Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on....

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Pillow Giftbox tutorial


With the holidays coming up I thought it'd be a good time to post a handy tutorial on those neat pillow boxes - they're SO easy and fun to make! I apologize ahead for the photos, its hard to take good pictures with one good hand. Well here's what you need: an x-acto knife and a cutting mat or safe surface, a blank card, a ruler for straight edges, a glass plate, and scissors.

the card + exacto

2. open the card and with the NON-sharp side of the x-acto, SCORE (NOT CUT) a straight line about 1/4" up and down one egde. (see picture 8 below to see what I mean)

3. Fold down the scored edge and make sure its really flat by using a bone folder or a pen if ones not available.

4. Fold the card as you normally would and you now have excess paper, so cut that off.

5. Open the card up and put some glue on that flap you made in step 3, close the card and glue the flap to the back, press - use pen to ensure a good bond.

6. This is what you should have - I'm opening it so you can see how its bonded.

7. now lay it flat on the cutting surface. Use that plate as a guide to cut the rounded edges (top and bottom ) . Make sure you cut each end equally - about 1/4" from the top. (it will be the shape you see in step 10)

8. Once you cut those edges off, take your plate again and match it to the corners (red arrows) and use the part of the x-acto the long arrow is pointing at to score a curved line. .

9. Do this to all 4 sides

10. Now draw a half circle at each end on the BACK side only. The back side is the side you see the folded flap seam. (notice I forgot to do it on the correct side- oops!)
11. Cut them out

12. This is where you're at


13. Now fold down each scored flap, the one with the finger hole goes down first. Do that to all flaps.


I hope this was clear. I confuse myself so easily I hope I didnt confuse anyone else.

Friday, September 26, 2008

September's LAST FRIDAY GIVEAWAY!


Wow, its been a month already? Well, as I promised, I will hold a giveaway every month and here we are. This month I'm giving away this loverly Ginkgo Fabric from my shop. What must you do to get it?
Just post my Shop button (to the right of the screen, just copy paste it into an HTML/Java section) on your blog! you need to then comment with a link to your blog and you are entered!
If you dont have a blog, you can post a link to my shop in your etsy shop announcements stating the giveaway.
THIS ENDS OCTOBER 3RD SO HURRY!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Waste not, want not

OK, I'm sort of a pack-rat, but in a good way! I have a hard time throwing away things I can see some future use for. In this case its mineral make-up jars. I have loads of them with nothing in them and all they do is take up real estate in the medicine cabinet. So, since I'm getting back into making jewelry again (see my shop soon for that!) I decided I really needed to organize my beads - mainly my 4mm crystals. These jars are totally perfect to store them in. I sorted them in the jars by colors and wrote the colors on the lids with a silver paint pen.
If anyone else would like to share any storage tips, please post them! I'm always looking for more ways to get organized!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Etsy Treasury: Vintage Love!

I finally got a flippin' treasury! I figured since I love vintage so much, I'd dedicate this treasury to it.
And heres the treasury link http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=25738

How to get a simple screenshot: Copy the url for your treasury into thumbalizr (you don't need an account to do it)http://www.thumbalizr.com/and then save the screen shot to your computer. I then edited mine in photoshop.



Friday, September 12, 2008

Another fun vintage find!


Last weekend we went to an estate sale. When you think about it, estate sales are really just rummaging thru a dead persons things. You have all access to wander about the house taking whatever you want. It creeped me out a bit, especially thinking when I die, will a bunch of strangers go scavenging around my house trying to haggle my belongings? The good part was this was probably the coolest dead lady ever! First of all, she was a seamstress - so there were boxes upon boxes of bias tape, rickrack, needles, fun weird sewing gadgets that aren't sold anymore, so I got a ton of that. Then I got this super neat contact paper that is a flashy gold and yellow damask pattern. The thing I loved most is that she had OLD appliances in mint condition; washers and refrigerators like you'd see on the old Tom and Jerry cartoons, like from the 40's. My best find that I could actually take home was this kick-a toaster. I saw it and it was over; it was mine - and for $3, that's not bad.


Its a Dormeyer toaster made here in Chicago! I dont know when it was made. I love buying vintage stuff...its whats left of things made in America.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Easiest Barrette Tutorial Ever!

I got these adorable Flapper girl buttons a while ago and longed to make something with them. Well, that dream came true while I was looking for something cute to out in Maddy's hair - her bangs get in her eyes a lot and it stresses her out. So here's what ya do:
1. get a button and a bobby pin, slide the button on the WAVY part button facing up


2. Ta-da! instant cuteness!


3. Display on nearest head.



Monday, September 8, 2008

L.F.G. Winner!!

Blueviolet a.k.a Elizabeth is August's LFG WINNER! Congrats to her on winning that darling pincushion! I've Decided to hold more giveaways than just the Last Friday Giveaway that happens once a month...check back soon, there maybe something free with your name written all over it!

All other contestants will enjoy 15% off any item in my shop! Just convo me for instructions if you're interested!

Friday, September 5, 2008

Today is the last day to enter!

WINNER ANNOUNCED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th

The Last Friday giveaway drawing will be held this weekend, so comment on that post the way it says to. I will pick a person at random and whoever wins, I will contact them with the email they provided. If the winner does not respond within 2 days, I will choose another winner - i cant wait around forever, ya know.
More ways to help your odds of winning:
  1. Post my button on your blog (just let me know you have and provide a link)
  2. "Follow" me - at the bottom of my blog I have the Followers application.
  3. Mention you've entered this giveaway on your blog and provide a link

Ok, best of luck ya'll

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

If you've ever lost your way...


Get a compass and find your way back again! I bought this way neat compass ring from JeweledAbrosia's lovely etsy shop - I came in the mail today. Its a fun thing to have when lost! Its funny how when you get off the red or blue line (the underground ones) and you are completely confused as to which direction you need to go once you come up to the street - at least, thats always my problem. I think I got this ring for that very reason. No more walking miles in the wrong direction for me!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Thanks!

Thanks to all the wonderful people who have (* and will) enter the giveaway, I probably should have mentioned when it ends! They will always last a week, Last Friday Giveaways will allways end on the first friday of the follwing month - so this will end September 5th!

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