recycled+revamped

recycled+revamped featured in etsy treasury!

2012-01-18T20:02:00.002-05:00

'Sepia, Rose, and Teal' by EccentricitySupplyCo

All a Flutter Charm Dan... dandyapple $13.00	Jewels Stackable Bracel... loveheylola $12.00	Three Wishes - 8x10 Bok... xenya $30.00	Garden of Eden Headband... SchickiMickis $50.00
recycled patchwork tote... victoriaveltin... $85.00	Global Photograph 5x5 -... alicebgardens $14.00	Shabby Pink and Aqua Bl... EnglishTransfe... $8.99	Lilian Vintage Inspired... 4TasteofShabby... $48.00
Departure 8x8" Pri... LolasRoom $20.00	Crochet Earring with Tu... tripleKcrochet $15.00	Cherry Blossom 8x8 Vint... WorldofWonder $20.00	30% Off sale - Paris Ph... honeytree $21.00
Carnival Ride - Signed ... urbandesign $28.00	Beaded crochet necklace... slashKnots $37.00	Secretary Blouse with B... CertainSomethi... $24.00	Blue Coral series Origi... NewEarthGaller... $250.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

tutorial - maverick zipper repair

2012-01-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

This little jacket was a thrift find. It became clear why someone had passed it on, when little f wore it a few times, as the zipper kept separating. I measured the front from top to bottom and bought a separating zipper in the same size. So many people have asked me about replacing zippers, and I had never tried until now. This maverick technique makes it really easy.

Here's the tutorial:

Carefully cut off the old zipper as close to the jacket as possible.

Find a separating zipper that is the same size as the old one or a bit longer if that's all you can find.

Repair any areas where your scissor cut the jacket by stitching over it with a zig zag stitch.

Your zipper will cover this (hopefully!) so it doesn't have to be perfect.

Lay the zipper over the place where you cut off the original zipper and zig zag to the top. Repeat on other side. If your zipper is long, fold it over at the top and stitch it down.

The finished zipper! Maybe not so pretty, but certainly more functional than the old one!

Want to see more maverick repairs?
Let me know what you think!

recycled and revamped sweater dress for the Little Sister!

2011-12-15T09:34:00.000-05:00

Look at that beautiful smile! I arrived at my friends' house yesterday with a bag full of clothes and my sewing machine. We look through them to find something that would fit first. Then we chose the fabrics for the sash and skirt. After a little stitching, more trying on and a little stitch ripping (this means I truly love you, Sunny! Normally I find all kinds of ways to get around it.)

The owl was on another shirt which was too small, so it was cut off and restitched here. I gathered the skirt fabric and added the shawl collar to fill in the too-large Vneck on the sweater.

I think she likes it!

The Little Sister is part of an amazing homeschooling family with a non-profit site that encourages reading. Check out the books for walls project!

Holiday greens, check!

2011-12-07T08:18:00.000-05:00

Ruffled skirt from recycled tshirts

2011-12-07T08:08:00.000-05:00

look who stopped by to visit!

2011-12-06T14:37:00.000-05:00

Last week we had a visit from a couple of pileated woodpeckers!

recycled+revamped party skirt!

2011-12-06T09:40:00.001-05:00

This is my darling niece in her revamped skirt. A while back I wrote all about it and even showed you the process here. I bought this dress for her several years ago and of course, she outgrew it. But we loved the fabric, so now it's a party skirt and we get to enjoy it for a little longer!

inspiration for a short cardigan

2011-11-29T09:44:00.001-05:00

This is my friend, Amy, modeling the inspiration for my black cashmere cardigan. She is a fellow crafty mama. She made a short, shrug type cardigan from a v-neck sweater and inspired me to go home and do the same! I love having crafty friends!

another pair of patch pants

2011-11-27T07:31:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all enjoyed a little holiday and had a lovely feast with people you love.

As I review the many things for which I am grateful, I realize that knowing how to sew has shaped, sustained and customized my life, as well as the life of my family and friends. I am so thankful for that! I am thankful for our mother earth and continue to reuse and recycled when I can.

These are the patch pants I made for little f for the harvest gathering at while back. He calls them his harvest pants. They are a bit different from the pants in my tutorial. I used another pair of pants as a p pattern and made the waistband elastic, so he can take them off and on. Would you be interested in learning how to make them?

the little boys wedding suit

2011-11-09T05:42:00.001-05:00

When I bought this pattern from Chicken Hill, I had a few ideas about how it was going to be more boyish, most of them involving buttons. Turns out it was the perfect choice for a wedding suit. Not only was it fairly simple in construction, the clean lines work on corduroy really well. For those of you who are learning to sew, please know that corduroy has a nap, which means you can brush the fibers up and feel roughness, or down and feel smooth. All your pattern pieces must be going up and down in the same direction. This often requires a bit more fabric than suggested in most patterns. I tell you all this because only after cutting out this pattern, I remembered it. Oh my! At least you may learn from this.

Here you see the suit in action with his little cousin, who was the ringbearer at Emily and Rob's wedding in Grand Rapids a few weeks ago.

Love the way this jacket wears. I lined it with a nice cotton batik that has dragons in it, so when he's feeling crazy, he can reverse both the jacket and pants. Could make for some fun holiday photos, huh?

One of the last things I made to wear was this cashmere shrug. It was a turtleneck sweater. I cut off the neck and down the front. Then I cut off the bottom half, folded it in half lengthwise and attached it as a shawl collar. After stitching in the sleeves a bit and down the sides, the bottom ribbing was added to the bottom and a sweet flower stiched on with some large vintage hooks and eyes. I'll show you my inspiration soon...

our wedding best

2011-11-08T14:24:00.001-05:00

This fall we attended two weddings, both on my husband's side of the family. One was in Grand Rapids and one was in Detroit. As I reviewed our closets in preparation, I found that we were in need of some finer threads. So I scoped out vintage suits on etsy, and scored this sweet vintage number for my husband. It was the only one there, and somehow it was the right size. He was totally pleased not only with fact that he didn't have to go to the store and try something on, but the price was right too. Since he's totally into the Beatles, it wasn't hard to convince him to wear a 60's mod suit. I imagine it will double as his halloween costume in the future.

For my little boy, I made some elastic waist reversible pants using a pattern made from another pair of his pants. The indigo corduroy was in my stash. I used it to make a jacket too from a chicken hill pattern. More on that coming... His vest is made from a felted v-neck sweater found trifting. I just used a t-shirt to guide me on sizing and cut it out using the neck. Then all I did was sew up the sides and whip up a little tie from some scraps and elastic.

My dress is something I have had for a very long time. It's a gorgeous black vintage lace number that needed a little love and repair. Before I had a baby and nursed him for two years it fit great and was even sexy at the neckline. This year, it needed some modification so I used nude colored t-shirt fabric to line it and added some elastic from the bra part of an old tank top. On the bottom, I cut off the torn lining and used a black t-shirt to extend the lining a bit. Since the lace floats in a overlayer, it worked great. What you can't see in the picture are the green Mizmooz wedges I scored at Zany, a consignment shop in Traverse City. Now I just need to figure out how to repair the lace which tore while I was holding a squirming three-year-old and a glass of champage at the same time!

This is my husband's cousin (I would just call her my sister), Lisa. She was one of the bridesmaids. The Lovett Hall was a gorgeous venue for this kind of event. The lighting was really nice too.

a lovely wedding party!

2011-11-07T08:46:00.000-05:00

What a gorgeous time! The lighting, ambience and especially the dancing were superb. We spend the weekend in Detroit for our cousin's wedding party. There was much planning and work on our outfits, which I'll show you in the next couple posts. For now, this little memory, to focus on all that is wonderful about family.

Clutch for mari

2011-10-31T20:14:00.001-04:00

A clutch for mari

2011-10-31T20:13:00.001-04:00

Be the change! Sewing bags for local food pantry at sewing studio.

2011-10-24T18:51:00.002-04:00

These gorgeous women came to the sewing studio to change the world. They set to work cutting out the shapes, matching fabrics and sewing them together. There was much conversation and laughter, some regarding technique and some just regarding life. What a wonderful couple of hours spent in the studio.

Come join us at the sewing studio at Grow Benzie sometime soon! Now there are four new sewing machines, with special thanks due to Marcy Grudzien at Mecca for her fundraising veggies!

We will be sewing again this Wednesday night, October 26, 7-9pm, $5 donation. Let us know if you plan to come join us.

{this moment} project 231

2011-10-14T08:36:00.000-04:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember.

What inspired you this week? Share your link in the comments.

