DIY

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Ladder makeover

September 29, 2009 in DIY Projects by wendren | 11 comments

I spent the weekend bent over this sad-looking ladder. I sanded it until I turned into a sawdust pile. Then Jeremy and his dad helped fix the broken leg and kindly built me three ‘drawers’. I stained and varnished it and the end result was everything I hoped for – perfect for the CY Market that is on from Wednesday to Sunday this week.

This is the perfect display for my Coffee Clutches. The drawers ‘hold’ each design and the new labeling indicates the design and colour inside.

On the sides are hooks to hang some Organic Coffee Bags (if I need to).

On the top I placed a small easel for displaying the fourth coffee clutch design (Soaring Seagulls).

Quack Quack!

July 2, 2008 in DIY Projects, Interesting Finds by wendren | 3 comments

A year or so back the yellow rubber duck that you used to play with in the bath as a kid become ‘funky’ and ‘cool’. I even bought a few of the decorated ones as presents: The lucky Duck and The Trooper Duck. Since then I’ve had a ‘cute’ spot for yellow rubber ducks which is why I love Joel Lozano’s (Spanish Graphic Designer) rubber duck sculpture. I think it is adorable, fabulous and brilliant!

The feathers are cut pieces of cardboard and were attached one by one with tweezers and glue. To see how this yellow friend was made (photographically documented process) click here.

The ‘Lightning’ Pet-bed Suitcase

May 5, 2008 in DIY Projects, Me by wendren | 7 comments

This weekend I tackled the ‘how much is that doggy in the suitcase’ project. I got an old suitcase from my grandmother. The back hinges were broken (so we turned the suitcase around), the lining had disintegrated and the top frame was barely held together.

Equipped with a tub of Genkem Contact Glue and a staple gun I tackled reupholstering the suitcase.

Jeremy’s mom (ie boyfriend’s mom) makes gorgeous sheepskin slippers and keeps all the scrap. For the inside pillow we punched and stitched these scraps together to make a sheepskin quilt.

When we were finished we placed two pillows inside the suitcase and covered them with the sheepskin quilt. The suitcase pet-bed was complete!

The dogs are not normally allowed inside but whenever there is lightning they cry at my door all night long if I do not let them in. Now I can let them in and not have to worry about waking up to a room full of dog hair.

I have three dogs. It was a bit of a bun fight to get whoever was in out so that they each could have a turn.

Poor Shaka, the really old Staffy who has very bad arthritis in his hips, barely fits in the suitcase pet-bed. However, once in, it takes him no less than 5 minutes to start snoring.

My petbed is not nearly as beautiful as Kirsten’s but my three smiley-faced dogs think it is the BEST! :)

How much is that doggy in the suitcase?

April 3, 2008 in DIY Projects, Inspiration by wendren | 7 comments

I am absolutely moggy about this ‘petbed’ I found on Design Sponge.

dog in suitcase

Kirsten took a vintage suitcase and turned it into a ‘petbed’. Why not? It won first place in the 2008 d*s diy contest and I can see why. No more dog hair all over and no more fighting over who gets the couch. Absolutely brilliant! I have to get one of these but I think the shipping costs to South Africa will amount to a small fortune. I am probably going to have to turn it into my own DIY project for my three smiley-faced dogs and floppy cat.