Second Chances by Susan

Crayon Decorated Pillowcases

2012-01-29T19:13:00.000-08:00

I work with the young women of our church and we meet each week and do various activities. Sometimes we meet for instruction and learning, sometimes we do service, sometimes we do crafts, but always we have fun. Since it is the new year, the girls wanted to do something to reflect this year's theme "Arise and Shine Forth." They decided on decorating pillowcases so that when they wake each day, they would be reminded to be examples of all that is good.

Trying to be a good steward of the yearly budget for these activities, I was able to put together this activity for almost nothing. Here's how to do it on the cheap:

•Make the pillowcases from sheets and trim them with fabric from your stash. Did you know that hotels get rid of their sheets (usually for FREE!) on a regular basis? Over the years I have used many of these sheets for other church activities. I have turned several into table clothes. I have dyed some and stenciled others to replicate stone walls (which were used to turn the gym into Bethlehem.) Some have even been sewn together and had bricks and windows stenciled on them to create the building facades of Nauvoo, Illinois in the 1800's. Yes, much to the dismay of my husband, I have a few boxes of sheets around the house!

•Instead of buying expensive fabric paints and markers, use regular crayons. The girls colored their designs with crayons, then we heat set them. Just put a layer of brown kraft paper under and over the design and use a hot iron.

•Once complete, give the design detail with a black permanent marker. Try not to let the marker stay too long in one place, as it will bleed, but make your marks light and quick.

Keeping Warm With Angry Birds!

2012-01-25T11:30:00.000-08:00

A few days before Christmas, my 10 year-old grandson requested an angry birds scarf. So, a quick trip to the fabric store for a 1/3 of a yard of fleece, and a rummage through my scraps produced this scarf for under $2.00! I used images from the internet for my pattern and attached all the pieces with heat 'n bond before appliqueing the edges. It was a hit! I also made him some stuffed angry birds and a pig using this blog as inspiration, but forgot to get a picture of them. Those were a hit also!

Simple Sweater to Skirt

2012-01-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

As far as upcycling goes, this is about as easy as it gets! I just cut off the sleeves at the seams, then cut across the sweater about 4" down from the neckline. (Of course, you will cut it off at a length that is right for you...allowing enough to turn down for the waistband.) I then placed the sweater inside out on my dress form (which I recently purchased...and LOVE!) and pinned the side seams to fit my hips and waist. I stitched and serged the seams, added some wide elastic at the waist and that was it! The matching leg warmers were cut from the sleeves and stitched to the right size. I serged around the bottom edge. Easy peasy and comfortable! If the necklace in the AFTER picture looks familiar, you may have seen it close-up in this post!

Featured on:

Keeping It Simple

Its About "Time"

2012-01-14T15:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, its about "time" I did something with my ever-growing jewelry stash!

I have a thing for jewelry and so does my sister-in-law, Kathy, over at Katalina Jewelry. We have spent quite a few hours lately going through tubs and tubs (and I mean BIG tubs) of costume jewelry that is a by-product of The Jewelry Lady's (that's what she calls herself) precious metal business. We love sorting through the piles of mismatched earrings, broken necklaces, watches, brooches, etc. looking for what we regard as treasure! After several hours, our hands are dirty and our eyes are tired (especially if we forget our reading glasses...although, not to worry, sometimes we even find a pair of reading glasses in the pile!), but we are thrilled to walk away with a shoebox full of bling. Then we get home, we dump out our treasure and sort through it all over again admiring the silver, gold, and rhinestones. All the while trying to ignore the "why on earth do you need more jewelry?" look that is on the faces of our understanding husbands. (Okay, maybe my brother doesn't give Kathy that look, but I have seen it on the face of my husband...a lot!) I have tried to organize it the best I can. I have great plans for it...someday. But Kathy has issued a challenge to herself and I want to take on the challenge, too. She has vowed to make something new each month from her stash of jewelry. You can check out her January design here, it's beautiful! For a real treat check out her series of jewelry made from shoes, her salt shaker necklace, and a cool piece she calls "Road Trip." You can also visit her Etsy shop...she is one talented lady!

There's no "time" like the present, so on to the challenge. I picked through some of the pieces and decided to build a design around a pocket watch I had picked up at a garage sale. I threw in a few more pieces to work with.

As you can see, the pocket watch has a locomotive on it. As a rule, I like trains. My dad worked all his life for the railroad and I loved going to the train yard and looking for "Herbies" that were scrawled onto the freight cars. Those are fond memories.

