Stuffed shirts.

One last post to show you what I've made in preparation for my demonstration on Thursday night.  3 cushions covers made from men's shirts.  

The circle cushions are both (obviously) made from old button up/collared shirts.  The square one is made from an old polo that husby was throwing out.  I almost stopped breathing when I started to cut into that Ralph Lauren shirt (top left), but my dad assured me he would never wear it again and I could cut into it.  

I did my first button hole on the square cushion cover!!  It took me a good 20 mins to figure out how to even attach the appropriate foot on the sewing machine, but I got there in the end.  I probably could have made the hole a little smaller, but I am nonetheless pleased with my effort.  

I'll have to remember to take photos on Thursday night of all my demo items and display.  Husby also mentioned that he thinks the round cushions looks like old mens round bellies, and I have to agree.  Funny!  See ya!

A new use for those old nasty ties!

I was in an Op Shop quite a while ago that was doing a HUGE cleanout of their stock and had their ties marked at $1.  I went to town!!!!  I think I bought about 10 or so.  Some were really fantastic.  So fantastic that I didn't get to keep all of them for my own upcycling use, because husby stole some!  I then put the word out amongst friends that when they do closet clean outs, to give me all their toss worthy items and I would see if I could use them or not.  Soon after a friend gave me a huge bag of old ties her husband has been meaning to toss for some time!  I was super excited. 

Now, I have been asked to do a demonstration at a womens church activity on how to decorate your home using the things you already have, or on the cheap.  I am pretty excited about doing this and have been whipping up a few extra things to demonstrate.  I will be showing some of these ideas to you over the upcoming week or so! 

First I want to show you what I did with some of my awesome old tie collection!  I was sitting on my craft room floor a few nights ago and spread all my awesome ties out in front of me.  I had no idea what I was going to do with them, but I knew that if I stared at them long enough, inspiration would EVENTUALLY strike!!  I was laying some of the co-ordinating ties by each other, thinking over some of the tie creations I had seen in the past - dresses, bags, skirts - and it hit me!!  A TABLE RUNNER!!  I picked my favourite colour combo and got started.  Husby thought I was nuts!  Here is what I ended up with.

Even husby liked it once I had finished it all off!  I am loving it too!  I think it's just fun and different and colourful.  Not to everyone's taste, but that's ok!  I'll be back soon with more fun stuff!

Old jeans upcycle.

I keep alot of old clothes with intentions to find an upcycling project to use them for.  Yesterday I had some success with my intentions!!!  I decided that I needed to make a bunch of new headbands for myself.  I only had a few and there just isn't enough variety!!!  So I pulled out one of my storage tubs with old clothes in them, and on the top was a pair of old jeans.  I pulled them out and thought that a denim headband would look fantastic!!! 

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out.  What do you think?

I think I'll be making a few more just like this!  I have already got a few compliments today.  Best part is, they're easy to make!

It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN *dun na na na, dun na na na na*

#28

After this post, there are only THREE left to do.. and technically my post on the 31st will be announcing the winner of my giveaway so there is only TWO more blog posts I have to come up with.  YAY!!!

Well I finished the box.  It is slightly more amazing then last time.  Some of you know the story, and others may not.  Basically I bought the plain wooden box and painted all the edges a Antique White which turned out to be a darkish cream colour and then glued the paper on, and then distressed with brown ink.  The colours don't show up too well on the camera but all three colours/designs clashed and I hated it!  So here is the before.

And then came the not so fun part.  Getting it all off.  Hello lactic acid in the arms!!

The cream paint was THICK.  I did SO many coats of the stuff.  It started like this..

And I sanded it down to this...

It's hard to see the difference but I pretty much got it back to the original wood.  I did this to all the painted parts of the box.  So the rim around the top (in the picture), the underside of the lid, the interior of the box, and the trim around the outside of the box.  It took forever.

Then it was time to spray paint!  Luckily for me the sun was shining nice and bright and it only took about 10 mins for each coat to dry.  So it was all done in about 30 mins.

But there was already a dilema.  I used cheap and nasty spray paint and on the trip upstairs I managed to chip paint off in three places.  I immediately felt discouraged, but got over it quickly and came up with some solutions.  Next was glueing the paper down.  Last time I just cut the paper to size, put PVA on the wood and stuck the paper on top.  This time I wanted to seal the paper in so it couldn't be water damaged.  So I put PVA over the top aswell.  As I stuck down each piece of paper, I used my hairdryer to dry the glue before putting on the next piece.  This made the process 10 times faster, but the sound of the hairdryer going for about 2 hours gave me a headache (which isn't hard to do).  But I just ignored it because I was determined to finish the darn box!

