Design

This Is The Prettiest DIY Book We’ve Ever Seen

By Chanel Dror

Editor’s note: It’s no secret that I’m a superfan of the blog The House That Lars Built. My friend Brittany, the founder and mastermind behind it, is truly one of the most talented creatives I’ve ever met, and well, she’s also just a delightful human. For that reason, today I’m thrilled to share an excerpted DIY project from Brittany’s new book, Craft The Rainbow.  From cover to cover, it’s imaginative, breathtakingly beautiful eye candy. Buy it for the crafter in your life, or to make a color lover out of even the staunchest neutralist.

From Brittany: Organization is not my forte, but when I have lovely containers in which to put things I am much more likely to pick up after myself. Or at least that’s what I tell myself. I dream of a future mudroom for collecting the bits and bobs that end up strewn around the house in these rainbow baskets. The simple, collapsible shape is perfect when not in use, but dressed to the nines in colorful poms, you won’t want to hide them for long.

I chose one basket for each color group (except purple), then painted the bottom of the basket in a pastel of the color. The poms feature an analogous trio of colors: light pink, dark pink, bright pink; yellow, orange, gold; light blue, dark blue, medium blue; mint, dark green, sage; off-white, silver, gray.

Materials

  • Crepe paper in rainbow shades
  • Scissors
  • Fringe scissors
  • Glue gun
  • House or acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Woven seagrass baskets


Cut crepe paper into 1½ by 24-inch (4 by 61-cm) pieces (larger if you want thicker pom-poms). Fringe the long edge of your crepe paper, leaving a ¼-inch (6-mm) border along the top.

Begin rolling up the fringed piece tightly, fluffing the fringed edges outward as you roll.

When you get to the end, glue the edge. Repeat for as many pom-poms as desired.

Paint the bottom of the basket in a color that coordinates with the pom-poms. Let dry.

Glue the poms onto the top of the basket.