Handicraft / DIY stuff (e.g fanciful notebook/boxes)

[diamondusk]

Hihi, watch a show on scv this morning- mtv style hosted by Linda. and they featured this shop in taiwan selling very pretty and cute furry stuffs (clock, cushions, book, makeup boxes), and all are DIY by the owner.

was wondering if anyone here has done DIY "projects" before. i am very interested to do some stuffs but it seems like there're many material involved (hot glue gun, furry cloths, etc)

share your experience here and what you've done before.

[huishan]

I love DIY-ing my stuffs.

I DIY some of my organisers. Get those Azone ring-notebook. You can draw/ cut & paste pictures from magazines/ get art materials like laces, beads, sequins from Spotlights or any art shops. It will be up to your creativity then.

DIY photo albums are something that is worth the effort, imo. Have some fancy papers, hand-write narrations & bind them into a book. The feeling is rather different from those typical photo-albums.

Handphone pouches/ makeup pouches/ pencil cases are some stuffs that we can DIY, too.

No doubts, off the shelves stuffs are easier gotten & will save more time, might even look prettier (my sewing skills are ) but the kind of satisfaction is different.

I just love that feeling.

[Berry1207]

hi peach tea, do you have any clue how to diy m/u pouches, or other pouches? feel like diy-ing after watching that MTV style too!

oh btw, we can get the materials at spotlight??

[huishan]

Now you girls got me so excited about that show! I guess I missed out on something good, again!

Anyway, for makeup pouches. There are a number of ways you can go about doing it.

But 1st of all, you must have a rough image on what kind of pouch you want. Girly/ matured/ sophiscated? From there, you will need to get the cloth. I got some denim cloth from Chinatown market. The one opposite the revamped OG. 2nd storey or 3rd. But there are a number of shops selling different types of cloth, so browse through & do a mini-bargaining.

Next will be the zip. A shop at Chinatown market sells them. I'm not very sure about the variety though. Apparently, IIRC, they only had a few colours. So spotlight might be a better choice for zip-shopping. Or alternatively, you might want to go for the pull-string types. The shop sells those nylon strings too.

The other materials require will be solely up to your creativity. For me, I always prefer something with a girly touch. So I would go for lots of colours.

Sequins, beads, buttons are some stuffs you might add-on to your DIY pouch. Chinatown/ spotlight sell them all. However, I do reckon that the latter's prices might be alittle higher.

I will be dropping by at Spotlight somewhere this week. Anything you girls would like me to check out?

Now, I am all so excited!

[diamondusk]

peachtea: the next episode of the show is going to show us how to DIY decorate makeup cases (if i heard correctly). so do rem to catch it if u can...

I'll also be going to spotlight soon - to check out on the materials. i've checked and realised that there're hot glun guns that's not that ex afterall < $10

going to start on my 1st attempt of DIY project soon!!!

[huishan]

Have fun girl! DIY-ings are kind of addictive.

[Berry1207]

haha seems like not much of us quite into DIY eh? btw diamondusk, *** can the hot glue gun do..?? awww, i feel like doing the furry cushion.. haha!

thanks peachtea, and have fun shopping at spotlight!

[diamondusk]

it's used for gluing materials that u cant sew together.
think the next lesson shown on the MTV style will be using the hot glue gun.

i also want to do the furry cushion, but i cant sew for nuts.
i was telling my mum "I'll design it, and u sew it for me" haha.

so it's DIY project with Mum...

[huishan]

We are all going to have a great time shopping at Spotlight!



diamondusk, I can't sew, too! Haha, my mum is always my "back-up" when it comes to needle & thread. I design, she sew!

[Berry1207]

actually, i can't really sew too! but i think we can use the loop stitches (from what i can rem from home econs ages ago! haha) on the furry cloth, then reverse it, so the stitches won't be visible..!! haha

Just my 2cents.. lol

Please refrain from quoting when referring to post above.

[pinkdustyrose]

hey!

i've done notebooks before that i've given away as gifts. one was a notebook i did from scratch - wasn't a ready notebook. i just put papers together and sewed and designed.

quite tedious but loved it.

the other one was a ready notebook from muji that i just did a cover for.

thru the shopping experience at spotlight and art friend, i found out that some of the supplies at spotlight are more expensive than at art friend!

for eg, glitter glue at spotlight is $2 more expensive than at art friend? yeap yeap...

i love doing art & craft items but i go crazy when im at the supplies store... i just spend and spend and spend...

hehehhe~

[huishan]

I do reckon Art Friend is cheaper too, but I did not really browse through everything on my last trip there.

Shopping for handicraft stuffs is so addictive. I always tell myself to get more, instead of less so that I won't need to make another trip. Yes, that is why alot of them are hiding in some corner of my room.

[crazygirl]

some DIY stuff i made myself included pillow & bolster cases cuz i had an extra bolster and pillow case, so i always didn't get enough when i bought the whole bedsheet set.

sounds crazy, but it's not that tough if you've got the correct dimensions and a sewing machine. i did 2 sets of pillow & bolster cases (didn't "graduate" to make the mattress cover though ) some years back when i had loads of time during the school holidays. it was pretty fun, you get to shop for the really cute lovely/ cartoony designs and choose your own fabric for the project. made me sleep exceptionally well for the first few nights after i made them and i used the leftover fabric to machine into handphone pouches, little makeup pouch etc.

also, if your foldable umbrella spoils and can't be used anymore, you can turn the umbrella holder (the cover) into a drawstring spectacle case or pencil holder too - simply insert clean shoelace/ fancy string and tie a knot

just my
- crazygirl

[lysander]

I'm thinking of handmaking a teddy bear! anybody knows how to, or where i can learn it from?

[Hiyashi]

Hi lysander, U can learn to make teddy bears at the Golden Dragon at People's park centre. They have teachers there to guide you too.

Oh ya, anyone know how to make DIY candles? those with sands/seashells in the clear glass then pour the candles over it?