Dreamy DIY Duo Elsie and Emma Whip Up Cute Craft Ideas

by Intern Lauren

 

This past weekend, I spent an undisclosed amount of time scouring the internet for the best of the best DIY apartment projects. I found that a lot of blogs were posting the same projects, and upon further sleuthing, my search quickly ended upon discovering dynamic duo Elsie and Emma’s lifestyle blog, A Beautiful Mess, the source behind most of the other blog posts I came across and a haven for all things do-it-yourself.

Keeping the beliefs “the best things in life are homemade ” and “life doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful” in mind, Elsie and Emma’s posts feature numerous how-to’s on all types of projects of varying difficulties, like honeycomb shelves, homemade vanilla extract, a vintage doily-turned-pillow, a fabric garland chandelier and even an entire wall display constructed from Instagram photos, to name only a few. Whether you’re a crafting connoisseur, a novice that’s new to the game, or maybe you’re just looking for some creative inspiration, there’s surely a project within the archives for you. Seriously, you might want to make sure you have the rest of your day open before you peep the blog, just in case you get sucked in like I did. Here are a few picks that just made their way onto my summer to-do list:

Custom-Colored Chalkboard Paint

One of A Beautiful Mess’s many chalkboard paint projects, this one allows you to make custom chalkboards to match the color scheme of any room—a much-needed alternative to the cheap mini-whiteboards à la Target that are currently donning the door of every college dorm. Plus, can you imagine how cute they would look inside a gaudy frame?

Magnetic Spice Storage

Why keep all your spices stowed away in shelves when you could use them to make a cute display on the side of your fridge, freeing up cabinet space for something else? Hopefully you’re not reading this, mom, because you might be seeing my version of this project on your birthday.

Graphic Soaps

If you’re anything like me, an approaching holiday of any kind seems to inevitably trigger a mental block when it comes to gift ideas. But luckily, guest blogger Sarah Rhodes came up with a tutorial for easy-peasy graphic homemade bars of soap—perfect to give to anyone who, well, likes soap. I bet you know someone who likes soap.

Doily Covered Lamp Shade

Lace is practically everywhere in fashion these days, so why not extend the lace-lovin’ to your lamps? Take a basic lamp shade and transform it with dainty doilies to bring some frill into any room, courtesy of guest blogger Kinsey.

Images courtesy of A Beautiful Mess

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