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Fight for Net Neutrality.

24 days left until the FCC votes on #NetNeutrality. Join the #InternetCountdown here: battleforthenet.com/countdown pic.twitter.com/8qtzaTjCNV

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http://www.danthoniadesigns.com/blog/sign-making-videos/

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You can use your marbled paper for so many things! I choose to make some cute little name cards as well as some little stir sticks.

Supplies

Cardstock

4 Colors of Acrylic Paints

Wooden Dowels

Mini Clothespins

String

Water

Liquid Starch (you can buy it right near the spray...

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MYRON - for erica tanov ny 

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How To: Make Soda Can Flower Lights

By: Diy maven Jul 31, 2012

Last week I showed you how to make a mini window Japanese garden using 3M's Command Brand Medium Caddy. Today we're going to reach back into the 3M goodie bag and make soda can flower lights, which we'll install using their oh-so-handy Clear Decorating Clips.  To start our project, we'll need to gather up the following:

1 - package of Command Clear Decorating Clips

1 - string of clear twinkle lights 

Aluminum soda cans rescued from the recycling bin (The size of your flowers and the number of lights on the string will determine how many you'll need)

One standard-sized hole punch 

A scissors

A knife with a serrated blade, optional

A paper shaping/die cutting machine (I used a Cuttlebug) and a flower die OR a flower paper punch OR you can cut the flowers by hand

Start by cutting off the top of the soda can with the serrated knife. I find using this kind of knife much easier than getting started with a scissors. (By the way, if you've never cut an aluminum soda can, it super easy and there isn't any sharp edges, really, but if you're worried about such things, you might want to don a pair of gloves.) Then, using the scissors, cut down the side of the can and cut off the bottom. You'll end up with something that looks like this:  Next, you'll want to wash your aluminum sheets to get all the sticky, leftover soda off the inside. After you've dried your aluminum sheets, cut them into manageable strips that are sized to fit the die/punch you're using. I cut these large sheets into fours for my project: Now comes the fun part, punching out the flowers. I used a random flower die (about 1-1/2 wide) and my Cuttlebug to do this part, but like I said, you CAN use a regular punch too or even cut them out freehand. If you do use a punch, I wouldn't use an intricate one like a flower with lots of petals. They'll just get hung up in your die.  Here's a shot of the die I used coupled with the aluminum strip and the plates you use to 'sandwich' them all together.: Then you put the 'sandwich' into the Cuttlebug and crank it through. The machine does all the tricky work as it cuts out the image from the aluminum. And here's what the aluminum looks like after it's been cut: Now, a warning about using a punch for this project. Here's a picture of the flower I made next to a tree I made using a standard punch. Notice how the tree has funky edges and the flower's edges are smooth? That's the difference between using a die cutter and a punch when punching aluminum. So, keep that in mind if you do go with a punch. Okay, now back to business. Grab your standard hole punch and punch a hole in the center of your flower. Now do that over and over and over again, until you have the same number of flowers as you do bulbs on your string of twinkle lights. Next, grab your string lights and pull out the bulbs. Fit one flower over each bulb. Don't worry if it's a snug fit--mine were--just gently push the aluminum up until the flowers are flush with the upper rim of the bulbs. Make sure the leads (those little wires sticking up at the bottom of the bulb) are clear of the aluminum. If they touch the aluminum, don't worry, they won't shock you when you turn on the lights, but if the aluminum does touch the leads, you could short out the bulb. So, trim or fold down the leads a bit, if necessary. This is what your soda can lights might look like when they're all finished. Now, what to do with them? I had planned on putting mine outside, but they were so cute, I decided to install them in my craft room. I can always use the light, plus these will make any project I tackle in there much more joyful. I decided to use them to frame the workspace around my desk, so, using a 4 foot level, I grabbed my sweetie and the clear Clear Decorating Clips and got to work. He held the level while I positioned the clips about a foot apart. This keeps the lights nice and taut so they don't sag.  And here they are, all lit up! Now, you could slip the flowers on the bulbs printed side out for some color, but I LOVE how the light bounces off that lovely aluminum. Another great thing about using aluminum is if you DID use them outside, the aluminum is impervious to the elements unlike, say, paper flowers or cupcake liners.  Again, what's great about these new clear Command products is that the adhesive strips are clear so you don't see those white tabs sticking out. Imperative for such an installation!

