How to make creepy spider web balloons!

Perfect for your haunted Halloween party, these spider web balloons–complete with spiders–are clever and easy to make with just a few supplies. Their ‘secret ingredient’ is something called Hi-Float.

Along with the Hi-Float, you’ll need:
11-inch clear latex balloons
Some small rubber spiders.
Clips or plastic disks to seal the balloons.
Air or helium (the second of which is optional)

To make them:
Head on over to Crafty Crafty for the incredibly simple tutorial.

October 08, 2008

0 comments  |  177 views

0

The Money Saving Alarm Clock

We’ve had alarm clocks that make you chase them down to turn them off, like this one or this one. Our latest entry into the interactive alarm clock is the BanClock. To turn off its alarm, you need to feed it a coin. It will take any currency and any type of coin, but testing confirms that it will hold about $25 worth of quarters before it’ll need to be emptied. The perfect 10" square clock is available at Audiocubes for about 60 bucks (or 2 ½ months of turning it off with quarters) and comes in white, yellow, blue, black and red. 

October 08, 2008

0 comments  |  59 views

0

Making ordinary things extraordinary.

Now showing at the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland, OR, is Manuf®actured: The conspicuous transformation of everyday objects. It's an exhibit of mass-produced objects and materials that artisans have taken apart and re-figured into some extraordinary things. Here is just a taste of what you can see at the on-line show.

Régis Mayot’s dissected plastic jugs:

Livia Marin's sculpted lipsticks:

Sonya Clark's comb sculpture:

‘Manuf®actured: The conspicuous transformation of everyday objects’ is currently running from now until January 9, 2009. Via.

October 08, 2008

0 comments  |  87 views

0

Recycled Plastic Bag Chair

South African designer Ryan Frank was inspired by a South African crafted chicken ornament when creating this chair. Named 'Inkuku', which is Zulu for chicken, the chair is 'made entirely from plastic shopping bags combining traditional craft techniques and recycled material.' The structure is made of recycled aluminum as well. To see more of Ryan's designs, visit his website. Via.

Chicken ornament inspiration:

October 07, 2008

0 comments  |  195 views

1

Faux Frame Tape

Do frame tape by Martí Guixé is tape that looks like frame molding, thereby letting you frame anything, anywhere. Available through Modern Poverty, a 5cm x 25 m roll will set you back $15.

October 07, 2008

0 comments  |  47 views

0

Lighting Bling Two Ways

We all know lighting can be the cherry on the top of a well-designed room. If we have the cash, we can splurge on a juicy bing, if not, we might have to settle for a maraschino. But having to go with a less-than-fresh cherry doesn’t me we have to compromise our vision. If there is a high ticket option out there, you can bet there is a similar budget-friendly look-a-like as well. Case in point: 

The Nina Quads 4-Light Flush Mount from Croft & Little, $343.20...

versus the Cubox 13 Ceiling Light from Y Lighting, $1,985.44.

Or the Parker Flush Mount by Jonathan Adler from Croft & Little, $223.30...

versus the Caboche Ceiling Light from Y-Lighting, $1,530.00.

For more lighting options, visit Y-Lighting and Croft & Little.

For

October 07, 2008

0 comments  |  41 views

0

Acorn Cakelet Pan

New from Williams-Sonoma is their absolutely darling Acorn Cakelet Pan. The detail in each of the 18 acorns it bakes is remarkable. I'm imagining little acorn corn breads served with jambalya or chilli this fall. Mmmmm. Perfect for cakes as well, just pop the little devils out of the pan and dust them with powdered sugar for a no-fuss yet fancy desert. The pan overall measures 15 1/4" x 11 3/4" x 1" high while the acorns it produces are 2 1/4" long. Made for W-S by Nordicware, the pan will set you back $39.

October 06, 2008

0 comments  |  70 views

0

Vintage Faucet Knobs as Hooks

In Apartment Therapy's recent article 10 Upcycled Uses for Old Things, one idea stands out among all the rest: Using vintage faucet knobs as hooks. How clever!

October 06, 2008

0 comments  |  42 views

0

The Butterfly Clock

Susanne Philippson's Butterfly Clock comes in four pieces, three of which are butterflies that seem to have sprung from the clock itself. It's available at Generate ($319) in light green as well as white, black and pink. Time could not be told in a more beautiful way.

October 06, 2008

0 comments  |  51 views

2

Toile Graffiti

The toile of 18th century France has been pulled by its ear into the 21st century by Historically Inaccurate Decorative Arts. The design firm uses ‘traditional stitching techniques in modern ways, thematically hearkening back to historical styles such as maritime crochet or cross-stitch samplers but substituting contemporary iconography in place of the original design element.’ Case in point: Farmers being visited by a UFO....

or a courting couple sprouting fairy wings.

As you can imagine, their hand embroidered items are not inexpensive.  (A down-filled 16" x 20" pillow sells for $184). However, with some embroidery thread, a hoop and some toile, I could see a viable recreation for a fraction of the cost. Via.

October 03, 2008

0 comments  |  75 views

2