Search results (tags) for: "download"

How-Tuesday: Headboard From Wallpaper Projects (Giveaway too!)

2009-09-15T16:44:00-05:00

My favorite part of visiting historical homes is hands down, the wallpaper. Ornate, textural, colorful, geometric, gilded, florid — these are the kinds of patterns that transform a space into a realm. For this week's How-Tuesday, we're sharing a project from Wallpaper Projects, as well as general instructions for installing wallpaper yourself. In Derek and Lauren's book, innovating with this inspiring material to produce brooches, lampshades, medicine cabinets, and room dividers brings instant design to any element in your home. The Headboard how-to below is an easy way to customize your bedroom with the option to change it up every few years. And since even Marimekko has jumped on the wallpaper bandwagon, it's time to take paste into our own hands.

Do you use wallpaper in unusual ways? Comment on this post and you'll be eligible to win a free copy of the book, or pick one up for yourself here.

Why Wallpaper?
It's beautiful. Yes, this is certainly true. If you've spent any time browsing home decor books or magazines, or clicked around on any design blog worth its salt, you've undoubtedly noticed all the gorgeous contemporary and traditional wallpapers making their way back into the mainstream of interior design. Artists and designers of all stripes are not only rediscovering wallpaper, they're reinventing it. Aided by remarkable innovations in digital printing, design, and distribution, many manufacturers are exploding traditional expectations of what wallpaper can be, offering consumers all sorts of new and exciting options — from types of paper and ink to alternative eco-friendly materials to affordable custom designs.

It's versatile. Sure, paint is great, but it's got nothing on wallpaper. Even with 101 different shades of white to choose from, painting a room can only get you so far. Wallpaper, on the other hand, can (and will) completely transform a space. Depending on what pattern, motif, or colorway you choose, applying wallpaper to even just a single accent wall can make a room feel tall, wide, small, big, bright, dark, fun, serious, quiet, loud, funky, classic...whatever look or mood you're going for, there is a perfect paper out there for you.

It's easy and fun. Forget all your preconceived notions about wallpaper. It isn't messy, or hard to install. It's not some sort of interior design tattoo that you'll be stuck with forever. The papers and adhesives on the market today have made the whole process much safer and more forgiving, and the results more durable yet even easier to remove. If you make a good game plan and use the right tools, we bet you'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy wallpapering actually is.

It's great on and off the wall. Every wallpaper project is different, but one thing they all have in common is leftover scraps. With a bit of crafty ingenuity you can turn what would normally be inevitable waste into a unique opportunity to beautifully accent different areas in your home, create personalized stationery and accessories, revamp tired pieces of furniture, create frame-worthy works of art, make one-of-a-kind gifts...the options are endless. We've included more than 50 fun projects in this book to get your creative juices flowing.

Headboard

Since we've never found a headboard we were in love with, we spend an inordinate amount of time in the morning fluffing up our pillows to conceal as much of it as possible. Crafting one out of wallpaper opens up all kinds of possibilities: Not only can you play with colors and patterns, but you can cut out shapes as ornate or simple as you'd like.

Materials
Large piece of scrap paper for template
Wallpaper

Tools
Measuring tape
Pencil
Scissors
Blue painter's tape (optional)
Wallpaper paste
Brush or paint roller
Plastic float
Sponge

1. Measure the width of your bed and decide how tall you want the headboard.
Standard Bed Widths

Single: 39"
Double/Full: 54"
Queen: 60"
King: 76-78"
California King: 72"

2. To create a template, photocopy or trace our Headboard template or draw your own template design on scrap paper. To ensure symmetry, make the template for one half of the headboard and flip it over so that it mirrors itself when tracing out your design. You can download a PDF of the Headboard template here.

3. Cut out the template from the scrap paper with scissors, and trace the design onto your wallpaper of choice. If your design is wider than two sheets of wallpaper, you may need to align and piece three sheets together. We suggest lining up the seams and temporarily taping them into one piece with blue painter's tape before tracing and cutting out your design.

4. Cut out your wallpaper headboard, and apply the paper to your wall as you would normal sheets of wallpaper. See general instructions for applying wallpaper below.

