CasaSugar

DIY: Rockin' Vinyl Record Bowl

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:57:00 -0700

I love crafts made from recycled records, like this blue-vinyl wall clock and ring-binder journal. It's a great way to re-purpose damaged or dorky vinyl, and the items have a lot retro charm. One of my favorite projects is this Rockin' Vinyl Record Bowl, which is a ridiculously easy DIY endeavor you can complete in less than half an hour. Here's how to make one.

1. Choose a record that you (obviously) don't mind destroying; I found this Kingston Trio vinyl at a thrift store. Choose one with a cool-looking label, since that will be the bottom of your bowl. Then, locate an oven-safe bowl that's about the same size as the bowl you want to make.

For the next steps, read more

2. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Turn the bowl upside down on a cookie sheet, and balance the record horizontally on the base of the bowl. When the oven is hot, place the cookie sheet, the bowl, and the record inside and set your timer for 8 to 10 minutes.

3. After 8 to 10 minutes, the vinyl will have conformed to the bowl; just use a potholder to check that the vinyl is soft enough to shape. The vinyl cools quickly, so you'll be able to work with it within seconds, but don't forget that the bowl and cookie sheet are hot!

4. Holding onto the oven-safe bowl with a potholder, peel the record off the bowl and place it inside, so that the sides of the bowl hug the record. Now, you can shape the edges however you'd like; more precise folding will give you finer scalloped edges like on my bowl. If the vinyl gets too cool to mold, just stick it back in the oven for a few minutes.

5. Your record bowl is ready to use! These work well as fruit bowls, catch-all trays, and containers for potted plants, or you can hang yours on the wall as art.

If you end up doing this DIY project, please do share the results!

Etsy Find: Recycled Album Jacket Coasters

CasaSugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:00:03 -0700

If you're decorating a masculine bedroom or a hipster dude haven, or if you just want to show off your taste for rock 'n roll, add a set of Recycled Album Jacket Coasters and a Vinyl LP Bowl ($29) to your home.

Etsy seller Inoudid's Attic is repurposing her husband's vintage vinyl record album collection into these one-of-a-kind coaster and bowl sets (side note: my husband would never forgive me if I started deconstructing his vinyl collection). Each set has nine coasters, made by laminating the album jacket to a piece of Baltic birch plywood. They're then protected with a clear, moisture-resistant finish, and have felt pads underneath to protect your tabletops. Are these your style?

Get the Look: Hipster Dude Haven

CasaSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:30:35 -0700

Is your man a hipster dude? Do his digs need to be decorated? This Get the Look will show you how to create a dude-worthy pad for your main squeeze, for which he will be forever grateful. If you get it right, maybe he'll take you out for green tea gelato and a Godard film!

The Palette: In one word, jumbled. No hipster dude haven should actually have a palette. That would be against the rules — anything goes for an apathetic decorator. Most of his furnishings and decorative accents can be described as found, hand-me-down, vintage, flea market, old, or belonging to his old roommate, Knoll (yes, named after the furniture designer). If by coincidence they match, it had nothing to do with him.

To find out about his furniture, lighting, and accents, read more.

The Furniture: Furniture will be mostly street finds, or pieces left over from roommates past. That's not to say that your man doesn't have an eye for design - he does, but he'd never pay full price for original pieces. He might, though, find a Wassily Chair on the street with a broken seat and fix it by placing a task chair from his art studio class in the center of it. And he has hobbies, too - like pinball (a non-contact sport). So, he might buy a custom-built pinball coffee table from Craigslist. If you have to ask about the bed, then you should probably remember who you're dating. Mattress, no box spring, on the floor (sheets could use a wash).

The Lighting: Hipster dudes aren't really into lamps, unless you're talking about the Leg Lamp from A Christmas Story. But they do like conserving energy, so be sure to pick up some CFLs.

The Accents: Accents are key for an HD.

Walls. To start, the Lit major will definitely want a book poster featuring a title by his favorite author (Urban Outfitters Book Posters, $29.99). And he probably picked up a poster at the benefit event for the radio he DJ'd for in college (try Aesthetic Apparatus). To get his dose of rebellion, he might also go for a Che wall hanging ($15).
Bedding. For sheets, what could be more rad than a Pabst Blue Ribbon pillowcase ($12)? To keep himself warm, he'll use an afghan blanket he found in the basement closet of his mom's house — Grams crocheted it.
Tableware. If he's a smoker, he will likely ash in the vinyl record bowl that you DIY'd for him. Glassware will consist of odds and ends, including but not limited to plastic cups from Mardi Gras parades, Solo cups (which also make great ashtrays), and beer glasses stolen from his favorite watering hole.
Muzik. HD is into tunes, too, so he's got to have a vintage turntable to play his vast collection of records (he's been a collector since he was 5). But don't be fooled; he probably has a fancy new iMac hidden under his pile of clothes somewhere to play — gasp! — mp3s downloaded from Soulseek. He'll also need a vintage projector for aesthetics, and to throw a Wes Anderson-appreciation movie night in the park.
Bathroom. Every man loves the toilet throne, and yours also loves his bike, so a 10 Speed Vinyl Toilet Graphic is only appropriate. While he's in the bathroom, he might also like to lather up with a Poor Boy Beer Vegan-Friendly Soap Bar ($4.75) made from PBRs.

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