howto

Apartment Redress: Vintage Lamp Rewire Finished!

  We went to the hardware store and picked up all the parts to replace every electrical related piece on this little guy + we added the feature of a snazy little clicker on the cord because “Kristin, you can’t reach the top of the frig, how are you going to […]

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Apartment Redress::Vintage Lamp Rewire::Part I

Two factors motivate this next redress undertaking. One: reducing clutter – I love this lamp, but it’s been sitting in the corner for 1 year now. Two: I love this little lamp and was so sad when it fried out (fried me too for that matter). I want to rewire […]

journal

Grandmas’ Plastic Canvas Treasure Trove

This weekend I started the daunting task of digging through the remaining few shelves of stuff at my folks house. I am resolved to go through at least a few boxes every time I visit. This weekend I made it through 3 shelves of “stuff”. You know how you move […]

fabric - patterns & tutorials

Free Sew Pattern :: Vintage Project Basket

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I think at one point or another we have all come across project baskets like this and have been saddened about thier disrepair. How to fix them back up again. I’ll walk you through how I fixed up my own and the pattern for remaking your own. There will also be some ideas on how to remake your own basket: How to deconstruct the fabric and make a pattern from it.

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Knit Basket Breakdown :: Part 2

I don’t know if any of you remember from awhile ago when I posted about my Knitting Basket and how it’s broken down and I want to fix it. Well, I’ve finally got around to it and thank you so much for all your suggestions!

book review

button it up :: Book Review + Giveaway!

Last spring I was contacted about being a guest designer in an amazing new project book by Susan Beal! I have had such a hard time keeping my mouth shut about it as I was really excited. First I love Susan Beal’s other book Bead Simple and it turns out […]

journal

October Craft Leftovers Monthly in the Shop!

There are certain things about every month that I love, but I look forward to October more than any I think. Getting fresh apple cider, apples, gourds and squash, honey, jams, apple butter, oh the apple butter from local orchards is always a high point. It’s all so delicious and […]

journal

Pack-O-Fun

My original thought was to scan one of the old issues of Pack-O-Fun that my friend Deb sent me and make it into a pdf that you all could download for free. I decided it would be fun to include some research on the publication’s history and found that it is indeed a living history! I found Pack-O-Fun’s website here, it’s now being published by a company called Amos Craft Publishing. At fist I wasn’t sure if it was still the same magazine, but after digging around on the website, I became convinced that if it wasn’t the same publication exactly, it must have been strongly influenced by Pack-O-Fun.

fabric - patterns & tutorials

Lainie’s Tote

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Over Chirstmas break I went into a bag making frenzy. I made myself a market bag, my sister 2, and had plans for another for my friend. When she came over to pick out her fabric her daughter came along too. I told her that I would make her a market bag just for her. You know, kid’s sized. She picked out some awesome fabric and buttons for it. I whipped it right up and dropped it off at her house. I never did finish her mom’s bag. Her birthday in April for sure.

journal

March Craft Leftovers Monthly in the Shop

Get your’s today! See more pictures in the Craft Leftovers Flickr Pool. This issue is really fun. I had a good time thinking of different patterns, recipes, and tips for that transitional time of winter finalllllly going into spring. As the cover says “the sun is moving back in”. Even […]

journal

February CLM In the Shop!

It’s in the shop! Hooray! Go Check it Out! Oh and on a side note, this is Issue #6! Holy Moly! I’ve been doing this for 6 months! I really can’t believe it. So there will be an extra special love note to all of you who have made this […]

fabric - journal - knitting - patterns & tutorials

Ode to Phyllis


I have all of my grandma’s knitting needles, and let me tell you, for a woman who said “oh I don’t really knit” she had a ton. I guess I’m just like her. I don’t tat, but I have 3 shuttles! I don’t really silk screen, but have a print gocco, photo emulsion, screens, filler, and like 5 things of silk screen inks. Geeze. I knit all the time, but honestly, I can’t use aluminum needles because they make my hands cramp up. I really want to use them for something more than just a bouquet of needles on my craft table that they are right now, something to remember her by. My friend mentioned using my needles as handles for a tote, I took it just a little further and bent them into a handle shape and volia and presto chango! Knitting needles into perfect handles from my grandma’s perfect stash!