Applying Paper to Your Walls

Two sets of hands are better than one when it comes to handling long expanses of wet paper, so it's a good idea to invite over a friendly helper.

Pasting
First, read the instructions that came with your paper. Different manufacturers may recommend different methods for installation. Prepasted papers, for example, just require a quick soak in water. But in general, the following instructions pertain to most situations. Cover your table with a plastic drop cloth and have all your tools within easy reach. Then, start pasting.

1. Lay your wallpaper strips on top of one another, pattern-side down, with the first piece on top of the pile. (When you spread the paste over the edges of the top piece, it'll go directly onto the back of the next piece, which means less mess and no wasted paste.)

2. Pour a nice, big glob of paste into a paint tray.

3. Use either a wallpaper brush or a paint roller to apply an even layer of paste to the entire back of the paper, working from the center out to the sides. It's especially important to make sure you get the edges, which will prevent your seams from showing. Because nobody wants their seams showing, right?

Booking
Once you have full paste coverage on your strip, it's time to book it. "Booking" your paper involves laying pasted sides together — which seems quite counterintuitive but ends up saving you space and ensuring better adhesion of your wallpaper. This process will allow the paste to activate and be properly absorbed by the paper. Rest assured, it will pull apart just fine.

1. With your first strip pasted-side up, grab one end and bring it toward the center of the strip, creating a very loose fold. Without creasing the paper, place the end down so the pasted sides are together.

2. Bring the other end toward the center and place it so that the cut lines are butting — thereby essentially folding your strip into thirds.

3. Now you can fold the strip onto itself a few times (no creases!) and set it aside while you paste up the next one. You can leave booked pieces in a plastic bag for up to half an hour without any problems. We generally paste and book 4 to 5 pieces at a time.

Hanging It Up
This is it. The moment of truth — applying the pasted paper to your wall. This is also when you discover wallpapering is much easier than you imagined it would be. The paper is totally manageable, the paste surprisingly forgiving... Congratulations, you are minutes away from enjoying a magically transformed room.

1. Use a level and a pencil to lightly mark a plumb (perfectly vertical) line on your wall where you want to put up the first piece of wallpaper.

2. Unfold the top half of your first pasted-and-booked strip and, beginning at the top of the wall, line its edge up with your plumb line.

3. As you line up the edge, press the paper against the wall and begin smoothing it down with your smoothing brush.

4. Once you reach the middle of the wall, unfold the bottom half of the paper and continue lining up the edge with the plumb line, smoothing as you go. You may notice a few small air bubbles, but don't panic — those will disappear as the paper dries. If there are a number of large air bubbles that are making you nervous, gently pull the paper away from the wall and smooth it down again.

5. With the paper in place, nice and straight, smooth the entire strip down with your brush, working from the center outwards.

6. Repeat the same smoothing process with your plastic float. This will spread the underlying paste evenly out toward the edge of the paper and press your seams flush to the wall.

7. Grab your second pasted strip and repeat steps 2 through 6. But instead of lining up the edge with the plumb line, you're now matching the pattern of the wallpaper.

8. Once you've got a few pieces up, gently wipe down the paper with a damp sponge, especially at the seams, to remove any paste that may have made its way out onto the front.

9. Continue pasting up your strips until you reach the end of the wall.

10. Place your 4" broad knife at the top of the wall where it intersects with the ceiling or molding. Carefully slide the blade of your utility knife along the edge of the broad knife to create a clean, straight cut. Continue cutting in this manner until you've reached the end of the strip. Snap yourself off a fresh blade and move onto the next strip.

11. Repeat the same cutting process along the bottom edge of the paper where it intersects with the floor or molding.

Do you use wallpaper in unusual ways? Comment on this post and you'll be eligible to win a free copy of the book, or pick one up for yourself here. Thanks to Derek Fagerstrom, Lauren Smith, and the good folks at Chronicle Books for sharing this project with us.

