Vintage Indie

What You Make of It - Technology Tutorial - Getting Organized Online with RSS & Feeds

Today's What you Make of It column is a little different than my usual posts about "how to" and "DIY". If you already understand RSS and organizing you may want to skip down a little ways to read about our new Design & Style column. For those of you have no idea what RSS is, I'm hoping you will be delighted with today's post.

Blogging and reading blogs can be an overwhelming feeling at times. There is so much content to read, catch up on and only so many hours in the day. If you are like me one blog leads to another blog which leads to another blog and time just flies. 

What is RSS?
Without getting too technical you can visit this link at Wikipedia for exact terminology and a more detailed look at RSS.

The RSS Reader is the most important part of RSS, it's the platform in which you can organize all of your favorite blogs and even Etsy shops. So when they update, you have all of the new posts and updates all in one spot without having to blog hop and you can even tag them!

You will first need to have a "reader" account. My favorite is the Google Reader. If you have a Gmail account (which is free) then it's easy to set up.There is also Bloglines, Yahoo & Netvibes just to name a few.  

Once you have a reader of some sort you'll want to click on the little orange square button (shown in the image above). You'll find these all over the web this is the "feed icon". Once you click you are taken to the steps provided in your feeder to "subscribe" to that blog or shop. After that it's home free and you will start feeling less overwhelmed with keeping track of websites & blogs! Click this link to add Vintage Indie in your reader now! 

Etsy Tip: To add your favorite Etsy shops to your reader you'll want to find the "RSS This Shop" button located on each shops front page under "see who hearts this shop".

(The Vintage Kitchen shop is shown in the photo).

What You Make of It - Technique Cleaning Vintage Linens Part 2

Catherine of Crochet Bee has been kind enough to share with us some amazing "tricks of the trade" for cleaning vintage linens. Be sure to visit part one of this series for even more helpful tricks.

                                              

Lemon Juice and Salt
Usually if nothing else works, this will do it for me when cleaning white fabric. I first dampen the fabric and then wet the stain with fresh lemon juice, cover the area with table salt. Lay your fabric in the sun. You have to keep the lemon juice wet. The material will dry fast so be attentive. Sometimes you will see the salt take up the stain. This can be a long process, but it usually does the trick. Sometimes you will see yellow spots left from the lemon juice. Hand washing in your normal detergent will take care of that. Try and keep your items away from birds. I have had tiny doilies carried off into nests and then there are the droppings.

Linens Cleaning Formula.
Mix equal parts 20 Mule Team Borax, Biz and liquid detergent with color safe bleach. Use hot water and soak the fabric for five or six hours. Rinse well and repeat the soaking if necessary with fresh water. When the spots are gone, rinse well till the water is clear. Do not wring or twist. Lay flat or hang to dry. Use plastic clothes pins as wooden pins can stain your fabric. Heat in machine dryers will damage vintage linens. Doilies can be placed on a towel, shaped to the original size and air dried. I pin my doilies to the towel to help keep the shape.

                                             

Ironing and Starch
Iron your linens while they are damp. Buy the best iron you can afford. A heavy iron saves time and work. Usually I don`t get my linens off the clothes line while they are damp. I dampen them again, roll up, put them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator or the freezer. When it`s time to iron, I use steam on the cotton or linen setting. I don`t spray my linens as I iron because I tend to scorch them. Spray starch is a nice finishing touch. Spray sizing makes your linens look extra gorgeous. Don`t store starched linens because bugs love`em!

This cleaning business can be tedious, but it`s worth the time. These cleaning steps have worked for me, but there are the stains that will never come out. Just enjoy the linens anyway. You are most likely the only one who knows the stain is there.

That's it for this series of cleaning vintage linens. If you love the aprons featured and the information provided, head over to Catherine's shop Crochet Bee for a huge selection of vintage aprons and more.

What You Make of It - Technique - Cleaning Vintage Linens Part 1

Catherine of Crochet Bee has been kind enough to share with us some amazing "tricks of the trade" for cleaning vintage linens.

