Carving a stamp

lolloping luring leather

 
 I've been doing some try outs with leather which is something I've long been wanting to do. But it turnes out to be more difficult than I thought it would be. The leather stretches and slips, is too thick etc. I always challenge myself... I cut my teeth on it ....I will succeed.... grrr.... :-)


In the meantime I made some more DIY Wander Wasbeer (racoon) soft toy kits ready to be sold in our Eco design pop-up store  (see post below).

Wander or Wiesje Wasbeer DIY kit €15

DIY small lampshade

I thought it was about time to give the poor bare lightbulb a new nice but simple lampshade for the sake of some wordly atmosphere. 

Ever since and before my Geography study I have been inspired by the graphics of maps. My attention was caught when I came across this (detail of) picture in the latest edition of Dutch magazine vtwonen; it shows a little paper bag made of a map....

picture taken from magazine vtwonen

the poor bare lightbulb in our living

So I decided to experiment on a simple lampshade out of a map of my favorite continent (being South East Asia).  I'm happy to share it with you. Of course you can use any sturdy paper you like.  
I have been succinctly so please read all descriptions and look closely at all pictures before you start. Have fun!

1.  Here are the things I thought I might be needing. You can skip the 2 round frames, I didn't use those.

So there are: 

sturdy paper, scissors, (sunflower) oil, skewers, double sided tape, colourful sewing thread and needle.

2.  Put on one side of the long end of the paper one strip of double sided tape. Peal the protective strip off and fold the paper to a long tube by putting the long ends together. If you wish a smaller lampshade you can choose to cut or tear -like I did- some of length.

3.  Cut out triangles all around the opening but first you measure the distance from centerpoint of the tube to the edge so you know how pointy the triangels have to be to close the whole top end of the tube.

4. Put small pieces of double sides tape on each triangle tip.

5.  And put all tips together to close the top end of the tube. Leave one or two slots open for the assemblage to the lightbulb.

6.  Make the paper translucent: Apply sunflower (or olive) oil to the paper by brushing carefully all over it. Give some time to let the paper suck most of the oil - check if all parts are covered by holding against the light. Then you wipe all the remaining and glossy oil with toilet paper.

 
7.  Put the paper tube to the lightbulb. and continue with the most difficult part:  you take some double sewing thread and cross stitch the open slots together. The lampshade is hanging!

 

 8.   You can stick 3 or 4 skewers through the paper very close to the fitting for a better fixation to the fitting. In my case the skewers even go great with the Asian continent.

Good luck and have fun!

By the way,  I found the poster (piece of wallpaper?) during our last vacation in Danmark, in Copenhagen at Grønlykke shop. Lovely isn't it? I've seen this before but don't remember the designer; does anybody know who designed it? And the little paper doll was made by my friend Megan from Frank&Gertrude.

DIY angel

Today I bought a fantastic vintage book full of Christmas do it yourself (DIY) paper crafts. I cannot NOT share them with you. So here is my favourite one, the angel. Description in Dutch only, sorry! If you need help, just email me.

1. Click on the pictures with the angel parts and save them in your computer. 
2. Print the 2 pictures with the angel parts, preferably on somewhat thicker paper so the angel will get a bit more solid.
3. You can read the instructions when you click on each picture, as it will pop up and the descriptions become larger. 
4. Remember you can print as many angels you like.
5. Send it to someone you love and tell him/her that he/she is your angel.
6. Enjoy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY !

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DIY: a wee decoration

 

DO iT YOURSeLF

 A wee paper decoration for bare indoor branches:

1. Assemble several nice pictures from the internet and turn them into black/white pictures in Photoshop. Crop the pictures if necessary. It is not necessary to photoshop/cut the shapes from its background as I did in the first picture, as you will cut along the edges later.

2. Flip/rotate each picture horizontally - so you'll have a back and front - and save each separately naming them birdA and birdB for instance.

3. Drag the black and white pictures into one new file. Be carefull not to overlap.

4. Then print

5. Cut the shapes roughly loose and put one front and back together, hold against the light to precise the lines. Put two or three small pieces of double sided tape between the front and back. 

6. Finally you carefully cut along the edges and pinch a hole with a needle somewhere in the top of each shape to attach a piece of fishing line.

If you have difficulties with Photoshop, you may ask me to mail you a file with pictures as shown above (1st pic) 

Enjoy!

any thing

lantern making

Studio Job

Inspirational forms, textures and patterns.
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By the way, the plastic cup things are excellent waterresistant Sintmaarten lanterns which have an atmospheric lighting. Attach the cups with staples and experiment a bit on the symmetry and the heights. You can decorate it with permanent markers if you like and punch a whole in one of the middle cups to lead through the little (electric !!) light. Success guaranteed!