Affordable Luxuries: The DIY Edition
March 31, 2020 11:28 AM Subscribe
It's another "give me ideas for small and affordable but nice luxurious things" thread, like this one and this one - but with the addition of a DIY option!
Partly to avoid Amazon, and partly to support a small business, I bought super-fancy French soap this week when we were running low, because - like I told the roommate - "if we need to be washing our hands this much at least we should have really good soap to do it with." And that - plus wanting to cheer myself up, plus having a bit more financial stability for the first time in a long time (THANK GOD), got me thinking of what other tiny little things might enhance quality of life a teeny bit. I've loving my fountain pens, I have a huge assortment of tea and a nice tea set, plus some nice coffee mugs for coffee, fluffy throw pillows, things like that.
As an added wrinkle - I'm also looking for ways I might be able to make such things. I have a huge collection of pretty paper, some scrap fabrics, a few different kinds of adhesives, lots of yarn, some random paint and the willingness to accept less-than-perfect-looking results if it's at least "eh, good enough". (for instance - I recently DIY'ed some pretty file storage boxes by pasting big sheets of paper onto some bankers' boxes, and hacked a letter storage rack out of some paper-wrapped old cereal boxes and washi tape; you can tell it's a DIY thing, and the washi tape is coming up in places, but I've decided I don't care. Washi tape wrapping a Pringles cannister to turn into a tea tin worked a lot better.) DIY will also help me pass some time during lockdown and use some of this stuff.
I'm going to pre-emptively rule out knitting my own socks because I've already learned, from repeated experience, that i don't have the patience. I already have project ADD as it is, and I've got like six projects I'm more passionate about. I'm also actually in decent shape with the big-ticket kitchenware and am probably going to be decluttering soon, in fact; I also don't have the room for many appliances or pots, and am not as jazzed about the Latest Gadget kind of things. Storage ideas may be worth it, though.
Any ideas for tiny fancy things I could get or make to enhance life now and going forward? Thanks!
Partly to avoid Amazon, and partly to support a small business, I bought super-fancy French soap this week when we were running low, because - like I told the roommate - "if we need to be washing our hands this much at least we should have really good soap to do it with." And that - plus wanting to cheer myself up, plus having a bit more financial stability for the first time in a long time (THANK GOD), got me thinking of what other tiny little things might enhance quality of life a teeny bit. I've loving my fountain pens, I have a huge assortment of tea and a nice tea set, plus some nice coffee mugs for coffee, fluffy throw pillows, things like that.
As an added wrinkle - I'm also looking for ways I might be able to make such things. I have a huge collection of pretty paper, some scrap fabrics, a few different kinds of adhesives, lots of yarn, some random paint and the willingness to accept less-than-perfect-looking results if it's at least "eh, good enough". (for instance - I recently DIY'ed some pretty file storage boxes by pasting big sheets of paper onto some bankers' boxes, and hacked a letter storage rack out of some paper-wrapped old cereal boxes and washi tape; you can tell it's a DIY thing, and the washi tape is coming up in places, but I've decided I don't care. Washi tape wrapping a Pringles cannister to turn into a tea tin worked a lot better.) DIY will also help me pass some time during lockdown and use some of this stuff.
I'm going to pre-emptively rule out knitting my own socks because I've already learned, from repeated experience, that i don't have the patience. I already have project ADD as it is, and I've got like six projects I'm more passionate about. I'm also actually in decent shape with the big-ticket kitchenware and am probably going to be decluttering soon, in fact; I also don't have the room for many appliances or pots, and am not as jazzed about the Latest Gadget kind of things. Storage ideas may be worth it, though.
Any ideas for tiny fancy things I could get or make to enhance life now and going forward? Thanks!
Best answer: Infused salts. They're way to make and can add a touch of magic to food.
posted by Candleman at 11:41 AM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Candleman at 11:41 AM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
Really great pillows (from Costco!). They makes me so happy - every night!
