DIY Dorm: SmartPhone Amplifying Speaker

Mashable recently pinned a tutorial on making an amplifying speaker out of a Pringles can. I love this idea because I am far too cheap to spend money on an iPod docking station. I may or may not have broken my last one by knocking it off the table during an intense dance party…

This project costs less than six dollars!

What You Will Need:

1 Pringles Can (minus the Pringles and crumbs)
Toilet Paper (approximately 14 inches)
X-ACTO Knife (or scissors)
Two Binder Clips (large)
Spray Paint (any color)
Sheet of Paper
Tape

1.Eat Pringles…

2. Trace the outline of bottom of your device (any iPod or iPhone that plays music out loud) onto the sheet of paper. Wrap paper over Pringles can, aligning the traced area parallel to the end of the can about an inch away from the can’s bottom. Use the knife or scissors (carefully) to cut around the inside of the outline. You want the hole to be a little smaller than your device so it will fit very tightly.

3. Position the binder clips metal hands open at a 90 degree angle. Rest the can on top on the clips so that they act as a stand. Tape the metal parts to the can.

4. Coat the outside of the can and binder clips with spray paint. Let dry for 2-4 hours.

5. Cut 14 inches of toilet paper. Insert throughout can – you want it to be evenly distributed.

6. Insert your device into your brand new amplifying speaker and start listening to your favorite playlist.

Other fun DIY Dorm Projects:

Smartphone Projector
Decorative Book Phone Charger
Instagram Coasters

posted by Alyciabn
01.22.13
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Dorm Décor: Brighten Up Your Room


Awesome Post-it Wall Art found on Pinterest

With a little Pinspiration and creativity making your space reflect cheerful and chic is easier than you think. Little pops of bright colors can help you overcome the dulling effects of the winter months while a color scheme and strategic use of patterns and decorative items can make your room look pretty and pulled together. While you probably can’t paint the walls of your dorm or pick the carpet color, there are (literally) hundreds of other ways to make your room reflect your individuality.

DO Pick a color scheme.

DON’T Become a slave to it. Pops of other colors can be a welcome relief to the eyes after seeing the same colors over and over again. Additionally, adding a daring color can give your room a funky, eclectic feel.

DO try something simple like buying flowers. I prefer fresh buds, but there are a lot of beautiful silk flowers you can buy at most home good or craft stores.

DON’T spend a lot of money on real flowers. You can buy inexpensive (less than $5) seasonal bouquets at Trader Joe’s and some other grocery stores.

DO Use bits of patterned fabric or wallpaper as a cover for your desk, bureaus, or bookcase shelves.

DON’T Be tempted to use sealant (polyurethane) to attach fabric or wallpaper to your dressers or shelves if they are school property. It will not be worth it when the furniture becomes damaged and you have to pay for it at the end of the year.

Photo credit lovelyundergrad.com

 

DO Use throw pillows on your bed, futon, or butterfly chair. You can even make your own with this DIY tutorial found here.

DO Use functional decorations. For Christmas I asked my parents to buy me colorful organizations and storage things. The set of fabric boxes my mom bought me from IKEA make my room look less cluttered and more stylish.

DO Create your own artwork and decorations. You don’t have to be a skilled painter or sculptor to make a collage, use colored post-its to create a mosaic, or decorate a bulletin board with paint & stencils. This is less expensive than buying ready-made decorations and can be completely original.

Give us some more decorating Dos and Don’ts in the comments below or tweet us pics of your awesome dorm room @BNCollege!

posted by Alyciabn
01.11.13
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DIY Dorm: T-Shirt Scarf

There are few things we love more than a good upcycling project. When our Guest Blogger sent us this fun DIY, we were eager to share it with our readers. Keep reading for easy-to-follow instructions that show you how to turn an old T-shirt into a brand new scarf!

What You’ll Need:

T-shirt
Scissors
Puff paint

What You’ll Do:

1. Start out decorating the ends of the t-shirt with puff paint

2. Once the paint has dried, cut the shirt across (cut below the arms but give yourself enough room to cut strips).

3. At the bottom of the shirt, cut approximately 1 inch strips all the way across (getting close to making fringes!).

4. Hold the shirt down and pull each strip towards you to create the fringe effect. Stretch out each strip to make them longer (don’t pull too hard or else they might rip off).

5. Once you’ve created the fringe, you can then either single or double wrap your new beautiful t-shirt scarf you just made: easy and inexpensive fashion!

Written by Guest Blogger, Aksa A. of RIT

posted by Sandybn
11.13.12
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DIY Dorm: Memory Jar

I originally came across this post on Pinterest and knew I had to try it out. It’s a simple craft that helps you organize clutter without throwing away trinkets or memories. All you need is a clean jar (I used a salsa jar) and some glass paint (I chose black). For a decorative touch, I painted the outside with a fun design. Voila! My soon-to-be-recycling became a quaint keepsake jar in a few simple steps.