The Basics Of Cleaning Linens
My hope is that after you read these cleaning tips you will be more comfortable using your antique and vintage linens. I write from personal experience. My closets are bursting with vintage tablecloths, napkins, doilies and runners. It was a shame I didn't use and enjoy them. I have come a long way, finally getting enjoyment from those long stored beauties because I know how to keep them clean.

Getting Started
Your vintage linens will more than likely be yellowed, show brown age spots and maybe have a stain or two. The folds in the fabric are sometimes yellowed. I have yet to find a product than will remove old blood stains. I do buy seemingly hopeless tablecloths and napkins. Usually they come clean. Sometimes I get the spots to a very pale yellow that I can see in natural light, but not on the table.

Make sure your fabric is colorfast before you use any of these cleaning methods. We will start with the gentlest method first.
(pictured left, Vintage Red Paisley Apron at Crochet Bee)

White Vinegar and Water.
I use vinegar and water on linens that look brown, tan, are stained and smelly with cigarette smoke or look like they need a brightening. Check to see if your fabrics are colorfast. Put the material on a white towel and dab the colors in an inconspicuous area with a white cloth and cool water. If the dyes run, you can see color on the towel, your item is not colorfast. If your water is rusty or has little particles in it, I recommend that you use bottled or distilled water to soak your linens. The minerals can stain your fabric. (pictured left Vintage Reversible Apron)

Soak your linens in about two gallons of cool water with one cup of white vinegar. You can soak more than one thing at a time as long as you can freely slosh it around. Usually the water will turn yellow in short order. Sometimes you have to let things sit for a few hours checking the progress every hour or so. When the discoloration is gone, rinse well in clear water and hand wash in your favorite detergent, rinse again and hang or lay flat to dry. If the discoloration persists you can move on to the next step.

Twenty Mule Team Borax.
I recommend using a dust mask when you use any cleaning powders. You can buy these little masks just about anywhere. The dust from Borax and Oxiclean (or any cleaning powder) can irritate your lungs. I recently added a cup of Borax to my wash and inhaled some of the dust. Turning your face away doesn`t work-get a mask! Had to go out to the fresh air to catch my breath. I use the Twenty Mule Team in my normal washing all the time. Borax will remove light discolorations and brighten and it`s a great water softener.

Put the items in a sink or clean bucket, add a quarter cup of Borax to two gallons of hot, not boiling water. If you think your fabric will shrink, don`t put it in hot water. You have to stir this till the Borax is all dissolved. Don`t put the powder directly on your fabric. I've had some linen come up with holes after I let the dry powder drop on it. Check every hour or so. When clean, wash as usual. If the spot is still there, rinse and we will move on to lemon juice and salt. (pictured Vintage tan and white gingham apron).

That's it for part one of this series of cleaning vintage linens. If you love the aprons featured and the information provided, head over to Catherine's shop Crochet Bee for a huge selection of vintage aprons and more.

What You Make of It - Demystifying Photography A One Day Workshop by Photographer Melissa Schwartz

demystifying photography: how to take better pictures

a one day workshop for non-professional photographers


after being asked many times by our friends and clients to put on a workshop....
we're excited to announce 2 upcoming dates in california!

san diego:  saturday, 04.19.08
oakland:  wednesday, 05.19.08

                                                                                

a pair of adventurous, world traveling, wine drinking, funky, music loving, art obsessed, admitingly slightly dorky, award winning wedding photojournalists are teaming up to present a workshop to stoke your passion for photography and turn your snapshots into art. 

care to join us?

