Nothing New

New Summer Clothes for free

2010-04-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

After a few failures in the little boy refashioning department, I went back to little girls. My poor son. I'm glad he's too young to realize his sister gets a lot more new things than him. Hails is in the stage where she is out of the toddler clothes, but the little girls section looks like it belongs in high school. I'm not dressing my 3-year-old like a teenager. Thus began my t-shirt overhaul.
We had a lot of t-shirts that a friend gave to us last winter. They all fit great through the shoulders and neck, but all of them were a bit too short. Pants still do not fit my little one well, and so I like a little length on the shirts to close the gap a bit. So here is the first of 5.

I just used scraps from another t-shirt to add to the bottom, and then gathered up the little hydrangea looking thing. The white shirt was one I bought for .99 last year - two seasons of wear for less than 1.00! I like that.

Estate Sale Saturday

2010-04-19T06:20:00.001-07:00

My awesome husband entertained the kids Saturday morning while I got to visit a couple Estate Sales (my favorite!). The first was in the most beautiful house I had ever seen. I think I missed most of the sale items because I was so distracted by the architectural details and gorgeous flooring and whatnot. I spoke with another woman there for a few minutes about how breathtaking the radiators were! A lot of the house was sectioned off, but I eavesdropped enough to learn that the house had belonged to the local Doctor, and a young married couple would be moving in shortly. Oh how I envied that young couple! I was in an upstairs sitting room when I saw this picture on the wall and said (out loud) "Oh my goodness!" There was an older lady stationed in the room and she smiled and agreed it was beautiful while I frantically dug through my purse trying to find my phone. She quickly realized I was calling for permission and told me about her secret purchases that she would hide from her husband. So cute. My sister has a copy of this picture that I've always loved. I don't even know where I'd first seen it, but I feel like I've grown up knowing and loving a lot of her art. It's the first piece of art that I've ever purchased for myself. I'm so in love!

Bessie Pease Gutmann Picture (13x17ish): $40.00
(check out her other pieces. They're beautiful) The next sale was in the exact opposite kind of house. Super creepy and strange. There were about 7-8 different staircases with only a few steps each. When in the kitchen you would be looking down into the living room. Like really far down - you could only see the tops of people heads. It was pretty dirty and dark, but I managed to find these alphabet cards for 50 cents. I've had my eye on similar cards in specialty shops and boutiques, but never wanted to pay $20.00+ for them. I'm missing the same 3 letters from both sets. My kids are sad that they aren't allowed to play with them, but I don't even like touching them without gloves on. They are pretty grimy! However, they have the perfect vintage look that I'm loving and will be perfect when displayed on the wall in their bedroom.

This 'W' had me confused for a few minutes. It took me that long to realize that it is a pocket Watch, and not a clock.

Finally, back at the beautiful Estate Sale I picked up quite a bit of fabric, including a yard or so of sequined fabric that quickly became the sparkly skirt my daughter had been aching for. It just happens to match her favorite Barbie's dress and there is plenty left over. The only trouble has been convincing her that it is a dress-up skirt and not an every day skirt, and sewing on this fabric is a beast! The sooner it is used up the better.

Turtleneck: Winter to Spring - $1.50

2010-04-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

I found a gorgeous skirt this summer that was 2 sizes too big. It sat a little lower than it should, but other than that it was perfect. The problem was I did not have a single top that matched. I tried a few - but always felt self conscious about how they looked. Then I found this j.crew turtleneck that was the exact color! But it had a super super long neck, and even though the fabric is thin - it wasn't going to work for spring and especially not summer. So, chop chop.
The construction on this beauty is laughable at best. I sincerely hope no one looks too closely at the back collar. I even used black thread, because I didn't want to drive heck and gone to pick up some brown. Other than that it turned out beautifully! I put interfacing along the front collar so that the ruffles wouldn't stretch out. I need to trim it down some - that is the white you can see when the camera flashes at it.

It's a good thing asymmetry is in right now. The ruffles grow slightly bigger as they travel across the shirt.

Now I just need to put on some pregnancy weight so that I can fill out my big skirt and I think it'll be a great springy outfit, even with all the dark brown. (by the way: The skirt is a Talbot's that cost $3.00 I think.)

Womens Linen Shirt to Girls Skirt - $1.00

2010-04-15T09:56:00.000-07:00

I don't remember when I picked up this shirt. Only that when I see 100% linen I feel compelled to purchase it specifically to use as something else. I turned it into a twirly play skirt for my 3-year-old. I had to use every bit of the shirt and there are plenty of wonky seams all over this thing (even a pleat on one panel), but it's only a play skirt - right? It gathered enough that the seams aren't too obvious. I actually used a Simplicity Pattern for it - but it was so simple I don't think it was necessary.

Rather than holler at her to keep her skirt down all day, I opted to chop up some stretch pants that had been too short and attach them to the skirt. As a child I had to wear a dress to school twice a week from Kindergarten through 5th grade. I remember getting into so much trouble when my mother discovered that I had been sneaking shorts under my dresses. I sort of felt like I was breaking the rules while sewing these shorts on.

She's been playing in it all day and it hasn't slipped down or gotten in her way. She says she likes it, but she does not like "all that brown stuff" and thinks it needs "more glitter".

Stay Tuned

2010-04-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

Alright. After 5 months of hibernation I'm ready to start this site up again. I was inspired a ton by this girl's goal of refashioning something every day for a year. It's amazing! My family is also going to relocate in the next few months (don't ask me where - we have no idea as of yet), and I refuse to move my enormous pile of "Clothes to be cut up" with us. So whatever isn't used by the end of May will be donated. Which my husband is very happy about. We've been watching a lot of shows about hoarding and I'm getting nervous that my inability to toss old clothes may be creeping toward hoarding levels. I'm also hoping that having a timeline will make me braver when it comes to chopping and sewing. I'm no seamstress - just learning as I go. So good things to come soon - I just need to find the time to snap a few decent shots.

Cashmere Blend Skirt - $4.00

2009-11-12T11:09:00.000-08:00

This was a strange looking cashmere and silk skirt that I thrifted a few months back. It was pretty thin and incredibly soft. I was excited about the fact that it had no shape, just a flat rectangle of yummy softness with nothing but a draw string waist. Blank canvas. Hurray! I finally turned it into a shirt for Hails. I don't feel right calling it a sweater, because it is pretty thin, but it definitely felt like sewing a sweater. I have never wanted a serger more in my life. This was my first time cutting and sewing knit - I did not love it, but I didn't hate it as much as I was anticipating. I cheated and used the waistband to put around the collar so that I wouldn't have to worry about finishing the raw edges.

