The Sharpie Squad’s own Tali Buchler, creative genius behind Growing Up Creative, adds her own twist to the powerhouse of all publications- the collection of text containing every piece of information one could want/need to know.  Clearly though, Tali has found something that the editors have left out and she intends to correct them… 

A new reason to open an encyclopedia…

Used objects and discarded items (or what some may call -trash), always spark my imagination. Transforming an object – giving it a new life and purpose is something I like to do. In the past, I have used discarded magazines in designing a temporary space for a fashion show in an installation called – Read. 

My new “thing” is collecting encyclopedia books that people have been throwing away.  I started folding the books and turning them into sculptural objects.  I’m not sure where this will end, still a work in progress…

In my blogs I have started a series of tutorials called “Eco kids craft” where I use design ideas and craft techniques to encourage recycling creativity and creating with “whatever you have”.

Recently, I had my family over (my brother calls it/ us “the tribe”); a total of 8 kids – enough to start a preschool!  It was so hot that day, we couldn’t go outside. After a while, I started hearing the “I am bored” song coming from all different directions… Quick thinking made me pull out some of the many encyclopedia books I have been accumulating, one per child, and our big box of Sharpie Markers.

My instructions where very clear: DO AS YOU LIKE!

Before I knew it and without any planning, something magnificent happened:  the kids were absorbed, looking through the pages of an encyclopedia, reading and admiring the black and white images.

I gave them the OK to cut and draw as much as they wanted. So they did. And so did I.

We used all kinds of Sharpie Markers! Sometimes we drew together, and sometimes each one on his own.  My favorite thing to do was using the Fine Point Sharpie Marker to layer different colors in across hatch pattern.  These Sharpie markers were perfect for that because of their translucent yet brilliant quality.

To do this at home, you will need:

• An old encyclopedia (you can find it at your parents house or at a second hand store)
• Sharpie Markers
• Scissors
• Glue stick

How to:

1. Flip through the pages
2. Find an image you like
3. Start to color the image
4. Work in layers, it helps create depth and richness to the drawing (try and think like an impressionist)
5. Add details to transform the image into something new. Even add notes!

Ready, set, go!!!

This year, Sharpie is one of London Fashion Weekend’s official sponsors and we’re giving one lucky winner and a friend a fashion-filled weekend to remember!

Sharpie will be treating the lucky winner to two Gold tickets to London Fashion Weekend on Sunday 26^th September, which includes an exclusive catwalk ticket and a goodie bag packed with all your style essentials.  The winner will also spend one night, including breakfast, at the oh-so swanky Guoman’s The Cumberland hotel on Park Lane. To top it off , this winning fashionista will receive more Sharpie swag than they’ll know what to do with!

By filling out and submitting a questionnaire, the chosen GRAND prize winner of this fashion fabulosity will win to two Gold tickets to London Fashion Weekend on Sunday September 26th.  In addition, the prize includes an exclusive fashion week pass, a fabulous goody bag packed with all your style essentials, one night’s accommodation with breakfast at the swanky Guoman Hotel The Cumberland, and  £100 to spend on the latest trends plus bunch of Sharpie goodies to design DIY fashion masterpieces!

What an amazing opportunity!  I hope we can bring this to the states!

Gotta love the personal touch!

oo La La!

Check out London Fashion Weekend on Facebook!

Happy Birthday America!

I’m always in search of a good piece of Red, White & Blue flair to show off my American pride- especially on the 4th of July!  Nothing caught my eye this year so in true Sharpie fashion, I took it upon myself to DIY the colors of the flag…  

Celebrate USA in with these DIY Sharpie Shades

In just about 5 minutes, you too can sport team USA and be the envy of all your friends!  All you will need to make these American flag Sharpie shades is:

• 1 White pair of sunglasses
• 1 Blue Sharpie paint marker
• 1 Red Sharpie paint marker
• Cotton swab
• Rubbing Alcohol

Steps

1. Start out by drawing an outline of half of a blue box on the left eye with a blue Sharpie paint marker.  Color in the “L” shape you’ve made while drawing star outlines as you go. 
2. Next,  draw red stripes with a red Sharpie paint marker across the remaining area.  If you are worried about drawing straight lines, just do as I did and cut thin strips of tape to lay across the rim.  This will also ensure that the white stripes are even with the red. 
3. Lastly, (this may not apply to everyone) if you smeared any red or blue marker onto the white space use a cotton swab to wipe of access ink.  Wet one side with Rubbing Alcohol then wipe off the paint, then dry that spot off with the other end of the cotton swab. 

