MakeBetter Project: Dvd Storage
Funny how I can love the sight of stacks and shelves of books, but utterly loathe their evil twin, the collection of dvds. I’ve always managed to hide these plastic monstrocities in previous flats (by way of baskets/doors/ on the ikea expedit bookcase) but when we moved into our tiny ‘expedit’ less space I had an interiors panic. Seriously, not a corner of space to store them, but yet without a tv, I knew we would be watching more dvds than before. And thus my spall space storage device was born… it’s cheap, presentable, 1/20th* of the spatial footprint as it’s original form and dare I say even more organized ( just a happy accident).
Ingredients
- storage boxes (ideally the width of a cd, but slightly taller)
- plastic cd sleeves
- cardboard/thick paper stock for dividers
- pen/marker for labelling
- cutting device (I use a scalpel/xacto knife) but scissors are okay as well
- ruler
Cost
Depends on what materials you use–you could use things you already have or go very classy. my minimal approach ran about 20 pounds in total.
Time
I went start to finish in about the duration of a movie (500 days of summer to be exact). David helped me transfer some dvds as well…A great in front of a dvd project.
How To
So what is involved…not a whole lot really. We had A LOT of discs ( dvds can be very cheap in the UK, most of ours were the price of a rental!) So I grabbed several packages of plastic disc sleeves from a stationery store. Be warned, I had to go back several times after I miscounted, not realizing that every disc has an extras disc or two!). Then I bought two brown kraft CD storage boxes from Paperchase for about 6 pounds each.
I could have stopped there, but I took it one step further and made divider cards. I had a few sheets of thin recycled card knocking around leftover from a previous project that seemed perfect for the job. I measured the inside of the box in terms of width and height and cut out cards slightly smaller. I drew out a letter of the alphabet on each, adding in a few special cards for boxsets (so that we could wade through the seemingly hundreds of West Wing & Sopranos dvds). Simple really, and all achievable within the time of watching a movie! My kind of makebetter/small space project.
* Okay that is a pure unscientific guess, but I can assure the boxes are about a 12 inches by 6 inches for the entire dvd collection & I know that their cases filled several large file archive boxes. Disgusting really. Just a note, I didn’t take the full plunge of getting rid of all the useless dvd cases, as we had some storage space and I thought if I ever wanted to sell/give away any of the films, it would be easier with the cases. They are all boxed up and ready to be disposed of easily if we need the space they are hogging!
Farewell Fridays…
keithloutit‘s small world preview
In a much needed attempt to clear my life of any unecessary stresses, I’ve decided to ‘officially’ not post on Fridays. Now, if you are a regular reader of Pillar Box Post, you are probably saying ‘ughm, you never do anyway you lazy bum’. Well, one, that’s rude, I thought we were friends? and two–yes, you’re right but I don’t do it on purpose…and I feel stressed about how time has gotten away from me. I want to keep sharing the things I love, not fit a quota. Whew, I feel carefree already. In celebration of this ruthless culling…I’m creating a Friday post. Yah, I know…go figure. I just accumulated a few things that I thought were very sweet and wanted to share…
gottardo nord from fb1 visuals.
I am such a sucker for a good old tilt shift photograph (basically faked depth of field that gives a minature train set feeling). It is like the midas touch to otherwise boring shots…or at least when it’s well done. And what’s good in stills is even better in movement, no? Check out this gallery of some amazing tilt shift videos or play my two favorites here or here. * I TRIED AND TRIED to embed these vimeo links with no success, I do apologize.
Staying in this photographic realm, I smiled at these ‘drawings meet photographs’ from Ben Heine that remind me of Looking into the Past. I get the feeling they are photoshopped faked (judging by the shadows and focus points) which is a bit of a shame, but a lovely idea that is just waiting to be stunningly executed. Might give it a go this weekend! With that, I’m off to finish of the second half of my workday, roll on three day weekend courtesy of the British Bank Holiday system, woo hoo!
