COLLECTION_ DIY’s for the holidays

With the holidays approaching rapidly, a little Christmas inspiration is in order! As some of you may know, I’m always spending the holidays in Portugal, which means that a Christmas tree seems like too much of a hassle.  However, that doesn’t mean I don’t like to get my home into the holidays spirit!  In this blogpost I’ve collected all kinds of inspiration, from gift wrapping ideas to alternative Christmas trees and from DIY ornaments to festive decoration ideas.  Have fun and if you do try one of these, don’t hesitate to send me the result in a DM!  I’d love to see what you come up with…

  1. Furoshiki is the Japanese art of wrapping a gift in a reusable material, such as a linnen napkin, or leftover cloth which can be used again and again.  It’s a no waste approach to gift wrapping that looks good and feels good too!  Learn how to do it here.
  2. Can’t find the kind of ornaments that you’re looking for? Then why not make them yourself!  Molly from Almost Makes Perfect explains how to make these hand ornaments yourself here.
  3.  This yarn and eucalyptus wall hanging by Poppytalks  looks (and smells!) especially great during the holiday season, but you can definitely keep it around a lot longer.   Discover the DIY here.
  4. Not quite ready to dress your home in green and red?  Try this subtle dry flower wreath by Paper & Stitch here.
  5. If you’re in it for the ornaments but not quite for the tree, this image by Sostrene Grene is a good solution.  A bare walls and some washi tape is all you need.
  6. Ana Morais elegantly combined dry flowers, brown craft paper (the most sustainable option when it comes to gift wrapping paper!) and furoshiki to wrap her gifts.  For more images of her excellent gift wrapping skills, look here and don’t forget to swipe.
  7. This wall hanging is the solution for those who don’t have enough space for an actual tree.  Find the DIY by Almost makes Perfect here.
  8. Abi from These Four Walls combined paper decoration and a foraged brand for a minimal and elegant christmas arrangement.  Have a better look  here.
  9. Zwoste used pine as tassles in this cream catcher, making it the perfect addition to a boho home for a subtle nod to the holiday spirit. Read more here.
COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be COLLECTION_ Christmas DIY's, via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be

COLLECTION_ interior diy’s

Now that I’m making big changes in my apartment (more on that later!), I’m constantly on the look out for affordable solutions that will easily help me give my interior a unique touch.  Reminding myself that everything looks different with a fresh coat of paint is one approach, scouring the internet for interior DIY’s is another one!  Since I have a hunch that you too might be interested in my favorite finds, I’ve collected my most recent discoveries in this blog post.   Curious for more? Have a look at my archive or Pinterest board then!

  1. Magazine rack, discover how to make it here.
  2. Faux granite trivets, find the instructions here.
  3. Ikea IVAR hack, read all about it here.
  4. Brass and wood ring holder, learn how to do it yourself here.
  5. Sidetable, find the how-to here.
  6. Hanging ladder, discover the tutorial here.
  7. Wall mounted open wardrobe, find out how to make it here.
  8. Punch rug art work, discover the instructions here.
  9. Plywood floor mirror, learn how to make it here.
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - plywood floor mirror by the merry thought
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - minimal sidetable bycraftifair COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - hanging ladder by avestyles
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - brass and wood ring holder by the merry thought
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - wall mounted open wardrobe by your diy family
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - diy magazine rack by craftifair
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - Ikea ivar hack by an interior affair
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - faux granite trivets by your diy family
COLLECTION_ interior DIY via aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be - punch rug art work by fall for diy

COLLECTION_ diy

collection diy via au pays des merveilles

If there’s one thing that makes me want to get crafty, it’s having a new place to decorate.  I’m craving some spare time to work on a few DIY projects to decorate my new studio, and these projects that I found through pinterest are a great source of inspiration.  I’m not tired of the marble trend yet and I’m particularly excited to experiment with copper pipes, as the possibilities seem to be endless.  To be continued, for sure!  In the meantime, check out my pinterest board for more diy inspiration!

