DIY Life

Here's a great idea for bedside storage. Might I add, it's a great idea because it's really easy and, assuming you already have a tote bag to spare, it's free! Makezine put me onto this idea from Five Whys: repurpose an old tote bag as an underbed pocket.

You will need:

1. An old cloth tote bag
2. Scissors
3. Needle and thread or (even better!) a sewing machine
   
4. About 10 minutes to an hour of your time, depending on your sewing skills

Cut the bag down each side, starting at the top end and ending about halfway down. Fold the cut flap down inside the bag. Fold and sew the cut side edges to prevent fraying. Next, lay the bag's handles and top half under your mattress, letting the newly-created pocket hang down the side of the bed. The weight of the mattress should keep the bag in place. Voila! A place for bookmarks, magazines and other odds and ends.

Want to make a tote bag? Anna can tell you how. Oh, and she knows how to make a bag from old jeans, too!

The other day, I found an interesting and easy decorative glass vase tutorial over at CasaSugar. I thought to myself, "That's pretty cool for around the house, but I bet it would also be perfect as a wedding centerpiece." In fact, it turns out that the project originated at DIY Bride.

This is really as simple as picking up some rub-on transfers you like, along with a clear glass vase that has a smooth surface. After making sure the vase is completely clean and dry, just cut around the transfers you like, then use the burnishing stick that comes in the package to carefully rub designs onto the vase (exactly as you would if you were rubbing them onto paper).

The transfers are sold in almost any store that carries scrapbooking or other craft supplies. Thousands of designs are available, but if you can't find any rub-ons that you like in your area, the DIY Bride post has a list of online resources.

This project is as versatile and stylish as your imagination (for example, the right transfers would make it great for Mother's Day), but this is not exactly a new tip: a few months ago, this concept also ran in the Winter, 2008 issue of Somerset Life magazine, where it was used to decorate glass bottles and jars. Please join me after the break to read more about the appealing ideas that were presented there.

I don't fold my sheets. There, I said it. It's not that I don't know how. I do know how; I helped my mom with laundry all the time when I was a kid. But I don't really know how to do it by myself. What do you do when no one is holding the other end? So, I just sort of do a half-hearted fold, then wrap them all up until they fit into my linen closet.

Now you know one of my deepest, darkest secrets.

Ok, I kid (about the secret, not about not folding my sheets). The truth is, neatly folded sheets just aren't a priority for me. I mean, they're sheets. When I use them, my eyes are closed. Who cares if they're wrinkled?

I'm all about instant gratification, and this quick and easy cereal box organizer delivers. It's a fun craft to do with your kids, a perfect way to reuse cereal boxes, and a great place to store your magazines. My son and I had an awesome time making this magazine rack.

The project couldn't be more inexpensive -- you probably have all the materials you need lying around the house right now. All you need is a cereal box, glue stick or double-sided tape, sturdy paper, and scissors or an exacto knife.

Simply measure and cut the desired angle on a cereal box large enough to house magazines. To cover the box, I used leftover wallpaper; contact paper or heavy wrapping paper would also work well. Check out the gallery for more details.

Christmas is in less than a week: is all of your shopping done? It's getting a bit late to order anything (especially if you don't want to pony up for pricey overnight shipping), but if you're shopping for crafty friends, there's probably a lot available in your own town.

However, bead, paint, and yarn choices are completely subjective, you may not know what tools your loved ones need (beading loom? spinning wheel? umbrella swift? easel?), kits can be hit-or-miss, and I'm not sure anyone needs craft-themed sweatshirts. (Ever.) Have major advances in the world of crochet hooks or embroidery hoops really been made in the past year? Probably not. So when I thought about what makes a great holiday gift in the DIY realm, I kept coming back to one thing....

Please join us after the break to find the best of the latest craft books! There's certainly something here to please almost every creative person on your list: beaders and jewelry makers, people straddling the mixed-media art/craft divide, knitters, crocheters, scrapbookers, and anyone else who likes to learn how to make interesting things with their hands.

(Even better, you shouldn't have any problem finding most of these books at 4:00 in the afternoon on December 24th.)

Many women have a fond place in their hearts for Victoria, the magazine that ceased publication in 2003 after a 16-year run. It was a lifestyle magazine, glancingly similar to Martha Stewart Living, with articles about anything that fit in with a romantic 19th century theme. It also showcased attempts to capture a similar vibe in modern life.

Some features were overtly historical, while others would simply be about wearing vintage-repro jewelry with modern clothing. There were always lots of recipes, all of which seemed to have something to do with country-house Christmases, garden parties, and afternoon tea.

If that sounds wonderful to you, I have good news: Victoria was recently relaunched with a new publisher, and is available on newsstands. Since that is not, however, news that is necessarily related to any sort of DIY topic, I have to add that they have some tips for you on their website. You can learn more about them after the break.

Want to make a homemade gift for someone but you're short on time or money? Here's a quickie craft that doesn't require special skills or talent but yields an impressive finished product.

Materials:

• Page Pebble stickers (found in craft stores and scrapbooking shops, available in different shapes and sizes)
• Old magazines with interesting images
• Magnets (no bigger than diameter of your Page Pebbles)