recycled fabric and wool needlebook

As a fundraiser for the community sewing studio at Grow Benzie, we made these little needlebooks. They are made from recycled upholstery fabric samples, felted wool sweater pieces and leftover ribbon from a wedding (thank you, Taryn!).

Several were sold at the Bioneers conference for $5 donations, at the "sew a button, revamp your clothes" workshop. Participants sewed their own button on the front and then took the needle home in this handy little book. I'm hoping to post some on my etsy site soon. Would you be open to any fabric combo, or perhaps a whimsical or traditional choice? Perhaps a tutorial is in order.

bioneers conference booth

This vintage suitcase was a great thrifting find. It's lined with a gorgeous aqua blue silk and it's in really nice shape. I filled it with lots of recycled goodies - headbands made from t-shirts, baby hats, mittens, birthday crowns and sleep masks from wool sweaters. I love old suitcases and now I love them even more, b/c they were so easy to open, set up and then close when the show was over!

For this show, I was inspired to make a new sign. I cut the letters from an old book and stuck them to a brown grocery sack. I thought I was covering it with clear contact paper, but it turned out to be heat-n-bond vinyl, so I had to iron the whole thing. I love how it turned out! Then I ordered more business cards from moo.com, so I'd have them for the next show at the Children's House show in November.

Here's Britany, wearing her new recycled belt!

Here are some of the people who came to learn to sew on buttons! Special thanks to my models, Kate and Nadia from the Books for Walls Project.

{this moment}

One beautiful moment from the week to remember, savor and share, inspired by Amanda at soulemama and all the other sweet mamas who share there.

recycled patchwork kid's clothes

How could you resist? Shari at SorenLorensen Design makes the cutest patchwork from recycled clothing! And this picture is so cute it's not even funny. Wouldn't little guys look good in this hoodie?

So you can order the size you need, along with any other specs and she'll whip it up for you!
There's a blog too, which has some fun creative tidbits!

how to sew a button workshop at Great Lakes Bioneers Conference

Yes, it's true! I'll be teaching a workshop this Sunday about sewing buttons and revamping clothes. For those of you in the TC area, bring extra clothes for the swap, and a sweater or pants that need repair. The workshop is on Sunday, at 10ish and then another one around 2 or so. Check your official schedule when you arrive!

Here's a little reminder for those who might need it when sewing on buttons at home...

There's also a fun website and book with a title of the same name!

testing, testing...

here's a swatch from a project.... I'll show you how it looked in the restaurant next week! It was one of the images on the new computer I'm using to see if I can blog with photos again!
There's not too much recycled about this project, just local and creative. Which brings me to the next thought about my blog. Since this little computer glitch, I've been away and thinking about whether the title is accurate or appropriate, or if there is something better. Which is your favorite?

revive
a lucky life
the lucky ranch
alchemy
lucky studio

rainbows

Today, I saw a huge rainbow right over the road where I was headed. Definitely a good sign.

{this moment}

Imagine a little boy holding a thimble. He smiles as he leans in to pour tea from the thimble for his guest, a little green wood gnome. The gnome sits on a stump of wood by a table that is also made from a stump and a bit larger slab of wood cut from a tree branch. His dish is a seashell, which holds an acorn. Behind him is a small, dark cavern filled with his treasures of crystals and geodes.


Sometimes the moment is hidden a bit. Like when your power goes off, your stove goes on the fritz and your car won't go at all b/c the check engine light is flashing. And it's raining outside. Blogger jumped in on the momentum and has changed the photo upload system it seems, and my outdated technology has missed the boat. If you know how to circumvent the issue, I'd love some pointers.

So, I'll keep looking for things to share and ways to share what I'm doing.

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!