What You’ll Need:

An empty jar (make sure to clean it thoroughly)

Keepsakes to put inside

Puff paint or glass paint

Paintbrush

How will you be decorating your jar? Post a comment below!

Written by Guest Blogger, Aksa A. of RIT

posted by Sandybn
10.24.12
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Halloween Costumes Made Easy

With Halloween right around the corner, there is no better time to start planning your costume. We decided to pull together some of our favorite ideas to make planning your costume a real treat.

MINNIE MOUSE COSTUME:

The items we used for Minnie Mouse: Red Start Dress, Dramatic Lash Kit from e.l.f., Michael Antonio Love Me Suede Pump, Sequined Minnie Mouse Ears Headband, White Gloves

WHERE’S WALDO COSTUME:

The items we used for Waldo: Mossimo Supply Company Striped Shirt, H&M Blue Chinos, Clarks Men’s Bushacre Chukka Boot, Beanie Hat from Village Hat Shop, Giant Candy Cane from the Dollar Tree painted with DecoArt Crafter’s Acrylic Paint

WITCH COSTUME:

The items we used for the Witch: H&M Lace Dress, Purple and Black Striped Tights,  Lace-Up Platform Booties, Black Witch Hat, Wicket Witch Broom

posted by Sandybn
10.16.12
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DIY Dorm: Desktop Dry Erase Board

Staying organized is one of the most important things a college student can do. Papers, tests, meetings – as the semester moves along, things can really pick up. Make your to-do lists a little more fun with this easy and inexpensive DIY! With just a few materials, you’ll have a new dry erase To-Do list right on your desk.

 

What You’ll Do:

1) Remove the picture frame backing board (the cardboard part attached to the stand) from the frame. Using a pencil and the scrapbook paper, trace around the rectangular part of the backing board. Once you have the tracing, cut out the rectangle.

2) Now, place the glass front in the frame (wipe off any smudges first!). After, place in the scrapbook paper – the way that you would with a photograph. Then, put the backing board in place.

3) I decided to add a some studs to the corners, just for extra decorations.

4) Now, using dry erase markers, you can keep an easy to-do list right on your desk! Just wipe off the writing anytime you need an update!

What’s the first item on your To-Do list?

posted by Sandybn
10.06.12
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DIY Dorm: Chevron Soles

Celebrities everywhere can be seen stomping around in their crimson-soled Louboutin’s. Well, for those of us that shop within a slightly lower (okay, much lower) price range, we’ve got an amazing DIY. Show your weary soles some serious TLC with this budget-friendly project that helps any pair of heels step it up.

What You’ll Need:

Nail Polish color of your choice
Tape (Scotch Tape works fine)
Pair of heels

What You’ll Do:

1. We went with this season’s favorite metallic, gold, to add some shine to our shoes. We used “The Next CEO” from Nicole by O.P.I. as our shade (available at select campus bookstores!).

2. Using Scotch tape, we lined the sides of the sole in order to prevent the polish from getting on the body of the shoe.

3. Now, using the tape, you’re going to form the stencil for the chevron pattern. Snip a few small pieces and place them zig-zagged (like pictured).

4. Using the nail polish, paint along the outline you just created with the tape. You may need to add a second or third coat, depending on your preference. Let dry and remove the tape.

5. Repeat this step towards the top of the sole. You may have to cut the tape thinner so that it does not peel off your previous lines.

6. Make sure all of the paint is dried. Peel off any excess tape and enjoy your new shoes!

Pick up Nicole by O.P.I. nail polish at select campus bookstores and you’re ready to get started!

posted by Sandybn
09.21.12
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DIY Dorm: Instagram Coasters

Before you brush this project off (coasters? who uses coasters?), you’re going to want to take a look at the latest DIY we’ve come across. Using your very own filtered-to-perfection Instagram photos and a few inexpensive materials, we’ll be crafting some customized coasters that will look cool on any surface. Think of it as a new way to display your favorite photos.

What You’ll Need:

-    4in x 4in ceramic tiles (pick some up at Home Depot for only 39 cents)
-    Mod Podge
-    A foam brush
-    Felt pads
-    Clear, waterproof sealant (you can try Walmart for this)
-    Printed Instagram pictures (one for each coaster)

What You’ll Do:

1)      First you’ll need to print your Instagram photos. The easiest way to do this would probably be to screenshot them on your phone and email them to yourself. Once you’ve done this, you can size them so they’ll fit the tiles and print. I used photo paper to ensure that the ink would not bleed when coated with the Mod Podge (plus, it’s sturdier). Cut out each photo square.

