Craft ideas: scratching pole for your cat

My cat loves to scratch his nails on the carpet, stairs, couch and so on. It was surely time for a scratching pole, but the bigger ones are always quite expensive so I decided to make one myself.
Things you need:
– an old bookshelf
– 24 meters rope
– cd holder
– fluffy cushion
– old scarf
– saw
– hammer
– paint
– glue
– nails

1. I used an old bookshelf for the top and the bottom of the scratchingpole. I cut in into two parts, one part bigger than the other so you get a stable base. Cost: €0,-

2. I bought a wooden cd holder to use as the middle part of the scratching pole. I would attach the rope on to this part.Cost: €2,- second hand shop

3. I painted the part of the shelf that’s gonna be the bottom part. I just searched the shed in the backgarden and found some blue paint. Cost: €0,-

4. I bought 24 meters of rope in a  hardware store and I wrapped this around the cd holder, glueing it at the corners. Cost: €10,-
5. Then I attached the top and bottom part to the cd holder and put an old fluffy cushion on the top so my cat could chill on that part. Cost: €0,-
6. At last I wrapped the rest of the cd holder with an old scarf so the whole thing would be covered. Cost: €0,-

And the result is there:

Easy, cheap and fun!

Hippie hair wrapping :)

Back when I was just a little girl, hair wrapping was very popular. At the many fleamarkets I went to, there was always a little stand where women were wrapping childrens hair in lovely colors. I’ve had it done many times, usually in bright colors. I forgot about it until it recently popped up in my head. Since I’m a bit of a hippiegirl, I thought it would be nice to do it again, except for more natural colors this time, I mean, I’m a bit childish but I don’t want to exaggerate.. 😉

I used two different colors for this one and added some beads in the end. You could also use for example feathers, to make it even more hippie-ish 🙂

The one on the right I did with woolen string, it’s one string with different colors. When you use wool, be aware its a lot thicker than normal thread/string.

And heres how you do it:

(I have never made a video before so forgive me for the funny faces :P)
You can use multiple colors and put beads in there, love it! Enjoy 🙂

Knitting to a whole new level

Knitting is hot. Knitting is no longer just an old granny’s way to pass the time, it’s now just a cool thing to do. Last Christmas I also got the hang of it. At least, my mum taught me the basics and I was very pleased with myself when I finished my own knitted headband. I must admit, knitting for me was more a necessity than an intrest, I was short on cash and really wanted a headband since my ears were freezing off in the cold Slovak winter. But it turns out to be fun! When I struggled at first (my fine motor skills are just crap) I started to get the hang of it and after one evening of knitting my headband was ready to take his first trip outside.

When I went outside I suddenly started to realise more people had gotten into knitting that winter. It’s funny how when you’re getting into something or learn something new it suddenly starts to appear everywhere. As well with the knitting. Not only did I realise a lot of people wore headbands and knitted hats, other things had also gotten a warm coat for the winter. Lampposts and complete walls were covered in bright knitted covers. It looked really nice and colorfull, and much nicer than the old graffiti art.

I decided to look up this phenomenon to see where this specific creative outburst came from. It turns out is has a name: Yarn Bombing.  Yarn Bombing started in 2005 in Houston, Texas. A small group called Knitta Please decided to hang their old pieces of knitwork because it would be a waste to throw out and the city would become a little brighter. The next project was in Paris and these days the whole world can enjoy colorful knitted threes, lampposts, benches and everything else that could be covered. I love it, it really makes me happy when I see it!

Bike

Knitted Mini Cooper! I want this one!

Nom Nom Nom

Stairs made by Knitta Please!

Shopping Chart

Wow, beautiful!

This looks so comfy! (When dry)

June 9 is International Yarn Bombing day. So are you good with knitting needles? Join the rest of the world by making your city a little bit more cuddly and colorful!

Are there Yarn Bombers active in your city? What did they make? 

If I had all the money (and space) in the world, I would decorade my house like..

THIS. 

1. People who know me wouldn’t be suprised the first thing on my list is a big comfortable looking bed from the designers of O*GE group. I love sleeping and friends find me sleeping everywhere, in class, on the beach, in the train etc. If I could earn money by sleeping I would. This Giant birdsnest looks so comfortable and really cute! The big pillows make it extra nice and cosy.

2. Such a nice napkin holder. Not that I ever use napkins or would use it  when I have one of these cool stands, it still looks really nice and original. Kind of like art. And art is always appreciated 🙂

3. ‘A few fish in a tank. Says one to another: How do we drive this thing? ‘This sink from demilked is so cool, even though fish really freak me out, I’d love to have this! Also available: fish toilet or fish couch.

4. Yes, crazy catlady strikes again. My boyfriend would laugh at me when I would get something like this, but how cool is this for a cat? This cat even looks like my cat, if that isn’t faith I don’t know what it is. not all all the fact that I have a common type cat. 

