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Thursday, June 05, 2008

Domestic Goddess?

Love or hate the label, there is no one who doesn’t appreciate the comforts of home from time to time.

Briton Jane Brocket, creator of yarnstorm, is a self-described “domestic, but not necessarily domesticated, mother of three.”

She shares her twist on stitching, baking, nature, art, and more in “The Gentle Art of Domesticity,” out this September in the U.S.

Us_book_cover_4

It’s filled with quirky, warm DIY projects. Whether she is knitting a tea cozy or baking jam tarts, Jane’s approach and accompanying photographs are always done with touches of wit and whimsy.

Witness this pairing of handmade socks and sweets.

Yarmstorm_socks

And candy-bar-foil bookmarks for your classic novels.

Yarnstorm_books

If you can’t wait until September, check out her daily blog and revel in the domestic wanderlust.

OK, one more. A heart-shaped marshmallow.

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Monday, May 12, 2008

Up, Up, and Away

Soon the warm, breezy days of spring will give way to the hot, humid days of summer. Unless you are opting for a Mia Farrow cut, you will need something to keep your locks from going limp.

Mia_farrow

One solution? a ponytail or bun with some glamour.  I give my elastic hair bands an upgrade with a simple and inexpensive accent: buttons. The ones below were found at Lou Lou Buttons in New York City, but there are other sources such as Tender Buttons, M&J Trimming, or Great Buttons.

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They're a cinch to make with the right materials. You will need elastic hair bands, available at any drugstore, jump rings in brass, silver or gold, and a pair of needle-nose pliers. Your fingers or tweezers will do in a pinch.

Simply bend open the jump ring with pliers and attach hair elastic and button (remember the jump ring will need to be big enough to fit around both).

Then, close it up and you're ready. Since there were no hair models around the office, fellow blogger Kerstin and myself opted to show you a few of my favorite creations.

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Hair_tie_ker_4230158 



Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Green Knees



Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Jodi's Board Book

Babies love pictures of themselves and people that they know. So, a book filled with photo collages of the parents-to-be, family, and friends would make such a great shower gift. If the parents-to-be are crafty, a stack of blank books for them to fill would be an excellent gift. But homemade books would also make really cool gifts for friends if filled with old photos, excerpts from letters, and other souvenirs. That's why I’ve been obsessed with these blank white board books which are available at Romp, an excellent childrens store right around the corner from me in Brooklyn. The books come in two sizes: 5 inches x 5 inches or  8 inches x 8 inches. You can also get them from Oriental Trading (in the same sizes) but I've found them to be not quite as sturdy.

Rompbook

Blank board books from Romp

Over at my place we've been cranking out so many of these books that we practically have a mini factory. The books we make are pretty silly and messy (and not really meant for, well, grownups to see). We paste in photos, paper cutouts, and stickers to create a story. Here are a few of the ones we've made.

2_board_books

My older son Sammy and I made one last year for my younger son's first birthday, “We love Lionel,” and another for a little baby friend that we watch on Fridays titled “Friday Brothers."

Continue reading "Jodi's Board Book" »



Monday, March 24, 2008

The Counterfeit Crochet Project

Ever wished you could just whip up a copy of your favorite designer bag? Well, now you can! Or, well, sort of…

The Counterfeit Crochet Project led by Stephanie Syjuco of San Francisco is a project that, in Stephanie's words, "pays homage to the DIY aesthetic of those who choose to make their own goods in an era of mass consumption and mass production," and "addresses issues of high fashion piracy and counterfeiting."

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Crochet a la Gucci

Continue reading "The Counterfeit Crochet Project" »



Friday, March 14, 2008

One-Minute Speaker

The other day, Shane and I wanted to listen to some music in the office, but we don't have a stereo. We did have Shane's iPhone, but the music that dribbled out of it without a speaker was barely above a whisper. To see if it would amplify the sound at all, I rolled a loose piece of paper into a cone to create a low-tech megaphone. It wasn't Bose-quality sound, but it was a lot more audible. When Page came in and found us rocking out to our old-fashioned fix, she nearly keeled over laughing. (But secretly thought it was a great idea.)

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The one-minute speaker

 



Thursday, March 13, 2008

Brand New Blue

As promised, Bluelines has undergone a facelift (the fun kind). It might seem subtle but we've made some big additions. Here's a rundown of what's new.

If they're not already drawn there immediately, direct your eyes upward and you'll see six cool new banners by the incredibly talented artist Keith Shore. (More about him later.) We'll be rotating the artist behind our banners every month so if you'd like to be considered or want to suggest someone, please email us.

We've got a new list of contributors who'll be blogging about what inspires them, makes them laugh, and generally makes them weak in the knees. There are a few familiar faces, and a couple of new ones sprinkled in. We hope you come to like them all.

On the top left, we've tweaked our navigation, so play around with it and discover the archived treasures that lie within. Here, you'll find all of the previous Bluelines posts archived.

Navigation button No. 10 deserves a paragraph of its own. We've created a source book full of our favorite websites, blogs, artists, and resources. Here you'll also find all of Blueprint's beloved 100 Reasons To...  -- which contain a bevy of links, facts, and inspiration. We'll be adding to that list constantly, so check back often.

You'll also notice that we've created home tours of our favorite Blueprint features. Take a virtual tour of Suzanna Bierwith's Chicago row house, and watch as Sarah Humphreys's tiny Manhattan apartment goes from claustrophobic to chic. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are also rife with great decorating tips and ideas to steal. And, of course, we'll be adding more of them.

New ideas, a new look, and new contributors -- we hope that's what you've been hankering for.

Collage

Just some of what's to come



Monday, March 10, 2008

Most Popular DIY Posts

We're big on making things ourselves -- and it seems that most of you are too! In honor of our one-year blog-iversary (and impending relaunch) here are some of the most popular DIY posts.

Katie_cardcases_l

Making My Case

Ottoman Empire

It's Electric

Rebecca_sleeveart_l_1

A Change of Art

Sweet Child of Mine

Lord of the Bling

Hang-Up Job

A Chain for the Better

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Tried & True

First-Class Mayle

The Rules

Rear View

Frametight



Friday, March 07, 2008

Land Of Sweet Liberty Prints

Posted by Kerstin

Erin's recent post inspired me to start thinking about spring and what its colors mean to me. And although the weather will not drastically change with this Sunday's daylight saving time, I can still start dreaming of fresh-cut lawns and delicate blossoms with the purchase of some Liberty of London cotton fabrics.

These classic English prints are so cheery and whimsical they could turn the grayest, dullest day on its head. I am using the last few weeks of winter to brainstorm what I will do with the fabrics this year.

Since the fabric isn't exactly cheap (Purl has a great selection), I might have to scale down the size of my projects. Perhaps three or four handmade covers to customize otherwise boring, black journals  -- perfect make-ahead gifts for a bunch of June birthdays. I might even have some left over to make myself a set of mismatched coasters to set out at my Preakness party.

Liberty_pack

Calico & Ivy's assortment pack of Liberty fabrics

And this assortment pack sold by Calico & Ivy has inspired me to possibly attempt a nap-friendly blanket for my 2-year-old goddaughter. I figure she can always make it into a mini skirt when she gets too old for a "woobie."

More Liberty prints after the jump--->

Continue reading "Land Of Sweet Liberty Prints" »



Friday, February 29, 2008

Best Of Bluelines

Do you have any favorite posts?



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