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

sweet memories of our equinox celebration

2011-10-13T09:30:00.000-04:00

This year we started what I hope will become a family tradition. We all went out into the woods and collected sticks for kindling and built up a little stash for the winter. Then we had our first fire in the wood stove. Ahh, warm toes!

The red mushroom cap was inspired by Children of the Forest by Elsa Beskow and made of recycled cashmere. His jacket was a great ebay find and I bought it a couple of sizes too big, which has worked out great for a couple of seasons now! And the mittens are his favorites, a gift from a thoughtful friend.

{this moment) dragon tree

2011-10-07T08:48:00.000-04:00

One extraordinary moment from the week that I want to savor, enjoy and remember.

inspired by Amanda Blake Soule

More than a diaper bag, a system for mom and baby stuff!

2011-10-01T16:26:00.000-04:00

A few posts back, you saw Krista with her fab new diaper bag. Here are all the details you might not have seen. I'm working on another one for a friend out in Baltimore, and thought that some of you might be interested in something custom, either for yourselves or for a friend. Wrapped in a reusable fabric gift bag and tied up with ribbon, there's no need for tissue paper. This particular design concept has been through intense R&D, so I know the system works!

Something red and modern were the starting points for the design.

And loads of pockets for all those little tiny things. I remember my diaper bag pockets were filled with tissues, prefold diapers and an extra cover, a spray bottle with water and a few drops of tea tree oil and some nice organic cloths for wiping hands, face, toys or any surface that needed disinfecting, some toys and tiny books including a small photo book of "people who love you", eventually crayons were added to the toy pocket, fingernail clippers, nose squeegee, black walnut salve (best for diaper rash!), calendula salve (for all things skin related), snacks for baby and for me, pacifier that he rarely used, a spare outfit, nursing pads and probably a few more things too.

And for mama, a coordinating little clutch, so as not to lose her identity and also to make it easy to go out without baby.

There is a funny story about the zippered pocket which involves a curious child, the post office and a tampon. There was not a zipper on the first version of this purse but as you can see, there is now...

A pocket on the outside is great for phone, receipts, lists, coupons, etc... in my favorite Heather Ross mermaid fabric.

A little recycled scrap detail along with a very cool vintage button adorn the front of the clutch. Photos can also be added to make it more personal.

My camera lived in the outside pocket of the bag, as all my friends can attest. I've captured so many wonderful everyday moments in our little guy's life with his buddies and that makes me so happy. It's my photojournal, since I don't seem to find much time for writing.

As always, a key hook is great not only for keys, but also for the pacifier or anything else you need to find quickly, as long as you remember to put them on there in the first place...

And that my friends, is the way that I survived the first three years of my son's wonderful life! Krista will be filling her bag soon, as we anxiously await the arrival of "baby a + baby b" I hope you will be inspired.

In the news!

2011-09-26T16:25:00.000-04:00

This summer I received a call from a reporter doing an article on recycling clothes. We talked for a long time and here is what she wrote!

and now, the recycled+revamped 2011 purses and bags!

2011-09-26T10:13:00.000-04:00

Without further ado, I give you the latest collection of recycled+revamped purses and bags! Inspired by an earlier design for blue star bags, a long adjustable strap was added along with a zippered pocket inside. Some of the bags have recycled jean or pants pockets on the front. All have a vintage button/elastic loop closure.There is a range of sizes, based on the size of the fabrics. At the show, these bags were priced at $40, and I'd love to extend that price to you this week! Just let me know which one you like and I will ship it to you (+shipping).

Thank you to those who already chose their new bags!

sage swirl with jean pocket

pinky patchwork tote

orange sprinkles blue star bag

honeycomb brown and gold with jean pocket

earthy stripes with cord front pocket

indigo blue star bag

herringbone aqua, green and orange

loopy orange and tweed blue star bag

recycled+revamped 2011 harvest collection

2011-09-24T12:39:00.001-04:00

Here it is, at long last. A new batch of purses in the work ! Last weekend I was scurrying about packing up for harvest gathering and working out the details of this collection, made from rescued swatches of rich fabrics. What would be the ideal purse for this event? One purse for a memorable experience. Colors that reflect the richness of autumn all around us. Warm late sunshine, local music by friends, full moon in a vast indigo starry sky.

Stacks of fabrics, components are gathered together and cut to size for the sewing spree that will ensue!

More on the 2011 harvest collection coming soon...

recycled+revamped boy clothes - car jacket

2011-09-20T08:18:00.000-04:00

The fabric on this jacket used to be a romper. Since my little guy is totally into cars, I used the fabric to cover over the giant logo on the back yoke of the jacket. There's a patch on the arm that says "road crew" so it works well as a car jacket! It's also fun to look at his 9 month old picture with the romper and compare it to this three year old photos!

recycled tree swing

2011-09-13T09:19:00.001-04:00

Last summer, we made a trade with a friend. A groovy shirt for a handmade wood swing to hang in the big maple tree in our front yard. It was something I had wanted for a while. Little f loves it and swings on it daily. He has now taken to doing tricks on it, standing up, moving to one rope, hanging off the back and more. Luckily, he has his father's agility!

It is made from an old piece of barnwood, shaped to be large enough for an adult and fairly thick. The rope is still rigged in there, until we get up into the tree to fasten in properly. Then we can hook up the bottom and tie it properly. But it works for now and we love it!

recycled scrap garden flags

2011-09-11T20:07:00.001-04:00

As we prepare for a harvest gathering this weekend, I wanted to show you what is going on in the garden this year. The flags are made from some of my favorite fabric scraps. I just cut then into triangles (about 6" wide and 6-7" long) with a wavy rotary blade. Pinking shears would give you the same effect. Then I choose 2 pieces for each flag, putting the right sides of the fabric facing out, folding over about 1/2" and sewing over a long piece of grosgrain ribbon. The ribbon was premeasured, so I knew where the posts would fall.

The garden markers are sticks with a tiny big shaved off the top. The idea is from Martha Stewart, and thanks to Amanda Blake Soule, over at soulemama for the inspiration to make it happen.

There are a lot of cherry, plum and paste tomatoes in the garden this year and they are producing more every day. We ate beans from the garden for dinner tonight. Tomorrow we will have potatoes!

The view over the "garden gate', which is more of the metal fencing used around the garden. It's fastened to a tall stick and wedged behind a log. The bungee cord holds it closed and is too tall for little hands to reach. A scrap of fabric makes it a little more colorful and visible.

purse sighting at elberta beach

2011-09-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

It's a blue star bag! Long adjustable strap and button closure make this bag great for the beach. Just add a book or project and you're off!

our new handpainted screen door

2011-09-09T14:49:00.000-04:00

The story begins a few years ago at an art fair in Frankfort. We met a wonderful woman named Cathy Newstead who had a door like this in her booth. I love it the minute I saw it. While I knew it was out of my price range, I boldly approached and asked if she might be interested in a trade. In return, I offered anything from my booth or my sewing skills for some custom project. She chose both.

Now the interesting thing about trades is this: they always come at just the right time. When Cathy had the door finished, she called to say she had an opportunity to sell it. I was happy to wait for the next one. It took a bit of time and patience. Once the door arrived here at our house, we realized there were some construction issues with our current door frame. You might be able to tell the door is propped in place here. The door frame needed replacing as it had rotted on the bottom and would not hold a hinge!

So we headed off to Odom with some old doorknobs and other reusable building supplies that I cleaned out of the shed. The door frame we found was just the right size and painted white already! Not only that, but we left with some credit for our next project. Very cool.

We decided to have some friends over for a bonfire that weekend. In another conversation about trading some blackberries from our patch in the backyard, the door project came up. The next day, our friend arrived and helped to install it. It turned out so much better than we ever imagined, with a great story too!

Thank you so much Cathy and John! We love our new door and are very satisfied when we hear that summery sound of a screen door snapping closed. It has transformed the appearance of our home, and we hope it will impart peace both inside and out.

recycled banging wall

2011-09-08T09:38:00.001-04:00

We saw a great banging wall at Blissfest last year and have been wanting to make one in our yard. I started collecting all our old pans, olive oil cans and anything else metal that would make a great sound. Tommy took some heavy wire and strung it between two posts (our hammock used to hang here but is now on the other side of the yard). He made a "banger" with an old water bottle and a tree branch, using a little duct tape. Now we can bang out all kinds of rhythms!

for krista and jesse

2011-09-06T10:28:00.000-04:00

Here are two of our very dear friends, Jesse and Krista, whom we just visited in chicago. This is at the baby shower, when Krista opened her new custom diaper bag. She requested something red and modern. More detail photos coming later.

