Back-to-School Crafting

Back-to-school time is always bittersweet. Lazy summer days give way to lectures and tests. All-night drinking binges are replaced by all-night textbook read-a-thons. However, there is always a glimmer of hope in the form of back-to-school shopping. Why purchasing binders and fresh pens in the month of September excites me remains a mystery. It’s fun to get new stuff, but the element of crafting can certainly be incorporated during this time. So if you’re chomping at the bit to hit up Target’s One Spot for some cheap school supplies, check out some fun and practical projects you can make instead of buying.

Pencil Bags

Sure, this is a supply mostly younger students go for, but anyone could use a cute tote for pens, pencils and doo-dads. One great D.I.Y. idea involves an old-school pastime: candy wrapper chains. If you’ve never made one before, it’s super easy. Here’s a quick how-to video on wrapper chain bags:

Book Bag

Next up, you’re gonna need a bag to carry all those pesky books.

One idea for a do-it-yourself tote involves just an old T-shirt , a stapler and some glorious duct tape.  The hardest part is finding the perfect shirt to recycle!  Just follow this video and voila! A new tote:

For a more challenging task, try rigging up this awesome laptop case from old school floppy disks:

Laptop Bag

Personalized Notepads

If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can even make your own notebooks from scrap paper, cereal box cardboard and a few other materials.

Back-to-school can also mean time to get organized at home, as well.  There are tons of projects for the home office, but here are a few I love:

License Plate Message Board

You can find ’em in your garage, at a junk yard and on the side of the road- license plates are everywhere.  Since most are magnetic, all you have to do is attach string, hang in on your wall and add magnets!  It’s a funky way to display To-Do lists and photos.

Suitcase Shelf

I first saw the concept of hanging an old suitcase on a wall as a shelf on the cover of an issue of ReadyMade, which is every D.I.Y.-er’s dream magazine.  Unfortunately, there weren’t the clearest instructions on how to achieve the look.  The video above explains the how to create a new space for books, paperwork, or any other lighter-weight items.  I love this idea because not only looks wild to have a suitcase sticking out of your wall, but it utilizes space in a unique way.  If you can handle the over-enthusiastic woman in the video, check it out!

I know these ideas are only scratching the surface when it comes to what you can make for the school year.  So if you’ve MacGuiver-ed up some awesome school supplies, write in to D.I.Y. Samurai.

D.I.Y. Denim

I hate wearing pants.

For every ten pairs of pants I try on, I might look slightly normal in one. They’re usually too short and I always have a hand-full of extra fabric in the crotch region (Do pant designers assume everyone has a foopa? ).  I wish a dress or skirt was appropriate for every single situation, but that’s simply not the case. Thankfully, indiDenim has heard my pant-hating cries.

I found out about this site on The Frisky, which is always a fun read. The blog explained the basics of indiDenim, but I had to create a pair for myself.

The site offers jeans for men and women, so you have to choose your gender first.  Next, if you’re more of a left-brain person, you can skip the design process and purchase custom-fit selections based on your personal measurements.  That’s boring, so I opted to design my own pair.  I figured the site’s options would include color, cut and a few little visual details but there are seemingly limitless design and fit features.  Here’s the skinny:

Cut- Slim, Relaxed, Trouser or Plus.

Fabric- 13 blue and black hues and seven finer options that cost an extra $15.

Rise- Super low, Low, Mid or High.

Fly- Zipper or Buttons.

Leg Style- Narrow(“Skinny”), Straight, Bootcut, Flare, Wide, Capri or Capri Wide.

Bottom Hem Style- Various hem lengths, cuff or slit.

Coin Pocket- Choose whether or not you want that mini pouch in your front pockets.

Back Pocket Shape- Nine different styles, including button closures, one of which is $5 extra.

Back Pocket Embellishment- 29 different options including different colored emblems and other embroidered designs, one of which is $5 extra.

Finishing Treatment- Whether your want your jeans crisp and clean or torn to shreds, you can choose from a variety of sanding, whiskers and holes.

After designing you denim, enter your height, weight, natural waist and inseam measurements, bra cup and band sizes, pant size (you can even pick a range if, like me, you can wear a few sizes) and typical pant length.  All of these will help determine your overall body shape, which I think is an awesome idea if you really want your pants to fit well.

The site will now prompt you to describe your body shape with pictures instead of numbers.  So, now it’s time to analyze your body.  Always fun.

