CasaSugar

It's All Clear to Me

OnSugar Blog — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:00:54 PST

Here's a post from OnSugar blog FotoFlat:

I've had to get rid of a lot of crap since the epic downsizing of our living room began, and I have learned to let go of the back issues of magazines. Except for my Dominos and Blueprints. Never let go, Jack!

In the meantime, I now hate the brown paper magazine files I had before and don't know what to do with them now. Recycle? Curb?

Want to see more? Start following FotoFlat or start your own OnSugar Blog. Maybe your story will be posted here on CasaSugar!

Ask Casa: A Home Office for Two

CasaSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:00:00 PDT

Hi CasaSugar,
My boyfriend and I are moving into a small one bedroom, but luckily the living room is quite spacious. As children of the digital age, we always have our laptops out for work or school. Is there some sort of space-saving desk that allows for two workstations at a time? It would be easy to just get a long folding table, but I was hoping there was something more stylish. Thanks! SaranoemiTo hear my suggestion for Saranoemi,

Hello!
Funny you should ask. A home office for two that was featured in the now-defunct Blueprint magazine is one of my favorites. Two simple Parsons-style desks were pressed up back-to-back with a sheet of colorful Plexiglass in the middle.The arrangement offers a bit of privacy for each person, and the Plexiglass can be use to hang paperwork and stick Post-its, etc. You'll essentially have two work zones, but you won't break up the room physically or visually, since the sheet is transparent. And, it doesn't require as much wall space as a long table or two desks set length-wise against the wall.

Depending on how much space you have to work with, you can re-create this with either the West Elm Parsons Desk or Parsons Mini Desk. Contact your local plastics supplier for the sheet of Plexiglass.

Hope that helps!
Casa

Source and Source

Blueprint's DIY Charging Station Blueprint (Teehee)

GeekSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:30:40 PDT

When the legendary though short-lived Blueprint magazine folded, I mourned the loss of another favorite. Not only was Blueprint, a Martha Stewart title, the one magazine I felt that was really made for me, by people like me, but it recognized the three-dimensional female life.

Specifically, Blueprint knew that modern girls are gadget girls - in its inaugural issue, it won me over with this: DIY instructions for a charging station. An attractive, expensive (not DIY-looking at all, incidentally) charging station (perhaps you are familiar with my search).

So I present to you, the instructions for this fabulous charging station, now on Martha Stewart's website (Blueprint's site has gone MIA, but its awesome blog offshoot Bluelines remains).

A note about the suggested boxes for the project: The Container Store no longer has the specific Library Project cases on their website, but still has this striped version; I prefer the look of the solid-color library project cases, so perhaps these office storage boxes or these paper drawers can be adapted. Happy DIYing!

View 4 Photos ›

DIY: Make Yourself an Ottoman

CasaSugar — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:15:33 PST

I recently stumbled upon an excellent DIY over on Blueprint's blog, and since it's Renewal month at Casa, I thought that many of you might be inspired by their great instructions. If you have some old cushions lying around, this is a simple way to bring them into the twenty-first century. To find out how to do it,

Supplies:

Two couch cushions (box cushions work best)
wood cut to fit the cushions
Paint in your choice of color
4 casters
Power drill

Here's how:

Choose two cushions. You could use regular sofa cushions, but for a more streamlined look, purchase box-edged floor cushions.
Measure the cushions.
Have a piece of wood cut to the size of your cushion at your local lumber store.
Choose a paint color for the ottoman's wood base.Then paint the wood and let dry.
Choose your casters. You'll need four.
Drill four holes in the wood - all approximately 2 inches in from each corner - and screw the casters into the holes.
Flip over so the casters are on the floor, and stack both cushions on top of the wood platform.
For best results, use a nonslippery fabric on the cushions, such as canvas. Silkier fabrics tend to slip, which isn't conducive to ottoman relaxation!

Source

This Just In: Blueprint to Fold

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 09:21:33 PST

As if the recent demise of shelter favorite House and Garden wasn't enough bad news, now sources say that Blueprint is folding as well. According to fishbowlNY, the magazine billed as a "fresh, fun guide to personal style" apparently couldn't find enough of an audience. While not completely disappearing, Blueprint will be dialed back into a publishing schedule that will coordinate with Martha Stewart Weddings. The number of layoffs related to this action is unconfirmed, though a number of employees may be retained. The final issue of Blueprint will be January/February 2008.

This is a magazine that I, for one, will sorely miss.

For an excerpt from the official press release, available at fishbowlNY, just

According to the official press release,

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. today announced strategic plans for two of its publications for 2008. Going forward, the company will produce Blueprint as focused special interest issues within the home category, which it will introduce to brides-to-be through its established Martha Stewart Weddings magazine. Bluelines, the Blueprint blog, will continue and the company anticipates growing Blueprint digital content across its websites. Blueprint magazine will discontinue publishing on a stand-alone basis after the January/February 2008 issue.

