Fashion these sturdy handles from two same-size serving pieces.
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Step 1: Flip one facedown, then following the package directions, apply bonding glue to the flat end of a one-inch aluminum screw post ($11.95 for box of 100; screwpost.com). Quickly press the post to the base of the flatware\'s handle (approximately a half inch from the end), and hold until a bond forms. Let dry for 20 minutes.
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Step 2: At the serving end of the utensil, find the flattest point to glue on a second post (approximately two inches in from the end). Let dry, then repeat for second utensil.
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Step 3: Remove your existing cabinet hardware and drill new holes, if necessary, to correspond with the posts. Finish by screwing flatware into place from the inside of the doors.
Reward a great quote (we cribbed from The Wizard of Oz) with the gallery treatment, courtesy of this project adapted from Meg Mateo Ilasco\'s Crafting a Meaningful Home ($24.95; STC Craft).
Step 1: Lay a piece of poster board on a flat surface. Use letter stencils ($7.69 for a set; staples.com) to spell out the phrase of your choice on the board, experimenting until you find a placement you like. (Use a ruler and pencil to mark horizontal lines for guidance.)
Step 2: Spell out the phrase backward, then flip the stencils over (you\'ll be turning the board over when you\'re done, and the words will then read correctly). Trace the letters onto the board with a pencil.
Step 3: Carefully cut out the letters with an X-Acto knife, then use hem tape to affix a patterned piece of fabric to the poster board. Flip the poster board over to reveal the finished artwork, then frame.
Traded in all your CDs for MP3s? Rather than tossing those plastic covers in the trash, where they\'ll likely linger for decades most aren\'t recyclable mount them on your walls with this resourceful project from Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas (Potter Craft). You\'ll need little more than 20 CD cases, a computer, Velcro tape, and, of course, a favorite photo.
Step 1: On a computer, open a high-resolution photo of your choice in an image-editing program like Adobe Photoshop. Resize the picture to 26½\" x 18¼\". Using a selection tool, divide the image into twenty 5 3/8\" x 4 5/8\" squares, then digitally cut and paste each square into a separate 5 3/8\" x 4 5/8\" file.
Step 2: Print out each document onto 5\" x 7\" photo paper. Trim off any white space.
Step 3: Pop out the interior section (the round piece that the CD snaps onto) of 20 standard jewel cases. Also remove the paper inserts.
Step 4: Carefully trace one photo segment onto a piece of thin cardboard and cut; repeat 19 times. Use double-sided tape to attach one piece of cardboard to the back of every photo segment; then slip each segment, image side up, into a CD case and close it. Repeat until every photo sits inside a case.
Step 5: With Velcro tape or mounting strips, affix the cases to the wall one at a time, making sure to arrange them so the photo lies in the right order and the cases almost touch.
Step 1: Iron shirt to smooth out all wrinkles. Button it, then pin the shirt\'s front and back to each other to keep them together when cutting.
Step 2: Cut out the shirt to match the shape of your pillow insert adding two inches to both the width and length, and centering the row of buttons down the front. (You\'ll now have two pieces of fabric.)
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Step 3: Repin the fabric so the shirt\'s finished sides face each other. Sew the pieces together using a 6/8-inch seam. Snip the corners at an angle to ease turning.
Step 4: Unbutton the fabric and turn the pillowcase right side out. Iron, then rebutton.
Step 5: Topstitch around the case twice first 1/8 inch from the edges, then 3/8 inch from the edges to finish it.
Step 6: Unbutton the case, insert the pillow, then rebutton and fluff.
How to add rickrack trim to your tailor-made cushions: Cut an old shirt as described in Steps 1 and 2, but adding only 1/2 inch to both the fabric\'s width and length. You will have two pieces of material: one with buttons (keep them closed) and one without. Take the piece without buttons and pin rickrack along the perimeter of its front side. Rickrack should be parallel to the edges with no overhang. Machine-baste the rickrack onto the fabric using a scant 1/8-inch seam (you will just be sewing across the top of the rickrack to hold it in place the trimming will flip up once the pillow is inserted). Pin the two pieces of fabric together so the side with the buttons and the side with the rickrack face each other. Sew together using a 1/4-inch seam. Unbutton the case, turn it right side out, and insert pillow.
",credit: "Karl Juengel/Studio D",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/jf/shirt-pillows-diy-0909-de_smn.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/Vg/shirt-pillows-diy-0909-de_mdn.jpg",srcwidth: "300",srcheight: "400"},{id: "slide29",slidetype: "image",title: "Jewelry Magnets",description: "Instead of letting vintage brooches gather dust in your jewelry box, turn them into refrigerator magnets: Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the pin hardware from the back of each brooch (most fittings will come off easily); then affix a superstrong magnet with a small bead of glue — we used Gorilla Super Glue. Let dry overnight. Your grocery list has never looked more glam!",credit: "Amber S. Clark",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/1T/jewelry-magnets-diy-0909-smn.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/3w/jewelry-magnets-diy-0909-mdn.jpg",srcwidth: "300",srcheight: "400"},{id: "slide30",slidetype: "image",title: "Ruler Tabletop",description: "
Try to get a variety of colors, but be sure they\'re all the same thickness. (For a 19- by 17-inch table like this one, you\'ll need about 16 yardsticks.)
Step 1: To figure out how best to align the sticks, create a template of the tabletop by tracing it onto a sheet of paper. Arrange the rulers on the template, marking where you\'ll need to cut so they fit the width and length of the table.
Step 2: Once you know where each ruler segment will go, make the cuts with a hacksaw or small electric saw. Smooth out any rough edges with medium-grit sandpaper.
