Even a small accessory can make an impact to enhance your summer party theme, just like fun and whimsical ice cream wrappers. You don’t have to stick with the manufacturer’s design as have it perform its function. You can definitely do something more out of your usual ice cream wrappers.

How about making your own ice cream wrapper to match the Memorial Day party? This should remind the kids and the kids-at-heart about the reason for the celebration. Make the most of your ice cream wrappers to emphasize your theme and make the party more fun.

Image via: Martha Stewart

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Check out this cool Memorial Day craft, ice cream wrapper, to enhance your party accessories:

Tools and Materials

• Paper
• Computer printer
• Template
• Craft knife or scissors
• Bone folder
• Glue stick or double-sided tape

Image via: Something So Classic

Procedure

1. Download a picture that has something to do with the Memorial Day celebration. You can also create your own template like having blue horizontal lines and red stars combined. Print your design into your desired paper (blue or red), and trim.
2. Make sure that the dimension is just right with the standard cone size. Go along with the dotted lines. Then, fold back to create a tab.
3. You may do some trial-and-error to ensure that you have the cone properly wrapped. Then, wrap to form a cone. Attach sides with glue stick or double-sided tape. Make sure that it is properly attached since children are not so particular with proper handling.

This is a very simple DIY project that you can do a few days before the Memorial Day party. Although simple but then your guests will surely notice this great accessory. Your time spent and efforts exerted will certainly payoff with appreciations.

For more summer ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

]]> https://stagetecture.com/easy-summer-entertaining-idea-custom-ice-cream-wrappers/feed/ 0 48751 https://stagetecture.com/podgy-pigeon-the-life-of-the-creator-of-beautiful-lampshades/ https://stagetecture.com/podgy-pigeon-the-life-of-the-creator-of-beautiful-lampshades/#respond Thu, 23 Aug 2012 10:21:07 +0000 https://stagetecture.com/?p=32236 Guest Blogger #631, Entry #1505, August 23, 2012

I’m always intrigued by artisans who have taken their passion and turned it into a business! The other day I posted an article on making your own lampshade. On Twitter I had a retweet from Podgy Pigeon’s Harriet Walsh saying she creates lampshades as well! I went to the Podgy Pigeon on Etsy page and was thrilled with her beautiful lampshades. I asked her to share her story with Stagetecture readers on how she got started! —– 

It all started when, as a very excited 23 year old, I moved into my first house with my boyfriend. A small detached cottage in Devon, with an interesting choice of carpet, but it was home, my home, and I wanted to put my mark on it. Tom and I had decided when we moved in that as far as possible, we were going to buy second hand or vintage furniture. Essentially, we didn’t want our home to be a clone of the homeware department in Tesco.

Relocating without a job to go to meant I had a lot of time in-between job hunts to search out the perfect little things to make our house a home. Then, I hit a stumbling block. Our lounge has a lot of ceiling lighting, so lampshades were going to be in order. However I didn’t want those paper balls that rip and get dusty so easily, and I resented going to Sainsburys and buying dull cream shades.

Here I must confess something: I have what may be classed as a slight obsession with ceilings. They are, in my mind, an incredibly underutilised space.  All that cream plaster just crying out for a bit of love, colour and interest. I started to research lampshades and found very slim pickings when it came to something a bit different! It was then I decided to have a go myself at making my lounge that bit brighter (anything to take away from the aforementioned ‘interesting’ carpet!)

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The range of fabrics available now means that whatever you want you can pretty much have. There are a few restrictions to bear in mind if you do fancy having a go yourself: Upholstery fabric is just a no, it’s far too heavy and won’t let any light through! Embroidered fabrics are difficult to work with and the finished product will often look messy, often with frayed edges sticking out. Your best bet is light cottons silks and linens, natural fibres essentially, anything with too much manmade fibre won’t stick as well to your backing paper and while not impossible, will again give a less satisfactory end result. I work with a gorgeous Japanese range of fabrics called Echino, the designs and use of colours drew me in instantly. They were, and still are, like no other fabric I’ve seen!

I think what makes me so excited about lampshades is that they are traditionally considered functional and very dull, however with one shade you can transform an otherwise drab room to something quirky and individual. When one of my customers described her lampshade as ‘like a piece of hanging artwork’ I don’t think I’ve ever felt such a sense of accomplishment.

Making and creating as much as possible for my new home has been a really interesting process and as a result I have been fortunate enough to be able to sell my lampshades to others through Podgy Pigeon, which you can find on Facebook, Twitter and buy from Etsy. I would encourage anyone who is looking for something a bit different to have a go yourself as you are able to make exactly what you want for a fraction of the cost. Of course, if you don’t fancy it, I’d be more than happy to do it on your behalf!

