The Internet is filled with tutorials for fixing scratches on leather chairs and sofas- I know because I read at least a half-dozen of them when I adopted my leather Broyhill armchair from Craigslist. In excellent condition other than surface scratches, this find from the free section of Craigslist was well worth the short drive…
Nesting boxes are a recent addition to my vintage 1920’s era chicken coop. Tired of retrieving eggs from plastic-totes-turned-nesting-boxes (that had a tendency to migrate across the floor of the coop!), I mounted permanent nesting boxes that could be accessed without climbing into the coop. Along the way, I used a few cheats to make installation and…
It’s always been a challenge to find shoes that comfortably fit my wide foot, but when it comes to finding heels, it’s nearly impossible. I’ve always resorted to ankle straps or various other designs to keep a shoe in place on my foot as I walk, but recently I came up with a new idea.…
Today, I want to show you how to line a drawer with felt. This project can be a bit intimidating but it’s actually so easy to create a luxuriously lined drawers to upgrade your closet or furniture project! I’ll be demonstrating this method with a medium sized drawer that I picked up second-hand just for…
Research papers are one of the most time-consuming parts of school. When I went back to school after 10 years as an entrepreneur, both my time and my patience for agonizing through writing research papers was limited. During my masters coursework, I developed a method / “hack,” (inspired by the creativity and necessity of working…
In last week’s post I introduced readers to a concept called a “visual vocabulary”. In this installment of this series on developing a psychology-related visual vocabulary, I will be showing you how I doodle one of the staples of my visual vocabulary: a mother and child. Mother and child, or parent and child, relationships are…
One of the best parts about bullets journaling is that your bullet journal can take whatever shape you need it to. As you become comfortable your bullet journal, you’ll probably find that your journal begins to look nothing like the complex and artistic spreads posted on social media (in fact, minimalist bullet journaling is an…
The truth is, the majority of people who are “artists” have a limited ability to reach into their visual memory and draw an object. Instead, we rely on using models, still lifes, photos, or even Google image search to base our art on. When it comes to sketchnotes, bullet journalling, and classroom doodles, these resources…
A departure from my typical DIY tutorials, here’s a step by step tech tutorial for taking old web galleries (created by Adobe PhotoShop 7 and similar versions of photoshop), which are now very out of date, and migrating them to a content management platform like WordPress where they can be adapted and modernized. In my early…
In 2015 I was commissioned to create 5 sculptures riffing off of the themes in Henri Matisse’s painting “La Danse.” I knew I wanted to represent moving water in my interpretation, and the months that ensued between being commissioned and delivering the sculptures were filled with a maddening course of experimentation with materials, resin casting,…
Recently while browsing (of all places!) Anthropologie’s website I came across a product I thought was pretty genius but dramatically overpriced: A small and adorably labeled tin that contained pre-waxed waxing strips that, when warmed slightly, can be used for waxing your upper lip when you are away from home or salon. It’s…
Flat lay photography is surging in popularity but can be difficult to master- especially without the right tools. In this tutorial I’ll show you how to create a horizontal mount for a tripod so you can stabilize your camera at the perfect angle, leaving you free to stage your flat lay layout with an…
Almost all good speakers- whether professional speaker or classroom instructor- structure their presentation similarly, moving seamlessly, between information and illustrations. They use stories as examples to capture our imaginations and weave them within periods of information presentation. This rhythm of speaking is the space in which beautiful notes have the space to grow. One of the…
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to use scrap packing paper to produce this charming Christmas tree garland inspired by paper dolls but styled after classic gingerbread men. This project takes only a few minutes and uses materials you can probably find for free! This gingerbread man pattern is actually my own design, sketched and…
One thing I envy about high-end modern furniture is that often pieces are designed to accommodate modern technology. Being a fan of vintage furniture, I assumed these worlds: tech-friendly furniture and vintage styles, would never meet- until I began experimenting with this DIY solution to add a hidden retractable phone charger to the back of the 1920’s…
In this post I’m going to demonstrate step by step how I create a banner with folds and shading. For step by step instructions slowed down and broken into bite size pieces- keep reading. Frequently Asked Question: “How do you make doodle notes while keeping up with the teacher?” Answer: With practice, I’ve learned…
Problem: Drawing Antlers is Hard I love drawing antlers in my sketch notes to frame a quote or concept but, let’s be real, antlers are really hard to draw freehand. I’ve been trying to intentionally practice sketchnote elements I don’t use often because of previous not-great results- and antlers definitely qualify for that category.…
