CasaSugar

Nice and New: Charles & Ray Eames Stamps

CasaSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:45:32 -0700

Back in January, I wrote that the United States Postal Service would release Charles and Ray Eames stamps featuring the Eames Wire-Base Table, the Hang-It-All, the Lounge Chair and Ottoman, the House of Cards, the Molded Plywood Lounge Chair, the Aluminum Side Chair, the Molded Plastic Side Chair, the Storage Unit, the Wire Chair, and the La Chaise. Well, the time has come folks. You can pick up your own pane of 16, self-adhesive 42–cent Charles and Ray Eames stamps ($6.72) at your local post office. That's right, if Eames furniture wasn't already out of your budget, stamps now cost 42 cents. I plan on framing one sheet, and saving another for letters to my favorite design-fiend friends.

Wedding Planner: Make Your Own Stamps

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:00:08 -0700

One place where I splurged when planning my wedding was designing and ordering custom postage stamps. Since I'd put so much time into designing my invitations, I didn't want to muck up the pretty envelopes with the pink, overly saccharine Love stamps that were my option from the USPS (plus the pink stamps would clash horribly with my celedon green envelopes). Instead, I decided to design postage stamps through Zazzle, which has partnered with the USPS to provide stamps to folks who are interested in designing them to mark special occasions or to just add a little bit of fun to a letter.

To see how to make your own stamps, just read more.

The process is very simple. Just upload a photo, add text, and then click and drag the image or text until you have it perfectly placed. You can even choose between a wide range of font sizes and styles, and also choose the size of your stamp. Stamps are also available in a number of postal rates, from Postcard to Priority. I think this is a great way to add a little something extra to an invitation and a bit of a couple's personality to the envelope or RSVP card. Granted, it will cost you a bit more. A sheet of 20 first-class stamps in the small size on Zazzle is $14.95, while a sheet of 20 at the post office would only run you $8.40. Still, if you order more than one sheet, you get $2 taken off each order. I figured that I ended up paying an extra $75 for all of my postage, and even though we're trying to keep a tight rein on our budget, my fiancé and I both agreed that this was one place we were happy to splurge.

To get started, just go here, and for all of our wedding coverage, check out IDoSugar.

This Just In: USPS to Release Charles & Ray Eames Stamps

CasaSugar — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 11:00:26 -0800

Next Summer, the United States Postal Service will release a pane of 16 stamps honoring and recognizing husband and wife design partners Charles and Ray Eames for "their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design, manufacturing and photographic arts." To get all the details, read more.

The designs featured include the Wire-Base Table, the Hang-it-All, the Lounge Chair and Ottoman, the House of Cards, the Molded Plywood Lounge Chair, the Aluminum Side Chair, the Molded Plastic Side Chair, the Storage Unit, the Wire Chair, and the La Chaise. Design Notes writes that "it may also be the only time you can get an Eames La Chaise for 41 cents." It's interesting (and fun!) to see these designs in a new form (much like the coasters). It's also fitting to use the designs as stamps, since as the USPS points out, "Charles and Ray Eames used new materials and technology to create high-quality products that addressed everyday problems and made modern design available to the American public."

Link Time!

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:00:13 -0700

Could a shack ever be so cool? - Oh Joy!
Oh no. This is not happening. Banksy art wall decals. - AT:NY
I'm envious of these intricate paper cuts by Helen Musselwhite. - Automatism
Learn to make a pennant rubber-stamp roller. - Craftzine
I adore this printed pottery. - Decor8
Have yourself some colorful eye candy. - Peacock Feathers

Casa Quickie: Archive Your Magazines

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 08:00:04 -0700

I've been stockpiling shelter magazines since before I had my own apartment to decorate. But as my beloved pubs continue to fold (RIP House & Garden and Domino), I want to protect my issues more than ever.

I was delighted to learn of a magazine binding service offered by Denver Bookbinding to aid my archiving efforts. Send the company your ole Dominos and they'll bind your mag stack into as many hardcovers as you'd like. You can choose from 20 different colors of grade F buckram material, a highly durable, acid-free, library-quality canvas, and have the title, volume, year, and months printed on the spine. Foil stamping can be done in gold, silver, white, or black. One book up to 12 inches in height and two inches thick will cost $50, but the price per book decreases when you order more books. And if you want to get fancy, you can pay extra for front cover stamping, imitation leather, or decorative lines.

Etsy Find: Table Talk Napkin Rings

CasaSugar — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:00:28 -0700

If you were tempted by the customized wedding ring bowl from artist Paloma's Nest, chances are that you'll also fall for these Table Talk Napkin Rings ($48 for four). Made from reclaimed wood, the rings are stamped with a message of your choice. Need a wedding present for a newlywed couple? These, stamped with their wedding date, would be a great choice. Want to commemorate a special occasion or gathering? These rings can do just that. Since each ring is only two inches in diameter, the text is limited to 30 characters and spaces. The text is printed in uppercase letters in black ink, and the wood is sanded to a smooth finish to accommodate your favorite linens.

