DIY: color it spring

Here are some projects to bring some color back to your life after the cold, snow, and bleak of winter.

The 36th Avenue by Desirée offers 20 Spring DIY Ideas and Party Time. Among the ideas is a project for putting together a knotted t-shirt headband by Talitha at love, pomegranate house. The Milwaukee and Wisconsin Journal Sentinel also features old t-shirt to headband or bracelet instructions in its Fresh section.

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Talitha, Knotted T-shirt Headband, love, pomegranate house

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At Refinery29, you can find 30 Awesome DIY Projects -- For EVERY Level. In the collection is Grace Bonney's Papier-Mâché Cacti, based on a design by David Stark Design (the D.Stark site's design is, uhm, interesting too).

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Grace Bonney, Papier-Mache Cacti after D, Stark, Design Sponge

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At BuzzFeed there's 33 Irresistibly Spring DIYs, where #30 is Decorate your computer cords with washi tape by Bri Emery at Design Love Fest.

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Bri Emery, Decorate Your Computer Cords, Design Love Fest

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-- Marge

DIY: easy, affordable wall decor

Today we'll be venturing a little deeper into artwork via projects and techniques using acrylics.

Use gesso for this example of raised letter art. First published on Pinterest, the idea has been expanded by Kelly at View Along the Way.  Note that the appearance of the artwork will change with the angle and color of light in the room.
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With acrylic paints, painter's tape and a stretched canvas, you can achieve something like the following, depending on what colors you choose and patterns you tape.  You may also choose to distress the painting by sanding it, splattering it with a contrasting color, or using some other technique (YouTube is a great resource for acrylic painting techniques).  Refinery29 has a how-to on this; be sure to look at the comments for some good tips on how to work the painting.
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This third idea was found at Apartment Therapy, a site with many good suggestions for sprucing up your apartment or home.  Here's a link to Amazon for pricing the ceiling medallions; I've seen ones like them in local hardware stores.
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If you find yourself hungry to delve into painting effects deeper, here's a video by Mark W. of ExploreAcrylics showing us how to achieve the faux effect of marbling.  You'll probably want to tape the edges of the canvas on this one or finish them with strips of lath.
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Venture well, keeping in mind that 'mistakes' are O.K.

-- Marge