5. After the IPad, IPod, IPhone and whatever they have down there at the apple store, now introducing the IPoo. I’m not a apple-fan except for the cheap green fruity ones  I do kind of like the toilet version. Although it doesn’t look very pleasant, more like one of those toilets you find at the side of the road you only go to when there’s a IPoo emergency and the last thing you want to do is to put your bare arse on a piece of cold steel  it does look very original.

6. This bathtub from notcom just looks so comfy! I would like to place it in a somewhat more, well, appealing room with maybe some color and a  candle or two.

7. Not very pretty, but certainly original pillow from Etsy. Nice as a gift to someone who always spills their food.

8. This last one I will get, because all the items above I will never be able to affort, or rather spend my well earned money on experieces, rather than things. Just to dream away before I open the garage door, get my keys and unlock my.. bike.

Mother’s Day gift ideas

Mother’s Day is coming up! Upcoming Sunday May 13 we all going to show our mothers our appreciation. Many people find it difficult thinking of (original) ideas for Mother’s Day. Here’s a few tips:

♫ Cupcakes!
Mums love sweets that look pretty!

♫ Cake with a photo frosting
When you’re like me and aren’t a kitchenprincess/prince, you could always just order a cake. I once got a cake made with a photo of me and my boyfriend on there, for our first anniversary. A great idea for your mum, your childer’s mum or any woman who deserves something special on Mother’s Day.

A present for mummy, and a bit for yourself!

♫ Jewelry
This might sound lame but there’s a reason why people give women jewelry. Because they love it!

♫ Canvas with a nice picture of the family
Mothers love their families, so pictures are always nice. To print them on a canvas makes it extra special. You can even choose to print them in black and white or sephia for a different effect.

♫ Donate money to childrens’ charity
Mothers care for their children and are sensitive when it comes to children in need. To make a donation in her name to charities like Unicef, Orphans in Need, SOS Children or the Red Cross you help many children all over the world, some even without a mother.

♫ Make a special basket
Ofcourse you can buy the shop made baskets with soap and parfume, but making your own little basket makes the gesture even more appreciated and special. You can think of:

– Tea basket: including for example a lovely teapot, big teacup, different (special) teabags, chocolates.

– Relax basket: including for example lavendel soap, potporri, scrubbing glove, face mask, candles, bathsalt, homemade cd with
chill songs, body lotion. If you want to make it more expensive you can add a bathrobe, bathslippers or soft blanket.

– Chocolate basket:Is (your) mum a chocolate fan? Fill a basket with different kinds of chocolate, in different shapes and flavours. Add chocolate milk, chocolate fondue set, strawberries etc.- Perfume basket: including lovely parfum, potporri, nailpolish, mascara or anything to do with

– Cooking basket: including for example a homemade cookbook (by you or the kids), cooking apron, cookingstuff that she needs
(if she wants a applecutter, give her an apple with it). You can make it into a theme as well, like a pasta theme with pasta
recipes, different kinds of pasta, pestos etc.

– Baking basket: For example a cupcake basket with all the ingredients for awesome cupcakes.

– Nailcare basket: If she likes to experiment with her nails, give her different kinds of nailpolish, nailart, manicureset, nail file,
nailpolish remover, fake nails.

– Reading basket: Boy a book that she might like and make a bookmarker (with kids). Add some cookies, chocolatemilk and warm socks
for her time on the couch. (or in the summer spirit: sunglasses, small bottle of wine, bag of nuts). Also doable with a magazine (with a subscription?)!

Don’t forget to add a homemade card with the basket!

♫ Organize a familybrunch / dinner
Mums love to spend time with their families, so it would be appreciated when you get the whole family together for a big brunch!
Set the table nicely, with napkins and fancy glasses. You can make a nice meal that she likes, or have different sandwiches and breads
freshly prepared, orange juice, coffee / tea, eggs, different spreads, pancakes, make fruit ice-cream etc. You could also do something special like cheesefondue or
gourmet.

♫ Make a collage
Make a collage of family pictures. Buy a nice photo frame and have some pictures printed out.  You can put the pictures in the frame like
that, or make a bit of an artwork out of it, with coloured paper, stickers and funny comments. This present always scores because it’s so
thoughtful and personal.

♫ Make Mother’s Day Fortune cookies
Fortune cookies are not too difficult to make. For Mother’s Day you can make them with special notes in them, telling mum why she’s so special
and the best mum in the world. Also really fun to do with children! Here’s how you do it: Click!

