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September 13, 2020 by admin

Melt Your Own Vinyl Record Bowl

I love records. I love listening to them, I love collecting them, and I like making things with them.* And the easiest thing to make with a record is a cool bowl.

*Only make things with records that are too scratched to play, unless you want to make a vinyl nerd cry

Get this stuff first!

Supplies:

You’ll need a scratched up record, an oven, a bowl, and a wooden spoon or another long thing to poke with (just not plastic or something that can melt.) The bowl you choose will dictate the final shape of your record bowl, so think about that.

I think that the best bowl for this is a large bundt cake pan. It’s broad enough for the record to melt easily, and the shape of the pan encourages the record to curl in nice ways.

Instructions:

Warm your oven to  Just high enough to get the vinyl flexible. Then you wait, checking every five minutes or so. Once it starts to melt, you can see the shape it wants to fall into. If you want to fiddle with or tweak that shape, grab that spoon and gently coax the record into doing what you want. You may have to re-shape it every few minutes as it continues to melt. Once you like how it looks, turn off the stove and let it all cool. And that’s it!

Your new record bowl is obviously not food-safe but can be used as a centerpiece, to hold stuff like keys and change, or hung on the wall. It’s an easy, cheap gift that’s nonetheless homemade. And it’s a way to keep a beloved old record around when it’s too scratched or warped to play anymore.

 

July 22, 2020 by admin

DIY: Make A Boring Bulletin Board Pop With Chart Tape

I love Washi tape. But do you know what else I love? Chart tape, and all the neat design work I can do with it.

What the hell is chart tape? It’s very thin colored tapes, with different widths, meant to be used to delineate aspects of topographical maps. (My parents work with maps; I’ve grown up with lots of chart tape and colored pencils.) In the non-map world, they’re delicate pinstripes and bright color accents. (They’re also great for stenciling, but that’s another post.) You’d never be able to cut Washi tape down enough to do this project!

Washi v chart tape

Now that I finished singing the praises of chart tape, let’s get to it.

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June 7, 2020 by admin

Quick & Easy Sale Tin Upcycle

  Bright colors quick easy dollar general sale cookie tin upcycle redo Like any sale shopper with sense, I am a massive fan of after-holiday sales. 80% off? Yes please. I’ll figure out what to do with it later. 

Which brings us to these $1, $2, and $3 Christmas tins from Dollar General.

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June 7, 2020 by admin

Three Minute Candle Holder Upcycle

If you have a rubber band, a can of spray paint and a glass jar (doesn’t matter whether from a candle or from kiddie food), you can create a sophisticated tealight holder that compliments your room and adds a spark of personality.

Striped tealight candle holder ft. Kismet the dog

Pic ft. Kismet the dog

Ready? You can knock this out during a commercial break, honestly, and it would make a great homemade gift. 

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June 7, 2020 by admin

Coast to Coast(ers)

Dead Simple Ways To Coast

COASTERS BIGheader

Here’s a DIY secret: when you’re rushed for time, or totally out of ideas, or need to make a cheap but awesome gift, coasters are where it’s at. There are a million different ways to make a coaster, in all honesty, so I *suppose* you could just stop reading now and go experiment. But if you did, you wouldn’t see how to crochet a cat butt, transfer photos onto tiles, turn tool chest castoffs into silver accent pieces, and more. So keep reading!

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June 7, 2020 by admin

Six Inexpensive Upcycling Projects for A Unique Yard

Dead Simple DIY Outdoor Decor6 inexpensive upcycling projects for a unique yard

In the warm months of the year (and there are many of them in Austin), my yard and patio become almost another room to the house. There are so many really easy DIY projects that make chilling outside more comfortable, stylish and welcoming to your guests. This article boasts instructions for chairs, a couple different varieties of easy lanterns and party decor, even a formula to let you “draw” with moss on the side of your house. I’ve also got instructions on how to make that most crucial of summer accessories: a hammock. Everyone uses their yards a little differently, but these half dozen DIY projects should have something to make your yard a more beautiful place to relax and live.

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June 4, 2020 by admin

Dead Simple DIY: How To Easily Upcycle a Vinyl Record Into A Bowl

How To Melt Your Own Record-Setting LP Bowl

Dead Simple DIY LP vinyl bowl

Making a bowl out of a vinyl record is one of the most simple projects there is. There are very few items needed to make it work, and not a whole lot of human intervention once you’ve gotten started. And your end result is a sinuous LP bowl, great for holding keys or guitar picks, or for hanging on the wall, or a million other things. (They also make great cheap but cool gifts!) Check out how I used this one as the centerpiece on my kitchen table. Rad, right? And it took me almost no time to make.

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June 4, 2020 by admin

The Hottest Half-Dozen(ish) DIY Headboards

A nice bed can make or break your room design. Unfortunately, it can also break your bank account. Stop gazing longingly at that overpriced monstrosity from Pottery Barn (or wherever) and start thinking about how to make your own!

Some of these DIY options are really easy headboards to put together, and some require a bit more proficiency with tools. But all these headboards can be made at home for a hell of a lot less than a retail bed would cost. Plus, you know they’ll match your decor!

I dug through the mountains of ugly options out there to pick half dozenish best DIY headboard projects on the internet. (And of course, only projects with instructions.) Instead of wasting an afternoon on Pinterest, just keep reading.

headbords

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June 4, 2020 by admin

Welcome to the Guild of Calamitous Crafting!

Calamity Jay Creations is live! Follow me on Pinterest (and poke around, I spend a *lot* of time there), Twitter, Instagram, and give Calamity Jay Creations a like on the ol’ Facebook. (Dang if I’m not even on Google +.) I’m quickly becoming an Old: I need you to comment and keep me abreast of any newfangled social media I should be a part of. Until then I’ll be over here, doing some dead simple DIY.

Recent Posts

  • Melt Your Own Vinyl Record Bowl
  • DIY: Make A Boring Bulletin Board Pop With Chart Tape
  • Quick & Easy Sale Tin Upcycle
  • Three Minute Candle Holder Upcycle
  • Coast to Coast(ers)

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