Thanks Scott’els’ for sharing the tilt shift with me! // thanks to 2dayblog for the camera drawings
oh… my…
..and oh aren’t those things beautiful! It’s as if anything that touches Ace Hotel, or vice versa, turns to gold. The Official Manufacturing Company made up of three talented guys in Portland have done fabulous work for Ace hotels, Frances May among others. Check out the informative coffee bean packaging and their ever changing logo. Yah, I know seems like the opposite of consistent messaging, but what a fabulous exercise, to create a new logo everyday…or at least until business picks up! I so admire the limitless approach they take on design…they say they are thing makers, which explains how they are involved in everything from packaging, to signage, posters, and installations. I’m bookmarking this site in five places just in case there is a technological failure somewhere. My inspiration file depends on it.
tweet tweet…
illustration by pillar box post
I’m not much of a twitter person…but I know that some people out there organize their feeds of information a bit differently than myself soooo Pillar Box Post is now tweeting. Don’t worry, no need to follow in both places as information will be the same but if you are more of a ‘follower’ than a ‘reader’ then this is for you! Plus it gave me an opportunity for speed illustrating!*
*Something I think I need to do a lot more. I get so precious about seeing everything through until it is ‘perfect’ but instead just need to embrace the quick impromptu!
One for me…one for Olive
One present for me…one for Olive*— a brand new bowl for MY birthday. Turns out it’s more important to me that her bowl is pretty and functional. My mister knows me so well and treated me to this beautiful Mungo and Maud wooden bowl that I’d been eyeing up…and as it’s way prettier than anything I eat out of I’m thinking about making it my own. I’m already making my list for her birthday coming up. I’m thinking something lacey. Take that puppers.
*Olive wasn’t feeling pretty the day this was shot… Who can argue with that?
Looking for other good looking pet products? Check more out here & here
The MakeBetter Project: Ahoy Sailor…Part 1
As you may have noticed from my absence last week, I’m a tad busy…BUT these photos have been sitting on my desktop since just after Christmas and with the long awaited arrival of a sewing machine in my life, it seemed like time to get in gear. This “Not Quite Right, Christmas Gift Edition” Make Better Project began with my lovely brother in law who bought me a dress for Christmas. It fits like a glove, and I really like it ( I do Matt!) But I just feel like its not quite me…yet.
It’s a very form fitting jersey dress with white scoop neck top and navy skirt, with overlapping seam & three faux buttons at the side. I think all it needs is something on top to make me feel a bit less hoochie and maybe make it a bit girlier to offset the fact I’m wearing something skintight top to bottom. Enter my never ending fascination with sailor gear and we have ourselves a project. So here is what I have gathered so far in the sailor theme. I think it’s fair to say, its not a completely off the mark trend. Now I just have to decide, loose or fixed, traditional or quirky twist…has anyone battled the sailor collar before?
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Looking for a link for something from above, let me help you…
Looking for:
— The cute red bereted girl…who was last seen here
—The first sailor coat is from APC..but sadly only second hand versions are probably available as I believe it was last season
—Beautiful bicycler is from Bobbin Bicycles
—Alexa Chung is relaxing in a Topshop Sailor Coat
—Blair from gossip girl getting her preppy bows on…
—If sailor coats were the winter trend, then it seems sailor rompers are moving the trend into the warm weather. Romper number on the leggy brunette is Dahlia Sailor Playsuit from ASOS
—An all white version complete with red cap…Elin (from the first picture) does it again! Who knew one girl could have so many different sailor outfits…I’m so envious.
—Vintage Pattern for a boxy collar
—Topshop Sailor Coat (as seen on Alexa Chung)…sorry ladies check ebay, this sold out right away!
—Second romper is lewis kit romper with silk top available at frances may
—The Full skirted version sitting on the docks is another adorable swede named Ellen H.
—Reflective Sailor Collar from Bobbin Bicycles is available in red, navy and ice blue and I am seriously tempted as I begin biking to work. Who can put a price on beauty, err I mean safety.
—The fabulous yellow and grey outfit. Sigh…has anyone spotted this outfit before and can help me locate the owner? someone on lookbook.nu but I misplaced my links file! Anyway, congratulations whoever you are because I love the colour combo and the fitted yet loose dress and the modernish twist on a traditional collar.