TAH-DAH! You’re finished!  Now you are set to look Sharp(ie) & celebrate the holiday weekend with family, friends & fireworks!

Happy Fourth of July!

Happy Fourth of July!

In light of such a great holiday, why not dig up those Polaroid cameras out of the basement and put them to good use!  Take pictures of your favorite things, favorite people, or make a funny face, then scribble down a note using a Sharpie to express yourself one step further! 

This would be a fun activity to share with kids, friends or even an afternoon project by yourself.

Most recently though, Derek Benson has been recognized by the San Diego UpTown news for his incredible work!  Check out the article below:

"Derek Benson draws a new image on his three children’s lunch bags every day"

Mission Hills resident Derek Benson has been chosen as one of 20 members of the 2010 Sharpie Squad.

The squad’s artists and bloggers are a group of passionate Sharpie marker users who serve as vocal brand ambassadors, sharing their enthusiasm, creativity and unbridled passion for Sharpie products.

 A Namco Games employee by day, Benson creates art for video games. But away from gaming he is known for his lunch bag art, consisting of intricate drawings of cartoons and super heroes, which he showcases on his blog, lunchbagart.tumblr.com.

 Benson has been using Sharpie markers all his life, he said. The father of three children ages 9, 5 and 3, Benson began drawing art on their lunch bags every day as they went to school, eventually adding 370 entries to lunchbagart.com.

“I do this mostly as a hobby for my kids,” Benson said. “They really have the final say in what goes up on the blog, I definitely take constructive criticism from them.

“Only draw what you are passionate about” -Derek Benson

"Lunchbagart.com contains more than 370 pictures of Benson’s artwork, which earned him a spot on the Sharpie Squad."

 “I like to draw things that are weird and what I feel is cool. Right now, if you check out my blog, you’ll see I’m drawing things from this cool comic line called Dreamland Chronicles.”

Benson is formally trained as an artist but insists that daily practice is a better teacher.

“Only draw what you are passionate about,” he said he advises prospective young artists. His art is displayed on the walls of his son’s preschool and has been published on the front page of the San Diego Union-Tribune and on the cover of “Parents” magazine.

 “It’s an honor to have been chosen to be on the Sharpie Squad, but actually I was very proactive about it and I actually contacted them myself to see if I could become part of the squad,” he said.

As a Sharpie Squad member, Benson will be tweeting, blogging and sharing his out-of-the-box creations and ideas on what is possible with a Sharpie marker throughout 2010.

In return, Sharpie will provide Benson new product news and shipments, virtual meetings with the Sharpie brand team, and publicity through blog posts, Twitter and Facebook.

To meet the rest of the Sharpie Squad and to check out their latest endeavors, go to sharpieuncapped.com.

***

Congrats Derek!

You can find this article at San Diego Uptown News’ website. Be sure to check out more of Derek’s lunch bag art at LunchBagArt.com.

I am so excited to report that one of our stellar 2010 Sharpie Squad members, Erica Domesek and the design, DIY & style expert behind P.S.- I Made This… is currently featured on ReadyMade.com  with a DIY to die for post entitled, “Create Summer Stripes in a Sharpie Snap”  Here, she demonstrates how easy it is to re-purpose empty cartons with Sharpie Twin-Tip markers to make a bold-expression in any room!

“I was inspired by pottery genius Jonathan Adler and fashion designer Paul Smith’s famous colorful and vivid stripes”

                           -Erica Domesek, PS-I Made This…

What you'll need...

"Re-use milk or cream cardboard containers you have at home. After emptying, clean the inside and let dry. Use a sharp pair of scissors and cut off the top of the container."

"Wrap container with white masking or paper tape. Trim any excess tape and cardboard to even out the top."

To make your designer-inspired stripes, pick a color palate from Sharpie Twin Tip markers. I suggest using 3-4 colors that work well together. Start at the bottom using the thicker marker tip to make the heavier lines. Use a ruler to help keep your lines super straight."

"Get creative and vary the stripe designs."

"When clustered together, DIY-striped Sharpie vases in different size heights in like color palates will help spruce up any nook in your home and enhance any summer fete!"

 Be sure to go to ReadyMade.com to see Erica’s DIY project in all it’s glory!

