Light up the night with this DIY light up headboard

We're sorry if we haven't introduced you to Elsie and Emma before, but here's to doing it with a bang. Their blog A Beautiful Mess is peppered with inspiration and soaked in great ideas. Want an example of their brilliance? Here you go:

A DIY light up headboard - a great focal point for the bedroom and a fabulously bright idea. Click here for the tutorial. 

Kitchen lighting round-up: bright ideas for creative living

Looking for inspiration? Well you found it, or rather we have and we're sharing it. We've rounded up some of the brightest ideas in kitchen lighten we've ever seen. Best of all - they're DIY friendly! Just click on the image to find the tutorial.

The ideal chandelier for an industrial kitchen	Add vintage charm with this colander light fixture
A must for all Masterchef enthusiasts	We love this idea for breakfast nook or even a shabby chic dining room.
Consol jars as lamp shades - sounds like a fab idea!

Washi tape your thumbtacks!

Need we go in to how great we think this idea is? We think not. 

Many thanks to Jessica Jones at How About Orange for sharing her brilliance. 

Lover of washi? Then check out this post on how to washi your keyboard.

DIY: Glass Jar Typography

This glass jar DIY project is a must for lovers of typography, or those looking for personalised wedding favours or unique place holders. Actually, we can't find a reason you'll not want to make a few of these babies, especially once you see just how easy they are to create. All you need are a paint pen and some glass jars after all.

Click here for more on this fabulous DIY.

The stitching's on the wall with a DIY cross stitch wall mural.

More than just a statement, this great DIY project from Honor of Home Heart Craft fame, is an amazing way to share your passion and beautify your home. The project is feminine and charming; and we particularly enjoy her use of paint layers to give dimension and colour to the stitches.

For those of you interested in pinching the idea for your own home check out the tutorial below, although we also suggest you click here and pay a visit to the Home Heart Craft blog for some more useful tips and a peak at her gorgeous vintage style kitchen.

Fabric Tape Tutorial

We recently posted about restyling your keyboard with washi tape, which, we have to admit, is great fun, but did you ever think about applying some fabric tape? It may get a tad dirtier quicker, but it is just as colourful and fun. 

Click here and discover Nifty Thrifty Things quick and easy way to do-it-yourself fabric tape. Use it everywhere and anywhere, we know we sure do!

Washi your keyboard!

Brit + Co recently shared 8 ways to Washi your Workspace. Using Washi Tape to restyle a laptop keyboard was definitely our favourite, which is why we're sharing it with you here.

It's just a matter of cutting and sticking. You can either measure your keys and cut your strips accordingly, or you cut your pieces a little larger, "pressing the pieces onto the keyboard and using use your fingernails or the dull side of an craft knife to press around the keys."

Click here for 7 more ways to Washi your Workspace. 

DIY Pantone Easter Eggs

Introducing the DIY Pantone Easter Egg! We're pretty sure that, by now, all the graphic designers out there are jumping up and down like the Easter bunny at the thought of this tutorial. Don't be embarrassed - so are we. Click here to find out from creator Jessica Jones of How About Orange just how easy these beauties were to make. Enjoy!

Hangers for your flip flops - Super Summer Tutorial!

With summer in full swing we thought we'd share with you this super space saving tutorial that'll have your closet de-cluttered in no time. It's hangers for your flip flops! 

Click here to find your way to EPBOT, the home of this terrific tutorial, and get creating today.

Lovely bird feeder DIY

This little DIY is perfect for those of you feeling a little lovey-dovey at the mo – there are only 13 days until Valentine’s after all!

So what’s the DIY? It’s a beautiful metallic bird feeder from the folks over at Penelope & Pip, a blog focused on arts, crafts and pretty paper goods. Click here for the tutorial and enjoy your month of love.

Getting creative with an old cupboard

Ideas, a fabulously local mag for creative crafters, recently posted a series of cupboard make-overs. The remarkable thing was the versatility – a single old cupboard, so many looks. Just shows what necessity and craftiness can do for a room.