But, for this project, a train was not what I was looking for. So, I removed the cover of the pocket watch. I actually had to take the whole thing apart to reposition the watch face in the upright position. It was kind of a pain and the watch doesn't function anymore, but its better than looking at it side ways! I used wire to work a couple of round watches into the design. I imagine that if I would put new batteries in them, they would actually keep time. The flower at the base of the watch is an earring. Originally, it had a screw-type back. I removed the screw, but left the loop. This created a nice place to dangle a charm. I did add another small silver piece to cover the hole at the top of the pocket watch that was exposed when I removed the cover. After it was finished, I had fun finding interesting ways to photograph it in my backyard!

Hanging from the grape arbor using a low f-stop to blur the background.

Hanging from the grapevine.

On the old wooden bench that made its debut in this post.

Frozen rainwater (with yard debris) in the wheelbarrow.

Broken down rocker used as a planter.

An old rusted metal suitcase.

Another wheelbarrow...no frozen water, just rust-covered with fallen leaves.

I knew there was a good reason for not doing Fall yard clean-up. It gives me great backgrounds for taking pictures! Well, what are you waiting for? "Time" is of the essence, so start creating today!

I link to these great parties!

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Knick of Time

A Pajama Party and Bokeh!

2012-01-09T10:05:00.000-08:00

How much does it cost to make four pairs of pajamas and two nightgowns?

$30? $40? $50?

Well, let me tell you...

big chunk of flannel from the thrift store...3.99

flannel sheet from the thrift store....2.99

bias trim from the thrift store...50 cents

elastic....1.49

four clearance-priced t-shirts....4.00

TOTAL= $12.97

(That's about $2.16 per child!)

Not too bad! I used an old pair of pajama pants to make the pattern for the boys. The girls' nightgowns were made using this pattern from Sew, Mama, Sew! I did add a ruffle to the sleeves and bottom of the nightgown for added detail. The nightgowns seemed a little wide in the chest, so in the future I might cut them down a little. All in all, it was a pretty easy pattern.

Christmas Break was like one long pajama party!

And what's a pajama party without making a few goofy faces?

I also thought I would try my hand at Bokeh before the Christmas lights came down....and not just regular bokeh, but shaped bokeh. I learned the technique by following this tutorial at The Hobby Room. It's a pretty fun technique with amazing results.

"Regular"

"Stars"

"Snowflakes"

I'm excited about this technique and can't wait to experiment more with it!

Dollar Store Crafting-Activity Bags

2012-01-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I think The Dollar Store should be renamed The Twenty Dollar Store. It seems that every time I enter that store, I can't leave until I have at least twenty dollars worth of stuff in my basket! But, they do have some good stuff! I figure a post every once in a while of something made from dollar store supplies might be kind of fun. First up are activity bags, each made from two place mats and a pot holder.

Supplies needed for each bag:

2 placemats (one for the body, part of one for the handles)

1 pot holder, rectangular w/ pocket and loop (if it doesn't have a pocket, that's alright, you just won't be able to make small pockets to hold crayons)

8 zip lock sandwich bags

1 2/3 yd. double fold bias tape

1 yd. or less wide ribbon (enough to go around the circumference of the bag)

1 button

needle and thread

scissors

tape measure

chalk (or whatever your preference is in marking lines for sewing)

sewing machine

Pictures for this tutorial are unfortunately going to begin part way through the process (on account of some accidentally deleted photos!) Therefore, I will try to explain the best I can. Begin by cutting two strips about 1 1/4" wide by the width of your place mat. These will be used for the handles. The rest of this place mat won't be used, unless you want to fashion a pocket from it and stitch it to the bag. You could also get by with just one place mat if you use ribbon or something else for the handles. Next, finish the edges of the handles with double fold bias tape. Position the handles on each end of the place mat (on the right side) and baste in place. Apply the wide ribbon to the edge of the place mat, covering the ends of the handles. For added strength, top stitch where the handles attach as seen in the photo below.

Next, fold the placemat (with the ribbons and handles already stitched on), right sides together. Stitch the side seams.

At the bottom corner of each side seam, open the seam flat and stitch a boxed corner at each corner.

Turn the bag inside out. This is the view from the inside.

This is the view from the outside.

Your bag is now complete. How simple was that?!

