small inspiration for today

My Reader,

I want to share these little friends with you. I am falling in love with Shrinky Dinks all over again!

Button, button, who's got the button?

Darling Reader,

Time to do some online research. What is this horrible compulsion I have with buttons. I constantly buy them, I already have an obscene amount. I spend hours pouring through them. This strange euphoria pours over me when I see a basket, jar, or bowl full of buttons. Does anyone else suffer from this affliction? I say suffer, but I'm not suffering. I love buttons. On a shirt or a sweater they are invisible to me. But once the thread is snipped, ohhh, so pretty!

I can honestly say I never buy brand new buttons. Only the used and discarded

ones for me! I have found so many uses for buttons over the last few years. Rarely, if

every have I used them for their original use. Here are a couple examples of uses I found.

I have been putting buttons on headbands since I first started making jewelry. Its such

a simple craft to do. Take a dollar store headband and hot glue or heavy duty craft glue.

Done! The hardest part is letting the glue dry before trying it on! I've done them in all

matching buttons like the above. I've done shades of ivory, all miss matched, the

possibilities are endless. See why I love buttons?

On to purses! These lovelies I have done several times. Hot glue is usually best. I

look at thrift stores for flat back clutches. Usually these are less then $5.00! Wipe it

down with soapy water and glue away. Tell me this isn't an awesome update to

existing clutches.

Oh buttons, I love you. I even have favorite buttons I've hung onto. Shhh, don't tell

the other buttons.

These sweethearts belonged to my great grandmother, Baba. They are so precious

I can't decide when or how to use them. They sit in a box and I take them out and

hold them. I look at them, smile over them, then decide they are too wonderful to use.

Kinda sad, I know.

When I get a new batch of buttons, I pour them out. Just like my boys do with Legos.

I run my fingers through them looking for the most unique. Sometimes its a giant one

that I laugh at the idea of it being on a coat. Other times, I find the smallest button that

must have been on a sweet baby sweater.

I'm not sure if I am alone in this obsession, but frankly, I don't mind. My husband

doesn't mind, it's not like they take up lots of room! They make me happy. Sometimes

all it takes is one button to inspire an entire string of ideas and crafts.

Dear Reader, thank you for reading about my button collecting. It's a secret for us

to share. People who see me can't tell that I love buttons, or that I have a shoebox

full of them. It's my joy and I hope you have one too!

Lots of Love and of course, buttons,

Margo

Necktie Headband Tutorial

Beloved Reader,

Earlier this week I made a trip to the DAV and beheld a grocery size bag of neckties for $2.48! Had to buy it. This is the first project using them. I have one more finished and another in mind. So ladies, and I think there maybe one or two guys who read this (Honey, did you get milk on your way home?), grab a necktie and lets begin!

Supplies you need:

a regular necktie, no clip ons

small strip of elastic

needle and thread

a head to wear it on!

rough measurement of sed head

First step choose your tie. To me, most ties are sort of ugly when worn as a tie. But thinking of headbands there were countless to choose from. Lay out your chosen tie flat in your workspace. You'll notice most ties are thicker on the ends and taper towards the middle. This is the section we will work with. After measuring your head cut a length of the tie roughly 1 1/2 to 2 inches shorter then the measurement. This is to leave space for elastic.

Don't judge my head size! I need room for these ideas! After you've cut your tie, cut your elastic. I did mine at almost 2 inches.

Next step is to sew the tie and elastic together. Put your elastic on the wrong side of the tie (the side with the seam). Fold the edges of the tie around the elastic and stitch across. I went back across my stitches to make sure they would hold.

If you wanted to you could fold down the end of the tie for a neater look. I decided it would be under my hair so I wasn't going to worry about it. Now, taking the other end of the tie, secure it to the elastic in the same way. This is your finished result.

Done! Once I started, I could barely stop. I made 7 while watching TV for an hour. I hope

you like the project. As always, send me pics of your projects! Here is a peek at the other project

I made with the bag o' ties.

My dad was in the hospital this week, so instead of a girly bouquet of flowers I made him these.

What do you think? If you're interested in a tutorial, let me know.

Peace, Love, and bubble baths,

Margo

Flea Market Trip

So, here we are! Saturday I went with my dad, my husband and things 1 and 2 to the local flea market. I did my best to take pictures, but alas I think it is still a work in progress. I did find some lovely items, which you will have to tune in to see... There was also, of course, some not so lovely items.

What is up with this sign?! Seems like something a not so clever serial killer would put up, sort of a Hansel and Gretel type of trap. Naturally, my dad and I had to see what was behind this sign. Not much. No cages which is good, but no treasures either. I did see these lovely art deco salt shakers;

I didn't buy them as I have no real use for them. They were too worn to actually use as shakers and too large for any of my current work. I wanted to share them with you as I found them charming and hip. Sometimes as I am browsing through the shops and booths I am simply struck by how decorative simple objects can be. If I had the luxury I would love to decorate my home with these lovely spool holders.