Tummy Shape- (From the side) Flat, Average, Round or Very Round.

Waist Shape- (From the front) Defined, Average or Undefined.

Thigh Shape- Thin, Average or Full.

Seat Shape- Got a Badonkadonk? Choose from Flat, Average, Prominent or Wide/Full.

Waist Gape-  Do you usually have extra room at the waist of your pants in the back (Yes! Yes! Yes!)?  You can select Fits OK, Gapes a Little or Gapes a Lot.

Waist Fit- When you wear pants that hit your waist (under your bellybutton), are they usually Very Tight, A Bit Tight, Fit OK, A Bit Big or Very Big?

Hip Fit- Similarly, when you wear pants that hit your hips, are they usually Too Small, Fit OK or Too Big?

Now you’re almost done.  Just sign up with your e-mail address and order away!  I didn’t select any extra-cost design elements, so my pair ended up costing $145.  More expensive than my usual pair of pants, but quality fit is guaranteed!

If you have a pair of indiDenim jeans or are thinking about creating your own, Let me know!  I’d love to see photos and find out if they’re really the perfect fit.

Fair with a Chance of Handmade Goodness

The Ohio State Fair kicked off in Columbus last week when I realized that I could not actually remember ever attending it.  I’ve been to a million church festivals over the years, and even a few county fairs, but it’s been at least 15 years since I have been to the statewide extravaganza.  Banking that there would be loads of crafts, gardening and other D.I.Y. goodness to report on, Jason and I headed to Ohio’s capital Sunday afternoon.

I must share all of the exciting, shocking and disappointing aspects of the fair, but first thing’s first.  The butter cow:

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…Because nothing brings the family together like butter!  Since 1903, a hand-sculpted cow and calf made entirely of butter have been exhibited at the Ohio State Fair.  For over 40 years, it’s been a tradition that the butter heifers are joined by different characters each year.  This year the cow was accompanied by a farmer and a vet, and the calf was being fed by a little girl and her father.  The whole installation called for 1,800 pounds of buttah.  Tacky? Kinda.  But definitely an example of some down-home D.I.Y.

Like nearly every fair, various crafters competed in different mediums for prizes.  Categories included knitting, quilting, designer cake decorating, scrapbooking and even decoupaging!  My favorite group of crafts had to be the duct tape creations.  Duck Tape brand sponsored a tiny art booth that sold craft kits and various colors of the magical fix-it-all.  If you check out the fair, be sure to get there early and attend a duct tape craft class.  I just missed a duct tape wallet demo that looked awesome.

Here’s just one example of the vivid duct tape decor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Ohio State Fair also offered another venue for artist’s creations that were less crafty and more fine-arty.  Ohio artists showcased their paintings, sculptures and installations in a gallery setting, which was a nice change of pace.  There were tons of forward-thinking art on display, but one of my favorite pieces was “Jasper”:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This colorful pony consisted of wire and recycled pop cans.  The piece was befitting for the fair this year, as there was much more focus on recycling than in years past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One staple at every fair is the smorgasbord of high-calorie treats.  While I somehow managed to fore-go all the chocolate-dipped, deep-fried, cheese-coated treats, I had to stop and appreciate one booth that took home cookin’ to the max:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is not your average fried dough and waffle stand.  See that old timey contraption next to the booth?  That’s where they grind up their own flour to make their own dough which they flash-fry on site.  Homemade isn’t always healthier, but it was pretty cool.

I must digress for a moment and comment on one attraction I was not expecting to see… SIDESHOWS!

I didn’t know how to react to this mess.  On one hand, I am oddly obsessed with circus history and turn-of-the-century traveling shows which definitely had “freak shows.”  However, it’s 2009.  Who knew sideshows still existed?!

Okay, back to topic at hand.  I had fun at the fair, but I was really disappointed that I could not purchase any homegrown plants or vegetables, handmade crafts, honey, jam, etc.  If you want to leave with a souvenir, I guess some kitchen cutlery or an off-brand Sham Wow will have to suffice.   I did spend a ton of time at some awesome booths that sold vintage signs, posters and jewelry, which I didn’t expect to see.  But the limited options to support local artists and farmers was a little disappointing.