My gut tell me that a few times through the wash and this thing is going to be stretched out beyond recognition, but for now it is cute albeit a little big. I love catching her petting the sleeves, and loath catching her pulling at the collar (something she does with all her clothes).

With the left over scraps I made a little creature-ish cap for my boy. I doubled up the layers to make it warmer (and the edges were so much easier to finish that way). He, of course, won't keep it on for more than 2 seconds - and my camera is not that fast.

But, if you quickly place it gently on his head (and don't pull it down over his ears) while simultaneously throwing food at him you can kinda sorta see how cute it'll be once winter hits.

*The Sleeves*

Oh My Word! I know where I am coming for fashion advice from here on out. I loved reading all the comments. It reminded me how amazing this whole blogging community thing is. Isn't anonymity great when it comes to giving your opinion? Seriously awesome. Believe it or not, the votes to keep the sleeves were equal to the votes to lose them (what are the odds?). I think I feel pretty good about taking them off and re-working them into something different. You'll be the first to know how it turns out. Thank you again!

Sweater and more Ruffles

2009-11-11T07:25:00.000-08:00

I feel like I am pressing my luck with so many refashions in a row, but I have declared November to be a stash-busting month! (never mind the fact that I bought 7 more yards of random fabric last week) I have 2 baskets filled with clothes that need to be reworked and if I don't empty them out soon my husband has threatened to buy more laundry baskets. I firmly believe that no family of 4 needs 10 laundry baskets! That's like buying new underwear because you don't have any clean ones left isn't it? I am determined to empty out at least one whole basket this month.

Before: Anne Taylor sweater $3.99. It was soft, comfortable, and I loved the color. However, the neck was a little low for my liking and I didn't want to have to wear a camisole underneath it. The sweater felt a little empty on top, which made me feel a little frumpy in it. After: I cut up an old brown Halloween t-shirt and ruffled it up. I sewed it on by hand and my fingers are crossed that it won't all come undone in the wash. I had a bit of fabric left over which I added to the sleeves.
I love the higher neckline, but my husband gave me just enough of a weird look to make me unsure of the sleeves. He back tracked pretty quickly, but I'm still a little nervous. I could very easily remove them - but I think I need to seek fashion advice outside of my marriage. Keep them or cut them? What do you think?

Winterized T-Shirts

2009-11-09T09:44:00.001-08:00

Earlier this fall I received a bag filled with hand-me-down plain Children's Place t-shirts. I think plain shirts are super hard to find, and I was so excited to have them for next summer, but pretty sad that I'd have to wait that long to get any use out of them. Then I decided that I would do all that I could to not buy any 1st hand fall or winter clothes for my daughter and I sacrificed a couple short sleeved shirts to that cause. Although, they turned out so dang cute I don't think it was much of a sacrifice. I used up every last scrap from my Talbot's dress in the process. It was so satisfying not to have anything left over to add to my overwhelming stash of fabric.

Before:
After: the lighting is different, but I swear they are the same shirt.
I showed them to Hails this morning and the first thing she said was "Is that a sea shell on my shirt? I love it!". I don't know where it came from, but I guess she loves sea shells. Not quite the look I was going for - but I also think she'll be the only one to interpret that as a sea shell.

The shirts were a little short, which made adding the bottom piece necessary. One day I hope to figure out how to do a satin stitch and then finish the bottom with a lettuce-type thing, right now they're just raw.

And here it is in purple. I used the tutorial from Make it and Love It. I love quick projects!

Dress to Shirt Refashion

2009-11-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

I bought this Talbot's dress for $4.00 at goodwill. Originally I had loved the feel of the fabric and thought it would be perfect for adding sleeves to my daughters t-shirts, or even making some warm winter pajamas. When I brought it home my husband asked if I had tried it on. When I bought it I didn't even notice that it was my size. I humored him, and then loved the feel of it - all except the length. This is stretchy fabric that shows every tiny bump and seam. I don't know who could pull it off. However, it would make a super nice shirt. . .
So I chopped off 20 inches, added a ruffle along the collar and shirred up the sides.

When I washed it the side gathering shrunk up a ton more than I thought it would so I had to leave the bottom hem raw. I'm really loving it now.

The collar is heavier than I thought it would be so it is just a teensy little bit wide for my liking, but not enough to try and fix it. It hangs a bit lower in the back, but I think it adds to the character of the shirt.

The best part is that I still have a lot of fabric left over to winterize a couple t-shirts for the kids.

Sheets to Pajamas

2009-11-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

I found this funky top sheet for .99 and loved how absurdly different the fabric was. I used a pattern to make my little one some pajamas (I really hate patterns). It was the first time I have attached sleeves, and made a shirt from scratch. A lot of work, but it was worth it once I saw how dang cute she looked in them. I even squeaked out a pair of matching bottoms for me. Old sheets really do make the most comfortable pajamas. Pajamas for 2 at less than dollar, not bad at all.

Neglectful

2009-10-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Alright, after a month of absence I'm back to regular posting. I have found so many great things, and got so far behind on posting that I sort of gave up. You'll have to just miss out on the last couple of months, because I am starting over. Catching up is simply too daunting. Here are this weeks finds:

Kiabi Shirt (like a French Old Navy, or H&M): $1.50
This shirt had the tags still on it. The color caught my eye, and then the embroidery knocked me over! Bugs and hedge hogs - on a girls shirt?! . . . now that I think about it, maybe it's a boys shirt. I guess I saw the Peter Pan collar and thought "girl". The tags were all in French so I'm not sure if they specified girl or boy. Anyway, it doesn't matter, it fits and looks so cute on her.

Banana Republic Shirt: $2.00
I normally wouldn't have much to say about this one, but as I was buying it the shady looking cashier looked at the shirt and said "I used to have a shirt like this . . . oh wait a minute, this is my shirt." I was surprised at how much that weirded me out. Apparently her boyfriend said that when she wears orange it makes him look fat, and that's why she got rid of it. Odd. I brought it home and now I'm not sure I like it anymore. I mostly bought it for the color, but I don't really like knowing who the previous owner was.

Fall Refashioning

2009-09-22T11:21:00.001-07:00

I had a conversation with a friend once about how people used to make clothes for their kids because it was cheaper, and now making clothes for kids is so dang expensive that no one really does it. I think refashioning just might be the solution. I really feel like I'm saving us money by refashioning stuff. I bought this corduroy dress for $4.00 and turned it into a skirt for Hails and a pair of pants for Beckett. $2.00 a piece is not bad. The pants are awesome, and work so well! I'm still undecided about the skirt.
The skirt was originally a pair of pants for Hailey, but they went horribly wrong. As a result of tearing them apart I wasted a lot of material. I wish that I would have just made Beckett a second pair of pants.

