My cupcakes bring all the boys to the yard

I love cupcakes. I also love pretty plates and other dinnerwear. I'm building a pretty big collection of random cups and bowls and plates that I keep only for the great designs on them. When I ran across this idea for a cake stand I got really excited that I might be able to put my clutter to good use. Not that I really have clutter in any form other than plates. I made these with cups and vases that I found at the thrift store.

XLD

I'd catch a grenade for yaaaa, throw my hand on a blade for yaaaaa

These are "milk glass" vases that I found at the DI for 50 cents a piece. Milk glass is a pretty white colored glass (and apparently it can be an antique -- forgive me for destroying it!) but color always makes life more exciting, so I spray painted them bright green. They look like grenades! I gave them to my mom for Christmas and she loved them. They are pretty on their own and without anything inside them.

XLD

and at last I see the light

I found this oil lamp at the DI for a dollar. When I checked out the woman at the counter gave me a funny look when I told her I wasn't planning to use it and just thought it was cool. Since then I've been using it to hold my spare change until I could find a substitute chimney for the top. My boyfriend pointed out that I could make something with paper (I just about pee my pants over anything that involves paper) and I formed a lantern with some Japanese print paper I had been saving. I got the idea for the decorative border here. It turned out so well that I decided to make a string of them and hang them on my wall. Looks Japanesey and I'm pleased with the results. :)

Lanterns make me want to sing the Tangled soundtrack. Or have magical hair that's as long as a football field.

XLD

Not just for laundry.

I’ve gotten a lot of comments on these so I figured I’d post about it. Yes, they are clothespins. No, they aren’t glued to the wall. The secret (or not) is a thumb tack stuck through the back. I had posters that I didn’t want to put holes in, and I’m not a fan of how tacks look. And it’s impossible to find a good frame for a poster. So, I painted them along with the tack and voila! Undamaged posters that magically hang by a clothespin.

(I believe Jeff has this poster too. So don't judge me, judge him)

:)

-XLD

It's bouquet with me.

I’ve had this light bulb in my car for a few months and I finally got around to doing something with it. I know Jeff has a collection of hollowed out bulbs that he uses as planters (which he should definitely post) and there are so many great things you could do with them (plus I think we both might be a little obsessed). Anyway, I had these flowers lying around and when I heard my friend Landon say “bouquet” I knew exactly what to do.

(floral tape, scrapbook flowers glued back to back, coin, paperclips)

-XLD

Hallowreath

CONFESSION: I’ve never really been into Halloween. I love free candy of course, but the whole creepiness factor was never my favorite thing. I’ve never liked zombies or vampires or anything that’s mummified. BUT, as of late, I’ve grown a greater appreciation for the gruesome things in life (Thank you Buffy) and when I saw this in a Martha Stewart magazine I fell in love.

How I did it: bought an old grapevine wreath at a thrift store, some rubber snakes and a couple of cans of spray paint. Painted the snakes and the wreath (it says in the magazine to use acrylic paint for the snakes, which I ignored and ended up regretting – spray paint and rubber are not friends) and attached the snakes with floral wire. I think it’s by far the coolest thing I’ve ever done. So Halloweeny and creepy. I haven’t gotten a chance to hang it but I would imagine it looks even better on a door.


COST: about $13

Thank you Martha. (You’re my hero)


UPDATE: gave this to my boyfriend, looks gooood on his door. :)

-XLD

we take pictures, we sing songs

with tears like flashbulbs

You probably noticed this little beauty from my previous posts and wondered what exactly it was. Yes, it's an enormous recycled lightbulb screwed into a block of wood. Why? I found the lightbulb in the trash and thought it was fantastic, so I hung it by a string in my room. My friend Jenna saw the lightbulb one day and exclaimed, "Did you get that from Anthropologie?!" After some further research I discovered that Anthroplogie had indeed sold these industrial size bulbs (all stuck in blocks of wood) in their store. I won't argue over who had the idea first, but I think the lightbulb look is pretty cool.


Anthropologies version:

Anthropologie: $80-$200

Me: $3

 
 
dan-l

tiptoe through the tulips

Paper flowers. Enough said.
- dan-l

pallet schmallet

As a broke college student in dire need of a bookshelf, I wanted something inexpensive but more charming than the particle board furniture I could find at Wal-Mart. I was at a bonfire when I spotted a pallet next to the stack of firewood and knew exactly what I would do with it. This could be done completely for free (if you have power tools on hand, particularly a saw) but I ended up dropping a little extra dough for wood stain and the lumber to make the shelves. Total cost: $20. I think the possibilites are endless with pallet furniture. Really.

- dan-l