CasaSugar

Before and After: Living Room Makeover

CasaSugar — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:45:08 -0800

Do It Yourself recently checked in with Linda Thornburgh, whose living room was awash with neutral tones and outdated furnishings, and lacked warmth and personality. She wanted a space that could be formal as well as comfortable, and decided to execute a full overhaul of the space.

To see how she transformed this room, read more.

Linda had a cozy window seat with storage installed in front of the large picture window. She mixed traditional accent pieces, such as turned leg tables and an arched bookcase, with more contemporary seating pieces, bringing the whole space up to date. Family photos and personal collections personalized the room. The living room really underwent a drastic makeover that is a far cry from the original space, where color and personal style were nowhere to be found. To call it impressive would be a vast understatement.

You can see more photos and read more about this makeover at Do It Yourself.
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DIY: Ceiling Medallions as Wall Art

CasaSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:00:55 -0700

Since I was recently fawning over that ceiling medallion light, I couldn't help but stop in my tracks when I came across these ceiling medallions used as wall art. Do It Yourself offered up this creative idea in its collection of quick home projects. The lightweight urethane medallions were simply painted in subtly varying shades of yellow and easily mounted on the wall of this living room. The medallions are affordable, around $20 to $30, so it's quite an attainable way to bring "art" into your home. Another thought? Pick up a medallion with a circular opening in the center, and have a glass cutter make you a round mirror to size, and you'll have an ornate mirror at a fractional price.
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DIY: How to Mat Your Own Prints

CasaSugar — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 08:03:30 -0700

If you've started your art collection, you've probably encountered the high costs of having your first pieces framed and matted. Or, if you're thinking about starting your collection, you may be anxious about those costs. Either way, don't be fearful. Although a beautiful frame can really make a piece of art stand out, if you've chosen something that is unique and that is unequivocally "you," that alone will make the artwork. So, all you need is a simple, inexpensive frame, and to learn to mat your own prints.

To get the supply list and learn the steps that I learned from the small object, read more

Supplies:

a mat cutter (handheld or not)
a piece of acid-free matboard
your frame
a pencil
a box cutter
a straight edge ruler

Here are the steps:

Use the box cutter to cut out the size mat you need, depending on your frame size. If your frame came with a paper insert, that is a nice guide to use when cutting. From here on out, always work from the back of your matboard so you don’t mark up the front of it.
The border measurements are the same on the top, left, and right. The bottom border should be larger to give the piece visual weight. Mat borders need to be at least 2" thick, and even wider for larger work.
To figure out what your measurements should be, follow this example. If the mat is 8" in width and the artwork is 4.25" in width, the window of the mat should be 4" so that it covers the edges of the artwork somewhat, to hold it in place. Divide the window size by two to calculate the width of left and right mat borders. In this case it would be 2". So, the left, right, and top borders will all be 2" (since they need to be the same) and the bottom will be what's left over.
On the back of your mat, draw lines with your pencil to mark where the window will be, but be sure to extend the lines longer than necessary, so you can see where the corners cross.
Line up your mat cutter on the guidelines you marked. Position the mat cutter so that the angled blade is pointing toward the center of the artwork. Overcut each corner by about 1/4" to ensure that you get a crisp, clean corner. Push hard enough to make sure your blade is cutting through to the front of the mat.
After you’ve cut all four sides, your window should just slip right out. Put your mat into your frame, and your artwork behind the mat. Then tape your artwork with a small piece of duct tape on the top side to the back of the mat, and consult DearSugar for how to best display your awesome matted and framed art. Fini!

For more detailed steps, check out the small object's instructions.

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DIY: Fabric Wall Appliques

CasaSugar — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:00:05 -0700

Renters, I know it's hard for you to Dress Your Walls because many landlords prohibit wallpapering, painting, nailing things, and doing pretty much anything that makes your crib look cool. So, you'll be interested to learn this do-it-yourself technique for making spectacular fabric wall appliqués that can be removed easily when your lease is up.

To learn the steps, read more

Here's what you need:

a fabric of your choice
liquid starch (i.e. Niagra)
a brayer

Here's how you do it:

Cut whatever motifs you like in various sizes and shapes from the fabric that you chose.
Dip each piece into liquid starch and wring out excess liquid.
Smooth fabric onto wall and roll on with the brayer.

Continue until you are happy with the pattern.
Voilà!

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Definition: DIY

CasaSugar — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 10:37:35 -0700

Short for "do-it-yourself," DIY is an adjective used to describe home improvement, decorating, and crafts projects that you could hire a professional to do but instead opt to complete at home on your own. DIY could include everything from construction, lighting, and painting to furniture refinishing, landscaping, and sewing.

Though the term has been around for decades, the DIY philosophy has really caught on over the past 10 years, spawning such media as the DIY Network, devoted to home improvement, and crafty magazines like ReadyMade and Make.

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Weird Furniture: Mario Philippona Design (NSFW)

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 07:00:57 -0800

Dutch sculptor Mario Philippona developed a series called "Sexy Furniture," which mimics female forms in challenging wood. These shapes, he writes in a statement on his website, are "the most attractive in nature," and have inspired him. He designs his works on life-size working drawings and assembles his sculptures from pre-cut layers of wood, so that they're anatomically correct. He sees perfectionism, he writes on his site, "in the way women use fashion, high heels, fitness, and plastic surgery to portray themselves," and cites artists Allen Jones and Salvador Dali as inspiration. His works are finished with natural oil and wax and handcrafted from regional timber, the colors and textures of which he uses to emphasize his forms.
Shown here is the Boobycase, a sideboard of sorts (and the least graphic of his pieces), which was inspired by "a woman with fantastic breasts, seen in the sauna." Its hinges are all wood integrated into the object. More of Philippona's Sexy Furniture, but CAUTION: for adult eyes only, when you read more.