♫ Make something with the kids
Kids love art, and mum loves to get her childen’s artwork.
– Let your children paint their hands / feet to put on a big piece of paper. You can put it in a photoframe.
– Let the children pick out some bead in a shop and let them make their own necklace for mum.
– Get a random box and let the children make mum a nicely decorated jewelry box
– The same you can do with boring pots, kids can paint them and you buy a nice plant or flower to go with it.
–  Or.. boy a white photoframe for the kids to decorate and make a new photo of the kids to go in it.
– With some colorful beads they can make keyrings.
– Let the kids make a drawing and stick it on a winebottle as an original label. (you could have it saying best mum in the world)

What not to give mum for Mother’s Day:
Some men are a bit clueless when it comes to (Mother’s Day) presents. So here a few tips so you definitely won’t be going wrong again.
– Don’t give her things for the house, like a hoover or cleaningstuff unless she specifically asked for this! It would just remind her that she’s only good for
cleaning and you don’t want to make her feel bad on her special day. So unless you give her a ‘luxurious’ product to make everything easier (like a dishwasher, dryer of a luxurious cappucino maker and you’re not the only one drinking cappucino yourself!) it’s definitely a no-go.
– Don’t give her something that needed to be replaced anyway.
– Planning a family outing when mum is already very stressed. Let her decide this, and give her also the option to take the kids somewhere yourself and let her relax for the day.
– Money. Money is not a present. Very unthoughtful to give the woman that carried your children money because you’re too lazy to go and buy her something nice.

What are you giving your mum for Mother’s Day? 

Lots of love,smiles and happiness,

Evalina

Reusing old shoe boxes

It’s World Earth Day today, and this calls for a serious earth friendly post! I’ve decided to add a category to my weblog: Reuse & Recycling. Under this category I’m going to post some tips how to make something new out of old junk. I believe we can be much more ‘earth-friendly’ by recycling and reusing things we already own. We don’t need to keep buying, but can be a little more creative ourselves and make something out of things we already have laying around the house. It becomes much more personal and original that way and we develop ourselves by doing something creative.

I found some pictures of people reusing their old cardboard shoe boxes. I used to do this a lot myself (now I lack old shoe boxes because I haven’t bought new shoes in ages!) and I loved it. It’s handy and looks awesome.

The only things you need are old shoe boxes (that you probably already have), wrapping paper / magazines / news papers, glue, scissors and lots of small things that need to be organised.

Also nice for kids! You can even do this with your youngsters, making treasure boxes or jewelry boxes.

Or what about using it for wrapping presents? Use some nice wrapping paper or cut pictures out of magazines that the birthdayboy/girl might like. You (and your kids) can decorate the box to make it an extra personal gift.

Lots of love,smiles and happiness,

Evalina

Bedazzled

Today I had a lazy day in bed where I watched endless youtube videos. I ended up watching an interview with Jennifer Love Hewitt, where she talks about Vajazzling. This might be old news to you all, but as a down-to-earth Dutch girl I was (and am) amazed. To those who are also new to the concept, I’ll explain it to you in the easiest way possible; vajazzling is a surprise down at the lady bits. Women not only go through the hell of waxing their vajayjays, they now cover up the torture marks with diamonds. You can pick any shape you want, a heart, flower, butterfly or star, or even the name of your lover, nothing is too much. The diamonds are glued on, and fall off after a day or five. A bit of action and your butterfly is back to being a caterpillar.

Now the first question, well, there is only one question really: Why in the world do women feel the need to put diamonds on their crotch? Do women think men like to see our genitals sparkle? To speak for myself, I must say I have never had any complains that men find that my treasury didn’t have enough gems.

Jennifer Love Hewitt on the other hand was clearly excited about the whole thing. She said vajazzling helped her through her horrible break up and she felt pretty again. Huh? Why would you lighten up your Bermuda triangle after your break up? I’m sure it would’ve been a great idea to vajazzle in the morning, but taking your shining star to an empty home afterwards sounds a bit depressing.

And then there’s the most ridiculous thing of all; pejazzling. You can see it coming, it’s for men. That’s right, apparently there’s men out there who think women get turned on by a penis decorated like a Christmas garland. It’s like when a man would wear a big diamond ring. Definitely a surprise, but not sexy.

To me it’s clear, vajazzling is not for me. I’m not a big diamond fan in the first place, but I also find it a bit.. you remember the tramp stamps? In that area. But that’s my opinion, I don’t want to judge others for choosing to pimp their private parts, that’s really their decision. America offers you plenty of options anyway. And don’t be sad if you’re not from the US; Australia is also getting into the vajazzle business. That must be the most glamour you can get down under.

Would you vajazzle / pejazzle your genitals?  

Easy and awesome shadow art!

Incredibly easy to make and it looks awesome! After my first attempt I decided to try another one, it’s so much fun to be creative and you end up with something nice for the room. 🙂 I’m not really that happy about it, but the idea is nice and it’s definitely worth the try! All you need is a canvas, some old newspapers, glue, scissors and a black marker.

Worth the try?

Lots of love,smiles and happiness,

Evalina