Scarf swap

Just completed another Craftster swap and made this silk scarf for my partner. She likes pastels so hopefully she'll appreciate the different colors in this fabric. Added glass beads to the ends of scarf.

And as I often say, "Presentation is everything". My partner indicated that she liked country stuff so I opted for simple brown paper bags and box, waxed twine and bias tape ribbon.

Shiny Stuff of the Week 5

My magpie eyes spotted this interesting AND SHINY metal mesh jacket in a display window.

Upon closer inspection I realized it is constructed of many aluminum can pull tabs. You heard me.

Would I wear it? Maybe. But I would probably keep singing "Pop a top, again!", an ode to Jim Ed Brown.

Necktie flower

Once again on Craftster.org and spied some cute flowers made from the narrow ends of men's neckties. With a plethora of ties on my dining room table, I started snipping and stitching and gluing. Looka!

Glued petals together with glue gun. Cut out a round disc from a discarded gift card and covered with a silk necktie scrap.

Then topped that with an gold earring from the People Give Me Stuff Stash.


See? I tell you people not to throw stuff away, it is a crafter sin!

Men's necktie wreath

Was trawling Craftster, my favorite craft site when I spied this cool holiday wreath idea from a Christmas catalog, perhaps J.Crew.

And true to my inner crafter self, I thought "I can MAKE that!" My super secret tie source hooked me up with some cool ties and requested a wreath for his ownself.

But the first thing this anal-retentive girl did was to separate the tie stash by color. Organization makes me soooo happy. Anywho, I did a dry run layout and figured out that a 18" diameter straw wreath would take 18 medium width neckties. Wrapped the wreath with alternating green and red neckties.

And here is my version of the wrapped necktie wreath.

Unable to stop myself, I whipped up another wreath in a more freeform style.

Flea market monkey shine

Forgot to show ya what I saw at the last flea market. At first, I thought it to be a really funny looking child. Unable to avert my eyes, I gratefully ascertained that it was indeed a monkey. Whew! So, of course, my filterless mouth said, "What a cute baby!" to the couple. Luckily, they laughed instead of beating in my head and slapping me with a sock full of nickels.

Green wall at Anthropologie

Check out this green wall o' plants outside an Anthropologie store. Clever, I tell ya!

Monogrammed bag, gotta love it

My friend Chrysanthemum took her pretty quilted handbag to the local monogram shop and looka what she brought back!

As the Preppy Handbook states, "Why carry a bag with someone else's initials when you own will do?"

Shiny Stuff of the Week 4

Spied this shimmery tchotchke while wandering around Hobby F'in Lobby.

It is a candle hurricane; imagine it in a darkened room with flickering candlelight within.

Caw, caw!

Black and white tote bag

Elizabeth has made some great embroidery gifts for me lately so I made this cute black and white print tote bag for her. Black and white print on exterior and toile inside with gingham pocket. I love using an unexpected lining and I think every bag should have an interior pocket. With that ever growing fabric scrap stash of mine, I can sew little pockets on everything!

Burp cloth from cloth diaper

It is a NEW cloth diaper, people!
On a big black and white kick lately so when buddy Elizabeth wondered how to finish the bottom edge of the cloth, out came the black and white fabric scraps. See? THIS is why I don't throw away anything.
Elizabeth has a big fancy schmancy embroidery machine so it will look even MORE fabulous with a stitched name or monogram. How cute is this?

People give me stuff

My good buddy Trixie keeps up with my crafting capers right here on the Skitzo Leezra Studio blog and joined the ranks of "People Give Me Stuff" by sending me a prize box of goodies! She tells me that some is from her grandmother's stash and I hope make the lady proud with future craft projects.

Fabric scraps, perfect for small wallets or headbands. The light blue and red floral prints are larger and will probably appear in the future as a handbag linings.

Look at this stuff! This is my favorite kind, just a smorgasborg of ribbons, craft paint, jewelry, trims, braid, fringe, eyelet, yarn, thread, yarn, oh my! And looka, something shiny! Silver earrings and a keychain. A hunk of stuff that any crafter or mama bird would love, I tell ya!

Thanks Trixie! You should change your name to Treatie!

No sew tote bag

Through the miracle that is TiVo, Chrysanthemum and I watched Martha Stewart's guest demonstrate making a cute no sew tote bag. Never one to be a rigid direction follower, Chrysanthemum whipped up this tote bag with a leather thrift store belt cut down for the handles. The fabric is an embossed faux leather.
So, how is it a no sew bag? Staples and duct tape! You heard me. Use above link to find directions.

Special thanks to Jodi Kahn for sharing this wonderful craft. To learn more of Jodi's easy-to-do crafts, check out her book, "Simply Sublime Bags: 30 No-Sew, Low-Sew Projects".

The best straight pin holder ever

Complained to Chrysanthemum that I wanted a magnetic pin holder but not one of those gosh awful plastic things you see in a fabric store.

YUCK

Nope, instead I wanted something to coordinate with the SkitzoLeezraStudio - lime green, white, black or first preference of shiny silver. (Caw, caw!)

Imagine my surprise when she presented this to me the very next day.





She found it in the automotive section of WalMart. Mechanics use the trays to hold tools and bolts and such.

Surely the utilitarian appeal and magnetic feature was enough to satisfy my wants and needs but check this out, it sticks to my metal bookshelves, vertically!

Guess I won't have to call my brother to come over and rake his bare foot across the floor to pick up stray pins and needles anymore. Those tender feet of his are so good at finding every sharp point.

HE should write Chrysanthemum the thank you note!

Craft room hangover

My friend Chrysanthemum visited me last week and brought her sewing machine with her. She wanted to sew skirts so I was all up for it. I introduced her to the wonderful world of serger finishing and she cut out the skirts. When we finished there were 10 skirts for her, 2 skirts for little girl neighbors and 4 for me. That is not a mistake, 16 skirts in all.

Chrysanthemum complimented me by saying that the SkitzoLeezraStudio is like working in a factory; everything is there at your fingertips.

It was the first time that I had a little buddy sewing with me in the Studio and it was different - and fun. Makes me wish that she were back next week.

About the fabrics:

Chrysanthemum likes upholstery and drapery fabrics for skirts so you might recognize a few prints. My buddy Ernest gave me the most fabulous wool fabric samples several years ago. The wool is usually used for very high end men's sports coats and it drapes incredibly well. The Ernest wools are 3rd from the top and 2nd from the bottom.

About the pattern:

A bastardized version of easy sew a-line skirt. Some finished with drawstrings, some with elastic waists.

Hot Pot coming through!

"Don't scrape my bottom!"

Stitched an apron with this Aunt Martha transfer of a what I call a "Hot Pot" for my friend Maura. I think the pot's eyes are big because its behind has been scalded.
Iron-on applique with hand embroidered details. Pattern is from the "animated kitchenware" series.