The Infamous Glass Tile Pendants

Tile pendants are all over Pinterest these days. My sister made some a while back and was gracious enough to show me her source for supplies and give me quick instructions. Mandi has been making a lot of gorgeous jewelry lately. Check out her blog Handi Dandi and shop her creations at The Goodness Shop. Next I'll share the funky turquoise and gold beaded necklace she made me from new supplies and some fun vintage finds.

I knew I wanted to make some necklaces for Sarah's Heart to Heart Swap this year. I always want to join this swap but never seem to get it together in time to craft after Christmas. There are always some unique interpretations of the "Valentine" for this swap and I wanted to make sure to measure up and thought these pendants would be fun. To check out all of the swap Valentines click HERE to visit Shara for a roundup.



I used some paper from a Martha Stewart Valentine's Day paper pad I purchased last year because I couldn't resist the cuteness. The page I used had several 1 inch designs that looked like stamps. I think the Love pattern was my favorite but I used other images as well:



The bails I used were silver and shaped like hearts and I alternated between silver and hot pink ball chain depending on the design.



I packaged them up on some pretty Simply Shabby Chic tags I found in the two dollar section at Michaels and tucked them into plastic goody bags. I also had some Valentine stamp stickers from that same Martha line and I used those to seal up the back.

These pendants were fun to make and very affordable to make in bulk. All of the supplies (except for the paper and tools) are from Sun and Moon Craft Kits. Please check out my latest article on the Examiner for details on how to make your own pendants by clicking HERE.

Perfect Wrapping

My dear friend Sarah has welcomed the most adorable little girl, Sammi, to her family. Of course I wanted to make something for her and I finally got it all together and in the mail last week.

Last year I made her son Jack a giraffe from this Lion pattern. Sarah mentioned that she may want Sammi to have one, too and I asked "Can giraffes be pink?" To which Sarah answered yes. :)



I love the way she turned out. I used pink chenille yarn for the body and a cotton blend for the hooves, ears and antlers (are they antlers or horns??Horns I think.) The skirt was made from some netting I found in a remnant bin and some pink velvet rick rack I got from Speckled Egg. The skirt has an elastic band and can be removed some Sammi can play with her now and have the skirt for later. I realize now that I meant to add a few spots to her front but I forgot. Oh well, she is special like that.



I also made a sweater and bonnet in my favorite color of TLC Cotton Plus. The pattern is from a pattern booklet that I've had so long the cover has fallen off but I'm pretty sure it's a Leisure Arts book.



I love the detail in the yoke. It has a very vintage feel to it especially in this lovely shade of green.

I started boxing up my goodies (along with a Shabby Chic flag/pennant banner I found at Target) in a regular box to wrap and mail when I noticed the cute photo box I picked up at Homegoods last weekend. Like I mentioned before, I am working on upcrafting a few things purchased at Homegoods and I had intended to use the box for organizing photos for scrapbooking or something. Then it hit me, the box was just the wrapping I was looking for! The cost was less than wrapping paper, tissue and tape at under $3.00 and Sarah could reuse it instead of trashing whatever disposable wrapping I used.



I added a bow and a sweet bird wing tag (also from Speckled Egg) and voila! A perfect sweet gift for a perfect sweet little girl. So the next time you are in Homegoods be sure to check out their decorative cardboard boxes. They have great patterns and the prices are just right. I have three I put under my tree at Christmas for decoration that also double as ornament storage in the off season. Happy hunting!

Please visit my Examiner article on this project HERE. Thank you for your support, your readship is appreciated!

Novelty

Way back in the day I made tea cup pin cushions like crazy. It was an easy, satisfying project that I enjoyed thrifting all of the elements for. For some time now I've been collecting other "vessels" to make into pin cushions. They've been sitting in  a little basket waiting for some attention. Finally I got to some of them:



It's tough to pick a favorite, I love them both.



The lamb I made some time ago. I've found the toughest part has been finding the right fabric to compliment the colors in the piece.



The deer was easy, being white, and I'm still on the fence about those jeweled eyes. I think they are cute but are they also a bit cheesy? Hmm . . .

I have a few more pieces I'd like to turn into cushions:







That little giraffe being my favorite and the only one of the bunch purchased in an antique store and not a thrift store. So far no luck in find just the right fabric to make him the cutest pin cushion ever. One of my favorites I've made to date is this one:



Made, of course, in honor of this guy:



Check out my Examiner article on making these pin cushions HERE. Thanks!

Vintage Valentine's Day Corsage Swap

I heard from Emma yesterday that her corsage has arrived. She liked it! Yeah! We gave participants the option to chose red or pink and I was tickled that Emma chose pink.

 

Voila! Pink vintagy corsage goodness. :) As you may notice, that picture is one of my absolute favorites to use in projects. I just think she's beautiful and regal and darling. I found the photo in this Flickr group where people post art for using in collages. Lots of good stuff!