Step 3: Starting at one corner, attach one of the ruler segments to the top of the table lengthwise by hammering a flat-head nail in at each end. Repeat in rows until the entire surface is covered. You can stagger the sticks as shown, but line them up carefully to avoid gaps.
Step 4: Apply several layers of Zinsser clear shellac ($4.79; doitbest.com) over the yardsticks with a wide brush, according to the can\'s directions. Allow ample time for drying between coats. Once you\'re done, let the table dry for another 48 hours before putting anything on its surface.
An enlightened take on the pendant lamp, this project uses ceramic yellowware to glowing effect.
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Step 1: Choose a bowl that measures at least four inches high and five inches in diameter. Turn it upside down on a flat work surface. Measure and mark the center of the bottom of the bowl.
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Step 2: Using a power drill fit with a two-inch tile or ceramic hole saw ($9.98; homedepot.com for stores), push squarely down on the center mark until the ceramic piece pops through the bottom of the bowl (wear a dust mask for this part).
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Step 3: Wipe off any debris, then screw the socket from a pendant light kit ($14.94; drillspot.com) into the hole. Install a 60-watt bulb, and hang according to kit\'s instructions.
An elementary school craft takes on a sophisticated edge when fashioned from the tissue-thin paper of old sewing patterns.
Step 1: For each flower, cut six 7-inch squares from the pattern. Stack and fold them accordion-style six times, forming a one-by seven-inch rectangle. Snip off the corners of the rectangle with scissors.
Step 2: Tightly twist a wire floral stem around the center of the rectangle.
Step 3: Fan out the paper, then pull apart each layer, creating the blossom.
",credit: "Philip Friedman/Studio D",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/bc/CLX060109_076_1_3-th.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/CLX060109_076_1_3-de-50621917.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"},{id: "slide33",slidetype: "image",title: "Crocheted Tea Towels",description: "Ready-made edgings and borders, available by the yard at fabric stores or adapted from flea-market finds, make it easy to transform even the simplest home textiles into vintage-style home accessories. You can machine- or hand-stitch the filigree embellishments to almost any fabric surface — dish towels, bath towels, bedding, or attire — in an afternoon.",credit: "Sang An",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/crochet-tea-towels-de-smn.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/crochet-tea-towels-de-mdn.jpg",srcwidth: "300",srcheight: "383"},{id: "slide34",slidetype: "image",title: "Magnetic Message Board",description: "
An old office corkboard can be converted to a stylish magnetic message board with the help of fabric, a zinc-coated steel, and a white-washed frame.
Near a favorite reading chair, present a page-turning vignette. Paint a silhouette on a backdrop of book pages. Then cut vase shapes to give text three dimensions. Get the drections to make paper vases »
Plus: 12 more craft ideas that make clever use of words »
",credit: "Ellen Silverman",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/M4/paper-vases-0908-smn.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/sL/paper-vases-0908-de-mdn.jpg",srcwidth: "300",srcheight: "400"},{id: "slide36",slidetype: "image",title: "Flatware Candleholders",description: "Make these playful accessories using chrome-plated candle cups that measure about one inch wide — the perfect size for holding tapers ($5.36 each; antiquelampsupply.com). Affix cups to the serving ends of a spoon and fork using bonding glue. Let dry for one hour.",credit: "Lara Robby/Studio D",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/U0/sept-crafts-candle-holder-0910-th.jpg",xlargesrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/LE/sept-crafts-candle-holder-0910-xl.jpg",xlargewidth: 360,xlargeheight: 460,src: "/cm/countryliving/images/L6/sept-crafts-candle-holder-0910-de.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"},{id: "slide37",slidetype: "image",title: "Sewing Kit",description: "
Visit a local farm stand for a vintage-looking egg carton, and store all your sewing basics in one lightweight, portable kit.
Step 1: Cut a piece of material, such as ticking or gingham, the size of the egg carton\'s lid. Make the safety-pin cushion (see further instructions below), and hot glue the fabric to the carton. Cross-stitch the elastic to the fabric to hold sewing scissors; try Gingher\'s. Make the pin cushion and set in carton. Fill the carton with sewing notion.
Step 2: Create a place to hold your sewing scissors. Cut a piece of elastic 1 1/2 inches wide, and cross-stitch it to the fabric.
Step 3: Make a pin cushion. Ball up batting. Wrap a piece of fabric tightly around the batting, and stitch the fabric closed.
Step 4: Make a safety-pin cushion. Cut batting to fit the right half of the carton\'s lid. Place batting under the fabric, creating a cushion to use for safety pins.
Glamorize an old wine crate or wooden box by adding shelves and a gilded frame. Finish with paint and it\'s ready for storing pretty toiletries or displaying an interesting collection.
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Step 1: Remove the back of an old wine crate or wooden box.
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Step 2: Make shelves to fit inside the box, then add a bit of glamour by fastening a gilded frame onto the front of the unit.
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Step 3: For an antique finish, spray-paint with Krylon Crystal Color.
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Step 4: Buy a picture-hanging kit that includes hooks that can be attached to the back of the shelves. Make sure they can hold at least 50 to 100 pounds.
