TEXTS & DRAWINGSVOLUME 1

BILLAS THOMAS

DO IT YOURSELF.or

HOW TO SUCCEED IN YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE WITHOUT

MONEY.or

HOW TO MAKE IT WITHOUT IKEA.

First Edition, 2010Co-edition Plus-tôt Te laat

& Billas Thomas

DO IT YOURSELF.or

HOW TO SUCCEED IN YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE WITHOUT

MONEY.or

HOW TO MAKE IT WITHOUT IKEA.

All rights reserved. Acknowledgements

www.dame-celestine.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSTranslation : Guillaume BokiauOriginal copy-editing : Fanny Legru

Grateful acknowledgement to the everyday designers without whom this project wouldn’t have existed.

Volume 2 available soon

Adhesive bandage AshtrayBag clipBeer bongBlowpipeBook markBoot shaft stretcherBottle openerCandlestickCarafeCat toyChairClothes valetCoat pegCoffeemakerCoffee filterCoffee tableCorkscrewDeskDoor locksDustpanEgg cupExfoliating brushFrisbeeFunnelHandkierchiefsIce cube trayIncense holdersIroning boardKeychainKitchen knives sharpenerLaptop ventilation padLaundry bagLaundry detergentNail clippers

INDEX.910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334353637383940414243

Nail fileNapkin ringsPastry bagPencil cupPhoto holderPinsPost-itPotholdersProtection for trailer hitch ballScrewdriverShaving foamShelvesShoe shine spongeShoe treeShopping listSnow scraperSoap dishStringToilet deodorizerToteTrashbinTrash bagTupperwareUmbrellaVaseWater hose reelWindshield washer fluid

444546474849505152535455565758596061626364656667686970

9

Adhesive bandage.

- Adhesive tape- Handkerchief, see page 34

Place the handkerchief on the wound and secure with the tape.

10

Ashtray.

- Plastic Cup- Water

Take a plastic cup and pour a little water.              Drop the ashes into the water.

11

Bag clip.

- Clothespin

Wrap the open portion of the bag over itself, then squeeze it with the clothespin.

12

Beer bong.

- Aspirin Tube

Cut the tube of aspirin with a cutter at about one third of the base.Repeat this process to get as many shooters as you want.

13

Blowpipe.

- Bic pen- Bits of paper

Disassemble the pen a Bic pen, only to keep the body.              Chew the bits of papers into spitballs.              Place one of the balls in the narrow part of the pen, aim at the target of your choice and blow.

14

Bookmark.

- Used metro ticket

Use an old metro ticket as a bookmark for books being read.

15

Boot Shaft Stretcher.

- Plastic water bottles

Place empty water bottles inside the boots to preserve their shape.

16

Bottle opener.

- Disposable lighter

Hold the bottle firmly, use the bottom of the lighter as a leverage by pushing it on your thumb.

17

Candlestick.

- Glass bottle

Take a candle, trim the base so it can fit into the neck of the bottle.              Light the candle.

18

Carafe.

- Empty clear glass bottle

Finish a nice bottle of rosé, rinse it, fill it with water and place it in the refrigerator.              The carafe is now ready for use.

19

Cat toy.

- String, see page 61- Cork

Tie the cork to one end of a piece of string, fasten the other end to a doorknob.              The cork can of course be replaced by a sock or a feather.

20

Chair.

- Beer case

Take any beer case, place it on the ground and sit on it.May be combined with the desk on page 14 for a dinner with friends.

21

Clothes Valet.

- Chair, see page 20

Have a chair, place a jacket on the back, and a pair of trousers on the seat.

22

Coat peg.

- Nail

Drive a long nail halfway into the wall. Hang your jacket.

23

Coffeemaker.

- Plastic bottle- Coffee filter, see page 24

Cut the water bottle two-thirds, flip the top-part upside down.Place the coffee filter, the coffee and finally pour in some hot water.              Remove the top and serve the coffee.

24

Coffee filter.

- Paper towel

Take a piece of paper towel and place it in the coffee maker to filter the coffee. For the coffeemaker see page 23.

25

Coffee table.

- Discarded cable reel

Reclaim an empty cable reel on a building-site to use it as a coffee table.

26

Corkscrew.

- Screws- Pliers

Remove the foil wrapping the neck of the wine bottle with the tip of the screw.              Tighten the screw into the cork and draw it from the bottle by pulling on the screw with pliers.              Enjoy the wine.

27

Desk

- Board- Trestles

Install two trestles and lay the board over so that it stabilizes.

28

Door locks.

- Pavement

Take a pavement and place it outside the door to block it.

29

Dustpan.

- Large paint brush- Piece of cardboard

Use the brush to push dirt onto the piece of cardboard.                          The board allows the dust to easily be transported to the dust bin. For the trashbin, see page 64.

30

Egg cup.

- Plastic cap

Place the plastic cap on the table, with its closed end down. Put the egg on top.

31

Exfoliating brush.

- kitchen scrub sponge

Put soap on the skin and rub the green side of the sponge to remove any dead skin.

32

Frisbee.

- Lid of a paint tin box

Retrieve the lid of an empty paint box. Use as a traditional frisbee.

33

Funnel.

