White O'Morn Cottage

Fabric Repurposing Project = Shopping Tote!

I love t0 repurpose things, such fun to make something from something else and give it a new lease of life.

To that end here is my latest repurposed craft item.

I had some books of large fabric samples from a furnishing shop. Very heavy good quality fabric. I decided to make some unique shopping totes that would be eco-friendly, hard wearing, washable and look good too.

Before: the fabrics:

...and after: The first of my new shopping totes.

 

I made five of them and put them up for grabs on our freecycle site www.jumbletown.ieand within two hours they were gone! So I did my bit for the planet. One fabric bag can replace many thousands of plastic shopping bags in its lifetime.

What else have I made in these last few weeks?

Well I covered another box with the blue CK fabric in my stash. I think it goes really well with the vintage wallpaper covered ones and all of them trimmed with Kimme's vintage lace.

Below: This is where I store my crafting supplies. I wish I had a whole room to myself...ah, someday. For now I have a bookshelf.

Also here you can see my black flocked display hand that doubles up  for holding my collection of embroidery hoops.

Collection?

Two?

That's not a collection....Ebay here I come!

 

What else have I made that I have not shown you yet....oh, yeah, this lavendar heart sachet made from some Crimpelene fabric. Do you remember Crimpelene? Everything was made from it for a while.

 

And I have finished my blue scarf. I LOVE how it turned out and wear it a lot. I added a broken vintage beaded ring in the centre to finish it off. My mam saw it and wanted one so I started one for her using Aran pure Irish wool, for her birthdaynext weekend. Pattern for this is available on Berreco website and is called Rose and is VERY easy to knit.

 

And a simple cushion also from CK fabric.

What are these pretty things?

 

 

They are two small jars I use to store some old buttons. Doilies make pretty lid covers for an ordinary jar.

Still on the subject of repurposing....I can't throw out a pretty box. I have a bit of a box obsession. But how could you throw out this beauty?

 

What came in a box like this?

Well - these did....they are lovely too ...and a nice usable box as a bonus!

 

 

Now here is a tin box I found in a charity shop recently. It is not vintage or even attractive but because "Crawford" was my maiden name I was drawn to this large biscuit tin.

I lifted it up and it was heavy...with rattling thingies inside. I dared not hope so I asked "Does this contain buttons by any chance?"

"Yes" she said

"Four euro for the lot - I just want to shift it - no one sews on buttons anymore" 

 I bought it there and then without even looking. When I got it home I was delighted to find.... it was bursting with oodles of vintage buttons all sorted into colours. Button motherlode! I need never buy another vintage button again...but do you think that will stop me? Naw. Noh ar all!

 

Here they are in their jars...actually I ran out of jars and had to use some glasses. They look so pretty lined up there on top of my bookshelf/craft area.

 

 

Have you got a box obsession? A button obsession? I don't believe I am alone in this.

Keeping Busy in Amsterdam

Well after the awful loss of my little dog, Pretty, I had to find a way to keep myself busy and not be moping about. It was a bit fortunate that we were booked to go to visit our son, Jamie, in Amsterdam two days later. It did keep us occupied. Here are some of the photos I took on our trip.

This is Jamie with his lovely English girlfriend, Toni...a happy couple.

Below: Paul found a doggy friend to cuddle. This is Molly who belongs to the lovely Shalina (Jamie's boss) Shalina would not be photo'd but Molly did! Thanks so much Shalina for all your hospitality and help during our trip (and keeping an eye on my baby for me)

 

Smokey's Coffeeshop

Next is a photo of Jamie and Paul taken in one of those coffeeshops that sell dope and such and it's legal. I was gobsmacked! We had to see it for ourselves of course.

Then - much to Jay's embarrassment we insisted on doing a tour of the Red Light District. It was the fasted tour ever. I think we saw one lane of it. Jamie almost ran us through it. Also gobsmacking! I think Paul went crossyeyd!

 It was a bit sad seeing all those beautiful young women on display like shop mannaquins. I was too uncomfortable to take photos of them and anyway it is not allowed - not the done thing - and their minders are known to grab a camera and delete pictures.  The red lights you can see in the lane on left of picture each has a window with a woman for sale in it. Very strange thing to see.