In our conversations, we shared many of things we learned and discovered the year fyn was born. Below is a listing of our favorites. Most of our small toys are stashed in baskets tucked onto a bookcase made by my grandpa, Louis Velting. I'm working on a list on Pinterest too.

Nova - for wood toys, including the paddlewheel boat! Wooden bowl, cup and spoon. Also has some great ideas about play and beautiful photos. The kitchen inspired our own kitchen, but you might like this diy project too! Beeswax block crayons and Stadler watercolors. Wood lawn mower.
Magic Cabin - wool felt, beeswax sheets, gnomes treehouse, pocket gnomes, tree blocks, balance board.

Palumba - Camden Rose is the company in Ann Arbor that sells via this catalog. We loved the wood iron and clothing rack, and the idea for a wicker laundry basket, clothesline and pins, enamel basin and washboard (found elsewhere). They also have a nice wood teether/rattle.

soft animals and wool veggies - These were fairly easy to make from felted wool sweaters or needle felting

wooden barn and farm animals - our is from Melissa and Doug, but I dream of the stable from Nova... A friend knitted the farm animals from a Debby Bliss pattern and I ordered some wood chickens and horses from etsy.

Birch Leaf Designs - some friends on etsy for wood teether, teething necklace (mom or pop wears it and baby chews on it, we bought and used a couple of these!). wood spoon, playsilks, play clips, parachute man, watercolor jars and painting board. They make a mini picnic table too, which we love, but is not posted, perhaps for shipping reasons.

Little Sapling Toys - on etsy, for wood stacker, organic wood column set

Wooden cars and trucks - thrifted

Small table and chairs - an endtable and some thrifted stools recovered to look like mushrooms

Dolls - made by my mom and one gifted. Nova has nice basic dolls that are similar to waldorf dolls at a much lower price and a really nice wood doll stroller too. I made a sling so fyn can carry his babies too.

Push toy and pull toy - thrifted

Rocking chair and rocking horse - thrifted

Musical Instruments - a child sized djembe drum, bongos, a xylophone (nova?), shakers (can use plastic bottles with lentils, rice or beans inside and electrical tape to seal), bells, tambourines, ukelele, and other wooden rhythm instruments, found at fair trade shops or thrifted.
Bath toys - rubber ducky, chain and stacking cups from discovery toys (went to a party and had to buy something), misc squirt bottles from recycling

Needle felting - I picked up a new craft and really love how simple and intuitive it is. Etsy is a good source for supplies and inspiration.

Children's books- at one of my showers, people brought their favorites. I found we only needed a few at home and could get the rest from the library, even board books. Tommy started reading Huckleberry Finn to both of us when little f was a tiny baby and now that he's 3, he listens to a chapter of pooh each night.
Gerda Mueller - wordless seasonal books, Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter are our top favorites for making up our own stories or just observing the pictures.
Sybille von Olfers - The root children, the princess in the forest, other seasonal "children" books
Elsa Beskow - so many beautifully illustrated stories that we love.
Old Mother West Wind - great stories about animals, like "why the chipmunk wears stripes".

magazines
Mothering
Living Crafts
books
You are your child's first teacher - a good reference for basic parenting concepts
Heaven on earth - establishing family culture and rhythms
Seven times the sun - daily and seasonal rhythms
A Child's Seasonal Treasury - nice collection of fingerplays, poems and songs organized by season
Grimm's fairy tales - there's a guide of which ages are best for which stories in "You are your Child's First Teacher".
Wool toys - for needle felted animals

websites
www.soulemama.com
www.theparentingpassageway.com
www.peaceofmindparenting.com
www.simplicityparenting.com
www.rhythmofthehome.com

Nursing -
Motherhood Maternity nursing tank - I bought several in many colors and wore them out! They have a second layer of fabric underneath so you can pull over the top layer w/o giving a total show. The sleep bra worked well for me too.
Organic velour nursing pads like these
Bella band - a most brilliant invention for early to late maternity and nursing too b/c it covers your belly!
Each year added a few things for birthday and christmas, thanks to our families. They are still in use even now that fyn is three and I expect to have them around for a long time!

Wishing all the best to Krista and Jesse as they prepare to welcome Baby A and Baby B to their lives and their home!

a cottage project - revamped boat seats

2011-08-26T11:04:00.000-04:00

Our time at the cottage was so wonderful! When our cousins from Kalamazoo arrived, they brought a boat along. Here's what it looked like after we finished our project. Before this, it was in pretty bad shape, including some moss growing on the foam on the front cushions, but after washing it up a bit we tackled it with a staple gun, a scissor and some new fabric.

Lisa and I will always remember the summer we did this project! Maybe a little on the down and dirty side, but it was fun to let loose and not have to be ultra precise for a change. We enjoyed being on the lake doing something creative, and it ended up looking pretty good, even if I do say so myself!

Here's what it looked like before we started and in progress...

Ah, ready for relaxing on the lake! We all piled in and went for several boat rides. One of the highlights for little f was when we ran out of gas. As he began to panic, an older gentleman walked out onto his dock and hopped in his pontoon boat. He drove out to us and asked where we wanted to go. We tossed him a line and he tied it to his boat. Little f could see the propeller and wake up close, so it was quite exciting for him. And we were all so thankful for that gentleman.

"Why that gentleman help us?" little f asked. That's just what you do when you are on the lake. We all help each other, because we might need someone to help us another time. What a cool way to teach him about paying it forward.

cool kid's clothes made from upcycled t-shirts and such

2011-08-06T20:07:00.001-04:00

It was this jacket that first drew me to lilygiggle. I was searching for recycled boy clothes. Time passed and I found the site again, with a similar search. Destiny? Must be. Beth makes all kinds of great clothing patterns, and has the cutest little models! Want to stay in the loop? Check out lilygiggle's facebook page and a FREE pattern when you "like" her page.

And right now for you, my faithful blog readers, she is offering a 25% discount in her etsy shop, just use the code REVAMPED until August 13th.

Turns out that Beth is friends with Jay from chickenhill! Wouldn't be great to sew with these girls?

Thanks to Beth for taking time to answer a few of my questions.

How did you learn/who taught you to sew?
Originally I was a self-taught fashion design wanna-be teenager. I had grown up around very talented seamstresses, both grandmas were amazing at it as well as my own mama so there were always sewing machines around. My grandma would take my goofy 8 year old "fashion illustrations" and create the garment just by looking at a child's sketch. One day I just decided I was going to figure out how to sew and made myself pants that I wore all the time even though they were technically sewn completely incorrectly. Maybe that's why I don't mind sewing a bit "out of the box". It's great fun to experiment. Later I was taught to be a proper seamstress at Savannah College of Art & Design while I was completing my major in Fashion Design.

What was your first sewing machine?
An old Kenmore...good machine...wouldn't mind if I still had it.

How did you start upcycling/recycling?
I would love to say it was because I am so sensitive to the environment (which I do try to be) but, honestly, it was out of being desperately in need of a creative outlet after leaving my job and being home with my children. With one income there were just not enough funds to keep myself in lovely fabrics. The local "by the pound" thrift store became my fabric store of choice. I find that much of my creativity has been sparked first by necessity. I think that people who don't think they are creative probably just never really had to be.

Thank you so much, Beth, for sharing your thoughts with us!

Such sweet flowers and a gorgeous photos too.

This serendipity dress is so cool! It is named with one of my favorite words, so how could I resist? I really want it in my size, but maybe I'll have to settle for making one for my niece... The detail on the waistband is so nice and I love the bows, especially since they are purely decorative, so they can be sewn down once tied.

And this is the perfect gardening skirt! You might already know that I adore pockets. All shapes, sizes and in many places. The buttons on top are like the icing on the cake.

Hope you are inspired to do more sewing!

amanda and her new custom bag!

2011-08-04T08:21:00.000-04:00

custom bags for Amanda

2011-08-01T21:31:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite customers, Amanda, sent in a bag she bought a few years ago to the recycled+revamped purse spa. It had been used up and much loved! After taking it apart, I took out some of the fabric and used pieces of it in a new, albeit smaller purse. At the same time, I made this bag from recycled office furniture fabric (and a smidgen of Heather Ross's mermaids) with a vintage button and some zippers to replace the large, much loved bag.

There are loads of pockets inside that make it great for getting all your stuff organized, whether it's for work, baby or travel. The smaller clutches were just a little something extra, because you can never have too many pockets!

For those of you in the Traverse City area, check out Amanda's restaurant, Trattoria Stella. It focuses on using all kinds of good, organic food from local farms as well as locally made beer and wine!.

