I’ve been seeing Native American tribal patterns and designs popping up everywhere recently, from fabric swatches to leggings to blankets. While there is some debate about cultural appropriation, there’s a pretty uniform agreement that purchasing items directly from Native American individuals or tribes is a good thing, and decorating with designs inspired by them is ok.
Many people love the look and feel of Native American blankets, especially when the weather begins to cool down. While there are many places from which you can purchase these blankets, such as Chestnut Hall, you may be interested to know that there are also ways to DIY a blanket, pillowcase, or tablecloth if you really want to go all out.
Stitch & Unwind has a bevy of beautiful crochet and knitting patterns for those of us who love the tribal look and want to try our hand at bringing one or more of these projects to life. You can choose from over twenty-five patterns, from wearable items to kitchen items to living room decor. There’s something for everyone, at every skill level.
Whether you decide to purchase a completed pattern or want to try one of these free ones, the Native American style can be utilized everywhere, for any occasion.
When summer rolls around, nothing makes me feel more like I’m living in luxury than a hammock, a good book, and something refreshing to drink. Most of the time I like to mix some cucumber and mint, or lemon and lime into my water pitcher, but I’ve always felt like the rinds cause the flavor to sour quickly.
The answer to my problem, however, is (like everything else) available on Amazon – the infusion pitcher. It not only catches the eye with its clear, shapely form, it is also practical in that the tube inside can be filled with fruit (or vegetables, if you like), and then the food can be taken out and the essence enjoyed.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to water my plants with the water I was planning on drinking because it had too much fruit peel flavor in it. This design would help prevent that and also look quite fetching on the table during a garden party, backyard BBQ, or picnic.
Want to try it out for yourself? You can find an array of choices on Amazon:Prodyne Fruit Infusion Flavor Pitcher
. Be sure and mix it up with various colors of fruits and vegetables for the perfect spring or summer concoction.
This is a custom-built rooftop tent, made of metal tube, bamboo plywood and fabric, built and shared by a netizen with the handle “bwouldorwouldnt”. Not without a little difficulty, and also not without making him think of future improvements to his design, this is one serious DIY project for RVers and outdoors campers!
The first noticeable thing is he went with a beveled shape rather than a rectangular simple box as a case, or another alternative: a soft tent attached to the frame. He started out with the metal frame material, the wood, and the finishings, and some tools: a track saw for cutting panels, a metal saw for cutting structural members, a TIG welder, various sanding and finishing tools.
For the wood he used panels cut from 1/8″ bamboo plywood, “chosen for its rigidity and high strength/weight ratio.” Then to weather-protect it he used several layers of marine grade epoxy, followed by several more layers of a UV-blocking urethane. “This process is similar to that used for wooden boats, and should be effective at minimizing damage from moisture or sun.” Then he sealed all the seams of the DIY vehicle rooftop camper with first a thickened marine epoxy, and then a UV-resistant silicone sealant. Then (and this part he mentioned was kind of difficult) he fastened the piano hinges and draw latches so the case could open and close, and finally two gas springs so the case would stay open when lifted. When it came to the material, he used mesh and outdoor Sunbrella material, and added zippers like a tent door. You can read in depth about the work bwouldorwouldnt did here on his imgur post.
Does anyone here collect the masses of flower pedals when the seasons change and the streets and parks are covered with them? Cherry and plum season are big ones! If so, what do you do with the pedals?
Do you scent your sinks, bathtubs, and ice waters? Or do you have some DIY craft purpose for them?
Super-small rooftop tent
While in the past people have been concerned with amassing every single item needed for the perfect camping trip, nowadays it seems that less is best. There’s not so much stress when it comes to ensuring all the things are included and there’s more thought behind the why of camping – getting away from the rush, enjoying nature, and spending time in solitude.
It’s also easier to do these days, especially with the uptick in interest around nomadic travel and designers who understand that simple, aerodynamic shapes are easier to work with. Sebastian Maluska, designer of a rooftop tent that affixes to the top of a vehicle, knows that very little is needed for a quiet weekend getaway.
