These are not your run-of-the-mill crafts!
I’ll tell you how I find inspiration in art and design and take it to a whole nother level. Then I’ll show how you can use that inspiration to make your own cool DIY projects on a dime.
Watch me on The Nate Berkus Show, Monday, December 12, 2011. Check your local listings for the exact time.
I’ll post detailed step by step instructions for those projects and more on my blog. Subscribe to the my email list, so you don’t miss anything.
Here are the projects featured on the show. I’ll post video and photo tutorials and link to them below as they are completed.
- Six-pack pendant light
- Macrame t-shirt throw
- Origami accessories
- Vintage cabinet knob jars
- Easy picture hanging system with wire pant hangers
- Dress shirt pillow shams with polka dots
- Pleated junk mail & magazine vase
- Scalloped junk mail & magazine vase
- Layered Cardboard tray
WOW!WOW!WOW! I just caught you on The Nate Show. I am making EVERYTHING!! (just as soon as I get Christmas over with 🙂 ) hmmmm…t-shirts first, then the origami, then ???? I’ve subscribed to your blog so I won’t miss anything, thanks for sharing your fabulous designs!
WHOA!WHOA!WHOA! Thanks for watching me on the show, June! If you do the origami accessories first you can use the paper from your unwrapped Christmas presents. I’ll try to film that video before Christmas so you’ll have it.
I think you are officially awesome! But, I’m sure you know that already! 🙂 I loved ALL your projects shown on the Nate show, (Congrats btw) You just gave my husband a reason to drink more beer! LOL! I have everyone saving the six pack plastics now, and I can’t wait. I’m a fantatic about saving jars, and now thanks to you, I can make them fancy!
Thank you so much for posting your work. I hope this shows people how easy it is to recycle and reuse. Just look how beautiful you made them!
Kim you are too kind! And thanks for watching!
Your husband doesn’t really have to drink more beer. But if it makes you both happier, who am I to stand in the way? You can tell everyone your husband helped you make it. It will be a true team effort! 😀
If your husband ever gets tired of beer, as I told Lija earlier, you might be able to meet your six-pack ring quota faster, if you get in the good graces of a stock person at a grocery or convenient store. They might give you their discarded six-pack rings. Also, you don’t have to use 60. You can use less if you want. I’ll make sure to update that post with those tips.
I’m a jar fanatic too! I can’t wait for you to have fancy jars! Take pictures. I wanna see!
Kim, thanks for watching, visiting, commenting, and sharing. Relev? Design is around, because of you all keep me going!
Loved you on the show today! I am so excited to see your how to on the macram? throw! I’m totally a visual learner so I will eagerly be waiting on the step by step video! Hoping to complete one for Christmas as a gift for my sister! By the way… YOU AMAZE ME!!
Hi, Norma! Thanks for watching!
I’m totally right there with you about the visual learning thing. I’ll try to put up pictures for you soon, so you can work get it done for Christmas! In the mean time, save up your t-shirts. A proper throw will need A LOT of t-shirts! You might consider different textiles as well, but it will change the texture of your throw. That can be OK. You’ll just have to figure out a color and texture pattern that will work for you.
As I mentioned on the show, it’s a project that you start and you can keep adding onto for years, by tying more t-shirts on as you get them. You know how some sentimental quilts are made with swatches of cloth from clothes and baby blankets? Well, this throw has that same potential, but it’s a bit more subtle.
I was looking so forward to starting one of these throws today but the instructions have me somewhat confused. I am with Norma; would love to do one before Christmas and need a visual to get started. Love all your ideas and totally enjoyed watching you on Nate’s show.
The text-only instructions can be a doozy! I know! Don’t fret. I’m working on a video tutorial for you, and I’ll post it ASAP. I’ll email you a couple pictures so you can get started! I want you and Norma to make your X-mas deadline! Thanks for watching, Mickey! Tell Norma I said hello!
Thanks so much….you are not only incredibly innovative but you are so wonderfully personable….I am your new biggest fan!!!
No problem!
GOSH! I’m honored! I hope the drawings I sent you are intelligible. Just hit me up again if you need more help. In the meantime I’m hitting the video cam! So stay tuned!
I watched the Nate show earlier today, and can’t wait to get started on these projects…especially the pendant lamp which is so ingenious and also beautiful. I like that 90%- 100% of the products you use are recycled materials. I have found alot of designers say it is “recycled” but only one tiny portion is actually recycled materials. I almost have enough 6 pack rings to start my lamp…I was saving them for a 3D snowflake design that I came across, but your lamps will fit in my bedroom perfectly! Thanks again!
Thanks for watching, Theresa!
Oh yeah, I try to get as much of my material out of the trash as possible. Theresa, actually, you’ll do even better than “recycle”! You’ll be UPCYCLING. Check out this page (http://baokhangluu.com/?page_id=12) see what I mean.
OH WOW! GOSH! That is soooo cool that you almost have all the six-pack rings! Write a comment or send me a note if you have any questions. Please take pictures. I wanna see how it turns out!
WOW! I loved watching your segment on the Nate Berkus show today! I am always searching for creative and “upcycling” projects that are inexpensive. I will be doing ALL of the projects shown today and will now be following your blog! I have a 70s kitchen that has lime green swirled counter tops, dark cabinets and yellow flooring that I’m trying to work with, so i will be on the look out for any kitchen ideas!
Wowsers, Holly! Thanks for watching! Well, you’ve come to the right place for inexpensive projects. I try not to spend a dime on anything in a project unless I really, really have to.
Make sure to subscribe to the blog and check back. I’ll be posting video tutorials and photos so that the instructions will be easier to follow.
OOO…LIME GREEN, DARK CABINETS, AND YELLOW FLOORS!? Sounds like you got some retro cool on your hands. I have friends who have a vintage mint green and pink kitchen – all original cabinetry and appliances! It’s totally amazing. They really don’t make kitchens like that anymore! I begged them not to renovate.
Are you looking for input on color?
Personally, I think your kitchen sounds nice and cheerful, though I might be tempted to lighten the dark cabinets. When you put a dark color next to a light color kick up each other’s intensity. But if all your colors are at the same value they can calm down a little bit. Are you thinking you need to tone down the kitchen or play it up?
Here’s some Relev? Design style homework you. Go to your local library and check out some books on painters (They are truly masters of color!), especially Impressionists. Find paintings that you really like that has both your green and yellow. Take notice of what other colors they use in the painting to guide you to other colors that could work in your space.
And I’m sure you hear this ALL THE TIME, but try switching out the hardware, if you want to do a quick update. It really does work!