Basket Make Over

Hello Everyone!

I'm pretty excited today to reveal the Basket Make Over I posted about finding at the thrift store. Originally the basket was pink and cream on the outside and blue gingham check on the inside. The lining was pretty stained and beat up but the price was good so I figured it could be revamped with a new lining and be put to use as storage in the studio.  So without further ado, here is the newly re-made basket! 

And with a little new fabric from Swell by Urban Chicks for Moda, we have a new look!  I sewed the lining and added a pleated ruffle and used red binding tape to finish the edges. There was a slight error on my measurements so I just came back in with some more dotted fabric above the red binding. Everything was hot glued into place.  

This is the lid area where I used red craft felt and a piece of snap tape to finish off the edges. The corners are faux mitered due to the challenges of using a HOT glue gun in a tight space. To faux miter the corners I laid down strips of tape on each short side corner to corner, on the long sides I folded the corners to make a mock miter. 

I rather liked the outside of the basket in its cream and pink and so I chose to just enhance the pink a bit with a my dressmakers chalk. I found it by accident in my sewing drawer when I was looking for something to mark the felt. Who knew it was almost a match for the pink already on the basket! I rub it on the ridges and then sprayed a light coat of clear spray over it to keep the chalk from rubbing off.  


Keep your eyes peeled for old baskets at thrift stores and garage sales, they are easily transformed into great storage pieces!  


Happy Crafting! 


Linking to Sew Many Ways http://www.sewmanyways.blogspot.com, http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

May Day

Hello Everyone!

Happy first day of  May!  Can you hear the shouts of HELP! HELP! HELP! (May Day, May Day, May Day!) coming from this screen? Last week I was taking a leap of faith in linking to Make a Friend Friday, over at Sew Many Ways! This week I'm in the process of learning how to add new features to my blog. Maybe you already know about linking up, gadgets, buttons and such  if you are the least bit computer savvy, but for me, it is a big learning curve.  I'm not the most techno-savvy person you'll meet but I do enjoy learning new (to me) things from time to time.  So bear with me while I make these changes and feel free to offer advice or how-to information (be kind and K.I.S.S.).  I was recently thrilled when Karen of Sew Many Ways shared with me how to "fix" my email issue (thanks Karen!).  On her blog she provides a nice tutorial called Blog Buddy in which she answers blogging questions. Check it out! http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com. Oh, you will love this blog! She has wonderful tips and projects! Tell her I sent you!

Anyhoo, you might notice (I hope) the two new pages that are under construction? They are  Bible Verse Journal and Art Journal just in case you didn't see them.  I'm pretty geeked up about sharing these journals with you!  Here's a bit of a "pre-construction zone" view of  the Bible Verse Journal and how it all started only a week ago.  I was checking out some blogs that had recently peaked my interest on Pinterest when I came across  a blog artist named Nancy Babb, and her blog site http://polly-wollydoodle.blogspot.com/  (love that name!) and instantly was drawn to her Bible Verse Challenge page. After reading the challenge and praying about it, I wrote a note to my BFF who had just that day told me that she wanted to do "more spiritual artwork" and asked her to check it out and tell me if she would like to have a little challenge.  She promptly replied, "YES!" and we agreed that we would do a private daily challenge using the Bible verses provided by http://www.biblegateway.com.  I would encourage you to check out Polly-Wolly Doodle  and sign up to participate with Nancy on her Bible Verse Challenge! And I hope you will come back and follow along with me on this journey of both spiritual and artistic growth.  

Now, let me tell you give you my disclaimer on the Art Journal. I don't consider myself an artist really, I just like to dabble and play with my art supplies, paper and scissors. The Art Journal is where I go to work out the stuff in my head.  Doodles, colors, thought process, etc.  Some times the pages are Smash work. Smash work is where you put bits and pieces you've collected during the day  into a journal page....I like that kind of art myself, especially when traveling, it is a great way to keep a daily page reminder without lots of writing. Have glue stick will travel!! Maybe I'll make a Travel Journal page to share with you!  Any way, the point of the Art Journal is to do something daily, I don't always have time to do a page a day but when I do, it is a joy to work in my journal. I look forward to sharing my journals with you.
Blessings!
Suzy

Friday Blog Link Up

Hello Everyone!

I thought I would take a great leap of faith today after reading a blog post over on sewmanyways.blogspot.com. I linked up with Find a Friend Friday (FaFF). First time I've ever done such a thing but I thought why not?  Immediately, I started checking out some of the other links and found some very interesting and wonderful blogs and as an added bonus, some are linked to Pinterest.  Don't know what Pinterest is? Well, it is my latest obsession on the internet for sure! An on-line bulletin board where you can collect ideas that you might like to try or just like in general. The most amazing thing is that you can create boards to pin to and pin ideas from others! Now, some people frown on this, but others are delighted to share their creations and ideas. If I go to a blog site and the person does not have the Pinterest logo or they specifically say Don't Pin, I honor their request for privacy. Also, giving credit where credit is due is important but you don't need me to lecture on this, you can read the rules for yourself.  I personally think Pinterest is a fabulous way to collect things without hoarding up your house! I'm beginning to think that I am becoming a bit of a pin-hoarder. LOL!  Well, it is fun and if you haven't tried it, do take a look around. It will open your world to some new and beautiful places, people and things!  Have fun and let me know if you sign up! www.pinterest.com  Oh and please, come follow me! I'd love to share my boards with you! Have a great weekend!

Found Basket...Now what?

Hello Everyone! 

