Recycle your old compact!

Supplies: Old Compact, Paper, Embellishments, Felt

Tools: Sewing Machine, Scissors, Ruler

1. Measure the top of your compact and cut a circle out of paper to fit. Glue it on and attach embellishments.

2. Measure the inside circle of your compact and cut 2 circles out of felt making sure to add a 1/4 seam allowance. Sew your felt circles together, clip strings.

3. Glue into your compact and insert pins! :)

I can't wait to see what you guys do with yours!

Tree Cozy

Supplies: Yarn, Embellishments if desired

Tools: Crochet hook, Scissors

Note: If you are a crocheting newbie, we've gathered up some extra helpful resources for you!!

Crochet Central

How to chain

How to Double Crochet and a video tute

1. Chain 70 or until it fits around your tree

2. Rows 1+ Double crochet til the end of the row, turn around and repeat. Keep double crocheting until its the height you desire. This one has 14 rows.

3. Attach Embellishments.

4. wrap around your tree and lace up the back.

I love nature + art. don't you?

I'd love to see how yours turn out, please post them in the flickr group!

Upcycling Shoes Tutorial

This is a fun project, using a couple of new ideas, developed mostly out of desperation for new shoes. And while my penchant is for high heels, this would be a cute project for dress flats or flip flops as well. xoxo, Miss Tay

Supplies Needed:

Old shoes (your choice,I usually go with my favorites that have been loved so much they are falling apart)

Vintage Sewing Patterns (or other old papers if you like)

Modge podge, or other decoupage glue

Acrylic Paint(optional)

Using a Sewing Pattern

1. Start with well-loved but cleaned shoes. Choose your favorite pieces out of the old sewing pattern and tear them up. That's right. I tore mine into about 3-4 inch wide strips,of varying length and size.

2. Using your glue, begin to decoupage pieces onto your shoes. Don't worry about overlapping, or the excess, this is for fun, and the glue should seep through a bit. press the paper into the seams of the top and bottom edges of the shoe as your go, glue and creasing. Cover the shoes completely with sewing pattern, or as desired.

3. Brush the entire shoe with glue again, to seal. Allow to dry.

4. Trim the excess paper off. Enjoy!

Using Paint

1. Again, start with clean, well-loved shoes. Cater to whimsy and paint as desired. I had an old pair of off-white shoes that had become so off-white, they were really unwearable. Painted with brown acrylic paint, they had an almost "woodgrain" look and texture to them. Enjoy your new shoes

Postcard DIY

Fabric postcard

Supplies:

fabric, felt, batting, postcard backing ( download the ones I used here )

tools:

sewing machine, scissors, ruler

1. Print and cut out your postcard backing (make sure its 4" x 6")

2. Cut out 1 4" x 6" piece of fabric and another out of batting.

3. Cut out a simple design to applique, and sew it on, going around the edges with a stitch. I like either just the straight stitch or the zigzag stitch.

4. stack your backing, batting and front piece together, Go around the edges with a zigzag stitch to attach them.

5. clip strings & send it in the mail!

Paper postcard

Supplies:

Scrap paper, post card backing

Tools:

sewing machine, scissors

1. Using the technique we showed you on paper scraps day cover a 4" x 6" rectangle of paper and cover with scraps.

2. stack on top of post card backing, and zigzag stitch around the edges.

3. clip strings and mail! :)

Your friends will love getting handmade postcards in the mail! :)

Bike Gear Jewelry

This is a great way to use those old bike gears, but make sure you clean them good. ;)

Tools: Scissors, Craft wire or Jump rings.

Supplies: Old necklace or Jewelry Chain, Bike Gears, Embellishments ( I used candy dot jewels)

*note* if you don't have any bike gears around, go to your local bike store, in their maintenance area, they will usually give you some that they were just going to throw away.*

1. arrange your gears into a design you like. Attach them together using jump rings or craft wire. *I used craft wire for this part to add more texture and appeal. If you are using craft wire, wrap through each gear to bind, twist in the back and trim any extra wire. Seal the ends with glue so that they aren't sharp.

2. To add you bike gear pendant to your necklace/jewelry chain, you have 2 options:

A. attach with wire or jump rings so that it hangs down like a pendant from a chain.

or B. Split you chain/ necklace so that you have 2 ends and attach to each end with wire or jump rings, so that your gears are actually part of your necklace.

this is what I did, because I was recycling a broken necklace.

3. Embellish as desired. I used green candy dot gem stickers. buttons, charms, or beads would look FABULOUS!

I love how the gears give it somewhat of a steampunk look. don't forget to post your version in the flickr group!

Recycled Softies

Supplies: Felt sheets in green, blue, white, gray, black, brown and yellow, stuffing, embroidery thread

Softie pattern downloadable here

Tools: Sewing Machine, scissors

Water bottle

1. download and print out pattern and cut out felt pieces, You should have 2 water bottles, 2 lids, 2 logos, & 1 smaller logo.

2. sew on all your pieces like this:

4. sew (wrong sides together) around the water bottle, leaving an opening to stuff.

5. stuff your water bottle.

6. sew up the opening in your water bottle. :) clip strings.

Soda Can

1. Download pattern, print out & cut our felt pieces. You should have 2 cans, 1 lemon(for a lemon-lime soda) 1 grey can top, 1 grey soda tab, and some dots. :)

2. Sew on all the pieces as pictured, everything goes on one side of the soda can.

3. Dont forget to sew on the mouth!

4. Sew (wrong sides together) Leaving an opening to stuff.

5. stuff can and sew up the opening. Clip strings

Paper Bag

1. Cut your sheet of Brown felt in half

2. Cut ZigZags on top of both pieces.

3. Sew the eyes and mouth.

4. Sew up the sides and bottom using a simple straight stitch. Leave the top open.

5. Open bag partway and sew the corners.

6. Flip right side out and clip strings.

Crumpled Paper Wad Softie

1. Using 1 sheet of white felt, about 1 inch from the edge, hand stitch with pink or red embroidery thread a vertical line along the length of long side of the felt.

2. Using blue embroidery thread, sew horizontal lines about 1 inch apart across the felt, to create the lines on a "notebook paper sheet". (*note-if you are not too thrilled at the idea of handstitching all these lines, you really only have to stitch them across one half of the felt, (which will be the front of the softie)

3. Flip your sheet over, lines facing down. Using a wad of stuffing, (or I actually used an old pair of socks-more recycling:)) place it in the middle of the felt, and then bring the sides of the felt sheet up, and play with it a bit, until you are happy with the look of it.

4. You can stitch and knot this softie to close it up, butI found that using a bit of glue actually held mine together better in the places that I wanted it to, making it look more like paper.

5. Sew or glue on black felt eyes and a smile!