Here is a shirt I made for Hailey using a XXL shirt that I got for free. (I was chatting it up with the cashier and after entering my kids clothes she said "your welcome" and threw the rest of my purchases in the bag for free! (2 shirts, a belt, and a cashmere skirt. woohoo!) I was able to get 2 new shirts from this one. The other will be a gift, but Hailey's came out pretty cute. I made it wider than her last one, but it is still snug. Oh well, it fits as well as any of her others.

She will not hold still for anything! I've given up on her actually modeling anything.

First Furniture Remodel

2009-09-10T20:05:00.001-07:00

We paid $20.00 for this old dresser from craigslist more than a year ago. I'd always intended on painting it, but furniture makes me nervous. Then Gildden was giving way free quarts of paint and I thought that would get me going, it didn't. My free paint came, and months went by without anything happening. Then I found this tutorial on how to make chalkboard paint, and I was sufficiently motivated. It looks a lot more neon in the pictures than in real life. I love the lime color, and it picks up the green in Hails' curtains, and Tinkerbell's skirt. The entire thing is chalkboard, and I still have a lot of paint leftover.

It was hard to get a good picture of the chalkboard qualities, but I think the kids will have a lot of fun drawing mostly on the sides of the dresser where it is a smoother surface. I forgot that a 2-year-old draws as if she is trying to carve her pictures into the paper. As a result there is a lot of extra vacuuming to do until she can learn to draw softly.

I feel like the reading corner of her room looks complete. That's where little brother spends most of his time as well. The bookshelf usually looks like that for most of the day, which is why I'm super excited about my next project that will hopefully solve the problem.

Purple Jumper from Stash

2009-09-10T20:02:00.000-07:00

This is a jumper made from a New Look pattern. I'm feeling too lazy to go and look up the number, but let me know if you'd like specifics. I loved this print on a heavier cotton blended fabric. I bought it forever ago, and I was really excited to be able to put it to good use.

The pattern calls for it to be shorter and paired with leggings. I made it a bit longer, and it still is just a little more snug around the middle than I'd like it to be, but overall it was very straight forward and simple. Definitely a pattern I'll do again with a few changes.

When we ran out for the afternoon I threw some pants under it and thought it was darling, even though I had to roll the pants up. My pile of mending, and things to be hemmed (pretty much every pair of pants my kids own) is getting to be twice as big as my new projects pile.

Sewing Tip: I've never been sure how to navigate multi-sized patterns. I don't want to cut them, but the lines are too faint to comfortably trace. By accident I figured out that if you put freezer paper underneath your pattern and then use a sharpie to trace along the lines of the size you want, the marker will bleed through onto the freezer paper leaving your an exact duplicate. So you are actually writing directly on your original pattern. You can iron the paper straight onto your fabric without pinning and you never have to cut into your original pattern.

Kids Clothes!

2009-09-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

A brilliant friend of mine made up this t-shirt pattern from a similar shirt that her daughter had outgrown. She made me a copy and showed me how to do it. This red shirt used to be a big running shirt that belonged to my husband. We were able to put it together in less than an hour with 2 babies and 2 little girls running around us (that means it was pretty simple). This was the exact size she made for her 4 year old, and the next time I make it I'll just make it a bit wider to accommodate my daughter's robust tummy. I didn't have any luck at the thrift store with men's t-shirts this week, but when I do there will be many more. I had a very unhappy model on this day. I'll get better pictures once I make a few more.
Here is a closer look at the flower detail:
I made some long pants out of a woven type men's polo. I used the same method as his shorts. The shirt was a lot thicker than regular cotton and they fit around his tummy very well. After he wore them on this day they promptly disappeared. Which is why I don't have a clearer picture of them, but action shots are pretty fun.

Matching corduroy pants and skirt are on the way for these crazy kids. I've gotta do brother sister matchy-ness at least once, and I think corduroy will be pretty subtle.

The Green Dress

2009-09-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

(Ignore the cluttered patio. We took these while both kids were inside yelling for lunch, and I wanted to get back into my pj's in a hurry.)
I successfully took 2 inches out of the collar. The seams aren't great, but I'm the only one who would ever notice (hopefully). It involved partially removing the sleeves, which made me super nervous, but I was really excited when I actually pulled it off. I even got them reattached with the ruffles still intact. I'm learning! I felt terribly silly having my husband take pictures of me outside, and that when I realized he didn't get a shot of my shoes I said "forget it, I'll snap a quick shot of my feet". So here are the shoes that I wore it with. I was brave and wore it to church today - I even had to teach a lesson in front of people. "It's not what you wear, it's how you wear it." was my mantra for the day. I think that it is a little plain up top, but I don't know how I would change that. I still love the dress. So hurray.

A Baby Blessing - .50

2009-09-04T20:28:00.001-07:00

We have books enough to pave our driveway and then some, so I set a goal to steer clear of the book section of thrift stores for awhile. Lets just say I've never been that good at keeping goals. On this day I was determined to stay strong! Yet the stacks of books were just calling to loudly for me to ignore. I thought it couldn't hurt to just look. I'd only touch a book if it looked really really good (that meant no digging through the piles, which is something I could spend hours doing). I don't regret doing it, because I think this is my favorite book find thus far! It's filled with pictures from all different periods and all different techniques. It's beautiful and I love it!

Fall Wardrobe!

2009-09-03T06:27:00.001-07:00

All of these, except for the last skirt, were found on the same shopping trip. I know it is a lot of brown, but for the prices I could not leave them there! They are all lined and super warm.

Express Sport Jacket: $4.99
This fits me so well! I've never had one, and I really like the looks of it. It was new with the tags still on it. That's how I know that it was originally $118.00. The store had it marked for $20.00. It was on sale for $10.00. When I took it up front the cashier said "Ten dollars seems like a lot." and promptly punched in $4.99. It was destined to be mine!

Anne Taylor Skirt: $3.00

Anne Taylor Skirt: .50

This one is a little short for me, but I adore the cut. I'll try it out a couple times, and if I am still hesitant then it will make a fabulous skirt for little Hails. Fifty Cents! You cannot beat that.

The brown turtleneck that I'm wearing (which conveniently matches everything) is a blended silk Banana Republic top that I picked up on the same trip for $2.50. I may not be emotionally ready for fall, but my closet is looking pretty prepared.

