DIY Fri: Map Card and Envelope

DIY Fri: Map Card and Envelope

This two-piece stationary set is the perfect kitschy DIY project for the end of summer. You can make this for someone going on an out of town excursion, for your own travels, or to give with a present. I made a couple just 'cause they're cute!

Materials:

-An Old Envelope and Card

-Map(s) or Atlas 

-Pencil or Pen

-Scissors

-Glue Stick 

-1 Piece Of Card Stock or Construction Paper

Open up the old envelope. Be sure to go slow as to not rip the envelope too much to deform the shape. 

Trace the outline of the envelope on to your map or atlas page.

Cut the outline of your envelope until you have a duplicate, but in the map paper.

Glue the back side of the piece you just cut out to another piece of the map/atlas. Make sure to press and spread through the center outwards in order for the glue to stick. Re-glue edges if needed.

Cut out the envelope shape again following the edges of the piece you glued on.

Fold and crease the edges of the envelope inwards. 

Apply glue to the edge of the piece that will be folded up in the middle, connecting the sides to form the bottom of the envelope. 

Lay the side pieces on top of the edge you just glued. Press it firmly and then wait for it to dry before using.

Open up and trace your old card on to the piece of card stock or construction paper. Then, cut it out. 

Glue the piece of paper you just cut out to another piece of map/atlas. Press it down and spread from the middle outwards. Re-apply glue to the edges if needed. 

Fold the card in half and crease the middle. 

Tada! You're done. So easy and simple, and incredibly cool. 

This simple project is a great way to get the kids out in the garden for a little free labour…{ahem} I mean garden therapy.

Spring is the time to plant peas out in the garden.  Seeds germinate well in cool soil so plants have a strong start by the time summer hits.  I like to start my peas indoors then move the little vines out when they are strong enough, but you can also buy started pea plants at nurseries and farmers market this time of year.

When you plant your peas they will start to ramble and tangle along the ground and the sweet tips get munched on by just about any vegetable loving creature you can imagine (slugs, snails, the darn dog!) so it’s nice to grow them vertically up a support.  The little vines cling and twine nicely around string, and this simple trellis is perfect to pack a lot of peas into a small area.

Materials:

• Bamboo poles of various lengths
• A spool of garden twine
• A garden helper

Directions:

1. Stick two 6’ or longer bamboo poles into the soil on either side of your pea patch.

2.  Make a frame using two more bamboo poles that measure a few inches longer than the width of your side stakes.  Secure the poles together by tying twine around the poles where they cross in a figure eight pattern.

3. Using twine on a spool, tie one end of the twine to the bottom of one side of the bottom of the frame.  Run the twine up and over the top of the frame, and allow to drop back down.  Let your garden helper wind the twine around the frame over and over until you have reached the other side. Tie the twin in a knot on the end of the frame to secure.

4. Gently lift the tips of the pea plants and tuck their tendrils onto the twine.  The peas will take it from here.

I will be honest with you...I'm pretty proud of myself. :D I never thought it would turn out that awesome. I'm totally in love. Too bad I can't keep it....or can I...?! No, unfortunately this will be my sister's birthday present. Merde!!!! I've been admiring these terrariums for a while now, but didn't have the courage to make one for myself. But she will be moving to a new apartment in a couple of weeks, and warned me in advance that she doesn't want any pets now. But everybody needs someone to talk to (especially if you're not on speaking terms with the little voices in your head), so I'm giving her a pet Bambi to fill this post.

Usually these terrariums are made with succulents but although I adore them I went with only using moss, because I couldn't fit succulents into a magical world. :)

What you'll need for this project:

- a glass bowl (this is supposed to be a flower vase)

- potting soil

- moss

- whatever you want to decorate it with (like modell pine trees, modell moss, decor gravel, an aminal)

(Dunno why I put there the scissors....I only used them to open the bag of soil :D) Obviously you won't need 5l of the soil. I think I barely used a liter of it. But it will depend on the size of your terrarium and that how tall you'll want it. Just as you would do when you plant, push down the soil to compress it a bit, and then pour some water on it to make it ready for the moss. This was the tricky part. Getting moss in February when everything is covered in snow. I had to dig it up from the frozen soil. I'm pretty sure the neighbours thought I'm searching for a treasure chest or something. But I managed to get the moss, more than I needed actually. I left them in the garage for overnight so that they won't be punched in the face with the warmth. I drew around the vase so I could approx. know how much of the moss will I be needing. 

I used two bigger chunks and two smaller ones. Firstly I scattered the decor gravel - I followed the borberline of the moss pieces. 

Theodore found it really fascinating.

