Spring is here

It’s fall here in Brazil, we’re getting colder at night and still I just can’t accept it.  With Easter just a week or so ago I can’t seem to reconcile myself to this side of the Equator.  So in my home it’s spring and we’re making little pastel houses and decorating eggs with vintage trim.

The little houses are upcycled cardboard with vintage lace.  I’m still at work on the birds who will live in these sweet little homes.

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Next Weekend – Eeeeeek!!!

I’m getting ready for the craft show and my house is a mess. It’s a contained mess, really… I’ve kept my stuff to just one area – but it takes someone with my well honed skills to find the right thing when I need it (wink). I finally figured out an arrangement that lets me stay in the room and continue to get things done while my girls are happily playing. Let’s face it when they aren’t happily playing then not much gets done, we all wait anxiously for my husband’s return home everyday.

I’m really proud of my little dolly. She is made up of reclaimed fabrics, recycled sweaters and a really funky pink work jacket. I was so pleased when her arms and legs finally came together, this is the third version of arms, and they finally look right. Her legs were a bit of a challenge, she has a wire armeture so she can be posed. Her joints are also wire and her face is hand painted and drawn.

For those in the DC area, the craft show will take place at the Josephine Butler Parks Center next to Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park in NW.When: Sunday, February 3, 12 noon to 5 pmWhere: The yellow mansion at 2437 15th Street NW.

What: 40 crafters selling unusual handmade items and special gifts, including handknit and screenprinted apparel for men/women/kiddies, jewelry, cards, handmade books, valentines, soap and skincare products, handbags, handspun wool, pillows, pottery, and other items for walls/homes/wardrobes/bodies/brains/hearts.

What else: Music, treats to eat and drink, a kissing booth, goodie bags to the first 50 visitors, and more!

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T-shirt Charms

I’ve been drawing on t-shirts, I have this great little fabric pen that does an amazing job on something as absorbent as a cotton t-shirt.  Usually an ink that is really good at staying on fabric is really bad with cotton.  I did a little testing on muslin and some t-shirt scraps and I was amazed.  Its a brush marker but it holds a really fine line and did a great job with my little doodles.

And yeah, I’m still on a Valentines kick… that’s likely to last through to the actual holiday…

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Recycled Upholstery Wallet

I’m trying to learn a few new skills this week and I’ve produced a little instructional video. It’s a little over 3 minutes long, and goes along with the typed up information to help you make a recycled upholstery wallet. It’s a really easy craft and a great way to use up some scraps, wouldn’t it be fun to carry a piece of grandpas’ old chair around in your back pocket?

I made mine up from a little stiff wool and a bit of that old blue upholstery. I’d love to hear what you think.

Here is the video:

And here are the instructions:

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Recycled Menswear

I saw this the other day in a mall, I was so impressed I took a picture.  I love the light feel of it, and for something like this I think I’ll sit down and work out a pattern for myself – I think I’ve mentioned I am cheap, yeah really, really cheap.  It’s a men’s shirt turned into a really cute summer skirt.  I love the fun and casual look and the little draw-string waist.  I think I need one of these come summer.

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Recycling T-shirts – New Hat

Did you know that you loose something like 80% of your body heat through the top of your head – ok that’s a factoid (I don’t know the fact I just know what I’ve been told by ‘them’). We lost the little girl’s hat the other day, it was a 99 cent bargain from the thrift store (so it’s not a tragedy – just a bother) and I can’t for the life of me figure out where we’ve been that we may have misplaced it. Now that I’ve made a replacement we are sure to find it any minute.

So here I am cutting down t-shirts again, I know that I could have just cut a cylinder out of the t-shirt – but really we are going for some sort of style here and besides I really like the texture. Here is my little superstar in her recycled t-shirt hat…

This t-shirt has been a recycling stretch, I’ve made 2 birds, one hat and started a new rug. I bet when hubby decided he didn’t want it anymore he didn’t realize that he’d continue seeing it everywhere. Save your t-shirts, it’s amazing what you’ll be able to recycle them into – recycling craft projects as far as the eye can see.

As soon as I get a moment I’ll post some quick directions. For those so inclined please refer to the ‘How to cut down a t-shirt page‘ and just make the ribbon width a little thicker.

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Best of Intentions

So we spent most of this holiday week with a head cold – can I just say that there isn’t much worse that a sweet little girl with a cough. My sweet little babies have both had the cold this week and thankfully both are feeling better…

I did get a few more things done now that we seem to be on the mend, here are some more Matryona dolls, the original doll didn’t feel done and now I’ve given her a few sisters. All are created from reclaimed upholstery scraps, antique gold trims and fibers and a little bit of embroidery. I painted the faces on some felt and a little scrap of cotton fabric – I really like how the felt looks.

I hope you’ve all had a great holiday – and wish you a Happy New Year!

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Recycled Upholstery – Matryona Dolls

The other day when I was making those recycled thank-you notes I was going through my stash of upholstery scraps and I was inspired to make some recycled scrap dolls. I’ve been seeing some really great Matryona dolls and I was ready to start something new after all the Christmas stuff.

This is my first version of the doll. She is made up of recycled felt – her face is done using watercolors and colored pencils. The dress is reclaimed upholstery fabric and the backing is more scrap felt. I’ll post some more as I get the embroidery done.

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Another Recycled Scrap Quilt

I finished up a couple more of my little scrap recycling quilts yesterday. These have been really fun – I’m enjoying them so much I want to do more.

I look through my scrap box and see what they remind me of. The little tree quilt was left over triangles from a bird ornament.  Next time you cut out something, save the scraps, you might find that a little scrappy quilt is in your future.

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Martha’s T-shirt Recycling

Have you seen this? This is such a good idea for recycling t-shirts, thanks to Beth for the tip. Just a little sewing along the bottom and take the sleeves off and widen the neck. Wonderful recycled t-shirt idea, and so great as a replacement for those terrible plastic grocery bags.

Click here for the Martha’s Instructions

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