I grabbed a few of these small clip boards at Value Village a while back figuring I’d find some way to jazz them up some day.
I did.
Category Archives: repurposing
Another scrap swap, who’s in!?
Sure it’s only been a month since I recieved my lovely package of fantastic fabric scraps and surprises in the mail but I can’t wait any longer, I want to do it again! So who’s with me?
Sign up here, I’ll take names until Wednesday March 16th . Leave your name and some contact information and I’ll pair us all up. Be ready to commit to shipping your scrap bundle by the end of the month at the latest. This will be open to everyone everywhere so please let me know if you object to international shipping and I’ll match you with someone in your country. Last time we confirmed shipping works in mysterious ways (something I’ve learned running my shop) so if you’re shipping across a border keep in mind it might take a bit.
Ok, so:
– scraps must measure at least 2 inches by 2 inches, there is no maximum size but it is supposed to help you destash your scrap bin so sending fat quarters probably won’t help with that.
– scraps must be clean, and in usable condition
– scraps can be new fabric or vintage reclaimed pieces
– fabrics should be of relatively the same weight, cottons/linens/light canvas so allow for quilting and use in the same project
– send 10-ish ounces to your partner mailed by March 31st
Feel free to add some other goodies or random items if you wish. Check out blogs or shops to get to know your partner, send an email and be friends, most importantly have fun!
Vintage bag plan
So I found some fabric to line the inside of my awesome vintage bright red bag and make it camera and laptop ready. I think it’s actually some sort of kid farm print but it matches great and I love the faux bois look. I was also going to decorate it with some fun sort of design. Being too afraid to do anything permanent I wondered if my Cricut peel and stick vinyl would work. I sketched and cut out a cute little squirel but it didn’t seem like it would stand up to usage. The vinyl stuck well but if I tried to use the pocket or moved that area too much bumps appeared in the vinyl.
So for now I put it on my train case since that’s a harder surface. That’s also where I’m storing all my great vintage linen bits and pieces. I’ve also found some trim and bias tape here and there so it’s there as well.
The expanding collection. There’s more in my other vintage suitcase too.
Posted in fun finds, repurposing, scraps, vintage
Tagged camera bag, laptop bag, train case, vinyl
Making my own awesome camera/laptop bag.
I really, really, really wanted a JoTotes camera bag. Pretty sure I’ve said that a few times. I was being good and saving for the lovely tangerine one but then disaster struck and when I went to actually purchase it they were all sold out. I sent an email and learned they aren’t making that colour again. They’re very sold out, often.
So I implemented a back up plan. I searched on Etsy for vintage bags and narrowed it down to the local shops hoping to skip expensive shipping charges and organize a pick up. I found an awesome bag at this shop. They’ve got fantastic prices, some vintage luggage left, and if you’re in Canada too the shipping is reasonable.
Now I’m working on lining and padding it so I can toss my camera, ipad or lappy. I’m also working on learning photoshop so pardon me while I experiment!
Posted in fun finds, repurposing, sewing, vintage
Tagged camera bag, Etsy, laptop bag, vintage
Vintagey laptop sticker DIY
My last laptop was plastered in fun goofy stickers. Then I got my new shiny Macbook and it’s just been all simple and silver, until now. I tracked down some vintage Contact paper to adorn my lappy. After checking around in a few thrift stores, and frankly just not wanting to wait, I went ahead and ordered some on Etsy. I’ve been checking back frequently and the selection does vary from day to day just in case you want to grab some. Also, be sure to check under the ‘supplies’ and ‘vintage’ categories, you get different results. While I was waiting for my goods to arrive One Pearl Button coincidentally posted a link on covering idevices yourself with helpful links to templates. But I wanted to do my Macbook and the templates don’t take into account the apple cut out. So I got adventurous.
First I used my printer/scanner/copier and made a copy of the front of my laptop so I’d have a copy of the apple logo. Next I carefully cut out the apple with my little exacto knife pen thingie. I placed it over my laptop just to make sure I trimmed it well.
I measured the top of the laptop and guesstimated at the size of the surface area before the slight curve. I have a 13 inch and I figured it was about 12 x 8 1/2.
I cut the apple out of the Con-tact paper, aproximated the center and cut the piece 12 x 8 1/2. Then I used my scrapbooking corner rounder to clip the corners.
Sticking it onto the laptop proved a bit finicky. I didn’t want to start at one side and work my way across so I carefully took the backing off and exposed the sticky side of the Contact paper in the middle where the apple is. This allowed me to line up the apple all nice and straight and then just work my way out towards the edges.
Once it was all nice and flat I opened the cover and examined my handiwork with the apple lit up. There was a spot where I needed to trim and I just used the exacto really gently to shave off a teeny bit. I’m sure happy with the results, I love the grey and yellow combo.
Plus I’ve got some other patterns in my stash and so when I get bored of this I can just peel it off and switch it.
Posted in other crafts, repurposing, tutorial-ish, vintage
Tagged contact paper, cover, DIY, floral, flowers, laptop sticker, sticker, vintage
Marisa works a miracle again!
Remember that unfinished dress I found in a bag of fabric? The shimmery green thing I packed up and sent off to the ever so creative Marisa at New Dress a Day? Well she got around to revamping it.
Head on over to see what she did.
Cheapish sensory fun for kids.
