift ideas for this holiday season? Here's one for your guerrilla gardening friend - a seed bomb! Seen over at Inhabitat's Green Gift Guide, the seed bomb is a ball of compost, clay and native seeds, which you simply throw into a vacant lot, backyard, or empty space. Then when the time is right, the seeds will bury themselves and grow into beautiful native flowers. Cheaper than buying real plants and much more secretive than planting them, seed bombs are an awesome way to spread some seeds.

Full instructions can be found on Instructables. You'll need the following materials:

Crayola air dry clay
Water
Native Flower Seeds that are easy to grow and hardy
Compost or worm castings
Yogurt container top or any large flat surface

Choose seeds that are appropriate for your area and are sure to take root and grow. After making the seed bombs, you can even make a top-secret night of it by running around your neighborhood and dropping the bombs in places in need of some beautiful flowers. Then wait and watch as your guerrilla gardening tactics take root.

Via Inhabitat via Instructables

Deconstructed Signs Turned into Abstract Art

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:59:00 +0000

Fabio Zanino takes old advertisements, signs and warnings, deconstructs them and rebuilds them into these fascinating abstract pieces. Although there's no way of telling what these signs previously said, it's a cool way to reuse, reformulate and even rethink the message behind these warnings. This is good recycled art. More pics after jump.

The vintage and rusted nature of the signs is certainly appealing, and they remind me of the puzzle game where you move around tiles until you create the original picture again. Zanino's Decostruzioni series breaks the warnings down into graphic units, essentially stripping the meaning away. And then the reconstruction gives it a whole new purpose.

Via Haute*Nature

Salvaged Ladder Shelf

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:47:00 +0000

I'm thinking that this would look so awesome in my soon to be finished art studio. Talk about a creative, upcycled storage solution. It really wouldn't matter what kind of ladder either, as long as it was old looking and still in sturdy condition. A metal ladder would look good in a more modern room, whereas a wood would give such a warm feeling.

These are probably most easily found at antique stores or flea markets as opposed to thrift stores. You could mount it so the bottom rail is horizontal with the ground, but it would also be just as interesting to mount it slightly angled. Your books or display items could easily fit into each section securely.

Via ReNest via Dude Craft

Junk Dunk Recycled Electronics Sneakers

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:42:00 +0000

I think these are brilliant. Clearly uncomfortable as far as shoes go considering they weigh 8-20 pounds, on the other hand, a great sculpture and an exploration into all the things we waste. Created by junk-metal artist Gabriel Dishaw, these shoe replicas are made entirely from scrap metal parts, old electronics, computers and held together with wire and glue. The intricate details, the colors and the patterns that can be created from waste are fascinating.

“I begin each sculpture with an idea of how can I take these found pieces of useless metal and insignificant objects and create something that everyone can understand and relate to,” Dishaw says. “I find myself looking at ordinary mechanical items to see how I could turn that something, into something else not originally intended for that use.” You can read more about them over at Ecouterre.

Via Ecouterre

Mitten Prepping for Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Bridgette) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:37:00 +0000

I'm wearing sweaters, pulling out the scarves and locating my mittens. You can never have enough mittens. No really. They're both an accessory and a necessity. I get cold easily and now realize after many years of toughing it out, that wearing mittens (or gloves) are the ticket to keeping warm and in my case not turning blue. I knit (sorta) and with the days so much shorter, I feel the urge again to cozy up on the couch knitting away with a good movie on, so here are some potential mitten patterns that look super cozy.

Hello NY Winter Accessories from Pickles
A full matching winter set of hat, gloves and scarf. Super stylie and cozy.

Warm Winter Mitts with Embroidered Stitch from Pickles
Adorable mitts, that look more challenging than I think they really are.

Lady Moss Mittens from Craft Leftovers
Sweet attention to detail on this pattern.

Subway Card Mittens by Subway Knitter
A handy way to carry your subway card and never have to take your mittens off. May also help protect against H1N1.

Recycled Sweater Mittens
If you're more of a sewer than a knitter, here's a good option to take an old sweater and transform it into a pair of mittens and a hat.

