Vintage Finds!

So don't you love stumbling upon something amazing that no one wants?  Awhile ago I walked over to my grandparents' place, which is literally over the river and through the woods.  Almost anyway- it's a creek really, not a river.  My sweet grandparents are not living now, but their place it still there.  My parents gave us some of their land, which was once my grandfather's, so we built a house, and we all live up on this hill.

When I was a little girl, I would go into the feed house to get the horse feed.  It was in a big barrel and it smelled of something sweet.  I would scoop it up with an old coffee can, and take it to "Tumbleweed", my father's old pony.  There are no horses to feed now, but the feed house is still there, storing some of my family's old things.  I took a peek inside, and I spotted a chalkboard.  An amazing chalkboard.  I found some other things too, and after talking to my dad, I brought my husband back and we rescued some really cool stuff. 

We got the chalkboard of course, which I am really excited about, because a nice chalkboard can be pretty pricey.  No pic yet of that, I will show you when it is up on the wall.

I think this chair is beautiful.  I have a lady who has reupholstered several pieces of furniture for me, and she took a look and  is confident she can fix it.

Vintage buttons.  Need I say more?

This handmade skirt.  I don't know who made it, but it is in excellent condition.  I have already paired it with a tee and some amazing red wedge sandals I got for my birthday.

We also found some old toys and fabric of my mom's.  I am told that there is a couple of old typewriters over there as well, but it might take some time to find them.

Giving new life to old things is truly satisfying!  Wouldn't you agree?

Techy Bling

My husband came home from work awhile back and showed me an unwanted processor he planned to make into a key chain. I saw the potential as well in that little gadget and asked him if he could get me one too.

It was sparkly and pretty and unique. I thought it would make a really interesting necklace. My man put the hole in it and added a ring.

Also, it's kind of a nod to my computer whiz hubby!

Some Sewing Links You Might Like

I was able to get a little sewing done last week, and just thought I'd pass along some cool refashioning links. I love being able to take something I already own, and give it a whole new look.

I found this brilliant idea, and thought it was a great solution to buying skinny jeans. Have you ever tried on skinny jeans? I tried a pair on two sizes bigger than my regular size and they were way too tight! I had this pair of flared jeans that fits my curvy frame, and I didn't mind cutting into them. They turned out pretty good. They aren't quite as skinny around the ankles as your typical skinny jeans, but I was afraid they would turn out just looking really unfashionably tapered. At the bottom of the post she gives tips for adult jeans. The measurement I used for mine was 2 1/2 inches. And speaking of jeans, I tried a great method for hemming jeans a while back. Check it out here; it's genius, and so easy!



I also made a simple jumper for my two year old out of one of my shirts. This shirt never really fit me right, and the color wasn't that flattering. But such adorable fabric and details; I knew it had a life as something else. I just placed one of my daughter's A-line dresses on top, and traced it, adding a little extra for seam allowance. Maybe now I'll have the confidence to try this tutorial. I cut the neck and arms a little too big, but it turns out it also looks cute on my eight year old as a shirt. So, no harm done really.

There are many more refashioning ideas I'm hoping to try as I get the time. I'll be sure to pass them along.


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Cheap-O Christmas Decorating

My husband says I have expensive taste. Maybe that's true. Yep it is true. However, I also love getting something from nothing, being resourceful, and being a good steward. I love decorating my home with things I already have on hand.
I always wanted a way to display my antique cookie cutters in my kitchen for the holidays. A wreath would be perfect I thought, so I went outside and cut a bit off my boxwood. I used floral stems I had in the closet to fashion a wreath shape. Then I reinforced that with floral wire. I wired the boxwood around the shape in small amounts. Then I used a little wire to secure the cutters. It's a little wonky I'll admit, still cute though. I was thinking some red and white bakers twine would be perfect to accent this with.
There was a concern about how long it would last, but it's been hanging in my kitchen window for five days and it still looks pretty fresh. I couldn't get a good picture of it in the window because of the lighting. Hopefully, you get the idea.



My other cheap project was something I saw several years ago in Better Homes and Gardens. I made this star garland out of old Christmas cards. I always hang onto those, and this is a much better use of them instead of being packed away. I used a star cookie cutter for the template. They are strung onto tweed colored yarn. It's hanging in our little art room. Again, kind of crappy photography. Maybe you'll be inspired to try it anyway.





I love homemade Christmas decorations! What are your favorite ideas for decorating on a budget?

Save the planet and some room in your cupboard

Every time I come home from grocery shopping, I get annoyed at all those plastic bags. Do I throw them away or stuff them into a cabinet? Here's a great idea I found in a Martha Stewart magazine for reusable shopping bags. It's better for the environment, plus I found a new use for all of those t-shirts of my husband's he doesn't wear anymore.

You will need:
a sewing machine
disappearing ink fabric pen
9 inch diameter bowl
heavyweight cotton t-shirt
scissors



1. Turn t-shirt inside out and sew the bottom closed over the existing hemstitch. Turn right side out, and lay on a flat surface with seams aligned.
2. Invert bowl, and place it over the neck so that only half the bowl is covering the shirt.
3. With pen, trace the rim of the bowl onto the t-shirt.
4. Cut along the traced line through both layers of fabric to make opening. Then line up sleeves and cut each sleeve off to create handles.



Voila! This was so easy. I made several in just a few minutes.