smilebooth backdrop

Image via Dolci Odille.

I am planning on creating a photo booth backdrop for the 4th Annual Women’s Clothing Swap.  I’ve tried to capture pictures of swappers myself in the past but I always get too busy.  It’s like trying to take pictures at your own wedding.  This year I want to create a backdrop and invite swappers to take pictures of themselves and share them on Facebook and Twitter (with the hash-tag #portswap).  I saw this picture above over on  Dolci Odille and it got me to thinking about post-it notes.  What if I buy an assortment of colored post it notes, chop them into triangles and arrange them into this pretty pattern onto sheets of kraft paper?  It just might work.

noise jelly

“Noisy jelly is a game where the player has to cook and shape his own musical material, based on coloured jelly.”

 

upcycled glass jar photo display

Great idea worth stealing. Photographs in recycled glass jars. via Hannasroom.com   #easypeasy

homemade modern – DIY $5 Bucket Stool

#genius. now following homemade modern on vimeo.

wrap dressing

I’m gearing up to sew this summer. I literally have not sewn a complete dress for 12 years.  I sewed a Marilyn Monroe white dress for my cousin for Halloween back in 2000.  I clearly remember cursing through the whole process.  I also remember thinking — no wonder fine clothing is so expensive — this is hard!!!  I’m going to start by sewing a version of the Swirl wrap dress. Partly because I love this style of dress but also because there is no zipper or sleeves involved.

Images via SwaneeGrace. Click on the image to be taken to her shop on Etsy.

I bought three vintage patterns from Etsy.  I will sew something very similar to the dress above.

I am getting ahead of myself but I already did buy fabric.  I just had to.  I bought this fabric by Sarah Watts.

I initially thought that I could sew a dress using vintage sheets but when I shopped around I couldn’t find anything I liked.  I’ll keep looking.  The green dress below is made from a vintage sheet.  I found it on Flickr.  I love it.  I’d live in that dress.  Both the dresses below are made by Wendy Hill.

Images via Wendy Hill. Click on the image to be taken to her shop on Etsy.

These dresses below are also made with vintage sheets.  I think they are absolutely stunning.   They would look especially fabulous if they were  worn by a gaggle of bridesmaids.  They were designed and created by Naughty Shorts.

Image via Naughty Shorts. Click on the image to be taken to her blog.

And if all that isn’t enough inspiration for you — I’m also thinking of trying to knock-off the tie-front Mociun dress.  It has the same ease as the Swirl wrap dress.

There are a lot of sewing ladies on the interwebs doing their best to make their own version of that dress.  My favorite version is made by Sarah over on I wish I were Nancy Drew.

One last thing.  Remember when I wrote about how Lynda.com is the best new thing in the world?  Well — it still is, BUT I have discovered another best new thing — Creativebug.  Creativebug is like Lynda.com but for crafters.  I’m pretty sure I’ll watch some instructional videos before I start sewing.

xo jam

patchwork reupholstered sofa

Gah.  This is one of those things that makes me wish I could quit my day job and make upcycled things all day.

It is a custom piece by jipsi boho living on etsy.

HOW TO MAKE CAKE POPS!

My little Alex made cake pops.  I made a video.

Inspired by this post and this video.

happy groundhog’s day

I didn’t get my act together in time to send out xmas presents for my nieces in Denver.  I told their mom, my sister-in-law, that I would send them a Happy Groundhog’s Day present instead.  I much prefer it this way. I think I might make it a tradition.  These are some of the things I’m thinking about.

a bleach pen and some secondhand dark clothing items. Images and links can be found on my “just for fun” pinterest board.

temoporary tattoos like these cattoos from harriet gray

I think Gus & Ruby sell Tattly tattoos.

I’ll ask my boys to make some art on cardboard or cigar boxes

I love  kim laurenti’s work.  It is inspiring.

washi tape and twine so they can make washi tape bunting

(image via paisley petal events)

a pack of erasers like these sold out Koh-i-Noor erasers

I’ll see what I can find locally.

a set of  wonderland emoticon stickers

Oh.  BTW. The Portsmouth Public Library is going to show Groundhog Day on Groundhog Day.  How cool is that.

handmade playclothes

Forgive this collection of bad old photographs.  I just found this image in an old file.  I don’t have the heart to look for the originals.  This was my attempt to make play clothes for my nieces. I bought up old slips and added stretchable straps on top so they could be worn as dresses.  I sewed doilies onto the slip on the bottom right to cover up stains.  I wish I had tried to hand dye that one.  That might have looked fun.  The pale pink one on the top right was a longish slip. I sewed folds into it to give it volume and to make it short enough for a little girl to wear as a playclothes skirt.  I’m in the mood to alter clothing.  Take a look at my upcycle inspo board on Pinterest for more upcycling inspiration.

pojagi

Lately, I keep seeing this certain kind of window cover that looks like a transparent linen quilt.  I love it.  Apparently it is the Korean art of pojagi.

Bojagi or bo for short (also pojagi or bojaki) is a traditional Korean wrapping cloth. Bojagi are square and can be made from a variety of materials, though silk is common. Embroidered bojagi are known as subo.

Here is a video I found on the interwebs about a pojagi class at RISD.  I especially love the white pojagi dress that is put on like a hospital johnny.  It would be a lovely nontraditional wedding dress.

Below are more examples. Click on the images to be taken to the source.

I love the irregular angular shapes.

Below is a close-up of a curtain I made using vintage linen napkins.  I’d like to keep experimenting with this idea.  I’d like to create a larger curtain that is more pieced, like the examples above.