  1. Mini copper and marble shelves by The Merrythought, find the tutorial here.
  2.  Pegboard by Fall for DIY, find the instructions here.
  3.  Neon letter light by I spy DIY, read the explanation here.
  4.  Hanging copper planter by A bubbly life, see the tutorial here.
  5.  Marble hexagon coasters by Homey Oh My, find out how to make them here.
  6.  Marble tray by Almost Makes Perfect, see the instructions here.
  7.  X-shaped coasters by François et Moi , read the how-to here.
  8.  Copper coffee maker by Homemade Modern, discover how to make it here.
  9.  Marble dipped vessels by Sugar & Cloth, find the tutorial here.

COLLECTION_ DIY

collection_ diy via au pays des merveilles

  1. DIY bedside table lamp by Emma-Jane Harbour and her husband Dylan, for Elle.
  2. Gilded marble hexagon serving boards by Sugar & Cloth.
  3. Do-it-yourself tassel garland by Chapter Friday.
  4. DIY vintage tennis racket mirrors by apartment therapy.
  5. Hand sewn clutch by Baroness O.
  6. Hanging rope shelves by a pair and a spare.
  7. Handmade mini macramé plant hangers by free people.
  8. Faux marble drawer knobs by a merry mishap.
  9. DIY hanging table by the merry thought.

View my pinterest board on diy’s here.

DIY: LP clock

lp clock diy via au pays des merveilles

As I mentioned 2 weeks ago, I love giving handmade gifts.  Last week, it was my friend Lien’s birthday.  This girl is a music lover who still collects records, which makes her the perfect receiver for this LP-turned-clock experiment.  All the experimenting aside, it’s a very easy diy: find yourself a clock mechanism at your local craft supply store, an old record at the closest thrift store and you can already get started.  I threw some mint green spray paint in the mix and covered the original label with a marble texture I printed on thick paper.  By now I’ve made a second clock, which took me about 20 minutes to make (told you it was easy) but this first clock took me quite some time to say the least.  I blame it on all the experiments that involved different clock hands that turned out not to fit the mechanism (I might have to complain to my craft store about that), trying to paint the original label with acrylic paint (turned out awful, so tips on obtaining a smooth surface without visible brush strokes are welcome), finding the right size of saucer to cut out the circular label, figuring out the order of all the bolts and rubbers that come with the mechanism (still no clue, I winged it) and cursing the opening of the LP that was just a little bit too small for the mechanism to fit through (I solved it by wrapping some sanding paper around the handle of a thin paint brush, pushing it through and twisting it around).  Yes, lots of trial-and-error, which means you can don’t have to do that anymore when you give this a try!  Have fun!

PS.  For more DIY ideas, take a look at the diy category on this blog here or on my diy pinterest board.

Follow me on bloglovin, facebook, pinterest, flickr and tumblr.

PRETTY THINGS: DIY

pretty things diy via au pays des merveilles

It’s been 2 months since I moved into my new home in Antwerp, but I haven’t gotten over my decorating slash DIY obsession just yet. As you can see, my current favorites can be found in the world of concrete, plaster and metal.

  1.  Copper pipe wall sconce, I already know the perfect place for this one in my room so I might give this a shot soon! (source)
  2.  Porcelain hands from etsy seller Hruskaa, unfortunately sold out (although they have similar ones here) but I think a similar result is achievable with some concrete or plaster and rubber gloves.
  3.  Easy DIY for a fancy kitchen towel rack.  (source)
  4.  Copper and plaster candle holder. (source)
  5. A much simpler candle holder, also in copper.  (source)
  6. Super cheap but super pretty stool.  I think I’m going to try this one!  (source)
  7. More copper with this pretty bud vase. (source)
  8.  Bulletin board made out of chicken wire.  (source)

diy paper globe via au pays des merveillesphoto by me

If you follow me on facebook, you already know that I’ve been a bit creative myself!  Find the tutorial for this paper globe here.