I created my corsage by starting with some glittered leaf picks I had my stash, most likely picked up Michaels at some point. I went a little crazy with the glitter, huh? The pink heart was something in a box of little items I found at one of the treasure sales and adding the pink glitter really made it special! The crown was purchased from The Speckled Egg where I buy many of my foil dresdens and the metal beads were a lucky thrift find a few months ago. I also created a crepe paper rosette (learn how to make one HERE), a Valentine tag and some of those vintage pink sequins I recently found.



You can see a few satin flowers in there that also came from the craft store. Again with the glitter? You know it! I wrapped the stems in floral tape and included a pin back. Foam mounting squares were used to keep everything in place. Then I tucked the corsage in a box with some tissue and foil shreds to keep it safe in travel.



Add a bag of Lindor truffles . . .



 . . . a little red satin ribbon and voila! Vintage Valentine's Goodness. This was a very fun project and I can't wait to come up with new corsages for Easter. I'll be sharing Emma's corsage with you as soon as it arrives! It's currently winging it's way across the pond. I can't wait!

Have a moment? Check out my latest article HERE on creating your own Mom Cave sanctuary with Homegoods. More to come on this exciting project!

Cheers!

Things I've Learned . . .

Giraffe legs are long  . . .



And I hate making pom-poms . . .





But I'm really happy with the way my latest project turned out. It's a gift so I'll have to share the full view at a later time but it's way cute. I'm sure she's figured it out by now but this little guy will be for my new nephew who we expect to arrive in mid May. Hope he likes his Auntie's hand made toys, lol.

 Too bad making pom-poms is a pain in the butt, I sort of want one of these:



Doesn't that seem like it would be perfectly squishy under your toes? Wanna try? Pattern found HERE.

I've been writing a bit over at The Examiner. Check out my articles:

New Year, New Crafty You: Counted Cross Stitch

New Year, New Crafty You: Piecework Magazine


Crochet Your Own Swiffer Cover

Warm Up with Faux Fur Sewing Patterns

Learn to Make Floral Clay Stamped Clay Bangles with Paper, Plate and Plane

Free Knit & Crochet Slipper Patterns

Valentine's Day Craft: Gum Ball Necklaces

Thanks for reading!

Ciao ~ RR

The weather outside is . . . COLD.

I know it's December and it's supposed to be cold but for some reason it's really getting to me this year. It must be my new metal ankle which is crazy achy in the morning. How does the Terminator do it, I wonder?

Anyway, enough of that. I got my cast off last Thursday just in time to accompany my friend Catherine to our annual rummage sale day outing. I missed it last year because I was out of town so it was nice to get to go again this year. My finds weren't spectacular but it was a fun day with good company. So what did I find?



I love this sweet deer planter. It had some ugly plaid ribbon around the neck and was stuffed with red and green shreds. She'll be getting a make over soon. I'm thinking pale blue and pink with something sparkly. (of course)



An old book of road maps. These are practically obsolete these days and I've been looking for one to use in various projects like scrapbooking. Won't it make for great backgrounds in a mini travel book?



Usually I find vintage ornaments at this sale but the only thing I scored this year were these two made in Japan dresdens. They are in pretty bad shape but I bought them to take apart for other projects anyway. I scored some other things to use in crafts like some acorns someone painted gold plus a few household items like a new thermal mug and some tins. After the sale we headed to the thrift store.



I love finding bags of old crafty stuff. Can you guess what really drew me to toss this bag of goodies in my cart?



Those are old glass Alka Seltzer bottles full of sequins. I couldn't resist.



I also picked up this pretty old pink jewelry box. I've been collecting pieces of old jewelry to make my own charm bracelets for awhile now and thought this would be a great place to store my supplies:



Good fit, no?



This is 7 yards of a fun old Waverly ship print. I already have an idea for this which I'll share later as it's a gift. And last but not least . . .



A red flocked apron. I just love this and it is definitely going on my apron hook in the kitchen. It's one of my favorite finds of the day.

I'm so glad Catherine invited me, it was nice to get out, find some fun things and catch up with a good friend. I'm chopping away at my HUGE holiday list. I made a few ornaments this year and will share them soon. In the mean time please stop by my latest article at The Examiner about some fun handmade ornament ideas HERE. I'm so behind in my writing and was hoping to share more holiday crafts. Oh and it doesn't hurt that they are running a contest for some cool prizes and the more you write the better your chance to win. :)

Wow, I'm full of the babble today, aren't I? Until the next time . . .

~RR

California . . . knows how to party . . .

Hello all! I think my jet lag is gone but I'm still missing my luxurious vacation at Terranea in Los Angeles. Luis was one of the top salesmen at his company last year and was rewarded this with fabulous trip. We had a great time! They had a lot of fun events plus a spa day. Oh yes, a SPA DAY. Mmm hmmm. As I still haven't jumped back on the craft wagon I thought I'd share some photos from our trip.



This was Luis' first trip to the west coast and he couldn't wait to put his feet in the Pacific Ocean.



The resort was built into the cliffs and every where you looked was beautiful.



The view from our balcony. Luis spent most of his trip in the pool and hot tubs. :)



Luis was recognized at a big banquet and I got to buy a new dress! It was a very fancy affair.



