10 Crafty Projects For Crafty People

Soooo my life (and my dining room table) has been overflowing with CRAFT PROJECTS ever since I started posting weekly tutorials at Homedit. I’m currently taking a break from my gig as a DIY Contributor, since I’m busy with design work, but it was a blast and I thought I’d share a few favourite craft project ideas over here.

1. Big, Beautiful Macrame Plant Hanger (link to tutorial)

I’ve made macrame plant hangers before, like this little one in our entryway, but this time I splurged on a thick, bleached sisal rope and I love how it turned out. I like macrame that still feels craftsmanlike, I guess? Rough and intricate. (Speaking of rough: looking at my photos from the start of this gig. The quest for crystal-clear tutorial shots is eternal.)

2. Before & After: Scandi Dresser Makeover (before & after here)

Would you believe that I inherited this little pine dresser with our house? It looked rather ordinary at first, with a heavy coat of glossy cream paint and extraneous knobs. But I dug the overall lines of it, so I took off the knob handles and got to work making it look IKEA-esque. It currently lives with Jamie’s mum, storing art supplies, being all cute and helpful.

3. DIY Wooden Magazine Files (tutorial here)

I was excited to make these because they’re so useful – and, if you have the tools on hand, each file is dirt cheap. Just like the dresser, I went for two-tone coatings with paint and varnish, but you can easily go nuts with custom designs. If you’re thinking, “hey, this project looks familiar,” yep – I also covered this particular DIY craft project right here on my blog! I was proud as punch, thank you very much.

4. Kusudama Flower Ball (tutorial here)

Some crafty people like my mom keep a stash pile of fabric, but my hoarding material of choice is PAPER. I have so much printed ephemera and nice paper stock that I’ll probably never use, if I’m being honest with myself. Even though every bit of it sparks joy. I love the elegance of origami, and I enjoyed putting together this visual tutorial.

5. Making A Cushion From Vintage Fabric (tutorial here)

This appalling polyester fabric turned up at my local Salvos. Gnarly yellow plaid, nubbly scratchy texture, and will melt if you try ironing it? OH YES PLEASE. That impulse paid off: the cushions look great on my restored retro armchairs, in my not-at-all-humble opinion. This tutorial covers the basics of making a lumbar cushion with a zipper, if you’ve ever wanted to give it a shot.

6. AU NATURALE ELEGANZA Mason Jar Centerpiece (details here, also don’t mind me I’ve been watching too much Drag Race)

I was asked to do a couple of projects involving mason jars, including a centrepiece. They’re not really my thing, the mason jars, but that’s a silly reason to shy away from a creative challenge. So I picked up a few varying mason jars, some natural materials (including sprigs from my backyard) and I also got to try my hand at styling & photography. I can’t quite nail the effortless vignettes – my attempts generally look too overworked, too overthought somehow – but repetition and a few homegrown kangaroo paws really pulled it all together. My Thanksgiving table is going to look so friggin’ fancy, you guys.

7. Citrus Summer Sangria (directions here)

Again with the mason jars, but joined this time by one of my vintage wool rugs and some servingware.  I don’t really need an excuse for making boozy tempranillo fruit punch, but I thought this post – which went up in July – might be a timely reminder for people living in warm climates that sangria’s always an option, if not the superior option. (Mind you, I was lying in cold, damp grass when taking these photos, wearing my parka and boots. In that moment I was definitely dreaming of a balcony in Barcelona.) Grab a pitcher and let’s go.

8. Geometric Felt Coasters (tutorial here)

Now, I rave about everything I’ve done, since I’ve gone to the trouble of sharing it on the internet. Nah, but really: I genuinely hope that when people click out of my posts, they feel enthusiastic about creating something themselves. (Even if it’s because they think my crafts suck and they could do it a million times better. Oh my god yes, I am positive that you can.) Well, these felt coasters were a surprising standout for me. I’d been experimenting with felt, trying out bags and bowls, and the way these coasters came together was so simple and so right.

9. Hessian Planter Bags (tutorial here)

If you can operate a sewing machine, you can make these little burlap sacks for your plant pots. Again, that whole rustic-modern, old-country-farmhouse-but-in-the-suburbs aesthetic is Not My Thing, but the bleached hessian cloth and succulents do look cute together. I’m thinking about making some with handles… maybe farmhouse style is my thing after all, who knows??

10. Felt Raindrop Hanging (tutorial here)

This project is going to be a nursery gift for a friend of mine. (Noooo, not for me, I promise. I swear it on a stack of IUDs.)  The combination of felt + twine + twig is so very twee, which should fit right into a nursery. Before the baby comes, though, I’m going to take it one step further and make the felt drops three-dimensional. I’ll sew backs onto them and add stuffing to plump them up.

That’s the great thing about craft project ideas, you can just keep building upon them.

---

And it’s time for me to apologise again for not updating often enough.  I know, I’m such a disappointment, my parents can tell you all about it sometime. However, as you may have gathered: since I’m no longer doing this gig, I’ll have more time for doing stuff to my house and updating this blog! Hooray all around.

Next up is going to be an update on my study, then some talk about lighting, then garden stuff probably. Oh! Kitchen tile! We’re 95% done with tiling the kitchen, if you’ve been following along on Instagram; here’s a look back on uglier times. The last 5% to take care of is that the goddamn tile sealer failed and needs to be stripped off entirely, possibly recoated? Just gonna put my face in my hands for a moment here.

Can’t wait to keep sharing updates at Casa Saltbush. <3