Thank you Amanda for being such a great customer and allowing me to create this fabulous new bag for you!

recycled tape measure goods!

2011-07-28T07:23:00.000-04:00

While browsing on etsy, I happened upon these fun accessories made from tape measures! David from HomeMade Karma is making earrings, bracelets and wallets in all colors. We share a love of recycling and making something from what other might see as nothing. Here are my favorites:

I love the classic yellow tape measure on these earrings and the pink on the rocker chic bracelet! Check out the shop for more...

What inspired you to start recycling?

I had always been collecting old things, broken machines and other useless items from the streets, trashcans and flea markets. When I was 15, I made a lamp out of a 50´s hairdryer and other stuff like that. But I really started making handycrafts during a travel in South America where I learned macrame and other traditional techniques from a group of artisans. Back in Europe, I continued to make things on a small scale but bit by bit changed to using other materials and techniques. I see making recycled handicrafts as a statement. Recycling & reusage is the future.

Yes! I love how you put it. What are your other hobbies?

Running, reading, mountain & water related sports, festivals, making impossible plans, spontaneous adventures, bingeing on life, too much too name...
Thank you so much David! We look forward to seeing more recycled goods in the future. In the meantime, check out these cool bags for wine or baguettes that he makes with a friend!

recycled fashion show

2011-07-26T11:19:00.000-04:00

A couple of my good friends collaborated on this entry in the recycled fashion show in Frankfort. Aren't they gorgeous nature goddesses?

camping in recycled+revamped style

2011-07-22T20:02:00.003-04:00

Earlier this summer I went to a women's retreat and camped in our van. It's a 1988 Ford van and it has been decked out with curtains and pockets. There's a bed in the back and it's just perfect for us right now. Of course, I wore my tunic and hoodie b/c they are so comfy. And for those mornings when my hair is crazy - the hat I made at the recycled hat workshop! What am I holding? The last bit of last year's strawberry jam. Since then I've made a whole new batch.

Where is your favorite place to camp?

{this moment) boating on glen lake

2011-07-22T09:02:00.000-04:00

{this moment}

an extraordinary moment that I want to savor and remember

inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama

Hope you have a wonderful summer weekend! Enjoy the water if you can!

Gorgeous recycled bird wings and a giveaway!

2011-07-13T09:26:00.003-04:00

Check out these great wings! After some conversations with my sewing friends, we determined that making wings was a big challenge. I ended up buying a pair from another crafty etsian for little f's dragon costume (he wore that vest for 2 years!). My friend, Colleen came up with an easier solution for her seagull made of recycled sweaters. But this design is brilliant! I want to make these! I can see a gorgeous butterfly using this same concept. What will little f want to be for halloween this year?

So I read her etsy profile and sent out a request to learn more about the domestic goddess behind these folksy upcycled pretties and patterns. Jay responded right away, and it turns out that she is smart, creative and quick with a background in fashion design. With three kids to homeschool, she still finds time to create these awesome patterns and take great photos! I bought the Every Which Way reversible coat pattern and have some ideas for making it more boyish. Wood grain fabric, maybe? This skirt is on my list too, but I think I want to make one for myself...

How did you learn to sew and what inspires you?
I come from several generations of Sewists. One of most treasured pieces is a hand-sewn quilt from my great-grandmother! To study the consistency of her stitches and detailed embroidery is absolutely amazing to me.

I was initially given some sewing basics from my mother but then really developed my skills later as an adult. After purchasing a new home, I was suddenly inspired to create curtains and slipcovers to decorate until my heart's content.

Then along came my peeps and I realized that I just couldn't find and/or shop for the type of clothes I desired for them to wear....soooooo, I broke out the ol' sewing machine and got crafty. (sound familiar?)

When wearing their one-of-a-kind outfits about, I got a tremendous amount of compliments and requests of where my kiddos got their clothing. This really transitioned me into the direction I'm into now with pattern making.

Creating clothes on my own and tweaking existing patterns, I began to study and polish my pattern making skills. After many experimental years of bloopers and happy accidents, I would say now, that I am a pleasantly confident Sewist. :)

I have a sweet little working set-up / studio of 3 sewing machines and 2 sergers. I'm in sewing heaven!

Oh, if only I could teleport. I would love to visit that studio! Since we can't all visit her studio, Jay is willing to offer a FREE pattern to one lucky reader and to offer 20% off any pattern in her shop for everyone! The code backtoschool will be valid through midnight on July 31. How cool is that?

Here are all the ways you can enter the giveaway, just leave a comment here for each one before midnight on July 31. Winners will be posted here the first week in August.
1. Visit Chickenhill on etsy and tell us your favorite pattern.
2. Become a follower of recycled+revamped
3. Be a fan of recycled+revamped on facebook
4. Tweet about it
5. Post on your blog about this giveaway
6. Invite your friends to comment and or follow!

Happy sewing!

summer swimming in glen lake

2011-06-27T18:14:00.000-04:00

Here's what we have been doing. See Sleeping Bear Dunes in the background? We enjoyed a lovely week at the cottage and plan to go back soon with more extended family. We swam even though it was a bit chilly - does that ever stop you when you're little? I remember swimming until our teeth chattered behind our blue lips and someone made us come up on the dock.

I'm so happy little f can go fishing with uncles and cousins, sitting for meals at the picnic table with everyone and play with everyone. We are so very lucky!

This also means a lot less computer time for me, so I'll post when I can... keep sewing and recycling!

thunderstorms at dinnertime

2011-06-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

What do you do when the power goes out, just as you are about the chop the kale for dinner? And you have an electric stove? I guess we could have tried to find the camp stove, but instead we opted for a candlelit cereal dinner. Little f decided that he could just wear his headphones, since his mad drumming didn't stop the thunder from coming...

{this moment} mr. personality

2011-06-10T06:23:00.009-04:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember.

What inspired you this week? Share your link in the comments.

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

School's out for the teacher (T), time for family summer fun!

Have a great weekend!

recycled+revamped little girls party dress to elastic waist party skirt!

2011-06-09T07:22:00.000-04:00

This sweet little dress belongs to my niece, but she outgrew it and we wanted to use the fabric to make something that she could still wear. It was a 4. My sister and I measured one of her skirts and then I decided to cut it off below the zipper and add an elastic waist to make it more of a 6/7.

The waistband is a piece of an old t-shirt, about 3" wide and about 25" long. Again, this measurement was figured based on measuring an existing skirt. Using 1/2" elastic, I measured out at a piece that is about 3/4 as long as the waistband, overlapped the ends and stitched them together. Then I folded the waistband, right sides together and stitched the two ends together.

First, I folded the waistband and inserted the elastic. Using binder clips, I clipped the seams first and then clipped it again about halfway between the seams.

Then I used a stitch length of 4 to make a long basting stitch in both the lining and outer layers of the skirt, stitching the front and then stopping and starting again to stitch the back. Then I gently pulled one of the threads on the front to gather the skirt, and repeated on the back.

Then I attached the waistband to the skirt using the clips, starting at the seams and adjusting the gathers to fit.

And then I stitched the waistband and skirt together. It was a quick little project and turned out great!

Now it has a soft stretchy waistband that should fit for quite a while. It will be so cute with leggings and a t-shirt or a little sweater with tights and maryjanes!

hooded sweatshirt to hoodie revamp!

2011-06-08T08:23:00.001-04:00

As I work my way through the ever growing to-do stack in my studio, I discovered this hooded sweatshirt that I got a few years ago at hoxeyville. While nursing, it was a challenge and I came up with the idea of adding a zipper. I tried it on another sweatshirt, adding a 7" zipper at the top, which was not quite enough. So, when I came up on a fleece vest with just the right size zipper, I cut it off and sewed it onto this!

Cutting a straight line up the middle of the sweatshirt was the challenging first step, but I was feeling gutsy and I really wanted a hoodie, so I started with cutting the ribbing from the sleeves and then went for it. Sewing it on was a little tricky and you can see that it bunched a little where the printing stuck to my presser foot. I lined the hood by tracing it out onto the cotton fabric, cutting it out and sewing the pieces together. Then I ironed the edges under 1/2", matched up the seams and sewed the lining to the hood.

Of course, the sleeves were too short, so I added the sleeves from another shirt to make arm warmers. It's super cozy, my favorite "old" sweatshirt now!