Dresses - $3.99 (each)

2009-09-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

Reluctantly, I did not sign up for Wardrobe Refashion again, although I think I'll be refashioning for the rest of my life. I always felt guilty about not posting as often as I should and these next 2 months will be my trial run to see if I'll sign on for life the next go around or just continue to be inspired by other refashionistas. Of course once I decide this I found some great dresses at a new-to-me Goodwill. I'd love to really learn how to sew and alter clothing well, and dresses for $3.99 sound like a great place to start.

Vintage Green Dress:
I'm not really sure when 'old' becomes 'vintage', but this dress is old. Normally, when thrifting, brand names are what I look for. This dress is a bit out of my comfort zone and it'll take a bit of courage to wear it, but it was so unique and fun I couldn't let it go. It's 100% good old polyester. I'm not sure how the belt works exactly, but the cuffs on the sleeves are wonderful.
Problem: The collar is too big, and the clasps on the back are missing. I guess I'll be googling "tips on sewing polyester" this week.

Love the puffy sleeves and ultra narrow cuffs.

Talbots Summer Dress:

The fabric is soft and delicious, it is completely lined, and super bright and summery.

Problem: It is a size 16 - my goal is to try and cut the entire thing down to my size. If it doesn't work I'll have yards of fabric to play with and I'm pretty sure I can turn it into a great skirt if it comes to that.

Huge Brown Corduroy Dress:

The corduroy is very small, it is super soft but still really warm, and it is destined to become a couple pairs of pants for 2 rowdy toddlers, a winter skirt for the girl, and possibly a jumper as well. There is a lot of material to work with here. My husband was relieved to hear that I wasn't planning on wearing this dress myself. He said "I thought you were trying to tell me that you'd like to be a polygamist".

Apron

2009-08-30T16:56:00.001-07:00

My mother bought me this from an antique store we found while she was visiting. It's in pretty amazing condition for me to believe it is all that old. The antique store was one of those filled with actual antiques, and a lot of junk (my favorite kind). The fabric is so cheery, and it wraps pretty far around. I don't actually wear aprons all that much, but I definitely need to mend my ways, because I truly love them.

Kids Picnic Table - $3.00

2009-08-25T05:12:00.000-07:00

I found this at an estate sale. It was pretty much the only kids item they had, and it looked horrendous. They had $7.00 on it. The lady running the show had repeatedly hollered to everyone that she just wanted everything gone, and no reasonable offer would be refused. I'm such a wimp about haggling, but as I was paying for my other stuff I casually said "Would you take $3.00 on the table". I had nothing to lose, but that didn't stop me from instantly being nervous about offering her less than half of what she was asking. She looked at me for a minute, then to the weather beaten, mud covered table, and said "Yeah, sure". I have wanted a table forever. I have always said I never wanted a plastic Little Tikes table, but for $3.00 I was happy. This way we can leave it behind when we move and not feel like we've wasted our money. When I got home and actually cleaned it up a bit I realized it was in pretty amazing shape. The kids love it, and the husband says that we may just make room for it when we move. Hurray!

*estate sale*

Costume Necklace - .50

2009-08-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

I have so many great treasures to post. I can't believe how behind I fell. I was out of town for a few weeks, and I feel like my return to thrifting has been hit after hit after hit! I've been keeping an eye out for unique chunky pieces of jewelry, and I scored this necklace from a disorganized, and dirty estate sale. I was ready to give up, when I spotted this next to a rack of painted sparkly sweatshirts. A beautiful way to spend .50 I say.

*estate sale*

Pants to Skirt

2009-07-29T14:55:00.000-07:00

This skirt used to be a pair of corduroy pants my husband was getting rid of. The cuff of the legs became the waistband. The skirt hangs pretty straight, but it has a lot of give.
I wore it all day to test out its practicality, and it was surprisingly comfortable. Definitely a winter skirt though - too too think for summer.

I didn't have a lot of material to work with, so I chickened out on buttons and used elastic in the waist. I pulled it all to the back and was a little worried that it would look like those elastic old lady pants, but it ended up sort of ruffly and cute. At the end of the day I took out a few inches of elastic for better fit, and set the ruffles more evenly in the back (they are a little wonky in this lower picture).

I also cut up a few mens shirts and made some great fitting shorts for my chunky boy (tutorial here). They are freakishly easy and fast to do. I had enough fabric and energy to make matching shoes. So so cute on!

Suit Coat to Book Bag

2009-07-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

Before: A Jos. A Bank suit jacket that I got (with the pants) for .99
After: An over embellished book bag for Hails.

These are the original jacket pockets that are on the inside front.

There is room for a lot of library books, and movies in there. I added velcro to keep it shut. She struggles with the buttons on the front, but I figure it is good practice.

I sewed and resewed, swore and repented, and then repeated that cycle about 15 times with these stupid straps! They still don't really stay on her shoulders very well, and I'll probably try making them shorter, or just taking them off and putting an over-the-shoulder type strap on it.

She is always wanting to hold onto her books and movies at the library, and then either puts them down to play and loses them, or won't play because she doesn't want to let them go. I'm hoping this will be a good solution. She seems pretty happy with it. I'm pretty proud that I was able to alter the tutorial to make it child sized (but it is still a little big).

We have had really unreliable Internet for 3 weeks now! I'm afraid that if I searched for the link to the tutorial my connection will be gone - if you are really interested, email me.

Aprons - .25 (each)

2009-07-23T07:23:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning I excitedly set off for an estate sale down the road. I was shocked when I saw a line leading into the house. A line that went all the way down the front steps and the sidewalk. There were probably 20 - 30 people waiting to get into the house, and the sale had started an hour earlier. I was really disappointed, but I decided to check back in the afternoon. I'm glad I did. There wasn't really anything spectacular, but the house was so interesting to walk through. As I walked in I saw a woman purchase a sewing machine for 17.00, so I was hopeful that there would be some good sewing supplies. There wasn't. However, I did find these ugly aprons that I am in love with. They were shoved in the back of a closet (I'm very thorough at estate sales). They need a little mending, but the fabric is so unique! Everything was half off, and so I picked them up for a quarter each. The skirt on the little one wraps all the way around. She said "Mom, this is a princess dress apron?".
Each jar is labeled with a different spice, the only ones I recognized were dill, and marjoram.

I got lazy with my picture taking skills, so this is the best shot of my apron.

The fabric is so fun! I couldn't just leave it there.