Follow me on bloglovin, facebook, pinterest, flickr and tumblr.

LIBRE OBJET

diy furniture via au pays des merveilles

As I mentioned in this week’s pretty things post, me and my friends participated in the workshop ‘Libre objet’ in Brussels organized by Mathieu Gabiot.  The first day was spent discussing copyright and open source design (a form of co-creation, where design information is shared publically and the final product is designed and built by the users) , followed by thinking about Mathieu’s design ‘Bouctje’ (a small book rack, pictured above) and how we could transform it into our own design.  The second day was spent on constructing our own version of the Bouctje, resulting in everything from a version with an added side table, a rocking chair our a double version.  Soon, you will be able to download drawings and instructions on how to construct our designs.  Of course I will let you know when these come online, but for now you can click below and try to figure it out from this extensive photo report!

Read More

PRETTY THINGS: DIY

diy via au pays des merveilles

As most of you know, I recently moved to Antwerp.  Obviously, a new place equals a new interior but unfortunately I’m still on a student budget.  Luckily, DIY’ing  is a lot of fun and a lot better for my wallet!  I’ve already started by making my first piece of furniture from scratch thanks to the workshop Libre Objet (expect a full photo report soon!) and my handmade Existenz lamp is still looking pretty after three years and one move.  But my room is far from finished yet (the piles of books on the floor can testify) so I can’t wait to create more pieces myself!  (If you’re looking for more inspiration, go to my pinterest or my previous blogposts.)

  1. Concrete ‘plastic cups’ for candles, reminding me of these.  (source)
  2. Wooden crate lights. (source)
  3. A merry mishap always has the best DIY’s, like this concrete diamond.  (source)
  4. Clock made from a tray. (source)
  5. Shelf – I’m so gonna make something like this. (source)
  6. Geometric paper lamp (source)
  7. Tin can pencil holders. (source)
  8. Clipboard inspiration wall. (source)

Follow me on bloglovin, facebook, pinterest, flickr and tumblr.

PRETTY THINGS: DIY ideas

PRETTY THINGSI came home from my Erasmus in Portugal with no money and the good intentions of buying less and recycling/DIY’ing more.  A plan that is surprisingly easy to stick too, if only I had a little bit more time on my hands to execute every idea!  Anyways, I’ve already had a lot of fun creating birthday gifts and redecorating my room, so I figured it’s time to let you in on all the fun.  It wasn’t an easy task to limit this list to just 8 ideas, so feel free to take a look at my pinterest board and these old posts.

  1. This kit introduces you to the art of Japanese bookbinding, although I’m sure with a little bit of google work you can find the right tutorials and start without the kit.
  2. I’m obsessed with decorations in concrete and combined with gold, I’m lost for sure.  Beau-ti-ful!  (source)
  3. Surely I’m not the only one who’s having trouble keeping her jewelry collection in order (at the moment I taped my necklaces to the wall with bits of colorful washi tape, not for heavy necklaces though!), and this branch display seems like the perfect way to do it.  And it’s gold! (source)
  4. A simple shirt and some scissors make for this gorgeous cut out top.  Easy-peasy!
  5. Throw in some architectural references in an interior and I’ll love it, so this skyline made out of what seems to be electrical cord is surely a winner in my book.  (source)
  6. All you need for this is simple white mugs and a porcelain marker.  I’ve tested this myself as a gift for my sister’s birthday and it has been approved!  You don’t even need a really steady hand, there are tons of simple designs anyone can do.  I pinned a lot of inspiring designs on my diy pinterest board and miss Mangelmoes even devoted a whole board to painted porcelain, so no excuses! (source)
  7. More branches!  I already declared my love to branches in interiors years ago, and my opinion hasn’t changed.  How beautiful is this lamp ornament?  (source)
  8. If you’re too lazy, you can buy this black and gold clutch here, but this shouldn’t be too hard to have a go at yourself.

Enough rambling, go get crafty!

Follow me on bloglovin, facebook, pinterest, flickr and tumblr.

1 2