thrifting Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Wise Craft Handmade

July 9, 2015

You Inspire Me To Quilt

Last year, I got an email from my friend Cheryl, asking if I would like to contribute to a new book she was writing. I would have said yes before I even heard the project description, but what she described sealed the deal for me. You Inspire Me To Quilt is for all of us who are constantly presented with those sometimes harebrained, sometimes, off the wall, and sometimes sweet and inspirational ideas from our loved ones. As I contributor to the book, I was asked by Cheryl to take one of those ideas and turn it into a quilt. I was excited because I knew exactly what I wanted to do.READ MORE

May 14, 2015

DIY Striped Flower Vase

I think I’m still celebrating Cinco de Mayo, or at least wish I was. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so inspired by a beautiful serape blanket we have. I love how the colors in it are bold, summery, kind of off beat, yet work together so well. My love for these colors kind of surprised me. Isn’t it funny where we get our inspiration from? I thought it would be fun to recreate the stripe patterns with yarn on thrift store, mismatched glassware and turn them into flower vases.READ MORE

May 11, 2015

Craftcation 2015

Courtney, pup Charley, Lisa, and me

I haven’t stopped since Craftcation to even write about it. And I had such a great time! For those who may not know, Craftcation is a yearly business and maker’s conference that takes place in Ventura, California at the end of March, brilliantly organized and well attended.READ MORE

April 27, 2015

Buying and Cleaning Vintage Linens

I am nuts for vintage linens, needlework, embroidery, fabric, and similar textile pieces, I think I’ve made that clear. One of my favorite things to do is shop for it, either online or at secondhand stores. For me, cleaning vintage linens goes hand in hand with buying them, and its what I’m thinking about when I’m deciding whether to buy it or not. I begin with the same basic process for any vintage fabrics and linens I buy, and wanted to show using an actual example. READ MORE

April 23, 2015

Upcycling Idea: Painting A Thrift Store Clutch

It’s time for a new DIY, and this one was inspired by sunshine and summer. Easy-to-create painted details (I promise) on a thrift store leather clutch. Upcycled and ready for summer parties.

January 12, 2015

5 Ways That Thrifting and Upcycling Fuels My Creativity

Through several years of trying this and that, I have come to realize in the last few years that I am most inspired by using vintage textiles, thrift shopping, and upcycling all kinds of materials in my work. While I don’t reuse materials for every project or quilt that I do, I find that I am the most pleased with things I create out of something that seems near the end of its life.READ MORE

October 9, 2014

DIY Decayed Halloween Flowers

These forgotten and decayed, web-covered Halloween flowers are made from loving cup trophies. The ones that end up at the thrift store are usually metallic painted plastic and are easy to repaint (they are practically begging to be used). Easy to repaint and do all sorts of DIY’s with, like these Halloween arrangements. The large one is nice all on its own for to spook up your décor, and the smaller ones make great place card holders or party favors. See another way I’ve used trophies for Halloween décor here.

October 5, 2014

DIY Halloween Trophies

I think that trophies that end up on thrift store shelves are a little sad, don’t you?READ MORE

July 31, 2013

Cocktails On The Beach Quilt

Fresh from the dryer.
The Cocktails On The Beach quilt was a long time coming. Inspired by the peak season weekly cocktail meet ups on little Useppa Island, where we spend our Spring Break vacations. Actually, I’ve only attended these cocktails meet ups on the beach once, maybe twice. It’s more the idea of cocktails on the beach, that inspired this quilt.
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July 9, 2013

Toile Four Patch Quilt

After taking Joe Cunningham’s Pattern Free Quiltmaking class on Craftsy and vowing to make time, whenever possible, to “play” in the studio, I made this little quilt, based on Joe’s “Fantasy Four Patch” formula. The idea is quite simple, really just a play on the four patch, a pattern that’s been around for a bazillion years. But making a series of measured cuts and pairings, the four patch pattern is turned on its head, into something different. Without the added twists and turns this quilt is, in fact, a simple four patch pattern.READ MORE

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