Stuff I found while looking around

If you follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter you already know that I am spending my morning with the orthopaedic surgeon having my tendon reattached. Don't be jeal.

To keep it short: My finger was caught between two large mirror fragments; the tendon is severed and must be reattached; the nerves are also cut so I'm not in much pain (yet); I finally get to live my elementary school dream of having a cast for all my friends to sign.

Since my hunt and peck finger gets worn out pretty quickly that's all the verbiage you get today. Instead, I thought I'd share some things I found while futzing around on the web. Click on the images for source info and details. Enjoy!

P.S. Any tips on how to handle my inevitable DIY withdrawal?

Hot Days of Homemeade: Two Months Down

I'll be the first to admit it, my summer without buying anything new has not been what I expected. If you remember, I issued myself a mission statement for Summer 2012:

This means I make my clothes if I want new clothes, I make curtains if I want curtains, I gift handmade gifts, etc. For things I cannot make, I will buy secondhand.

 But that's not really how it has gone so far.  Apparently, if I want new clothes I go to thrift and second-hand store to buy clothes. If I want new curtains, I covet a whole mess of expensive curtains and wait for fall to get here. I've done okay on the gift thing, though.

Imperial Candlewick (or Anchor Hocking Orchard Crystal) serving set I found for my mom

It isn't as though I haven't made anything. I did remake three pairs of pants and shorts (here, here, and here). I also put together a swanky blankie for my dear friend, Julie, and her new baby girl.

It has a fun,patchwork mix of textured fabrics for Baby Blake to enjoy and it is made entirely out of scraps.

Okay, I suppose I could give myself a little credit.  I'm still bothered by the amount of stuff I've managed to buy in just two months.  In fact, I think it might warrant further exploration. What say you, internet?  Do you find yourself buying things absentmindedly or are you strong-willed and impervious to marketing?

Hot days of Homemade: Fail...or not

You guys, literally within days of announcing my Hot Days of Homemade challenge I found myself wanting, even needing, new stuff!

via Pinterest

That very day, in fact, most of my potted herbs had a tussle with the wind and ended up with broken pots. But I didn't buy any (and boy has my lavender suffered for it).

Then, some of my new running goals have made me really really want more running "stuff." You know, sunglasses that don't slip off my nose, a digital watch with timer - stuff. But I haven't bought any.

Then my steam mop broke. I took apart and put it back together again (with a part or two left over) but it stayed broken. I can only clean floors by hand for so much of the day. So, I had to buy a new mop. I haaaad to.

But, and this is the really bad part, while buying a mop all sorts of other things started speaking to me. And I was weak. So I broke down and bought new kitchen mats from a big box store.

Fail.

I'd hang my head in shame, but why? It wouldn't be called a challenge if it were easy.Plus, don't tell anyone, but I'm not perfect. That is totally a secret, okay, Internet?

So instead of beating myself up over a slip up I'm going to celebrate...

The awesome sleep mask and headband I made for Em's teacher using a thrifted silk scarf and some scrap fabric;

Em's homemade Father's Day gift to Ben;

We copied one of Disney's amazing ideas.

 and my handmade (not by me) gift to him;

Handmade - check; locally made - check; upcycled - check. Totally counts for the challenge.

and, finally, these way cute cropped pants I just finished altering!

Designer crops thrifted for $2.00, altered for free (by me!)

So forget that whole fail part; we'll call it a "stumble." Now, the question is whether or not I'll slip up again when I go to London.

I'm sure you'll wait to hear with bated breath. In the meantime, what are you making, mending, upcycling during these hot days?

The Hot Days of Homemade

I know on Tuesday I promised you more fashion advice for summer and I'll definitely get to that.  Later. Right now, I have a crazy summer plan I'm dying to share with you. I'm calling it...

wait for it...

Hot Days of Homemade!

Dragon Dress tutorial via Craftster

Okay, you probably guessed that from the title.

Here's the deal. I seem to always want more; more clothes (for both Emily and me), more shoes, more accessories, more stuff to decorate my home. I also have a really long list of projects I'd like to tackle. Plus, I'm big on upcycling, recycling, and DIY. Finally, I want to increase my sewing skills. So I put all these things together and issued myself a challenge.

No New, Store-bought Stuff For Three Months!