Something to pass time? Coffee and tea always feel a bit luxurious to me. Drinking them from a custom made photo mug? I love it. You can spend hours making the perfect mug from photos and souvenirs (scan em) from an event, person, or place. Maybe make two - one for the person you shared that amazing experience with.
posted by ReluctantViking at 11:57 AM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
Something to pass time? Coffee and tea always feel a bit luxurious to me. Drinking them from a custom made photo mug? I love it. You can spend hours making the perfect mug from photos and souvenirs (scan em) from an event, person, or place. Maybe make two - one for the person you shared that amazing experience with.
posted by ReluctantViking at 11:57 AM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
You can line a jewelery box or drawer with velvet or silk, the trick is to wrap the fabric around something like cardstock (cereal boxes are good) cut to fit each side/bottom.
I have a friend who took some picture frames, wrapped batting and fabric around the backing board and then assembled the frame without glass. She put glass headed pins in the fabric and has all her earrings hung like artwork.
Long ago I made a desk set by assembling the exact trays and cups I wanted out of cereal boxes, pringles tubes, and masking tape, then covered them with torn up scrapbooking paper and elmers glue. The best part was having just the height and size of each section be exactly what I wanted for paperclips, pens, etc.
what do you store your fountain pens in? you could decorate box or tray for them. Luxurious storage for your knitting needles and such. Do you have a fancy box/basket for current projects?
posted by buildmyworld at 11:59 AM on March 31, 2020 [4 favorites]
I have a friend who took some picture frames, wrapped batting and fabric around the backing board and then assembled the frame without glass. She put glass headed pins in the fabric and has all her earrings hung like artwork.
Long ago I made a desk set by assembling the exact trays and cups I wanted out of cereal boxes, pringles tubes, and masking tape, then covered them with torn up scrapbooking paper and elmers glue. The best part was having just the height and size of each section be exactly what I wanted for paperclips, pens, etc.
what do you store your fountain pens in? you could decorate box or tray for them. Luxurious storage for your knitting needles and such. Do you have a fancy box/basket for current projects?
posted by buildmyworld at 11:59 AM on March 31, 2020 [4 favorites]
Shoeboxes can also be covered with decorative paper.
posted by loveandhappiness at 12:13 PM on March 31, 2020
posted by loveandhappiness at 12:13 PM on March 31, 2020
Chilli sherry! This may depend on your current grocery availability, but if it’s possible for you: Buy a bottle of sherry. If you have a particularly nice empty bottle around the house, maybe one with a nice cork stopper, decant it into there, if not the existing bottle will do. Put a red chilli or two in the bottle and close the lid. Leave for a month, give it a gentle shake occasionally.
Once it’s steeped for at least a month, you can add a slug to soups and sauces and stews - it tastes amazing, weirdly luxurious for something so simple. I actually can’t really tolerate the spice of chilli at all, but this is fine for me. Supposedly a slug of it is also good for clearing your head when you’ve got a cold, but I can’t vouch for that!
It looks great too, if it’s in a nice bottle. Though beware leaving it in the window - a friend of mine did that to enjoy the light shining through it and one day as we were eating lunch there was a big pop and the cork flew across the room as the contents warmed up!
posted by penguin pie at 12:26 PM on March 31, 2020 [3 favorites]
Once it’s steeped for at least a month, you can add a slug to soups and sauces and stews - it tastes amazing, weirdly luxurious for something so simple. I actually can’t really tolerate the spice of chilli at all, but this is fine for me. Supposedly a slug of it is also good for clearing your head when you’ve got a cold, but I can’t vouch for that!
It looks great too, if it’s in a nice bottle. Though beware leaving it in the window - a friend of mine did that to enjoy the light shining through it and one day as we were eating lunch there was a big pop and the cork flew across the room as the contents warmed up!
posted by penguin pie at 12:26 PM on March 31, 2020 [3 favorites]
If you have a candy thermometer you can make amazing time consuming candies. I know sugar is hard to get in some stores, but some places might have GIANT bags of it.