*Estate Sale*

Piggy Banks - .69 (each)

2009-07-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

I had mentioned earlier that I was looking for the classic clear piggy banks. They were so hard to find, I had pretty much given up. Then a friend found one for me at a thrift store (the one I visit on an almost weekly basis). I was thrilled. It was meant to be for my daughter, but I fell in love with them. When I spotted a little family of them at my next visit I snatched up 3 of them for myself. One for quarters, One for nickles and dimes, and one for pennies. I love them on my dresser. There isn't a cork in them. The only way to retrieve your coins is to shake them really hard, or smash them. That makes cheating difficult.

*Thrift Store*

Naptime Refashions

2009-07-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here are a few refashions that I managed to throw together during nap time: I used this tutorial on how to use reverse applique to make a t-shirt more interesting. I rescued this shirt from our donation pile, along with a brown Halloween shirt that I used for the fabric underneath. Once I wash it I'm hoping the edges will curl over a little bit. On some of the edges I cut the margins pretty close, so I hope it doesn't completely fall apart, but I like how it turned out.

This was the best picture I could get of my soon to be 1-year-old, he doesn't really stop moving for anything. His shorts came from dad's old polo, and I love them! This was a super fast, super easy project (thanks to this tutorial), and I like that he gets to wear something that belonged to his dad.

Ribbit: Crazy Frog Shirt

2009-07-17T06:18:00.000-07:00

My MIL made this for my husband as a teenager. It is huge, and I think he may have worn it to a crazy dance. It has moved with us everywhere, and sat in the back of our closet each time. I finally convinced him to let me turn it into something we would see more than once a year on Halloween. It was hard, and he thought about it for a few days, but I think he was happy with it's transformation.

Although not as happy as our own little frog. She was delighted. It was a huge shirt and I didn't cut any of the width off, which makes it super full and poofy. She would sit and talk to the frogs, and point to each one telling me how they felt. "Here's a happy frog, here's a sad frog" and on and on. I attempted a top, but it was a disaster.

Most of my pictures turned out like this one. I couldn't get her to stop jumping like a frog. Little brother got himself a pair of pretty wild shoes as well (from this tutorial). And I think what is left is destined to be matching skirts for our little frog's barbies.

Baby Shoes

2009-07-14T14:01:00.000-07:00

My kids have flintstone feet: fat and flat. My little boy wants to walk everywhere, and needed shoes. The salesman told me it wasn't a good idea to put him in shoes when he isn't walking on his own just yet. He desperately needs something other than socks to protect his feet, and Robeez seemed like a better idea than socks, or barefeet. Unfortunately his enormous ankles only fit in the 24mo. size which are huge everywhere else. I wasn't super excited about paying $30.00 for clown shoes. Then I came across this tutorial, and thought I'd give it a try. I had to figure out how to make the pattern bigger, and so my first pair still look a little clowny, but he doesn't seem to mind. I cut up some old gripper socks and fused them to the bottom so he wouldn't slide. They may not be the most stylish, but they get the job done, and I had all the supplies on hand. Success.

Storage Shelves - Free

2009-07-13T04:12:00.000-07:00

My husband's school set a new rule (which all the students hate) that these storage units (they call them yard barns - weird) can no longer be used. They had previously stored dental supplies, and patient stuff. Everyone was really upset, and the administration was not giving a good reason as to why they were being taken out. After a lot of student effort to keep them around they finally were told that all of them had to be tossed. Yes, they were throwing tons of these into the dumpster. Some friends rescued about 20 to sell on craigslist. We managed to get our hands on 2 of them for the kids rooms. Awesome place to store the toys that have been sitting in a laundry basket for 2 years. I'm hoping to score one more for fabric and unfinished projects, but don't ask me where in the world I'm going to put it in my already overwhelmed sewing/playroom/family room.

Matching Dishes - $7.99

2009-07-10T06:34:00.000-07:00

I've been a little obsessed with these dishes for awhile. Which seems silly, because so many people are so eager to throw them out. They are super common, but I love them for some unknown reason. I was really excited to find a stack of them at the thrift store. I'm also really grateful for an understanding husband. He knows I'm crazy, but doesn't hold that against me. Here's what I got:

8 cereal bowls 7 of the coolest cups I have ever seen! I was so happy with these.

An awesome creamer, 8 saucers, and 8 dinner plates!

For the 1st time in my adult life I have all matching dishes! I'm super excited to pack up my old ones and see how fun these look in my cupboard.

*thrift store*

Refashion for Me!

2009-07-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

It has been 2 months since I have bought any new or 1st hand clothes. I was so shocked by that, and a little proud, that I did something crazy and took another 2 month pledge on Wardrobe Refashion. Only this time I am going to focus more on refashions for me, or at least try to. Here are the first results of that effort.

Before: a thick, boxy t-shirt from Eddie Bauer with some sort of grease (spitup?) stain on the front. It's been sitting in a drawer for at least a year.
After: Cute ruffly cardigan that I can throw over a tank (like the one I'm wearing that I haven't even looked at in at least 2 years), or over a summer dress. I used this tutorial, and it was pretty easy and fairly quick (even while wrangling 2 kids).

The only thing that is perplexing me is that the ruffles still tend to move around, and for some reason they completely disappeared from the sleeves. I think I may take some elastic thread to them. Overall, I really love it. It gave me a little confidence to try other refashions for myself. My closet suddenly looks a lot more interesting to me.

More .99 Sale Finds!

2009-07-06T13:46:00.000-07:00

Dress Pants: .99 a piece
(2 from Anne Taylor, 1 from Express)
I don't think these have been worn very much at all, one of them still had the tag threads in it. I don't have much occasion for wearing dress pants, but I like to wear them. For .99 a piece they can be my everyday pants! I just need to find the shoes, unless dress pants and tennis shoes are in style. I didn't think so.

Gap Sun Hat: .99
I was shocked to find this hat at the thrift store. It was the perfect size, in great condition, made of heavy duty canvas and I had just bought the exact same hat one size smaller for little brother the week before at a yard sale. Matching hats! How awesome is that gonna be (although my husband did roll his eyes when I excitedly yelled it at him). I just need to get a picture of the two of them together and you'll see what I'm talking about. They also snap up on the sides to look a bit . . .Australian?. . .I'm not sure, but I know it is dang cute.