 

All in all, if it’s been a decade or two since you’ve stepped foot on fairgrounds, I say it’s time for another visit.  If you live in or around Ohio, check out the Fair’s Web site for coupons and tips to save cash while you’re there.  ‘Til then, here’s a glimpse of the fairgrounds from the Sky Ride!

Attacking the Monster in the Closet

Being organized is supplemental to working on any kind of hands-on project.  Unfortunately, many creative, craftastic individuals lack that innate sense of tidiness and organization.  I’m certainly guilty of this; check out what my craft closet used to look like:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know, I should be ashamed.  Thankfully, I have revamped my craft closet so now everything has its own easy-to-find place.  Need help getting to that point?  So did I!

If you’re a budding crafter or just need to take control of your workspace, here are some tips that helped me.

1. Select a Storage Space

My apartment has more closets than it has rooms (which is every girl’s dream come true), so I selected a spare storage closet to hold my project junk.  Maybe a desk, cabinet or bookshelf would work better for you.  Whatever you select, be sure you can keep mainly craft items in there.  After all, if your craft space doubles as your winter coat closet and sporting equipment storage, you’re probably never going to want to look at it, let alone start a project.

2. Gather Your Supplies

Whether you’re just starting out or have enough “potential” project supplies and accessories to fill Lake Erie, try an bring them all together in one area like your kitchen table or living room floor.  Look through other areas of your home where craft items might be hiding.  For example, I grabbed all my note cards, gift bags and tissue paper to put in my craft closet. 

Don’t get overwhelmed!  When you see all your craft crap together, you’ll begin to notice which items should be condensed in one container and which items should go where.

3. Separate and Contain

Split unlike items into different stacks or piles.  I first divided my junk into a sewing-related stack and a non-sewing pile.  Then I continued:  tiny sewing accessories, pins, etc. went into a shoebox.  Fabric scraps took a place in an empty coffee container.  Patterns went in their appropriate envelopes.

For my non-sewing craft supplies, I separated them similarly (buttons and jewels in a pistachio can, paper products in a sealed box, glass items in a giant Ziploc bag, various glues and paints in a shoebox, etc.) and gathered all of those in one giant U.S. Postal Service bin.  See-through containers like sandwich bags, 1-gallon bags, and Tupperware canisters are your friends!  The goal is to organize and make your items easily accessible.

4. Store Appropriately

When you’re ready to place all your newly contained supplies in your storage space, just be logical.  Place the items you use to most at eye level.  Items you don’t have an idea for yet can go towards the bottom or back of the space.  And make sure you put items that are used together close to each other (Note: doesn’t it suck when you have a hot glue gun but have to dig for 20 minutes to find a glue stick for it?).

5. Have Fun with it!

Even if you aren’t a domestic diva, organizing can be an enjoyable thing.  Put on some good music, make yourself a drink and go at it!  Once you’re satisfied with your space, decorate it.  Make it your own.  The more you like the space, the more likely you are to keep it tidy and utilize its contents.

Here’s what my craft closet looks like today:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ve got hardware, picture frames and in-progress projects on top, then the giant craft bin, gift items and craft books in the middle and fabric, patterns and sewing supplies on the bottom.  It’s hard to believe 90% of the junk that was in the messy version of my closet is still in there!  Organization really does save a lot of space.

D.I.Y. the Knot

Marriage is not in my foreseeable future and I would much rather crash a reception than plan a wedding, but it’s summer and I must acknowledge wedding season. Until recently, I worked at a private club which hosted events like wedding receptions. This was a classy joint, so I worked at some gorgeous loose-budget parties, to say the least. A few things that really bugged me about these receptions were the ridiculous price tags on some of the smaller aspects of the events and the amount of crap I’d have to throw away once the guests departed. So, while I am no professional, I’ve picked out some D.I.Y. alternatives with the help of my high-end wedding observations, my library of craft books and some hot conscientious wedding Web sites. There’s a ton of them out there and any bride- or groom-to-be should check ’em out if they’re trying to save – or go – green at their wedding.

To start out, Great Green Weddings has set three basic rules that can cut costs and waste:

1. Limit how far you and your guests will have to travel for the ceremony and reception.

2. Pack up or donate leftovers instead of throwing them out.

3. Only register for items you and your spouse will need and use. If that cuts a lot out of your wish list, suggest a charity that your guests can donate to in your name.