What are you revamping?

recycled+revamped baby clothes

2011-06-07T08:23:00.001-04:00

Here are some of the recycled+revamped baby clothes that I sent to my friend in Baltimore. Sounds like it might be a boy, but since it's unclear, I tried to keep it neutral. Maybe you will be inspired to add some embellishments as well.

recycled chef hat

2011-06-03T07:37:00.002-04:00

While we are talking about kitchens and hats, I thought I would show you the hat I made for little f at the hat workshop at the community sewing studio. It is made from a white dress shirt and a t-shirt.

Basically, I used a large dinner plate to cut out two large circle pieces. Then I took a smaller plate and cut it out of the center of one of the large circle pieces and then sewed the two large circles together.

Guessing at the size, I cut a strip of t-shirt about 5-6" wide and long enough to go almost around my own head. After stitching the short ends together, I folded it in half, so both raw edges were together. Matching this up to the inner circle in the hat, and stretching a bit to fit, I sewed the band onto the hat and ta-day! It looks great with his wood-grain apron too.

My little chef was so excited, he made me some vegetable stew and tea while baking some cookies. I even helped him reorganize and clean the upper shelf in his kitchen. We added a strong, shallow basket tray underneath to contain some of the extra stuff that was stuffed into the "refrigerator" under the sink.

Sweet play kitchen revamp from squirrels in wren's nest!

2011-06-01T17:41:00.000-04:00

It all started with this cabinet which was scavenged from the alley. One of my creative friends and fellow blogger, Ashlea, made this sweet little kitchen for her daughter's second birthday. I love the fabric panels onthe bottom and the modern faucet! It even has a tile backsplash and coordinates with their kitchen, which I understand is awaiting a similar transformation, or at least a stove...

batik shirt into revamped shorts

2011-05-31T08:55:00.000-04:00

This used to be a shirt. I took the pockets off and added them to the sides, after cutting the pattern on the fold. Normally, you might cut four pieces out of the fabric, but cutting on the fold saves sewing one seam and gives you a place to put your pockets. The waistband is elastic. You can't see it, but I did make button tabs on the back to adjust for sizing. Perhaps that would make a good tutorial? What other clothes would you like to learn to sew?

Hope you had a great holiday weekend! We enjoyed the fine Michigan sunshine at the beach in Empire. There's a sweet little lake there, perfect for a birthday celebration!

art party - felt sushi!

2011-05-27T07:12:00.002-04:00

This time it was Christie's turn to bring a craft. She chose this great sushi made out of wool felt. We had so much fun making all kinds of sashimi, sushi and accompaniments!

dream collages

2011-05-26T07:19:00.000-04:00

One of the best things about where I live is the people. There are so many cool people, and a group of us meet once a month in a sacred women's circle. It nourishes our need for friendship, community and conversation. This month we were creative too!

finishing serged edges

2011-05-25T06:59:00.000-04:00

Here's a little technique on tucking in those threads that are left when you serge something. You can tie them in knots, but this is much cleaner looking. Using a large needle with a big eye, slip the needle back into your serging and pull the threads through. You can thread the needle after slipping it in when it's short. To make a really tight finish, repeat the whole technique to wrap the thread twice.

Right now I'm dreaming of a new serger...

Happy serging!

onesie and skirt to dress

2011-05-24T07:28:00.002-04:00

One of my first "mama" friends came over with her little ones a while back. We are both artists, and can hardly resist the opportunity to customize something to our own tastes. She brought the brown onesie and the pink skirt and we scouted my t-shirt scraps for the green waistband and some pink striped ruffles. They are easy to make with a basting stitch (long stitch length - 4) because all you do then is pull the ends to even out the gathers and stitch them in place (after turning stitch length back to 3, of course). Confession time - this is always the hardest part of this incredibly simple process for me to remember!
More girl clothes to come...

hat workshop at the community sewing studio

2011-05-23T09:45:00.000-04:00

We "hat" a great time at the workshop yesterday! Amy, Nadia and Sonja came to the community sewing studio and taught us about using the color wheel to choose colors. Then we followed the instructions on from Anna Kata. We used dress shirts, pants and t-shirts for their fabric and cut out circle for our hats. It seemed that stretchy fabric made the best hat band. Then we added some circle flowers and vintage buttons. They turned out great! Thanks girls, for fun day in the studio!

a lovely weekend at Lake Michigan aka the big lake

2011-05-22T07:48:00.003-04:00

A gorgeous weekend at the big lake. Waves on the shore, sand in our toes and the sun setting across the horizon.

If you seek a peaceful peninsula, look around you!

{this moment) bare feet

2011-05-20T14:04:00.000-04:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember.

What inspired you this week? Share your link in the comments.

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

hope you have a wonderful weekend outdoors!

tablecloth to wrap skirt with pockets!

2011-05-19T14:14:00.000-04:00

This pink fabric was from a tablecloth I found in my thrifting adventures. It was in nearly pristine condition, and since I love hot pink, I snatched it up! The red fabric is left from some wedding purses I made for my cousin a few years ago. It was reversible, so I decided to use each side for one pocket. Now when I put on my skirt, I figure out where the pockets will go on the front and wrap accordingly. Works great with leggings or a jersey skirt underneath for warmth!

community sewing studio class - pants to skirt, part 2

2011-05-16T07:39:00.001-04:00

www.

For a longer skirt, we cut up the inseam and pulled out some stitching.

Some possiblities for an insert in the front of the skirt and some applique for embellishing.

A lightweight pair of pants and a pieced skirt:

Measuring for length and then for width of the flouce, to be sure it's the same size as the bottom of the waistband section of the skirt.

Using a pinking shear to trim the edges so they don't fray.

The next artist class is the Make your own Hat Workshop with our friends Nadia, Sonja and Amy Daniels Moehle. We are going to be making Greta Garbo inspired hats from recycled materials. Nadia will also show you the color wheel and talk about how to choose colors.

It's on Sunday, May 22, 1-4pm, at the Grow Benzie community sewing studio, $20. Let us know if you can make it! It's warm and green in the greenhouse too, so stop by and see what's growing.

community sewing studio class - pants to skirt

2011-05-15T16:16:00.000-04:00

Here's a review of one of the first classes held at the sewing studio at Grow Benzie!

It starts with a pair of pants, or in this case, some tiny jeans. We cut off the legs just below the back pockets, and just above the crotch (not my favorite word, but for lack of a better one just now, there it is). Using the leftover legs, cut four curved pieces, 2" - 4" wide, using as much of the leg as possible.

Sew the curved pieces together to make a flounce for the bottom of your skirt. Pin the right side of the flounce to the right side of the skirt and stitch, leaving a couple of inches unsewn at the ends of the flounce. Once you have done this, you can see where the ends of the flounce can be stitched together, so they will fit all the way around the skirt. If it's not long enough, insert another piece into your flounce. Finish sewing flounce to skirt.

You can use any kind of pants for this recycled+revamped project!

And at the top, you see the adult size, with a wide flounce. This was a bit wider and more curved so it took a lot more pieces to make up the flounce, but Erin did not give up, she persisted and ended up with two great skirts after two hours of class. Way to go, Erin!
On the hem, you can use a regular stitch about 1/4" from the bottom to keep the fabric from unravelling too much. And if it gets stringy after washing, just trim as you would your favorite frayed jeans.

Please feel free to post links to your revamped jean skirt projects, it would be fun to see them!

{this moment} climbing the fence

2011-05-13T08:45:00.001-04:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember.

What inspired you this week? Share your link in the comments.

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

recycled+revamped boy clothes

2011-05-12T07:21:00.007-04:00

Looking out at the birds, sporting a revamped vest with a little wool tree and birdie! Oh how I love these days, when my little boy allows me to choose his clothes and design for him. I imagine he will take part in the design process soon. So for now, I enjoy this time and continue to choose nature themes over trucks!

Mermaid purse for AmyJo with my favorite Heather Ross fabric!

2011-05-11T07:27:00.000-04:00

A long strap (adjustable, of course), zipper closure, a zippered pocket outside and this sweet mermaid fabric were all that was required for this custom purse. I used some matte vinyl over the fabric to give it an underwater look, and chose a watery blue for the lining.

My friend, Amy Jo, loved it and is using it well!

recycled+revamped party dress to party skirt

2011-05-10T07:15:00.001-04:00

My niece outgrew her party dress! I loved the fabric when I chose it for her (size 4) and came up with this idea to make it last a little longer. I cut if off below the zipper, about 12" up from the hem and added an elastic waistband (based on her waist measurement - size 7). Hello party skirt!

recycled+revamped boy clothes

2011-05-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

Found this while going through some photos and wanted to share some more ideas for revamping boy clothes. The pants are the same concept as the patch pants tutorial, but instead of patches, I just used a strip of vintage fabric on the sides - tuxedo style. For the sweatshirt, I lined the hood with a nice striped fabric. All you do is trace the hood, using it as a pattern to make two identical pieces on your fabric. Sew them together and sew them to the hood, folding the edge over a bit so the raw ends are tucked in. To cover the words on the sweatshirt, use a wide strip of fabric, again folding the edges, and stitching. The buffalo was cut out of a recycled wool sweater.