View 18 Photos ›

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DIY: An Etched Mirror

CasaSugar — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 08:22:34 -0800

I've been reflecting on this Budget Living Etched Mirror DIY project that I saw on A Room Somewhere, and I think you can really make a statement with it, or just something pretty to match your reflection. I like the silhouette idea, but the one shown is a little amateur. A bit more detail would up the intrigue. Personally, I'd like to do an ornate frame shape. What shape would you make?

Supplies:

A sheet of Con-tact Paper
A mirror
Scissors/X-acto Knife
Etching cream

To learn the steps, read more

Here's how:

Cut the piece of Con-tact paper into your desired shape.
Remove the paper's backing, and center on the mirror.
Press the paper down firmly and smoothly, and make sure there are no air bubbles.
Make sure the room is well-ventilated.
Brush a thick layer of the etching cream onto the exposed areas, using broad, even strokes.
Let it set for 5 minutes.
Rinse off the cream with tap water.
Remove the paper, and voilà!

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DIY: Decoupage on Glass

CasaSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 09:03:09 -0800

One of my favorite craft projects is découpage on glass. With a few supplies and a couple hours of your time, you can have a très elegant home décor item to use as a housewarming gift or as a festive candy dish for your Thanksgiving party!

Supplies:

the image(s) you want to adhere (make sure it fits on your glass item)
Mod Podge (a glue/sealer found in most art/craft stores)
a glass bowl or plate
two foam brushes
Latex paint the color of your choice
an acrylic sealer (optional)

To learn the steps, read more

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

Cut out the image(s) you want to use from the background. Magazines and antique prints are a great place to look for your images.
Clean the glass bowl or plate (a household glass cleaner will do).
Find a household object to prop your bowl or plate on, with the underside facing up, so you don’t paint the table you’re using.
Use a foam brush to apply Mod Podge to the front of your image. Adhere the image to the underside of your glass item, so you can see it from the front.

Seal the entire back of the plate (and back of image) with a few coats of Mod Podge. Let each coat dry before you move on to the next. Let dry.

Use a different foam brush to apply a coat of your Latex paint to the back of your bowl or plate. Let dry. Continue to add coats until it is no longer see-through from the front, letting dry between coats. The number of coats necessary is dependent on the darkness of the paint color you choose.
Once dry, seal the paint in with Mod Podge or an acrylic sealer.
Enjoy! I like to use my decoupage bowls as candy dishes or a place to throw my keys, and the plates are great for hors d’oeuvres or wall hangings!

DIY: Halloween Pattern Pals

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 07:04:41 -0700

I just spotted these cute Halloween crocheting patterns on Craftzine from Lion Brand, and I'm super sad that I have no clue how to crochet. I did notice that the skill level required to whip up these pirate and pumpkin pals is only beginner, so they might be a festive way for me to take up crocheting.

I also spotted this felted skull crochet pattern from Lion Brand which is a fun attempt to make crocheting seem edgy. It's also free if you fill out a simple registration form, which is a plus. Any crocheters out there?

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In the News: Observing, Not Doing It Yourself

CasaSugar — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:45:59 -0700

A recent New York TImes article, "If I Had a Hammer, I Wouldn’t Watch TV" by Michael Grimes, looks at the DIY movement through a most passive of pastimes - the television. Grimes spent an entire day watching the DIY Network, which is affiliated with two other get-up-and-do-it stations, the Food Network and HGTV. From the high class of This Old House to the writer's obvious boredom with knitting show Knitty Gritty (all right, yes, how exciting can a show about knitting really be?), a full day of DIY programming was critiqued from the safe confines of Grimes's recliner.

The obvious irony in this is that while do-it-yourself programs and books are meant to inspire ordinary people to pick up a power drill and get cracking, often the books, TV shows, and instructions never make it past the stage of observation. There's also, of course, something very seductive about watching a two-month-long kitchen remodel happen in the space of an hour. It's so much cleaner, cheaper, and less time consuming. On the other hand, it also means that the only home that's going to look any different is the one on your television screen.

To find out more about this article, as well as the DIY Network, read more.

With perhaps a tinge of sarcasm and the regret of a few poorly executed DIY projects behind him, Grimes observes, "In the world of DIY all measurements are precise, and all edges fit. No one bends a nail. Couples do not bicker. The tools are top quality, the hosts genial and omniscient. This is a world in which all problems get solved."

As an occasional DIY Network watcher, I know that there's a sweetness and sincerity to the shows' hosts and content that may strike some (including this NYTs writer, as cloying. I see it in exactly the opposite way though. These shows provide smart, commonsense advice on transforming your home and garden. It's always easier to sit back, turn on the tube, and start critiquing. It's much harder to pick up a hammer and actually get to work. With the DIY Network, that job becomes easier and more enjoyable. There's nothing wrong with that.

Check out one of my favorite DIY Network hosts, Ahmed Hassan, in the clip below.

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