Vintage Crafts

August 19, 2013
In this book, which is based on her blog, Lidström plays that pretty, talented friend who makes flea market finds and shabby chic decor seem enviable. The author makes make-do and mend look like high design, from her collection of “beloved” vintage dresses to a “scrapbooked” linen cabinet decorated with wallpaper. The author never lets her flea market evangelizing (“I fear that we’re annihilating our heritage in the rush to constantly consume what’s new and modern.”) overtake her enthusiasm at remaking a great bargain. Her favorite thing to do is to “pimp” her finds: a set of old speakers with lace, notebooks with vintage girls’ book covers, and a lampshade. The book contains a few gems, such as a recipe for wallpaper paste using water, sugar, and potato flour, as well as tips for freshening up old clothes with flaxseed oil soft soap. Her advice isn’t always new—using newspaper to form cups for seedlings or attaching jar lids underneath a shelf—but no matter. The book is less a practicum and more an idiosyncratic and inspiring romp through the charming space that Lidström has created from scraps and paint. Framing that world is a series of gorgeous, light-filled, photos, in which the author and her son often play a supporting role to the author’s lime-and-red retro kitchen or her tastefully unkempt vegetable garden.

September 15, 2013

Popular Swedish blogger Lidstrom (underbaraclaras.com) presents an array of craft and DIY projects for the home, with the occasional recipe thrown in. Released in 2012 in Swedish, this translation starts with a pep talk on creating and crafting. Displaying a unique style that's part Scandinavian and part shabby chic, Lidstrom features some of her online projects here, which focus on furniture do-overs, lighting, storage, sewing, and upholstery. A section on navigating flea markets contains great tips that readers from all countries will enjoy. VERDICT There are a few flaws here. Beginners may not find this title helpful owing to the lack of instruction: not all projects show what the finished product looks like, and there are no step-by-step illustrations of technique. Some of the materials, resources, and terminology are specific to Sweden or Europe. However, Lidstrom is a fresh voice and clearly enthusiastic, and the look and feel of some of her projects may resonate with those looking for something new.

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