Posts

Diy cork jar tops from recycled cork

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      I dried and prepared tea in some glass jars a while back. I reused instant coffee jars, but didn't want to use the original plastic caps. For a while I used paper with string as a makeshift cap - looked good, but wasn't practical. So I tried to recycle unused cork pin board and glued together something that resembled a cork cap.

Handmade decor alternative to a Christmas tree (also cat safe)

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    Inspiration for this little project came because I have several cats who seem to have a particular climbing interest if anything resembling a tree is brought into our home. And yes that means that sometimes they see me as a tree too. But I still wanted something green and christmas-y at home so figured that a simpler wall decoration would bring just that.

Glow in the dark lantern

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      I wouldn't call this a diy project, but more like a practical idea. I had bought two small candle lanterns a while back. I had a idea to use them as a garden light at night, but didn't get to that, so I thought of something simpler.

Handmade tablet case

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      I enjoy making notebooks from scratch in my spare time and sometimes I don't finish what I have started and I am left with a bunch of half finished notebook parts like covers and text blocks. Well, this is a project for one such part, namely the cover.

DIY wood deckle for paper making

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       This is a simple tutorial for a handmade wood deckle. All you'll need is some wood for the frames and a mesh.

DIY handmade design, decor and pattern paper

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    Maybe you can't find what you are looking for, maybe can't even find something you like, either case here are some ideas to make your own design/ pattern paper...

Handmade recycled paper notebook

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This book is almost fully made using recycled materials, probably close to 95%. The paper for the text block is made from old newspapers, the cardboard for the cover comes from an old book, which otherwise would have been discarded. The only new materials used are the kraft paper for the cover and the fabric for the spine.

Free 2024 printable calendar with doodles

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How to stitch a text block

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    It might sound like a hard task, but it really is simpler than it looks. On the plus side this whole process doesn't take very long and is quite relaxing with a added bonus of being productive. Here I am using recycled paper to create a stitched text block, but you can really use any paper of your choosing. The reason the sheets are folded this way is because I was making a photo album.

DIY Handcrafted stamps

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        Handmade stamps have been around for a very long time. From the first wooden block stamps and wax seals to the relatively recent addition of rubber stamps, stamping has been a way to communicate alongside the written word.

Different ways to decorate a handmade notebook

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           Don't judge a book by its cover. That's true, but still, you can change the cover to better match the contents inside. There is no one way to style your cover, but here are some of the ideas.     Vinyl wallpaper has a bonus that makes it easy to work with. Because of its relative softness in comparison to paper, when gluing to a cover, it wrinkles much less. This way you can use the various designs found at the shops or create a new design by turning it over and using the blank side. The end result gives you a soft textured feel and look.

Book binding through history

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         Books have been around for a very long time in the form of scrolls, clay or wax tablets or simply a tree bark, but around the 1st century AD, in the Roman Empire, the codex style book, similar to the modern day version, was invented. It took around 500 years for the codex in the western world to completely replace these earlier forms.     Books then on were bound between hard covers (mostly wood), with folded parchment pages sewn on to strong cords and covered with leather. Back then all books were hand crafted and took a lot of skill and effort, therefore every book was unique and different. There was rarely a uniformity in size or design. The grandest of bound works often had intricate metal decorations and even jewels on the cover.      Around the 16th century, with the arrival of the rag paper manufacturing, bookbinding started to look quite similar to what it is today. Also heavy wood covers could be replaced with lighter m...

Free March 2023 printable calendar

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  Click here to download PDF

Eco friendly calendar from recycled paper

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        This is not a tutorial, but more a gift idea if you like a mix of natural and eco friendly, but also a practicality.

How wool yarn is made (short version)

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      Before wool becomes something we can enjoy, it goes through a rather long process. So let me tell you how wool yarn is created in a much shorter version.

Handmade notebook ideas

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 This is a collection of the few notebooks I have recently made. Maybe you can draw some inspiration from these ideas. It is possible that I'll post tutorials for some of the books too. 

Is linen a better choice for interior

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          Linen is a natural fiber that has been used for thousands of years and for a good reason. It is ecological and naturally durable. Although natural linen has its disadvantages like roughness and skin friction it can be mitigated by using fabric with a mix of linen and cotton. In the end you get a natural fibre with the strength of a linen and softness of a cotton.

Why wool is awesome as a gift

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      When looking for a gift for someone, we most likely try to look for something personal. Something which radiates meaning of some sort - creates weight. Unfortunately more often than not we find ourselves in situation where only thing we have found thus far are a supermarket bar of chocolate and a "good luck" card.

How to choose the right yarn weight and ply

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          Knitting projects will look different with some types of yarns. That is where ply comes in. A ply refers to individual strands twisted together. Yarn weight refers to the thickness of the thread.

What type of yarn to choose

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     Sometimes choosing a yarn is not that simple. Especially considering the options which are available to you out there. So I hope this article helps you in choosing the right yarn for you.