The paper rippled.  I did my best to smooth it but in the end decided to get over it and pick my battles.  This was a battle I didn't have the patience to deal with.  I'm glad I ignored it too, cause in the end you can hardly see it.

Next came some sanding in random spots, distressing with black ink and a sponge, and then a coat of glitter paint to seal it all (so there is no more white paint being chipped off!) to finish it off.  I did this on the underside of the lid, the trim on the lid...

...the interior of the box, and then the bottom trim of the box.  Then I glittered the rest of the box and dryed it.  And I ended up with this!

But I wasn't done yet.. I still needed a knob on top.  I thought that I'd love a glass or clear plastic knob, but when I went to Bunnings this afternoon, I quickly discovered it wasn't going to happen.  I could have ventured to craft stores to find the exact knob I was looking for, but I felt sick, weak and hungry and decided to just get this handle..

It's a kitchen one, but I like it.  There were SO many to choose from but this one was my absolute favourite.  Now all I need to do is wait for hubby to attach it.  I'm not game to use his brand new manly power drill yet.  I know how to use them.  It's just his is new and he probably doesn't want ME to use it hehe.  But isn't it SO MUCH BETTER now!!  Yay!!  I'm so glad it turned out this time :)

All this fuss is for this little angel..

Who loves vegemite :)

Next on the list to get done before our trip in TWO WEEKS (woohoo) is for my nephew.  I need to paint Thomas the Tank Engine characters onto these 4 wooden train cut outs I bought.  Then I'll make it into a garland to put in his bedroom.  My nephew loves many things.  Thomas & Buzz being probably the main two, closely followed by being a Kangaroo carrying his Joey.

I'm thinking of making him a pouch and tail next year.  He loves to dress up and use his imagination.

Well that's all from me for the day.  Thank you all for the lovely comments you leave on my blog every day.  It is so nice to be appreciated and to get to know all of you and what you get up to in your spare moments.

Friday tomorrow!! YIPEE!!

Until then...

The big Five-O amongst other ramblings.

#27
Well I'm almost at 50 folks.  Only two more to go.  Pretty exciting actually.

Did you know I actually don't own a sewing machine?  The one I use belongs to my mum.  She bought it when she was 18.  Bernie has been going strong all these years.  Bernie usually lives at my house, and has some quite some time.  Recently Mum asked if she could "borrow" her sewing machine.  I said no, I was in the middle of something, and she sheepishly said ok.  Then I thought what an awful daughter I was denying access to something that actually belongs to her, so I took it over and we have now been apart for a week (it feels like a month).

So my creativity has halted to some degree.  I suddenly feel like I can't do ANYTHING without a sewing machine.  (and Beverley doesn't help by always telling me to make bunting haha)....

BUT I have an idea.  It was about the 20th idea I had tonight (the first 19 ideas required a sewing machine).  You know that box I made for my niece?  The one I hate.  The one I told you about and showed you and you all thought I was crazy for thinking it was feral?

(this is the box incase you're not up to date)

Well I have another idea.  I don't know if it's going to work, but I'm giving it a bash and I'm excited.






It requires sandpaper, glue, an old music book from the Op Shop, white spray paint, black ink, and a clear plastic knob that I will find at Bunnings (or else I might cry) and some elbow grease.  That ugly box has a new life ahead of it and I hope like hell that it works.

Isn't that music and picture awesome?  Reminds me of my old piano learning days.  Tomorrow this book will be in pieces!

 And I'm suddenly wondering if these awesome paper doiley's might come in handy for the box.  I'll just have to have a play around.

Here's to better luck this time around!!
 
And right about now I want to do a linky party thing where people show me their failures and how they fixed them, but that's just way too advanced for me right now.  I only just got a sign off name so one step at a time Christy!


Here are a few other things I picked up the other day.

I bought these pins cause everyone seemed to have them.  I didn't understand WHY until tonight when I took them out of this tub and put them in my pin cushion.  They are MEGA long!  Awesomeness!

I'm excited to give binding making a go.  I've done it once before using he pin on the ironing board method which was mega fiddly.  This should be fun!

And these are the ingredients of something I've been wanting to make for ages.  I don't even know if its going to work because that is strap fabric, and I need a more fabric blend, not synthetic but I'm going to give it a burl anyway.  I am going to make my own belt.  I HATE leather belts with buckles.  They stretch and then there is a giant buckle portruding through my shirt.  I want a flat belt that stays firm and keeps my darn pants up!

