DIY Clothing Rack used in "A Better Backpack" Video on Kickstarter

screen cap. video link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mijlo/a-better-backpack-sustainable-design-sustainable-f

Check out this video from new startup company A Better Backpack using the DIY Wooden Clothes Rack design from my first post on this blog. Check out the video and read all about the eco friendly design put into these classic backpacks.

J.

Thrift shop jackpot

 This is why I love thrifting so much and why I do it so often. You really have to put the time in to find the goods. Last week I went to a couple local thrift shops and found some amazing finds. My one favourite thrift shop, Talize was having a 50% off sale. Now usually 50% sales can be iffy. There are so many people and anything good usually gets snatched up early, so you gotta make sure you get there first thing when they open. So I got there at about 8:30.. they opened at 7 so i was a little late haha. Here are the couple finds I'm so happy I came across!

At Talize I found a couple things but the thing I'm really excited to share is this black on black varsity jacket that was priced at $19.99 and I got half off! Cant get any better than this for 10 bucks! Ive been wanting one of these for so long, and cant be any happier that I got it for this cheap!

The second find from last week was at a value village that is actually conveniently located in the same plaza as Talize. I wasnt having much luck that day finding anything..until I stumbled on these navy suede chukka boots.

I had never heard of the brand Walkover before so decided to look it up on my phone while I was still in the store. Turns out these boots are still on their website and retail for $269!!! And I had got them for 15 bucks! These are one of those items where I don't know if I should keep or try and make some money off of. Either way a great find!

All in all Id have to say it was one successful week of thifting.

J.

Bedroom Wall Collage

Hey Guys!

This is the start of the collage wall in Me and Brittany's room. For now we kind of just have a mish mash of things we put together but hopefully soon we can fill it up.

We added a small shelf that we had lying around and just used some inexpensive white L brackets to attach it to the wall. It works great and ads a lot of depth to the wall. 

The old washing board I actually got from my grandpa which he told me that my grandmother actually used to use this to wash their clothes! well it makes a pretty awesome decoration now.

I've been seeing this a lot recently, using clip boards to hang photos and I think it works great. so minimal and such an inexpensive way to display some artwork!

Ill keep adding to the wall and continue to share what it turns into.


J.

5 Awesome Concrete DIY's

Hey Everyone!

So i've been coming across more and more interesting uses for concrete in DIY projects. After finding so many great ideas after stumbling on HomeMade Modern and seeing all the awesome projects they've come up with I figured I'd share some of their projects and a couple others that I can't wait to try. Here is a list of some of the most interesting concrete DIY's I came across!

1. Concrete pendant Lamp: An amazing industrial looking lamp made with a little bit of concrete a couple old plastic bottles as a form and a hollow bolt. Love the look of this and will be making this very soon!

Seen on HomeMade Modern

2. Concrete Stool: Another great and inexpensive one from HomeMade Modern! Although if I were to use it as a stool I think I would use longer legs. But, this DIY would work perfectly for a side table, or a place for a planter.

Also another great touch is the dip painted legs which I've been really liking and seeing a lot of recently.




3. Desk Lamp: Now I know this is a mix of different materials, but I just think the concrete base totally makes this lamp. I came across this on Nimi Design an industrial designer and furniture design student. Made with an inexpensive ikea lamp, a few pieces of teak wood, some hardware and some concrete. Such a clean design and love the mixture of wood steel and concrete!












4. Concrete Bowl: I've seen these done on a few different
blogs and really like them but I think I would try to make it thinner as long as it wont break. Most of the ones I see are quite thick and have the look of those fire pit bowls which are still really nice for outdoors, but I think when I try it out Ill go for something thinner to use inside.

5. Concrete Vase: One more from HomeMade Modern! A geometric concrete flower vase. These look great and Homemade Modern have the downloadable templates for all the forms right on their website that you can get to through the link. I love that there are so many options with these forms, and they don't have to be just a vase. Use them for book ends or just as a decoration on a shelf.






Hope you guys enjoyed this and try some of these out for yourselves!

J.

Club Monaco Window Displays

 

Hey Everyone!