Outfit - $2.00

2009-07-06T07:08:00.000-07:00

Shirt (charlotte russe): .99 cents

Pants (gap): .99 cents

Necklace: Free

I went to the thrift store on an off day, and it just happened to be an early .99 sale day! Every week they have a color tag that is 50% off, and on Saturday everything left with that color tag is .99 cents. Thanks to the holiday weekend Friday was there .99 cent day. I was a bit skeptical, and there were a lot of people there, but I found some killer deals.

The jeans are flowy (is that a word?) and feel almost like linen. They fit great, but were too short! I was about to put them back when I spotted an out of place seam. I realized that someone had just folded the jeans under to hem them up, and straight stitched across. The original seam was still in place. A few minutes with a seam ripper did the job and they are now a perfect length.

I was lucky and got one of those cashiers that just throws an item in the bag when they can't find a price on it. That's how I scored the free necklace. Once I got it home I realized that it is actually broken. A strand is missing, and the loop to hook the clasp on is gone (I usually carefully inspect whatever I buy, but I grabbed this while waiting in line). I tweaked it a bit to make it work, and it was free. You can't argue with that.

Fabric and Notions: $7.00 total

2009-06-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

4 inch square packs: $1.00 (a piece)
This was completely unexpected. A woman who works at a quilt store was having a sale. She saw me coming with a tote that my sister made me. "Do you quilt?" she asked, and then showed me her rulers and fabric. These little packs are super awesome. They have over 100 different squares. My mind is spinning, thinking about what to do with them.

6 yards of Polka Dot Fabric: $4.00
The old woman had a big box filled with fabric and told me I could have it for $20.00! I only had a $10, and was thinking about all the money I had already spent. It was mostly apparel fabric, so I just made off with these. They are amazing quality though! Notions and Beatrix Potter Fabric: $1.00 (for everything!)
The lady handed me a lunch bag and told me it would be a dollar for everything I could shove into it. I was about to offer her $1.00 for the little box of buttons! I cleaned them out of satin ribbon, thread (the good stuff!), and bias tape. Here's a closer look at the buttons.

This one is my favorite.
*garage sale*

Harry Potter DVDs - $6.00

2009-06-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

I swear I had 4 of them. I think one might be hiding in my car somewhere. I've recently fallen in love with all the Harry Potter movies. I've rented them from the library and recorded them on T.V., and now for $2.00 a piece I own a few. Goblet of Fire is my favorite! I'm so glad it was there. I picked up about 10 different DVD's, but it was early in the day and I didn't want to get ahead of myself. I have serious non-buyers remorse.

*garage sale*

Kids Toys - $12.50 total

2009-06-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

Walking Toy: $5.00 Phone: $1.00
My goal was to find a walking toy that Beck could toddle around on. I found this on a back street with only 2 sales! (all the other streets were filled). There were 2 of them and they were in perfect condition. He loves it, but it is really light, and it falls over when he tries to pull himself up on it. I'm gonna have to find a way to fix that. It also folds down so that he can sit and ride on it when he gets a bit older. The little fisher price phone was a hit as well, and only a buck!

Matchbox carrying case with Cars: $3.00
The cars are mostly the really heavy metal cars from when I was a kids. These are hidden in the basement until Christmas. Four New CD's: $2.00
These are unopened and have all the annoying activity songs that Hails sings all day. Every CD we get from the library has new age weird songs, and funky versions of classic ones. I'm hoping these will just be simple and easy for a toddler to understand what is being sung. These are hiding in the basement as well. Very Hungry Caterpillar Games: $1.50
I have been eyeing this game at Target for months. It looks like it has never even been played. I'm thinking it'll make a great birthday present for a lucky girl! (it's funny, because I have always hated Eric Carle's stuff, but both of my kiddos love it.) I'm thinking that my Christmas and Birthday shopping my nearly be finished! This thrifting stuff is amazing!

*garage sale*

Little People Bus - $1.00

2009-06-28T16:53:00.001-07:00

Our next door neighborhood had their garage sales this weekend. It was awesome! Last year I was super pregnant and only lasted a couple streets. This year I got to go alone, and was out for 3 hours. I still didn't hit all of them, but I definitely filled my garage sale quota for the season. Near the end I saw one lone sale on the end of a street and decided to walk down. I'm so glad I did. I scored this exciting vintage little people bus for $1.00! The actual people are mind from my last find, but I loved this! The guy was trying to talk me into the modern fisher price bus with lights and sounds. I told him I wanted the one that would last forever. I seriously said that. I was one happy hunter!

*garage sale*

Almost Awesome Shirt Dress

2009-06-28T16:45:00.000-07:00

This was to be my "real" version of the shirt dress. I posted about my practice one a little while ago. I changed quite a few things on this one, and I feel like it should have turned out better. It has a lot more of an A-line (you can see it better in the 2nd pictures), it's not as big, and the length is better, but those wings were really bugging me. I wanted to make the sleeves a little bigger, but it was too much. I had shortened them twice and was so sick of them still turning out to be too big that I gave up and called this dress a cute swim suit cover-up, even though I think the material is awesome, and I love the embroidered stuff on the back. I think once it sits for a few days I'll get over the little quirks and really like it. She doesn't seem to mind.

For Freee?

2009-06-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

There was an awesome junk swap among the women in my church, and I found some great stuff. I look at these dishes every time I walk into a thrift store, and I see them a lot. I think that my grandmother had these when I was younger, and believe it or not, I love the color. I always resisted because I knew that my husband would kill me if I brought home dishes that we didn't need. I was so excited to see them at the junk swap! I figure you just can't argue with free. The older woman who brought them seemed just as excited as I was that I took them. Husband's only comment: "I hope I don't break my teeth on them." My response: "Don't chew on them." The cups are Pyrex and they are the thickest mugs I have ever seen in my life! I love the square handles! Okay, enough about silly dishes.

I also picked up this super cute hat. It was a little plain and so I added a felt flower. I was happy to finally use this button that I have been hanging onto forever, but I'm also ridiculously fearful of refashioning anything for myself. I have no one to ask "Does this look alright?". When I asked the husband if it looked weird he paused for a long time and then said "Well. . . .it looks alright". Yeah, he said it while shrugging his shoulders, not the most reassuring. I summoned up some courage and wore it to a park group anyway. I like it. If it looks weird please someone leave an anonymous comment telling me so. I'm asking for honesty!

There is a really great keyhole in the back, with buttons as well. I didn't get a great picture, but I was in the car with two impatient kids.

