Apron Thrift Girl

Make Share - Framing Vintage Fabric

Framed Vintage Fabric

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I bought a large bag of vintage fabric. I knew that I wanted to sew with it but when I found a stack of mini frames at a garage sale for $1, I had other ideas.

20 Small Wooden Frames $1

Being rather nostalgic I wanted to display some of the vintage fabric in my living room. For some reason I can't help but think of my young Keiran when I see those boyish vintage stripes. I realize he wasn't born in the 60's and 70's but he is turning 9 soon, so I wanted to display something that made me remember his 8th year. We have had such a stellar year together thrifting, cuddling, learning and laughing.

I cut out squares of the fabric and secured them using a thrifted electric staple gun ($1 from the same sale as the frames)

It was a super easy craft to do. I tend to find frames at garage sales and thrift stores every single weekend. These wooden frames were ideal because they are so small (4"x6") but this craft would work with larger frames too.

Total cost for 6 Fabric Covered Frames: 50¢ (frames 30¢ & fabric 20¢)

Time: 15 minutes

The woman selling these at the yard sale had so many bundles of these. I bought 40 in all but now I wished that I had bought more.  Do you think these would sell at a flea market for a couple dollars if the fabric was fabulous and vintage? (and probably stapled a little neater :-)

Have you been crafting?

Make Share celebrates the Art of Crafting. As a community of readers and bloggers we are able to connect through the process of buying second hand and repurposing worn items into something fabulous. We give items a second life by upcycling.

We Thrift - We Craft - We Share

Here are some guidelines if you would like to join Make Share:

• Your Make Share project should include at least one item that is 2nd hand. A part of the Make Share intention is recycling.
• Take your Make Share item and create a blog post with photos.
• Link your Make Share post back to Apron Thrift Girl.
• Link to your Make Share post on Apron Thrift Girl using inlinkz. There will be inlinkz on every Make Share post so that you can add your photo and link back to your blog.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, please add this button to your side bar so that we can build our Make Share Community.

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Thanks for being part of our community in recycling, crafting, creating and sharing.

Make Share - Heath Tile Art

Make Share - Heath Tile Art

Back in November we took my mother-in-law Elsie to Sausalito for an outing. I especially wanted to show her the Heath Ceramics Factory & Store. Elsie and I both adore pottery and dishes. She influenced me when I met her for the first time by showing me her own collection of at least 6 or 7 different dish collections. She mostly collects Denby and from that day forward, so did I. I started collecting Heath once we moved to California and I couldn't wait to visit the store.

It took me all of about 2 minutes to realize that the store was way outside of my budget. Many of the 2nds were not as expensive but they had flaws like small cracks. I wandered around the shop three times before I realized that I could buy tile samples for $1.00 each. They did limit you to one color but I didn't mind that at all.

I picked out my 4 favorites and decided that I would make a small wall hanging.

Last week I came across a teak frame without the glass that I thrifted for 50¢. I gathered my 4 tiles, a piece of light blue scrapbook paper, my frame and some superglue.

The total cost for my Heath Tile Art was $5.11. Total Project Time 15 minutes.

The look is very simple and should go well in my Mid Century Modern styled living room. Maybe I won't ever spend the money to tile a shower using Heath Ceramics but I'll be able to look at my Thrifty art every time I walk into the living room and remember our day in Sausalito. I still adore Heath and love coming across plates and bowls at estate sales. A La Modern has a lovely collection of vintage Heath for sale at the moment. I think this color of Heath dishes is fabulous.

Here are some other ideas for Thrifty Art using a frame, a piece of paper, Superglue and...

• watch movements - a bit Steampunk
• buttons
• mosaic using scraps of paper from magazines
• vintage fabric squares
• vintage sewing bobbins (with our without thread
• old metal letters - spell out anything that creates conversation
• vintage Little People - create a family tree

Do you have any ideas for creating hanging art from 2nd hand supplies?

We Thrift - We Craft - We Share

Here are some guidelines if you would like to join Make Share:

• Your Make Share project should include at least one item that is 2nd hand. A part of the Make Share intention is recycling.
• Take your Make Share item and create a blog post with photos.
• Link your Make Share post back to Apron Thrift Girl.
• Link to your Make Share post on Apron Thrift Girl using inlinkz. There will be inlinkz on every Make Share post so that you can add your photo and link back to your blog.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, please add this button to your side bar so that we can build our Make Share Community.