Aren't they exquisite?

All in all it was a wonderful day. After bargain hunting we all went to lunch and visited. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful family.

I do have two items I recently made that I have to share with you. I'm not one to toot my own horn, but TOOT, TOOT! I found these tiny pewter figures at a craft supply store. I had an immediate idea. Do you like them as much as I do?

Little bunny in the grass

Be a Deer

I also have camel and donkey rings in the works! As always, thanks for reading! All I ask is that you read. And maybe tell your friends to also!

Emotionally yours,

Margo

My blogging woes

So after roughly one week, I've figured out a few things about blogging. The main problem I see with my blogging right now is pictures. I don't take pictures. I think about, promise to do it, then don't. I get in this strange zone when I am crafting and forget all about the steps and photographing them. Tutorials must have pictures. Today I tried to carry the camera with me everywhere just to feel comfortable snapping photos. I took three. Bad, Margo. I made a tuxedo onesie for my nephew's Baptism. I took NO pictures of it! Now I've sent it on its' merry way. Hopefully I'll atleast have some pictures of him in it to share. In order to make up for not taking pictures today, I hope to take many tomorrow. My dad and I are supposed to make a trip to the flea market. Taking pictures in public makes me uncomfortable, but I'm going to suck it up and do it. I do, dear reader have a few pictures to share with you, they aren't from today, but pictures none the less. Enjoy!

Thing 1 and Thing 2, ready for school. Their poor teachers.

Our outside cat, Charlie. He looks like a ghost cat! This is with no flash!

A recent purchase had arrived from Hong Kong! I can't wait to make a necklace with it!

A ribbon headband I made. This is my best modeling yet!

Love in a time of cholera,

Margo

Browsing

How can today seem so long and it's barely past? Both boys are home. We think Thing 2 may have pink eye (yuck). If that's the case I'd feel bad sending Thing 1 to school. So, I'm punishing myself. Constant fighting. (sigh)

In order to retreat from the real world, I began browsing the internet looking for inspiration. This is what I found:

I love this necklace! I wouldn't wear it that large, but I think I can make a smaller more realistic version.

I have had a long obsession with bows. There's something so feminine and charming about them.

Now this top, I'm not 100% sold on. I like the idea of it, more then the execution. The way the flowers on the shoulder are sort of organic and a natural part of the shirt is very appealing. We'll see if I come up with an idea to make it mine.

Oh! That's it for now, I hear Thing 2 crying and Thing 1 yelling "I didn't do anything!" I expect a thank you note from the other parents at school. I could have infected their children, but instead I took the bullet. You're welcome!

Eco-friendly Felt Brooch Tutorial

Here we go:

Supplies; I sheet (your choice color) recycled felt, Tacky or other craft glue, stick pins, scissors, thin cardboard ( I used an old cereal box), hot glue gun, brooch back or safety pin, (optional - 3 or 4 inch square of green felt)

Time; roughly 2 hours

First step is to cut your felt in to three different sizes of petals.

I used 15-20 large petals, 12-15 medium petals, and 10 small petals. Try to make your cuts count on the felt, you don't want to run out! After all your petals are cut, trim a circle approximately 3 1/2 inches across. This circle will be the base to your flower. Time to glue! Taking your tacky glue, run a bead along the straight edge of the petal. Then fold the petal along the bottom, over lapping the sides. (see image, below). Then place your pin into the fold to hold the petal while the glue dries.

I stacked four to five petals on a pin while they dried. Continue gluing and folding until all of your petals are pinned. While the glue dries we move on to the back of the flower. Using your felt circle as a guide, cut another circle into the thin cardboard. Glue the felt circle to the cardboard circle using your tacky glue.

Now you can attach your brooch back to the unfelt side of the circle using hot glue. If you are using a safety pin, I recommend sewing it to a small strip of fabric and then hot gluing.Once that is complete we are ready to start adding pedals. I only remove the pins from the size petal I am working with to avoid mixups. Starting anywhere along the circle place a bead of hot glue approximately 1/4 inch in. Press your first large petal in at the base. Continue gluing and placing the large petals closely together around the circle.

Once all the large petals are set begin placing the medium petals in directly behind the base of the large petals. This is where you may discover you have more medium petals than you need, it varies on how closely you are putting them. After the medium, the small petals. I usually place the small petals in more of a spiral pattern than a circle. This, I believe, is more natural. After your petals have been glued, and the glue has cooled, wear with pride!

I'm in the process of trying to figure a smaller version to be worn as a hairclip. I think it would be lovely! Send me pictures of your finished brooches!