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Wood. It's my favorite material to work with, hands down. I love the way it makes my car smell when I bring it home from the lumberyard. I love that it goes from a roughly-textured square to any shape I can imagine, and unbelievably smooth when you sand it.

But the best part? Seeing the full character of the grain come through during that last step - finishing the wood with stain or oil. Not until you rub that rag over the surface does the wood truly come alive.   So, I wanted to see if I could come up with a way to use a finishing technique - staining the wood - as part of the creative process. I'm always surprised by what a difference multiple coats of stain makes. Unlike opaque paint, which just fills in gaps and brush strokes with a second coat, the transparent stain becomes darker and richer with each application. So, I came up with a way to take advantage of what happens with multiple coats - a gradient stain technique, in which each layer becomes darker with each coat, creating a fading, ombré wood stain effect across the piece. 

Materials and Tools:

Wood or plywood sheet - I used 2x4' 3/4" birch plywood "handy panel"

Jigsaw

Sandpaper

Long straight edge or yardstick

Light color wood stain (I used water-based)

Foam brush or paint brush 

Paste wax or acrylic clear coat

1. Draw your shape on the plywood. I'm not much of a free-hander, so I used an overhead projector that I keep around for just this purpose to get the image onto the plywood.

To prevent my transparency from moving mid-trace, I used a bit of to hold it down.

2. Cut out your shape. I used one of my favorite tools - the jigsaw - to cut out the shape. If you don't have one, you could also use an inexpensive coping saw, which you can get at the hardware store for less than $20.

Be sure to cut just outside of your line with the jigsaw, so that you can use sandpaper to sand it to the final shape. On curves and sharp turns, sometimes it's best to make several passes until you can accurately turn the saw to make the cut without going into the final shape.

3. Sand it! Starting with a coarse-grain sandpaper (80-100), sand your design to shape along the edges (don't apply the coarse grit to the face, as you'll just have to smooth it out later). Use a small block on the edges, and a dowel rod or wooden spoon on the round parts to maintain the curves.

Then, sand the entire thing with a medium grit (150) to a fine grit, such as 220. If you're obsessive like me, you can sand the edges to 320, so that the stain soaks up easily, but this step is totally optional.

4. Start making stripes. Since my design turned out to be around 17.5" tall, I decided I'd go for ten layers around 1.75" each. More than anything, I wanted to experiment with what was really possible with the technique, so I wanted to go all out with many layers. This approach would work equally well with 5-7 layers, or even less on a smaller piece, so just figure out what works best for you.

Use to mark the top of the line, and press down to secure across the width. I found using a long straight edge made this process super easy and quick. You don't want to use any pencil marks here, as you won't be able to sand them away, and they'll appear on the final project under the stain.

Before staining, be sure to also cover the edges of the wood. If you shape has slants and angles like mine, the tape is not going to bend at 90°, so just snip it off at the edge, and reapply to make everything square.

5. Staining. Begin by staining the first layer with an even coat. Following the manufacturers directions, allow the stain to penetrate, and then wipe off any excess. I found a good rhythm of staining, waiting seven minutes, then wiping off the whole thing with a rag, and taping and staining the next layer immediately. That way, the whole thing was done in about an hour, and I had time to accomplish other little tasks in between.

The idea here is to build up layers of color with each level. So, with each new line, you want to restain the entire piece below the tape line. So the bottom level has ten coats, the next nine, then eight, seven, six, etc.

As you continue to stain, you start to see how the layers interact. It's cool to see the gradient starts to form, and how each level becomes the previous' color as you add stain. On layers seven and eight, I added a little bit of water to my stain cup to lighten the color. If you're using an oil-based stain, you'll need to add an oil-based product like mineral spirits or paint thinner. I added a little bit more water on layers nine and ten, so the top level is just barely tinted. I'll admit, I was pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out, with the colors fading very, very evenly.

