Latch Hook Rugs!

Remember latch hook rugs?  You know, with the Aunt Lydia's rug yarn in tiny bundles?  Or if you wanted to do your own, you bought the canvas and skeins of Aunt Lydia's and cut it all down to small pieces.  You can still buy them but there's a whole new area of latch hook rugs to do these days!

I found this booklet:

They suggest using fleece!  I made this rug from strips of cotton fabric:

I can't tell you how long ago I made this rug and it still holds up!  Shake it out occasionally and a few times, throw it in the washing machine, it's still going strong after all these years!

Another one using latch hook was this one:

Very strange, huh?  It's made with those loops used on looms for potholders.

You got to admit, it goes with any color! 

Here's a few more booklets you can find to make awesome latch hook rugs.

Inside:

If you have a lot of scrap fabrics, you can cut them down into 3/4" by 4" strips and buy canvas a few inches larger all around than you want the finished project  and simply latch hook the strips randomly in color onto the canvas.  You have a fabric rug!  No need to buy rug binding, either anymore, just fold about 3 or 4 rows up to the back and sides, then latch through those rows (double rows for a bit) and the sides and ends will stay put. 

Have fun!

RWS

Maps

nikimilns

Does anyone actually use a map anymore? Does anyone still know how to read them? I’m not talking about old historical or valuable maps, just your everyday run of the mill driving maps.

With getting directions online or having a GPS, I wonder will all the maps be doomed for the recycle bin?

People used to joke about how hard it was to refold a map, and you often saw some funny skit in the movies involving a map while driving. What is so funny about a GPS? Other than the commercial for the Insurance Company, where the GPS guy is yelling at you to TURN RIGHT NOW.

There have been plenty of times when I wanted to toss my GPS right out the window.

Well have no fear, I have found some fun uses for recycled maps. The following shops have used them in creative ways. Some of them have created their own maps.

TerrorDome

Here are some pieces of jewelry made using some maps.

RunsWithScissors4

designsbytaylor2u

 

bookity

How about a lit map?

czechpub

or some cut work

studiokmo

 Every car used to have a map in the glove compartment, maybe we should keep one in there again, you never know when you will lose your GPS signal. While we are at it, it might be a good thing to show ours kids how to read a map and maybe give them a lesson or two on how to refold them.

Happy travels whether you use a map or not.

(jj)

The Wonderful, Entertaining Paper Doll

I love paper dolls, I've always loved paper dolls. When I was little someone gave me a huge suit box full of paper dolls and I remember loving every one of them. They gave me hours of pleasure, dreams, and imagination.

Paper dolls have been found dating back to at least A.D. 900 in Japan. They are figures (people, animals, or other non-living things) that are cut of of heavy paper. Separated clothes and other accessories are also printed out in other papers and hold onto the figures by small folding tabs. Besides its function as kids' toys, paper dolls also function as fashion advertising media.

                                                                               

Here is a link with instructions on making your very own paper dolls and clothes: http://www.essortment.com/make-own-paper-dolls-52431.html

A great source for information and free vintage paper dolls is Sqidoo.com http://www.squidoo.com/free-vintage-paperdolls.
First manufactured paper doll: Little Fanny, produced by S&J Fuller, London, in 1810. First American manufactured paper doll: The History and Adventures of Little Henry, published by J. Belcher of Boston in 1812. In the 1820s, boxed paper doll sets were popularly produced in Europe and exported to America for lucky children.

First celebrity paper doll: A doll portraying the renowned ballerina Marie Taglioni, published in the 1830s. In 1840, a boxed set was done of another ballerina, Fanny Elssler, as well as of Queen Victoria.

These early paper dolls are rare and priced accordingly. It is still possible to unearth paper dolls from unexpected places, so it is imperative never to throw away old papers without thoroughly examining them for these treasures.

I've never seen a paper doll for hats. Very unique.

For a complete history check out http://www.opdag.com/history.html

In researching for this post I found several paper dolls I would love to buy. I'm wondering if a grandmother can get away with cutting out and dressing paper dolls...........hum.  I'm thinking, I'm thinking.

pepper/Helmet Head

And If That MockingBird Don't Sing....

                                      Mockingbird

Remember that song?  Well I am here to say...the Mockingbird that lives in our backyard.....Sings and sings and sings....If you want to hear what he sounds like, click on the Mockingbird name under the picture....

I did say HE because apparently during the mating season the male will mark his territory with song. You will see them singing incessantly, both night and day, hopping from one song post to another.   Our Mockingbird starts his mating season in early February....around midnight! 

"The Northern Mockingbird, the most well known representative of this family above the equator, is known scientifically as Mimus polyglottos, which comes from the Greek “mimus” to mimic, and “ployglottos” for many-tongued. The song of the mockingbird is actually a medley of the calls of many other birds. Each imitation is repeated two or three times before another song is initiated. A given bird may have 30, 40 or even 200 songs in its repertoire, including other bird songs, insect and amphibian sounds, and even the occasional mechanical noise."

