Goodwill Pants to Skirt

I stopped at Goodwill the other day and came home with these corduroy pants. I love cords, and the pants fit fine, except the corduroy it is made out of is pretty thick. I did not feel comfortable in the pants. I knew at Goodwill I was going to turn these into a skirt.

 As you can see I already started ripping the inseam.

 And here is the skirt. The pants were a little bit long, so I ended up ripping out the hem too and made a new hemline.

 The back of the skirt and this is how it looks on me. It is a great little skirt. Soft and comfortable, just perfect.

http://showtellshare.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-you-like-this-necklace-would-you.html

Reverse Applique T-shirts

Relax, my posts are not in the competition. http://showtellshare.blogspot.com/2011/01/do-you-like-this-necklace-would-you.html


I have been meaning to put this here but I got too wrapped up in the reverse applique scarves. No pun intended. Here are the finished shirts...

 my youngest is modeling his.

 Very simple to do. I used the Wash and Tear stabilizer, drew the design on it, and started sewing and cutting. (The shirt is inside out.)

 This is how the T-shirt looked from the inside once I washed it.

Very simple project, with really cool results. The boys love them and I already have orders for a Darth Vader and a Decepticon shirt.

Valentine Hair

I was feeling like experimenting  for Valentine's.  This BLOG has great ideas.

What is your vice? Jewelry, fabric or yarn?

 Last night I had a devious idea. Why not have a little fun and increase postings at the same time?

You have until  February 14, Valentine's Day to make something fun and post it. Then on the evening of February 14, we (me and my 4 handy helpers) will draw a post title to see who gets to have this one of kind, absolutely gorgeous necklace. Here is the fun part. The more you post, the more chances you have to take this beauty home. And if you recommend a friend or family member to be authors on this blog and they post by February 14, you get 2 extra chances to win.

A few details about the necklace. I have had this idea for a while, and last night it finally came together. I used silver plated chain (sorry, can't afford sterling silver anymore), Swarovski pearls and crystals. It is 21 inches long, but it has a lobster claw clasp, so you can adjust the length a bit at least.

OK, so just that we are clear. You cannot grab stuff from last year! It can be something that you made in the last few weeks or even something you started working on, but will not be finished by the deadline. You should have made some progress on your project, just having all the material sitting somewhere does not count.

I have created an e-mail account for the blog, so you can share this link with friends or family and they can e-mail showtellshareblog@gmail.com with their e-mail address and who referred them and I will send out an invite.

Now go make something fun!

Update:
It has been brought to my attention by a very honest friend, that the necklace (even though pretty) did not tempt her. Could I make something else, maybe sew something? Well, no, I do not really have the time. I already have about 3 bigger sewing projects going at the same time. But, why not share some of my stash?

Cotton print, 1 yd each in brown and blue, ready to be made into something (prewashed).
Then I started thinking about my yarn addict friends...

3 skeins of cotton yarn in fun colors. That's 378 yards of beautiful colors to work with. The winner will get to choose! Necklace, fabric or yarn.

To visitors:
If you would like to be part of our little competition, we would love to have you. Please send an introductory e-mail to showtellshareblog@gmail.com

Homemade Magic Shell

Who does not love Magic Shell? This week I came across a recipe, that is super easy and we already had the 2  ingredients in the cupboard. Coconut oil and chocolate chips. We tried it out tonight. There are many recipes online, some add a dash of sea salt, and the ratio of the coconut oil and chocolate chips are a bit different. We used 1 c coconut oil and about 2 1/2 c chocolate chips. Mix them together over low heat. In a few minutes we had Magic Shell ready to try. It was delicious and hardened just like the real Magic Shell.

And if you feel like being creative, you could try peanut butter chips, vanilla chips or add toffee bits...

Bird Reverse Applique Scarf

This is scarf # 2. It took a bit longer. I looked online at different folk designs. I knew I wanted a bird and after a bit of search, then a quick alteration of the found image, I was ready. This time, I did not sew all the layers together. Instead, I pinned the 5 1/2 inch blocks to one of the scarf panels and I copied the bird design onto Wash and Tear stabilizer. I also used a temporary spray adhesive so secure the layers together. It worked well enough.

 I sewed around all of the lines.

 To see how the Wash and Tear worked...great! It melted away, I did not even wash the whole thing, just washed off the stabilizer and put the half done scarf in the dryer.

 You can see how well it worked. Then I cut out all the parts I wanted. In some places I cut through 2 layers, to let some of the brown show.

 Then I sewed the back of the scarf to the front and it was done. I have to say, that so far, this worked the best.

Thank you gift

We have had a fantastic home teacher and they are moving away and I wanted to give the wife something for supporting her hubby in his calling. So here it is: a little black set.

Made with silver crystal rondelles, Chinese crystals and some silver components. After I finished I decided I would like some of those earrings for myself, too. Good thing I have this picture!