6. Seal it. Allow the layers of stain to cure fully according the package directions, likely twenty-four hours. Then, add a final clear coat to the whole piece. I used a rub-on paste wax, which you can find at any hardware store, since I wanted a softer, more matte finish, but you could also use an acrylic or polyurethane clear coat.

Then, just add a small picture hanger in the back, and hang it up!

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none of us is really "creating" anything, but merely noticing that it is already there.

Neale Donald Walsch.

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Making pinhole cameras from pretty much anything.

Posted on August 2, 2012

God knows, I like to teach people stuff. I also like obsolete tech that requires a minimum of interaction from modern conveniences, like electricity. I joke that the reasons for this is so I can document the end of the world, when people are fighting for generators and bartering for consumables like petrol and batteries, but some people look at me funny when I say things like that. Partially because they’re not entirely sure whether I’m joking or not.

Anyway, I was asked to do a pinhole photography workshop at Exposure Leeds. I can teach people about obsolete tech, which is a total win in my book. I’ve been making pinhole cameras from mint tins and paint cans and syrup tins for a very long time, and I’ve shown many, many people how to make cameras from matchboxes. But I’ve done that before for Exposure Leeds, so wanted to do something slightly different.

Jon managed to get his hands on some coffee cans (thanks to Nick Claiden); you can make pinhole cameras from anything as long as it is light tight. I’ve seen people do it with their mouths, with pumpkins, even an aircraft hanger. The coffee cans were exactly the right size for a piece of 6×4 photo paper, or if you were feeling confident you could mount a 6″ strip of film in there. I had about an hour to show people how to make the cameras, use them, and get the contents developed, so I went with paper.

They also had a screw top, so pretty easy to get in and out of.

First things first, you find the midpoint on the can, then drill a hole there, cover it in tin foil and tape it down with electrical tape. Then I take an acupuncture needle (which I know is no wider than 0.25mm) and poke a hole in the middle of the foil, just once, so light has a single aperture. (You can do whizzy things with multiple holes but it can make things a bit confusing if it’s the first time you’re doing it).

That’s it. Gently cover the hole over with more electrical tape and you are now holding in your hand a very rudimentary camera. Next time you finish off a can of golden syrup, wash it out and have a go at this.

Next, you need to load it. I was using a dark bag but you can do this under a safelight if you like. Just pop a sheet of (unexposed) photosensitive paper in the can, and close the top. That’s it. Remember to do it in the dark or under a red light, and don’t expose your packet of paper to the light. I was using multigrade that expired in 1996 that I picked up on Ebay for a song – really, use whatever you can get your hands on for as little money as possible. This is bucket and vague hand-wavey photography which is all about art and nothing about exactitude and getting reproducable results.

Now it’s all about the exposure. I worked out the aperture to be about f50 or so. Paper is about iso 3. Think about that for a second – if you’re indoors and shooting f22/100iso then you could have an exposure time lasting 30s or more. We’ve got half that size aperture and 1/5 of the film speed, so in the best case indoor photo exposure time will be 20 minutes. Also, there’s reciprocity to think about (but not too hard). Effectively you could make one of these, load it, put it on top of your wardrobe and go to sleep for the night without worrying about it overexposing. Ethereal photos are made this way.

So you take your camera, make a best guess as to exposure time, and leave it, with the tape covering the aperture off, for about that length of time. Then you take the camera into your darkroom (in our case a disabled loo rigged up with three developing trays loaded with dev, stop and fix, and a sink to rinse everything off in, as well as safelights) and because you’ve got no real idea as to exposure you just dunk it in the dev and whip it into the stop as soon as something shows up. Then into the fix, where you can leave it for as long as you like. Don’t forget these are negative images, so bright spots will be dark and dar spots will be bright. And also because of the way apertures work the image will be the wrong way round, left to right. So scan it, flip it and invert the B&W, and you get results. And boy, did we get some results:

Indoor, 22m exposure. It’s still underexposed and overdeveloped as a result, but it’s not bad going.

Image by Andrew Broad

Outdoors, 5m(ish) exposure. Look at that curviture on the brickwork at the bottom of the image! That’s an artefact due to the paper being curved in the can and flattened out – it acts like a massive fisheye lens.