It’s snowy outside. I’ve had this idea for a while but finally got around to it. I grabbed an under bed storage box, 4 bags of elbow pasta, food colouring and rubbing alcohol. I was going to use rice but was told by someone that it can get quite slippy when it spills on the floor. Plus elbows make a noise you can hear and they’re easy to spot and pick up with your bare hands.
My boys loved it and have played in it every day. Wesley insists on calling it ‘macaroni and cheese’, it’s cute. Look, Nate can’t even stop for a drink it’s so much fun!! I tossed in some metal kitchen utensils too since they make fun noises with pouring macaroni.
I had picked up some discount sand toys at the end of the summer with this plan in mind. The entire thing cost me under $20 but you could use any tub (I just wanted hide away storage) and you might have rubbing alcohol and food colouring already on hand. I Googled how to colour pasta, it’s ridiculously simple. Grab a zip lock type bag, pour in about 1/4 cup rubbing alchohol, about 12 drops of colouring and some pasta. I wasn’t exact. It’s pretty easy, more colour, darker pasta . . I’m sure you get it. Leave it sit in the bag sort of flattened and spread out for one hour then turn it over for another hour. Pour it all out onto a cookie sheet with some paper towel or rag on it and let it dry over night. In the morning it’s all good to go!
Note don’t bother trying to colour it yellow it does nothing. I assumed so but had to try just to be sure.
Posted in fun finds, kid fun, repurposing, tutorial-ish
Tagged colouring, dying, fun, indoor, kids, pasta, sensory play
Swap buddies buddied
Using the very high tech system of writing names on pieces of paper and picking them out 2 by 2 I assigned partners. You should have an email from me to you and your swap buddy. Please email your partner at the email I’ve used and give them a mailing address for your goodies. Let me know if you didn’t get an email, or if there’s a problem.
Kait & Erin S
Janee & Wendy
Janet & Ashley Ann
The Mama & Grace
Andrea & Amber
Jessica & Tara
Wendy is in here two times, since she said she’d play twice. She’s so awesome. Some of you mentioned throwing bits of other things in your package and that’s totally cool but please make sure you have at least 10 oz of usable fabric bits and pieces.
I’m going to be posting project ideas to use these, and other scraps, as well as links to scrap busting ideas.
Cheap easy gift/item tags.
I’ve been floundering trying to decide on how to prettily package my items I sell. I know it’s so fun to get something all wrapped up beautifully, it’s enough of a present to get your order, then it’s like another present to have it look beautiful. It doesn’t determine wether or not I re-order from that person, but it does make me smile.
I absolutely adore all the MOO products I’ve accumulated but I’ve noticed it can get pricey to decorate your items with pretty packaging so I was looking for a inexpensive way to create some packaging and reusing things I already have is a bonus.
I gathered some paper stuff I had lying around, used envelopes, those return envelopes that for some reason still come with all the bills I pay online and some pages from an old atlas. I cut them up into little rectangles sized to fit my SewTara custom stamp.
Then I SewTara’d one side, punched a hole at one end and used these cool kraft reinforcements I’ve had sitting around waiting for the perfect use. You can also find white or coloured reinforcements in stores.
On the other side I stuck a small piece of Japanese washi tape to create a little canvas for my thank you message.
This would be a great technique for gift tags. There’s even little ‘To: From:” stamps out there you could use if you didn’t want to just write it. Every year when I pack away the Christmas decorations I keep the stack of cards we received. Next year I’m going to turn those into tag for all our gift giving fun!
Posted in DIY, gifts, papercrafts, repurposing, scraps, tutorial-ish
Scrap Swap anyone?
If you’ve been sewing for any amount of time you’ve already noticed how quickly scraps can accumulate. If you’re anything like me, afraid to throw any little bit out in case you can use it later, you have a bunch lying around of various shapes and sizes. Soooooooo I thought why not share the scrap love and do a little scrap swapping!?
Recently I went through my scraps and sort of organzed them into little piles. I’ve been saving 4×4 inch japanese fabric scraps, well and to be honest I’ve ordered some from Etsy here and there, in hopes I can make a fun quilt some day. I also spent some time cutting my scraps into 2×2 squares for some projects I have in mind. I plan on featuring some fun tutorials to help you make use of your scraps, as well as link to some of the ideas already out there and maybe, just maybe, a source of two in case you have a little scrap collecting problem like someone I know.
If you would like to participate just sign up here, I’ll keep taking names until Wednesday January 26th. Then I’ll spend some time matching us all up while you prepare your bundle. Make sure your correct email is in the comment, or enter it with your name when you say you want in. Also, it might be fun to know where you live so we can mix things up a bit. Probably won’t be too exciting if someone is matched with an almost neighbour, just in case you shop at the same fabric store! Be ready to commit to shipping your scrap bundle by the end of the month, we’ll go with the 31st just to make it easy. This will be open to everyone everywhere so please let me know if you object to international shipping and I’ll match you with someone in your country.
Ok, so the guidlines:
– scraps must measure at least 2 inches by 2 inches, there is no maximum size but it is supposed to help you destash your scrap bin so sending fat quarters probably won’t help with that.
– scraps must be unwashed, clean, and in usable condition
– scraps can be new fabric or vintage reclaimed pieces
– fabrics should be of relatively the same weight, cottons/linens/light canvas so allow for quilting and use in the same project
– send 10-ish ounces to your partner mailed by January 31st