Next on the agenda is the potholder organizer. I wanted small pockets for twist-up crayons, so I measured off ten equal spaces and stitched them from the top of the pocket to the center of the potholder.

Once I completed that, I tested the pockets with the crayons. Oops! They were too tight. So I picked out every other seam which left me with five pockets.

The crayons fit much better with two crayons to a pocket.

I wanted zip lock bags in the middle to hold other supplies. I had the hardest time finding the right bags! I really wanted the kind of bags that actually have the little plastic sliders to close them. But....all the brands were too wide and the bags hung out over the edges of the potholder. So I had to settle on regular zip lock bags that are made just a touch narrower. Lay the bags on top of each other, alternating every other one. I used eight bags, four each direction. I held them in place with large paper clips. Mark a line down the center.

Stitch the bags in place.

A view of the back.

Trim away the excess plastic. Now I know that some of you might think it would be easier to use snack bags. You could, but I think they might be harder to keep in place while you stitch them.

Stitch a button on the outside and fill it with fun stuff!

And there you go...a cute bag that can be filled with all sorts of fun stuff to keep little ones quietly entertained!

Featured on:

Creating my way to Success
Love, Laugh, and Craft

Magnetic "Paper" Dolls

2011-12-30T14:12:00.000-08:00

One day while surfing the net, I discovered these adorable vintage Betsy McCall paper dolls.

I knew I just had to do something with them! I decided they would be a fun thing for my granddaughter. So, I downloaded the pdf files and printed them on ink jet printable magnetic sheets. To be more efficient with the magnetic paper, I cut and pasted only the outfits I wanted so that I could fit more on a page. I also resized them to the size I wanted. Before cutting out the individual pieces, I covered each printed page, front only, with a clear non-heat laminating sheet. You could also use clear contact paper...I just happened to have picked up a whole packet of laminating sheets at a thrift store for a couple of bucks...second chances, you know! Anyway, the next step is to relax and put on a good movie while you tediously cut out all the dolls and outfits. I had the perfect sized tin to store all the pieces in. I just mod podged the front, back, and inside with some green scrapbook paper since green is my granddaughter's favorite color. Now she has a fun, quiet activity that is compact and travels well. Everything stores in the tin, and since it's metal, the dolls and clothes stick right to it!

Featured on:

Hating Martha

Sew Can Do

Mailable Christmas Tree

2011-12-01T07:25:00.000-08:00

Our son is serving a mission for our church right now down in Brazil. We have discovered, through sad experience, that the Brazilian postal service is not exactly the most reliable. (Sorry if you are from Brazil, but we haven't had the best of luck getting our packages through to him!) Anyway, envelopes, as opposed to boxes, seem to do alright. Last Christmas I wanted him to have a little bit of Christmas cheer but had to think of something that could be sent in an envelope. I came up with a paper Christmas tree and paper ornaments. Before I sent them off, I asked friends and family to write something on the back of each ornament. As he placed the ornaments on the tree, he could read what was written and feel the love that was being sent his way. So, if you have loved ones far away, maybe this idea could bring a little bit of Christmas cheer to them also. When taken apart, it all fits into a large manilla envelope.

Here is the decorated tree.

I cut ornaments from solid and printed papers, then mixed and matched the various pieces. The ornament tops were cut from gold metallic paper.

A view of the tree before the ornaments.

Each "branch" is attached to the poster board base with stick- on velcro. I randomly placed paper brads on the branches for the ornaments to hang from. Well, maybe it wasn't completely random...I put the tree together, then placed the ornaments on top to get an idea of where they should go. I marked them with a pencil and then added the paper brads. The star was cut using a stencil and then glued to the tree top. The ornaments and branches were cut using my cricut. I have included those SCUT files at the end of the post.

A close-up of one of the branches.

I used a variety of green paper to give it some character. I chalked around the edges to add some depth.

The base was cut from poster board and taped together so that it could easily fold and fit into the envelope. I labeled each spot of velcro with a letter that matched a letter on the corresponding tree branch. I thought that would make it easier for my son to put it all together.

And, just to show you that it successfully reached Brazil...here is the photo our son sent of his tree hanging in his humble little apartment! (I just realized that the ornament at the top is the one that his girlfriend wrote on...I can tell by the extra paper that was attached to the back. Now I see where we rank as parents! That's alright, though, we love Becca. She's serving a mission also in Peru.)