Lightweight materials such as aluminum and waterproof fabric make up the entire tent, leaving room for one or two sleeping bags. The tent folds up quickly, and provides shelter whether in rain or sun. A ladder is also provided so that entry and exit are easy to attain.
If this type of tent camping interests you, there are plenty of photos and a write-up about this particular rooftop tent over at Bless This Stuff, which also notes that the model, named “The Nest”, is not only lightweight but cost conscious as well, taking up very little room and keeping costs down not only by materials but by conserving fuel as well (due to the shape and weight).
Make 8bit Wooden Reindeer
What about making reindeer out of readily-available wood to use as decorations outside the house this Christmas? We decided to make a basic plan for anyone out there to use to make an 8bit reindeer for their yard. The size is easy to adjust, and you could make it out of 2x6s (it would stand about 3 feet high or so when completed) or little pieces of plywood (for small foot high decorations). You can see from our blueprints we used equal-sized large squares as measurement-points, so you can simply divide or multiply to your chosen size. This reindeer shape was most influenced by a popular IKEA reindeer decoration that came out a few years back. We thought it might make a nice wooden DIY project, too!
DIRECTIONS for the large-size wooden 8bit reindeer:
- Get 2x6s and 2x4s (you could actually just use 2x4s exclusively by woodglueing them together)
- But the boards to the large rectangular shapes for each body part
- Notch and cut out the few adjustments to these large pieces. This involves the 3 leg pieces, as well as the angle-cut for the face
- Glue the 8bit reindeer together with wood glue
- Paint to desired color(s), and add any custom elements you want (We show one picture there where we colorized the design orange-brown, with white spraypaint around the edges, ears and face, and added a red nose and painted-on eyes
- We also show how to make antlers for those out there who want an adult-looking reindeer
If anyone makes one of these, big or small, please send us the photos so we can add them to this!
Not many people I know have a dining room nowadays. It’s an extra room that can’t be made useful except at mealtimes, or has become repurposed to serve another function. Most of us aren’t at home preparing lavish meals, and sometimes we just have a few minutes before we get to the next thing on our schedule. Other times, we do want to relax and watch something while we eat.
Sofa arm tray tables are smaller and easier to use than the tray tables that became popular in the 1950’s, and come in a wide array of materials with extras like pouches to hold electronics, drink holders, and storage space. Amazon is full of options, including those sold by DM Concepts and Meistar. They’re quite affordable, hovering around just thirty dollars.
Of course, if you’re a DIY-er at heart, you may want to tackle this project head on and make your own version of the sofa arm tray table. You could use all sorts of materials, including wooden boxes or bamboo placemats, small plastic tubs or organizers, and rope or cord to secure the tray table to the sofa arm. You can cover it in pleather, stiff upholstery fabric, or even felt if you prefer. Make sure you measure and create a sort of guideline or pattern before you begin. Click here to buy it on Amazon
.
Whether you decide to DIY or purchase one of these, it’s an easy way to keep spills to a minimum while keeping everything perfectly tidy.
This is Jacquelyn Clark’s “Love Potion” prosecco cocktail. She advises it as a Valentine’s Day celebration libation, but I think a lot of what carries this whole thing off is her impressive presentation, which party-makers might take note of! The range of color deepening into the glass, the range of a limited palette of colors with the deep purple blackberries and thyme garnish sprig, and then all wrapped in that cut crystal glass! Note that you can also make these virgin with ginger ale. The recipe you’ll have to get from the woman herself, but here’s the materials you’ll need:
Supplies
Blackberry syrup ingredients:
1/3 cup blackberries, plus 8 more for garnish
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
Cocktail ingredients:
1 bottle of prosecco (or champagne or ginger ale)
Jacquelyn Clark’s blog with lots of recipes and home ideas.
. Be sure and mix it up with various colors of fruits and vegetables for the perfect spring or summer concoction.
.