As more news comes in, I'll update Casa readers on developments.
Source

Telescopeeyes' Holiday Light Project

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 04:15:07 PST

After seeing the post where Angelica made her version of Blueprint magazine's Light Bright diy holiday project, Telescopeeyes was inspired to make her own. (Blueprint's project is on the left, while Telescopeeyes' version is on the right.)

She says, "I set out to try using what I already had on hand to pull it off (instead of spending the outrageous $140 detailed in the mag)."

To see how she made her very cheap version of the Light Bright, just

What She Used

An old Ikea frame covered with stapled fabric from apartment decor of years past (wood frame, thick cardboard backing, fabric). It may be the 21x29 (19x27) RAM which is only $4.99 new.
White semi-gloss latex paint (left over from painting wall trim in the house, quart size). You can purchase a new can (Valspar 1-Quart Ultra Premium Interior Latex Semi-Gloss Wall & Trim Paint, Ultra White) at Lowe's for $12.
A new $2 set of 100-bulb mini Christmas lights (white cord) from Target. I didn't bother gluing the lights in.

Has anyone else tried this project?

DIY: Blueprint-Inspired Holiday Project

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:09:26 PST

Our own Angelica completed a DIY project over the holidays that's positively brilliant.
She writes:

After a series of failed baking adventures I realized it was time for me to transfer my love for YumSugar and food magazines to CasaSugar and design magazines. In the spirit of the holidays I picked a Light Bright project from this month's Blueprint magazine. I must admit, I'm a much better painter and craftswoman than I am a baker so the project was definitely a confidence booster. The Blueprint picture is on the left, my replica is on the right.

To find out how to make your own replica, just

What You'll Need

stretched canvas
paint
brushes
groundcloth or newspapers to protect your floor
pencil
awl
white twinkly tree lights
craft glue

You can find the complete Blueprint directions here. But read on for Angelica's directions:

Start by painting a stretched canvas from an art-supply store (Blueprint used a pale-pink latex paint, I picked a light-gold color because the walls of my house are all beige.)
Plot out your design by penciling dots on the back, keeping them a half inch apart.
Gently press an awl through each dot to make a hole slightly smaller than the diameter of the bulb (the Blueprint creators and I both used white Christmas lights).
Press a bulb into each hole; secure each with craft glue. (I skipped the glue step just in case any of the lights blow out.)

View 10 Photos ›

100 Reasons to Get Rid of Stuff

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 13:27:02 PDT

I have way too much stuff, and I know I'm not alone. Every weekend, it seems, I'm adding to a pile of clothes, books, and home decor I don't like anymore with the goal of hauling it off to Goodwill. So thanks to Unclutterer for pointing me to this massive list, originally published in Blueprint, called 100 Reasons to Get Rid of It.

There's really a wealth of information here, including shocking factoids and great online resources that will help you rid your life of clutter. Many of the "reasons" are charities in need of your donations, most of which I hadn't heard of before. I highly recommend reading the whole list, but here are 10 of my favorites:

People burn 55 minutes a day looking for things.
80 percent of what we own we never use.
Verizonwireless.com. Put a refurbished phone (of any brand) into the hands of a domestic violence victim.
help1up.org. Furnish homes for disaster victims.
dressforsuccess.org. Give interview and work clothing to disadvantaged women.
Around 23 percent of people pay late fees on bills they cannot find.
giftcardbuyback.com. Get cash for gift cards you'll never use.
The Bronx, New York, man who, in 2003, was trapped in his home under an avalanche of books and newspapers for two days before being rescued.
"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." -William Morris
Swaporamarama.org. Attend nationwide clothing exchanges and do-it-yourself alteration workshops.

What Is Your Favorite Home Magazine?

CasaSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 04:20:13 PDT

Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride: How To Reuse Those Lonely Dresses

FabSugar — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:15:22 PDT

I've done a lot of wedding coverage for brides, but I was thinking how many of us are bridesmaids so many more times than we are brides - and how we all end up with many of those dreaded bridesmaid dresses.

So what to do? I've put together a couple of ideas for ways to recycle all those bridesmaid dresses collecting in your closet, and please - if you have any more ideas, do share!

If you're crafty, Blueprint Magazine has five great ways to rework the dress - giving it a little makeover, shall we say. Think painted maxi-skirt, strapless bubble dress, and more!
Or if you'd rather have a great home decoration than another piece of clothing, Home & Garden TV has a how-to on turning the dress into a decorative lampshade or photo album cover - for real! Another site has a how-to on transforming the dress into pillow slipcovers.
If you're not so crafty, you can always take the dress to the tailor and get the hem altered to cocktail length, or the sleeves taken off so that the dress becomes a sleeveless sheath. There are a million possibilities, especially if your tailor is willing to collaborate and give you advice!
But if you just really can't stand the thing, can't even stand to look at it any more, consider donating it to The Princess Project, or a similar organization that collects prom dresses for high school girls in your area. That way the dress will be going to good use!

Source