DIY // Turn an old wetsuit into a tablet cover

Hi everyone! I am so excited today to be sharing with you this easy peasy surf-inspired DIY!

As Saint Valentines is approaching, some of you may be thinking about the best gift for the special surfer in their lives. And when we talk about unique presents, I am all about handmade! Just because simply the idea of making yourself something with a particular person in mind, makes it even more special :)

So, today we are turning an old wetsuit into a tablet cover! This is a unisex gift, so if you want to make one for yourself it's more than fine ;)

If you've been surfing for a little while now, you surely have an old or damaged wetsuit hanging around in your house. You don't use it anymore, but you don't like the idea of throwing it away. So, what should you do?

I'd say turn it into something cute you want to use everyday!

Homemade lavender spray

So, I have to admit I've always had a great sense of smell. I wouldn't say it is the greatest talent I have, but I'm quite proud of it.

I know it could sound weird, don't judge me! :)

This kind of perfume-mania of mine leads me to always look for a better way to make my home smell wonderful. I tried candles of every kind and scent. I also tried electric fragrance diffusers and incenses. While I'm pretty satisfied with natural wax candles, the second and third options ended up smelling too strong for my taste.

I firmly believe that smells can influence our emotions. Lots of psychology books explain how our smell sense works and how it relates with our brain.

That's why scents are so important in the habitat we're surrounded by - they can evoke memories, feelings and awake our inner emotions.

So, when my mum gave me a small bottle of natural lavender essence after a travel to Provence, I couldn't miss the chance of finding a new and natural way to make my home smell good and feel great myself too!

Lavender oil is known for its beneficial properties such as fighting mosquito bites, cleansing cuts and bruises, calming itchy skin, sunburned lips and sickness. But most of all, lavender helps create an atmosphere of relaxation around you as soon as you smell its scent.

This is just how I want to feel when I'm at home!

So today I'm sharing with you the recipe for a homemade natural lavender spray for your home. It is very easy to make and will take no more than three minutes!

You need:

• empty spray bottle
• 5 to 10 drops of natural lavender oil
• 100 ml water
• 1/2 tbs baking soda

Pour water, baking soda, and lavender oil into your spray bottle. Shake and vaporize.

Ta-daaaa!!! Your new natural relax home scent is ready!

Never done a faster DIY before!

I spray it mostly in the bedroom before going to sleep and in the living room when I just want to relax.

Let me know if you enjoyed this DIY as well as lavender scent. I'm looking forward to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Credits // Author // Photography: Marta Tomasini

Surf upcycling

Since I moved to Biarritz and started working very close to Surfrider Foundation Europe I became more and more aware of the environmental issue. It's a subject that involves everyone of us on the earth, nobody excluded. That's why it's important to adopt some good habits in our everyday routine starting from, why not, today! :)

As surfers, we couldn't live our passion without a healthy ocean. So, it's our job to spread the message and let the change begin from us.

Today I'd love to share with you ocean lovers some fun DIY projects you can do with your old and/or broken surfboards. Instead of dumping them away or letting them gather dust in a corner of your garage, let's give them a second chance, a second life!

A coat of chalk board paint and you've got a beautiful makeover! Diy via desireempire.com

Isn't this outdoor shower just the cutest?? Found on surfandsunshine.com

I'd LOVE to have breakfast in the morning on this beautiful bar table. Seen on offbeathome.com

Such a great idea to customize your backyard fence! Seen on whoopercakepops.tumblr.com

Did you like these projects?

So, what are you waiting for? Go grab your old surfboard and give it a second chance!!

Do you have other upcycling projects to share? Tell me about them in the comments ;)

xo

Credits // Author: Marta Tomasini, Pics and projects via the links above

Try this: surf collage

Today we're welcoming our Californian friend Blair. You already know her for the awesomeness of her contributions to this blog. You can see more about Blair here, here and here.

Since Surfragette is more than just surf, we're dedicating this post to creativity with a fun and customizable diy project.

Try this!

Collages are a fun art form of self-expression and creativity. Marta sent me a French VICE magazine recently, and it inspired me to create something with it. For those of you that aren’t familiar with VICE, it is a unique publication that covers politics, extreme sports, world events, farce, irony, style/fashion, etc. Therefore, it was easy to have fun with it, and it served as a perfect form of inspiration. Here I’m going to discuss the methods and materials that I used in the making of these two collages, but I encourage you to expand beyond what I have done to find what sparks your creativity.