Recycling Vintage Photos

One of the{{many things}}I love to collect is Vintage Photos. I've picked them up at Estate Sales, Antique Shops & Flea Markets for years. Even though I had no idea what I was going to do with them I still couldn't pass them up. My favorite are hand painted/tinted photos.

I've seen tutorials about printing on fabric but wasn't sure if it was simple enough to do with what I had on hand{or if my printer would work- because it's not fancy at all}.

It turned out pretty good except not all the colors came through, I'm guessing because I was low on ink.

I thought it would be perfect for a pillow cover....

How crazy is it that a photo taken in 1937 at a 4 H Picnic is preserved on a Pillow that now sits on my bed.Very cool!!

Cutters or Keepers??

When do you turn your vintage linens into cutters~ recycling/repurposing well loved linens???
I don't mind using an apron or tablecloth with fading or stains, so I probably hold onto my linens a little longer than most. Although it's hard for me to cut into well loved linens, I really enjoy creating items out of vintage fabric.

RECYCLE:
1. Vintage Tablecloth Pillow, Handmade, 2. Tropicana- recycled apron, 3. Recycle Tablecloth Skirt, 4. Nana's Cottage Pie reversible handbag - print side

**A couple fun things to do with your cutters:
Pennant Banner
Peasant Blouse

I have this book{and LOVE it!}creating Lampshades with vintage linens, the perfect way to recycle!

Repurpose: Vintage Tie Backs

They're not just for holding your curtains back anymore. A few years ago I added this broken metal flower(I think it was a tie back at one time)to a nail and hung it inside my closet to hold misc. items.

Recently I came across this picture and thought what a great idea it was. Although some of them I believe are knobs(you really could use whatever you'd like)I think vintage tie backs would be perfect for something like this.

Found on HGTV.com

A few of my favorites found on Etsy:

1} Shabby Blue Curtain Tie Backs, by: SelvageBoutique
2} Little Dutch Girl Tie Backs, by: ohmymilky
3} Vintage Curtain Tie Backs, by: Superduper

Flickr Inspirations....

1. Curtain Tie-Back Holders, 2. Aqua Blue Glass Tie back, 3. Glass Curtain Tie Backs, 4. Nursery Curtains

A great way to ♥Recycle & Reuse♥

♥SWEET Shelf Displays♥

1. Red gingham edging on the shelves, 2. 1950's Kitchen shelves:), 3. things, 4. my work area, 5. Posey Corner, 6. Same shelf,different room!


This is a shelf in my room. It's a piece of salvaged awning taken off an old home~ what a great way to re-use & repurpose! I've been looking for more shelving for awhile now, with not much luck. I don't think you can ever have too many shelves :)

I love this simple display.

1. craft*space

I'll be hitting a few Estate Sales & the Flea Market this weekend, hopefully I'll have some luck♥

First Front Page

At least I think it's my first. I've been in Treasuries before, but what a nice surprise to see my Repurposed Vintage Puppies made the front page of Etsy! Thanks to Yippeevintage for including me in your Treasury.

Repurposed.....

I've spent the past couple weeks taking apart a vintage patchwork quilt(using a seem ripper, that's why it's taken so long). One side was a plain mustard color fabric and the other large squares of some really cool vintage fabric pieces(probably 70's) tapestry, velvet, upholstery, comforter pieces~ lots of different types. I was going to put them into bundles in my shop, but then decided I'd use them myself for some projects.
I found this cute pack of Bobby pins on Etsy about a year ago, and even though I didn't have a specific use for them(I just really liked the vintage packaging and that they were pink) I guess they could have been a pack worms~ as long as they were pink I would have bought them!

So, I decided to make a hair pin/Brooch using the quilt pieces, bobby pins, tulle and vintage buttons. I figured I'd make as many as I have bobby pins for and put them in my Etsy shop.

Recycled Scarf

I haven't sewn in quite awhile, it's something I love to do but don't do often enough. There's something relaxing and rewarding about sitting down with an idea in my head and then creating it. So I thought I'd break out my sewing machine and make something this weekend. I have lots of old quilt pieces and vintage fabric that I've been wanting to do something with, so I thought I'd make a scarf...kind of like a quilt for your neck.
Living in Southern California there's such a small window of time where you need a scarf, so now I'm ready for those few days...




That was fun!

Finished quilt pillow

I finally finished one of the pillows I was working on for my Etsy shop(I posted last week about starting it). I love the combo of the two prints together, they're different but go really well together. I still have plenty of the quilt left to make a few more, so I think that's what I'll be working on this weekend.

Giveaway, Who needs a Pouch??

This is a follow-up to my Repurposed post. I completed one of my two pouches that I was working on. I had fun making this ... and it almost had a zipper, but became too difficult so I decided to add a vintage button & rick rack loop. It measures 5.5" x 6", perfect for holding small things: phone, keys, compact, Lip balm, etc..

Now it just needs a home :)

I'd love to give this to someone who'd like it, so... I'm having a giveaway! Just leave a comment in this post sometime before Wednesday evening(the 9th) and I'll post who the winner is Thursday morning.

Repurposed... from housecoat to pouches

This is what's left of an amazing fruit/floral print vintage housecoat. Since I knew wearing it was never going to be an option, most of the usable fabric was sold in bundles in my Etsy shop.
So this is what's left of it, plus two pockets. I've held onto it with the thought of turning the pockets into coin purses/pouches.

I've just recently started sewing again, I've been working on pillows... so I thought I'd get started on these too. I'm not sure which fabric I'll use to line them or of the design.
I'm not a pattern kind of girl, I think the last time I used one was in Home Economics(10th grade)~ the thought of them stresses me out! I wish I had the patience for them, but I don't.


Once I'm done, I'll post my finished work.

Somethings OLD turned into something new.... for my shop

Nothing is better than coming across an old quilt, no matter the condition. Half the time I have no idea what I'm going to do with it, but that's never stopped me from bringing one home :)

I'm working on some pillows for my shop, using vintage linens & old quilts.

I'm one of those people who can never have too many pillows! I usually have no less than six on my bed, my kids notice when they have some missing off their beds, and I don't think there's a chair throughout the house without a pillow in it. Wow, now it seems a little weird...