I cut the ornaments and tree pieces using my cricut. I use Sure Cuts A Lot v.2. Below are the downloadable SCUT files for the branches and ornaments. If you don't have access to a personal electronic cutter and software, you could still replicate this idea by making your own templates and cutting them by hand. You might even be able to find some paper garland (I saw some garland of Christmas lights at the Dollar Tree) that could be cut apart and used as the ornaments. Good luck! I hope this brings some holiday cheer to your loved ones far away!

Duct Tape Purses

2011-11-26T17:10:00.000-08:00

The other day I submitted some duct tape purses to the editor of Haute Handbags. I received word today that they have chosen 3 of my 5 designs to include in their April 1 edition of the magazine! I'll keep those designs a secret...you'll have to wait for the magazine. But here are the two "rejects!"

The first one I named "Anenome" because it reminded me of the ocean. I used chrome duct tape, silver brads, vintage jewelry, and D-rings to give it some silver accents. The flower was made by backing a long strip of duct tape with another strip of duct tape—offsetting the strips about 1/4" so that you end up with both edges having 1/4" of stickiness. Trim away one of the sticky edges. With your scissors, make 1/8" snips in the tape, cutting to, but into the sticky edge. This will create a "fringed" strip with an uncut sticky edge. Determine how big you want your flower and make a circle base with the duct tape. I overlapped side by side a couple of 3" long pieces of duct tape, backed them with the same, then cut it into a 3" circle. Starting with the outside edge of the circle, begin to stick your fringe onto the base. Keep adding the continuos fringe around the circle until you get to the center. You may need to cut more fringe to complete the flower. Using epoxy, add a vintage piece of jewelry to the center. Epoxy, or hot glue gun the flower to the bag.

The next one I named "Black Tie." It has a fancy tuxedo look to it. I folded the white duct tape over on itself to within 1/4" of the edge, leaving a sticky strip. Then I gathered it as I stuck it to a duct tape base. Chrome duct tape was also used for accents. The black tie is actually a shoe clip that is epoxied in place. The fabric lining wraps over the top edge to the front to add some extra interest to the purse. Small black brads were added to the base of the handles to make them more secure.

I always knew that duct tape was functional, but who knew it could be so pretty also?

UPDATE:
I just finished one more purse to add to the mix. This one has a different flower. It's made the same way as the first one, only cut with petals instead of "fringe."

Featured on:

Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo
Keeping It Simple

And the winner is...

2011-11-24T23:16:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Tiann from Bits and Pieces who is the winner of the White Rabbit's Timekeeper from Shabby Apple! For those of you who didn't win, you can still take advantage of the 10% off code for another 3 weeks.

Thanks to everyone who entered! Tiann, please contact me so that I can get your information forwarded to the folks at Shabby Apple. Congratulations!

Shabby Apple Jewelry Giveaway!

2011-11-17T15:47:00.000-08:00

Sorry, this contest is now closed!

I am so excited to be hosting a giveaway by Shabby Apple! For those of you who don't know, Shabby Apple in an online boutique specializing in Women's clothing and accessories. I love their philosophy:

ABOUT US

A return to what dresses were always meant to be — a one-piece outfit. No need to add anything...no tank tops, no cardigans, nothing (except accessories, of course!).

We started Shabby Apple because we saw a need in women’s fashion that was not being met. A need to make women feel feminine and beautiful for what they wear, not what they bare. We offer flirty, stylish dresses a woman can wear just as comfortably in the office, at a family dinner, or on a date. Shabby Apple is a fashion company for women, by women, and of women.

Because serving women and families is a core value at Shabby Apple, we devote a certain percentage of our net proceeds to charitable causes serving women and children.

Their clothing is modest and stylish...what a great combination! Check out some of these beautiful dresses...

They also specialize in vintage jewelry. Here are just a few of their fantastic pieces...

I was lucky enough to choose one of their beautiful pieces to be given to one lucky reader.

It was a hard decision, but I finally settled on

The White Rabbit's Time Keeper.

This beautifully crafted pocket watch necklace is made of etched antique brass metal. Glass front opens to reveal clock. Glass face is diamond cut in a lovely shade of golden brown.

Necklace is 24” long

Handmade in the USA

A $64 value!

Isn't it just GORGEOUS?!!

