I love a bit of DIY, don’t you? But let’s face it, DIY can often be a bit tacky, a bit ‘yesterday’, a bit umm, uncool. DIY can also be super complicated and since I’m an impatient little sausage, as well as having the attention span of a goldfish, my choice in DIY is: simple, short, sweet and stylish. So here for you today I’ve gathered a few of what I think are the coolest DIY projects around…

This handmade necklace is more than awesome. Not only is it super stylish and hip, but it is made from old stockings and tights by Lady Smaggle. I found it over at textile and jewellery design student Felicity Gleeson’s blog. Apparently the necklace has been doing the rounds on the web for a few months now, but it’s all new to me so I thought it might be news to some of you too. The how-to instructions are right here.

Grace from Design*Sponge also loves a bit of DIY, and it was through her that I discovered this super cool bird mobile by Spool. It’s the perfect project to use offcuts of fabrics (which I seem to have alot of) and you can keep adding to it with more petits oiseaux over time. You can even handstitch it if you don’t have a sewing machine (mine is sitting in storage in Sydney) and if you make the mobile for a newborn, you can send a new little bird each birthday. For instructions, just click here. Spool is a shop located in Philadelphia, a city I once called home (here’s a shout out to all you Philly birds, I love ya!). So if you live in Philly, go check out Spool, they have heaps of cool fabrics and generally seem like cool people.

And last up is Lena Corwin who is well, pretty swell. Her book Printing By Hand looks a treat and her ‘printed’ dresser project is la classe. It was featured in Etsy’s The Storque recently, you can read how to make it here.

I’ve always been a DIY gal, but with my workload and personal obligations increasing over the last couple of years I’ve slackened off on taking time out to ‘do it myself’. Also moving around the world has slowed the pace of my DIYing no doubt. But along with finding heaps of cool DIY projects on the web while researching for this post I found my own stash of ideas that I have been collecting over time to make into a book (I know I know, one fine day!). It’s funny because when I made the decision to move overseas I had the limited space of just one suitcase, and its situations like those that you realise what is important to you. In my suitcase was not clothes (I showed up all but nude when I first arrived in Paris) but notebooks. All of my notebooks. Filled with my ideas, loose written work, drawings, thoughts, and book concepts. And below is one of the notebook bundles – a pile of notes for a book that I have been working on for years, and look – how serendipitous: they’re bound in yellow…

Anyway, it got me thinking that I should make DIY a feature here in the (blog)house. But since I have just begun the blog favourites feature, I think I will save DIY for 2009. What do you think?

For now, I shall leave you with a few more fabulous DIY projects that I found around the (blog)block:

gingko, oil on canvas by karen appleton

Thank you to Diane at inspiration by design for the introduction to Karen’s work. And alas, I did not win Diane’s painting ! But Diane might paint some of the dresses that were posted which I think is a great idea, I do hope she paints mine.

It’s no secret that I am affected by the weather. And although it’s not my first time experiencing the Northern Hemisphere’s version of November (okay I’ve only lived through about half a dozen over the years), it still catches me unawares, everytime.

But somehow, I don’t think I’m the only one who suffers from a touch of the November blues. A few of you might be feeling the same way, so this week, to help us get through the rest of the month, I am going to attempt to turn those blues yellow by bathing all my posts in this beautiful vibrant colour. And since the falling leaves are all goldeny ’round these parts, I will head out later in the week and snap some photos of my favourite golden leafed streets in Amsterdam, just for you.

photographer: Chris Chen, images from here.

So let’s get started! Click here to learn a little more about the colour yellow.

How cool is this yellow lawn chair by Danna Ray. And also super cool is that with each item purchased, 10 trees will be planted through her partnership with Trees for the Future.
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Handprinted Japanese maple tote bag from Lotta Helleberg – so simple and fresh, her other printed pieces are gorgeous too, check them out here.
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Am loving the creative use of vintage wallpapers these days, and this sketchbook covered with liberty flower vintage wallpaper is beautiful. It’s handmade from draw flowers in Italy.
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Thanks for stopping by for…

I have a theme for this week, perhaps you have guessed it already?

As I get settled in for my second winter here in Amsterdam, I find I’ve been spending time ‘cozifying’ my home. Or, as the Dutch say, making it gezellig. I’ve added and changed a few things, just playing around really. I’m not sure I will keep things as they are but it’s fun to play. So come on in out of the rain, take off your coat, and enjoy a little wander around le petit bateau with me. When you’ve finished having a little look around, be sure to come and join me at the table for a nice warm cup of chocolat chaud…

Have you spotted the changes I’ve made? Click here to see what le petit bateau looked like back in Spring. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!