According to wikipedia 

"Northern Mockingbird males establish a nesting territory in early February. If a female enters his territory, the male will pursue the female with initial aggressive calls and, if she becomes uninterested, with softer calls. Once the pair is established, their song becomes more gentle. Northern Mockingbirds tend to be monogamous, and the female may return to the same male from the previous season.
Both the male and female Northern Mockingbird are involved in the nest building. The male does most of the work while the female perches on the shrub or tree where the nest is being built to watch for predators. The nest is built approximately 3 to 10 feet above the ground. The outer part of the nest is composed of twigs while the inner part is lined with grasses, dead leaves, moss or artificial fibers. The eggs are a light blue or greenish color and speckled with dots^.    Approximately three to five eggs are laid by the female, and she incubates them for nearly two weeks. Once the eggs are hatched, both the male and female feed the chicks."

The  Mockingbirds have returned to our yard for many years.   Last year we saw the nest, sheltering 3 little eggs, in a bush at the back of our yard,  once the eggs  hatched and the birds were gone the small nest fell from its spot onto the grass below.  Because he knows me so well,  my husband brought it to me and it is now on display in my home, along with a few other nests we have found.  (We never disturb a nest in a tree, only rescuing  the ones that have fallen to the ground.

I do love our Mockingbirds and enjoy falling asleep to their wonderful repertoire of songs and calls, it is oddly soothing....at least to me :)

                                                      

BirdsinHand

                                                                    quaintbynumber

Maybe someday you will have a Mockingbird living in your yard....if your lucky!  
(click on the highlighted words and shop names to be taken to the shops and the info pages)

VE

Let Us Introduce You.....

To some of our shops!

I am VintageEmbellishment and I have 2 shops, but the one I will tell you about today is my shop on Etsy.com.   

My husband and I sell vintage and antique items that we think are special, they tend to be functionally quirky and unique.  
We especially love vintage items that someone hand created years ago....items with a wonderful graphic look that can be repurposed for a new use....old chippy paint....typography...signs...well you get the idea!

I was going to show you some of our shop items and then I discovered a treasury curated by 

     Collection Ibi Wari  

 that features  an item of ours, this treasury is a perfect example of some of the things we love to find and sell (and keep!)

 

                         In The Eye Of The Beholder

If you  click on the highlighted shop names and the treasury name it will take you right to them!  Enjoy!  VE

I am known on the blog as RunsWithScissors (Runs) and I have several shops.  The one I'd like to promote today is the one I'm most proud of. 

It's called Old Crow Antiques and it's an online adventure!

I don't specialize in anything, I just have fun with everything!  The items I love the most is souvenir glass but I dabble in a lot more than that.

Stop by and browse, I think you'll like what you see, at least I hope so!

Have a great weekend!

RWS

PS:  To our blog followers, feel free to leave your shop information under the comment section!

I am known as jj or justjanesthings on Etsy.

I love creating and have found a lot of satisfaction in making collages and altered art. I have a habit of working small, and have to learn to expand my work. (literally)  If I can add some glitter to things, then it is a good day indeed.

My mom does the stitching and she makes the pincushions and needlebooks. I offer my mom’s things for her (for some reason she wants no part in learning computers and internet)

So my Etsy shop, justjanesthings is a family collective shop.

I have been on there for two years now and have been fortunate enough to meet some really wonderful people.

Come by anytime and have a look.

(jj)

Howdy ho,

I go by many names ~ Goodgosh, GG, Horse face, MSS, MySeriousSide and others that shall not be mentioned. My real name is Peggy and I'd like to promote my "real" job, my gallery: Mishawaka Art & Frame Gallery in lovely downtown Mishawaka, Indiana.

I spend my days like a gnat bouncing from one project to the next, but my main focus at work is custom framing. You name it, I frame it.

I also carry handmade gifts by artists all over the U.S. and this past year I have added another love of mine, vintage, antique and re-purposed items.

Wish you could all come visit. I could use the help. :)

Sending all that is good, Peggy the Queen of Everything.

*snort*
http://www.mishartandframegallery.com/

 

Hi, I am Peppercorns2... aka...Pepper, HelmetHead, Linda, Mom.  Actually I answer to a lot of names, guess it depends on who is speaking to me :)

I have 3 online shops but today I want to share my Peppercorns2 on Etsy with you.

I love to create new items, especially ones that involve drawing and painting, a good way for me to do this, in a timely fashion, is in small projects like ACEO cards or gift tags and bags.  I sell these in my Etsy shop along with a blend of vintage items, which is another love of mine.  

There never seems to be enough time for me to do all the things I see in my mind's eye...

Come on over and visit, sit awhile and share a cup of tea....

                                        The Lion's Eye

Pepper

In some circles I’m known as Doodle or Dude and in other circles I’m known as Jules, but I often answer to anything as long as I know you’re talking to me.  I am one of the partners of Doodle Bea Greeting Cards.  My best friend and I started this business back at the end of 2007.  She’s the artist and I run the website and business.  

