07/30/2010
07/30/2010
Tie-dye was one thing that was always truly enjoyable as a child (I even tie-dyed a bedspread at one point). I always thought that I would never again be caught dead in tie-dye, but after coming across this Shibori DIY, I’m beginning to think otherwise. This Japanese technique dates back to the 8th century, using indigo dye, and involves binding, compressing, folding, and . . . Continue Reading
07/30/2010
Friday Reflection: Rediscover Your Space
Erin Scialabba

About six months ago, my dad moved the stereo out of our family room. I’ve been home for the summer since May, but it was only two weeks ago that I discovered this empty corner just waiting to be inhabited once again. The bare wood floor and the perfectly sized tuft of carpet drove me to set up shop (plug in my laptop) in a space that I hadn’t given a second glance for 20 . . . Continue Reading
07/30/2010
Alphabet City
Melissa Goldstein
Remember that car commercial—I think it was a VW one—where the hip, 20-something couple in the car are listening to a catchy song and looking out the window and suddenly realize that everything is moving in time to the beat of the song that they’re listening to: a basketball bouncing down the steps of a building, the windshield wipers on the car, kids jump-roping on the streets, etc?
I love that . . . Continue Reading
07/30/2010
In the LA Area on Saturday? Check Out the Festival of the Arts’ Recycled Fashion Show
Alexa Fornoff
(2009 winning design by artists Luciano Bortone and Barbara Hendricks)
The Laguna Beach Festival of the Arts and Pageant of Masters is already one of the oldest and most prestigious open air art shows in the country, but tomorrow it gets even better. On Saturday from 1-4 pm, reused couture takes center stage at Runway Fashion, where . . . Continue Reading
07/30/2010
Good Golly: Succulent Planters by Tend Living
Leilani Labong
These Golly Pods—otherworldly porcelain succulent planters designed by San Diego-based Jason Lane (of Bells & Whistles) and Britton Neubacher of Tend Living—have just beamed down to Earth’s surface. I love the cheeky take on mod forms. They also come in hand-lathed wood. Who’s your favorite martian?
[via Tending To It]
07/30/2010
This Weekend: Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco!
Polly Conway
I’ve been busy-busy getting ready for the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. Over 200 crafters and artists will be there, and it is truly a sight to behold. If you’re in the Bay Area, it’s a great way to spend a day in the city; a few years ago the event fell on my birthday; we packed a picnic, ate on a little hill in the park, and then I . . . Continue Reading
07/29/2010
Readers Write Back, Make Stuff; RM Gets Emotional
Erin Scialabba
In an email, reader Daniel Thomas told us he hoped his story would encourage ReadyMade to continue to share our ideas so readers could enjoy some of the luxuries they put off when money’s tight. Well, we’re more than encouraged—inspired, even—and we’d like to share the Thomas story with you.
It all started with a tear-jerker of an email from Daniel’s wife Tia. Raising a . . . Continue Reading
07/29/2010
You Should Make Homemade Blueberry Cookie Sandwiches
Amy Palanjian

Kelly at Eat Make Read has a real treat in store with these beauties—which I have to assume taste like a little bite sized blueberry pie. Which sounds like heaven since blueberries are one of my absolute favorite things in summer (where I am from in NJ is very close to the Blueberry Capital of the World, just saying). Find a pint or two and bake up a batch.
Click here for the recipe.
[Image: Eat Make Read]
07/29/2010
Happy Bookendings
Megan Jeyifo
How about some lovely bookends to keep your reading materials nice and organized? I’m on the hunt for bookends at the thrift this week but if you’re not near a good shop, these vintage Etsy sellers have you covered. From genuine Travertine originating in Death Valley to a pair of upcycled spindles, any choice will keep your books in great company.
clockwise from top right
Brass horse, . . . Continue Reading
07/29/2010
Topsy-turvy Plants and Two Blokes from New Zealand
Leilani Labong
A big shout-out to reader Gwen for turning me onto these amazing stoneware Sky Planters by Boskke (an “evovled gardening” firm started by two Kiwi brothers, Jake and Patrick Morris), which literally turn everything you thought you knew about tending houseplants upside down. I’m no rocket scientist, but luckily, you don’t need to be one to figure out how the Sky Planters . . . Continue Reading








