This past weekend I got to construct the window display for Club Monaco at the Eaton Centre in Toronto. I was previously working at the Square One location in Mississauga until I got the opportunity to move to a bigger store. I was so excited and a bit nervous making the transition to such a bigger store. It was probably 4 times the size of the Square One location! Everything was going great until the storm hit in Toronto and a pipe burst in the ceiling of the store and water was literally coming through like a waterfall! I was only able to finish the window on the left and didn't make it home till 5 hours later! Thanks to a rescue mission by Brittany and her dad! ha ha! I went back during the week finished off the mens window and couldn't be happier with my first experience at this location!

I construct these displays once a month at the beginning of every month, so be sure to check back for next months display!



J.

DIY Wooden Clothes Rack

Hey Guys!

So for the past little while I've come across so many amazing DIY clothing rack designs through my searches through Pinterest and finally decided to go ahead and make one. This design is actually something I put together myself and just grabbed inspiration from a bunch of designs and made my own. The build took a little over an hour and I'm really happy how it turned out!

Heres how you can make one!


Materials:
6- pine 1x3's
4- pine 1x4's
1- 1"x 8' wooden dowel

Hardware:
4 bolts with nuts and washers.
1 1/4 screws

Tools:
chop saw or hand saw
(a chop saw will make it alot faster build)
drill
1" hole saw or drill bit
wrench

First cut all your pieces:

*cut 4 pieces of 1x4 to 66" long for the side upside down "V" shape
*cut the other 2 pieces of 1x4 in half so you have 4, 4foot longpieces.
*cut 1 piece of 1x4 in half so you have 2, 4 foot long pieces
*cut the other 3 1x4 pieces into 13 pieces 16" long
*from scrap pieces left over from the sides cut 2 1x3's to 16" long
*cut the wooden dowel so it is 5 feet long.(this can change depending on how much you would like it sticking out the side. I use mine to hang things on so I have 6" on both sides.)


So now that you have all your wood cut take the 4 pieces that you cut for the sides and mark them all on one end. measure 2 inches from the top and mark it, and then mark the center width.
Now use a 1" hole saw to cut a 1" hole using your mark as the center of your hole.

Now you will need to get a drill bit just slightly bigger than the bolts you've chose.
Take the 2 pieces of 1x3 that are cut to 16" and mark the center width and 2" in. Drill your holes.
You now need to make holes on the side pieces as well for the bolt to connect these pieces.
Mark 11" from the bottom and mark the center width. Now drill the same size holes.

After all these holes are drilled you can screw in your bolts and slide the wooden dowel through the top holes.
* be careful at this point, everything will be flimsy*

now take 3 of your 4 foot pieces of 1x3 and attach it to the front middle and back of your rack screwing it into your bolted on side piece. remember to pre-drill your holes since it is so close to the edge or else the wood will split.

Once those 3 pieces are attached you can layout your 13 pieces of 16" long slats for the bench area. lay them out leaving an even gap between them and screw them into the 3 boards they are sitting on. 

Now take the two 4 foot pieces of 1x4. these will go on the front and back of the bench area and give everything a cleaner look. screw it on to the slats as well as the side bolted piece to make it more sturdy.

                                                     

Now just add two screws to each "V" on about an inch above and below where your dowel is to connect the "V" together and your finished!

Now you can stain it and finish it how ever you like! 

Id like to try one with a dark stain and then different coloured painted slats.

Hope you guys enjoyed this and found it helpful!!

J.

Hey Everyone!

Hey Everyone!

Im Joey Ventura, a 24 y/o photo student living in Oakville, Ontario. I started this blog because of the recent move into a new apartment with my girlfriend of five years, Brittany Williams, a graduated photo student and working wedding photographer. I've always been the creative type along with the strong desire to build things. I love looking at DIY's and now have had the opportunity to start creating them to fill this space. Along with the eagerness I have to build and save some money in doing it myself, I am also an avid thrift shopper.. with a closet full of denim, plaid and leather boots. Im sure there will be no shortage of posts showing new thrift finds and just some general style and OOTD's. Anyways! I hope you stick around for more post and keep tuned in!

Thanks!

J.