CasaSugar

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.

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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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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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Before and After: Restoring a Victorian Staircase

CasaSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:00:32 -0700

Last year, San Francisco renovator John Clarke Mills bought an 1890s Victorian that needed a ton of work. So far, he's worked on everything from the foundation to rewiring.

His latest challenge has been tackling the staircase, which had been separated. The house had been divided into two rental units in the past, and the lower banister had been removed decades ago.

John writes, "Since the house was split into two units at one point in its life a wall was put up between the upstairs and downstairs. We were hoping that inside the wall we would find ourselves a banister like our neighbors did, but no such luck. Obviously whoever did the work on our house didn't have the foresight that the neighbors did. Anyway, we were only left with one choice; rebuild it ourselves."

To see the results of John's hard labor, read more.

John turned to San Fransisco Victoriana to help re-create the components of the banister, based on how it looked in the upstairs hallway. The results are impeccable, and a wonderful re-creation of the original staircase.

John writes, "After 5 days of working straight for ten hours and a lot of follow-up work including stain, multiple coats of varnish, and paint we are finally finished. I think it turned out wonderful and couldn’t be happier about the results. It was a great learning experience and not all that complicated as long as you have patience and some good do-it-yourself experience. The pride of building something like this yourself and saving thousands on highly skilled labor is enough to make me want to do it again someday."

Have you ever taken on a house project this challenging? Read more about John's renovations on his blog.

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Cool Idea: Tyvek Transitions to the Home Design World

CasaSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:00:25 -0700

While you may use Tyvek to cover your car or construct your house, I doubt that you use any for home decorating. That might be about to change, though. Philadelphia design firm MIO has transformed this most utilitarian of fabrics into pretty designs suitable for use as decorative home textiles. The company's first Tyvek fabric design is called "Loop," and is printed with a pattern on one side and a solid color on the other.

For more photos and a complete description of this product, read more.

MIO describes the product thusly:

Loop By the Yard is a reversible textile-like material for all DIY projects. Each order ships with a prepaid envelope for shipping scraps or the actual project (when no longer wanted or needed) back to MIO for recycling. Designed as a free product take-back system, Loop is made from Tyvek, a spun bonded high-density polyethylene non-woven. This material has been actively collected and recycled for decades and now MIO will be employing this existing recycling infrastructure to complete and test a closed recycling loop. Each yard of Loop can be cut, sewn, wrinkled, folded, pierced, hung or hemmed like a textile. It is durable, breathable and waterproof, making it ideal for a variety of do-it-yourself indoor and outdoor projects.

Would you consider using Tyvek in your home? I love the design, as well as the eco aspects of the material, and just might have to experiment with it.

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Thanksgiving DIY Ideas

CasaSugar — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 10:30:23 -0800

When it comes to what's in the oven on Thanksgiving day, most of us will be keeping our hands busy, be it with a 25-pound bird or an easy green bean casserole. But that do-it-yourself attitude needn't only to apply to the eats: there are other things on the table that could use some of that same homemade finesse. To learn some ways you can DIY your Thanksgiving décor this year, check out this slideshow! Source

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Cool Idea: I.V. Self-Watering Plant Pot

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:00:47 -0700

I once showed you how to make a self-watering planter from a recycled soda bottle, and while the DIY was pretty easy and inventive, I will admit it wasn't the most handsome pot I've ever seen. I'm not someone who thinks we should need to make sacrifices when it comes to good design, so I kept my eyes peeled and was silently hoping for a sexier alternative. Then came the Vitamin I.V. Self-Watering Planter ($375), an ingenious pot that comes with a refillable I.V. bag that regulates the flow of water to your plant with its drip feed. The lightweight fiberglass pot has a sleek, modern conical shape that's a far cry from the do-it-yourself look of that surgeried soda bottle. Unfortunately, I.V. is quite large (as is its price) at 12.5 x 21.25 inches, and is really meant to hold a tree, so now I'm not-so-silently hoping Vitamin will release a mini version for more petite plants.