christmas comes at the same time every year...

And this year, I'm determined to be somewhat prepared. It really should not be a surprise a week before the big day. Seriously. Last year I made some stockings, but they were not like this. These are a sweet patchwork personalized with the names of your family members and pets (if you are so inclined). What should I get for our new puppy and two kitties? You can get your own from handmade pretties

You'll find all kinds of other recycled goods there too, skirts, ponchos, balls, etc...

Snazztastic! How could I resist a name like that? These snazztastic pants used to be a sweater. I love the striped waistband which looks like it's made from a ribbed cotton sweater. Brilliant idea!

This is for that tiny part of me that wishes to be pregnant again (incidently, the rest of me is not so sure that another baby is going to help me get more creative time!) It's a skirt, no wait, it's a poncho. Multi-purpose clothing is genius. And it would go with everything because it's patchwork! From what I gather, custom options for sizing and colors are also available. It would be great in jersey (t-shirt fabric) too!

Very pretty, indeed.

cute recycled t-shirt wear for kids

Wow, after being at the cottage, it's tough to get back in the groove here in front of the computer. But...

Look what I found on etsy today! dressme uses t-shirts and other recycled fabrics to make these wonderful combinations. The boy t-shirts are really cool and different. I love that they look good with everything. That's what got me started, but I love the dresses here too, and the little model is so sweet!

What are your favorite sources for handmade, recycled clothes?

glen lake getaway

It was a wonderful escape from the ordinary. We could see Sleeping Bear Dunes in the distance, and enjoyed several sunsets. All the best things were part of our summer vacation - swimming, fishing, boating, reading, eating outside, laughing, yoga, bonfires and family.

Fairy houses made by Uncle Don, who we met last year. He was the oldest living Luebke, and little f was the youngest. These are his handiwork and stand in his memory at our cottage garden.
"The fairies go up the steps and goblins live up here."

We love this place, and the simplicity it holds in it's beauty.

Where do you summer?

community sewing center success! 35 tablecloths completed for big event!

We did it! In a few weeks time, a couple of dedicated volunteers took a big pile of cotton fabric and old tablecloths and made all these tablecloths for the big Ho-Down fundraising event, which was a huge success! Not only did we keep plastic from being used, we also saved $8/table in cloth rentals. Now we have great tablecloths to use and or rent for future events.

Using bandannas for our guide, we cut out 22" squares of everything, and combined them with a few larger pieces on each cloth. Then they were hemmed and pressed for the big event.

You can see how nice it is to sew in this space, with the big windows and door to a little patio.

Classes start this fall for basic sewing, and revamping kid's clothing from adult cast-offs. I'm thinking we'll have to try these simple skirts that Amanda described yesterday.

One of my crafty friends came by and organized our shelves for us. She is an interior designer with a great eye for organizing. She also helped me with the curtains. Thank you so much, Marcy!

Starting this fall, we are having a denim drive, so bring your old jeans! All jeans are welcome whether they are torn, tattered, stained, dark, light, colors, etc... You can see the flirty skirt that I love in action here, and a preview of the long wrap skirt which is quickly becoming my other favorite jean skirt.

baby sundress from a women's shirt

A little something for friends of ours with a new baby girl - a sweet dress made from an off-the-shoulder shirt. It had a nice smocked top so I cut off the sides and serged it up to make a smaller size, using a small onesie from my stash for sizing. The sleeves were smocked too, so I cut them off and made straps. It was still a little long, so I cut it off, folded the edge over twice and sewed a little hem. Turned out great, don't you think?

It's so good when your ideas turn out to be good gifts! What have you been making lately?

{this moment}

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule of soulemama:

One lovely moment that I want to hold close, remember and savor.

summertime studio update...

We have been swimming at the beach with visiting family and are now heading out to the cottage for a couple weeks, so I'll be on vacation!

Here's a little peek at what's been going on my studio, to hold you over until I get back!

Sequins are everywhere this season, it seems. I love how they are becoming more of an everyday thing. This shirt is currently back in my studio for another revamp. I cut off the cowl and cut the neckline more like a tank top and am trying to decide if the stripe should become a racerback, a skinny cowl around the new larger neckline, or just a binding. Any suggestions?