Found this basket at Goodwill, $1.99. Now that is a bargain anyone would have trouble passing up, right?  Love that it has a blush of pink on the outside.  

The blue and white gingham check lining was filthy. I ripped it out, but kept the pieces to make another pattern. 

Now what? Still waiting on an idea to come to me. 

Yes, it definitely needs to be relined with a more feminine fabric to go with the pink, perhaps even something as simple as muslin would look lovely?  Eventually this basket will find a home on a shelf in the studio and be designated for storing craft items. I'll keep you posted.....meanwhile if you have any ideas, send them my way!  

Hope you are having a wonderful day today! 

Linked to: http://www.freckledlaundry.com & http://www.sewmanyways.blogspot.com

Spring Revamp

Hello Everyone! 

 It's Spring Project Time!  It's that time of the year when I finish old projects and begin new ones.  How about you? Do you have Unfinished Projects at your house?  Now is the time to dig them out of  your closets and get to work on finishing them!  If you are inclined to not finish a project you have to ask yourself why am I procrastinating on this project.  Be honest, if you really don't like the way it is going you  might consider changing a portion of the design or a color or if you really hate it, then pass it along to a friend if they seem interested, you can always put it away but I encourage you to re-think the process and then jump in and try to finish it.  I'm talking from experience here folks, about the projects that I have come to dislike for one reason or another.  Mostly it is because I ran into a problem and couldn't think of a solution at  the time and I put the project away.  You know, outta sight, outta mind and sometimes a project just needs some time to come together. 

 I've recently been working in the junk, er, guest room, here are some of the projects I did for that room.  

Day Trundle bed replaced a lumpy pull out couch.  Made the Hawaiian Applique Palm Trees and Turtle Pillows.

Palm Tree pattern

Turtle pattern

Crackle finish on desk top.

Revamped an old brown desk to give it a fresh look.

Next up is the foot stool I have been working on.  This is where I had an idea that didn't quite work out the way I planned and I had to go with Plan B.  Put the project away for a bit and see if another idea comes along that will work. 

Painted legs for re-vamping foot stool in progress. 

 My granddaughter Brianne loves to color and "make art", she needed some "art" for her room so I found a coloring book with these designs and turned them into painted canvases for her bedroom.  

Lady Bug Lady Bug painting from coloring book .

Dink-Dink 

 Dink-Dink is the name of Brianne's stuffed caterpillar. The name comes from a caterpillar on Baby Einstein DVD, when the caterpillar comes on the screen it make a sound like dink-dink, so we started calling it Dink-Dink. 

Bee Happy is for Brianne.


I hope you are inspired to start cleaning out and revamping projects today!  A great way to celebrate Spring! Have a great weekend!

I'm linking to: Sew Many Ways...

A Little Valentine Love

Hello Everyone!


Valentine's Day was a week ago,  but I thought you might like to see some handmade Valentine cards made for those special people in my life.

                A vintage look made by gathering a rose tissue paper to make a ruffle along the  edges of the card.

                                  I gathered more pink tissue paper to give the heart an added dimension.

                                        I went for a Vintage Valentine with Modern twist look here.

                                                       This is the Sweet Heart Look.

For my girls. 

Hand stamped "lovelovelove" on background. Love Love Love the white XOX in white gel pen. 

I made these t-shirt nighties for my granddaughters. 

The gathered ruffles on the sleeves and hem are made from recycled t-shirts I cut up for this project. 

                                             The hearts are free-hand and hand painted.


 Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and that you had the opportunity to do something special for your loved ones too! 
Suzy

Routine and Change

Hello There!
      It is Thursday already, this week seems to be going by in a hurry for some reason.  I always feel the first three months of the new year go by quickly, or maybe that is how long it takes me to remember to write the correct year! LOL.  Can't tell you how many times I've written 2011 this past month!
     I've been thinking about how as we age we become more like our parents, following certain routines each day. Now, don't roll your eyes because believe me, one day you will be just like this! That's a guarantee.  It's not all bad, really.  I was wondering about routines and if it is only noticeable as we get older or if maybe we have been doing this all along? When we were children it was just what we did everyday, when we became parents, we put our babies on a "schedule" and later in the workforce, it became the "daily grind", now that we are older, it is called "routine". Let's face it, everyone has a routine whether you choose to call it that or not, that is what it is. Maybe the difference is where you are in the age process. How flexible you are in your daily habits?
      Whatever, it is still routine, call it what you may. I kinda like it (routine) because I know what I need to do next.  Of course there are variations to the routine from time to time along with the interruptions. Interruptions are dreaded by some, like the plague, or they can be bright moments that bring joy to your day (week, month or year)!  It is called CHANGE, ewwwhhh, I know, that little six letter word strikes fear into the heart of many and brings delight to others. Some people fear change, others embrace it; I'm guessing that it depends on what change it brings to your life.  Maybe change comes to break the monotony of routine!  As an older person, change can be difficult to work into a routine, but it is important as we age to stay open to change.
      I hope to be able to embrace changes when they come into my life, whether they are good or difficult and to see the lesson in each one. Hopefully, to learn what is necessary to grow spiritually, to count my blessings each time.  To "live and learn", I've heard that all my life and that is what change is about, learning life's lessons and whether or not you get it the first time around or need remedial lessons to remember what to do or not to do in the future.  So routine isn't a bad thing and neither is change, it just depends on how you take it and what you do with it. I'm wondering how many people would take routine over change if given a choice?
     Have a wonderful week and enjoy your routines, embrace changes and count your blessings!