Reverse Applique Scarf

I have been doing some research on reverse applique.  I like the idea of revealing the final design at the very end as you cut away the fabric. I already had a project idea ready for the boys, when I stumbled upon a reference to multi-layer reverse applique, called Mola, that the Kuna women of Panama make. I was very intrigued, because using more layers of colors opens up a whole new world of design possibilities. I wanted to try it. To start simple, I picked 3 colors, the amazing Kuna women can work with up to 7. To make things even simpler, I wanted to make scarves out of knit fabric, so I would not have to worry about fraying. I got 1/2 yard of rib knit in brown, blue and green. Cut two 6 inch strips of each. And from the leftovers, I cut four 5 1/2 inch squares in each color to be used in the designs at the end of each scarf.

 I started to work on the brown scarf first. I knew I was going to make a flower pattern on this, so I made sure that as I pinned the blocks in the right order. Green on top, blue on bottom.

 Next I cut a 5 inch square piece of paper, folded it up in half and half again, opened it up and made sure that I drew my flower symmetrically.

 There is the flower. Before I pinned both parts, the petals and the leaves/stem to the fabric and sewed around the border of the scarf, making sure that I caught my color blocks too, that way they would stay secure for the applique process.

 Using matching brown thread, I sewed around the outline of the whole design.

 I cut away the first layer.

 Next, I used green thread and sewed in the petal detail. And cut away the next layer.

 That's it. Here is the first scarf.

 My 5 year old liked it so much, he claimed it right away. I have not seen it since. He squirrelled it away in his drawer.

I am working on two more scarves, with different designs and a bit different ways, to see what works the best. I will post those as soon as I am done.

Notes: I did not like sewing around the paper. It was not easy and the pins bothered me a lot. I am trying something different next time.

In Between Bracelets

Since Wednesday, all members of my household have been in various stages of illness. In between running to the store for more Pedialyte, comforting sick kids & husband and taking care of tons of laundry, I managed to steal a few minutes for myself here and there.
As the younger half of my family was passed out in blissful slumber and the older ones watched a movie, I finished a bracelet that I started years ago.

 It was over 5 years ago, while we were living in a different state, when I started making this fringed little jewel. I was excited about using the unusual beads I got. Vintage Swarovski clear crystals with an injection of milky white color floating inside each bead. Not sure why I stopped when I was so close to completing it. It feels good to have it finished.

The second bracelet took a few days, I played around a bit with different colors, trying to pair the blue/green porcelain beads with the most appealing combination. I settled on copper and Swarovski crystals in mocca.

Nori's Bag

The original plan for this bag was different. Then, as I was talking with Nori on the phone one day, I asked her what she wanted. A few e-mails with pictures went back and forth, fabric was decided on, some details talked about and then we stopped discussing it, because she wanted some surprise. Originally I was going to use a pattern, but after some thought I abandoned that idea and made plans for my own. It is a simple design. A roomy, slouchy bag, with canvas lining to give it strength and some shape. Finished it last night and now it is ready to be shipped off.

1 1/2 hour skirt

A while ago, my sister-in-law gave me a pair of pants she no longer wanted. A pair of good quality jeans. Except that I did not care for them so much. I could not bring myself to throw them out or wear them.

 I liked the top, the buttons, the details, but not the wide legs. I do not need anything to make my legs look wider. They have been sitting in the garage in a box. Until tonight. I am not sure what exactly reminded me of them. Maybe it was my conversation with Wendy today, about a lady who visits her local Goodwill store a few times a week and refashions a lot of her finds. Anyways, I suddenly remembered these pants. I grabbed them from the box, and started ripping out the seams. Here is my youngest helping me with his scissors. Or, he thinks he is helping.

 While the kids watched a movie, I finished turning the pants into a skirt.

Much better. Since the original pants had wide legs, I did not have to add any fabric. Just ripped out the inseam and sewed it up in the front and the back with leaving room for a slit. I think I may have to make a trip to our local Goodwill store. This was a fun and very satisfying, quick project.

Starry Night Bracelet

Last night I finished making the Starry Night bracelet. I would have liked to add lighter blues too, but did not have any. Maybe I will revisit this idea in a while, after I get some lighter blue crystals with more of a random design and  more varied size crystals.

Light Topaz (it is really yellow, not very light) and Montana Swarovski crystals, white freshwater pearls, and some very dark blue Chinese crystal roundelles with Bali silver. I pretty much used up the last of my Bali silver spacers and smaller Bali beads on this. I think I need to start exploring other metals, like brass or working with only stones or crystals.

Time to share a Recipe

As I was looking at all the cool new posts, I realized we don't yet have any recipes among them. So I decided to share with you my super easy, always turn out good, fall back on in a pinch, recipe. It is a combination of two recipes I got from some of my friends and then I make my own variations. You're welcome to put your own twist on it, because, as you will see, once you get going with the ideas, you can make this dessert for any occasion.