Harriet Walsh is the owner of Podgy Pigeon creative lighting, find her on Facebook and Twitter. Examples of her work can also be seen for sale on Etsy.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

A lampshade is a decorative fixture that diffuses the light from the bulb to produce a soothing lighting effect in your room. Lampshade designs vary in so many ways to match your room design or theme. If you are thinking about customizing your interiors to coordinate in color, patterns, or more, here are tips to create a custom lampshade from Design Sponge.

All images via Design Sponge

You can always find well-designed lampshades in your favorite furniture store. But don’t you adore it more if you make it on your own? You will definitely agree that creating a lampshade with your own hands is priceless. All you need is a couple of hours and extra effort to build one.

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Making a custom-made lampshade only takes a few steps, here’s how:

Materials Needed

• fabric
• pressure sensitive styrene
• fabric or paper tape
• measuring tool
• pencil or marker
• pencil
• scissors
• glue
• paint with brush
• sewing kit
• tie wire
• pliers

Directions

1. Determine the dimension of your shade. You may use the measurement of your old lampshade for accuracy. However, you can adjust the measurement according to your preference.
2. After getting the measurement, cut the tie wire using your pliers and shape it accordingly like a ring. There are two rings that you have to make. One for the top and the other for the bottom part.
3. Attached a Y-shaped tie wire on the top ring of your shade. This part will serve as the shade hanger.
4. To secure the shape, intertwine the ends of the wire. Do this carefully so as not to damage the shape.
5. Prepare the fabric. Ensure that you maintain its cleanliness and fluff.
6. Lay down the pressure sensitive styrene. It has two sides wherein one is sticky enough to hold fabric firmly. Stick the fabric to the peeled section of the pressure sensitive styrene. Make sure that the fabric is properly attached to the pressure sensitive styrene.
7. Slowly roll the fabric with pressure sensitive styrene onto the tie wire rings to form the shade. Glue the fabric seam and tape it on the outer part.
8. Do a running stitch to seam the fabric.
9. To cover the tape and stitches, cut a piece of fabric and glue it on the edge. This will provide a clean look on your shade.

Just be selective with the pattern of the fabric. It should be able to look consistent and unbroken even after cutting.  With continuous pattern, the shade will appear elegant as the shade being sold commercially.

Watch Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel for more DIY ideas

Happy DIY Saturday! Have you considered building your child a playhouse outside for them to let their imagination run wild and get out of the house? Today’s DIY Saturday shows you creative playhouses that will give you inspiration to build your own, or hire someone to design, build and even construct your child’s playhouse.

Image via: Houzz

Watch a You Tube video from a custom playhouse builder that features unique and very creative playhouse options. Then my guest blogger tells you how to go about finding playhouse plans, ideas and inspiration to make your child’s a one-of-a-kind experience!

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You Tube Video – Custom Made Playhouses

Guest Blogger – Building a Creative Playhouse for your Children

When it comes right down to it, the most popular types of playhouses in existence today are the ones that your children prefer. After all, it is these little ones that will be almost moving into these fabulous and exciting toys. Some would say that a playhouse is so much more than just a regular child’s toy and we would have to agree, wholeheartedly with that statement.

If you have not noticed lately, there are so many more playhouse plans readily available today, than there were only a few scant years past. The industry has taken off and we would have to say the main reason for that upswing in playhouse purchases, as well as playhouse designs, comes from the lowered, global economy.

We do not have to tell anyone out there, anywhere on the face of the planet, that times are a bit tough these days. What that creates is a more local methodology for entertaining the kiddos. Plainly spoken, a playhouse is a great way to keep the children occupied while keeping them at home, which used to be a very difficult if not impossible task!

Image via: Dulemba

While there are personal favorites in the realm of outdoor playhouses for children, there are a few that are globally popular. One is the extremely popular sector of themed playhouses. These can be in the form of a pirate ship or even a fairy-tale princess castle! Those even sound cool to us and we are a bit over eight! Still, it’s always up to your child to decide what design is more interesting as we can only drop subtle hints at the pirate ship selection.

If you are new to the playhouse plans arena, then we implore you to sit back and have a listen to what we are about to tell you. The time that you spend reading this piece will save you even more time and exponentially more money at the very same time.

There are cardboard playhouses that are attracting more and more children these days and they are surprisingly sturdy and loads of fun for the kids. If you still prefer a standard, pre-cut playhouse, then you are on the right path as there are simply an astonishing list of available themed playhouses that come pre-fitted! All you have to do is to read the directions and get to screwing together a really cool playhouse for the children.

Watch Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel for more DIY ideas

Let’s face it, home improvement and decorating can often be a daunting task! From deciding on a do it yourself (DIY) project, to choosing the perfect color to paint your home, how do you visualize it first? I’m excited to partner with Showoff.com and bring you an interactive online experience for home enthusiasts! It will help you take your Stagetecture ideas and DIY projects and visualize them… absolutely FREE! I’m excited about this easy to use tool, here’s more information about Showoff:

Showoff.com is home to the Visualizer, a free online tool that allows users to upload their own photographs and use a design application to visualize any home improvement project in minutes including landscape, remodeling and interior design projects.

