DIY Drawstring Bags

The big exciting news this week? I will officially be selling Fairview Place goods locally! One item you'll be able to find at Kitsch (opening at the end of the month) are my fabric scrap memory games. Now, I'm not going to tell you the master-mind plan behind making these games (mostly because you could figure it out within 30 seconds), but I will show you how to create a five-minute drawstring bag.

 

Even though my memory games come in these (above) cute little plastic noodle boxes I wanted to create a little bag for the entire game to be store in (or taken in Mom's purse). All the sets come with 26 pieces (13 pairs), so they have to be a pretty good size. I started with a piece of scrap material about 9" x 6".

 

Next you fold under the left and right edges and sew down. Fold under the top edge twice to create a casing for your drawstring. Pin down, then sew. With right sides together, sew outer edges and bottom (in one stitch). Turn right side out.

To create the drawstring, tie a piece of yarn (ribbon, lace, fabric, etc) to a safety pin. Feed the pin through the casing you created and pull 3 to 4" of extra yarn through, then cut (make sure the bag is entirely flat, not gathered, or you won't have enough drawstring). Tie the two yarn ends together and pull together. Your bag is finished!

Check out all my different sets which will be for sale at Kitsch in a few weeks!

February Inspiration Board

I'm going to be updating my inspiration board monthly this year (last year I think I did it once) with magazine clippings, recipes, photos, local niceness and my monthly goals. For February I've included several recipes from Sunset Magazine, wanna make and wear outfits from an adorable catalogue called Boden and of course a beer label :) You can click on the photo to see exactly what everything is.

Most importantly, to me, are my monthly goals. It's a short list of five, but hopefully easy to accomplish. They are:
1) Exercise (Start and stay with it)
2) Send out handmade Valentines
3) Get outside and take more photos
4) Update my portfolio site
5) Watch my spending and save some money

Thrift Store Shopping Made Easy

I used to get so jealous when friends would show me their in-perfect condition items they got at the thrift shops. I thought it was just pure luck they would stumble across such gems. The truth is, it's about 1/3 luck, 1/3 where you shop and 1/3 how you shop. I've compiled this list of must-knows for hitting the thrift shops (in the mindset you'd be shopping for yourself).

Colors and Patterns
Most thrift stores will display clothes by solid colors or colored patterns. If you know that yellow patterns look terrible on your skin, you can skip right over that section. You already know what looks good on you, and what you would  Don't think that just because that yellow gingham shirt that you'd never pick up at the Express will look fabulous on you just because it's $2.29.

Proximity is Key

I've found that finding a cluster of thrift shops is the best plan. Have three really great stops within a mile of each other. That way, you're bound to find something when you head out instead of driving way out of the way to hit up one shop which may not be as rewarding.

Um, There's No Dressing Room?
I feel like since I've moved to Virginia almost none of the thrift stores have dressing rooms. Maybe we're just much more trusting in the Mid-West and on the East Coast the stores think everyone it out to steal those $4 jeans. Anyway, I've learned to dress in layers. Wear a cardigan with a tight t-shirt on underneath, definitely wear slip-on shoes and leave the coat in the car. This way you can easily slip on those Rockstar boots and that amazing (fake) fur coat.

Carry a Measuring Tape
So you've been looking for a piece of art to hang above the mantle. Maybe a three-tier shelve to put next to your window for plants. The key here is to take the measurements. Write down exactly how much space you have above the mantle, and also the ideal width and length for your new artwork. Keep these numbers in a notebook/scratch paper/receipt you always have with you. Then, when you're at the thrift store and you spot the most amazing velvet black cat painting (my sister seriously bought one of these once), you can measure it with your trusty measuring tape and buy that baby immediately.

Find Out the Magical Day
Most thrift store have days when certain colored tags are half off. Some have days when all sweaters (i.e. fill in the blank garmet) are 99 cents. Most stores reduce their merchandise only one time a week. You get the point, but find out when these days occur, especially when you're looking for something in particular.

Music Mondays

This photo of "Lucy" wasn't dated, but judging from
her stockings and the fact this was a glass negative,
I'm gonna say it's from the early 1900s.

One of my goals for this month is to get back to exercising! Which means music (terrible, bad, music) to get me motivated, including Kelly Clarkson and All-American Rejects. Hopefully I can keep a smile going like Lucy in the above photo (thanks to the Library of Congress), isn't is a hottie? Enjoy my workout playlist for this Monday.

Tasty Beer Dip

I found this recipe poking around Foodgawker and gave it a try against my sister's advice (she thought it sounded like "barf in a bowl"). I'm happy to report, it did NOT taste like barf, but was scrumptious and super easy. It'd also work nicely as a spread in a pita with lots of fresh veggies. Try it for yourself and see what you think.

What you need:

2 packages light/fat free cream cheese
1 packet dry ranch dip mix
1/2 cup beer
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

What you do:

1. Use a mixer to combine (room temp) cream cheese and ranch dip.
2. Slowly add beer and mix until creamy.
3. Stir in shredded cheese. Let chill in the fridge for an hour and serve with pretzels, carrots or crackers.

Nerd Alert!

For my birthday I got one of those embroidery floss organizers. I spent about four hours winding all my floss around the plastic bobbins, but it was so worth it. However, I realized I was in the need for a little shopping trip to stock up and decided to design myself a little list I can take with me.

I know, sounds a little extreme, but this way, I know exactly what color or floss, felt or zipper I need. It could work with fabric, buttons, paper and any other craft essential you may need. Which is why, if you click the picture below, you'll have your very own copy of the shopping list you can use. Just be sure to print at 100% and cut along the dotted lines. Enjoy!

Scarves from a Thrift Store Quilt

I found this fantastic quilt front at a thrift store several years back for a couple bucks. It's all hand-stitched, so I was worried about cutting it and the pieces falling apart. However, after more than four years of it taking up precious fabric space, I decided to do something with it. Since my scarf collection is not nearly big enough I decided to add to the collection! You can do these two simple designs with any material scraps.

The two designs follow the same first steps. The Fringe Scarf uses eight 7" squares, whereas the Knot Scarf uses four 7" squares and four 7"x14" rectangles.

1. Start by sewing your short ends together, creating one long banner of squares/rectangles. Repeat until all your squares have been sewn. 2. Flip over and iron the seams down. 3. With right (long) sides together, sew the edges. Flip right side out.

For the Fringe Scarf

 

4. Cut several strands of embroidery floss in colors that match (or don't match) your scarf. Mine are about 3 1/2" long. 5. Fold under the end edges and dab with a little fabric tack. 6. Carefully place the fringe onto the glue and press down. Repeat with the other end.

For the Knot Scarf

 

 

4. Fold the scarf in half and make a knot about a foot after the fold. 5. Put one end through the loop. 6. Fold in the unfinished ends and sew a zig-zag stitch across the seams.