Shirt to Dress

2009-06-16T10:11:00.001-07:00

Before:
After: (front)

(back)

I have had this tutorial bookmarked for more than a year. I even bought an awesome shirt last summer for this very purpose, but it never got done. We had a junk swap at church and I picked up this shirt that I thought I'd practice on before cutting into the awesome one. It was a stretch material which made taking the pocket or tag off impossible, and it was a little wonky while I sewed it, but other than that the tutorial was very simple to follow. Here are some action shots:

My grandmother gave me a ton of eyelet that I have almost completely used up. This one was one of my favorites. I used it on another dress that I altered and didn't have enough to go all the way around the bottom of this one. Next time I'll make it a few inches shorter. For church we threw a cardigan over it, but the ruffled straps are elastic and my favorite part. It will be really easy to let them out as she grows. It didn't take her long to find a use for that odd pocket on her back. Hakuna Matata.

Stay tuned for the awesome shirt dress. I may even splurge and buy matching thread - shocking!

Red Dress

2009-06-11T19:08:00.000-07:00

I bought this dress 2 years ago for a quarter at a children's resale store in Idaho. My mom sort of gave me a funny look when I picked it up, but I could not resist the fabric and the little yellow butterflies. I was ecstatic when I was able to put it on Hailey this year. It is Shirley Temple short and so I throw on some shorts under it. It was a bit too revealing for my husband to approve of, and with my new found interest in refashioning things I thought I'd try to figure something out. If it was a disaster I was only out .25, from 2007. I had some eyelet my grandmother had given me. Unfortunately, I didn't have that much, so the "sleeves" are more like wings. I still think that they are cute, it is still summer cool, and it got a green light from Dad. Success.

Denim

2009-06-10T18:15:00.000-07:00

I have a huge drawer full of old jeans. I have no plans to make a jean quilt any time soon, which is why I was so excited to find another way to use up my denim. I simply traced one of Hailey's big plastic bibs onto a pair of jeans, and cut it out, then backed it with flannel or cotton. There is a great tutorial I used, but I can't seem to find it right now. If you're interested let me know and I'll hunt it down.
I decided to just mess around with my darning foot and practice my quilting skills on the denim. It looks like Hailey scribbled on all the bibs with a ball point pen. I really don't like it at all, but they're only bibs right? I like the weird looking fabric on the backs. The denim is thick enough that I didn't have to line them with a shower curtain whic is such a headache.

The best part about these, besides how big and washable they are, is that I decided to use buttons to close them, rather than velcro. My baby hates the little bibs, and he is an expert at ripping them off. I got a good laugh out of watching him try and tear one of these off the first time. I made 5 of them, and I actually enjoyed the process of making them, that's new for me. When sewing denim I think you are supposed to change your needle before you begin sewing on other fabric. Maybe I made that up, but my needle was probably getting pretty dull. I figured I would do a few more denim projects before throwing it out. That is when I dreamed up this little beauty:

I guess I shouldn't say I dreamed it up. I had a pattern for it. It is from Bend the Rules Sewing, I think. She uses them every single day, but I had only seen them made from oilcloth, which is impossible to find. Since this girl is all about dirt and mud outside I thought denim might cut down on stains. Now she can wipe her hands on her smock instead of her shirt. The jeans were really worn, and so it is unexpectedly light and soft. I used the left over seams as the ties and serged (or is it surged?) around the edges rather than use bias tape. That alone saved me about an hour, and a migraine no doubt.

I think I'll make one more, because she really does play hard outside, and it was really fun to make. Yeah, I can't believe I am typing that again, but it was. Next time around I'll maybe add a pocket. That process definitely won't be fun, but the end result will hopefully be worth it.

As an added bonus my denim drawer is now 1/2 full! Hurray, for cutting down my fabric stash!

Vintage Little People (At Last!) - $5.00

2009-05-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting Fisher Price little people For-eh-ver! I had James and my mother watching ebay. They were on my mind at every thrift store and garage sale I have been to. I'm not talking about the fat roly poly little people of today (in my opinion those should have a completely different name), I mean the really little people. I'd love the original wooden ones, but I'd love the silly plastic ones that I grew up with. When my Primary President at church said I could probably just take the empty little people house out of the nursery I was giddy for days. Then, half heartedly I wandered down a street sale with my 2-year-old and struck garage sale gold. I know this is an obscene amount of pictures, but it pales in comparison with the number I took. I am still in shock!
This little Ferris wheel is my favorite. You wind it up and it plays music as grouchy looking carny turns the wheel. This one is my toy and will not be a play thing for the kids. It was well loved, but I think I like it better that way.

Then I got a bag full of people, boats, a plane, fire truck, gas pump (so cute!), telephone booth, and parking meter!
Check out this little life jacket! How cool is that?

I'm not sure why this guy has a different nose from everyone else.

This poor gal has no nose at all.
I love the gas pump!
If you have the cars then you simply must have the garage. The elevator gets stuck a lot, which explains the fireman.
If a car happens to break down, there is a mechanic around back.
I am really in love! They originally had $6 on the garage and bag, I offered $5 and they accepted. They had $3 on the Ferris wheel, and the father decided it would be terrible to separate the two and gave me that as well. Amazing!

*garage sale*

Vintage Mickey Train Set - $5.00

2009-05-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

At the same garage sale as the little people I found this awesome vintage Mickey Mouse Train set that was made to accommodate Fisher Price little people.
Minnie, Donald, and Mickey all come out of the train. You wind up the red smoke stack and it will fly around the track on its own. This is what my daughter really wanted at the sale, but I felt so lucky to have found the little people that I just thought it had to be one or the other. That and I didn't want to have to explain to my husband why I had come home with more toys (mostly for me).

When I was telling him about it he immediately said "And you didn't get it?!!". That was all I needed to hear. I dropped Hails off and promptly drove back to get it. We're hiding it for a special occasion - my fear is that her Mickey or train phase will be over too soon. I love it anyway!

*garage sale*

Picnic Basket - .50

2009-05-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

Hails really likes this picnic basket, but probably not as much as me. Even . . . I mean especially the empty eyed zombie looking kids dancing across the front. It's a good sized basket, and we may even pack a real lunch in it next week. Two quarters well spent.
*garage sale*

Lamp - $2.00

2009-05-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

This one is exciting because I have been looking for a lamp for this room since the last one shattered a few months ago. My thrift store searches had been fruitless, and I nearly fell over when I saw this perfectly themed boys lamp. The last lamp was blue, but it was also covered in pretty fringe beads. Not exactly the most masculine looking thing. Hurray for no more turning the hall light on and feeling our way to the crib at night.

