Vertical gardens

If you think you don't have enough place for gardening, you are wrong. There are very creative ideas how to make your own vertical gardens. There are, of course, industrial products and design, but I prefer home made projects.

Tutorial for this  project I found on DesingSponge – it looks very easy to try. I planned to do it couple of month ago but didn’t have time and haven’t found the pallet or something similar until recently. I will post steps and updates of growing plants soon.

Another great tutorial for similar project, using picture frame.

This project I found on Community gardening. Although Lenny Librizzi who run project, declared this experiment unsuccessfull, I found it very interesting.  At least, it seems to me as a very good idea, may be some improvement needed. But it is good to learn something new even if it didn’t turned out as we expected.

This is example and a great tut how to make something completely different if you are creative - this garden was made using shoe store and some hangers.

That is my favourite one - ugly wall turned into picture. This project is made by  the crew behind Calanthe Artisian Loft, a homestay in Melaka, Malaysia… 

Recycle plastic bottles and make a garden.

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From toolbox to mail box

Old wooden toolbox was lying in our garage for years, hubby didn't use it but also didn't want to get rid of it. But when I decided to upcycle it, he didn't have a choice but to agree. In my country elelctronic invoice is still not so popular and implemented and I am getting number of envelopes each month from utility companies, banks, telcos. Needed something usefull to sort them.

'Before'

Toolbox was rather shattered, but I liked the size and the partitions. 

Tutorial how I upcycled the toolbox

Material and tools:

- acrylic paint black
- acrylic magnetic board paint
- sanding paper and orbital sander
- three new hinges
- brushes
- decoupage paper and glue

First step was, as usual, to dissemble pieces - this time just the cover from the box. After that i sanded the box and the cover to clean the old paint.

Minor damages I repaired with acrylic filler and sanded again.

After two coats of black acrylic paint I used magnetic board paint for the inner side of the cover. Frankly, I expected a better magnetic effect after three coats of the paint. Flat magnet (used the one for fridge, in the right corner on the photo) was adhered rather well, some other didn't. Nailed new hinges to fasten cover tot the box and project was finished. Nothing difficult, but I am happy I have mail box now to sort my mail.

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From jeans skirt to the bag tutorial

Finally I found some time to finish the tutorial for this bag. I really love it, which is not always the case with my projects. 

Jeans skirt I came across during wardrobe clean-up was perfect for this  project. First, I made some decisions about basic bag design and size - decided to use the overall upper part of the skirt as it is - with pockets and zip,  determined the lenght of the bag, taking into account the bottom width and chose not to sew the lining. This was the easy part. 

Afterwards was the time to think about patches patterns and decorations. My cats helped - they are always around, together with the dog (when I am doing something) 'assisting' - steeling cloth or lying on the fabric. 

Two cats -   and the main theme was chosen. Found cat figure on the internet, print it, cut it and draw it on the fabric. 

Fantom (vanishing) pen I found very usefull in a number of my projects - on the photo above the smaller one. I used it on this project as well. The beauty of this pen is that you can use it as any other pen, but the ink vanishes after few hours or if you apply acrylic paint or water.

Sometime ago, spotted this colorfull fabric in the shop and bought it - it gives me various opportunities in my projects as  different parts/colors could be used. For this bag chose mostly green color, it is spring, isn't it.

To fix pattern on the bag I use two-sided fusible web  (meaning adhesive is on the both sides). First, copy the pattern on the paper side of the fusible web and cut it off.  As I ironed it first on the fabric chosen for the pattern, had to take care how to (in what direction) draw it on the fusible web.

Finally, ironed the pattern on the skirt to fix it to be easier to sew it with the zig-zag stich.

For the filled cat head, draw a pattern on the fabric - cca 1 cm bigger  than on the main pattern and cut two pieces  off as well as the eyes.

Fot the eyes used the same process - ironed it on the two-sided fusible web and then on the fabric.

Sewed the eyes with the zig-zag stich and whiskers using regular stich.

Sewed two parts leaving a small hole at the bottom - this helped me to turn over the fabric on the right side and to fill the head with the sinthetic filling. Drew the eyeballs with the pen for the fabric. Sewed the opening at the bottom and fixed the head on the skirt. 

Made as well another head. 

Similary made a filled paw.

Used metallic pen for fabric for the additional decorations - whiskers and dots.

Now it was time to sew the bottom fo the bag and to achieve the bag width, made this triangles.

For the bag handles I cut off strip 10 cm wide, used one-sided fusible web and sew it.

Add the belt found in the market for cca 5 $ and the bag was ready.

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Jeans bag upcycled

Spring cleaning could bring unexpected results. I found an old jeans skirt fortgotten behind other clothes but still dear to me, didn't want to give it away or throw. So, decided to make a bag.  Didn't have enough time to make tutorial, but am planning to do.

And below is my model for the decorations.

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Singer machine cabinet makeover

Some time ago I was lucky to get the 100 years old Singer machine cabinet - some aquintances didn't recognize its beauty adn were happy to give it to me. Some wooden parts were not in a very good condition, but I wasn't worried, I saw the hidden beauty of the cabinet. First of all, I decided not to replace the veneer that was in a realy bad shape, but to remove and sanded the surface. After that, I dissasemble all parts of the cabinet (hubby helped) to clean them and sand them, particulary the wooden parts.
This is the unavoidable, but necessary work to be done, and the work I don't like very much, but if you don't do that properly, the finished piece will be defficient.

Metal parts painted with Hammerite silver, wooden with acrylic paint (white) and varnish.

Now I have beautiful table for my notebook, and in the same time, vintage Singer sawing machine. A lot of people get rid of the sawing machine, but for my point of view, this is sin. When you see how it is made, all those inventive details, you can only admire the old craftsmen who created it.

Below you can see how it looked like before I refurbished it.

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Secretaire desk makeover

Secretaire desk after makeover

Secretaire desk before makeover

Furniture makeover is one of my favourite hobbies. In today's consumer society we tend to throw away things,  buy new, then throw them easily, ... I prefer to makeover things and personalize them. This secretaire desk  is one of pieces I refurbished - It was in a good shape and condition, but ugly color and  finished with glossy varnish I hated.

 

First, I dissembled doors and other pieces, then sanded it and put two layers of primer. I am using acrylic paint. After it dries, inner side of the desk I painted gray, and outside white - actually, very light cream color. This was a basis  for the additional  work. Recently I like to use letters and text, so I did for the desk. I made stencils from plastic foil, used few acrylic colors and you can see the result.

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