Get Creative

Don’t forget that you can try out your favourite colour from the Resene Paints range for FREE, with this issue of homestyle magazine. Just show the advertisement on page 50 to your nearest Resene-owned ColourShop and you’ll get a free Resene 55ml testpot of your choice. 

Why not make this cool slat mat project and paint it in bright stripes? You’ll find instructions on how to make it in this issue, on page 94.

With Mother's Day just around the corner we decided it was time to get creative and make our own tiered cake stands for an afternoon high tea with mum.

Using a range of plates and small glasses, arrange to form tiers of the cake stand. We used a mix of ceramic and glass items. Ensure the bases of the plates are flat and balance easily on the glasses. Glue together using epoxy glue. Top with homebaked treats or gourmet cupcakes. For our practice tea party we used Baby Cakes cupcakes in Chirstchurch which not only looked great, but tasted amazing too. We would love to see your designs if you give this a go.

With the Easter countdown now on, here is a great idea we found at How About Orange to display your easter eggs in. These cute little origami bunny boxes will bring a little bit of the hand-made into your easter and be sure to WOW your friends and family. This instructional video from Jacky Chan at Origami Spirit will show you just how to create these cute bunnies, so get folding, easter is just around the corner!

With easter just around the corner I wanted to share this sweet idea of using eggs as votives for flowers that you could easily recreate at home. Despite the lack of spring blossom currently available, small wildflowers and buds from late summer flowering shrubs can be used for a similar look.

Crack the top off eggs, through each side make a small hole and loop a piece of fishing line through one hole over the branch and down into the hole on the opposite side. Fill eggs with a small amount of water and add a minature posey to each. If you can't go out foraging for branches, use twisted willow available at most florists.

[ source: whosjaja on Deco my place]

After spending far too many nights working with laptop on the knee, I've decided its time to create a home office space in our spare bedroom. To add a bit of colour and interest I've lined a collection of boxes with wrapping paper to hold all the bits and pieces that quickly accumulate on my desk.

To make these, you will need:

- a collection of wooden boxes 

- paint

- patterned wrapping paper

- modpodge/PVA glue

Collect wooden boxes of varying sizes, I used wine boxes, an old tea chest and small square boxes that used to house letterpress printing blocks. Paint with an undercoat, sand when dry and then paint with a coloured topcoat (I used Resene Karen Walker Washed Green). Line the interior of the boxes with patterned wrapping paper, or off cuts of wallpaper. Do this just as you would line a drawer. You can either cut your paper to fit snugly into the box - preventing it from moving - or glue it down.

Stack boxes to suit your space, vary the compostion to add interest. For a more permanent fixture, secure together with flathead nails. You could also attach to the wall. Fill cubby holes with staionarery, books and favourite things.

For another creative project to keep your household organised try making your own magnetic blackboard planner, click here for instructions.

After a trip from Nelson to Christchurch through the beech forrest in the Lewis Pass, we thought we would have a go at making terrariums. They were surprisingly easy to make, and with zero maintenance, a great alternative to fresh flowers in winter.

With the response we've had to our recent project in Issue 36, it seems we are not the only ones interested in these minature landscapes for your mantelpiece. For those of you who missed the magazine, we thought we would share the instructions for you to have a go at making your own.

You Will Need:
• Glass vessels with lids
• Small pebbles or sand
• Potting mix
• Moss
• Ferns, lichen and small seedlings

Choose a glass container that is large enough to house your selected plants, small enough to put indoors, and has a tight fitting lid. We found ours at a secondhand store, but large Mason Jars can also be bought at kitchen supply shops.

The ideal plants are found in swampy or wooded areas, such as moss and ferns. A weekend walk in the bush is the perfect excuse to forage for your collection. As there is a small space to work with, choose plants that won’t grow over 30cms.

To begin assembly, place a layer of pebbles or sand in the base for drainage. Now place a layer of soil over the pebbles; keep this layer thin to help inhibit the growth of your plants allowing them to conform to their miniature surroundings. Top with a layer of moss.
 

Dig holes down through the moss for your plants and arrange according to shape, size, colour. Start with smallest plants first; gently press the moss in and around each root system. Once all plants are in their final positions, prune to discard any dead areas.
 

Initially water only enough to moisten the soil, it is better to underwater; should your terrarium wilt at all simply add a little water. Generally it can be left to it's own devises. Place the finished terrarium in good light, but never in direct sunlight as its little eco-system will overheat!

Once closed your terrarium needs very little maintenance. If the sides of the glass fog up, lift the lid until the condensation disappears then close the lid again.

Email us photos of your handi work if you give this go, we would love to see your take on the miniature garden.
 

Finally! Japanese washi tape is now available in New Zealand. This patterned masking tape has been a hot favourite on design, craft and stationery blogs around the world and now it is available locally from Kozo. Available in a wide range of colours and patterns it can be used for everything from packaging and labeling to journalling and diy projects. After receiving our order, (packaged beautifully in tape of course) we whipped up some miniture bunting.

You can order single rolls, as well as multi packs. Click here to check out the range, it's perfect stashed away in the 'present box' for last minute gift wrapping!

We wanted to try something a little bit different with roses for our Valentine's story in our February/March issue, so Laura from Harakeke showed us how to make these Sushi Roses. On their own or grouped together in a vase or dish, we love this modern twist on a traditional favourite.