Despite these things I have to say that Amsterdam felt like a very safe city to be out and about in on a weekend night. Full of buzz and good humour  and no sense of menace and danger that I feel in most big cities. Jamie says he has not seen one fistfight in the nine months he has been there.   The police are very polite but have a zero tolerance approach to troublemakers and will come down hard on any unruly behaviour (also they don't have to spend any time  dealing with dope dealers or prostitutes as most forces do)

 

Strange Buildings in Amsterdam...

Below is the hotel where Jamie works. It is the Liberty Hotel and is the building on the left with the green canopy. Next to it is the narrowest house in the world. Yes, the black door is the building - it is a door wide! The redbrick building is the building next door to it. A young couple live in it. Obviously NOT  claustraphobics!

 

 

...and Feeling Seasick on Land!

Now for more amazing buildings. I thought it was my eyes at first but no, a lot of the buildings are tilting at odd angles. Look at this hotel (on the right with the blue hotel sign)..would you like to stay in this?

 

Of course some of them tilt FORWARD which is also very alarming.

 

It seems they are built on sand and that's why they shift. I have not heard of any of them falling so I guess that's ok but it sure feels strange to see it. Jay says the builders never heard of  spirit levels!
 

I did go to a flea market but it was late in the day and most of the good stuff was gone but I did manage to find two lovely old tins and an old candle snuffer. Will post pics next time.

Since I came home I have set up my ETSY Shop (again keeping my mind busy) Click on the  link or the on the top of my sidebar on the right if you fancy a browse. Bye for now!

 

 

Sad News, Pretty Roses, Babies and Cottages

It is with a heavy heart that I have to write the sad news that my wonderful little dog, Pretty had to be put to sleep yesterday. Bye Bye Pretty, we'll miss you very much.

But life goes on and I had this post already done so I share it here with you.

One of my favourite boxes in my considerable collection of boxes, is this stationery box from the 50's. It still has some of the original writing sheets in it.  How gorgeous are the roses on this? 

 

 

 

And on this?

 

 

Also Lovely to Look At.

I caught my son, Chris,  heading out the door for a night out. All dressed up and looking gorgeous so I had to grab my camera and snap!

"Ah, hurry up Ma - I have a hot date waiting"

 

I can remember when he was all dressed up in this little bonnet! Ahhhhh!, (he is going to kill me for this)

I made it for his christening. I can't believe I used to be able to do this stitch. It looks complicated to me now. 

 

And speaking of beautiful babies (Yes, you were Chris!)

 I came across this piece of vintage ephemera to share with you.

I love the graphics on the back of cherubs playing with photographic chemicals?!!!

 

 

 Cottage Cross Stitch Collection Gets Going!
 
I have decided to have a go at cross stitch after my recent thrifting find of a large cottage

and then the lovely Twiggypeassticks sent me this little cottage beauty..

 I will be framing this and keeping it. Very pretty. Thanks Twiggy.
 

All That Glitters is...Gorgeous!

There is a bit of a magpie in me and I know I am not alone.  I bought this bag of goodies recently. Yummy bits and bobs of vintage costume jewellery. Some of it wearable or saleable on Etsy and some of it broken and just begging to be used for craft.

 

Here is my new red hat (every woman of a certain age should have a red hat) This is a wool beret like the one worn by Mary Kate Dannagher in the film The Quiet Man.

I could not leave well enough alone so I made a little felt and button decoration for it (will add pic soon) I then decided it would be perfect to display my vintage hat pin collection. It sits in my hallway on my styrofoam model head.

 

and a close up...

 

Another, broken seed beaded ring was perfect to finish off the knitted scarf with the rosette disk I showed you in an earlier post. I love how this scarf turned out and it is so cosy on these cold mornings. Pattern is called Rose and is on the Berroco website.

 
 

Big Bottle of Bubbly Bath!

After finishing this bottle of my favourite pink wine I was admiring the lovely bottle and thinking "What could I repurpose this lovely shaped bottle for?" Then it came to me....and this is what I made from it.

I filled it with pink bubble bath, added a few drops of rose essential oil, a handmade tag, some vintage trims, pins and beads.

The label I saved when I received some lovely crafting supplies from Southern Patina on Etsy.  I punched a hole each side and threaded some vintage trim and tied it at the back. Under the name it says "Handmade Pretties"

 

Sugar beads and some pink beads speared on a heart long pin in the cork. These should be enough to warn any potential imbibers that this not a regualar bottle of wine!

 

Even the back got a new look.

 

 

Hours of lovely soaking  to be had from this bath wine!