Hope you are inspired to revamp some hand-me-downs now!

happy mother's day!

2011-05-08T07:43:00.002-04:00

...help all mothers everywhere. We need so much help, with the little sensitive, loving minds that look to us for guidance and love and understanding.

L.M. Montgomery
Anne of Ingleside

Sending love to all moms everywhere, and thanks to the heavens for their love and kindness.

Happy Mother's Day to you!

this weekend...

2011-05-07T07:34:00.001-04:00

Sporting his recycled cashmere hat, hand-me-down jean jacket, mama-made fleece-lined cords and converse sneakers, this little guys is ready for another weekend of biking. We did end up with training wheels on since I relinquished the athletic activites to papa, who is far more agile than I can ever dream to be (who needs coordination when you're creative?). But I don't think they will be on for long!

{this moment} in the cedar bottoms

2011-05-06T06:42:00.002-04:00

a moment from this week that I want to smile, savor and remember

inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama

feel free to leave a link to your moment in the comments.

have a wonderful weekend!

grow benzie sewing studio fundraising veggies

2011-05-05T08:03:00.001-04:00

Next sewing bee at the sewing studio at Grow Benzie is Friday, May 13 at 7pm. Come join us for some wool veggie production to help raise $$ for new sewing machines! Veggies are available for $5 each at Mecca in Benzonia.

Hope to see you there!

From Women's Hands art show in Traverse City 2011

2011-05-04T07:45:00.009-04:00

After a long winter, it's time again for art show season! Kicking it off this year is the "From Women's Hands" show in TC. I am once again honored to be chosen as a participant for this high end show. It features 150 very talented women from the area and I was one of three clothing vendors!

The suitcase system is working out great, and my new sign has made it through a few shows so far, still looking pretty good.

One the third day of the show I put a few outfits on display and thought they would be fun to share. I love these silver leggings! The black cord skirt is a size 5, I think, and so is the shirt which is handdyed and embellished with a blackbird. This would look so cute on a little girl!

This little outfit is about a 12-18 month size, with the cowboy shirt and patch pants.

Special thanks to Roz, the lady in the pink shirt there, wielding the drill. She is also an artist, but somehow manages to spearhead this show too.

How lucky to have a great neighbor from the other side of the state! Her name is Ky Sullivan and she makes gorgeous linen jackets as you see here, and super soft knit scarves. I ended up with the gorgeous striped one that she's wearing here while modeling my sweater.

On the other side, there was my friend and fellow artist who is also a great mentor, Leah Dziewit.
You can find her at art shows in the area with her gorgeous silk clothing and rose scarves.

Thank you very much to everyone who stopped by my booth! I enjoyed seeing friends and meeting new people. A special thank you to those who purchased my handiwork, 20% of which was donated to breast cancer research in memory of my amazing Gram, a survivor!

Another one of my neighbors and dear friends, Mimi from Grocer's Daughter Chocolate!

formal dress revamp with tank top and ruffle detail, Tickled Pink for From Women's Hands

2011-05-03T20:45:00.002-04:00

My sister just gave me a black strapless dress that she had worn as a bridesmaid in her friend's wedding, and it was hanging in my closet while I decided what to do with it. And then I had the invitation for the opening reception of the art show/fundraiser for breast cancer research. Think Pink was the theme, so I determined that a pink tank top was what I needed. A trip to the thrift shop resulted in these great finds. The pink one had a hole so they gave it to me FREE! I love the stripes and originally thought I would use it for a shirt for little f, but it seemed perfect for this project.

I cut off the black dress just below the zipper and kept the lining matched up with the skirt. After trying on the tank top, I decided where I wanted that seam, and just below the spot I wanted to give myself some seam allowance. It was right above the hole! Must have been meant to be.

Then it needed a little something else. I had a mesh pink shirt in the scrap box, so I just placed it on the tank, scrunched a bit and then stitched, adding new pieces as needed. One was wider than the other, so I worked it out to my advantage. A little flourish of color from the scrap box again and on to the belt. I cut four 3" wide strips from the striped shirt and sewed them together for a wraparound or obi style belt. With the stripes already around the waist, it looked good with the added cinch and width that the belt added.

And the shirt had a printed label, so I put a piece of fabric on the front and back and stitched it up. It needed a tag, but mine are designed for purses, so I broke out the free motion foot and did my best with some grey thread, so it would stand out, but just a little. Not bad for a beginning project in the free motion department! I was so pleased! Best of all, it was super comfortable!

I love it when things turn out just as you intended! And that you can wear them the very next night!

{this moment}

2011-04-29T08:32:00.000-04:00

a moment from this week that I want to smile, savor and remember

inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama

feel free to leave a link to your moment in the comments.

have a wonderful weekend!

a peek into my studio

2011-04-29T07:39:00.009-04:00

This photo was taken by my little guy while my friend, Amylynn, and I were working. He took the one of me below too. It's getting interesting in my studio, no doubt about it!

The t-shirt was in the stack to be revamped, and I took the great artwork from one of my old t-shirts. It was from the good old days in Grand Rapids and was illustrated by a friend with a very creative family. I taught his girls to sew in their first sewing class! Rose has become quite a successful entrepreneur at the Fulton Street Artist's Market. Pearl is a gifted illustrated already, so I hope she keeps drawing and painting! Check out the Wonder Wagon when you are in GR!

Wait until you see these great obi-style belts! I'm so excited about them b/c they are comfortable!

work in progress - wip wednesday!

2011-04-28T06:23:00.001-04:00

Here's a little preview of what's coming out of my studio for the "From Women's Hands" show this weekend. Over 150 talented local female artists are coming together to sell their wares at the newly renovated Streeters Center on Garfield in Traverse City. In addition, 20% of all sales will be donated to breast cancer research at Munson Hospital. There's a party (with food, live music and dancing!) on Friday night from 6-10pm if you want to get in on the action early. I'd love to see you there!

rock rainbow

2011-04-27T08:54:00.000-04:00

Something simple that makes me smile. It also reminds me of the concert we saw last weekend, when Rachel Davis sang "Somewhere over the Rainbow" a capella, of course. That girl has some voice!

It's been raining for a couple of days here, but our seeds are starting to sprout. Surely we will see a rainbow soon!

make your own cleaning products party!

2011-04-26T09:29:00.001-04:00

One of my good friends had a little party a few weekends ago, and it was so much fun! We made our own cleaning supplies using simple ingredients - baking soda, borax, castille soap, vinegar, dish soap and some essential oils.

Stirring up the laundry detergent. I love that I can add my own essential oils! When I got home, I made some dryer balls out of yarn. I saw it on a blog somewhere and can't find it now... At any rate, you wind balls of yarn (a great way to use old acrylic) and then wind some nice wool yarn to cover it up. Put in a stocking, tie a loose knot and wash in hot, put in dryer. Works great, uses old stuff that nobody wants and it's fast!

I found some plain spray bottles at the store and filled them up! To keep myself from getting confused, I added a drop or two of food coloring to each one, orange for all-purpose and blue for window cleaner. There's a shaker too, which I didn't show. It's a large mouth mason jar and the top has holes which were made with a hammer and nail (on a block of wood). I added a few drops of essential oil to the baking soda and stirred it up. Now I can use it on my stainless sink, bathtub and those tough spots on the tile floor.

Now, the question is, keep the cleaning lady or enjoy it all to myself? (Just kidding, Julie, we love you too much to let you go, but we will share our cleaners and recipes with you!)

recipes for homemade cleaning products

2011-04-26T07:01:00.000-04:00

Here they are!

All purpose cleaner
1 quart warm water
1 t liquid soap (dish soap or castille soap)
1 t borax (powder)
1/4 c vinegar
5-10 drops essential oil (tea tree is good disinfectant)
1-2 drops food color
Mix and put in spray bottle. Good for walls, countertops, carpet, upholstery, tile floors and more.

Glass cleaner
1 quart warm water
1/4c vinegar
5-10 drops essential oil
1-2 drops food color
Mix and put in spray bottle.