Image by Neil Brennan

One of my favourites is a 2-3m exposure of Holbeck reflected from Oli Wright (seriously, click the link.)

So it was a bit of a success, the workshop. I think 17 people all had a go with making and shooting cameras and getting the results in under an hour, and although as the light dropped the indoor exposure times were taking a lot longer than we were hoping the whole experience was a lot of fun, and hopefully inspiring to the people who took part in it. Personally, I had a whale of a time. I hope I get to run these workshops again, one day soon.

If you’d like me to run this as a workshop then drop me an email for more details.

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What you need: A tray, 1 measuring cup, salt, Dylon dye of any color(not the machine washable ones)   heavy duty cleaning gloves and a basic white tee

Mix a quarter of the Dylon dying powder into the tray with 4 cups of warm water and 4 tablespoons of salt. Once the powder has dissolved, fill the train up with water to make a very dilute color. Soak the bottom of the tee so the color will trail up it nicely.

Place the tee slowly in the color until you see the color running up. Keep it in there for 1 minute (you want the color to be quite faint), then drain the excess water and rinse in the sink under cold water.

Hang to dry for 15 minutes until it’s damp.

Take the leftover dye powder and sprinkle onto the tee as much as you like. It creates a lovely speckled effect.

Hang to dry. Once it’s fully dried and the dye had absorbed in, give it another rinse in the sink and dry again. Then you’ll have your very own dip dye tee for the summer!

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DIY: Update Your Cutoffs

DIY

Apr 25, 2012

Posted by fp julia

17 comments

There’s no denying it, cutoffs are a wardrobe staple this time of year.  And with all the variations of color, fabric, textures, prints and more, there’s certainly no shortage to our selection.  But if you’re like me  and you’ve got a few pairs of old cutoffs from previous summers that could use a little makeover — or if you just want to give your cutoffs a little something special to make them stand out – today’s DIY is for you.  I spotted the image above on tumblr and got inspired to update a pair of cutoffs by adding some fun printed fabric!

What you need: a pair of cutoffs (I used these), fabric of your choice, scissors, a needle and thread

Start by cutting a piece of fabric that is large enough to cover one side of the shorts. Attach it with a few safety pins to keep it from moving around.

Start sewing the fabric to your shorts – I used the natural seams of the shorts as a guideline.

As you sew, you can trim off the excess fabric  as close to the stitches as possible.

And there you go! A “brand new” pair of cutoff shorts to wear all summer long :)

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DALE ONDA A TU ESCALERA

Hace poco, buscando piso nuevo, me topé con que había mogollón de dúplex en alquiler. Pero muchos, ¿e? Hubo uno que nos gustó pero que, finalmente, no fue el elegido, pero en mi cabeza siguió rondando el tema escalera y cómo sacarle partido. Os enseño alguna de las ideas que encontré para que subir las escaleras setecientas veces no fuera tanta tortura:

Decorarlas con papel pintado:

Darles un toquecito chulo con pintura:

Jugar con alguna alfombra divertida:

Usar vinilos decorativos:

Y si no tenéis dúplex pero sí escaleras exteriores, ¡flores y más flores!:

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HUELLAS DE TIGRE!! hicimos huellas de tigre, porque desde que vi esto quise tener las nuestras

via: bebes y más Así que nos las fabricamos

   Compré en esamarcaquetodavianomepatrocina (primark) tres pares de chanclas por 1.5 euro cada una así como un par lo tenía que destrozar no me importó tanto.

la idea básicamente es pegarle la huella a una chancla.

primero la plantilla, la saqué de internet y la coloqué en la chancla que quería recortar (con un par de chanclas os dará para hacer 4 huellas de tigre si aprovecháis bien el espacio)

Los niños dibujaron la plantilla y luego yo con un cutter fui recortando

Pegamos cada patita en la chancla con loctite y nos quedó así:

Y en cuanto tuvimos una mínima oportunidad nos fuimos a probarlas a la playa

Lógicamente no son unas chanclas que puedan llevar puestas en otro lugar que no sea la playa, pero las podéis dejar con el resto de utensiliosnecesarios, cubo, pala, otro cubo, otra pala....y será un elemento de juego más.