A fun challenge using men's shirts. This one is linen, but it was a medium, and ended up being a little tight, so it's also on my stack to revise...

Another men's shirt challenge. It looks best with a wide belt, up high. I did add some pockets, so I'll try to get a pic of that to show you.

A fun t-shirt tunic, made from the top of a pink dress. The rest of the dress is the bottom of another summer dress with pockets. I'll work that getting that pic too...

embellishing... there was a hole elsewhere on the shirt, so I covered it with a little cashmere heart.

Another long sleeve shirt in progress. I added a cowl neck and am working on pics for my etsy site to sell this one!

{this moment} at the river

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama:

One fabulous moment that I want to savor and remember... 

have a great weekend! I'll be on vacation next week...

{this moment}

inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama:

One moment from the week that I want to savor.

dog days of summer

Aah, summer is here! We went to our favorite beach in elberta, which is dog-friendly! F brought his snacks in a drawstring bag made from vintage fabric. His sun hat used to be T's shirt. It was a Ben Sherman shirt that T bought in the first week we were dating. T's brother and friend went shopping with us and helped him pick out some new clothes, and he spend hours in the fitting room. Amazing. Good memories, in the past and in the making!

What are you doing this summer?

{this moment)

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama

One photo, without words, of a lovely moment from the week to enjoy and savor.

Check out the new Community Sewing Studio!

For those of you who live in the TC area, here's a great new opportunity! A couple of sewists set up a cool place to sew in Benzie County. It's in the house next to Grow Benzie, on the lower level.

We have tables, chairs, sewing machines, a tall cutting table, shelves, thread, a variety of fabrics and clothing to recycle! Right now we are sewing patchwork tableclothes for a fundraising event with Top Chef Hosea Rosenberg and Song of the Lakes at Grow Benzie at the end of this month. If you are interested in helping out, let me know!

In the fall, we plan to have classes and open studio sewing times available. You can catch me at the Great Lakes Bioneers Conference at NMC in October, where I'll be teaching a workshop called "How to sew on a button and other life skills for recycling your clothes." It will be on Sunday morning.

OOooh, I'm so excited! One of my friends mentioned to me a song we used to sing at camp which talks about how it only takes a spark to get a fire going. I want to thank Sharron May for connecting me to this amazing opportunity! Time now to fan the flames...

introducing katwise, a crafty recycling gypsy!

While browsing on etsy one day, I discovered some gypsy jackets that are amazing! They are made from recycled sweaters and the serged edges are part of her design. If you are going to a festival, it's an important thing to bring along, to keep warm and create your persona. Katwise has a website too, with more photos and other stuff to check out. She is quite a gypsy herself, it seems.

My first gypsy jackets were made from recycled fabric scraps, so they are heavy, warm and almost royal looking, fit for a sorcerer or wizard. The next round were made from recycled beach towels, one of which is still in my etsy shop.

custom tote bags for wedding planner

You might not know that Northern Michigan is a gorgeous place. And for an outdoor wedding, the counties up here boast incredible views of dunes, islands and fresh water.

Some of us are so lucky, that we live here all year long, in a place where others visit.  You are invited to join us. One of my good friends, Chandra Demers Wheeler has a wedding planning business called Orchestrated Grace. She has staff to help with anything from a small family ceremony on the beach to a huge event for 200+. One extraordinary wedding we worked on last year is going to be in the fall issue of Martha Stewart Weddings!

The large vinyl pocket on the back is perfect for our timelines and checklists!

You might have heard me say this before, but I love pockets! This one has a large zippered pocket on one side and 4 smaller pockets on the other, with a skinny one for pens. There's a hook for your keys too. Very organized.

raspberries by the river

My little boy loves raspberries as much as I do! Good thing that patch in our front yard has been growing almost exponentially for the last couple of years! Now I just hope he leaves some for me...

His shirt is one of my revamped projects, covering up something cutesy with a little wool tree and cardinal.

{this moment}

Inspired by Amanda Blake Soule at soulemama
 

One photo, without words, of a lovely moment from the week to enjoy and savor.