Laundry soap
Grate 4oz castille soap into 4c hot water - stir to dissolve.
Fill 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot water, add melted soap.
Add 1c washing soda (baking soda works too) and 1/2 c borax - stir to dissolve.
Fill bucket full of hot water and let sit for 24 hours.
Fill soap container 1/2 full and add more water.
Add essential oil (10-15 drops).
Use 1/2c per load.

a handmade birthday gift surprise!

2011-04-25T20:22:00.001-04:00

While shopping at the local co-op last week, stocking up on supplies for another holiday weekend away from home, I bumped into one of my crafty blogging friends, Amylynn McDevitt from little farm studios. She handed me this sweet little package for my birthday. I enjoyed so many things about it, starting with the kraft bag, box and washi tape. Inside was a tiny envelope with a card, and there was stitching on the earring card. The earrings are just the right style and color for me. I wore them all weekend!

Thank you very much, Amylynn! You are a kind and thoughtful friend!

{this moment}

2011-04-22T12:00:00.000-04:00

a moment from this week that I want to savor, smile and remember

inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama

feel free to leave a link to your moment in the comments.

have a wonderful holiday weekend with your families and friends!

art party - paper nests

2011-04-17T09:36:00.000-04:00

It was another fun day for the girls and me at art party! Marcy planned the craft and brought all the materials. We made paper nests using recycled paper and white glue.

The instructions suggested using a bowl covered with plastic wrap as a form, but I tried this one using a paper bowl, and covered both sides with paper. It did get a big soggy from the glue/water mixture, but it turned out all right in the end. I'm hoping to grow some grass in it using wheatberries.

First we did a test run using some pre-made paper shreds. They worked pretty well, and the small ones I made were the best, made on a sauce cup and embellished with some glitter.

It's a bit gooey, but it was fun to get our hands messy! We put a big bowl of water and a towel on the table for wiping our hands. In retrospect, the flannel backed vinyl tablecloth my gram used to put on the table for crafting would have been ideal. We used newspaper, which worked pretty well, but took a little scrubbing to get the newsprint off the painted surface of the table!

All in all, it was a very successful day!

this moment - taking yaya for a stroller walk

2011-04-15T09:03:00.001-04:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember. What was the most memorable time in your week? Share your link in the comments.
Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

community sewing studio clothing swap

2011-04-15T08:45:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the clothing swap! We had so much fun, imagining what could be made with some of the things that were donated. Thanks to all who came and to those who dropped off donations!

Here are teachers Nadia, Sonja and Amy Daniels Moehle along with Gretchen and Gwen Eichberger, enjoying their swapped goods.

This was a turtleneck dress that we converted into a robe for Sonja. All it took was a scissor and a few minutes of conversation! She will toasty warm now!

Kari is wishing these were a bit larger...

Checking out some of the gorgeous fabrics that have been donated to the studio. Perhaps this would entice you to come visit us?

When all was done, we donated a few boxes to BACN and sorted the rest into categories for our projects - t-shirts and knit materials, wool sweaters and pants, cotton pants and skirts to make into kid's pants and dresses.

When you get to Grow Benzie, come around to the back and you will see the door here!

community sewing studio kicks off spring schedule!

2011-04-14T17:40:00.001-04:00

Want to learn to sew? Beginning classes are held on Wednesdays from 4-6pm starting April 11 and Mondays from 6-8pm starting April 13. A 6 week session is $40 and there is still room to join us at the Community Sewing Studio at Grow Benzie, for ages 8 -80! You can join our group on facebook too.

Just need a machine so you can work on a project? Come by for our open studio. It's only $10 and there's one this Sunday, April 17, 1-4pm or Sunday, May 15, 1-4pm. Grow Benzie is located at 5885 M115 in Benzonia. You can get a complete schedule here. We need to prove that our community can support this venture so tell all your friends, or better yet, bring them along and sew with us!

This is Mary Ann Hendricks. She has spent hours and hours making this dream a reality! At our clothing swap she was hanging up the recycled valances and has been known to vacuum when everyone else was ready to leave. She is amazing!
Special thanks to my dear friend, Marcy Patterson Grudzien at mecca who helped us paint and get things organized for the big open house! And to Pam Smith for her help too, helping us clear away the dust and refold all the clothes. There are so many other who have helped us out and I want to thank them too!

There are sewing bees too to make the wooly veggies that we are selling for $5 to raise $$$ for the studio and new sewing machines. Join us on Friday, April 15, 7-9pm and Friday, May 13, 7-9pm. This is also a great time to stop by and make donations of clothing, fabric or sewing notions.

Look for us on the lower level in the back of the house at Grow Benzie. There's a sweet little deck by our entrance!

our community sewing studio gets some press!

2011-04-13T16:06:00.002-04:00

From the Traverse City Record Eagle on Sunday, April 3, 2011

revamped wrap skirt with pockets

2011-04-13T11:58:00.001-04:00

Here it is, in action. I love having pockets for my camera, phone and handkerchief. And I LOVE my new boots! They were a christmas present, and I've been waiting for the snow to melt so I can wear them.
The river was gorgeous, not as high as it was yesterday. The road was graded yesterday, and that was quite exciting for little f. A dump truck and a grader working on the road. We spent a long time just watching them work. Today, it's a tray of flour in the kitchen with some matchbox trucks. It's been good for hours of play!

This is one of my favorite jackets, and it had a rip on the hood, so I made a little wool bunny patch for it. Our snacks are tucked away in a mesh drawstring bag with a fabric top and cordlock.

revamped jeans to skirt

2011-04-08T15:40:00.000-04:00

Here's a tiny version of my favorite jean skirt. It's comfy with plenty of pockets (of course, I love them so, you know!). It's especially fun over a pair of leggings with some groovy boots. On Sunday, I'll be teaching a class at our Community Sewing Center - the dream has become a reality! We have two new sewing machines so far, and are raising $$$ for four more! Back to the class, which is at 1pm. Bring your own pants or choose from the stash we have collected. Better yet, join us tonight, Friday from 7-9pm for a clothing swap!

This one is serged on the hem, but it can be left raw, and just stitched with a straight seam so it won't unravel.

revamped tanks to tunic

2011-04-05T08:39:00.002-04:00

Three tanks for revamping. The tie dye is my favorite, it's from an art fair a few years ago, brightly twisted is the name I think...

First I cut the top of the aqua tank off, just below the trim. Then I cut a band of the green tank and made sure it was close to the same width around as the aqua tank. Since the aqua tank had a bit of a curve, I decided to keep that when I stitched it onto the band from the green tank, using a stretch stitch on my machine.

Then I cut off the top of the tie dye tank with my rotary cutter. It was quite a bit larger than the green and aqua tank, so I sewed it up a bit on the side seams and then slid it inside the other two tanks, right sides together, so I could stitch them up. Since the tie dye part was wider, I had to stretch the green part as I sewed.

If you are new to this technique, you will probably want to pin at the sides and then stretch to pin the front and back, so you have pins in four places. This is also how you would attach elastic if you were making something like underpants. (Yes, Ashlea, I'm thinking of you!) Then you just stretch each section as you sew to make it even.

Then I topstitched both the top and bottom with a stretch stitch to get them to lay a bit flatter. I could have ironed it a bit, but didn't get that far yet...

revamped wool wrap skirt with pockets!

2011-04-04T09:02:00.000-04:00

A friend gave me a long wool skirt, so I took it home and washed it in hot water. Then I cut off the pockets and hem and used a wrap skirt as a pattern to cut out a shorter skirt. The pockets were sewn back onto the front. The hem was sewn onto the top for the ties. I left the edges raw, since they are felted and they won't unravel. Then I saw a similiar skirt in a fashion mag with some chunky tights and went digging in my sock drawer to find something comparable! I like the brown zig zag stitching on the pockets and waist, since it adds a little detail to the otherwise plain skirt. And you might already know about my love for pockets!

What have you been making?

revamped cashmere sweater

2011-04-03T20:06:00.000-04:00

Here it is, finally! The turquoise cowl neck sweater I made a while back. Photos were promised, and life sped along. But, I gave you my word so I had to show you the finished sweater in action.

You can find the tutorial at my etsy shop. I used two turtleneck sweaters, but I don't think that the existing sweater neckline is that important, since it gets cut off one sweater and only the body and sleeves of the other one are used. I'm wearing it over another recycled tank top tunic that I made a while back.

And look who else wanted their picture taken? He's wearing his wool longies and cashmere elf hat. They look cozy, don't they? He's been wearing the pants for over a year now. I love wool longies! There's a tutorial for those in my shop too.

a new photo clutch

2011-04-02T11:00:00.001-04:00

Time for a new purse! My friend, Chandra, over at Hitching Post Photography took this gorgeous photo of our family this summer. After it was printed on fabric, I pieced it together with some rescued fabrics and protected it with a piece of matte vinyl.