       

san diego workshop hosted at melissa schwartz's home studio DATE: sat, 4.10.08 TIME: 9 am - 5 pm COST: $150, register before 4.10.08 $175, register after 4.10.08 DETAILS: lots more info here                                                                          oakland workshop                 hosted at colin vincent's home studio                 DATE: wed, 05.19.08                 TIME: 9 am - 5 pm                 COST: $150, register before 4.10.08 $175, register after 4.10.08                 DETAILS: lots more info here

our goal is for you to leave this workshop an inspiried photographer! we will cover the camera basics (like iso, aperture and shutter speed) as well as shooting techniques (like panning, fill flash and use of perspective). we'll have two hours to shoot and implement this new knowledge before a lunch break and afternoon session where we'll edit and "critique" our images from the morning. you will take better family and vacation photos! you might even be artist.                      more information demystify : san diego demystify : san francisco demistify : registration to reserve your seat we require both completed registration form and full payment www.organicphotographs.com               www.colinvincent.com

What You Make of it - Technique - Inspirational Canvas

Inspirational Canvas
By Francine Clouden

 

 

Supplies Needed
Canvas or canvas board

Two colours of Ranger Perfect Pearls (I used Sparkle Yellow and Rust)

Ranger Embossing ink

Ranger clear embossing powder

Acrylic stamps and fabric butterfly: Alpha Stamps

Two spray bottles

Paper towels

Rub-ons: 7 Gypsies

Sticker: Daisy D’s

Trim: Prima Marketing

 

Instructions

 

1. Ink your stamp with embossing ink and randomly stamp image across the canvas.

 

I did my stamping in a trail across the canvas because of the follow your bliss theme I was going for.

 

2. Cover with embossing powder and tap off the excess. Because the canvas is textured make sure to really tap it against your table so that it adheres only to the stamped image.

 

3. Use heat gun to melt embossing powder

 

 

 

 

4. Mix lighter colour of Perfect Pearls with a little water in a spray bottle

 

 

And spray over entire canvas.

 

Don’t worry about any drips or drabbles, that will only add to the effect J

 

Let dry entirely. If you’re impatient (like me!) you might want to use your heat gun to speed this process up a bit.

 

5. Once dry mix second colour of Perfect Pearls and spray over canvas, making sure to concentrate on the areas of the canvas that are still white.

 

6. At this point you can use a crumpled up piece of paper towel to dab into the wet “ink”. This gives a nice texture to the pattern

 

 

 

7. You can choose to either stop at this point or add another layer of colour.

Once the canvas is dry use a clean paper towel or soft cloth to wipe colour off the embossed image

 

 

 

 

8. Now you can decorate the canvas to suit your theme!

 

 

Some details:

 

A Special thanks to Francine Clouden  for sharing this wonderful tutorial. Please take a minute to visit her links for her designs and more!

Personal Blog: 
Designs Blog:  
Etsy shop: 

© 2008 All Rights Reserved

 

What You Make of It - BUST Magazine Spring Fling Craftacular

Interested in showing  off your craft skills? Check out the BUST Spring Fling Craftacular!

CALLING ALL CRAFTERS!

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Vendor applications due March 30 for BUST's Spring Fling Craftacular!

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BUST Magazine is excited to announce the first ever Spring Fling Craftacular set to take place on Sunday April 27, 2008 at The Warsaw in Brooklyn! After 3 years of enormously successful Holiday Craftaculars, BUST is ready to spring into step with our first ever Springtime craft fair and '90s themed dance! We're bringing the party back to Brooklyn with over 50 vendors, DJs, dancing, and drinks.

We are handpicking the most unique and talented crafters we can find from across the country to sell their wares from 11am until 9pm at the Warsaw in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Not only will we have the best in DIY shopping in town, but our Craftacular DJs will be spinning your favorite jams from the '90s for a Spring Fling dance that is too cool for school!

If you would like to participate as a vendor, applications are now available! There are no exceptions as to who can apply, and we'll consider everything: hip handmades, accessories, housewares, vamped up vintage clothing, knitwear, silk-screened items, cosmetics, paper goods, handbags, cards, and whatever else your crafty canny brings to the table. Here's how to participate:

1. Fill out our online vendor application


Applications will only be accepted online and must be submitted by March 30, 2008.

