Magic Sticker Maker

While I was in Minnesota, I mentioned that I was thinking about buying a Xyron sticker maker. My 16-year-old brother Henry piped up and said "I still have Jake's old one that he left me. I never use it. You want it?" He got it out, and lo and behold, it's an older version of the Xyron 250, which they apparently used to bill as the "Magic Sticker Maker". All signs point to the fact that a Xyron 250 refill cartridge will fit in it. I'm very excited.

Sticker maker:


Here are some stickers I made out of some vintage wallpaper that I cut up:


And here's a fabric sticker (Ooooo, ahhhhh...)


If I were you, I would expect the amount of stickers produced to increase dramatically, and then I would expect to see them for sale in sets and in card-making kits on my Etsy shop. But that's just me.

Thrifty Goodness

I went to Minnesota last week. Traveling to towns you aren't usually in is a great way to clean up at the local thrift stores. It's all new to you. Here's my inventory from the Fairmont, MN Salvation Army and the Mankato, MN Salvation Army:

33 zippers in original packaging - 5 cents each on sale
3 crewel embroidery kits and a calico flower making kit (for sale at My Etsy Shop)
pink paisley shirt (it's a lot cuter than it sounds) - free
denim-y colored long-sleeved tee - $2
shirt for Norman - $2.50
assorted vintage fabric
bag of approx. 20 neck ties - $4.50 (for Norman's new Christmas stocking - pictures to come)
5 embroidered ladies' handkerchiefs - $1.25
Twin flat sheet that looks like a Twister mat
Assorted cotton thread (plan to use for tatting)
approx. 50 vintage envelopes - $1.00
other assorted envelopes - crazy cheap (can't remember)
145 travel sewing kits - $4.50 - They look like big matchbooks. I'm going to put my website on them and give them out -- like business cards but better.
assorted lace and findings, including D rings and some tailor's chalk (yay!)
book for turning into a journal

But the best thing ever is the dark gray, wool, perfect fit, silver buttons, pea coat that I got for -- that's right -- free. It had a red tag. Apparently Thursday, Oct 26 was Red-Tags-Are-Free Day. Minnesotans are crazy.

Needless to say, there's quite a bit of crafting that will result from this bounty. I have a much more reliable computer now, so I'll try to keep you updated.

Llama Llama Duck update

I finally got around to making a purse out of some of those embroidered animal squares I bought at an estate sale. Because the llama, llama, and duck squares are so precious to me, I thought I'd start with something not so precious -- whales. So I made a whale purse. One of them is white, so it's actually a Moby Dick purse. It has a snap and everything. I'm actually rather pleased with how it turned out. See?





It was my first experiment with gussets. Not too shabby.

Alright, quick and dirty, I've been making note cards like a crazy person. Ta da!


Comic book cards to the left.









Elephants

Crazy wallpaper cutouts


"Creative Men" -- that's right, manly men doing manly craft projects.

And yes, they are all for sale here.

Hostess Gifts

Told ya -- wedding stuff. Seven lovely ladies threw a bridal shower for me a couple weeks ago. These are the gifts I gave each of them. There's a votive candle holder with beaded ribbon trim, a red toile lavender sachet, and chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. :-) They all came in a Chinese take out boxes I found at Michael's.

For da bling

I made this jewelry holder at the request of my former roommate. It was a first attempt, and I think I could improve on it. I might try one of these days. It has canvas flaps for earrings, plastic rings to string necklaces and bracelets through, and a zippered pouch for odds and ends. It hangs, and also rolls up for travel. I'm pretty proud of it, but it could definitely be better.

Llama Llama Duck

Ya know that internet short "The Llama Song"? (Well, you should. Go here.) I found these appliqued and embroidered fabric squares at an estate sale. They were in this order when I found them. There are also these:



I'm thinking handbags, but who knows?

One for me, one for you...

Two tablecloths from eBay, now two skirts. This one turned out soooo much better than I expected it would. I inherited this really wide stretchy lace stuff from my great-grandma, so I deciced I would try to use it as a waistband, ala the t-shirt material people use for the same purpose on Craftster. Oh did it ever work. The skirt can be worn high or low, and since it was a square tablecloth, it's all gypsy and pointy at the bottom. This one is for you. It's for sale at my Etsy shop.



This, however, is the reason I bought the lot of tablecloths in the first place. This tablecloth was destined to be a skirt from its creation. I mean, look at it. I decided to put a zipper in it instead of an elastic waistband so it would be longer. The trim on the bottom used to be major fringe, but I sort of cut it off. Which left some other trim. I can't really describe the process, but that extra trim is also for sale at my Etsy shop. But this skirt isn't. To quote Dr. House, "It's mine. You can't have any."

So inappropriate...

No, that's not a baby girl's headband. That would be my wedding garter. And no, you will not be getting a picture of it being modeled. I love the tradition of the garter toss. My parents think it's "tacky". My future brother-in-law is dead set against it. But I like it. And my fiance likes it. So it's all good.

I decided to make my own because, first of all, I can, and secondly, all the ones you can buy are so boring, all shiny and lacy and light blue. Gag. Tartan and eyelet is soooo much cooler. I was actually thinking of making more crazy/interesting/not cheesy garters and selling them on Etsy. Ya know, some black lace, some paisley, some corduroy. Okay, maybe not corduroy. What do you think?

Meet Nina

This is Nina. She's my new sewing machine. I got her off eBay as a graduation present. Isn't she beautiful? All metal. Oh yeah. She can do all sorts of things my trusty but limited 1959 Singer can't. She's just like the one I've been using at work for the last 2 years, so I know all about what she can do and how to take care of her.



Here is her ridiculous collection of feet for doing different things. She also came with more needles than I'll ever use in a lifetime, and oil, and screwdrivers and things.


And here is her house. She, and her table extension, and her accessory case all fit in there!



She's just amazing, and she'll probably still be working years after I die.