",credit: "Claire Richardson",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/bathroom-shelf-de.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/bathroom-shelf-de.jpg",srcwidth: "460",srcheight: "360"},{id: "slide39",slidetype: "image",title: "Antique Book Art",description: "Rescue an abandoned book, and present it as a still life. Adorn a dilapidated atlas with delicate butterflies, their winged shapes the product of a butterfly craft punch. Glue a page from a discarded novel to the cover before affixing the butterflies with glue dots to look as if they fly off the page.",credit: "Ellen Silverman",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/3b/butterflies-book-0908-th.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/butterflies-book-0908-de-6774058.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"},{id: "slide40",slidetype: "image",title: "Postcard Wallets",description: "
Stitch up vintage postcards to make slim wallets and business card holders. Get detailed instructions to make your own »
",credit: "Wendell T. Webber",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/wv/CLX0907SIM153-th.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/CLX0907SIM153-de-2523483.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"},{id: "slide41",slidetype: "image",title: "Jelly Jar Shelf",description: "
Wash and save jelly jars to attach to a shelf for creative craft storage.
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Measure your shelf to determine the number of jelly jars to attach. Space them out evenly and mark their placement with a pencil.
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Step 1: Start with clean jelly jars. Turn the shelf over and position the jar lids along the underside of the shelf. Attach each lid securely with two small nails; if the lid is too loose, it will spin.
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Step 2: Fill the jars with colorful office and craft suppliescheck out seejanework.comand twist onto the lids.
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Plus: See more clever storage projects »
",credit: "Wendell T. Webber",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/I4/CLX0108SIM_052-th.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/CLX0108SIM_052-de.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"},{id: "slide42",slidetype: "image",title: "Pocket Board Organizer",description: "A basic, wooden picture frame becomes a pocket board to hold notes and other mementos.\r\n
Painting an ornate frame and fitting it with a piece of cork creates a pretty way to display photographs in a guest room or office.
Plus: 4 ways to make a message board »
",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/4R/frame5-th.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/Frame5-de-99350957.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"},{id: "slide44",slidetype: "image",title: "Quilted Baskets",description: "Sew remnants of worn or stained quilts onto woven baskets for a decorative liner.\r\n
\r\nRelated Project: How to Make Fabric-Lined Baskets",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/CLX0607SIM066-de-48773816-thumb.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/CLX0607SIM066-de-48773816.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"},{id: "slide45",slidetype: "image",title: "Decorative Plates",description: "
Antique-shop plates can decorate a wall when embellished with word decals, spelling out a favorite quotation.
Plus: 12 more craft ideas that make clever use of words »
",credit: "Ellen Silverman",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/1g/word-plates-0908-smn.jpg",src: "/cm/countryliving/images/N5/word-plates-0908-mdn.jpg",srcwidth: "300",srcheight: "400"},{id: "slide46",slidetype: "image",title: "Curtain Tieback",description: "To create this handy hook, drill a small hole approximately one inch in from the end of the fork\'s handle. Hold the utensil faceup, then use pliers to bend the prongs back toward the handle, making sure to form a rounded C shape rather than a V. Finish by screwing the tieback into your window molding.",sourceid: null,sourcename: null,sourceurl: null,sourcelogo: null,thumbsrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/TY/sept-crafts-fork-curtain-0910-th.jpg",xlargesrc: "/cm/countryliving/images/1H/sept-crafts-fork-curtain-0910-xl.jpg",xlargewidth: 360,xlargeheight: 460,src: "/cm/countryliving/images/Qb/sept-crafts-fork-curtain-0910-de.jpg",srcwidth: "360",srcheight: "460"}]};
Gilded Vases
Upgrade your picnic table with gilded DIY vases and votives. Use a foam brush to apply adhesive to the outside of a mason jar in small, irregular patches. When the sticky substance turns clearin about 30 minutes press on sheets of gold leaf. Then, rub away excess flecks with a paper towel for a lovely weathered patina. (Speedball gold-leaf kit with leaf and adhesive, $10.97; dickblick.com)
Alison Gootee/Studio D
Patio Pavers
To brighten up a plain concrete patio stone ($1.61; 12" square; lowes.com), first brush away any debris. Then, mark the centers of the stone and your stencil (Modern Masters Endless Circles stencil, $31.95; royaldesignstudio.com). Position the stencil over the stone, aligning the center marks. Use masking tape to block off two flowers on both the right and bottom edges of the stencil to make the pattern symmetrical. While holding the stencil in place, dip a ½-inch-wide stencil brush into Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and pounce the brush straight up and down to apply the paint (brush, $5.75; paint, Greek Blue, $11.95 for 4 oz.; royaldesignstudio.com). When you're done, remove the stencil. That's it—no sealer necessary! Repeat on additional stones to extend your path.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
A Clever Homemade Trivet
Whip up a Scandinavian-style table protector fromget thiswooden clothespins and floral wire. Oslo-born crafter Paul Lowe shares his easy how-to in Sweet Paul Eat and Make ($30; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Simply disassemble 40 clothespins, lay them flat side down, and drill a hole in each, about ½ inch from the tapered end. Thread the pins onto the wire with the double-notched sides facing right, as shown. Then, pull the wire into a circle and twist the ends to secure. You'll be done before the kettle boils.