More How-Tuesday Posts | Supplies Category | DIY Made Simple Gift Guide

Handmade Weddings: The Wedding Chicks

2009-08-25T12:30:00-05:00

Jocey and I are so super flattered to be invited as guest bloggers on Etsy! We are the Wedding Chicks and we love, love, love to share everything new, classic, funky, hip and just plain fun for weddings. Today we want to share our Crown Inspiration design and give all of the fabulous Etsy readers a compete Crown Invitation Set we designed. This adorable set includes, a save the date, invitation, response card, menu, and program.

Our inspiration for our Crown Invitation Set came from Etsy artists! So we pulled a whole look together for your wedding.

Party Poms are so feminine and pretty. How adorable would they be hanging from the ceiling or the chairs at the ceremony? We sure think so. By PartyPoms, $25.

This Peachy Keen Dress took our breath away, so soft and beautiful and just perfect for the rehearsal dinner or a bridesmaid. By sarahseven, $310.

The Rose Print fabric would be a perfect DIY project to make your own linens for your reception. Of course, you can always send the fabric out to your seamstress. Even just adding this fabric as a runner to a wood table would be divine. From pinkpolkadotstudio, $8.

We love this Crown Charm Necklace as the perfect bridesmaid gift for our crown-themed wedding. Your bridesmaids will blush for sure! By tamar, $27.

Everyone loves sweets! Why not sprinkle these yummy Vanilla Hazelnut Caramels all over your reception? Well, we can't think of one reason why not to. By BlissCandies, $9.95.

We can't forget about the groom, the perfect cuff links for this royal wedding! By CosmicFirefly, $24.50.

Just for fun, send home these little magnets with all of your guests. Everyone uses magnets and will remember your special day every time they see them. By GardenAdornments, $15.

Crown Invitation Suite Download
We have designed the card so you can print them using an online printing service (such as Vista Print), or feel free to download, print and cut them at home as well.

We recommend using linen paper; it will look oh so nice with your invitation suite.

Looking for more Handmade Weddings posts? Check them out here.

Wedding Invites and Favors Guide | Weddings Category | Wedding Decor Guide

Lena Corwin: Painted Furniture How-to and Favorites

2008-11-07T14:00:00-05:00

I recently caught up with Lena Corwin, who's got lots to share, including her many inspirations, Etsy favorites, and from her new book, this beautifully "dressed-up dresser", just for you! Click here to download the complete instructions, or follow along below. Let's get to it, shall we?

Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.
Hi! Thanks for asking me to do an interview. I love Etsy! I'm a textile designer, illustrator, craft book author, and curator of artist books. I started my career in graphic design, which lead me to textile design — and now I do a variety of projects as a self-employed designer.

My book, Printing By Hand, is a how-to guide for printing patterns on different materials and surfaces, using methods of stamping, stenciling, and screen printing. The book covers a lot of detailed technical information, and has fun projects like printing on bed sheets, furniture, and clothing.

What draws you to the printing process and how did you get started with it?
I never get tired of printing. I love working with my hands, and I prefer the look of imperfections that you get from hand printing instead of printing digitally or by machine. I love vintage fabric, and I first became interested in doing my own printing from admiring the inconsistencies and imperfections in old fabrics. I like when patterns are off register, and the ink blends and distorts.

Where else do you find inspiration for your creative process?
A reoccurring source of inspiration for me is imagery from my childhood. I've bought a lot of the books that I had as a kid, and I find nostalgic imagery in them. I went to a Montessori school and we used a lot of blocks and geometric objects as learning tools, and I'm fascinated by those shapes and colors. I'm always taking snapshots with my digital camera, and I look back at my photos for inspiration for designs.

You seem to flow very easily between different mediums, from textile design to graphic design, blogging and photography (what else?)... how do you find they influence each other?

I've always thought of my blog as a catalog of ideas and inspiration for my artwork and projects. The blog has helped to organize my ideas and I notice themes in my inspiration. Using flickr has helped me rediscover photography, which was a passion of mine in high school. My blog definitely helps me organize my thoughts for future designs.

