This story category covers chic and easy decor and entertaining projects, plus before and after home renovations.

Driftwood Candleholders - Heather Ross

Make These Driftwood Tealight Candlesticks

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With the proper size drill bit, you can turn pieces of driftwood and tealights into elemental candlesticks.

Driftwood Candleholders - Heather Ross

 

THE CREATIVE SOLUTION | When you think of craft projects involving driftwood, does your mind meander back to the mid-1970s and wall hangings made of macramé and driftwood? Where 70s-style craft projects tended to be hippie-like and folksy, the current spin is toward Zen-like minimalism. Materials are organic and weathered, but shapes are defined and graphic, together evoking a calm, spiritual quality. In a word: elemental. These candleholders are my nod to the return of organic. Read more

Photo Transfer- John Sinal

Turn Phototcopies Into Artworks On Canvass

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Photo transferring used to belong solely on t-shirts. Here’s how to take this idea out of the closet and put it on your walls.

Photo Transfer- John Sinal

 

CREATIVE SOLUTION | The first thing that comes to mind when I think of photo transfers is the unoriginal projects first year art students have to do. But one day, while I was making some photocopies, I thought about how transferring images onto ready-made mini-canvasses from an art supply store would leave them with an impression that looks painted on but without the brushstrokes. Photocopy transferring, I subsequently learned, can turn any snapshot into art. Read more

Stenciled Sheers by Brendan Power - Martin Tessler

How To Stencil On Sheer Curtain Fabric

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Printed sheers make stylish window covers. If you already have drapes, try slipcovering cushions in brightly patterned sheers.

Stenciled Sheers by Brendan Power - Martin Tessler

 

CREATIVE SOLUTION | I was never a big fan of anything stencilled until I tried stenciling on sheer fabric. Printed sheers are fashionable, make great curtains and are easy to customize on your own. Read more

Embossed Cards by Brendan Power - Martin Tessler

Fast Relief: How To Make Embossed Cards Quick

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The perfect alternative to E-cards, these beautifully embossed greeting cards are super simple to make.

Embossed Cards by Brendan Power - Martin Tessler

 

CREATIVE SOLUTION | Embossing your own stationery is super easy. You will need 90-pound watercolor paper (although you can emboss on lighter papers), a burnishing tool and some sort of template to outline the image. Almost anything with relief will work; I used a metal drain tile from a plumbing store, a simple bracket from a hardware store and a leaf template I found at a graphic arts supply store. Read more

Agapanthus "Streamline"

Use Outdoor Plants For Indoor Arrangements

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Some outdoor plants look spectacular potted up for the house before they’re turned loose in the garden.

Agapanthus "Streamline"

 

THE CREATIVE SOLUTION | Cut flowers straight from the garden or the corner store are a fine if conventional way to bring spring indoors. But bedding plants, which are becoming more plentiful everywhere as the gardening season takes hold, make equally attractive, arguably more novel and definitely cost-effective arrangements.
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Art stands 2- C. Hussey

Easy Make Stands For Your Little Art Works

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Make this classic art support for small images from a simple block of wood.

Art stands 2- C. Hussey

 

While not everyone has huge pieces of art gracing the walls of their home, most people do have plenty of little pieces, whether they are favourite photos or original, miniature works of art. But just how do you display these smaller things? You can hang them on the wall in thoughtful groupings to create a tableau, or you can find a way to set them on a table. For years I had been looking for an elegant way to display framed art or photos on a table top. I have never liked plate stands and using an easel seems derivative; finally, I designed an easy-make support of my own. Read more

Cornerstore tropicals in a vase

Tropical Plants Are Great In Arrangements

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Add fresh drama to your home in winter with long-lasting—and inexpensive—cuttings from supermarket tropical plants.

Corner Store Tropicals — C. Phaisalakani

 

By this time of year, when the garden is devoid of flowers, the florist shop is not the only source of plant material to put in an attractive vase. Cuttings from a potted plant purchased at your local supermarket or corner store can take their place.

Ingredients For Tropical Punch Read more

It’s Hip To Strip Metal Furniture: Here’s How

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Stripped bare and pummelled with walnut shells, vintage metal furniture takes on a cool, contemporary look.

Metal file cabinet

 

THE CREATIVE SOLUTION | Metal home or office furnishings dating from the 1950s are hot accent pieces for contemporary interiors, but painted items must be stripped entirely to the raw metal to bring them right up to date.

There are three ways to strip metal furniture. People with the space, time and muscle can use a biodegradable chemical paint remover such as Heirloom Furniture Stripper. Another method is to sand the paint off with an electric sander using a sanding pad specific to metal. Sanding leaves painty skid marks and a distinct pattern, giving the piece a timeworn look. Read more

Old School Slides Used To Make A Pendant Lamp Shade

Make A Lampshade From 35mm Slides

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How to make a conversation-starting pendant lampshade using 35mm slides.

Old School Slides Used To Make A Pendant Lamp ShadeHave you got boxes of old 35mm slides that need to be scanned and transformed into digital files on your computer— then turfed because you’ll just never, ever look at them on a slide projector screen again? Well, here’s something novel you can do with a stack of them.

My inspiration for this retro-look pendant lampshade came from the infamous credit card dress that a fashion designer wore to the Academy Awards ceremony a number of years ago. The construction method for both items is similar. Read more

Kraft Paper Christmas Wrap

Make Your Own Kraft Paper Gift Wrap

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Simple white kraft paper offers infinite wrapping possibilities. Here are three to get you started.

Kraft Paper Christmas WrapWhite kraft paper, the kind that comes in big rolls from art supply stores, is the perfect blank canvas to use for wrapping  gifts. I like it plain, dressed up with beautiful ribbon topped off with greenery such as sprigs of holly or bits of twig. I also like it decorated in the ways I’ve shown here. Read more