From UPPERCASE Magazine via Pinterest

  

This means I make my clothes if I want new clothes, I make curtains if I want curtains, I gift handmade gifts, etc. For things I cannot make, I will buy secondhand. Do I seem completely crazy? If I do that probably isn't anything new to you guys.

What do you think?  Could you, would you spend your hot summer days joining me in this sort of challenge?

Studio Snap

I wonder which holiday I am preparing for these days...

Treasury Tuesday

Dream a Little Dream...

Treasury by Jennifer at Clay Bouquet Shop

heart-to-heart

Thanks to the Etsy favorites feature, I have hearts, you have hearts, we all have hearts! Here, we’ll hop from heart-to-heart each week, progressively adding to our heart trail as we follow the favorites from one seller to the next.

When Thanksgiving dinner here in America called us away from our heart trail we were puckering up for


...FIGandYARROW {Basil Cardamom Lip Balm} who hearts

...RhapsodyAttic {Hollywood RegencyLamp} who hearts

...Junkyard Glitter {Vintage Frame} who hearts

...StudioBotanica {Handmade Christmas Ornaments} who hearts

...Rare Bird {Chairs Fine Art Print} who hearts

...Amelia Bath and Body {Oatmeal Soap} who hearts

...take some time to relax by the fire; we'll pick up the trail again 'round Boxing Day.

For every girl, a garter

Variations on a theme: Pleats in Tulle

What's your variation?

Stuff and Things: Friday

I'm not here right now and there is no beep after which you can leave a message. Instead, I'm using this week off to share some things I found Pinteresting.

My Emily has her own sense of style and, well, it isn't quite my sense of style. I wouldn't have it any other way, but if my kid dressed like Suri Cruise instead of Punky Brewster, I'd definitely be making this upcylced number.

Kalleen, who lives at Second Street, made this autumn eyelet number out of a ladies skirt. Because she's awesome.

For more photos of Kalleen's sweet girl is this sweet little dress go here.

When you were a kid were you a Punky Brewster or a Suri Cruise or something else entirely? As I said, there is no beep prompting you to leave a message, but I'd love to read your comments below.

heart-to-heart

Thanks to the Etsy favorites feature, I have hearts, you have hearts, we all have hearts! Here, we’ll hop from heart-to-heart each week, progressively adding to our heart trail as we follow the favorites from one seller to the next.

Earlier this month, when I sent you to rake your leaves, I paused  at

...OfTheFountain {Custom Leather Luggage Tags} who hearts

...feltess {Felted Snails Cake Topper} who hearts

...julie and co. {Decorative Ball} who hearts

...ABCS4U {Apple Green Beaker Spice Rack} who hearts

...PegandAwl {Chalkboard Tablets} who hearts

...FIGandYARROW {Basil Cardamom Lip Balm} who hearts

...sorry kids, turkey and naps in Texas before we pick up the trail again.

A vintage rustic fall garter

I cannot believe I never shared this garter with you guys!  I'm really slipping.

When Nicole contacted me I instantly knew I wanted to work with her.  She had an idea of what she wanted, but she knew what she didn't want: no lace, no bows, no froo-froo. Then, she sent me this photo for inspiration.

I love everything about this! Those gloves! That china! A RACCOON! After a little back and forth with Nicole, I came up with this.

This custom garter is made of sooty gray linen stitched into overlapping patches. I left the edges unfinished because, honestly, linen is like love - most beautiful when it is raw. The petersham ribbon brings a richness with its deep honey tones and makes for a tailored contrast against the grainy linen. Vintage buttons, and cream-colored baker's twine echo the vintage feel and weave of the bride's sweet wrist-length gloves.

This is, honestly, one of my favorite garters ever. How about you? Are you more vintage and less lace or do you go for something with a more traditional feel?

heart-to-heart

Thanks to the Etsy favorites feature, I have hearts, you have hearts, we all have hearts! Here, we’ll hop from heart-to-heart each week, progressively adding to our heart trail as we follow the favorites from one seller to the next.