The winners of the “Random Acts of Self-Expression” contest:

@articleAimee

@Auroraza

@Batty_Kari

@blondieKahailz

@ChrisISpencer

@CourtneyERose

@cre8tivwoman

@drenessness

@Eliseisawesome

@EpicRave

@ErikRicard

@GemmaBeads

@jerrydoes

@joespinstriping

@kevthemetz

@lalamegan

@MaryIrene

@NewMarketFair

@ohno_itsalice

@shes_blank

@Smashly

Congrats to the winners! 

If you are listed above to claim your Sharpie prize pack please email me at Whitney.Kelly@Sanford.com with your name and shipping address and your prize will be sent out in no time!

Showcasing inventive and inspiring ideas from some of Sharpie’s most passionate fans, this year’s Sharpie Squad is comprised of 20 bloggers, artists, fashionistas and creative gurus.  As Sharpie ambassadors, Squad members get the exclusive inside scoop into the world of Sharpie.  They will also be among the first to learn about promotions and campaigns and will receive all of the latest and greatest Sharpie innovations before they hit stores.  Each member will collect some sweet Sharpie swag throughout the year, including t-shirts, personalized Sharpie markers and one-of-a-kind Sharpie avatars designed in their likenesses to use on their own social media sites.

As we are so passionate about the talent this group has to offer, we’ll be shining the spotlight on each individual Squad member throughout 2010 on our own social media sites, so keep an eye out on Sharpie Uncapped, Facebook, and right here on the Sharpie Blog.  You can also stay up to date on all things Sharpie via Twitter with SharpieSusan & SharpieWhit.

Get to know the Sharpie Squad!

Though brand new to the Sharpie Squad this year, you may recognize this next member as she was a brilliant asset to Sharpie during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in NYC last fall at our DIY Sharpie Bar!  

Erica Domesek is a distinguished lifestyle, design and style expert, living and creating in New York City.  She is also the founder of the innovative DIY brand “PS-I Made This…” With a keen eye and ability to make everything from fashion accessories, home décor accents and provide a vision for creative soirees, Erica’s work has been featured in publications such as Teen Vogue, Glamour, Vogue Nippon, Domino, GQ, among others.   She has styled and designed campaigns for international brands such as Kate Spade, Tumi, J.Crew, Anthropologie, Roxy, Sigerson Morrison, and True Religion, Helmut Lang, and has hosted Alloy Entertainment’s Teen.com TV’s Craft Club.

Follow Erica on Twitter. Fan her on Facebook. See all the DIY inspirations from P.S. – I made this…

Erin Moore of Things Moms Like, a popular review and giveaway blog, is the mother of two (7 and 14).  A 2009 Sharpie Squad veteran, back for more in 2010, Erin has worked as an event planner as well as a promoter.  She frequently speaks at parenting conferences all over the country and loves to travel!  Erin enjoys offering fun contests and honest reviews to parents everywhere with her blog.  And Hello?!! Of course she uses Sharpies on a daily basis!

Erin is on Twitter and Facebook!  ThingsMomsLike.com 

Alex Poli, better known as Man One, is a leading urban muralist and artist.  Involved with the Graffiti Art movement since 1987, Man One began his artistic journey in the streets of Los Angeles tagging and leaving his trademark of bold, colorful aerosol strokes, in search of his artistic purpose. He may be new to the Sharpie Squad in 2010, but his artwork has already been showcased in over 40 group exhibitions domestically and internationally, 10 solo exhibits, and displayed at several museums and high profile galleries, including the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, The Getty, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Ana, and Parco Museum in Tokyo. 

Commercially, Man One’s commissions include murals, designs and concepts for MTV, Coca-Cola, Adidas, Sony, Ubisoft to name a few, as well as scenic visuals for feature films, music videos and TV commercials and ads for Microsoft, Target and Ford. His artwork has been profiled and featured in a number of international magazines, newspapers and books including the Washington Post and New York Magazine. He also owns and runs Crewest, the only L.A.-based gallery dedicated to the upliftment of Graffiti Art.

Man One is on Twitter and Facebook.  Get more Man!

Kristin Lesney is the mother to Kai, 5, and Brooklin, 1.  She’s a busy full-time college student living in Oregon and a veteran Sharpie Squad member, returning for her second year!  Kristin chronicles the daily life of just another Ordinary Mom.  Kristin is the owner of Our Ordinary Life, a blog where she talks about her journey through life as a mom and college student. She enjoys keeping it real and always has an opinion about something!  Kristin shares what her family finds useful and if she doesn’t seem busy enough, she also involves herself in several projects around the blogpshere. She’s one of Frito Lay’s Fab 15 moms as well as a Frigidare Test Drive Mom.

