My DJ friend Chad creates free compilation music mixes for anyone who asks. Being the lucky recipient of many said mixes, I wanted to make Chad something to thank him for the tunes. Chad collects bird-related art and of course loves music so I thought that birds from vintage linen calendars framed by old 45 …
My milk bottle caps DIY refrigerator magnets craft is a fun way to add vintage flair to your fridge. These unique and simple handmade magnets happily showcase these little vintage circles of art.
My friend K.C. MacQueen asked me to be an artist for the second annual Pritzker School Community Art Project: “Birdhouses.” Artists create a birdhouse for display in local Wicker Park stores. Home Tweet Home graced the front store window at Stitch boutique in Bucktown for two weeks before being auctioned off. I’m more of a …
The pincushion thread catcher that my mom gave me years ago is my sewing table’s best friend. Yeah, I know it seems a little grandma-ish but it’s no surprise that I’m a big fan of things that are both clever and cute. This pincushion thread catcher free sewing pattern is an easy beginner sewing project …
I’m crazy excited to be a part of the Sewing 2010 Day-to-Day Calendar edited by Megan Smith. One hundred simple sewing projects organized in three-day increments fill this crafty calendar of the new decade. Featured MerrimentDesign.com projects include sewn poppy fabric invitations, bridesmaid’s applique handbags, Thanksgiving felt leaf placecards and napkin rings, and Chicago flag …
Today I’ll show you how to make a DIY crib bed skirt with a gathered dust ruffle. We’re in the middle of converting our den into a baby’s room. We’re keeping it simple — borrowed our niece Madison’s crib, kept the room painted light gray — and have begun accenting with oodles of girly fabric. …
Make this easy fall DIY leaf wreath idea to properly welcome autumn! It’s a simple DIY fall wreath idea that you can make in less than 1 hour. Hang it on your front door or inside your home to decorate for autumn. I love this time of year …changing leaves, football, pumpkins, cider, late-afternoon sunshine, …
Canning has been a theme the past few weeks so I’m excited to share these free printable canning labels with you. My pretty floral printable canning labels come in five colors — red, blue, green, purple, and yellow — for your jams, salsa, and relish. You can print my free labels for mason jar lids, …
I made this fabric napkin rings recycled craft from an empty Saran Wrap tube. A few months ago I was getting ready to throw away an empty Saran Wrap box and happened to notice how the cardboard tube inside was oh so strong and sturdy. What useful thing could I make with such a pretty?? …
Did you know that more than 96 billion pounds of edible food is thrown away in the U.S. every year? Creative and resourceful Merriment reader Sarah Roarty painted her own unique and unified set of dishware that focused on her love for food and interest in American Food culture. Sarah shows that it’s easy to …
Ho! Ho! Ho! Here’s a special holiday variation of chalkboard pillows complete with two new free ornament and tree templates to make your own 16″ x 16″ pillow for the season. The ornament in particular gives tons of space to write a fun daily countdown to the big day. I used green cotton on the …
My friend Heather Crosby and I have creative chemistry. Whenever we get together we build on each other’s ideas until it becomes something totally original. Heather came over for dinner last week toting stacks of Polaroid pictures that she’d snapped that weekend – bright yellow mums, pumpkin patches, rows of individual pies, Indian corn, orange …
UPDATE: Dinosaur and Birdie Chalkboard Pillows are now for sale at UncommonGoods! Great gift for kids. So when I first invented chalkboard pillows I handmade the chalkboards out of plastic, a knife, drill and chalkboard spray paint. Yeah, it took a long time. But now I’ve discovered the joys of chalkboard cloth fabric which has …
Watch out Speed Racer. Mom of two Amy Herlihy hand painted racing car wall art to match her son Kieran’s racing themed comforter and pillow sham. Now Kieran has his dream bedroom. And it’s a lot easier than it may look… Supplies: 3D stretched canvases(choose your sizes) Acrylic paint Selection of brushes and a painting …
I made these three kitschy CD mixes to thank my friend Amy for letting me stay at her place for the first few days of my week in NYC. Back when I was a kid, my dad handmade wonderful miniature farmland model worlds. I can still remember him individually painting figurines and gluing on grass …