Make Share Button

Thanks for being part of our community in recycling, crafting, creating and sharing.

Make Share - Handcrafted Broom

Handcrafted Broom - made by Cerys (10 yrs)

Yesterday my daughter brought home a handcrafted broom that she made at school. Every week the children spend time on the school farm doing crafts, farming, planting, and cooking. They have been working on their brooms since early fall.

The children harvested the broomcorn from the school farm field. They scraped all of the seeds off with knives and cut the pieces of broomcorn to measure about a foot long.

They gathered branches from trees to use as broom stick. They whittled and sanded their sticks until they was smooth. They surrounded the lower part of the the stick with broomcorn and tightened it with wire. Another layer of broomcorn was placed over it. They wove the top ends of the broomcorn with twine.

Woven twine and broomcorn stalks.

The bottom of the broom was fanned out and clamped in order to hold the shape. The children gathered small sections of the broomcorn and made loops with smaller twine.

The top of the stalks were trimmed to angle toward the broom stick. The last thing the children did was drill a hole at the top of the broom to run a small leather cord loop through it so that the broom can hang from a hook.

What I appreciate about this broom is the fact that my daughter saw the process from starting out in the field gathering her broom corn to bringing home her finished craft. She was there for every step of the way. Every time she sees a broom for the rest of her life, she'll remember her 5th grade project.

From a functionality point of view, the broom works brilliantly. I'm going to save it for our next (and hopefully final) home that we buy. It will be the housewarming gift to the family. I so look forward to our family homestead in Sonoma County.

I realize the broom doesn't follow my Make Share rule of an item thrifted but perhaps the twine is 2nd hand :-)

Did you make something this week?

We Thrift - We Craft - We Share

Here are some guidelines if you would like to join Make Share:

• Your Make Share project should include at least one item that is 2nd hand. A part of the Make Share intention is recycling.
• Take your Make Share item and create a blog post with photos.
• Link your Make Share post back to Apron Thrift Girl.
• Link to your Make Share post on Apron Thrift Girl using inlinkz. There will be inlinkz on every Make Share post so that you can add your photo and link back to your blog.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, please add this button to your side bar so that we can build our Make Share Community.

Make Share Button

Make Share - Repurposed Coasters

I found these Danish teak coasters that a crafter had glued some cut out playing cards to and then slathered on layers and layers of way-too-shiny shellac. I picked them up a year ago for 50¢ at a yard sale. I knew that one day I would have a plan for them. That day was today.

Wanting to give Christmas a good shake for the year, I decided that I needed to add some color to the living room to welcome in January. I thought that a little Amy Butler might be in order.

I traced circles the size of the inner ring of the coasters on a sheet of Amy Butler scrapbook paper. I cut out 6 circles, focusing on the flowers.

I didn't want to go down the heavy fumed path of shellac and yet I wanted to avoid decoupage glue as well. I decided to go the perfect waterproof route and use some laminating sheets that I had picked up from a yard sale. 

They are still relatively shiny but completely water repellent.

Total cost: $1.50

• Coasters: 50¢
• 1 Sheet of Amy Butler Paper 50¢
• 1 Self-Adhesive Laminated Sheet 10¢

Length of time to complete this Repurposing Project: 15 minutes.

I've created a new Make Share Button as well as a Make Share description page.

We Thrift - We Craft - We Share

Here are some guidelines if you would like to join Make Share:

• Your Make Share project should include at least one item that is 2nd hand. A part of the Make Share intention is recycling.
• Take your Make Share item and create a blog post with photos.
• Link your Make Share post back to Apron Thrift Girl.
• Link to your Make Share post on Apron Thrift Girl using inlinkz. There will be inlinkz on every Make Share post so that you can add your photo and link back to your blog.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, please add this button to your side bar so that we can build our Make Share Community.

Make Share Button

What did you make?

Make Share - Beeswax Ornaments

Beeswax Ornaments - Just poured into their mold.

Last Friday I went to the Legacy Craft Thrift Store. It was their once a month 50% off sale where nearly all of the store is half off. I found four of these ornament molds for 25¢ each. (sale price 12.5¢ each) I was planning to give edible gifts to the children's teachers but when I saw these molds I decided to give some handmade ornaments as well.