And that's not all! They are also offering a 10% off coupon to my readers to be used within the next 30 days...just in time to pick out something lovely to wear for the holiday season! Just use the following coupon code:

To enter to win this amazing necklace, do either (or all) of the following—leaving a separate comment for each:

Visit Shabby Apple, look around, then come back and leave a comment telling me what you like about their boutique.

"Like" Shabby Apple on facebook and then leave me a comment saying you did so.

Become a follower of Second Chances by Susan and let me know that you did so. If you already are a follower, leave a note reminding me that you are!

The fine print! The winner must have a US shipping address. And, there will be no exchanges for the winning piece of jewelry. Contest will end at 9pm PST on November 24, 2011. Winner will be chosen using a random number generator and announced on November 25, 2011.

Good Luck!!

Faux Painted Crown Molding

2011-11-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

When my boys were little I had painted their ceiling as a sky and then painted a border of kites around the room. It served its purpose for several years, but as with most decor, it began to feel outdated. So after 13 years and before the arrival of our last one I decided to repaint. Well, that was 8 years ago, but I still enjoy the ceiling. For awhile, Buzz Lightyear flew across the night sky, but now it just has the glow-in-the-dark stars. The crown molding and circular molding was painted using various shades of cream, beige, and gray. I drew the circle on the ceiling by attaching a string with a pencil to the fan which was centered in the room. One trick I discovered while painting the circular trim is that electrician's tape worked awesome for masking it off. There is enough stretch to it that it smoothly formed the shape of the circle. The only dark blue paint I had at the time had a gloss finish, but I kind of like the sheen that it gave the night sky. So even though it rains quite a bit here in Oregon, I can always lay in bed and have a great view without even a drop falling on me!

Mega Man!

2011-10-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

This year our youngest wanted to be Mega Man for Halloween. I had the perfect colored stretch lycra material already in my stash. I picked up the rest of the supplies at a thrift store. I used a basketball for the helmet. It worked perfect because it was soft and pliable and I was able to cut the shape with scissors. I used a football for the mega blaster. These were both covered with the lycra and glued in place on the inside with the glue gun. I cut a hole at one end of the football and wedged a flashlight in it. It serves two purposes. One, to use as a handle to hold the blaster, and two, as a cool light-up power source. I covered the lens with transparent red tape. The boots were made using thick plastic/foam placemats. They were also covered with the fabric. He LOVES it so I'd say it was a success!

Where's Waldo and Wenda?

2011-10-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

Who knew Waldo had a girlfriend? Apparently, he does, and her name is Wenda! My daughter and her husband thought they would be fun costumes.

Apparently, red and white striped shirts are hard to come by. So, duct tape to the rescue!

To see more of her craftiness, visit:

easypeasypie.blogspot.com

Going Bananas!

2011-10-24T07:02:00.000-07:00

My crazy boys got the idea one day to make banana costumes from "egg carton" foam mattress pads. They even made one for my youngest. They made signs that said, "Please don't eat my babies," and hung out at the grocery store by the bananas...we'll at least the older ones did, I wouldn't let the youngest go (actually, I would have preferred that none of them go, but hey, they're teenagers!) They even wanted to stand on a street corner and see how much money they would get with a sign that said, "Need $$ my wife split!" I don't think they ever did that...at least I hope they didn't! I do know they went crazy running around the WalMart parking lot because I've seen video evidence of that!

Costume Tip: No real tip, just guard your foam pads, or you might end up sleeping on a hard mattress!

Click HERE to see more costumes!

A Bun in the Oven!

2011-10-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

When my daughter was expecting her fourth child, she came up with this costume...a bun in the oven!

Notice the timer...it was five weeks until her due date (which was on 12-01!)

Going Super Saiyan!

2011-10-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

Personally, I just don't get Dragonball Z...it's A LOT of yelling, in my opinion! But, my husband and boys seem to enjoy it. Last year, our youngest wanted to be Goten. And, with his strawberry blonde hair all spiked up, he went super saiyen! The undershirt and black swim shoes were thrifted. The main jumpsuit (actually, two pieces for convenience) was made from broadcloth. You know, anytime I can make a costume that allows my son to carry a sword and run around screaming all the time, then I know it will be a hit!

You can't see in the picture below, but the excess t-shirt material that was cut from the bottom was sewn into "cuffs" around the ankles. Black swim shoes worked great to complete the outfit.

Just in case you haven't had the Goten experience...