You can find us here:

DoodleBeaGreetingCards.com

I have to laugh sometimes because we both have our favorites and they are so different.  Sometimes I wonder why she gives me the ones she doesn’t really like, but then again, they sell and that’s what we’re all doing here, right?  
So here are just a couple of our favs:

Feel free to grab a cuppa jo and wander around our store.  We love to do custom/personalized items so if you have any questions, you know where to find us!

"Duuude"  : )

  

"A Day in the Life with Trish”

I am always intrigued when I see artisans crafting out of materials that in MY mind just don’t make sense.  I mean, there are so many artistic people in the world and so many different materials that the sky is the limit to what you can find out there.  And when I come across someone like that, I figure I just have to get them to do an interview for us.  Tell me if you saw the words “geometric", "abstract", and "shrink plastic”, wouldn’t that get your attention?  It got mine, so today we’re gonna take a look at

Trish, owner of 

Lines and Shapes Jewelry Shop 

(but you may know her as BrooklynBags)

Duuude:  How long have you been making this abstract jewelry?  (I must admit, when your shop said “lightweight shrink plastic”, I became very curious)


Trish:  I got interested in shrink plastic jewelry when I randomly found an Etsy seller (brokenfingersart) who makes it.  I really liked her designs, I bought one of her necklaces, and sometimes I just get obsessed with an idea and can't stop until I do it...sometimes in life this creates problems for me, haha, but in this case, it was a good thing.  I tried first just copying designs or patterns that I liked just for practice (not for sale) and then people started to tell me "hey you could sell that" so I thought, ok I better start thinking of some of my own designs....so I began selling jewelry sometime in October or November of 2010.  I had the seller name "brooklynbags" because I previously had bags for sale, but I couldn’t produce enough of them at that time, and I kind of stopped.  Hence my ill-fitting name currently, but that will change soon when Etsy lets us change our shop names with a new feature.

LilyPad Necklace

Duuude: What inspired you get into this area of crafting?


Trish:  I guess I kind of answered that in question 1, which means I said too much in question 1.  whoops.  But I will add, that I mostly like this form of jewelry making because it is literally a blank page on which I can draw whatever I want....using beads, findings, etc is a little limiting....I think that’s why I like shrink plastic....and its truly so light, with earrings especially I wouldn’t even know I was wearing them except that they may hit against my skin if they are particularly long...but sooo light...who needs to carry around more heavy things, especially here in New York where we commute everywhere, all day long...

Trish at a craft fair

Duuude: Tell us a little bit about your process for making these items.   


Trish:  I usually go to my favorite coffee shop and draw on regular paper, then to a copy machine to enlarge them as needed (since they will shrink in the oven)....then I draw them on the plastic, which has been well-sanded (that's key!), color them with colored pencils, cut them out (sometimes this is the most difficult part, depending on the shape!), bake them in the oven, seal them and let them sit over night and then the next day I can turn them into jewelry with chains, earring wires, jump rings, and the like.

Antenna Earrings

Duuude:  Where do you typically get your supplies?  


Trish:  I get metal supplies on Etsy for the most part....there aren’t really craft shops so much in NYC...there is a metal store in midtown Manhattan but I prefer getting supplies from Etsy sellers...

Craft Show display

Duuude:  Where do you get your ideas for your items?  


Trish:  Some of my first designs are just abstract shapes, I don’t know where they come from exactly, just doodling.  I don't consider myself any kind of illustrator, I don’t really draw well honestly, which is why I think a lot of the geometric designs have been working better and selling better.  I can use something to make all the straight lines and circles to make them really perfectly shaped.  My favorite part is the colors, and that's something I think I'm good at and enjoy very much, putting colors together.

Cotton Candy Felt Pebble Necklace

Duuude:  Where do you sell your items?


Trish:  I sell on Etsy but seem to do better at craft shows.  I have been in 3 since November 2010, and I will be in the Lexington School for the Deaf Craft Fair on Sunday May 1 in Jackson Heights from 10am to 5pm, and I recently was accepted in Pittsburgh's I Made It!  Craft Fair subtitled "South Side Works Exposed" Since it is in Pittsburgh's South Side...that will be in July, the 15th to 17th.  I'd love to do more craft fairs but they can be pretty pricey, the vendor's fees I mean.


Duuude:  Anything else you'd like us to know?  

Working hard at the show

Trish:  Hmm, well I do plan to make some changes in my career/work situation in the near future so that I will have more time to work on crafty things, and expand to different materials for jewelry.  I hope to take classes, learn more about jewelry making.  Also I have some ideas to make fabric-jewelry, just lacking time!  So basically, look for more things to come in Lines and Shapes Jewelry Shop!


Duuude:  Do you have a blog or any other sites that you are involved in that you would like to share with us, and we can link in our article?

Bunch of Leaves necklace

Trish:  I do have a blog, but I have kind of been abandoning it for the time being because of my work load in my full-time teaching job....it is www.handmadeandproud.blogspot.com but there isn't much in it, so I don't know if it's worth mentioning.

Thanks Trish.  I have a whole new appreciation for shrink plastic.  

Now go spend some time in her shop and enjoy your Friday. 

Until next week …

"Duuude"