After that came the pine trees. (I ordered them from a modell train shop and they came in a 10-piece package. So I have 7 trees left...I'm sure they'll come handy one day. :D) At the meeting point I lifted up the sides of one big and one small moss chunks, put down the trees one by one, and covered their feet with the moss -  this way they stay stable. 

Then came the bushes. They came from that modell train shop, too. I blended pieces of wire into a U form, so I can secure the bushes. Just pin them into the soil, but don't worry, they won't be visible.

The mushrooms are made of polymer clay and acrylic paint. I used yellow, because that's the only one I had at home. Yeah, it would've been easier with white. Just pin them to the soil, too.

And finish with introducing the little fawn to its new home.

MrsF

UPDATE:

Look, a little plant started to grow in the forest :) 

paper flowers!!?? i bet you didn't see that one coming from a florist. but for real, faux flowers can really add a lot to your wedding (and they can be inexpensive!). now i'm not suggesting that you use JUST faux flowers, we all know that there is nothing better then the real deal, but used in combination the two can make for a real statement wedding! You can put them on your cake... 

instructions on how to make crepe paper flowers here. you can use them for your ceremony backdrop, my ultimate fav being from this wedding below... 

you can make GIANT flowers and use them on your tables or to carry like this bridedid, instructions here.

not interested in making your own? well bhldn sells some hand-made bouquets and garlands...but be ready to pay an arm and a leg, or go here for some single blooms.

i am also a fan of these feather flowers made by rebecca thuss, which can be used as boutonnieres, in the hair or in your bouquet.

the possibilities are truly endless and these flowers are easy to use, seeing as they don't need to be watered and kept out of the heat.

2012 Herb Garden

2012 Herb Garden

Posted by Caitlin

It's tempting to get caught up in Pinterest herb gardens.  There are pictures of all kinds ofhanging herb gardens, herbs in a wreath, herbs in jars, and herbs in, of all things, a shoe hanger.  I love seeing other people's projects and these would be perfect for me if I still lived in an apartment or had a teeny tiny plot of land. 

A shortage of land, however, is not my problem:

(Usually it's not this dreary looking but seriously, would a little sunshine kill anybody?)

So, casting aside the ideas of the cute (& photogenic) herb gardens mentioned above, I got out one of those mini shovels (for those of you as new to gardening as I am, it's called a trowel) and dug some holes by our front entryway.  There was no reason not to put herbs right in the ground.  I wanted easy access from the kitchen so I can grab herbs while I'm cooking dinner.

I planted sage, oregano, basil, parsley, dill, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, & (shock of shocks) catnip...

I also decided to upcycle some cracked terra cotta planters that we had around the house as herb markers.  Each piece of pottery tells me which herb is which and serves to keep them a bit separated.  My dad does this in his garden and I love the way it looks.

Our local flower shop has a huge selection of herbs, but Home Depots do too.  Finding herbs should be no problem this time of year.

We'll have to task Jaisa with cooking up some tasty dishes that star all different kinds of herbs this summer.  Are you planting an herb garden?  Let us know and stay hungry!

Funnies kroker av KARIN & FREYA på 9 MARS 2012 · 49 KOMMENTARER

Funnies kroker

av KARIN & FREYA på 9 MARS 2012 · 49 KOMMENTARER

Noen ganger kan du finne ting på nettet som du virkelig liker å gjøre. I dag vil vi ta en av disse prosjektene. Hente ut spraymaling og plast dyr så here we go!

Du trenger lekedyr av solid plast, et stykke tre, drill, skruer, skrutrekker, lim og spraymaling.

Første Det første trinnet i prosjektet er litt makabert - du var nødvendig saging av hodene på plast dyr. Vi har brukt en fintannet sag, men det skal fungere selv med en sløv kniv. Tenk på din egen sikkerhet og være forsiktig med fingrene.

Andre Deretter markere ut hvor du ønsker å ha hodene om bord og pre-bore hull.

3-4. Fest dine dyr hoder med lim og skruer.

Dette kan ikke være den mest barnevennlige pysslet vi har gjort, men det er oppgaver som også passer mindre hender.

Femte Når limet har tørket, og skriverne er i, er det på tide å male. Vi er veldig glad i spray maling, men en av ulempene er at du må ha god ventilasjon ved sprøyting. I vårt tilfelle betyr dette at vi er utendørs. Sjette Husk at malingen er vanskelig å fjerne, så ikke spray på overflater du er redd for og har ingen delikate klær på deg. Alltid lese malingen kan instruksjoner før du begynner.

Deretter kroker klar! Vil du dra nytte av mer plast dyr, ikke nøl med å lage kroker i baken.

Du kan ikke henge så tunge ting på våre kroker med det er nok av ting i huset vårt som trenger kroker.

Jada, rumpe moro!

Har du lyst til å se hvordan andre har gjort en veldig god film her .