2)      Mod Podge one coat onto each of your tiles. Place the photo square where you want it and press out any air bubbles. Let dry – wait 45 minutes to an hour to make sure it’s completely hardened.

3)      Apply 2-3 more thin coats of Mod Podge over the entire tile and on top of the photo. It’s best to apply it both vertically and horizontally. Let dry for an hour.

4)      To make sure the coaster remains water proof, spray a layer of sealant over top of it. Don’t spray too much or it will get goopy. Let dry (follow the directions on the can in order to determine how long you should wait). Spray a second coat of sealant and let that dry as well.

5)      Add the felt pads to each corner of the underside of the tile. Most of these come with adhesive on the bottom but, if not, use some hot glue to attach them.

6)      You’re done! Easy, right?

Send us some photos of your coasters – we’d love to see how they turned out!

Of course we had to Instagram ours once we were done!

posted by Sandybn
09.14.12
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DIY Dorm: Book Phone Charger

Between phones, iPods, and computers, it often seems as though we are simply navigating our way through a seemingly hazardous tangle of cords and wires. It’s no surprise that we were thrilled when we came across the idea of a DIY docking station – and even MORE thrilled when we realized it involved some of our favorite things, books! Contain those unruly phone cords with your very own Book Phone Charger. Talk about a “novel” idea!

What You’ll Need:

Two hardcover books of your choice (make sure they’re books you don’t mind damaging)

Utility knife

Phone Charger (preferably an extra)

Scotch tape

Pencil

Ruler

What You’ll Do:

1)      Pick which book you’re going to use as the holder for the charger. Take the end of the charger that you plug into your phone. On the upper corner on the spine-side of the book cover, trace around this end. Don’t place the slit right on the edge of the book, leave some space as your phone will be docked here. From the outside in, you will be pushing this end of the plug through the hole you cut out.

2)      Using the utility knife (and caution!), cut out the slit you just traced. This might take some effort since you will be cutting through a hard book cover. Make sure the end of the charger fits through this hole (from the inside of the book cover, outward). This will be where you “dock” your phone or iPod.

3)       Now, you’re going to cut out the compartment that the cord will be “hidden in.” Open your book to the first page. Mark a rectangle that takes up almost the whole page – leave a ½ inch margin on each side.

4)      Using the utility knife (as well as caution AND patience), begin to cut out the rectangle you just marked through the pages. You may have to do this a section of pages at a time, since the knife will most likely not cut through all of the pages at once. Continue cutting until there is a hollow deep enough to fit the cord.

*In order to keep the pages in place, I used a few piece of tape on the inside of the compartment.

5)      Now, closer to the corner diagonal to where you placed the hole for the plug, you need to cut a small strip through the pages. This will be where the other end of the plug exits the book. Measure a small strip roughly the size of the cord width and cut. *Again, I used some tape to keep the pages in place.

6)      Now, place the phone-end of the charger through the hole you cut. Within the compartment, wind the cord so that the majority of it is within the book. Allow the remainder of the cord (that will go into the wall) to wind out through the strip you just cut.

7)      Place the second book on top of the first. You can either glue it or simply place it. Plug the cord into the wall, dock your phone or iPod and – voilá! – a new docking station.

Necessary? Maybe not – but it’s a pleasant alternative to having cords run everywhere! Try out this easy DIY for yourself. Have any tips or advice of your own? Post a comment!

posted by Sandybn
07.20.12
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DIY Dorm: Magnetic Memo Board

How many times have you forgotten something because you simply didn’t write it down? Luckily, I have found a great solution on Instructables that is affordable, easy, and fun to make. It’s an awesome way to stay organized and is great because you roommates can use it too! What is it exactly? A homemade magnetic memo board! Stick it right on the fridge and never forget “the little things” again!

Make a note of it for later!

Materials:

1 Memo Pad or Small Notebook

1 Pen/Marker/Pencil/Sharpe

2 Small Magnets (one for the notepad and one for the pen)

Super glue (Hot glue or very sticky tape works too)

What You’ll Do:

Step 1:

Put a dab of glue on the back cover of the memo pad. Make it less than an inch from the top of the cover, and center it diagonally (more or less). Let it dry, and then test it on the fridge, to make sure it sticks. Note: Taping the magnet onto the pad works fine too.

Step 2:

This step basically consists of attaching the magnet to a point on the pen that will not hinder use of the pen. I attached mine under the clip on the pen because that was the place I thought would secure the magnet best. Hold the pen and put a dab of glue on the place you are going to put the magnet. After, place the magnet and hold it until the glue sets. When you are done, try it out on the fridge to make sure the glue is strong enough and to make sure that the magnet will hold the weight of the pen.

It’s THAT easy! What else helps you get organized?

Written  by Guest Blogger, Myles Marcus

posted by Sandybn
07.12.12
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