*garage sale*

Well Loved Cardigan

2009-05-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

Before:

I love this cardigan. The day I saw it in my older sisters closet I knew it was meant to be mine. She didn't quite agree, but living in the apartment across the hall from her I got to borrow it fairly often. Sometimes she knew, and sometimes she didn't (it wasn't a very secure apartment). James would always ask whether I borrowed or stole whatever piece of her closet I was wearing that day. (yes, we were both grown and married at the time) She is famous for purging her closet and letting me shop through her clothes. On one such shopping trip I got my hands on this cardigan. I have worn it to death. Babies have pulled beads off the collar, it was faded, and last week it was accidentally thrown in the washer and then dried. I was so sad when I pulled out a much smaller sweater. I tried to squeeze into it, but it wasn't going to work. Thankfully my brain was in refashion mode and I ran upstairs to try it on Hails. It almost fit in the shoulders. I could hardly wait to take my scissors to it!

After:
The beads on one side had been ripped out. So I tore out the other side and replaced them with extra buttons. I loved the cuffs and didn't want to bother hemming the sleeves. I just reattached the cuffs and now they are easily pushed up and make little puffy sleeves!

I also took 1/2 inch out of the back, cut off the bottom and reattached the finished seam. It is still faded, and nearly threadbare, but it will be a beautiful chilly evening sweater for our little girl.

Crayons - .75 a bag

2009-05-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

These crayons should last us at least a week. Around here Hails has a thing for breaking them and the pulling the paper off. We let her do it in church so that she'll stay quiet, but it's getting out of hand. It's hard to tell from these pictures, but the crayons go pretty deep, and they are all intact. Which is great, considering this is what our crayola stash looked like before:
*garage sale*

Doll High Chair - $3.00

2009-05-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

It's really heavy solid wood. The previous owner actually made dolls and used it only as a prop in her home. I found it in her basement (it was an estate sale) and her son was the only one down there. He wasn't even sure what it was, so when I offered him $3.00 he shrugged and said "sure". I have a feeling that the daughters upstairs would have scoffed at my suggested price. I also got a gallon size Ziploc bag filled with patterns for doll clothes for $1.00. Thank goodness for clueless sons :) It fits perfectly next to our play kitchen, and I'm pretty sure it will be loved for a long time.

*Estate Sale*

Now What?

2009-05-08T15:36:00.001-07:00

Have you heard of Freecycle? It's a national thing, and it is awesome! It's basically craigslist, but everything is free. It was started to be a way to reuse things and be nicer to the earth. There are local chapters, and strict rules. There are actually a lot of really great things that come up for free. I've gotten rid of baby clothes, baby gear, and books I don't read. I really like knowing that my stuff is going to someone who needs it, or will at least use it. I just leave the stuff on my porch and whoever I emailed will come pick it up. I've scored a couple of fun things, but this is by far the craziest. The post said "Tons of Fabric scraps", and that was it. I emailed them, got the phone number of a woman who has a business making burial gowns. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but it was free, it was fabric, and I was super curious. I drove to an old Firehouse, rang a door bell, and picked up this:

You really can't see exactly how much there is, but there is a ton of fabric, those piles are deep. They are mostly polyester-y blends, lots of sheer, heavy duty, textured stuff. I really don't even know what you would call it. Walk into any department store, got to the Women's section, and whatever those dresses are made of that is what this feels like. They are all different weights and shades. Now I just don't know what to do with it. It's nice quality stuff. I'm thinking dress up clothes, skirts, play scarves for Beckett. I just don't know if I need special needles, or what stitch to use. Is a serger necessary? I've never worked with anything other than cotton, but here is the perfect risk free way to learn. Any advice?

Thread Organizer - .50

2009-05-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

I saw it on the shelf, and really didn't think much of it. I actually walked by it, and then turned around. It was calling to me! It was in a really random spot. I'm not sure if the workers even knew what it was. It took me a second to realize that it was perfect for me. My thread has always been a tangled mess in a ziploc bag. Twice I have gone out and bought a certain color of thread only to realize that I already had some. Of course I didn't realize that until months later. It was always a headache! My bobbins now have a home as well. Searching for 1 bobbin among 5 years of craft hoarding is not fun. Not everything fits but enough of it does to make my sewing a little easier.

*St. Vincent DePaul's Thrift*

Liz Claiborne Top - $2.00

2009-05-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

Very different from my usual stretched out t-shirt and jeans (or sweatpants). It feels good. It's 2:00 and nothing has been wiped on it, spit up on it, or spilled on it. That feels really good. Maybe being the mother of 2 young kiddos and having style is something that is possible for me. Who would have thought?

*from: St. Vincent DePaul's Thrift*

Sweater to Cardigan

2009-05-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

This was an old sweater that I inherited from my sister. I loved the sleeves, but it was just too short. I wore it out once, and it was a disastrous mid-drift all afternoon! It was still in great condition, and I didn't want to give it up.
So I cut it up the middle, used the last remaining scraps of my most favorite fabric to make some bias tape (I love when I can use every tiny little piece!) and added a few decorative buttons. I wish I'd had a few more buttons to put on the cuffs, but overall I was pretty giddy about the way it turned out. My husband even said he liked it, without being asked! (that's a pretty big deal) Hurray for the first ever refashion for me.

$2.00 Sewing Box - Estate Sale

2009-05-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

This was vinyl and pretty trashy looking. I was walking down the stairs when I spotted it and thought $2.00 was a pretty accurate estimation of it's worth - actually maybe $1.50 would be more appropriate. I was going to walk by it when I saw a piece of paper that said "Look Inside!". That was when my heart started to beat a little faster. I slowly opened it up, (just to be dramatic), and look what was inside:

About 60 yards of stretch lace, tiny little crochet hooks, heavy duty pinking sheers, tons of thread, sewing needles, and bits of silk. I gather from other odds and ends in there that the woman either made her own girdles (lots of girdle hooks), or altered her bras. Here is the best part, which is almost a creepy coincidence. There were 2 tatting shuttles hidden under all that lace! One of them was this awesome metal one with a tiny hook and removable bobbin. Are you kidding me?! I just learned how to tat this year. No one tats! I bet most of you have never even heard of tatting. What are the odds that I would find something so perfect for me? Incredible.

The final surprise was this barbie doll kit. It was an unopened pattern for barbie clothes, specifically a pattern for mother's to teach their daughters how to make barbie clothes. I'm gonna use it to learn so that one day I'll know how to teach my little girl.

Here is the letter that was included with the kit. Click on the picture to make it bigger and easier to read:

Love it! All the clothes are on a non-fraying fabric. You just cut and sew. I love the crazy prints.

Viva la estate sales!