What are you working on at the moment?

Until tomorrow!

Skirt reveal & Stampin Up Party Goodies.

#23

So here is the skirt.

 

I told you it was awesome.  I might even wear it out tonight.

Today I had a Stampin Up Class/Demonstration at my place.  We made two things.  One was a Bon Bon Gift Box which is in the fridge cause it has chocolates in it and unfortunately I can't be bothered to go and get it cause it's downstairs and so very far away.  

But we did make this awesome card.

And I got this as a gift for having the party.

Pretty cool huh!

Don't forget about my giveaway.

Until tomorrow,

Christy

Schnookums

#20
11 days to go.  I'm not counting or anything.

I made a little outfit the other day.

I was pretty chuffed with how schnookums it was.  I decided to try it on my niece for good measure.

Yep.  It's still cute.  Just like the little schnookums wearing it.

Until tomorrow

Christy

Deals of the Day

#19
I had ALOT of errands to run today.  New pillow, groceries, plan for 3 social eating events over the weekend, get lightbulb, get spray paint, get clock, get coat hangers, get dustbuster, get electric kitchen scales, get Christmas coloured candles.. just to name a few.  Now for some reason getting these items meant going to a zillion different stores, and I wasn't even successful in getting it all.  BUT, I found myself some bargains.  And I slipped into an Op Shop I haven't been to in a few months and was pleasantly suprised to find something that I had been thinking about going to Spotlight (giant craft store 30 mins away) to buy.  Anyway, here's what I found...

50% off..woohoo!  These are for upcoming Baby Shower Baskets.  I heart Aldi.

Vintage dress pattern.  Excited to try and make this.  I've never tried to make something on my own from a pattern before.  HOW CUTE IS IT!!  And the best part is it was $1. Good ole Vinnies!

Another Vinnie's find, a cane wreath for $3.  This is what I was going to go over to Spotlight to buy, but there it was waiting for me in the Op Shop.  Gotta love the timing.

No I'm not pregnant.  But the husby and I like to talk names.  We have very different idea's of what our children should be called, so we're getting in early and discovering what we do and don't like.. and it's a GIGANTIC book and was only $5.  So I thought why not!  It'll probably provide us with some good entertainment over the years.

An old Reader's Digest book, which I have plans to tear apart and use the pages in decopaging.  $2.

This towel was $3.01 from Target.  It was in the throw away bins area up the back cause it came in a set and the other towel went walk about.  I have a couple of ideas of how I could use it.  

And lastly, I spoke about the box I decopaged the other day in one of my blog posts.  It was an ugly blue shoebox that I kept my hot glue gun and glue sticks, and heat gun in.  I decided it needed jazzing up and decopaged it cause it's nice and easy and effective.

I have plans to put my Christmas decoration up in about two weeks time.  Husby and I are heading overseas on Nov 12th for a whole month.  We get home on Dec 10th, in the heart of Christmas season!!  I want to come home to a house full of Christmas so am doing it all before I leave.  The reason I'm telling you this, is I am SO tempted to put up my decorations already.  I am getting weak and impatient.  But I will be strong, and leave my box in the cupboard for another week or so.  

I feel like a kid again haha.  

Well I need to clean up the disgracefully embarrassing mess in my Craft Room.  Then I'm gonna take a shower, take a nanna nap, make dinner and then head out to my YW's mutual activity tonight.  We're just going Personal Progress planning so it's gonna be casual and fun.  

Until tomorrow,

Christy

Midnight Madness, YoYo Trees and a NEW Headband

#16
I have a few things to report on, but I will be careful and not put all my goodness into one post, cause for all I know I could have a creativity block tomorrow and have nothing to blog about.

Firstly, posting on my blog everyday for Blogtoberfest is really hard.  I used to post only twice or so a week.  It is starting to hurt my brain.

Secondly, I have actually got a few things done over the past few days.  I'll share a few.

Midnight Madness
Every year my church puts on a Christmas Craft Night.  They always put it on super early BEFORE the Christmas rush, and of course to allow time to finish the projects so they can be used at Christmas time.  Last night was this said night.  It goes from 6pm till Midnight - thus it's called Midnight Madness.  I only signed up for 3 craft classes last night.  In years gone I've done up to 6, so it was a quiet night for me.  I made Christmas cards and gift tags.