Casa Verde: Customized Wedding Ring Bowl

CasaSugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:30:00 -0700

If you're looking for a way to enhance the unique feel of your wedding ceremony, consider adding one of Caroline Colom Vasquez's gorgeous ring bowls to the big day. Vasquez, an Austin, TX, artist and designer, runs the shop Paloma's Nest, where she designs ceramic bowls, tiles, and decorative pieces for the home. Many of the pieces in the Paloma’s Nest line are available with custom texts, which adds special meaning to the pieces. You can order the With This Ring Bowl ($26) with that message stamped in the bowl's interior, or customize the bowl with your own special words or message. I used one of Caroline's ring bowls in my wedding ceremony, and had a line from a poem special to my husband and me stamped onto the bowl. You could also customize it with your names, the date of your wedding, or a quote or special message.

Each Paloma’s Nest piece is hand cut, free form, with no pattern, imbuing each piece with its own variation in the size, shape, and layout of the text. The shop is eco, too: Recycled, up-cycled, and biodegradable products are prominent throughout the line, as well as in the gift packaging in which pieces arrive. The studio is also powered 100 percent by renewable wind energy.

Explore more of Caroline's line at her shop.

DIY: Simple Panel Curtains (in Four Hours or Less)

CasaSugar — Tue, 12 May 2009 10:00:00 -0700

Our living room features large deck doors that look out over the San Francisco Bay - a beautiful view, no doubt, but one that was previously obscured by some boring, less-than-aesthetically-pleasing vertical shades. Intent on making a Spring change, I decided to whip up some simple panel curtains to improve the view both inside and out. I chose a pretty, patterned Amy Butler fabric, which added a textile highlight to the room, and with a few simple but smart techniques, I managed to get these off my ironing board and onto curtain rods in about three hours.

Want to learn how to make these curtains? Then read more.
What You'll Need

2 to 4 panels of fabric (cotton is easy to work with, and seasonally appropriate), cut to the correct window length, plus about 1/3 of a yard extra to allow for shrinkage and seams
Sewing machine
Matching thread
Iron and ironing board
Pins
Scissors
Curtain rods

How to Do It

The first time-saving technique begins before you even step into the fabric store. Measure the length of the window/wall you want your panel to cover. Add 1/3 of a yard to this number. (For instance, if your window/wall is six feet, you want seven feet of fabric cut, and would ask for 2 and 1/3 yards cut.) Now, decide how many panels you need. Two? Four?
At the fabric store, ask (nicely!) the fabric store employee to cut your fabric out in panels, instead of in one long piece. This will save you a lot of time measuring and cutting at home. Just remember to measure very carefully before jotting down your needed lengths.
At home, toss the fabric in the laundry, as it will definitely shrink.
Iron your fabric panels. Look at the long sides of the fabric. The edges are already semi-finished (no raw edges), but the name of the fabric designer, as well as the color stamp, are visible. Iron this edge over, and then sew the sides first with a straight stitch. You won't have to double the edges over, since the edge is semi-finished to start with.
Next, fold over about half an inch of fabric for the bottom hem. Iron this hem over, onto the wrong side (the side with the lighter fabric pattern). Now, fold that hem over and iron it again. This will hide the raw edges. Sew this bottom hem with a straight stitch.
Now, start on the top of the curtain. Fold over about half an inch of fabric onto the wrong side. Iron, then sew. Then, fold the top of the curtain over so there is enough room to slide the curtain rod through. Iron, then sew with a straight stitch.
Your first panel is done! Now, repeat these techniques with the remaining panels. If you're using a pattern like I did, you may want to check to make sure your patterns match on each panel. You can easily do this by pinning the unfinished panel next to the finished (hung) panel, and then adjusting to line up the patterns.

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Link Time!

CasaSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:00:08 -0800

This home balances classic and modern influences.- Desire to Inspire
Improve your fridge with these DIY energy savings.- AT:LA
Check out these new uses for aluminum foil.- Real Simple
Discover a new use for old stamps.- Craft
Use wallpaper as drawer liners.- PointClickHome
New Jersey now boasts a new solar project.- Forecast Earth
Check out a strawbale house in the UK.- Inhabitat

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How-To: Make Homemade Gift Tags

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:15:19 -0800

One great way to personalize a gift during the holiday season is by creating unique gift cards. I recently found a cute, easy tutorial for doing just that. You start out with a simple shipping tag, like the one seen above.

What You'll Need

shipping tags
small fabric scraps
glue or thread and needle
twine, yarn, or ribbon
letter stamps, or calligraphy markers or other nice pens

To find out how to make it, read more.

Here's how to do it, from Zakka Life:

Cut a small piece of fabric with pinking shears. Hand sew fabric onto tag, or glue the edge closest to the small end of the tag.
Hand stamp a name, or write the name or message under the fabric on the tag.
Attach a ribbon, twine, or piece of yarn to tag, and attach it to gift.
Give gift!

Check out Zakka Life for other inspiring home posts!

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