2. Pay the required non-refundable $10 application and processing fee that is payable at the time you submit your application. Checks and money orders should be made payable to BUST Magazine (78 Fifth Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10011, Attention: BUST Spring Fling Craftacular 2008) and must be postmarked by March 26, 2008 for your application to be considered. We will notify all applicants of their status on Tuesday April 1, 2008. If you are accepted as a vendor, your deposit will go towards the full booth fee of $225 due by April 11, 2008. All application and processing fees are non-refundable.

For a list of frequently asked questions, go to  Click HERE

Got questions? E-mail us at craftacular@bust.com.

Saving the last dance for you,

BUST Magazine

{Vintage Indie is not an affiliate of BUST Magazine, please refer to their links and instructions for further questions and info}

What You Make of It - Japanese Stab Binding

Hey Crafters! I'd like to give a huge thank you to Bley from Bibliophile for providing this amazing tutorial. Please head over to their Etsy shop for amazing handmade journals, books prints and more. I encourage you to try new things, and use vintage or recyclable materials when you can and enjoy yourself.

From This....................................To This!

Gather Your Materials:

 

Gather all your materials before you start to work. Make sure you have a space where you can cut using a utility knife; an old piece of plywood makes a good cutting and work surface.

 

• Book      board, available from art supply stores (enough to cut two covers, the      size of the book you want)
• PVA      glue (available from art supply stores)
• Utility      knife
• T-square      or metal ruler
• Glue      brush (I like to buy cheap brushes on sale, then I can throw them away      when they get nasty)
• A      container to pour small amounts of glue into (an old sour cream container      or the like)
• Drill,      such as a Dremel tool, OR an awl
• Decorative      paper for the covers and optional endpapers
• 1/16      inch ribbon to coordinate with the cover paper
• Large      yarn darning needle
• Any      miscellaneous papers you may want to decorate the cover with
• Paper      for the inside pages of your book, however many you may want

Download bookbinding_tutorial_copyrighted1.pdf

All contributed content in this tutorial © Bibliophile} Please do not copy or redistribute without permission.

Do you have a crafty tutorial that you'd like to share with Vintage Indie readers? Please contact me with your ideas and share with others "What You Make of It".

 

 

What You Make of It - Reader Submissions

Did you visit our What you Make of It feature, with Vintage Image Madness? If not, head over and grab the fabulous freebie of Vintage Valentine's Day images.

Check out how Bethany from Bitter Betty Industries used them! I love how Mrs. Home Maker is getting ready to glitter them up! 

"The Mrs. Home Maker Action Figure.

She working hard to be America's New Sweetheart.

She buys used. She makes it herself. She has handmade "New Vintage" dresses. She gardens, line dries her laundry, has cute reusable grocery bags, cans organic produce, buys local and handmade, raises chickens, and has brilliant, politically aware, sensitive artistic children. Plus she always looks adorable... and she wears aprons in public whenever possible.

Saving the world one re-useable shopping bag and organic rutabaga at a time."

Don't forget to head over to Bitter Betty Industries for Bethany's line of handmade goodness!

Send us your artwork or  "What You Make of It"  submissions.

What You Make of It - How To Make a Vintage Greeting Card

Hey there crafters! I'd like to introduce you to Niki the owner of The Vintage Artist. She is a mixed media artist who uses vintage elements in her artwork.  She also creates how to videos for various crafts, projects and techniques. Today, she has graciously shared her How to video on How to Make a Vintage Greeting Card.

Please visit her website and let her know how much you appreciate her how to video and to view more of her gorgeous artwork.

What You Make of It - Sharing the Love, Vintage Image Madness

Today I have a special treat for you! If your visiting Vintage Indie then you probably love vintage and vintage images as much as I do. You know, vintage postcards, decals, old photos...all that fun stuff. Well, I'd like to introduce you to Vintage Image Madness. Perfect for all of your paper and mixed media projects and crafts. They have images ala carte but they also offer a wonderful  monthly subscription program. You  get unlimited downloads for only $25 per month!

I hope you'll head over to Vintage Image Madness soon for all of your image needs. In the meantime a special free Valentine's Day collection just for you!
Send us your artwork or  "What You Make of It"  submissions on how you used the collection.