Alexandra Grablewski
Solid Perfume
To create your own signature scent, first take two perfume compacts and place a liner in each (oval perfume compact, $12.95; large oval liner, $1.35; ladyofthelockets.etsy.com). Then, mix 1½ teaspoons of jojoba oil and 25 drops of essential oilrose, lavender, your choice!in a glass; set aside (jojoba oil, $5.97 for 2 oz.; essential oils, from $2.95; bulkapothecary.com). Melt ¾ teaspoon of grated beeswax on low heat in a glass bowl over a double boiler for 5 to 10 seconds (white beeswax, $8.91 for one pound; bulkapothecary.com). Remove beeswax from heat and stir in the oil mixture. Reheat for 10 seconds. Pour the mixture into the compacts, then let cool completely.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
Bleach-Splattered Chair
Making over plain cotton upholstery fabric requires nothing more than a household disinfectant and water. Working outside, and wearing protective eyewear and gloves, lay the desired yardage for your project flat on a sheet of plastic. In a measuring cup, mix together ½ cup bleach and ½ cup water. Use a plastic spoon to drib-ble the liquid all over the fabric. When you're satisfied with the pattern, let dry, then run the fabric through a regular cycle in your washer and dryer. Take it to a local upholsterer (we sent ours to tapemeasure design.com)or use it however you'd like.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
Matchbook Containers
These delightful little volumes (inspired by Heather Mann of dollarstorecrafts.com) throw the book at desktop clutter. To transform ordinary matchboxes into match-"book" containers, print all five dust-jacket images, sized to fit basic 300-count matchboxes, from countryliving.com/ matchboxcovers. Cut out and adhere the covers and pages to your matchboxes using spray mount. Then fill 'em up with the items referenced on the spines, and shelve .
Miki Duisterhof
Mason Jar Lid Coasters
For once, the ubiquitous mason jar isn't the star of a DIY hack—we focused on its cap instead. First, gather four lids: We used weathered zinc ones ($1.65 each; 3 ¼" diam.; candlesoylutions.com). Place your lids upside down on top of adhesive cork shelf liner ($7.99; 12"W x 4'L; containerstore.com). Trace around the lids with a pen, then cut out the circles. Next, stamp an image into the center of each cork circle—ours references the classic Ball jar—using solvent-based ink, which won't smear when wet (stamp, $8.75; 1"W x 2"L; dragonflybuzz.etsy.com. StazOn solvent ink pad, $7.99; hobbylobby.com). Let the ink dry at least one minute, then peel the backing off the cork circles, affix within the lids, and crack open a cold one.
Alison Gootee
Embroidered Wall Art
What truly elevates this idea from contributing editor Cathe Holden is the 3-D stitching that makes these graphics pop. (Just check out the close-up at right.) Create a masterpiece from your own sack, or nab a vintage one from eBay for about $10.
Step 1: Use a seam ripper to open the bag along the seams, so you're left with a flat piece of fabric. Hand-wash, and press with an iron.
Step 2: Embroider the words and images as desired, matching your embroidery floss to the bag's colors. (For stitching tips and instructions, see dmc-usa.com/education.)
Step 3: Center your bag on a blank canvas board—choose a board that allows for at least two inches of the bag's fabric to wrap around all sides (from $4.69 for 9"W x 12"H; cheapjoes.com). Apply Shurtape double-sided carpet tape to the board's side and back edges ($4.98; 1"W x 42'L; lowes.com).
Step 4: Tightly wrap the bag around the board, pressing it firmly against the tape; then trim away any excess fabric along the back. Add picture-hanging hardware to the back of the board (if desired) and display.
Alison Gootee
Vintage-Globe Light
We're positively glowing over this new use for an old globe, devised by contributing editor Andrea Greco. To create your own pendant, you'll need a 12-inch-diameter cardboard globe (as little as $15 on Etsy or eBay), plus a pendant light cord kit ($15; pbteen.com). First, remove your globe from its base, if necessary. With a utility knife, carefully make a 3½-inch-diameter opening at the bottom of your globe, using its latitude lines as a guide (convenient, right?). Then, holding the light cord's socket at the top of the globe, trace around it with a pencil, and cut out the resulting circle. Using a drill fitted with a -inch bit, pierce small holes around the outline of each continent, leaving a quarter inch between holes. Insert the socket at the top, following the kit's instructions; then screw in a 15-watt CFL bulb from the bottom, and hang.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
Book Box for Remote Control
A fresh plotline for a used book: storing a remote!
Unlike Downton Abbey, your clunky clicker isn't exactly a must-see. So stash the eyesore in a book: You'll need one at least two inches longer and 1/4 inch deeper than your remote control.
Step 1: Open the book's back cover. Using a foam brush, coat the inside cover and facing page with school glue. Close the book and press down firmly for 10 seconds.
Step 2: Open the book's front cover. Coat the entire stack of pages—all three exposed sides—with school glue, taking care not to get any on the topmost page. Let dry for one hour; repeat. Close the book, weight it with a second book, and let dry overnight.
Step 3: Open the front cover, center your remote on the first page, and trace around it with a pencil, adding 1/4 inch all the way around. Set the remote aside. With an X-Acto knife, cut along the marked line, removing two to three pages at a time. Continue until your remote fits deeply inside.
Step 4: Cut a piece of ribbon that's half the length of your book plus five inches. Trim one end into a fork; dot hot glue on the opposite end, and affix it in the bottom-center of the hollowed-out area—this "bookmark" will lift out your neatly disguised device.
YOU HAVE: Old book School glue Remote control Pencil X-Acto knife Scissors Hot glue
Secure your secret musings in a journal (Semikolon, $14.95; 6"W x 8½"L; amazon.com) fastened with two matching watchbands ($10.95 each; 18mm; amazon.com).
Step 1: Measure and mark two spots inside the front cover of your notebook: one, two inches from the top; the other, two inches from the bottom; both, 1 1/2 inches from the spine. Next, measure and mark two spots inside the back cover: one, two inches from the top; the other, two inches from the bottom; both, 5 1/2 inches from the spine. Using a hammer and a four-penny nail, punch holes through all four marks.
Step 2: For each of the four watchband pieces, measure and mark a spot 1/8 inch from the end that would attach to a watch. Use the hammer and nail to punch through all four marks.