They were all relatively easy and as you can see, they're very effective.  Geez Kristy (my Stampin Up Lady) is clever.  You should check out her blog, she is doing Christmas gift ideas every week for 12 weeks up until Christmas (you receive the tutorials if you sign up to her email list).  She is getting married soon and I have to try and think of what to get her as the engagement present.  I think she's gonna need storage for her GIGANTOR stash of SU goodies :)

Next I did the Wooden Ginger Bread Men.  These little men made me a crazy woman.  They don't look like much.  But LET ME TELL YOU.  They hurt my brain in a big way last night.

I had instructions, but they weren't relevant because all the supplies they used in the tutorial, were not available on the night.  So I had to freestyle it, and that doesn't always work with me.  So I open my little bag of 5 wooden gingerbread men.  I sanded the edges because they were a little splintery (is that a word?).

Then I needed to make all the edges brown.  There was no brown paint, so I had to sponge it with ink.  It took over an hour to do this.  Holy hell, my patience went out of the window with those little guys in the inking process.  BUT I PERSEVERED and ate lots of kabana and drunk lots of delicious lemonade to keep my spirits in order.  (And I realise at this stage I should have photographed all this as I went so you'd have instructions ((unlike me when I did it)) on how to make them yourself, but oh well).

Then I chose my papers.  As part of the pack that I bought to make them, I could choose 3 double sided patterned papers.  I had to like 5 of the 6 sides of paper.  So I picked my papers and traced the men on the papers and cut them out.  Then using PVA (or you could use Mod Podge, but PVA was what was provided) I glued the paper down to the men.  I then trimmed the excess paper overhang on the men, which was incredibly annoyingly fiddly.  Followed by sanding the edges to give it the rustic feel and to neaten up the look.  It is a great effect but of course took an hour to do all 5.  By this stage it was close to midnight and I hadn't even started to think about decorating them with embellishments etc.  Oh and did I mention I had fluid retention in my hands?  Yeah, it felt AWESOME!! haha!!

Then disaster struck.  But I didn't know it until it was too late.  I had one TINY picture to use as a guide for decorating.  In the picture the men had faces drawn on.  So I copied.  After I had finished all 5 faces I realised it looked TERRIBLE.

They looked like scary evil weirdo Gingerbread Men.  And at this point it was AFTER midnight.  So I just pretended I didn't care (but was so incredibly mad at myself inside for ruining them) and helped the ladies pack up and went home.  I showed the husby, and he too agreed they looked evil.  So guess what I did this morning?  Re-did them all over again.  From scratch, on the other side.  I didn't have enough paper from the night so I had to use some of my own too, which was difficult finding the right colour combinations because they papers to choose from last night were all co-ordinating becuase they were all from one set.  But I managed to work it out, and this is the new transformed Gingerbread Men that I am finally happy with.  Actually that's a lie.  I didn't need to pierce the holes on their heads and didn't realise that till I'd done them all but I'll have to get over it.  I finished them off tonight (after a really long day which included assisting in my brother's proposal, having a migraine, sleeping & baking) and have worked out where I am going to hang them for Christmas.

So there they are.  The feral annoying Gingerbread Men.  I'm sure I'll forgive them for being so annoying in due time.

You also may have noticed I never ended up doing embellishments.  I didn't trust myself to do it without ruining them all over again, and also decided that simple was better.  Really I was just glad to have them over and done with.  I love the effect and will do it again, but have learnt what to do and what not to.  Hopefully  next time it won't be so jolly frustrating!

Goodies in the Mail
I had a suprise in the mail for me yesterday from the giveaway I won at Kiwi at Heart last month...

And it had this inside!

Thanks for my Mini YoYo Christmas Tree!! I love it!!

NEW Tie Headband
So I have found another use for my old Thrifty ties that were 50 cents.  I will admit I broke the needle on the sewing machine so I realised I needed to handsew it together which was alot of work but definately worth it.  Do you like it?  

I likey.  Do you?  I might make another this week in a brighter coloured tie.  I was also thinking of doing this with a Christmas tie to wear on Christmas Day :)

**********

I'll save all the other goodies I've been working on for my posts over the next few days.  

Hope you had a great day, and don't forget to enter my giveaway if you haven't already.  There's hardly any entries so far so you're in with a stinkin good chance this time!! 

Oh and I have a new button that my husby has been working on so I'll have to get him to get it all up and running tomorrow and show you.  It's the same as I have now but just jazzed up a little.  Next on the to do list for him is to do my name sign off coding doovey lackey, and then he is building me a website.  It'll only take 5 years to get it done :P

Until tomorrow...

Christy