Catch up with Kristin on Twitter & Facebook and take a peak at her extraordinary website, Our Ordinary Life.

Linda Ellett is a professional artist who specializes in decorating pottery with Sharpie markers!  Residing in upstate New York, this new Sharpie Squad member is celebrating 31 years of extraordinary tile-making with her shop, L’esperance Tile Works found on Etsy.   Every one of Ellett’s tiles is handmade and hand-glazed in her upstate New York studios.

Find out more about Linda through Twitter, Facebook and visit the amazing L’esperance Tile Works.

Brand new in 2010 to the Sharpie Squad, Corine Ingrassia is a suburban stay-at-home mom of two — a boy, 4, and a girl, 1.  Corine blogs from Central New Jersey where she talks with an audience of other “Complicated Mama’s” who are seeking balance in their full-time, permanent stay-at-home mom jobs. Corine is also a contributing writer for the NYMetropolista blog and NJ.com/parenting.

Find out what’s so complicated by chatting with this mama on Twitter, Facebook, and on ComplicatedMama.com.

Welcome back Jon E. Nimetz, second year Sharpie Squad member!  Based out of Venice, California, Jon is a producer, marketer, advertising producer, and the talent behind SuperFineArt.com.  He is known for his loud personality and passionate style, which he emphasizes through his art. Jon uses a combination of acrylic paint and Sharpie paint markers to create nature-inspired paintings that are both unique and self-expressive.

This Squad member is Super Fine! Find him on Facebook and Twitter too.

Linsey Knerl, the endearing voice behind Lille’ Punkin Reviews , is always on the lookout for the next best thing when it comes to making her life easier.   Who isn’t, right?! As a free resource for parents and friends of parents, Knerl offers regular, unbiased opinions on a variety of family-friendly items.  This is Linsey’s second year on the Sharpie Squad!  This punkin is a must-have resource when it comes to parenting!

Check out Linsey on Twitter, Facebook and her website: Lille’Punkin

Lauri Harrison is founder of MomToBeDepot.com and is a blogger for several media sites including Working Mother magazine and Examiner.com. Not only is Lauri a second time Sharpie Squad member, she is also the mom of a tot (no, not tater-tots, silly) and a teenager, informing parents about great new products (as well as the classics, eh hem… Sharpie)!

Connect with Lauri on Twitter and Facebook. Also be sure to head to the Depot!

Cheeming Boey is a California-based artist using Styrofoam cups as his chosen canvas.  With artistic creations that seem to go viral on a weekly basis, this brand new 2010 Squad member uses Sharpie markers to create intricate designs on cups, selling them online at iamboey.com. Boey has attracted tons of attention with his mini masterpieces and has  been featured in the OC Register and maxim.com.

Flip some cups with Boey on Twitter & Facebook  You’ve gotta check out IAmBoey.com.

Laura Kelly is an official Sharpie guru and second year Squad member.  Using Sharpie markers, Laura creates bright, bold and simple designs that uplift the human spirit.  Surrounded by people who share her aspirations to generate joy, happiness and empowerment in a vibrant, organized environment, she fills notebooks with playful Sharpie drawings inspired by everyday images when suddenly, a new collection is born.   Laura currently licenses her work to companies in a variety of industries including gift, stationery, gourmet food and home décor as well as bank products.  She also owns her own wholesale company, Laura Kelly Designs, which manufactures stationery products for stores around the country. When she isn’t working on her licensable portfolio, you will find her painting, baking, gardening, playing with clay or making stuff out of recycled stuff.  She is also a active member of the Greeting Card Association, Craft and Hobby Association where she serves on the Trend Team and as a delegate to the National Stationery Show.

Laura’s Facebook and Website. Shop Laura Kelly!

His second year on the Sharpie Squad, Travis Todd creates Sharpie art on everyday objects from lunch boxes to automobiles.  He even carries a Sharpie on his key chain just in case he is overcome with an urge to create “instant art!”  Travis has built a great name for himself – he is especially renowned in online automotive forums for his amazing Sharpie Art Car creations, one of which was recently featured on womansday.com.  He has developed his own blend of elegant scroll work and graffiti-style art and claims that  people tend to see what they want to see in his artwork.  You can find some of his works on his Flickr page @ www.flickr.com/spdu4ia.