If you have ever wanted knitted socks, I can make you a pair if you want to knit something for me. I can text you photos of the sock stash.
posted by bilabial at 12:46 PM on March 31, 2020
If you have ever wanted knitted socks, I can make you a pair if you want to knit something for me. I can text you photos of the sock stash.
posted by bilabial at 12:46 PM on March 31, 2020
Best answer: Homemade marshmallows (example)
DIY jewelry organizer (100 ideas, with project links; 30+ wall jewelry organizer ideas)
Paper sachets (General ideas, simple tutorial, Origami tutorial at youtube for gift envelopes)
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:32 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
DIY jewelry organizer (100 ideas, with project links; 30+ wall jewelry organizer ideas)
Paper sachets (General ideas, simple tutorial, Origami tutorial at youtube for gift envelopes)
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:32 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Sprankles! The link calls for breaking the finished quantity up into 4-oz jars, but you could use (and decorate!) any size container(s) that strikes your fancy as long as the total capacity is at least 60 oz.
posted by epj at 8:03 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by epj at 8:03 PM on March 31, 2020 [1 favorite]
Fancy shower head, with a removable hand-held component.
posted by Wild_Eep at 8:38 PM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Wild_Eep at 8:38 PM on March 31, 2020 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Trying hard not to threadsit, but just wanted to say thanks so far! Adding a couple of notes that may help re-direct and give some shape to what is admittedly a bit of an amorphous request.
* I actually don't have enough jewelry to merit that much storage. The jewelry i have also has a grand home already in a box my grandmother used.
* I do already have a showerhead with a hand-held component, but may be open to an upgrade on the cheap thing I got at the local hardware store.
* For tea/coffee drinkware - I think my speed is more "dainty vintage cup" or "antique Japanese ceramic" as opposed to more of a coffee mug. I've already been gifted a few of those over the years as my cousins have had kids and went the "Let's have my three-year-old make Cousin EC a mug" route for a few Christmases now. A good source for antique/vintage cups, or things that give that look, I'd be interested in.
* I have a TON of mason jars and even more rings from the mason jar lids. Love to have ideas for either; however, here I'm limited by a lack of power tools and not being able to hang heavy things on my walls (I'd love to do the whole thing where you turn a mason jar into a sconce or a vertical herb garden in the window or something, but alas I rent and I can't do that....) Although, some of the jars are 4-oz size, so the Sprankles are intriguing.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:13 AM on April 1, 2020
* I actually don't have enough jewelry to merit that much storage. The jewelry i have also has a grand home already in a box my grandmother used.
* I do already have a showerhead with a hand-held component, but may be open to an upgrade on the cheap thing I got at the local hardware store.
* For tea/coffee drinkware - I think my speed is more "dainty vintage cup" or "antique Japanese ceramic" as opposed to more of a coffee mug. I've already been gifted a few of those over the years as my cousins have had kids and went the "Let's have my three-year-old make Cousin EC a mug" route for a few Christmases now. A good source for antique/vintage cups, or things that give that look, I'd be interested in.
* I have a TON of mason jars and even more rings from the mason jar lids. Love to have ideas for either; however, here I'm limited by a lack of power tools and not being able to hang heavy things on my walls (I'd love to do the whole thing where you turn a mason jar into a sconce or a vertical herb garden in the window or something, but alas I rent and I can't do that....) Although, some of the jars are 4-oz size, so the Sprankles are intriguing.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:13 AM on April 1, 2020
Mason Jars: Mondrian-inspired jars and more projects, Travel bank, Twine holder, Air freshener, Pencil Sharpener, 25 decorations, Tissue dispenser, Branch Vase, Magnetic Mason Jars Storage Shelf Tutorial
4 oz mason jar projects
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:30 AM on April 1, 2020
4 oz mason jar projects
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:30 AM on April 1, 2020
Knitted washcloths and dish cloths
Teapot cozy or teacup cozy
Suncatchers
Brown paper bag basket
posted by carrioncomfort at 10:33 AM on April 1, 2020
Teapot cozy or teacup cozy
Suncatchers
Brown paper bag basket
posted by carrioncomfort at 10:33 AM on April 1, 2020
Response by poster: Sitting on my hands after this, but I think I just had a genius idea to share -
I was browsing on the Anthropologie site (don't judge) and came across these storage jars. And I had the idea that "you know, I bet I could just get some plain ones, and decoupage some of the pretty patterned paper I have into the lids."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:37 AM on April 2, 2020
I was browsing on the Anthropologie site (don't judge) and came across these storage jars. And I had the idea that "you know, I bet I could just get some plain ones, and decoupage some of the pretty patterned paper I have into the lids."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:37 AM on April 2, 2020
« Older How to find what streaming services certain films... | What’s the most ethical way to get groceries... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:33 AM on March 31, 2020