I’m gonna be in a show!!!

I’m trying something new, things here on the blog are suffering a bit – I’m so sorry about that My big excuse – I am getting ready for a craft show here in the DC area I’m really excited, it is a Valentines theme show and I am totally into making hearts and birds for the show. I’m taking pictures of everything I can’t wait to feel like it’s all ready for display. More to come!

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New Recycled Bracelets – Blue Angel

I’m still loving the old bracelets, disassembling and recycling old necklaces from the thrift store and adding a few new components is my new favorite thing. I am using new jumprings and eyepins – having them fall apart would ruin the charm I think. I am in love with my little recycled upholstery angel charm on the blue bracelet – it is such a cute little black and white picture. This one is made from about 5 different necklaces – do you love the double chain – I’ve got enough to make a few more bracelets out of that one. I’m a sucker for fake pearls as well.

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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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Recycled Materials Charms

A few months ago the magazine Cloth, Paper, Scissors had a wonderful article about making fabric charm bracelets. I decided to try my hand at it and used my upholstery stash to make some charms. I think that they work well, the fabric is much more interesting than felt or a simple muslin – besides being a good recycling craft, I think it would be fun to use something more meaningful as the raw materials.

Maybe using old prom dresses, or something similar that you’ve grown out of or that doesn’t fit any more could make a fun little memento. I like the idea of recycling meaningful dresses into a fun little bracelet I could wear every day.

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Grandma’s Lace

I was working on a submission for a doll swap and found myself interested in cemetery angels. I found some beautiful photos that showed off how wonderful the angels can appear as they age and deteriorate a little. These were made up using a photo transfer and then I just adjusted some of the apparel and wings using some of my grandma’s lace. I love her collection as I know where some of the lace came from – two of my mother’s old dresses are represented by the lace on my angels.

Sometimes I am shocked by the changes in behavior from one generation to the next. Just the way we think about things like crafts. I don’t know how many times I’ve been looking through a new magazine and then driving out to Michaels of Jo Anne’s to get the supplies I need to try the new craft out. I have my grandma’s reclaimed lace, a box of Christmas trims from an estate sale and other examples of a more conservative way of crafting as a very stark contrast to my own behavior of massive consumerisim…

The changes I’ve made as far as doing recycling crafts have certainly saved me some money, I love to get to the end of a new project now and look at not only what it didn’t cost me to do, but what it means to me as far as using what I already have and putting more into the creativity of finding and identifying materials to use in new recycling craft projects.

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