Step 3: Place one buckle-end watchband piece atop the front cover, aligning the punched holes. Push one 5/16"W × 5/16"L brass rivet through both holes; set according to package instructions (Rivets and Setter Kit, $12; amazon.com). Repeat for the other hole and buckle-end watchband piece. Then flip the notebook over and repeat for the remaining hole and watchband pieces.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
Button Rings
Get a load of this fresh notion for something you probably already have around the house! Emily Peters sells these baubles at our Country Living Fairs (emmalouvintage.etsy.com), but she's also generous enough to tell you how to craft your own. If you become so carried away that you need more buttons, Etsy.com has a killer selection of vintage ones.
Step 1: Start with an adjustable brass "ring blank," the band that wraps around your finger ($6.50 for 10; filigreefindings.etsy.com).
Step 2: If your button has a shank on the back, snip it off with wire-cutting pliers and sand down the back surface with a rotary tool (Dremel 4.8-volt, $24.97; homedepot.com).
Step 3: Apply a thin layer of metal-bonding glue (Beacon's Glass, Metal & More glue, $6.99 for two ounces; createforless.com) to the back of your button, then adhere it to the top of the ring blank. If you'd like to add a second button, apply a thin layer of the glue to its back side, then adhere it atop the first button. Let dry for 24 hours.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
How to Make a Paintbrush Vase
Blogger Camilla Fabbri gave used paintbrushes a new lease on life with this fanciful centerpiece. "I love the way the colorful bristles look," says Fabbri, an Evanston, Illinois, artist, "and the whole thing takes just minutes." Simply space two rows of plain rubber bands around a tall, cylindrical vase, then tuck brushes (Fabbri used about 40) inside the bands until the tools completely surround the vessel.
Kate Mathis
Mini Cloches
Upend ordinary glassware as display domes.
To create these super-adorable mini cloches, raid your kitchen. We used (from left) a tumbler ($2.50; cb2.com), a stemless wineglass ($12.99 for four; libbey.com), and a canning jar ($21 for six; weckjars.com). Glue an iron lamp finial—like a tree (from $12.50; coloradodallas.com for stores)—to the bottom of each container with a thin coat of E6000 Multipurpose Adhesive ($3.99 for .5 ounces; joann.com). Let harden for an hour before enclosing tiny treasures underneath.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
Eyeglass Case
Transform a traditional necktie into a nifty eyeglass case. (A fun gift idea for Father's Day!)
Step 1: Lay a tie front side down. Measure and mark 17 inches in from the pointed tip, then cut the tie widthwise. Discard the narrow end of the tie.
Step 2: Using a seam ripper, open the seam along the back of the tie at least six inches, to create a pouch for the glasses.
Step 3: Measure eight inches in from the cut end and mark. Fold the tie at the mark toward the pointed tip; tuck under 1/2 inch of cut edge and pin.
Step 4: Using hand-stitches along the top and sides, secure the folded-over portion of tie to the top layer of fabric beneath it (taking care not to sew the pouch closed). Finish by affixing a set of self-adhesive Velcro dots to keep the case closed.
Lara Robby/Studio D
Jaunty Firewood Carrier
Carry out a seasonal chore in style with a log sling that costs less than $15 to make!
Step 1: Turn a canvas bag ($4.99; hobbylobby.com for stores) inside out, then use a seam ripper to undo the gusseted corners. Using scissors, cut the bag along the side seams so that it lays completely flat when open.
Step 2: Lay the bag wrong side up. Using a pencil and a ruler, draw and 8 1/2-inch diagonal line across each of the bag's corners. Cut the bag along the lines, as shown; discard corner pieces. Then, fold each cut edge over by 1/4 inch and topstitch in place.
Step 3: Cut a piece of faux bois oilcloth ($8 per yard; oilclothbytheyard.com) that measures 18 1/4''L x 13 1/2W. Flip the bag right side up, then lay the panel across the bag's middle section, as shown. Using bright-orange thread, topstitch the panel in place along its edges.
Step 4: Reinforce the handles by folding each strap back on itself. Clamp or pin the strap in place, then stitch it together. Repeat for the second strap.
Barnyard Candleholders
To show these plastic animals the light, we applied a technique featured on thesweetestoccasion.com. First, use a drill to make a small pilot hole in the flattest spot on the back of an animal (from $3.49; anwo.com). Align the pilot hole beneath the hole in the bottom of a menorah candle cup ($9.95 for nine; zionjudaica.com). Secure the cup using a no. 5 screw (its head will rest just atop the cup's hole). Repeat to make multiple holders. Next, apply three coats of Krylon's Fusion for Plastic white spray paint ($5.99; amazon.com), allowing 30 minutes of drying time after each coat. Finally, place a menorah candle ($4.14 for 45; amazon.com) inside each cup to set the herd aglow.
Ben Golstein/Studio D
Book Storage Boxes
Extend the shelf life of secondhand books.
"I'm crazy for the patterns on these covers," says CL contributing editor Cathe Holden of the condensed books Reader's Digest published from the 1950s through the '90s. She often nabs them at yard sales for next to nothing; you can also find the volumes on eBay and Etsy, where they typically go for around five bucks. Here's how Holden transforms the tomes into stealthy storage boxes.
Step 1: To make one box requires two books—the first will become the outer cover, while the second forms the inner framework. Using an X-Acto knife, carefully remove the entire stack of pages from the first book, cutting as close to the spine as possible. Conceal the now-exposed inner spine with colored paper cut from the first page in the stack, adhering the paper with paper glue (paper glue, $5.50 for two ounces; amazon.com). Discard the rest of the stack.
