Home and Garden

Ideas For DIY

Interview with Melina Raissina

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make-room

Melina Raissnia

Editor’s Note: American Craft Council‘s Make Room: Modern Design Meets Craft project during the Aug 2-4 show at San Francisco will showcase works from nine interior designers and architects that will create room settings inspired by fine craft pieces – generating ideas for show attendees on how to integrate treasured objects into home design.

We got a chance to talk to one of the designers – Melina Raissina of the Peace Industry. Melina will use the creations of Gerald Arrington (wood bowl and sculptures) to design a room. Gerald is one of the 230 artists featured in this year’s exhibition.

gerald-work

1. Tell us a bit about yourself (and Peace Industry). What do you love doing most?

I am the lead designer at Peace Industry. Peace Industry is my company that I started with my husband in 2002. We produce wool felt rugs in our own workshop in Turkey and we have a retail store in San Francisco. It is a revitalization of the oldest rug tradition known to mankind and has been practiced by Central Asian nomads for thousands of years. My favorite thing about my job is getting to open the packages when they arrive from Turkey. It feels like Christmas to me as I get to see how my vision is manifested.

2. How did you get involved with this project? What attracted you to work for the American Craft Council? 

My publicist pitched the idea to me and I agreed to get involved because I have never done anything like this or have been given the opportunity to design a room. I felt it to be a challenge and really just thought it would be fun.

3. Gerald’s work with stoneware ceramics is unique. Are you looking to make his work the star within the room – or is it going to complement the room that you’re creating? 

The task is definitely to make Gerald’s work the star of the show. I’ve kept the decor simple in muted tones in order to showcase his pieces.

4. How was it working with Gerald? Did you have any one on one sessions with him? What is the creative process like in designing such a room?

Working with Gerald was lovely. The process was relatively simple. I was able to choose any work from the entire show.  I chose Gerald’s work because it compliments my personal style and my fondness for subtle textures that show off their process. I just worked from pictures at first, and then Gerald brought in the actual pieces so that I could really experience them up close.

Have you read?

DIY Giant Eyeball Lanterns – Creepy Halloween Decoration

When it comes to Halloween, bigger is always better—and these giant eyeball lanterns prove it! With nothing more than plain white paper lanterns, a little paint, and some imagination, you can create huge, spooky eyes that look like they’ve popped right out of a monster movie.

They’re perfect for hanging from ceilings, displaying on porches, or grouping together in a corner for an eerie effect. Best of all, paper lanterns are super inexpensive (you can grab them on eBay, Amazon, or even your local dollar store), which makes this a great budget-friendly craft for big impact Halloween décor.

Supplies You’ll Need

  • Large round white paper lanterns (various sizes look best) 
  • Acrylic paints or craft paints in black, brown, green, red, orange, or blue (for irises) 
  • Wide paintbrush for background color 
  • Small paintbrush for details 
  • Black construction paper or cardstock (optional for spiky “lashes” or accents) 
  • Hot glue gun or strong craft glue 
  • String or fishing line (if you want to hang them) 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the Lanterns

  1. Assemble your white paper lanterns according to the package directions. 
  2. Make sure they’re fully open and the wire insert is in place so the surface is taut for painting. 

Step 2: Paint the Iris

  1. Using a wide brush, paint a large circle in the center of the lantern to create the iris. 
  2. Choose spooky colors—green, red, orange, or blue work wonderfully. 
  3. Don’t worry about making it perfectly smooth; streaks and uneven textures add to the eerie, organic look. 

Step 3: Add the Pupil

  1. Once the iris paint is dry, use black paint to fill in the pupil at the very center. 
  2. Make it large enough to stand out against the iris. 

Step 4: Detail the Eye

  • Use a smaller brush to add darker or lighter streaks in the iris for a more realistic effect. 
  • You can even add thin vein lines in red around the iris to give it that bloodshot look. 

Step 5: Optional Spiky Lashes

  1. Cut long triangles from black construction paper or cardstock. 
  2. Glue them around one side of the lantern so they stick out like sharp monster eyelashes. 
  3. This makes the eyeballs look even more monstrous and stylized. 

Step 6: Display Your Giant Eyeballs

  • Hanging: Use string or fishing line to suspend them from ceilings, trees, or porch rafters so they look like floating eyeballs. 
  • Stacked: Place them in corners, along stairs, or even grouped on your lawn for a spooky display. 
  • Tabletop: Use them as oversized Halloween party props. 

Tips & Variations

  • Glowing Eyes: Insert battery-powered LED lights into the lanterns so they glow from the inside. 
  • Rainbow Eyes: Mix up the colors and make a whole rainbow of creepy eyes. 
  • Monster Cluster: Group multiple eyeballs together in different sizes for a scarier effect. 

This DIY Giant Eyeball Lantern craft is quick, cheap, and gives you maximum Halloween spook factor with minimal effort. Whether you make one or a whole creepy collection, your haunted house setup will definitely be eye-catching!