On the other side, my signature pocket with a zipper and a label. It's great for a cell phone and a to-do list.

Inside, plenty of pockets! I love pockets. There are three along the back for $$, cards, lip gloss, etc. and another zippered pouch on the opposite side for more personal items. When little f was tiny, he reached into my purse one day while we were out at started waving a tampon around. How embarrassing! So, a zipper is now essential!

I love this photo. It was taken at Good Harbor Beach, and it was the last shot of the day. Funny how that happens, isn't it?

{this moment}

2011-03-18T07:48:00.000-04:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember.

What inspired you this week? Share your link in the comments.

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

while we're on the subject of recycled clothing books...

2011-03-16T17:58:00.000-04:00

First discovered at the library, this book has some great ideas. It pushed my thoughts about sewing clothes in some different directions. Take two things and put them together to make one rather than getting rid of them and buying something new. I made many dresses, and continue to make more! The recycled T-shirt tunic is based on the same concept as the maternity tanks I was making a few years ago.

gnomes driving a tractor with handmade felt hay bales

2011-03-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

This lovely tractor and trailer was a birthday gift from a dear friend. The gnomes were my birthday gift to little f, and one of the more intense needlefelting projects I've taken up yet. While the shredded paper from one of his gifts made great hay it was getting everywhere. When he opened the box with the shreds, he called out "hay" and didn't even notice there was another gift from another dear friend, it was quite hilarious.

At any rate, I pulled out some wool felt and got busy. For each bale, I cut out four rectangles, 2"x1" and two squares, 1"x1" and whip stitched them all together with a little stuffing. It went into my mending basket and into the bathroom so I could work on them while little f was in the tub.

The galvanized tub was outside, and in my attempt to reduce consumption in our house, I brought it in and scrubbed it out. Now we use less than half the amount of water in his bath each night. That means our pump runs less and we use less hot water. He likes it better b/c he gets a full tub! It does mark up our tub a bit, but it's starting to rust a bit anyway. A towel could go under it, but I haven't made that happen yet and a little baking soda takes off the marks pretty easily.

this moment - fishing at twilight brook

2011-03-11T07:42:00.000-05:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember.

What inspired you this week? Share your link in the comments.

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

making toys out of all kinds of things...

2011-03-05T08:25:00.000-05:00

"Meems, I need a trailer for my tractor."

Hmm. After thinking about it for a while I came up with this solution. A small wood crate from his little kitchen tied up with twill tape which was left over from something and hanging on the bulletin board. It works out great, b/c he can put all kinds of things into it and pull them all around.

Since then, he has received a beautiful wood tractor with a trailer that swivels and everything, but he loves to play in his two tractor farm. A pile of shredded paper from a gift is the "hay". I also made him some bales of hay out of felt, but we haven't tossed the paper shreds yet. Today might be the day, as it is all over the rug.

The shirt was revamped, with a big denim star cut from a old pair of jeans stitched over the "cutesy" motif on the front.

{this moment}

2011-03-04T07:32:00.000-05:00

One extraordinary moment from this week that I want to savor and remember.
What inspired you this week? Share your link in the comments.
Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

a fabulous new book about thrifting, recycling and sewing!

2011-03-03T17:27:00.029-05:00

Once in a while you find a book or a person that is totally inspiring. That happened to me recently, when I discovered Jenny and Re-Sew, thanks to my crafty friend Kris over at Resweater who is hosting a giveaway for the book. Soulmates, I'm telling you! How incredible to know that rather than being odd, as I always imagined people thought, there are many more people who love the same things I do and they are all extraordinary! In honor of this realization and to help spread the word about this cool book, here's another giveaway, a tutorial this time. It's inspired by the concept of the book, and is for a sweet little zippered pouch.

To enter, leave a comment here.
To enter again, become a follower (1st timers only on this round please).
For another entry, blog about it or share it on facebook.
For yet another entry, become a follower over at Jenny's blog, thewildcards.com
And finally, if you buy the book and comment here, you get five entries!

~~Comments will be open until next Friday, March 11 and will be announced on Saturday!~~

Everyone who responded will get a copy of the tutorial for the "zippy" pouch!

what I'm working on now...

2011-03-03T08:44:00.000-05:00

You can see I have a little helper for this project! It's a wrap skirt that I have had for a while but not worn much. I modified the hemline, cutting off a bit and serging it more evenly. Then I decided it needed pockets. And it seemed fun to have one pocket that was somewhat hidden, in the same fabric as the skirt. The other pocket is a great screen printed fabric I got on etsy a while back.

recycled kid's tote giveaway!

2011-02-26T07:04:00.019-05:00

These little bags were introduced to the recycled+revamped line last year, right before christmas. Little f needed a bag for his books and toys. He took the first one from my studio and ran out to fill it up, declaring it was his. Turns out it was great for gifting too, as I packed each of my nieces' and nephews' gifts inside. More will be coming for this year's show season!

aqua star tote, coral star tote, striped star tote

Here are the details on a giveaway of one of these bags to reward my loyal readers, and entice those of you who drop by to do so more often. ~~Giveaway will close next Friday night~~. Winners will be chosen at random and posted here by next week Monday. Comments closed! Thanks to all who entered here! Check out my tutorial giveaway and the ReSew book! ~~So, here are several chances to do it:~~

~~To be entered to win:~~
~~1. leave a comment on this post, telling which is your favorite tote.~~
~~2. become a follower, or leave another comment if you already are a follower.~~
~~3. become a fan or friend on facebook (first timers only) and leave a comment.~~
~~4. mention this giveaway on your blog or facebook and leave a comment with your link.~~
~~5. twitter about it and leave another comment.~~
~~6. add recycled+revamped to your blogroll and leave a comment.~~

And the winner is, by random.org's pick of #16:
besquirrely!
congratulations!

this moment - baking

2011-02-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

This moment - one fabulous moment from the week that I want to remember, inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama.

revamped mushroom stools

2011-02-24T08:47:00.002-05:00

Walking around in papa's slippers, looking at a book with a nice wooly sweater made with love by Aunt Jon. This is a little slice of our lives. It's toasty warm by the fire, which is just to the right of the photo.

The mushroom stools were a gift from "unty", t's brother, scored at a garage sale. He loves the thrill of the find like I do, and while these were two different colors of vinyl at one time, they have been revamped!

After cutting a circle of chocolate brown wool larger than the seat of the stool, allowing extra for the sides of the seat and enough to wrap around to the underside, I cut out some smaller pieces from a creamy white felted wool sweater, set them on the wool on the stool and pinned into place. I stitched those on and then went to find the staple gun.

First, I layed the wool down on the floor, dots down and put the stool seat on top. With my staple gun, I secured the south side of the wool (closest to me) to the underside of the seat. Stretching a little to make it taut, I moved to the north side, and then east and west sides. And then I was able to secure all the places inbetween, pulling a bit to keep the top smooth as I stapled.

Did I mention how much I love staple guns?

custom purse for martha

2011-02-23T07:36:00.001-05:00

Here's how it started...

Martha gave me the dimensions she wanted for her purse. Then I went into the studio to find some fabrics to fit her request for something to go with black, maybe with a touch of dark red, to go with everything. I came up with a curtain from my friend's cottage in New Hampshire, a pair of jeans, some striped corduroy from some of my pants and brown and black recycled office furniture fabric.

I sewed together a strip of scraps to make the other side of the purse more interesting. Plus I like it that she could switch her purse around and it looks totally different from the pocket side.

Inside there are pockets on both sides, three small ones and one large zippered pocket, as well as a key hook. Oh, how I love pockets in my purse!

Here's one side, with a zippered pocket in front. It's the perfect place for your phone, list or receipts.

Here's the whole set. I added a couple of zippered pouches, b/c they make great little mobile pockets. You can take them out and put them in as you need them. She also mentioned that she doesn't really switch purses much, so this leaves the option of using the little star clutch and leaving the big bag in the car.

The star motif was inspired by a Native American story about a girl named Kotemanyo, who carries a large bag for her grandmother for several days. Finally, she becomes so curious that she peeks inside late one night, and the stars come flying out! There is much more to the story and I promise to tell you the whole thing soon.

This little pouch was so fun to make that I made a tutorial on it!

cashmere balaclava

2011-02-22T13:32:00.000-05:00

Here it is on my little f...

The dresser in the first photo was one of my first projects up here. The drawer fronts are covered with maps showing all the places we traveled in our first year together. After repainting the dresser, all I needed was a little mod podge to hold the maps in place!