Nobody loves a good DIY more than me. TRUST. I was practically the queen of crafts when I was a kid. Even now, my room is like living in one big collage, which, sadly is as close as I get to a DIY these days. And that’s really just code for living in one big pile of fashion vomit. Not the real kind, I mean the one of books, shoes, clothes, beauty products and everything else.

This personal DIY dilemma of mine has forced me to call upon the pros, and thank god I have.

Everyone, I’d like to you to meet my girl Robin Orbeta-Lacambra, one half of The Uncarved Block. Robin recently launched a new tumblr for her #makesomethingeverydaychallenge which I think is such a genius idea that I have managed to get her to generously share her DIY challenges with us on the regular!

Here she is below, hiding behind a piece of hair. Luckily, you still see her pretty face and can fall in love with her for more than just her great crafting abilities. Now that you’ve met, I’ll let her take it away so y’all can get crafting!

 

Have you ever been given a gift dressed in the best wrapping paper ever and wanted to save it somehow in a more honouring way rather than rolled up and tucked in some corner?  I have.  Paper clad in kittens?  A must-keep!

Here is a simple way to save your favourite paper from the lonely corner filled with dust bunnies or the waste bin.

Tools:
-  awesome paper
-  tea tin / box from the dollar store / any vessel
-  Modge Podge or Gel Medium
-  paint brush
-  scissors

1.  Clean the surface area of the tin you’ll be pimping with your awesome paper.

2.  Cut the paper out accordingly to fit all sides of the tin.  You can get strategic/selective with your cutting to ensure that the best parts of your paper make it onto the tin. (This is probably easier with a ruler or tape measure but I don’t have one, hence lack of appearance in tool list and picture of tools.)

3.  With the paintbrush, begin to apply the Modge Podge to your tin one side at a time – Modge Podge dries really quickly, so don’t get too ahead of yourself! Place your paper onto the Modge Podged area, being sure to smooth out any trapped air between the paper and the tin.  Repeat this until all desired areas of your tin are covered in awesomeness.

4.  Coat the paper with a layer of Modge-Podge to increase durability and sheen of  your pimped-out tin. BOOM! Awesome paper put to good use.  And now that you have Modge Podge, you can pimp out almost anything with awesome paper!

Happy Modge Podging!

(all images courtesy of Robin Orbeta-Lacambra, portrait by Ashley Rowe)

Love it? Hate it? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!