Cooling Ornaments

I melted some of my (thrifted) beeswax into a special pot designed for candle making (also thrifted). You can see the melting process here. The children chopped up the beeswax block and placed it in the pot. I poured the hot beeswax into the molds.

Collection of Ornaments

I have never used molds like this and discovered that as soon as they are cool the ornaments should be removed. When I waited too long a couple wings broke, which was sort of okay since I just placed them back in the pot to melt again.

After they were removed I placed a darning needle under a flame and poked a hole through the top of each ornament. I used some vintage tinsel thread to hang the ornaments on the tree.

Ornament on Tree

I added some German Glass Glitter to one mold set. The children didn't like it as much but I thought it added a nice twist. They were relatively easy to make and the children really look forward to giving the ornaments to their teachers this week for Christmas gifts.

Have you been crafting and want to take part in Make Share? It's very similar to Thrift Share where I begin a post with sharing something that I made and you all get to finish the post by linking up and sharing what you have made. There's a few guidelines -

• at least one item used in your project should to be 2nd hand.
• Please link to your Craft Project post.
• Link your Make Share post back to ATG.
• Post a Make Share item that you made on your blog or website.
• Link to your individual post on the item that you made using inlinkz below.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, I'd love it if you'd add this button to your side bar

Make Share - Crafting Deer

  Buck (before) purchased from estate sale for $3

Has the Deer craze got a hold of you yet? Every direction I turn this Christmas I am seeing deer and antlers. And I must confess I am starting to feel drawn to them. Head over heels. I'm so utterly gullible. Even Martha has joined the trend with her Woodland Park Collection. Last Friday I purchased the little bronze buck at an estate sale. After bringing him home my resistance to the deer craze was hopeless. I was hooked and headed to the craft room.

Buck (After)

Cathe Holden turned me onto Sterling Silver Spray Paint after I saw this photo of hers. Now I'm spraying everything that isn't nailed down.

Deer on Christmas Mantel

Felt Deer

I found a silhouette of a deer in a magazine, enlarged it on my printer and used it for the felt deer and paper deer project. I reversed it on the felt deer so that it would be the same but facing a different direction. 

It was the first time that I had felted on burlap. It was so different than working on a wool base but I actually found it quite easy. The burlap was a thrifted napkin 25¢, the embroidery hoop was 25¢ from the Legacy Thrift Store and the wool was a gift from Dave for my birthday.

     Paper Deer Silhoette on Canvas

My last deer project was using the same silhouette and tracing around it on a bit of text from a damaged book that I use for various projects. I was planning to paint the canvas (50¢ yard sale) but couldn't locate my paints anywhere.  I found a bit of scrapbook paper and used that for the background instead.

I did all three crafts in one day and it probably took me an hour and thirty minutes to complete them all. My head is spinning with other Deer craft ideas. Do you have any to share or suggest?

Have you been crafting and want to take part in Make Share? It's very similar to Thrift Share where I begin a post with sharing something that I made and you all get to finish the post by linking up and sharing what you have made. There's a few guidelines -

• at least one item used in your project should to be 2nd hand.
• Link your Make Share post back to ATG.
• Post a Make Share item that you made on your blog or website.
• Link to your individual post on the item that you made using inlinkz below.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, I'd love it if you'd add this button to your side bar

Make Share - Business Cards

 
Make Share - Business Cards

When I was at the Goodwill Outlet a few weeks ago I found these vintage blank business cards. I rarely turn away from any form of vintage paper so I added those to my cart not knowing what I would do with them.

A couple weeks later I was giving some swag to Cathe Holden to take to a craft retreat when I realized that I didn't have any cards or stickers for my ATG swag. I previously had made some ATG cards but they were on my lemon-junk-should-be-a-doorstop-HP-laptop computer and it would take me 20 minutes just to start the thing. I didn't even want to bother with it for that reason alone. I decided to print off some labels using a typewriter font.

The Avery labels came from a yard sale for $1.00. I printed off my basic information so that they would go on the packages that I was sending with Cathe.

After I placed the labels on the package I realized that the recipients wouldn't have any of my details since they were stuck to the wrapping. Since I had left over labels I decided to marry the labels and vintage business cards to create some Apron Thrift Girl cards.

Business cards in my upcycled 11:11 card wallet.

