I like my coffee hot

Just because I've become a master at procrastination and I'm of course still up at this ungodly hour in the morning I thought i'd combine my need for coffee with a productive eco-friendly tip.

In lieu of Syracuse's Earth Week celebration, I have found myself bombarded with discussions about sustainability and green alternatives. Among these conversations, my friend Lindsay recently mentioned she keeps the heat protective sleeves from People's Place and reuses them. So her comment quickly turned into a crafty lightbulb moment: COZIES!

Image via Etsy

First thing that came to mind, crochet and felt. Handmade cozies make for a great alternative to double cups and cardboard or carton heat sleeves that people often throw away. While I can't make every coffee shop invest in compostable hot cups or corn-based coated cups, reusable cozies can certainly aid in reducing the amount of cups wasted... and keeping you from burning your fingers off.

Craft Chemistry

Just found about this place called Craft Chemistry in downtown syracuse,

Way excited to make my way there soon.

They sell local crafts and artwork, serve as an artist space and host a studio lab that provides a space for crafting circles, gallery space,  and general art-making. Im particularly excited about their research lab- they have everything from juxtapoz and high fructose to american craft, the big ass book of crafts and  I.D. magazine.

Heres their website:
http://www.craftchemistry.com/?page=1

nintendo throne

Pretty fucking rad.

http://erickkwiecien.tumblr.com/post/234739293/nerd-throne-this-7-foot-tall-chair-is-made#disqus_thread

How to screenprint video

I want an led light eyed howling wolf tshirt.

Pin up girls

It's nice out, finally. After almost a week of pure rain and cold, 60 degree weather and sunshine has made me want to do things again. That is besides wrap myself in my covers and sleep. I've been away for so long I kind of forgot what the weather is usually like in upstate new york during fall/winter. Yours truly is heading to NYC next weekend for a Vintage Car and Fashion Show down in New Jersey. The last show i was at during the summer was awesome thanks to the Rumblers and the lovely Dolly Sisters who i went with. I'm really excited for this one so it's no suprise my inspiration comes straight from a car interior i saw in CT for that show...and well who dosen't love pin up gals?

I used a day to day calendar i picked up for a quid in Oxford.  Its modpodged with the pin up gals all over and the inside i spraypainted a sunshine yellow. If the good mood continues maybe ill end up lining it with zebra print fabric.

Storage space

I have been trying to figure out how to make shelving without a visit to the hardware store for the longest time now. I had been picking up pieces of wood that people tossed out so i could use them but to be honest, i had given up already. How to make the "bracket" to get them on the wall was what had me dumbfounded.

Then my friend Hannah offered to give me some of her "shelf brackets". The first thing I noticed was that they weren't what i was expecting- they were better. So i thought i'd share. She made these out of branches, a saw, sanding paper, a drill and some love.


The pictures don't really do these justice but one side is flat and the branch is cut level with the top of the back piece. She then made holes on the flat piece for the nails to go through the wall.

ALSO-
I stumbled across this mushroom shelf tutorial a couple of days ago. If you live near trees with mushrooms definitely worth a try. It's absolutely brilliant. 

http://findermaker.blogspot.com/2009/09/mushroom-shelf-tutorial.html

Mixtape Mafia

Over the summer I found a box of casette tapes laying on the street in brooklyn. Taped on the top was a little handwritten note, it said help yourself. So I gladly took the offer and brought the whole box home. I set aside the goodies for listening pleasure, of course. The rest, i'm convinced will soon become new things.

Here's Cassette venture number one: A purse. After a visit to the hardware store and a day or two later, I've got the body and straps done.