Click on the images and find out how you too can get the look.

Blooming rainbows & multicoloured roses...

No, they're not photoshopped! They're 100% real and easy to create.

 Believe it or not, because the method utilises the flower's natural ability to draw water up via the stem, all you need to achieve this look is a selection of white roses and some water and food colouring. The method can also be applied to other flowers, especially white chrysanthemum and carnations!

Want to learn more about the oh-so-simple technique? Then visit Design Bloom and watch the provided tutorial. Click here to jump straight to the video tutorial. 

Easy & trendy - the DIY scarf watch

This is a quick, snazzy tutorial from 'a pair and a spare', a clever do-it-yourself fashion blog from Geneva Vanderzeil. (FYI: If you love this tutorial then you gonna want her book DYI Fashionista. Click here to find it online)

You need:

A watch with a removable strap
A slim silk scarf

Instructions:

Take the arm straps off your watch. Try using a needle to push the pins out and then remove the arms.

Take the pins out of the straps.

Put the pins back into their sockets of the watch.

Thread your scarf through the pins so that it forms the straps of the watch.

Pull the scarf through so that the lengths of fabric are even on each side of the watch.  

Finally, wrap the scarf around your arm - you can tie the scarf in a big bow or a small knot to secure.

DIY concrete stepping stones

The start of a new year is always marked with resolutions, renewals and reinventions. If you’re thinking of taking this philosophy into the garden then we recommend you keep reading. Below you’ll find an incredibly easy tutorial about creating concrete stepping stones from the peeps at Home Dzine.

You'll need:

A large leaf from any plant that has large veined leaves.
Quick set cement
Large cardboard tube or cake ring
Spray 'n Cook

Note: Whatever you use as a mould for the stepping stone should fit nicely over the leaf. You want to show as much of the veins on the back of the leaf as possible. The more veins your leaf has, the more detailed the stepping stone will be.

Instructions:

Spray the inside of the mould with Cook 'n Spray to make it easier to remove once the cement has set. Place the leaf on a flat, level surface and position the mould on top of this.

Mix up the cement and pour into the mould. The cement doesn't need to be any thicker than about 4cm, any thicker and the cement may not set properly. Leave to cure for the recommended time and then carefully remove the mould to reveal your detailed stepping stone. Now you are ready to make the next one.

The DIY Curly Fork Bracelet

We think you'll agree with us that this is a fab birthday gift for a foodie, or fashionista, or even to keep for yourself. The best thing is that they are gifts of the do-it-yourself variety, so they won't cost you an arm or a leg!

Click here and find yourself on Stacie Grissom's blog, where stars are used for streetlights and DIY is the name of the game. Apart from a great video tutorial on how to create your own curly forks, you'll also find a link to her Esty Shop. Here you'll be able to buy these bracelets and other gorgeous goodies. Enjoy!

Another bright idea – transform light bulbs into oil lamps!

We’ve already shown you how to create a vase from a busted light bulb, but here’s another great way to repurpose old light bulbs that won’t leave you in the dark.

You’ll need:

• A clean light bulb
• A cotton shoe lace
• A metal bottle cap
• A rather large washer / spacer
• Two small magnets
• A drill / punch
• A drill bit a little smaller than your shoe lace
• Tape
• Lamp oil
• Some sand
• Water

Instructions:

1. Disassembling/Cleaning the Light Bulb: First, take your drill/punch and tap at the bottom of the light bulb, until you break the black glass. Then tap on the inner tube inside the bulb with the wire in it, and extract the insides of the beast. Now, go grab your sand or another granular substance and put some into the bulb. Add the water and swirl the mixture, while you are swirling you'll notice that the inner white coating will flake off. Once all the white coating has detached itself from the inside of the bulb, rinse the bulb thoroughly and set it aside.
2. The Cap: After you have cleaned the innards of the bulb and washed the inside, grab your bottle cap and shoe lace. Locate the centre of the cap and drill your hole - start with a small hole and work your way up to just under shoe-lace-diameter. Before you cut your shoe lace, tape the middle with a little bit of tape, so when you do cut (in the middle of the tap band), you won’t have a frayed mess. Thread your taped end into the fresh wound in your bottle cap and pull the lace through. Screw the cap (with the lace threaded) onto the top of light bulb and do a measure test, you want a little slack at the bottom, but not much. Take off the cap and find where your magnets have run off too.
3. Making the Base: With your washer/spacer in hand, and magnets stuck to some valuable electronic devise, put a small length of tape on the one side. Flip it over and centre one of your little magnets on the tape. Cut another length of tape and stick it on the washer/spacer, trapping the menacing little beast inbetween.
4. Finishing: Go ahead and find your lamp oil. Before pouring the oil, put the other magnet into the bulb, and set on the base. Carefully pour about 2-3 teaspoons of lamp oil into the bulb. Find your cap, complete with shoe lace wick, and screw the cap on to the light bulb. You may need to roll the liquid around a bit to get the wick a little damp. There should only be no more than about a centimeter of wick poking out the top of the cap. Grab your lighter, and light it up!

Be sure to head on over to the Instructables  page, where this tutorial by bumpus was originally posted. You’ll not only get a chance to see how others adapted the idea, but you’ll also find a large dose of inspiration and motivation. 

Here’s a bright idea! Convert an old light bulb into a vase

Give used light bulbs a new lease on life with this great do-it-yourself project from ReadyMade. 

You’ll need:

• Leather gloves
• Safety Glasses
• Needle-nose pliers
• A hammer
• ¼ inch Allen wrench
• 3/32-inch aluminum welding rod

Instructions:

• Put on leather gloves and safety glasses (consider going outside since this process involves breaking glass).
• Peel off the contact at the base of the bulb using the needle-nose pliers (see photo below).

• Crack the black glass at the base of the bulb by tapping it lightly with the hammer. If this doesn’t work, try sticking one of the jaws of the needle-nose pliers into the hole of the black glass and twist while applying a little pressure. it requires some persistence, so keep at it.
• Insert the 1/4-inch Allen wrench into the glass tube inside the lightbulb after removing black glass (see photo). Apply some leverage to break the glass inner tube; a different size key may be necessary depending on the brand of bulb.

• Pull out the innards of the bulb through the hole you’ve created with the pliers. if the hole is too small, make it bigger as you did in step 4. The filament and attached glass may need to come out in a few pieces if they are too large (shown in photo).

• Create a stand for your new vase using the 3/32-inch aluminum welding rod, available at your local hardware store. Sculpt your stand to your own design, or mimic the one in the pictures—a square base with one end of the wire coiled around the metal part of the lightbulb.
• Insert your favorite flower, water, and enjoy!

Gifts on a budget: The DIY Plastic Spoon Rose

Can you believe it? This rose is made from run-of-the-mill plastic spoons

Shopping on a budget? Still looking for the perfect gift for your eco-warrior girlfriend? 

Whatever your problem, we’ve got the solution. This do-it-yourself rose pendant is not only cheap and easy, but also totally gorgeous. Plus nothing says “I’m green and I care” quite like something homemade from recycled goods.

Click here to view the tutorial by EVEnl on Cut Out and Keep, but also take a moment to view Catherine P’s creative use of nail polish which gives her rose a splash of colour. 

Christmas on a cupcake – what’s not to love?

This is such a great idea from Brit + Co. that we just had to share, because let’s face it, it’s not like those cupcakes are going to make it out of the kitchen uneaten anyway.

Yummy!

Click here for the full tutorial. Don’t worry about trying to hunt down Wilton’s sparkle gel – try Nicoletta’s Glitter Writing Icing instead – it’s local, lekker and can be found online or in the baking isle of your nearest supermarket. 

DIY Decor: A Book Lampshade

From ideas, one of our old favourites comes this novel approach to lampshade decor. 

You will need
• an old book
• cardboard (for the guiding page)
• craft knife
• glue gun
• pencil