- Empty milk carton

Cut a large part in the unused corner with scissors, then cut the mouth of that same corner.              Use the resulting piece as a conventional funnel.

34

Handkerchiefs.

- Toilet paper roll

Take a sheet or two of toilet paper roll and blow into it.

35

Ice cube tray.

- Plastic egg box

Fill the plastic egg box with water, place in freezer.              Serve once frozen.

36

Incense holders.

- Chewing-gum

Chew gum until it forms a ball, then stick it on the desired place.              Plant the stick of incense in the chewing gum.

37

Ironing board.

- Towel- Table, see page 27

Lay the towel on the table to stop the iron from burning the table.              You can now use the table as a conventional ironing board.

38

Keychain.

- String, see page 61

Pass the string through the keys’ hole, then tie it to prevent the keys from falling.

39

Kitchen knives sharpener.

- Porcelain or ceramic plate- Water             

Bring a plate, place it upside down facing you.              Wet the rough edge and sharpen the blade as you would with a conventional sharpener.

40

Laptop ventilation pad.

- Matchboxes

Place matchboxes under every corner of your laptop for better airflow underneath, allowing the computer to heat more slowly.

41

Laundry bag.

- Re-usable supermarket bag

Place the bag on the floor or on a chair and fill it with your dirty laundry.              Once filled, it is easily transportable to the launderette.

42

Laundry detergent.

- Soap- Water

To obtain laundry detergent, grate the soap and mix it with water.                         Count a hundred grams of soap for two liters of water.

43

Nail clippers.

- Scissors

Use the scissors to cut overgrown nails.

44

Nail file.

- Sheet of sandpaper

Tear off a piece of the large sheet of sandpaper.Rub over your nails like a regular nail file.

45

Napkin Rings.

- Empty roll of toilet paper

Halve an empty roll of toilet paper. Slide a napkin through the hole.

46

Pastry bag.

- Sheet protector

Cut the outer welded corner, fill with appropriate food.The pastry bag is ready for use.

47

Pencil cup.

- Jam jar- Fast food paper cup- Glass- Etc.

Put your pencils inside the container.

48

Photo holder.

- Plastic cap

Make a slit in the plastic cap with a sharp knife, insert the photo.              Use two plastic caps for larger photos.

49

Pins.

- Thumbtack- Piece of Gum

Place the thumbtack on the garment and use the tip of gum in the back as a nut.

50

Post-it.

- A piece of paper- Adhesive tape

Note on a piece of paper, then fasten at the desired location with tape.

51

Potholders.

- Used Tennis Ball

Cut along the white line of a tennis ball with a knife.              Use each part as potholder.

52

Protection for trailer hitch ball.

- Whipped cream cap- Tennis ball

Cut out the tennis ball and screw it onto the hitch ball, or simply place the cap of a whipped cream can.

53

Screwdriver.

- Knife

Just have a rounded knife, place the tip into the recess of the screw and use as a conventional screwdriver.

54

Shaving foam.

- Shave brush- Block of soap

Wet the brush and rub on the soap, then spread the lather on the beard in the same way as with regular shaving cream.

55

Shelves.

- Bricks- Boards

Put two bricks on the floor, then put a board on top.Add two more bricks on top of the board, top off with another board.              Repeat this process for extra levels.

56

Shoe shine sponge.

- Banana Peel- Cloth

Rub the shoe with the inside of the banana skin, then wipe off excess with a cloth.

57

Shoe tree.

- Sheets of newsprint

Crumple two or three sheets of newsprint and place them inside your shoes.

58

Shopping list.

- Envelope from advertising mail

Take the envelope in which the advertising was delivered, use the back to write down your shopping list.

59

Snow scraper.

- CD Box- Tape Box- VHS cassette

Uses the hard part of the box to scrape the snow.

60

Soap dish.

- Metalic bottle cap

Press the bottle cap into the soap. This simple device prevents the soap from slipping from the edge of the sink.

61

String.

- Lace

Use an old shoelace as a regular string.

62

Toilet deodorizer.

- Matchbox

Crack matches throughout your stay to the washroom to freshen the air.

63

Tote.

- Thumbtack- Paper bag

Fasten the paper bag to the wall by pressing the thumbtack through one of its handles.

64

Trashbin.

- Washing powder box

Place the trash bag inside the washing powder box to dispose of your trash.              For the trash bag, see page 65.

65

Trash bag.

- Disposable plastic bag

Recover plastic bags from the grocery store or market and use them as a trash bag. For the trashbin, see page 64.

66

Tupperware.

- Pan with handles and lid- Cloth

Put the food to be kept in a saucepan with the lid shut.              Wrap the cloth around itself, pass underneath the pan, through the handles’ holes and tie on top.              Place in the fridge.

67

Umbrella.

- Plastic bag

Place the plastic bag over your head and hold it in place with its coves.

68

Vase.

- Plastic water bottle

Cut the bottle of water at its two thirds, fill with tap water and arrange flowers.

69

Water hose reel.

- Old car rim- Screws

Use screws to fasten the rim to the wall, then wrap the hose around it.

70

Windshield washer fluid

- Dishwashing liquid- Water

Mix ten volumes of water for one volume of liquid.              Pour in your car’s tank for summer use.