When we last wandered along our heart trail we stopped at

...ouma {Ombre Ruffled Skirt} who hearts

...Kroowka {Black Tulip Parasol} who hearts

...TwilaJeanVintage {Lilli Ann Mid-Century Coat} who hearts

...souvenirsouvenir {Black and White Polka Dot Gloves} who hearts

...Retroties {1950s Chocolate Kid Gloves} who hearts

...TheBoominGranny {Shoe Leather Cream} who hearts

...well, that's for me to know and you to find out!

heart-to-heart

Thanks to the Etsy favorites feature, I have hearts, you have hearts, we all have hearts! Here, we’ll hop from heart-to-heart each week, progressively adding to our heart trail as we follow the favorites from one seller to the next.

Last month left our heart trail with

...Ida Estelle {Moroccan Wrap Bracelets} who hearts

...fairysomnia {Moose Watercolor} who hearts

...Kerrera Skye {Knit Fingerless Gloves} who hearts

...Paper Polaroid {Paper Heart Garland} who hearts

...Pillow Pallooza {Pixelated Felt Pillow} who hearts

...ouma {Ombre Ruffled Skirt} who hearts

...can you guess?

Craft-along: Flower tutorial 4

For other blossom tutorials and the more info about this craft-along please click here.

I'm sure this will come as a huge shocker, but sometimes I start making something and it ends up being something else entirely. That's what happened with today's flower.  I set out making a flat-ish bloom and ended up with a fabulously frilly carnationesque number.  And I love it!

I like it so much, in fact, that I'm changing my whole flower wreath blossom scheme. Do you want a ruffly carnation for your wreath? Well let's go, then!

Craft-along flower 3: Marigold (not actually gold)

For other blossom tutorials and the more info about this craft-along please click here.

I think today's flower looks like a marigold.

via

Except that it's navy.

And if I can make a navy marigold, you can make an any-color-you-want marigold. Ready?

Heart-to-Heart

First, a disclaimer of sorts. I would love to take credit for the entire Heart-to-Heart concept, but I can't. I found this awesome feature on Scoutie Girl some time ago when it was being done by Jan Dicintio.  When Jan left Scoutie Girl so she could focus more on her shop Daisy Janie, I offered begged to be allowed to continue the feature. Alas, Scoutie Girl has also opted to shift its focus and Heart-to-Heart will no longer be posted there. But I just can't let it go so, without further ado...

Thanks to the Etsy favorites feature, I have hearts, you have hearts, we all have hearts! Here, we’ll hop from heart-to-heart each week, progressively adding to our heart trail as we follow the favorites from one seller to the next.

Our trail starts where I left off at Scoutie Girl with

…Romy66 {Lion Fish} who hearts

...Cathy Morell {Cotton Blossom Collar} who hearts

...Stacey Creel {Hammered Copper Earrings} who hearts

...Lori Hammer {Butterfly Cuff} who hearts

...SquirrelNuts {Alligator Charms} who hearts

...StoriesDivinations {Vintage Maps Card} who hearts

...stop back by to find out!

It's a jungle in here!

You may remember back in November when I made Emily some pretty jazzy pajama pants thanks to a lesson from a woman who is pretty jazzy herself. Well, last month I e-mailed her to set up a second lesson only to discover she doesn't know how to sew clothes! (Okay, this is sort of a lie.  Susan is a fantastic seamstress so she could very well sew clothes, she just hasn't ever done it). I was soooo sad. But, because she is such a doll, Susan referred me to the undeniably fabulous Allison of Sew Be It Clothier.

Allison is a lifestyle ninja (I just coined that phrase). Seven years ago she had a bilateral mastectomy and kicked breast cancer soundly in the rear.   To celebrate she hangs a pink bra - the only one she owns - on her front door for the month of February.  How fab is that?  She works at Costco, teaches sewing, has an Etsy shop, gives her husband a hard time, has a hoppin' social life, and never turns off her coffee pot. This woman seriously knows how to get everything she wants out of life.  I think I love her.

Well, we started talking the second she greeted me at my car door and did not shut up for the next four hours.  It was awesome. And when all was said and done she had shown me how to take this:

Simplicity Pattern 3902

...and turn it into this:

When Emily selected that material I was dubious.  I should have known she'd pick something totally wild based on her past fashion record. But once I started seeing the dress come together, Oh my gosh!

 It came out so well. Just look at that sweetheart neckline! Yeah, I did that!

 It is just perfect for the prowling, posturing, posing, pouncing wildcat that is my Emily!