Costume Tip: The small emblem on the front of the costume, and a much larger one on the back was made using my Cricut. I have Sure Cuts Alot v. 2.0...and LOVE it! I ironed heat-n-bond to some black broadcloth, then ran it through my Cricut to cut the image below. I lightly ironed that cut image to white broadcloth, cut around the circle, then lightly ironed heat-n-bond to the back of the white fabric. The whole image was then securely ironed to the costume. It's a great way to add details to a costume!

Click HERE to see more costumes!

Yo ho, yo ho!

2011-10-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

I think one of the easiest thrifted costumes is a pirate. Its usually pretty easy to find "pirate" shirts, pants, vests, jackets, belts...whatever!

A large shirt, cut off at the sleeves, makes a good vest.

(These adorable pirates are my daughter and son-in-law.)

My black velvet coat was actually a dress (I'm going to guess from the 80's) that already had a flared skirt, satin and lace cuffs, and extra lace around the neckline. I just cut it down the front, added a satin collar (with the original collar lace on top), and added a few gold buttons. It worked great!

This was another activity where we wore our pirate outfits. My husband's boots actually only came midway up his calves. I extended them by using the top halves of sleeves from a leather coat I had thrifted for use in another costume. He just slipped the sleeves on first (inside out), then the boots, then he turned the wider part of the sleeves down to form a cuff for the boots. They worked great!

One event was actually a "trunk-or-treat" activity in the church parking lot. We decked out the back of the van with all sorts of pirate goodies. We even played pirate music from the van speakers. It was a lot of fun!

Costume Tip: Don't be afraid to dye suede. I picked up an awesome "70's" suede coat for only 99¢! It was a natural color, but I wanted it to be darker. So I filled the washing machine tub with hot water and dumped in some brown Rit dye. I added the leather coat and let it sit for awhile. When it was all done, I loved the way it turned out. The embroidery didn't take the dye, so it stayed tan in color and really "pops" now. The rest of the leather was a bit blotchy, but great for a pirate's coat!

Click HERE to see more costumes!

A witch, an aviator, and Lightning McQueen!

2011-10-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

My daughter came up with these super cute costumes one year.

I know I'm biased, but I think this is about the cutest witch ever!

She simplified a little by starting with a generic witch's costume. She then added on more colorful tulle, some purple satin, and trim. Decked out with some striped tights and this little witch is not so scary!

This handsome guy wanted to be an aviator. His favorite ride at California Adventure is Soarin' Over California. In fact, the last time we went to Disneyland, he brought his aviator hat to wear on the ride! (See below!) She made the hat and goggles and put wire in the scarf so it could be "blowin' in the wind!" The jacket was purchased, but got double duty the following year when he dressed as Indiana Jones.

And someone I know LOVES Lightning McQueen. She made this costume without a pattern! It took some time, but I think it turned out great! Here's a tip...download images from the internet, print them onto iron-on fabric sheets and add them as details to your costume. VVVROOOOM!

To see more of her creativity, visit easypeasypie.blogspot.com.

Walk Like an Egyptian!

2011-10-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

This Egyptian costume is an award-winning costume! (Granted it was a local church function where it took the top spot in costumes, but nonetheless, award winning!) It consisted of a black t-shirt, long black slip (with added gold trim at the hemline), a stretchy piece of gold lamé fabric wrapped and tied in the front, a gold lamé collar with trim, sandals spray painted gold, and various gold jewelry. The "wig" is actually wide wale black velour fabric sewn as kind of a hoodie with bangs (if that makes sense.) I know that treasure-hunter Indiana Jones lived at in a different time period, but their worlds are still connected...don't you think?

And you never know when you might need to recycle a costume. This time it was Pharoah's daughter and baby Moses. This time I added a stretchy gold t-shirt over the top. The belt was a gold curtain tie-back with tassels. One month old "Baby Moses," adorned with his Hebrew cloth, had no idea it was Halloween!

In case you were wondering...the original backgrounds were busy and/or boring. So, the photos spent a little time in Photoshop!

Ash Ketchum and Pikachu

2011-10-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

I didn't make this costume, but my son did...so I think it still counts! He entered his high school talent show with an original song he wrote about Pikachu. He thought it would be fun to dress up as Ash Ketchum. He grabbed some fabric from my stash and went to work...without a pattern! Anyway, it turned out great and added to his stage presence. He also painted the Pokemon characters used for the fight scene. A fight scene? What fight scene? Well, you'll just have to watch the video!