I could have sat in the beach cove all day. We have very fond memories of our vacation and I'm crossing my fingers that Luis will win the trip again! I made a fantastic new friend while I was there but that is a story for another post. :)

Check out my article at the Examiner on last minute Halloween party ideas from One Charming Party HERE.

ciao!
~RR

Back to Reality

Sigh . .  we're back from sunny(ish) California and I'm still dreaming of turn down service and cocktails by the pool. But alas, it's time to get back to reality and head back to work. This weekend starts my drive to the holidays and I plan to be go, go, go through the end of the year. I am way behind my regular schedule of holiday shopping and gift making. I like to start early so once the holidays arrive I have time to actually enjoy them. So I'm on a mission to get things organized and rolling. I also hope to finally visit the Connecticut flea market on Halloween morning. I haven't been at all this year and there are only a few weekends left!

I'll be back tomorrow with more photos to share and to pick your brains about some holiday ideas like gifts to make, ornaments for the craft party and more.

Love to knit or crochet? Lion Brand has their premier yarns on sale for 20% off. Check out my article HERE.

Hugs!

Get crafty with Fabric Remix

Visit my review and mini-interview with Sandy Stone, author of Fabirc Remix, Repurpose & Redecorate with Simple Sewing and Easy Upholstery HERE. Thank you for your support!

I'm off to Los Angeles for a few days then it's down to business! I really need to get in gear for the holidays. :)

fondly ~ Rebecca

4th Annual Mochimochi Photo Contest

 

Any knitters out there? Check out the contest at Mochimochi Land! More details here!

New Thrift Store!

How excited am I that the new thrift store I visited this weekend is actually a GOOD one? Oh . . . very excited. I'd been hearing radio spots for Unique Thrift Store for a few weeks. It wasn't too far away and they were having 50% off of everything at their grand opening sale. Of course I was skeptical of any thrift store that advertises. Plus it's attached to one of those dealer type flea markets that just isn't my thing. But since I was headed out anyway and it wasn't too far our of the way I decided to check it out. I'm so glad I did! It's huge and priced like a regular thrift store and not an antique store. It's well organized and has dressing rooms which is very helpful when purchasing clothes. My total bill was $22. What did I find?



While there wasn't too much vintage I was very happy to find these sweet cake toppers. Most likely these will end up on Etsy but I'll keep a few for myself.



This is a nice linen table cloth that has both cross stitch and a crocheted border.



I also found the nice apron in the back, two little black bags and a handful of DMC Perle Cotton.



These are just some of the misc. things I picked up. Not shown are two puzzles, another vintage corsk screw and some spools of ribbon.



Two of my favorite finds were found last minute in a basket of jewelry right at the register. Regularly priced at 69 cents each, I was happy to snag this vintage Monet tassle necklace and a ridiculously cute pink tug boat barrette.

Will I be going back? Oh you betcha. This store is much closer than the one I usually go to and the prices, even without the 50% off, are better.

Please take moment to check out my latest article HERE. Rebecca Henry at Pink Pearl Studio shares  instructions on making an adorable vintage style Halloween Banner. If you have Halloween crafts to share, please drop me a line! I'd love to feature them.

cheers ~ RR

FINALLY. Return to the Thrift Store

So I seriously haven't been to the Thrift Store in like 6 weeks. I. Know. Vacation, new job, cleaning (blech) all get in the way and disrupt my thrifting schedule. I've been trying to get to the Elephant's Trunk Flea for a few weekends now with no luck. I'm going to try (again) to go this Sunday if I can get everything else I need to do squared away first, of course.

This past Sunday I got up with the chickens and got a jump on my way over due housework. So by 10:30 I didn't feel too guilty about jumping in the car and heading out. While there was only one real stellar find, I am happy with my goods.



A small collection of vintage fabric and napkins. I love that blue rose print. There is a good amount and I already have an idea for it. The floral fabric in the center is a pair of pillow cases and those are TWELVE Vera napkins on the bottom. Cute, I know, but stellar? Not quite.



Some inexpensive scraps of new fabric. Sunday is half price on 4 colors so almost everything I picked up was 50% off. Still not stellar though.



I love to rescue handmade items, particularly cute baby blankets. I have to say, I love this color combo and it might be close to being my favorite find of the day but not number one . . .



Little aqua apron . . . adorable! I actually scored two of these and couldn't leave them behind. A future give away perhaps? Should they be decorated?



I love this shabby basket. The liner is a bit dirty and not very cute but I plan to use it as a pattern to make a new liner. I'm thinking of using that blue rose fabric. Then I'll pile up my vintage baby blankets in there.

And while I know you're expecting something like vintage table cloths or Pyrex so my stellar find MAY surprise you:



The corkscrew on the left is a vintage French Zig Zag. I believe it was made in 1953 and I found it in a bag for $1. I knew it was neat and I've been picking up vintage corkscrews here and there (the one on the right is a vintage Swiss design) but when I did some Googling on the Zig Zag it seems they are quite popular! One sold on Sunday on Ebay for $200. So a $1 true antique find? Stellar.

Stop by the Examiner for my latest article on making Halloween Cracker Favors. And remember to leave a comment HERE to win a little pack of Halloween goodies including Martha Stewart and K & Company items.