—Blair from gossip girl again, this time in Bettie Page Dress
—More vintage patterns, this time child style
—Last romper on the list, this double breasted version Pins and Needles Piped Sailor Romper is available at Urban Outfitters
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Whew. Sorry…thought I’d try a new way of listing links. Long winded, but might help avoid the ….”hmm, I lost count 20 items into it, now where am I?” problem I know I suffer from often. Let me know what you think. So now I have stripeys, bows, pleats and boxes galore, which style do I adopt?!? Any take your fancy?
Summerhill & Bishop
I’ve probably mentioned before that I’m not much of a cook…and yet cooking & home supplies–yes please! Oh and cleaning products even more so! I’m such a sucker for places like Labour and Wait that have beautiful simple vintage functional home products that make the process of chores less painful. Plus, I like to live by the ‘ if it’s not lovely, I don’t want it in my home’ mantra…
Yay, for the new website from Notting Hill interiors shop, Summerhill & Bishop… a great display of the rustic beauty that home products can possess. From glass cloches & beautiful french linens to fabulous glass. I love how the owners, June and Bernadette, self proclaim to choose things ‘not because they’ll sell, but simply because we love them’. Mmm sounds like the perfect recipe to selling things to me… I love their photography and styling–oh how I dream for a kitchen and a garden! Oh and you can get 10% off if you sign up for their newsletter. Well worth the pain of receiving beautiful products and images every so often…
Here is a few of my favorites: Spice Set £16.50 // Mini Dish and Dome £22.50
Tin Plated Stockpot £195 // Wire Basket Carrier £16.50
Pick Me Up
Go figure…the best exhibition/show I’ve seen in ages, and Mother England gives us the best weather we’ve seen in a year. Now don’t get me wrong, I want both the good weather and the exhibition…I just feel torn shutting myself indoors! What could possibly tempt me away from the sunshine? Pick Me Up, the first contemporary graphic art fair in the UK at Somerset House in London. The fair “brings together the most exciting graphic artists working today, giving you the opportunity to buy limited edition, affordable graphic art, illustration and design.” And as if that is not enough, Rob Ryan has moved his studio (paper cuts AND printing presses) into the fair so that visitors can follow the process from start to finish of his art. !!!! Bahhhrilliant. You can get a bit of a taster as to how he is getting on in this interview.
If you are interested in picking up some artwork, check out the list here, to see when your favorites might be there, as the Print Club London have designers printing posters live in their workshop. Their poster will then be available for sale on the day in limited editions of 50, at the price of £50 each.
Fair is on until May 3, with a late night on Thursday. Tickets are £5 each
More information can be found here.
Pick Me Up logo © Anthony Burrill // Love © Mr Bingo // Papercuts & Images © Rob Ryan
I’m a fan of…
There are all sorts of new goodies in the house lately. Saturday was my birthday…numero 27 to be exact…and there are a few lovely housey presents I’ll have to share sometime soon. A lovely copper fan has also joined the household appliances in preparation for the summer “heatwave” we are supposedly going to be hit with this year. I couldn’t bear to buy something white and plasticy, so ended up with a perfectly safe new ‘vintagesque’ fan. It’s so important in a wee flat like ours that everything, even the mundane can look at home as a piece of ‘still life’ as it’s going to be in plain sight whether we like it or not. I was very tempted by a real vintage fan but was worried about practicality and the dog getting a bit too close for healthy and safety’s comfort. What do you think, good compromise?
Around Town : Rye England
Who can keep up with all these pictures nowadays in the digital world…eek too many! I’ve just finally sorted through pictures from our day trip to Rye as I mentioned last week. It started off on a bit of a sour note–it literally started raining as we pulled into the train station and as we went to seek shelter from the rain we realized that London spoils in terms of being doggie friendly. Eventually we found a pub acceptting four leggers (about 24 legs in all-not including humans) and sat out a good deal of the rain. We were rewarded for our patience as we when we started out on our walk, the skies turned blue and we were able to stop and have a cream tea outside in the sunshine. It’s an eensy teensy town, like five minutes walk end to end small but really cute and cobbled. Oh and there is a Mermaid Street, which is pretty much the best thing I’ve seen in weeks.
Pillar Box Post 
