These Boots Were Made For .....

Accessorizing?

Source

Source

If you are fortunate enough to own a great pair of boots - flaunt them!

Don't hide your boots in the closet - a great pair of boots could look great anywhere.

Here is where I park mine...

And every time I pass through this corner I smile.

I love the boots with this union jack pillow made from recycled wool sweaters.

Here are a few more yummy examples.....

Source

And even if you don't own a great pair of boots

wouldn't a photo like this be adorable in a mud room??

Source

I hope you see your boots in a whole new way!

Finally! Something to Blog About!

Yes, I have been an extremely absentee blogger for a while now, but hey, life just gets in the way sometimes!

But for today anyways, I am back!

I decided to try to make a few recycled wool items to listed on Etsy.

(I haven't ventured into Etsy yet, so I'd be extremely happy to have any advice that you'd like to share.)

Here are few little owl's I've been working on - which one is your favorite?

I've been working on some sweater pillows as well,

and even a few recycled wool blanket pillows, too.

More to follow......

Handmade Stockings and A New Way to Hang Them

I'm linking up with Donna"s Saturday Night Special Click below to see lots or creative and inspiring stuff.

click here

I made these stockings a few years ago out of two differently textured upholstery cottons. Then I found these cute little rusty ornaments at Michael's for $.99 and tied a different one on to each stocking so everyone knows who's is who's.

I got this idea from my brother and cannot take the credit, but I love this idea, it is simple and it is worth sharing.

I never wanted to place those stocking holders on my mantle for fear that an innocent toddler might get hit on the head by a cast iron object or crack a hearth tile or damage my wood floors. So every year I actually place nails in my mantle and then touch up in the new year - if I get to it.

So this year I bought this curtain rod which was white, painted it with Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint (thanks Cindy for the tip), added a few curtain clips and then attached it to the underside of my fireplace surround. I like the way it looks and I might just keep it up all year.

I've been working on some new stockings for this year - out of sweaters of course! My to do list was just too long and sadly they all didn't get done - but I thought I'd show them to you anyhow.

Thanks for hosting Donna!

And Merry Christmas.

Sweater Happy Birthday Bunting

I thought I'd find a greener way to decorate for the many family birthday celebrations that happen in our house each year!

I decided to make a reusable Happy Birthday bunting from old sweaters and some old mens shirts.

I ironed on some fusible interfacing to the back of a some scraps cut from old men's shirts.

Then I typed the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" on my computer, selected a font and enlarged it to the size I wanted. I printed the letters out, cut them out and used them as a template to cut the letters out of fabric.

I cut out triangles out of old wool sweaters then stitched the letters on with embroidery floss.

I found a woolen looking binding tape at our local fabric store

then stitched all my triangles to it.

A new tradition of having this banner hang at each and every birthday celebration has begun!

(I suspect one day the kids will be fighting over who gets to keep it - maybe I'll make a few more - some day...)

I'm linking up to Cindy's "I made it for Monday" party at www.cottageinstincts@blogspot.com.

When Life Gives You Stuff - Make Stuffies!

I'm linking this post to Cindy's at Cottage Instincts "I made it with what I had Party".

Actually, we (my daughter and I) made it with what we had.

You may have seen these little creatures on a previous post, if you have then you already know their story ....

My funny little creative nine year old daughter always wants to do something crafty. Last weekend she drew this sweet little puppy and told me that she wanted to make a stuffed puppy that looked like it had been loved for years and she wanted it to looked like a crazy old lady that couldn't see very well made it! She is a funny one! Looks like she like likes things with a soul to them too!

She went through my scraps of fabric and buttons and here is the results!

I absolutely adore this little guy and think this is the most brilliant design ever!

Isn't this sweet? We'll keep this one forever!

My son put an order in for a monster so I made him out of some old sweaters I had.

Then I made this little rag doll out of my daughters old clothes and the body and head is made out of an old wool blanket. Total cost for all three stuffies - a big fat zero! (Cuz' we made it with what we had!)

End result - priceless!!!!

We've been busy!!

We finally got Halloween behind us, then I spent an entire day organizing my attic of it's sweater collections, boxes of thrifty finds, old kids toys and outgrown kids clothes. Every year I sell what I can at a local Kids Swap.

I love getting rid of stuff

almost as much as I like collecting it!

That is a bit weird, even I have to admit!

I listed a few things on ebay, and then spent a day cleaning house.

There is nothing better than a clean house to make you want to break out the crafts!

So we started sewing - just my daughter and I.

I made a doll from her old clothes, an old wool blanket, and some felted wool sweaters.

My daughter came up with a design for the cutest stuffed dog that I ever did see! I actually think it is brilliant! I love how the tail is off to the side. So sweet!

Her original design.

She's really funny, she said

"I want this dog to look like it has belonged to someone for a really long time,

and to look like a crazy old lady that couldn't see very well made it."

I think that is sooo funny and I think she actually achieved that!

My middle boy (for lack of a better description) put an order in for a monster - and I did not want to disappoint!

My youngest says that he scares the nightmares away - that's pretty cute!

His name is now Mr. Monster.

I often find her cuddled up with her youngest brother as I did last night, and I was touched to see that she had given her new creation to him to cuddle for the night.

The weekend was a success!

Sweet, nightmare free dreams precious children.

Finally!! It's done!!!

Finally the sweater quilt is finished.

It is the first and perhaps the only one I may ever make - at least using this method that is. The quilt is backed with quilters flannel and there is a thin layer or warm and scrumptious batting in the middle. The whole quilt was then quilted by hand - that was the time consuming part. I now am keenly aware of the reason why thimbles were invented.

If you don't mind me saying so I am super pleased with the way this turned out.

So thankful it is done....

and so happy to move on to something new!