You cover so many aspects of printing in the book, but is there anything you were not able to cover that you wish you could have?
Originally I wanted to ask other designers to contribute to the book. That didn't happen, but I think it would have been great to see how other artists would have interpreted the projects.

What's next for you?
I'm busy working on Lines & Shapes, a series of artists books I co-curate with Maria Vettese (we have exciting plans for 2009!). I'm looking forward to coming out with new pillow designs— both with my own patterns and collaborations with other designers.

These are some of my favorite items/shops/designers on Etsy. I mostly look at new, original art on Etsy, but I also search for vintage items.

cacti .birds eye view by yuizdan168, $2

Grizzly Bear by LizzyStewart, $23

Obama poster by YeeHaw, $15

Set of Postcards by Jennifer Causey of photobird, $16

Calendar by Claire Nereim, $50

Ceramic planters by Michael McDowell of mudpuppy, $10.80

Gold ring by Nicole Solo of soloartworks, $60

Tea towels by skinnylaminx, $12

Handprinted linen by maramiki, $40

Custom dog portrait by Sian Keegan of sian, $110

Calendar by seventyandsunny, $20

Set of handwoven napkins by plait, $120

Vintage tea tin by domestikate, $10

And now for the project...

Dressed-up Dresser
I've stenciled on new and used furniture, and there are advantages to both. Old furniture usually needs some cleaning up (like sanding wood or stripping off flaking paint), but you can usually find a well-made piece inexpensively. New furniture needs little or no preparation before stenciling, but you may have to spend a lot more money for a good-quality piece. For this project I used a new dresser made with unfinished solid pine. My dresser measures 24" wide by 27" tall, but you can adapt these instructions to a piece of furniture of any size. Simply adjust the number of stencils and the amount of paint to suit your project.

1. Prepare Work Surface
You will need a work surface of approximately 3' x 3' for cutting your stencil, and a well-ventilated area covered with newspaper or a drop cloth to paint your dresser.

2. Cut Stencils
Photocopy the artwork supplied in the back of the book (and on download) for this project (or your own artwork) onto several sheets of 8 1/2" x 11" or 11" x 17" white paper. Cut out all the shapes in the design with scissors (A). Note: This is a reverse stencil, so you want to keep the center shapes and discard the surrounding paper. When cutting the design out of paper, do not cut out the eyes in animal shapes, or the holes in the flowers.

Roll out approximately 12" of contact paper, plastic-side down, taping the edges of the contact paper to your work surface if it starts to roll up (B). Set several paper cut-out shapes on the contact paper, design-side down, and trace around the shapes with pencil (C). Cut the shapes from the contact paper with scissors (D). To cut out a hole in the center of a flower or the eye in an animal, fold the contact paper where the hole will be and cut a half-moon shape. Repeat until you have traced and cut all the shapes from the contact paper.

3. Prepare Dresser
Remove the knobs from your dresser and, in an outdoor, ventilated area, spray paint the dresser knobs white. With the drawers out of the dresser, paint a coat of white latex primer on the drawers with the paint roller. Let the paint dry, and wash out the paint roller and tray. Paint a coat of white semigloss latex paint on the drawers. Let the paint dry. Paint a second coat, if needed, and wash out the paint roller and tray. Let the paint dry overnight. Note: It's important to let the dresser dry overnight; if you don't, the contact-paper stencils might peel off the paint when you remove them later.

4. Assemble Stencils and Print
Keeping the drawers out of the dresser, tape the sides, tops, and bottoms of each drawer with painter's tape. Put the drawers back in the dresser, but leave them all open about 1". Tape the sides of the drawers together with painter's tape to stabilize them — otherwise they may shift while applying stencils and painting.

Following the placement of the stencils in the photo (see page 82 or download), loosely tape the stencils in place with transparent tape to make sure that they all fit together nicely (E). When you are happy with the placement of the stencils, start to peel the backing off the largest pieces, and press them to the front of the drawers (F). Note: It is important to peel the transparent tape off of the stencil before peeling off the paper backing. Any tape hanging off the edge of a stencil will become part of the stencil design. Once all the large stencils have been placed on the drawers, fill the spaces in between with the smaller pieces.

