DIYables, Anthro Edition

With the tightening of the purse strings comes a need to be crafty and able to replicate some things that you see around the web and on Pinterest.  It’s a great idea to create things from scratch for gifts and for your own home, as we all know.  

But, sometimes, it’s a little overwhelming! All the “stuff” on Pinterest! Where to start and what to try.  I have sifted through some images and picked out some things that would be pretty simple to DIY and you would have a great show piece or gift.

And, the best part? When anyone asks, “Where did you get that?” Your response, “I made it.” Then watch their mouths drop open.

Anthropologie was my first stop to choose some things and they did not disappoint. There is a wealth of items there that could totally be DIY’ed very easily.  Some of their stuff is just weird, some is amazing.  I steered clear of the weird....I think.

I think that these push pins would be super easy to make. Even easier if I actually could sew. They would even be cute as refrigerator magnets, and you would have a great gift for just about anyone.

These free trade rags are really unusual and I have gotten a great idea for knocking them off and using them for another purpose. You’ll just have to wait and see what I come up with!

This one is really just a gimme. No brainer. Super easy. Block of reclaimed wood and a hook. Enough said.

I already have too many mirrors. Mainly because I love them. I have to come up with some actual art for one space in my living room, so this won’t be going in there. But, it would look beautiful in an entryway, or over a mantel. You could even paint the wood circles in one color, or several and then apply the mirrors. How cool is that?

My grandmother used to embellish sheets with crocheted edges and this reminds of some of the ones that she made. You can buy the trim at any fabric store and add it to the edges and back it with some pretty ribbon. Lovely!

For Christmas, I made a platter for my niece, with her initial in the middle and embellished around the edges.  It was very easy and this would be too.  You could make several and hang them up as decor, or maybe, actually use them. (Tip: I’ve heard that the Sharpie marker technique doesn’t last, so I bought the paint pens for porcelain at Hobby Lobby. They run about $3 each.)

These next two are my faves and I am definitely doing these.

This cloche is really lovely with the rope coming out the top.  You could cut a hole in the cloche, or, even simpler, tie the rope around the knob on top! I think that it would be just as effective.

I have a plethora of spices in my cabinet, I’m sure you do too.  This would be a pretty way to store them and I think I would feel much more organized.  I think that I would leave a strip on the side of the jar unpainted to be able to see how much is left in the jar.  The spice may even last longer with a better seal.  Baby food jars and some paint.  Woohoo!

Did you get any ideas? Are you going to try any of these projects? Let me know if you do and send me an email with a pic of the finished product!