The Easiest Party Cake Ever

Combine together in large bowl, and mix with hand mixer until smooth:
1 box cake mix
1 box pudding mix
4 eggs
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup sour cream
Pour into a very well greased bundt pan, and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Cool and frost.

Now for the interesting part:
For Decadent Chocolate Cake: use choc. fudge cake mix and chocolate pudding mix, and add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips. After baking, use a thick chocolate frosting to top it off or a smooth chocolate glaze. (you can also add 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract if you like mint)
For Lemon Poppy Seed Cake: use lemon cake mix, lemon pudding mix, and 1 Tbsp of poppy seeds. Top with a simple glaze flavored with a few drops of lemon juice.
For Almond Poppy Seed Cake: use white cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, 1 Tbsp of poppy seeds and 1/2 tsp almond extract. Top with either a vanilla pudding cream frosting or a vanilla glaze.
For Harvest Spice Cake: use a spice cake mix, pumpkin spice pudding mix (only available during Thanksgiving, so stock up!) and also add 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce as this cake is a little heavier than the others. Frost with rich cream cheese frosting.
For Heavenly Strawberry Cake: use strawberry cake mix, strawberry creme pudding mix, and frost with strawberry mist frosting. (I like to make this when families with all girls come over, as my boys would just die if I dared to "embarrass" them with a pink cake... :)

The cake will always turn out and it looks great because of the bundt pan (if you use other shapes it won't turn out as well, sorry), and it will be super moist and yummy. And because it only takes about 6-8 minutes to fix, and you can do more important things while this is in the oven.......... like beading, and sewing, and scrapbooking, etc.

The First Owl

We are in the process of setting up a bedroom for the two girls. I'm really excited to go with the owl theme and hope I can pull it off. A lot of the ideas I have I plan on creating instead of buying. It could be a success or it could be a BIG FAT FLOP, so wish me luck...

This little owl was really fun to make and didn't take very long either. I came up with the idea, made the pattern, traced it onto a scrap piece of wood and headed out to the garage. The hubby was still at work, but I was on a role and didn't want to wait for his supervision with the man tools. He taught me well, because I was super careful. I used Mod Podge and scrapbook paper and found matching buttons in my random belongings box.

Here's where I have questions. The orange diamond on the cutting board is the beak. It is paper and you can't really see amongst the flowers. Any suggestions? Also, I'm contemplating thin white rickrack edging the wings??

I'm really excited about these dressers. I got them off craigslist today!! They came with a little matching nightstand. All they need is a fresh coat of paint and they will be perfect for little miss S and R. I don't know if you can see it, but the crack framing each drawer was painted purple and one even blue.

Make It

So, what are you going to make in 2011? Any goals, plans, ideas? I have a "make it" list already for this year and I hope to finish it. Share what you plan on doing this year either in the comment section or if you are an invited author, in a separate post.

Here is my list:

1. Spin these lovely rovings into yarn.

 2. Finish spinning this merino blend, ply the singles together and make a hat for Jason.

 3. This poor sock has been sitting here for about 6 months. I need to knit 1 more row and it is done. Of course I still need to make its pair.

 4. Make this fun Christmas Countdown Calendar. There are small felt ornaments in the pockets!

 5. Make a linen peasant blouse and add some Hungarian embroidery detail at the bottom. (This was my inspiration.)

 6. Make a long wrap skirt. I would love to make a similar one.

 7. Make a colorful batik table runner. (Again, my inspiration.)

8. Make messenger bags for my boys.

9. Start making my own mozzarella cheese.

New Year, New Projects

I had to take a forced break from doing anything, because the nasty cold I caught before Christmas was not willing to go away. Staying up late sewing or beading had to stop right after Christmas. Last night was the first night in more than a week that I stayed up late. I feel I got a lot done. I was able to iron all the fabric I got and pre-washed for my sister-in-law's diaper bag set, cut out all the pieces for a chic handbag for a friend and was able to finish 2 bracelets and start work on a third. I even got a bit of reading in for this week's history lesson. 

 Copper, red magma Swarovski crystals and tan/khaki Chinese crystals with faceted sun stone. I use a lot more copper now, because it is more affordable than silver. I have not bought any ornate silver beads in the last 5 years, and I am very careful with what I have left. I remember a time when I  thought that a beautiful 12 mm Bali silver bead that cost $2.50 was robbery. I checked today, that very same bead is $6.79. ( I can finally tell Jason that my hobby could actually pay off now...) You can be sure I double checked every

                  
 silver bead I used for this bracelet. I tried to get away with the least amount possible. I must have restrung this a good 10-12 times, before I was happy. The picture does not show, but those black crystals are actually really dark blue crystals, mixed with some clear Swarovski and silver crystals. I also started a bracelet that was inspired by Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night painting. Blues, with just a bit of yellow and white.