Design Sponge

I just had a 'smack my head' moment! I wrote on my previous entry about loving my voyeuristic roamings through Apartment Therapy, but I have to give equal props to another favorite DIY/home decor site, Design Sponge. Hmmm, I wonder what Liz is thinking.......

Apartment Therapy

Real people. Real places. Real house tours.....

If you are like me you LOVE to check out other peoples homes. I am curious about how they style their place and how they deal with their design challenges. I want to see their backyards, courtyards, and balconies. I admire a great color scheme, a great kitchen, and bathroom. I want to see how they artfully arrange their stuff. Here's a favorite site that let's me do all these things. You get to tour the home, and get some basic info on the owners and the house--like how long they've lived there and the square footage of the place. Here's a great example of what I mean:

Typography Project

Typography-inspired pieces are hot for home decor and in fashion. It's easy to make your statement with a little creativity and the right products.

Sources: Top - Design Sponge; Middle - Urban Outfitters; Bottom - Dolce & Gabbana FW 2011

I'm a big believer in using what you have to make stuff. So as I was wondering how to create a low-budget typography project I looked around my cubicle for some spark of inspiration so I could make this project my own. I attend numerous craft and trade shows each year and many of the vendors put out bowls full of buttons to advertise their booths or products, and I've gotten into the habit of picking up these buttons. I keep them stuck on the fabric wall of my cube. So as I was letting my eyes wander, hoping for inspiration, I thought to myself, hmmmm.......finally a cool use for these random ornaments! Here's what I gathered:An old frame that I've had forever, that I bought at a yard sale because I liked its unusual shape

A fabric remnant (make sure your remnant is at least a couple of inches longer and wider than your cardboard backing)

A piece of matboard to fit in the frame

Some batting or felt (cut to fit the opening of the frame)

Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Spray

Funky buttons, enough to make your initial

Here's how I made this:

Spray Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Spray on one side of the cardboard. Press the felt to the sticky side of the cardboard.

Wrap the fabric remnant over the felt. Secure the extra fabric to the back of the cardboard with Aleene's Fast Grab Tacky Spray.

If you are using an open frame (no backing) like mine, you will need to secure your project to the frame. I took mine to Michael's and for $3.00 they added the necessary hardware to hold my project in place.

Once your board is constructed and placed in your frame you can begin adding your buttons to make your own initial. I placed mine down to make a "B" and kept moving them around until I was happy with the look. Then I stuck them in.Voila! A very cool interpretation of this typography trend. This is a really fun project and if you don't have buttons like mine you can always use old brooches, earrings, or really anything you can think of. Use your imagination, and get creative!