Step 2: For the inner framework, you'll need to cut four panels from the second book's covers. Use the first book to determine the panels' dimensions. With the first book open flat in front of you, measure the width of the inner spine and subtract a quarter inch. This will be the width of every panel. To determine the length of two panels, measure the length of the inner spine and subtract one-half inch. To determine the length of the other two panels, measure from the outer edge of the first book's cover liner to the initial crease of the spine. Cut all four panels from the second book and discard it.
Step 3: Form a right angle by aligning one long and one short panel, using our photo as a guide. Attach using hot glue, making sure the panels' patterned sides face out. Repeat with the remaining panels. Attach these two right angles to form one rectangle. Cover the framework's top edges with thin strips of colored tape ($3.50 for 3/5"W x 33'L roll; cutetape.com).
Step 4: Return to the first book and lay it open flat. Stand the framework atop the book's inner back cover and hot-glue in place. Finally, hot-glue the spine to the framework, then stash your stuff in the box.
Alison Gootee/Studio D
Paint Swatch Organizers
Repurpose hardware-store color cards in seconds flat: Simply stack two same-size cards atop each other, right sides facing out, and stitch together along the bottoms and sides with contrasting thread (we opted for red). Then use flathead tacks to attach your brilliant little pocket organizers to a bulletin board, and fill them with pencils, papers, and more.
(Sisal bulletin board, $149; 24"W x 36"H; ballarddesigns.com)
Burcu Avsar
Upcycled Drink Station
CL contributing editor Ryan McPhail reveals his method for creating a stealthy bar from a cast-off chest of drawers.
Step 1: Measure the inside of a dresser drawer to determine its width (from side to side), depth (front to back), and height (base to top).
Step 2: To create a middle divider, use a jigsaw to cut a piece of wood that measures the depth of the drawer and slightly less than its height. To create a shelf, cut another wood piece that measures slightly less than half the drawer's width and slightly less than its height. Sand the ends.
Step 3: Using our photo as a guide, insert the shelf and divider into the drawer; screw in place with a drill.
Step 4: To create a drop-down door, remove any screws holding the dresser's top to its frame; then pop the top off the frame using a rubber mallet.
Step 5: Cover the drawer unit and door with a coat of primer, followed by two coats of paint, allowing two hours' drying time after each coat. (We used Benjamin Moore's Azure Water, $22.58 per quart; myperfectcolor.com).
Step 6: To install the door, stand the drawer so that its front faces up and its open top faces you. Following package instructions for a piano hinge, attach the door to the back edge of the drawer, as shown above (if needed, trim the hinge with a jigsaw). Make sure the door closes properly before screwing in place.
Step 7: Install two metal chains, each at least ¼ inch wide, to support the door. Using our photo as a guide, experiment with chain placement before screwing in a set of eye bolts inside the drawer's sides, about three inches from the drawer's front and ½ inch from the top. Use pliers and eye hooks to attach a chain to each eye bolt. Then, on each side of the door, about two inches down from the top edge and ½ inch in from the sides, drill a hole 3/4 inch wide.
Step 8: To determine chain length, pull each chain down diagonally to reach the door (the chain needs to hold the door open at exactly 90 degrees). Use pliers to remove excess chain. For each chain, insert the last link into the hole on the door. Drive a screw into the door's side and into the hole, threading the link onto the screw as you go.
Step 9: To keep the door shut, install safety-gate hooks and eyes on the outside of the door and drawer, as shown above. Finish by installing a drawer pull in the center of the door's front; then use mounting brackets to hang the station on a wall.
Burcu Avsar
Scarf Watchband
It's easy to fall in love with vintage scarves at flea markets and thrift stores. The hard part? Finding a fresh way to wear the ladylike relics. Here's one: Just remove the straps from a watch, then weave a scarf through the watch's lugs (the bars that hold the straps in place). Wrap the scarf's ends around your wrist and secure with a knot to make a timely fashion statement.
Burcu Avsar
Tree-Branch Coasters
To make these rustic drink perches, you'll need a tree limb that's roughly three inches in diameter. (Save-on-crafts.com sells birch logs for $12.29 a foot.) Saw the branch into slices about3/4-inch thick—or have a hardware store do it for you—and lightly sand each wood disk. Create the leaf motifs shown by pressing an inked stamp (stamps, $23.28 a set; green ink pad, $6.61; stampinup.com) onto each coaster. Let dry for five minutes, then coat the stamped side with a protective matte finishing spray (Krylon Make It Last Clear Sealer, $3.63; misterart.com). Allow 15 minutes of drying time before using.
Kate Mathis
Wallpaper Tree
Any blank surface becomes an enchanted forest with this patterned mural made from wallpaper scraps.
Step 1: Using this photo for reference, sketch a basic tree trunk on the back side of a sheet of wallpaper (you may want to practice first on butcher paper). Once you have your desired shape and height, cut out.
Step 2: On the back of another piece of the same wallpaper, again using this photo as a guide, draw branches of various sizes and shapes—including a group of three attached limbs for the treetop. Cut out the branches.
Step 3: Apply the paper trunk, then the branches, to your wall with ready-made paste.
Step 4: While the tree dries, trim remnants of other brightly patterned wallpapers into leaf shapes — you'll need about 60. Paste these to the wall so they appear to be sprouting from the branches.
Lara Robby/Studio D
Pump Up a Plain Mason Jar
Repurpose the classic Mason jar as a soap or lotion dispenser in your bathroom.
Step 1: First, measure and mark the center of the jar's lid.
