Students can't decorate like Martha Stewart on a college budget,but if they open their eyes to what's already there, anyresidence-hall room can seem look less like Ball State and morelike "Ball State Living."
The key: think of ways to recycle items instead of throwing themaway.
"I think everyone should have a room that reflects theirpersonality in some way, like how neat the room is or by theposters you have on your walls," sophomore Ed Laing said. "Thethings you brought from home and set up in your room will also giveothers a hint to what type of person you are."
Spruced-up lampshade:
1. Take some of your favorite material to create a shiftlampshade that will give your room that cool color.
2. Take plastic clips or sew cloth on the lampshades. Make sureyou can take the stitches out later.
-Nicole Protolipac, fifth-year senior
Materials needed:
Lamp (already in the room)
Scissors
Needle and a spool of thread
Accessories (fringe, beads or paint)
Half a yard of fabric
Tip: It's better to use colored plastic clips or double-sidedtape so you don't damage the lamp.
CD picture frames:
1. Take an old CD case and remove the foldouts inside.
2. Cut a piece of colored construction paper to fit inside thecase and cover the area where the CD sits.
3. Glue one of your favorite pictures to the center of theconstruction paper.
4. Close the CD case (You can glue it shut if you wish.).
5. Decorate the outside with paint, glitter, markers or anythingyou like.
Materials needed:
CD Case
Pack of construction paper
Glue stick
Decorations
Scissors
Flower-pot picture frame:
1. Take some regular garden trellis.
2. Paint it white.
3. Glue mini clothespins to it.
4. Wrap fake ivy around it.
5. Add some big daisies to cover up the clothespins.
6. Use the clothespins to hold the pictures.
To take it a step further:
1. Purchase a large terra cotta pot.
2. Stuff it with Styrofoam.
3. Stick the trellis through the foam.
4. Add some fake grass to hide the Styrofoam.
5. Tie a ribbon around the top.
"It looks adorable, and it also saved me the trouble of havingto find picture frames for all those pictures."
-Krista Vanlandingham-
Materials needed:
Garden trellis
Primer and white spray paint
One bag of mini clothespins
Two strands of fake ivy
Two bouquets of flowers
one large terra cotta pot
Pieces of Styrofoam
Fake grass
Spool of ribbon
Cordless hot-glue gun (includes glue sticks)
Door cover:
1. Use an interesting fabric to cover your door.
2. Tape it in place.
Materials needed:
Three yards of fabric
Scissors
Box tape
CD border:
"I saved all my CD labels and stretched them out and taped themas a border around my room," sophomore Shon Byrum said. "If you owna lot of CDs and still have the covers, it's easy, original andstylish."
Materials needed:
CD labels from CDs
Tape
Brighten your boards:
"Something my roommate and I both have done is staple wrappingpaper over our bulletin boards," freshman Lisa Gerstner said. "Itreally brightens things up."
Materials Needed:
Bulletin board
Wrapping paper
Stapler
Collage:
1. Cut pictures, words, phrases and more from magazines.
2. Tack them onto your bulletin board or your walls.
"You can create a funny saying and/or a collage that surelydisplays your creative side," freshman Christina Doan said.
Materials needed:
Bulletin board
Scissors
Magazines
Tacks or tape
Candles:
1. Make a double boiler to melt the wax.
2. Don't microwave the wax because it can splatter and bedangerous. It can also fade the color of the wax.
4. Put an inch of water in the bottom of a saucepan.
5. Heat on low.
6. Put a coffee can in the saucepan and add the wax pieces.
7. Put the prepared molds on newspaper.
8. Once the wax is melted, pour it directly into the molds.
9. Be careful to keep the wick straight.
10. Allow it to cool for 20 minutes.
11. Transfer the candles to the refrigerator.
12. After the candles have cooled, take them out of theirmolds.
13. Peel the tape off first, and then tear the molds away fromthe candle.
14. Trim the wick.
Warning: Be careful. The wax will be hot.
To add some variation, add a drop of your favorite fragrancewhile you melt down the paraffin wax.
You can also add glitter. After pouring the wax in a mold,sprinkle the glitter on top and let cool.
Different-colored wax chunks or pieces of an old candle can addcolor to the mold.
Tip: You only need a little fragrance because the smell willintensify once the candle is lit, but remember -- no lit candles inthe residence halls.
Source: Kim's Candle Making Page
http://members.tripod.com/funnloving/candle.html
Materials needed:
Candle mold (toilet-paper roll or empty soap box)
1 block premium wax
Saucepan and coffee can
Fragrance and/or glitter
Colored wax chunks
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