Fingerless Mittens
For those needing a more functional mitten or just half a mitten, this is a cute pattern.

And if you're looking for some eco-friendly yarn, learn more about them here, here, here and here. Look for natural fibers, wool, banana, coconut, bamboo, recycled fibers, organic cotton and more.

Amazing Art Videos

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:03:00 +0000

Lately I've been seeing a lot of videos that have blown me away. Artists using video as their medium to record their artistic process. The beauty of these videos is not what they eventually create, but it is the evolution of their art as it changes and morphs into something new.

White Box by Makato Yabuki

COMBO by Blu and David Ellis

Sand Animation by Kseniya Simonova (as seen on Ukraine's Got Talent)

I love all three, but I think the Sand Animation is truly amazing. And isn't she beautiful?

Outdoor Rock Fire

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:50:00 +0000

We just had a part on Saturday to celebrate the end of Summer, start of fall and to catch up with old friends. We had a raging bonfire in our outdoor fire pit, but I really wish we had a smaller cozier fire with less smoke to stand around. I love this idea for a small fire - it's attractive, contained, not smoky and it uses a biodegradable fuel can called EcoFuel, which seems like an eco-friendly version of sterno cans. I'm still doing my research on the little canisters, but they claim longer lasting fuel source, low emissions, safe and warmer than the ones people have been using for chafing dishes. The original idea came from green prefab goddess, Michelle Kaufman, who says that wood burning devices emit particulate at the rate of 20 to 60 grams per hour of operation, which can be unhealthy, especially for those with sensitive lungs.

What You Need

2-3 cans of EcoFuel (about $4 each)
Metal canister, box, or even ceramic planter.
River rocks, other stones, recycled glass, anything you like as long as it can't burn or melt (enough to fill the box)

Step by Step

Fill up the container almost to the top with rocks
Place the EcoFuel canisters level inside the rocks
Place more rocks around the canisters without covering them.
Light the fires according to their instructions and enjoy the warmth.

You can also watch the video of Michelle Kaufman here.

via Michelle Kaufman's Blog

Vintage Compact Turned Perfume Case

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:22:00 +0000

I'm not much of a make up person. I'll put mascara on if we're going out at night, but that's about as far as I go. Still I love the idea of make up and cute bags and little cases - especially vintage compacts, but I don't need one for foundation. However, turning one into a solid perfume carrying case, is right up my alley. The original idea came from Danny Seo's book, Simply Green Parties, by way of Planet Green. It's a super simple DIY project that would make an awesome gift.

What You Need

Used makeup compacts, thoroughly cleaned
1/4 cup of solid beeswax
3 tbs jojoba oil
Approximately 60 drops of essential oil - lavender, chamomile, rose, or any combination
Pyrex measuring cup

Step By Step

Put the beeswax in the pyrex measuring cup and melt in the microwave until just melted. Probably less than a minute.
Add the jojoba oil to the melted beeswax, which will keep the perfume from going rancid.
Add the essential oil. Can mix and match.
Stir the mixture and then pour into the compact. Let completely dry.
To use, dab fingers over wax and apply wear you normally apply perfume.

via Planet Green

photos courtesy of Esty sellers Judy Go Vintage & The Way We Wore

Habitat Machines by David Trautrimas

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:53:00 +0000

The Oil Can Residence

I fell in love with these digital collages last week - part retro vintage, part architecture, and part miniature world. David Trautrimas buys vintage and retro kitchen gadgets and tools, takes pictures of them and then collages them digitally into the fantastical rusty scenes. His series is called “Habitat Machines.” I love the architecture of it and hope it inspires some designers for the future. More pics after the jump.

The Measurement District

Coffee Pot Towers & Electric Razor Cooperative

The Sprinkler House

Waffle Iron Heights

See more pictures at Inhabitat

Needle Felting - Who Knew?

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:30:00 +0000

I may actually be a textile artist at heart, because when I see beautiful and simple creations like this out of wool, I admit to swooning just a little. Yesterday I had to kill some time waiting while my computer went into the shop, I bought the September issue of Martha Stewart Living. It was a so-so issue, until I reached the article on Needle Felting. Wow, that's beautiful stuff - warm, soft, organic and it looks oh so easy to do. Look on for more pictures.