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Se necesita:

Una cazadora vaquera en desuso. Yo la compré, por 5 euros, en una tienda de segunda mano (o de tercera o de cuarta)

Tachuelas. Me costó un triunfo dar con ellas en Logroño. Acabé en ‘El 9′, aunque el surtido no era muy amplio. Me costaron 4,4  euros

Tijeras

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I thought these turned out even cuter than the expensive ones you buy at the stores!

You can use up some of your favorite scrap fabrics too!

Here's how to make it.

Supplies: Clear phone case, Mod Podge, sponge brush, scrap fabric, small sharp scissors.

Steps:

1) Find a clear cell phone case that goes to your phone.

 Hopefully you can find one for cheap!

2) Depending on the case I only decorated the back on mine.

Mod Podge it on the inside of the back.

3) Place fabric directly on inside of the back and Mod Podge on fabric.

4) Let it dry a few minutes. The fabric will start to harden a little.

5) Trim the edges as close as you can.

It's easiest to use small sharp scissors.

6) Mod Podge the edges down and trim as needed.

7) Trim any parts that are needed for the phone.

8) Let it dry completely.

9) You're Done!

Finished!

CAUTION: My cases, once put together, were hard to separate without breaking. However, I've used these cases on my IPhone for some time and it holds together real well. I just have to use a case for a while then when I want to change it out I may not be able to use it again. But that's okay cause remember it was only a $1!

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Først skal du have fat i perler, hvis du ikke allerede har dem, du kan købe dem billigt i f.eks. IKEA

1. Du skal have fat i skåle som kan tåle at gå i ovnen, når du har dem smøre du dem ind i almindelig mad olie, du kan bruge køkkenrulle til at smøre olien rundt i skålen, – Olien gør at perlerne slipper skålen med det samme når den er færdig

2.  så drysser du perlerne rundt i skålen, brug hånden til at fordele dem op af siderne, sørg for der ikke er for store huller i melllem perlerne

3. Ovnen skal stå på 200 grader, når du har fordelt perlerne sætter du dem ind i ovnen til du kan se perlerne er flade med store huller igennem, HOLDE ØJE HELE TIDEN, da det pludseligt går ret hurtigt.

Når perlerne er kolde kan du tage dem ud og skylde dem under hanen med sæbe så du kan få olien af dem igen

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Ever since I spied this bracelet DIY on Pinterest, I knew they'd be the perfect thing to ward off pinching fingers come St. Patrick's Day. 

(All they needed was a little green.)  Plus, your kids will love making the Popsicle stick bracelets just as much as they'll enjoy wearing them. The only supplies you absolutely need for this project are Popsicle sticks.  You can get them the old fashion way, by downing a few Popsicles, or you can pick up a whole bag at the craft store for a few dollars.  For your green embellishments, you can keep it simple with stickers and markers or go crazy with pretty scrapbook paper and yarn. Step number one is to boil your Popsicle sticks.  Most of the posts around the web say to do so for 15 - 20 minutes.  However, I had the most success leaving them in there for an entire hour.  Also, about 1/3 of the sticks will end up splitting instead of bending post boil, so account for this and make extras. Once your sticks are done cooking, they'll be malleable but not soft.  Use your hands to gently curve the sticks and then place them in a cup or jar to hold their shape.  The trick here is finding something that's the same size as the wrist you want to fit.  Allow the sticks to dry overnight.  Once they fall to the bottom of the cup they were stored in, you know they're ready to be decorated.  Scrapbook paper and Mod Podge work really well.  Just trace and cut your strips around the Popsicle sticks before you boil them.  Cover your newly formed bracelets with the Mod Podge, apply the paper cut outs, and cover with another thin layer of Mod Podge. You can also experiment with stickers, markers, paint, or even yarn.  The sparkly foam clover sticker was my favorite adornment and it was easy enough for my 19 month old to put on. That's it!  Slip on your bracelets and venture out on St. Patrick's Day free of the fear of being pinched.