Click HERE to see what Travis’ Sharpie Art is all about.

Say hello to Alli Whitmore, the brains and beauty behind One Pearl Button.  This Sharpie Squad newcomer is an archaeologist and crafter, striving to do something creative everyday!  She blogs about fashion, design, crafts and photography and has had work featured all over the internet as well as in print.  As an archaeologist, Alli is naturally drawn to the history of objects and has a feminine, slightly quirky style which is strongly influenced by the past.  Some of her current loves are crocheted afghans, clothes that are way too big, and Polaroid photography.  And of course, Sharpie markers are considered invaluable tools in her creative arsenal! 

Tweet with Alli and then check out her website OnePearlButton.com.

Derek Benson of San Diego, CA takes lunch time to a new level using Sharpie markers.  A second year Sharpie Squad member, Benson uses Sharpie markers to add intricate drawings of cartoons, super heroes, characters and more to his childrens’ brown paper lunch bags – and he does it every day!  During his lunch breaks, Benson conjures up his unique designs, all which can be seen on his website lunchbagart.tumblr.com.  His drawings have been featured in Parents magazine and can be seen on his Tumblr or via his twitter account.

Have lunch with Benson on Twitter and Tumblr!

New to the Sharpie Squad, Debbie Bookstaber is editor of Mamanista.com, a site dedicated to pointing out the fabulously chic and irresistibly practical–shopping, making it easy for the hip mama on a budget to compare products.  Debbie is currently the Director of Strategy at The JAR Group, holds a postion on her local school board as well as gives her time to serving serveal charitable boards. 

Follow Mamanista on Twitter, join Debbie on Facebook.  take a look around Mamanista.com & see what fab finds are out there!

Mark Rivard is a well-known skateboard artist, covering a wide variety of genres and designs. Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Rivard is a returning 2009 Sharpie Squad member, whose work has been seen in exhibitions around the world, including shows in Belgium, Denver, Detroit, Seattle and New York City. Rivard takes his Sharpies with him worldwide, teaching and inspiring through art. 

Connect with Mark on Twitter & Facebook.  Ride on down to Mark’s website MarkRivardSkateboardArt.com.

As the creator of If it’s Hip, It’s Here, Laura Sweet has always had an admiration for art, design and craftsmanship.  Her blog is an outlet to share what she admires as “hip” with her 30,000+ readers every month.  Currently residing in Beverly Hills, Laura has lived and worked in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Detroit and Seattle. Living in these assorted locations has exposed her to a variety of diverse attitudes, styles and values. For more than 20 years, Laura has been on the creative side of the TV and print advertising business. She has produced work on several major accounts from luxury cars to IKEA. Laura holds degrees in both Fine Art and Art History from UC Berkeley. She also has a degree in Advertising from Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, where she was an instructor for eight years.  This is Laura’s first year as a Sharpie Squad member!

Get a quick hip from Laura on Twitter and Facebook.  Satisfy your Sweet tooth at If It’s Hip It’s Here

Hanna Agar is a 2009 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography and a minor in Spanish.  For the past few years, she has been creating a lot of artwork involving the use of recycled paper to create sets, costumes, and props that then are photographed.  A returning member of the Sharpie Squad, Hanna uncaps her Sharpies all over the paper with her camera on an interval timer so that she can photograph the whole process.  She considers her work “documented performance art.”  In addition to her love of Sharpie markers, Hanna currently works as a studio photographer doing assignments for Volume One Magazine (an arts and culture magazine in Eau Claire, Wis.) as well as some freelance work. Hanna has recently returned from Southern India where she was working as a product designer for the women’s organization, “Blue Mango.”

Check out Hanna’s work! She has a wonderful section on her website dedicated to Sharpie!

Tali Buchlar, a fresh face to the 2010 Sharpie Squad, is a stay-at-home mom, raising her kids in the most creative way she can.  A mother of two girls and blogger of  www.growingupcreative.com, Tali shares her experiences and research about raising her girls to be innovative and imaginative.  Upon graduating from Massachusetts College of Art from the Department of Architecture, she gained four years of training at an innovative architecture firm. Since then, she has opened her own firm with Kristen Giannattasio in Watertown, Massachusetts.  Tali recently moved back to Israel from Santa Monica, CA.

Learn more about Tali & Growing Up Creative.  Tweet with her and check her out on Facebook.