Showoff.com offers free access to the Visualizer which allows users to visualize projects around the home using actual, branded products from Showoff.com’s Online Showroom. Showoff.com is also an online community where users can speak with experts or other home enthusiasts. In addition, users can purchase products from their Visualizer experience with easy options for purchasing online or offline, from vendors that are Subscribers.  The website is supported by Vendors who provide images of the products for consumers to chose.

“This truly is a one-of–kind experience,” says Dreis-Ayers. “We are committed to creating the easiest, most accessible community for homeowners and are looking forward to a new way of integrating and creating the home of your dreams.”

Whether you are a homeowner interested in starting a home improvement project, or you are a supplier wanting to feature your products/services in the Showoff visualizer, there is an advantage for you. Click on the right side banner of Stagetecture to give it a try. For specific information, and questions, feel free to contact Showoff directly:

Contact: Bobbie Ayers

Company: Visual Applications, Inc.

Email: bobbieayers[at]visapp.com

For many Americans, building a custom home is the fulfillment of the American dream. There are many other housing options but to get exactly what you want and where you want it, the only option is a custom built home on the lot of your choice.

Like any major project, building your custom home in the good old USA is a step by step process. These steps include:

Image via: Houzz

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1.) Planning your budget

2.) Choosing your lot

3.) Selecting your team or builder

4.) Picking your new home plan

5.) Negotiating your contract

Each of these steps is interactive. You may complete part of one and then double back to adjust something you did earlier, but eventually you have to complete them all to get the job done.

Planning your budget

The first step in the process is knowing just how much money you have to spend to acquire your lot and getting your home built. You may need to talk to lenders to determine how much you can borrow or you may have to make decisions on how much of your savings you’ll want to use to get into that new home.

Whenever you make a plan, write it out in detail. You budget may need to be flexible when first talking to a builder. You and the builder you choose can work out details as you discuss the house you want and when you want it.

Image via: Houzz

Choosing your lot

If you don’t already have a lot that you own where you want your new house, you have to find one. If you already have a lot, that may determine what type of house will work best for you. A heavily treed lot might not work well for a Spanish Revival home. If you own a lot, you’ll have to take that lot into consideration when you decide on your house plan and style.

On the other hand, if you have a particular style of home picked as the perfect one for you, it will limit the location and characteristics of the lot you buy. Custom home builders like Americas Home Place will often offer to help in finding the perfect lot.

Selecting your team or builder

In building a custom home on your lot you have two basic choices:

• Act as your own general contractor

• Hire a custom builder

Unless you have built a home before, you’ll probably find that it is not just easier hiring an experienced builder but also less costly. Most American builders will honestly tell you that it takes experience and relationships with subcontractors and suppliers to build a home that provides the most value for the money spent.

Most of the time you will come out ahead financially by using a well-known and well-established professional builder.

Image via: Houzz

Picking a plan

Building your home is about choice. You can choose everything about the house you want, and choosing the plan is the basic consideration.

You will have constraints. Budget is always a constraint. The lot you have or want may be a constraint. Zoning laws may be another one. If you want a truly one-of-a-kind home, you may use an architect or home designer to develop a one-off set of plans for you. Some home builders offer free downloadable plans so you can start studying plans that might work for you at no cost.

Negotiating a contract

If you have decided to act as your own general contractor, you will have a significant number of contracts to negotiate and sign. If you hire a custom builder, you will simplify the contracting process.

In either case, make sure the contract is filled out completely and in detail. Before you sign any contract, do more research on how to avoid contractual problems.  And, of course, research your builders or subs for their past performance.

You can learn more about building a custom home on your lot by visiting Americas Home Place.

For more architecture ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Happy DIY Saturday! Have you ever wanted a designer look in your bedroom, but can’t figure out how to get it without spending a fortune? Look to your bed, it is the focal point of the room and the headboard behind it can make all the difference.

Image via: Beds Headboards

Today’s DIY Saturday I compiled a few You Tube videos from HGTV from their designers to help you make your own custom headboard. From upholstered ones, to beautiful reclaimed wood rustic ones, you name it, your custom headboard is within your grasp!

Creating a Headboard

Upholstered Headboard

Floating Headboard

Slatted Wooden Headboard for under $100!

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, & Stagetecture’s YouTube Channel, click here.

The day has come, for us to drool over laundry rooms. I decided to give you some inspiration from custom luxury homes that have fabulous laundry rooms.  Take a look, and yes, it’s o.k. to drool.

McIver Custom Homes – Woodhaven Bend

Philips Luxury Homes – Maverick

Digs Digs

Luxury Vacation Homes For Rent

Laundry rooms can have large square footage, or be in a confined closet! Either way, luxury is what the homeowner makes it.