Now for the nitty-gritty:

The Dress

Obviously, this is a huge decision every bride makes, whether she’s a fashionista or a Plain Jane. But why pay up to a grand for a gown that 9 other brides will be wearing? If you’re up for searching hardcore and buying vintage, I highly suggest hitting up higher-end thrift boutiques and consignment shops. Some local bridal districts have a store like these. Ebay is also a goldmine for inexpensive dresses. Some are brand new, others just worn once, but most are priced so reasonably, you could spring for awesome alterations and embellishments. I realize some people might have a problem wearing a used dress, but it can save you so much money and you can really alter it to make it your own.

For the laid-back bride (oxymoron?) who really wants to do it herself, there’s the T-shirt Gown from the awesome book Generation T.:

Vera Wang probably wouldn’t approve, but I think it’s fab!

The Cake

For many couples, dessert is just as imperative as the dress. And if you’ve seen any of the 98 designer cake shows on television right now, it’s obvious that people drop some serious cash for the perfect cake. Luckily, cupcakes are totally hot right now and they make an excellent alternative to a traditional cake. My cousin is getting married in November, and he and his lady are going the cupcake way. Let’s think about this: they’re easy to make yourself, they’re instantly adorable and you don’t have to worry about cutting a giant cake! Just remember, being thrifty doesn’t mean you have to give up the glam. If you’re particularly hands-on, like this couple was, you can construct a classy display for your wedding cupcake:

Invitations & Save the Date Cards

From a crafter’s perspective, creating one-of-a-kind, handmade paper invitations sounds lovely. From a eco-girl’s perspective, that sounds like a ton of waste. So I’ll offer two options I’ve found:

Electronic Invitations:

The snail mail-lover within me cringes at the idea of e-mailing out wedding announcements, but it’s clearly the greenest thing to do. If you’re at all tech-savvy, you can accomplish this on the cheap. If not, Sendomatic has lots of templates for invitations, from funky to traditional. If you’ve got to have a one-of-a-kind invite, the site also offers custom e-vitations that cost between $200-$300. Kinda pricey, but the site keeps track of all RSVPs and sends reminders.

Paper Invitations:

Options for paper invites are endless, but inexpensive, Earth-friendly invites are sometimes hard to come by. Formal Invitations uses 100% recycled paper and some tree-free recycled cotton for their invites and envelopes, and they offer D.I.Y. invitations with how-to guides as low as $0.54 a piece! They can print and assemble your invitations and RVSP cards for you, or send you the paper items to do it yourself, or even meet you in the middle.

Decor & Centerpieces

Duh. That’s all I can say. There is no limit to the types of D.I.Y. decorations you can add to your ceremony or reception. I’m sure more people opt to buy because crafting can be so time-consuming, but I think it would help with the pre-wedding stress! Imagine this: instead of playing gag-inducing games at a wedding shower, you and all your girlfriends could make centerpieces! Here are two votive-holding centerpiece ideas made from aluminum cans and scraps:

In addition to re-thinking your recyclables, buying bulk flowers and arranging them yourself can save a bundle.  I would stock up on craft books like The Big-Ass Book of Crafts (from which the aluminum projects came) for decorative inspiration. Obviously, the earlier you get started, the less you’ll have to buy last-minute.  Handmade decorations at a wedding are so perfect because they can incorporate special details about the bride and groom that you can’t find in items you buy or rent.

Wedding Party Gifts & Guest Favors

It’s nice to give a token of thanks to the members of your wedding party, and super easy to make these kinds of gifts. A handmade picture frame personalized for each person with a photo from the wedding is cheap but meaningful. Making boutonnieres and corsages for the party could also double as a from-the-heart gift.  And since you’ve stocked up on crafting guides, you shouldn’t have any trouble thinking of additional gift ideas.

As far as your wedding guests, I’m going to be frank: you’re already throwing a kick-ass party and they’re getting drunk on your tab. What more of a gift do they need? In all seriousness, nix the wedding bells, candy or other cheap favors at each table- they’re gonna end up in a trash can eventually. If you’ve budgeted for guest favors, be classy and donate what you would have spent on favors to you and your significant other’s favorite charity or organization.

Like I said, I’m not a wedding planner!  But it’s amazing how many eco-conscious, money-saving, craft-quenching  tips you can pick up by searching through thrift stores, Web sites and books.  If you’ve attended or planned a D.I.Y. wedding, let me know.  You could nab a feature on this site!