When a portion of a stencil runs off the edge of a drawer, fold the excess over the edge, and press it into place (G). Avoid putting a delicate part of the stencil (such as a leg or an antler) across a break between two drawers, this will increase the chance of the paint bleeding under the stencil in that area. You may have extra pieces left over, or you may need to cut out more shapes to fill in spaces. When all the stencils are assembled, make sure they are fully adhered to the surface of the drawers by pressing over them again with your hands.

Scoop several tablespoons of yellow latex paint onto an artist's palette or into the paint tray. Push the roller through the paint to coat it evenly. With the paint roller, paint over and between the stencils (H). Let the paint dry, and paint a second coat. If the paint is still translucent, add a third coat. Allow the paint to dry to the touch, and peel off the stencils and painter's tape (I). Note: If the yellow paint bleeds under the stencil, it may be necessary to touch up the white areas with a small (1/8") paintbrush and the white semigloss paint.

5. Clean Up
Discard the used stencils. Wash the brush, roller, and paint tray thoroughly with water, and let them dry completely before using again.

Thanks to Lena for visiting with us and to publishers, Stewart, Tabori & Chang for the book images and project download. It's been a treat!

Want to explore your own handprinting projects? ...Search Handcarved Stamps to get started. For more nature-inspired decorating ideas, search Nature Wall Decals.

Jewelry How-to: Naughty Secretary Club Bracelet

2008-09-19T16:41:00-05:00

This goes out to all you office girls (and guys), slaving away out there in a stuffy cubicle, working for the man... all the while surreptitiously reading this here blog, and looking oh so busy... (how do you do it?) Ah, we joke, we joke. Take heart, it's Friday! ...And the Naughty Secretary herself, Ms. Jennifer Perkins, has a special treat — a free project download! Plus lots of other ideas for all of those office supplies you "borrowed" in her new book, The Naughty Secretary Club: The Working Girls Guide to Handmade Jewelry. Now get to work and make yourself this sweet bracelet!

Office Hanky-Panky Bracelet

(Download complete instructions here.)

Stuff You'll Need:
1 hanky or other thin vintage fabric scraps; 3 vintage clip-on earrings; silver bracelet blank; button-covering kit; chain-nose pliers; wire cutters; scissors; Liquid Fusion Glue

STEP 1: Gather your materials
Choose a hanky or thin piece of material with an office theme. Gather your stray clip earrings, bracelet blank, glue, scissors and button covering kit. Make sure that the size of the kit you choose corresponds with the size of the blank on your bracelet.

STEP 2: Cover the Button

Using the circle template provided in the button-covering kit, cut out a circle from your hanky, making sure the part of the image you want to show is in the center of the circle. Hold the fabric circle right side down and center the top half of the button on top of it.

STEP 3: Arrange Covered Button Inside Cup

Insert the fabric with the top half of the button on top into the larger plastic cup. Fold all of the extra fabric edges on top of the button. Push the back of the button into the plastic cup, making sure all of the fabric edges are tucked under it.

STEP 4: Secure Button Back

Use the blue cap provided in the kit to push the button back down into the plastic cup, securing the fabric under the button back. Simply pop the covered button out of the plastic cup.

STEP 5: Remove Button Shank

Use chain-nosed pliers to remove the shank from the back of the covered button.

STEP 6: Remove Backs from Clip-on Earrings

Use chain-nosed pliers and wire cutters to remove the backs of the vintage clip-on earrings. Occasionally a Dremel tool with a sanding attachment will be needed to smooth rough edges for a better gluing surface.

STEP 7: Adhere Covered Buttons and Earrings to Bracelet

Use your favorite glue to attach alternating earrings and covered buttons to your bracelet. Let everything dry overnight and wear to work!

Can't get enough of this naughty secretary? Be sure to catch Tuesday's Etsy Finds, where Jennifer shares some of her key sources for jewelry-making supplies — right here on Etsy. (And we're talking way more than beads!)

Not on the mailing list for Etsy Finds? Sign up today! All the goodness of Etsy, conveniently delivered to your inbox!