Welcome Heather Batts to the Sharpie Squad!  Heather is a mom of two boys who writes about her journey as a diva on a budget at thedomesticdiva.org. for.  Her blog has been recognized as one of the “142 Resources that will Save you Cash” in 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget by the writers of Wise Bread, for being a part of one of the “Best Personal Finance Blogs.”  With such a successful blog, Heather has even been able to has interview celebrities including daytime talk show host Kelly Ripa and Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin.

This Diva can be found on Twitter & Facebook! Be sure to browse around on her DomesticeDiva.org too!

To follow the entire Sharpie Squad’s tweets follow the Sharpie Squad Twitter List. 

Don’t forget to Tweet with the #SharpieSquad hashtag on Twitter!

Wingdoodle, a blog featuring some incredible how-to’s,  recently colored foam eggs using Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Markers.  Take a peak at how Wingdoodle created beautiful art on these Easter eggs. 

DIYing Easter eggs with Sharpie is not just limited to foam eggs.  In fact, blogger AnaCraftyOne uses Sharpie markers to color real eggs.

To read Wingdoodle’s complete post click HERE. 

For AnaCraftyOne’s how-to instructions, click HERE.

A few weeks ago, I moved into a new apartment, my first and I’m all on my own.  I have free range to decorate how I want.  So now, I’ve got this blank slate in front of me and I really do not want to screw it up – I want my place to scream who I am!  I have all the furniture but the walls…well, they are still bare as a bone with no art displayed upon them. 

The problem is, I do not want to, nor can I, spend a hefty chunk of change on artwork.  I have concert posters (Lollapalooza, Pitchfork, Flatstock) that I plan to frame and hang but that’s not exactly doing it for me.  I keep coming back to what I preach every day of the week – SHARPIE.  I’m sure you’ve all seen the pictures of the “Sharpie basement” and all sorts of Sharpie wall art.  YES! I do love these but also YES, my landlord would have fit if I attempted them.  So what else can I do to bring in that unique, urban, DIY, Sharpie-esq element?

I think I’ve found it…

Several stores I’ve bought furniture from have a similar theme going on that I can only describe as a ”paper-recession motif.”  In other words, using paper, card stock, cardboard, etc… to build make inexpensive, yet tasteful art.  While none of these stores necessarily have incorporated Sharpie, I do see an appropriate place for the markers & pens. Using Sharpie to add details and personalize the following examples would be a fun, easy and inexpensive way to make it your own.  If these don’t necessarily fit your style, try taking the ideas and interpret them to fit your personality.

 Here, pictures from magazines and books and pieces of card stock were cut out and hung with clothes pins on a long piece of twine to add some color to a pretty neutral corner .  Another idea would be to hang actual post cards and greeting cards that you’ve either collected or bought for this purpose.  On new cards use a Sharpie to write inspirational quotes, music lyrics, anything you’d like.  Or keep a Sharpie and Polaroid camera nearby, next to bowl of clothes pins for when you have company.  Take pictures with friends and family, write a little note and hang the pictures up.

Using corrugated strips of cardboard, this store built HUGE murals shaped into daisies.  These pictures do not even do justice, this honestly was amazing and I stood in awe for a good five minutes.  Imagine building these to fit your wall(s) and adding little touches with Sharpie markers - rain drops, lady bugs, veins on leaves, details on petals… Oh the possibilities.

Use patterned paper or gift wrap to cover old books and bring new light to a book shelf.  Use the same paper in similar patterns and colors to make flowers (or in any shape for that matter) and hang in place of a framed picture.

Tear out pictures from magazines, books, newspapers, or trace new drawings with a Sharpie onto paper to make your own wallpaper collage.  Don’t be afraid to overlap, we’re going for a sloppy, yet put-together feel here.  Hanging plates as shown here, is a great way to pull everything together.

This wall was really interesting…  Sheets upon sheets upon sheets of white paper were stacked to cover the entire wall.  To add a pop of color, flowers were made using wired twine and rolled up colored pieces of paper.  Add any details you want with Sharpie to achieve your unique vision.

 It just goes to show how creative you can get using inexpensive materials, a creative eye and your own individual style to make unique pieces that will easily brighten up any room.  I’ll send an update once my apartment is all set up to show you what I’ve done with the place. 

 What unique ways have you decorated your home, bedroom, locker, or office?

Try some of these things out and let me know how it goes!