Needle Felting is the process of taking fluffy wool and poking it hundreds of time into a material (usually felted wool) to create and sculpt a shape. You can use yarn, pieces of felted wool, and even fibers. There's no glue, no toxins, no sewing - just a needle poking into the fibers which interlocks them like velcro.

Unfortunately the directions for how to needle felt aren't on Martha Stewart's site yet, but the September issue has a beautiful article on how to do it. There are also lots of good how tos elsewhere on the internetz - here, here and here.

Martha does have a great tutorial though for how to create this adorable little clutch.
photos via Martha Stewart

Etched Altoid Tins

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:32:00 +0000

I love it when fabulous art meets reused materials. Altoid tins are incredibly practical and useful little boxes - they stay closed well and are a great size for small items. The cover of the altoid tin leave something to be desired, but once you get rid of the paint on top, it leaves a beautiful surface to decorate and an etching seems like the perfect medium for the job.

These amazing etched altoid tins are done by Laurence Crunch. Some of the designs are his originals, but most are copied from others illustrations and etched on. I don't claim to know much about etching, how challenging it is or how toxic it really is, but I do love the effect. There do seem to some more advanced techniques that are less toxic.

via Dude Craft & The Steampunk Workshop

Portraits Carved into A Phone Book

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:07:00 +0000

In my own art, I am constantly on the lookout for ways to apply the three R's - especially recycled materials to paint on. Alex Querel, a sculptor from Philadelphia uses something I would have never thought of to create portraits - phone books. His works are amazing. Not only are they excellent portraits, but the medium he chooses to work in must be fairly challenging. Yes phone books used to be wood, but now they are super thin, fragile pieces of paper stacked together. What a crazy way to reuse and recycle.

Querel came upon the idea to use the phonebooks when he was looking for wood for a sculpture. He said, "Every year when the new phone book comes out you see just piles of the old ones lying around waiting for collection.

"I'm sure a lot of hard work goes into recycling them but there are thousands that go unused at all because most people just use the internet to find people these days.

"I was out looking for wood to make a sculpture one day and I noticed a huge pile of them on the pavement. I suddenly thought they would probably make a pretty good material for carving, so I gave it a go."

To create his masterpieces, he first draws a sketch of the portrait and then places that drawing over the phonebook as a template. He then takes a razor blade and carefully cuts away the hundreds of layers of paper to create the 3-D portrait.

Check out more of his amazing portraits and watch him in action.

via Crafting A Green World

DIY Fabric Envelopes

noreply@blogger.com (bridgette) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Not only are these fabric envelopes completely adorable, they also save paper, are more durable and if made from scrap fabric use up something that could otherwise just be thrown out. This would be a great idea for any design professional trying to put a cool spin on their work. Imagine receiving a packet of information in one of these chic envelopes. It would be like opening a present, even if it was just a boring business letter inside.

What You Need

Scrap paper to create the templates

Two pieces of fabric - one solid and one pattern (18” x 20” for large envelope, 6” x 6” for small envelope)

Fusible webbing - cut to same size as fabric
Scissors

Iron

Two buttons

Needle & thread

Thin ribbon or cord to tie envelope shut

Step By Step

Create a template by drawing a rectangle the size of your completed envelope in the center. Their envelopes measure 9” x 12” and 2.5” x 4”. add 5” to either side of the large template, or 1.5” to either side of the small template. add a 1/2” to 1” flap to the center bottom and a 1” to 3” mitered flap to the center top (as pictured).

Layer your fabrics with fusible webbing in the center, and fuse with a hot iron.

Trace template onto fabric and cut out.

Iron flaps and secure with small strips of fusible webbing.

Sew a button onto the center of the top flap and another onto the back of the envelope, about 1/2” to 1” down from the top button, depending on which size envelope you are making.

Tie a length of thin cord around the shank of top button and wrap it around the bottom button to secure the flap of your envelope.

via Design*Sponge