In case you're wondering who Ash Ketchum and Pikachu are and what they look like, here's a picture:

Costume Tip: Encourage your kids to sew so you won't have to!!

Click HERE to see more costumes!

Autumn Porch

2011-10-10T22:11:00.000-07:00

I love the Fall! Maybe its the illusion that, after a busy summer, life will begin to slow down. But, who am I kidding? With all the school events and holidays, it probably speeds up! But, nonetheless, I love the colors and the crispness in the air. So, in honor of this beautiful time of year, I decided to decorate the front porch.

If you can believe it, my Dad tried to get rid of this old bench (formally known as his "chainsaw-cutting firewood" bench) until I protested and hauled it home to my house. I don't know if my husband saw the beauty in it...probably still doesn't, but oh well!

The shutters were on our original house...years and years ago...and I've kept them for use in decorating. These are actually the back side of them. I liked the multi-colored "white washed" effect.

The bandana bunting was made by cutting the corners from four different colors of bandanas. I then pressed the raw edge over about 1/2". Next, I simply tied them together, alternating the colors. Raffia was tied in a bow around each knot. Simple and fun!

The bench is made from two ladder-backed chairs fastened together. Wood strips were added to form one continuous seat. The cushion is a thrifted pillow sham.

The black and cream pillows were made from some thrifted corduroy fabric and buttons. I was lucky enough to score a whole bolt of fabric for just $5! The little gold pillow was in my stash. I just added some raffia and a red button.

This rustic chair sits next to the bench. It was a freebie. I like the patina so I haven't painted it. These pillows were just 50¢ each at a thrift store. I just added a button and a band of fabric.

An old tea kettle with pansies sits nearby.

I love the old paint on this wheelbarrow! I picked it up for a few bucks from a garage sale years ago. It holds a few treasures...

a duck decoy...

an old shovel head...

and, a very rusty metal suitcase!

Happy Fall!!

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1920's Glam and Photoshop Fun!

2011-10-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

I think one of my favorite costumes is when my husband and I dressed as a gangster and a flapper. I found everything at the thrift stores. His costume consisted of black pants, black shirt, vest, white tie, and dress shoes (which were actually golf shoes.) My dress was transformed from a 1980's beaded dress. It originally had the big puffy sleeves and was way too short!

I removed the sleeves and added satin cap sleeves, replacing some of the original beaded trim.

I cinched up the front hemline just a little and then added a flared satin skirt to the overall length.

The hats were also purchased at the thrift stores (although they were new items.) I added feathers and a vintage brooch to mine.

The pictures that were taken that night at the party had poor lighting and boring backgrounds.

But, with a little photoshop magic, it's like we just went back in time to the 1920's!

Click HERE to see more costumes!

Cinderella, Blues Clues and Tinkerbell

2011-10-07T06:19:00.000-07:00

When our youngest was little, he loved Blue's Clues. He would watch it over and over. We thought it was only appropriate for him to dress as Steve for Halloween that year. I found some tan pants from a thrift store, but couldn't find a green striped t-shirt. So I made one from polar fleece (which kept him warm on a chilly October night!) His Blue's Clues back pack finished it off. His niece (yes, he was an uncle before he was born!) dressed as Tinkerbell with a costume made by her mom...check out those natural curls!

His older sister went as Cinderella that year. A prom dress worn by another sister was perfect. Just add gloves, choker, and hair band.

Click HERE to see more costumes!

It's a mod, mod, mod, mod world!

2011-10-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

My husband and I enjoyed a birthday party recently where three of our groovy friends were turning 60. So to celebrate, they had a "Remember the 60's?" party. We thought it would be far out to dress up...okay, I thought it would be far out, and my husband is such a good sport about supporting me! So, off to my favorite thrift store for half off everything day. I picked up a large moo-moo, green sandals, men's dress pants, and two knit shirts. One more stop to pick up cheap shower curtain rings and I was ready to go. Together, both outfits totaled less than $18! (I already had the hat, glasses, and earrings.) I used the fabric from the moo-moo to make the dress. The aqua fabric for the neckband and the inset belt was the moo-moo's lining. I tapered the pant legs. The shirt was made by painstakingly picking off the trim from one shirt, and then using part of that shirt to inset a "V" onto the white shirt. The trim was then sewn of top of the "V".

Costume Tip: Look to the internet for inspiration. This was mine...

Click HERE to see more costumes!