natural ring/key holder

Can't hardly describe the giddiness that comes from creatively working with natural materials. It's the craziest thing, but I get SOOOO excited about creating with plain old sticks and stones. (I'm also more deeply immersed in twigs and logs as we prepare for our branch out workshop next weekend... everywhere I turn there are branches, branches and more branches...all different shapes, sizes, species.....so it's TOP of mind to say the least!)

I thought I'd share a quick and easy one with y'all today...... a natural ring/key holder. (When we were setting up our storefront, we were creating displays out of anything and everything we had available to us without having to purchase anything. It was a fun challenge and these found their way onto my dressing tables as well as a few of my nature-lovin' friends' homes.)  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Use a smaller sized log…I like driftwood because of its’ smooth exterior….

Clean it up and finish off with a natural shellac, oil or wax to give it a beautiful luster. 

Create some ‘hangers’ or 'pegs' by pounding in a few nails across the length of the log. You can determine the length of nails in relation to the size log you're using. 

Position and space as desired.

You can also use smaller branches as your pegs instead of nails…

Simply use a drill gauge to measure your branches and grab the corresponding drill bit

Drill about an inch or so into your log.

Drip some wood glue into your hole

And insert your branch.

Set out on your dresser or tabletop and you have a naturally efficient way to store, organize and display!


Cheers to simple, natural creations that don't cost you a dime to make! (of course, minus the nails, glue, wax, etc!) 

 
michele.

handspun gift

'not on one strand are all life's jewels strung'....william morris

Chad from our office stopped by the studio this past weekend to whip up a 'valentine' for his wife Cortney.  She had given him a few 'suggestions', so he brought with him his 'raw, rock style' birthstones and just let whatever creatively  happens, happen.  He discovered that raw birthstones were either hard to find or very expensive, so his 'stones' were scored off of broken necklaces from a bead shop.  I'm sure that 'jar of broken goodies' at the store isn't sought after by too many customers, but if you're in search of something raw and irregular, it's a good place to look!

It was fun to watch him use our solder stones technique and turn out a couple of 'sweet' jewelry pieces for her in a short amount of time.


 

Cheers to a handspun, creative gift!  Wear 'em proudly, Cort!

michele

 

naturally creative valentine's

Fun last minute Valentine's Day ideas over at our sister site: www.borganic.net/blog

I LOVE creative, resourceful people

No rules.  Making innovative use out of what he had available.  The grand scale of it all. Unconventional living space. Relishing in how others can also enjoy his work.  His matter of fact, "I simply do what I do" approach.

http://eco-ideas.net/story/id/23/

I LOVE people like this.  Their spirits definitely dance with mine.  

Enjoy and Cheers!

michele.

 

sharin' my passion for nature, tools, resourcefulness, creativity and the do it yourself life...

on March 6th!   I've been wanting to do a fun filled, day long workshop for a very long time now and I'm so excited we were finally able to carve out a day to make "Branch Out" happen.   

We're only a few weeks out and the studio is starting to fill up with sticks and stones, logs and branches, interesting tools and products, finished examples, and other creative paraphernalia in preparation for the big day.  (It's a whirl of somewhat creative chaos down in the studio right now with some funny juggling and rearranging of props going on because it seems EVERYONE has things they need to be working on....Jon is in the back sawing logs, beams and 2x4's for our kitchen floor....our production van is parked in the middle of the studio....(having something 'driven' into the middle of your creative space is not very inspiring....it needs to find its' way back outside), me and the guys are trying to get things shot.....and the kids (joining us for their umpteenth 'snow' day) are creating forts and who knows what else in various corners..but I guess that's what a workshop/studio space is all about!  Thankfully, I have my little haven behind the house that I can retreat to once in a while to get things done in peace...)

We do still have a few spots available for people to register so if you too share a love or interest for nature, creativity and learning to do some pretty cool things yourself, click here to learn more and enroll in this upcoming workshop.  Our first one is all inclusive, so all you need to bring is you, your imagination, an enthusiasm for creative processes and eager hands.  We provide all the supplies, organic eats and beverages and a jam-packed roster of projects for you to create, take home and use.  We guarantee you'll go home with techniques and ideas that you can pull from time and time again...long AFTER the workshop is over.   Thank you to everyone who has already registered....I'm really looking forward to meeting all of you and spending the day sharing my passion 4 nature, tools, resourcefulness, creativity and the do it yourself life.   The event has even inspired me to experiment with some new project ideas that I'm anxious to throw into the mix....

Cheers!

michele.

     

spRInG w. DIY MaGazINe

Proof that time slips by entirely too fast because it seems like we just got done shooting with these guys...only it was a couple of months ago already!  The spring issue of the Do It Yourself Magazine just hit the stands and it has loads and loads of fun, creative ideas for you guys to grab hold of and make your own.  Pick one up or check them out online. These gals and guys work hard to fill the pages with a variety of innovative things you can do yourself. I shared my enthusiasm for the hollow core door canvases in this issue and hopefully everyone will now look at those drab doors with fresh eyes before ever tossing them to the curb.   It's an exciting way to repurpose, and they do make the most magnificent, versatile surfaces for just about any type of art application. They are an inexpensive alternative to traditional canvases, they have a nice deep edge and they're lightweight to hang.  Bi-fold closet doors, interior doors....they're available in various widths.....and you can use them in their entirety for a LARGE canvas or cut them down into the desired sizes.  You can repurpose them out of your own home, pick them up at places like the REstore or, even buying them new is VERY economical as opposed to the cost of traditional canvases of that size.  They're literally the cheapest kind of doors you can buy.   We share the how to in the pages of the magazine as well as some different techniques for you to try....you can also get a glimpse of the process in action through one of our video quickies available online at diyideas.com/easyartvideo....this project is titled "wall art from an old door".
Yesterday marked another fun day with the gang from the magazine, only this time we spent the afternoon in our bathroom sharing another fun idea for people to play with..... do it yourself vanities.   It's exciting to take your passions or collections and transform them into functional home decor so you're surrounded by what you love.  I LOVE old toolbenches and they're a bit part of what I do for a living, so we took one from an old school shop class, cut it in half and turned it into his/her vanities.  It's a daily reminder of my love for how-to, tools and salvaged materials in a very UNEXPECTED place. And, it's a truly SIMPLE project that anyone can do or replicate with just about any piece of furniture.   The how-to lowdown will be available in their next issue, as well as online through our video quickies and in an upcoming episode of b. organic.   In the meantime, if you're in need of a vanity...this will give you something to think about that may steer you in the repurposing direction instead of relying on the standard fare available at home improvement stores.  






When you do things yourself, you can DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.....and I LOVE THAT!

Cheers to sharing ideas and a shout of kudos to a great magazine for creative, do it yourself enthusiasts everywhere!

michele.