Step 2: Using a 1/2" high-speed steel drill bit (about $10; local hardware store), drill a hole to fit the width of a soap dispenser pump. We used pumps from old lotion bottles.
Step 3: Fill the jar with liquid soap, screw the lid back on, and insert the pump. You may need to trim the bottom of the pump to fit your jar.
Kate Mathis
Fork & Spoon Door Pulls
Fashion these sturdy handles from two same-size serving pieces.
Step 1: Flip one facedown, then following the package directions, apply bonding glue to the flat end of a one-inch aluminum screw post ($11.95 for box of 100; screwpost.com). Quickly press the post to the base of the flatware's handle (approximately a half inch from the end), and hold until a bond forms. Let dry for 20 minutes.
Step 2: At the serving end of the utensil, find the flattest point to glue on a second post (approximately two inches in from the end). Let dry, then repeat for second utensil.
Step 3: Remove your existing cabinet hardware and drill new holes, if necessary, to correspond with the posts. Finish by screwing flatware into place from the inside of the doors.
Kate Mathis
Make Your Motto into Art
Reward a great quote (we cribbed from The Wizard of Oz) with the gallery treatment, courtesy of this project adapted from Meg Mateo Ilasco's Crafting a Meaningful Home ($24.95; STC Craft).
Step 1: Lay a piece of poster board on a flat surface. Use letter stencils ($7.69 for a set; staples.com) to spell out the phrase of your choice on the board, experimenting until you find a placement you like. (Use a ruler and pencil to mark horizontal lines for guidance.)
Step 2: Spell out the phrase backward, then flip the stencils over (you'll be turning the board over when you're done, and the words will then read correctly). Trace the letters onto the board with a pencil.
Step 3: Carefully cut out the letters with an X-Acto knife, then use hem tape to affix a patterned piece of fabric to the poster board. Flip the poster board over to reveal the finished artwork, then frame.
Kate Mathis
CD Case Project
Traded in all your CDs for MP3s? Rather than tossing those plastic covers in the trash, where they'll likely linger for decades most aren't recyclable mount them on your walls with this resourceful project from Photojojo! Insanely Great Photo Projects and DIY Ideas (Potter Craft). You'll need little more than 20 CD cases, a computer, Velcro tape, and, of course, a favorite photo.
Step 1: On a computer, open a high-resolution photo of your choice in an image-editing program like Adobe Photoshop. Resize the picture to 26½" x 18¼". Using a selection tool, divide the image into twenty 5 3/8" x 4 5/8" squares, then digitally cut and paste each square into a separate 5 3/8" x 4 5/8" file.
Step 2: Print out each document onto 5" x 7" photo paper. Trim off any white space.
Step 3: Pop out the interior section (the round piece that the CD snaps onto) of 20 standard jewel cases. Also remove the paper inserts.
Step 4: Carefully trace one photo segment onto a piece of thin cardboard and cut; repeat 19 times. Use double-sided tape to attach one piece of cardboard to the back of every photo segment; then slip each segment, image side up, into a CD case and close it. Repeat until every photo sits inside a case.
Step 5: With Velcro tape or mounting strips, affix the cases to the wall one at a time, making sure to arrange them so the photo lies in the right order and the cases almost touch.
Courtesy of Photojojo!
Buttoned-Up Bolsters
Step 1: Iron shirt to smooth out all wrinkles. Button it, then pin the shirt's front and back to each other to keep them together when cutting.
Step 2: Cut out the shirt to match the shape of your pillow insert adding two inches to both the width and length, and centering the row of buttons down the front. (You'll now have two pieces of fabric.)
Step 3: Repin the fabric so the shirt's finished sides face each other. Sew the pieces together using a 6/8-inch seam. Snip the corners at an angle to ease turning.
Step 4: Unbutton the fabric and turn the pillowcase right side out. Iron, then rebutton.
Step 5: Topstitch around the case twice first 1/8 inch from the edges, then 3/8 inch from the edges to finish it.
Step 6: Unbutton the case, insert the pillow, then rebutton and fluff.
How to add rickrack trim to your tailor-made cushions: Cut an old shirt as described in Steps 1 and 2, but adding only 1/2 inch to both the fabric's width and length. You will have two pieces of material: one with buttons (keep them closed) and one without. Take the piece without buttons and pin rickrack along the perimeter of its front side. Rickrack should be parallel to the edges with no overhang. Machine-baste the rickrack onto the fabric using a scant 1/8-inch seam (you will just be sewing across the top of the rickrack to hold it in place the trimming will flip up once the pillow is inserted). Pin the two pieces of fabric together so the side with the buttons and the side with the rickrack face each other. Sew together using a 1/4-inch seam. Unbutton the case, turn it right side out, and insert pillow.
Karl Juengel/Studio D
Jewelry Magnets
Instead of letting vintage brooches gather dust in your jewelry box, turn them into refrigerator magnets: Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to remove the pin hardware from the back of each brooch (most fittings will come off easily); then affix a superstrong magnet with a small bead of glue — we used Gorilla Super Glue. Let dry overnight. Your grocery list has never looked more glam!
Amber S. Clark
Ruler Tabletop
Try to get a variety of colors, but be sure they're all the same thickness. (For a 19- by 17-inch table like this one, you'll need about 16 yardsticks.)
Step 1: To figure out how best to align the sticks, create a template of the tabletop by tracing it onto a sheet of paper. Arrange the rulers on the template, marking where you'll need to cut so they fit the width and length of the table.
Step 2: Once you know where each ruler segment will go, make the cuts with a hacksaw or small electric saw. Smooth out any rough edges with medium-grit sandpaper.