Okay so they are a little funky and eclectic. But isn't that part of the beauty of wearing, using and enjoying something vintage? I'll be making heaps of these this week to hand out at the Winter Faire this Friday & Saturday. More details about the faire tomorrow.

Did you get crafty this week? I'd love to know what you have been making.

Make Share - Embroidered Star Child

Make Share - Star Child

I'm sort of cheating today. I haven't worked on this project for a couple years. And I didn't complete it like I thought I would in time for today's post. Yet I feel like writing and I didn't want to blather on about my feelings of being a bit lost at the moment so I thought I would focus on crafting.

Sibylle Von Olfers illustrated and wrote the book The Princess in the Forest. She also wrote and illustrated the book The Story of the Root Child - a favorite in any Waldorf inspired home. I bought this post card at a Waldorf store and knew immediately that I wanted to embroider the Star Child onto a cloth napkin.

My mother-in-law Elsie has arrived and with her brings a lot of crafting energy. She is like many of us because she loves ALL crafts. Her favorite is bobbin lace but she also knits, embroiders, works on cross-stitch and a hundred other crafts. Cerys already has a pile of clothing to be mended by Grandma and Keiran is hoping for some hand-knitted socks. I'm hoping to get back into gear with homemade Christmas now that I have someone to motivate me and inspire me.

Speaking of crafts; did you happen to see that Cathe Holden has designed two stamps sets in time for the holidays? I can't wait to get my hands on a set of these. Maybe both of them. You can have a chance to win them.

Did you make something this week to share?

Make Share is very similar to Thrift Share where I begin a post with sharing something that I made and you all get to finish the post by linking up and sharing what you have made. There's a few guidelines -

• at least one item used in your project should to be 2nd hand.
• Link your Make Share post back to ATG.
• Post a Make Share item that you made on your blog or website.
• Link to your individual post on the item that you made using inlinkz below.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, I'd love it if you'd add this button to your side bar

Make Share & Winners

I wanted to congratulate the winners for the Jeweler's Loupe:

Here are your random numbers:

35	3	13	

Timestamp: 2010-10-28 13:00:25 UTC

Kristen Little Faces Looking Up Holding Wonder Like a Cup

Rebecca Johnson

Alyssa Clever Penguin

Thanks for entering and taking part in the giveaway. I have a box of these loupes so I may do another giveaway before Christmas.

********************************

My usual crafting day on Monday afternoon didn't happen this week. We are in Operation House Clean before my mother-in-law arrives next Tuesday for a month.

I'm sorting and cleaning and organizing. And preparing for a booth for a Waldorf Winter Faire next month. So much to do.

Did you make something this week to share?

Make Share is very similar to Thrift Share where I begin a post with sharing something that I made and you all get to finish the post by linking up and sharing what you have made. There's a few guidelines -

• at least one item used in your project should to be 2nd hand.
• Link your Make Share post back to ATG.
• Post a Make Share item that you made on your blog or website.
• Link to your individual post on the item that you made using inlinkz below.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, I'd love it if you'd add this button to your side bar

Make Share - Halloween Felt Owl Ornament

Make Share - Halloween Felt Owl Ornament

Keiran and I found this sweet, little feathered Halloween Tree at TJ Maxx last week.

We went to the most horrible store a couple weeks ago that consisted of the most frightening, nightmare inducing decor ever. Heads hanging by hooks in tongues and little zombie babies. We left as quickly as possible and I spent an hour trying to get the images out of my head. Keiran of course was entranced and didn't understand why his mother kept putting her hand over his eyes. I'll never return there again, ever. Finding this tree reminded me that there are decorations out there to celebrate the coming of Autumn and not just to highlight the insanely scary and gruesome.

The tree was $7.99 and it was the only one we saw in the store. I had to have it.

I'm planning to make felt ornaments over the next couple of weeks leading up to Halloween. I want to make some ravens, a crescent moon, a cat and some more owls to decorate the tree. Maybe I'll sneak in a Jack Skellington face.

Did you make something this week to share?

Make Share is very similar to Thrift Share where I begin a post with sharing something that I made and you all get to finish the post by linking up and sharing what you have made. There's a few guidelines -

• at least one item used in your project should to be 2nd hand.
• Link your Make Share post back to ATG.
• Post a Make Share item that you made on your blog or website.
• Link to your individual post on the item that you made using inlinkz below.
• If you participate with Make Share regularly, I'd love it if you'd add this button to your side bar