Crocheted Jute Vase

 

I crocheted this vase using jute twine from the dollar store.  I improvised as I went along, using single crochet for the bottom and then switching to double crochet. 

I wasn't sure what sort of arrangement I was going to use it for but when I found the braided stem of a ficus plant I had killed years ago, I decided to make a topiary using silk foliage because I kill all plants other than succulents. 

I shaved a florist's oasis into a ball shape, then just inserted the stems of the leaves from three different types of plants: ivy, philodendron, and what looks like brunnera. 

 

Advertising Tins

I have a love of vintage advertising tins but not the prices so I have been collecting reproductions for years.  I've been trying to find shelving to display them and was thinking along the lines of a custom made curio but alas, I haven't learned carpentry yet.

I found a solution today, finally.  I took the door off of a chest I had bought at a flea market from a man who made it out of reclaimed the old wood.

Pin Tuck Duvet Cover

I pin tucked a duvet cover I purchased to match pillow shams I had made last spring.

I'll show you how to make pin tucks after the cut.

Jute Twine Spheres

I am always looking for cheap ways of doing things I see that stores want a lot of $$$ for and I made this small jute twine sphere yesterday.  The large one in this photo is made from a grape vine and while I love it, I paid too much for it.

Dad's Toolbox Transformed

While cleaning out the workshop yesterday I discovered this old toolbox my Dad would have made over thirty and maybe even over forty years ago.  It sat neglected behind the furnace full of rusty nails.  I hauled it out and cleaned it up thinking I could definitely find a better home for it.  I have!  I've placed cutlery in mason jars and tied up napkins with jute. This will make a handy caddy for dining outside in warm weather, and I just love how it looks sitting on my sideboard.

At some point, it looks like one of my brothers tried to saw through this box when they played carpenter, which would have earned them a whole heap of trouble from my Dad.

I found an old advertisement for grain at The Graphics Fairy and applied it using CitraSolv which I didn't realize could be used to transfer images to wood.  It totally can! 

I am placing a link to a tutorial I posted on how to transfer images using CitraSolv over here.  To transfer images to wood, you will have to rub harder than you would if you were using fabric - otherwise, the method is the same.

Kitchen Plaque

I saw this idea at a link party recently. The plaque said 'Pantry' on it but since I have an area of damaged wall in my kitchen that I've been wanting to camouflage, I decided to change it up and here she be:

I found a scrap of rough and rustic wood in my father's  workshop and all I did to it was dust it off well.

I bought my cutlery at the dollar store ($4 for 12 pieces), arranged the placement until I liked how the utensils looked, and then I glued them down with guess what?  Silicone caulking for tub and tiles, the invisible kind.   There are a bunch of better glues to use I'm sure, but this is what I found in the workbench, it was free, and it works!

Use whatever hardware you like to hang, and you're done.

SunflowerishPillow

I sewed this pillow over the weekend, you can find my tutorial here.

Instead of the rounded petals shown in the tutorial, these come to a point at the tip. The width of the petals is the same, but they are one and a half inches longer for the large petal, and one inch longer than the small petal shown in the pattern for the rounded version.  There is only one round of small petals used in this version, rather than two rounds used in the rounded petal version.

I also made the ruched larger pillow which is behind the sunflower.  I used the dimensions of a regular pillow sham and measured out the front piece two and a half times the length of the back and then gathered the upper and lower edges using a basting stitch.