Step 3: Starting at one corner, attach one of the ruler segments to the top of the table lengthwise by hammering a flat-head nail in at each end. Repeat in rows until the entire surface is covered. You can stagger the sticks as shown, but line them up carefully to avoid gaps.
Step 4: Apply several layers of Zinsser clear shellac ($4.79; doitbest.com) over the yardsticks with a wide brush, according to the can's directions. Allow ample time for drying between coats. Once you're done, let the table dry for another 48 hours before putting anything on its surface.
Karl Juengel/Studio D
Brilliant Bowl Lampshades
An enlightened take on the pendant lamp, this project uses ceramic yellowware to glowing effect.
Step 1: Choose a bowl that measures at least four inches high and five inches in diameter. Turn it upside down on a flat work surface. Measure and mark the center of the bottom of the bowl.
Step 2: Using a power drill fit with a two-inch tile or ceramic hole saw ($9.98; homedepot.com for stores), push squarely down on the center mark until the ceramic piece pops through the bottom of the bowl (wear a dust mask for this part).
Step 3: Wipe off any debris, then screw the socket from a pendant light kit ($14.94; drillspot.com) into the hole. Install a 60-watt bulb, and hang according to kit's instructions.
Dane Holwager
Sewing Pattern Flowers
An elementary school craft takes on a sophisticated edge when fashioned from the tissue-thin paper of old sewing patterns.
Step 1: For each flower, cut six 7-inch squares from the pattern. Stack and fold them accordion-style six times, forming a one-by seven-inch rectangle. Snip off the corners of the rectangle with scissors.
Step 2: Tightly twist a wire floral stem around the center of the rectangle.
Step 3: Fan out the paper, then pull apart each layer, creating the blossom.
Philip Friedman/Studio D
Crocheted Tea Towels
Ready-made edgings and borders, available by the yard at fabric stores or adapted from flea-market finds, make it easy to transform even the simplest home textiles into vintage-style home accessories. You can machine- or hand-stitch the filigree embellishments to almost any fabric surface — dish towels, bath towels, bedding, or attire — in an afternoon.
Sang An
Magnetic Message Board
An old office corkboard can be converted to a stylish magnetic message board with the help of fabric, a zinc-coated steel, and a white-washed frame.
More: 4 ways to make a message board »
Adrian Briscoe
Flatware Candleholders
Make these playful accessories using chrome-plated candle cups that measure about one inch wide — the perfect size for holding tapers ($5.36 each; antiquelampsupply.com). Affix cups to the serving ends of a spoon and fork using bonding glue. Let dry for one hour.
Lara Robby/Studio D
Sewing Kit
Visit a local farm stand for a vintage-looking egg carton, and store all your sewing basics in one lightweight, portable kit.
Step 1: Cut a piece of material, such as ticking or gingham, the size of the egg carton's lid. Make the safety-pin cushion (see further instructions below), and hot glue the fabric to the carton. Cross-stitch the elastic to the fabric to hold sewing scissors; try Gingher's. Make the pin cushion and set in carton. Fill the carton with sewing notion.
Step 2: Create a place to hold your sewing scissors. Cut a piece of elastic 1 1/2 inches wide, and cross-stitch it to the fabric.
Step 3: Make a pin cushion. Ball up batting. Wrap a piece of fabric tightly around the batting, and stitch the fabric closed.
Step 4: Make a safety-pin cushion. Cut batting to fit the right half of the carton's lid. Place batting under the fabric, creating a cushion to use for safety pins.
Wendell T. Webber
Display Shelves
Glamorize an old wine crate or wooden box by adding shelves and a gilded frame. Finish with paint and it's ready for storing pretty toiletries or displaying an interesting collection.
Step 1: Remove the back of an old wine crate or wooden box.
Step 2: Make shelves to fit inside the box, then add a bit of glamour by fastening a gilded frame onto the front of the unit.
Step 3: For an antique finish, spray-paint with Krylon Crystal Color.
Step 4: Buy a picture-hanging kit that includes hooks that can be attached to the back of the shelves. Make sure they can hold at least 50 to 100 pounds.
Claire Richardson
Antique Book Art
Rescue an abandoned book, and present it as a still life. Adorn a dilapidated atlas with delicate butterflies, their winged shapes the product of a butterfly craft punch. Glue a page from a discarded novel to the cover before affixing the butterflies with glue dots to look as if they fly off the page.
Ellen Silverman
Jelly Jar Shelf
Wash and save jelly jars to attach to a shelf for creative craft storage.
Measure your shelf to determine the number of jelly jars to attach. Space them out evenly and mark their placement with a pencil.
Step 1: Start with clean jelly jars. Turn the shelf over and position the jar lids along the underside of the shelf. Attach each lid securely with two small nails; if the lid is too loose, it will spin.
Step 2: Fill the jars with colorful office and craft suppliescheck out seejanework.comand twist onto the lids.
Plus: See more clever storage projects »
Wendell T. Webber
Pocket Board Organizer
A basic, wooden picture frame becomes a pocket board to hold notes and other mementos.
Related Project: Creative Ideas for Vintage Frames
Andrew McCaul
Ornate Cork Board
Painting an ornate frame and fitting it with a piece of cork creates a pretty way to display photographs in a guest room or office.
Plus: 4 ways to make a message board »
Curtain Tieback
To create this handy hook, drill a small hole approximately one inch in from the end of the fork's handle. Hold the utensil faceup, then use pliers to bend the prongs back toward the handle, making sure to form a rounded C shape rather than a V. Finish by screwing the tieback into your window molding.
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