NOTE : CLICK THE LINK FOR THE FULL SIZE LARGER IMAGES!

Download vintageindie-valentinecollagesheet.jpg

What You Make of It - A DIY Contest

Hey DIY'ers! Just heard of a great contest from one of my favorite places to visit online Design*Sponge. Just announced February 6th!

The 2008 D*S DIY contest!

A contest for creating anything for your home it can be anything (furniture, decoration, etc.) that you’ve created by yourself.

You'll want to head over to the official announcement for all of the details.

Go check it out!

If you enter because you found out about this contest via Vintage Indie, let us know we'd love to see your submissions!

Have a great day!

 

What You Make of it - Yasmin Bochi Image Transfer

What a fabulous treat I have for you today. I'd like to introduce you to the wonderful and talented Yasmin Bochi. I've completly fallen mad over her design and style.

Check out this Trashion Baroque Japan Jacket, not only a jacket but a true piece of artwork. An upcycled jacket that features gorgeous fabrics, a hand painted cameo and more. After the tutorial I hope you'll head over to Yasmin's amazing shop full of unique and gorgeous chic jewelry, handbags & clothing.

Image Transfer Tutorial

If like to try out an alternative for those expensive iron-on, then maybe you should have a look at this! I love this transfer technique, it's cheap, easy and fun because you can achieve different "looks": from distressed to crisp images...it's worth a try!

 

What do you need:

soap shavings

turpentine

a piece of fabric and a fresh inkjet print

and : a well ventilated workspace!
Get a cup and fill it 1/4 with hot water, add two tabelspoons of soap shavings and stir. Then add a table spoon of turpentine and keep stirring until it looks like this:

 

Now we're ready to print! get your piece of paper and apply the soap and turpentine mix to the front of your print:

 

 

 

 

Then put it face down on your piece of fabric. Press it down firmly and apply the mix to the back. The paper will become slightly transparent. The mix can be applied quite thick, as long as you are careful not to rip up the paper. I like to use my hands to rub down the print, but a spoon is very handy too, it depends of the effect you desire:

 

Now peel back carefully ...and there it is!

How to "set" the print

Of course you don't want your image to fade after the first wash, but please note that that transfer technique is experimental : depending on the mix and amount of soap and turpentine you will get a stronger or weaker print. There are a few tricks for settings the transfer though:

Let your transfer dry for 24 hours. Get a spraying can ( you know, for spraying or watering your plants) and fill it with 50% water and 50% white vinegar. Spray it on the transfer and let it dry. After that you have to iron your transfer on high temperature or use a heat press. Repeat the last two steps( (spraying can and ironing) a few times, but don't rinse in between. When you have done this 3 or 4 times you can take an additional step and use some varnish on the transfer The fabric will become a bit stiffer, but if you do it carefully with thin layers you can obtain a nice result. This last step is recommended for transferring on t-shirts, but if you are just making appliqués or transfers that don't need to be washed frequently, you can skip this step.

Thanks Yasmin for such a fantastic tutorial, I think I'm going to give it a try! Be sure to head over to Yasmin Bochi's shop!

All contributed content in this tutorial © Yasmin Bochi} Please do not copy or redistribute without permission.

New Feature - What You Make of It

Today kicks off a new feature here at Vintage Indie called What You Make of It.  I'm so excited to bring you a feature that also involves many of the passions of Vintage Indie readers and businesses and that's crafting. This feature doesn't limit itself to just crafting, but it's also a form of "Vintage Green" creating crafty items with vintage components is a form of recycling which is good for the environment! If you have a crafty tutorial that you'd like to share in our new feature. Please contact me soon and share with others "What You Make of It".

Vintage Indie welcomes Bari J. for our first What You Make of It tutorial. Have some vintage fabric and vintage buttons lying around? Bari J has created a totally cute way for you to get crafty with her adorable pin cushions.

Please feel free to link to the tutorial here, but do not copy and re-distribute without permission from Bari J.

Download pin_cushion_tutorial.pdf

Don't forget to check out the Bari J. shop, but be warned you'll want everything!