What You Make of it

What You Make of It - Tart Mold Wreath Project - Dime Store Chic with Elizabeth Holcombe Fedorko

Make a Fun Kitschy Wreath with Tart Molds!

 

Vintage or new tart molds evoke the shape and shine of vintage aluminum light bulb reflectors! Add small vintage ornaments and a length on tinsel and you’ve got a wreath with a delightful vintage spirit and a whole lot of sparkle! 

Gather your supplies:

1. Metal tart molds. These can be in any shape and size you wish.

2. Foam wreath form. Get a size that will accommodate your tart molds.

3. Different sizes of smaller vintage ornaments and glass beads (removed from string).

4. Enough tinsel to wrap and cover your wreath form.

5. Quick dry white glue.

6. Florist wire, 26 gage.

7. Awl or pointy stick for putting holes into your wreath form.

1. Wrap your wreath form in the tinsel keeping it tight together until you don’t see the foam.

2. Drill a hole into the center of your tart mold.

3. Thread three ornaments or beads on three pieces of wire and wrap the three sets of wire together and bend end up.

 

4. Thread the wire loop through the hole in your tart mold. Make a hole in the wreath form with the awl. Make the hole deep enough, without going all the way through, to accommodate the wire loop.

5. Fill hole with glue.

6. Insert wire into hole. Press gently until all the way in. Press tart mold onto wreath form, making sure the bottom of the mold is touching the wreath and the glue.

7. Repeat the above step until all tart molds with ornament bundles ring the entire wreath.

8. If you choose to add more ornaments and beads to make the wreath lush and shiny, glue more into the tart molds on and around the wired ornaments. It should look like this:

And from the side...

Allow the glue to dry completely, preferably overnight.

 

Make a hanger for the wreath with colorful layers of ribbon and rickrack and pin each end to the back of the wreath. You may also choose to add a fun vintage ornament pinned to the underside of the inside of the wreath for extra merriment! Your finished wreath may look something like this...

Make this wreath to suit your colors and tastes. You may want to have one large ornament in the center of each mold for a simpler design. You may choose a more monochromatic color scheme. There are MANY possibilities! Have fun!

Elizabeth Holcombe Fedorko, aka Bethsbagz, began her checkered crafting career when at four she realized using paste on paper was better than eating it. Inspired by vintage dime store treasures, vintage fabric, and a no-fear attitude toward color, Beth crafts totes, pin cushions, wreaths, and corsages into her Dime Store Chic creations. Beth would love you to take a peek into her whimsical world at her blog.

Make a Fun Kitschy Wreath with Tart Molds!

 

Vintage or new tart molds evoke the shape and shine of vintage aluminum light bulb reflectors! Add small vintage ornaments and a length on tinsel and you’ve got a wreath with a delightful vintage spirit and a whole lot of sparkle! 

Gather your supplies:

1. Metal tart molds. These can be in any shape and size you wish.

2. Foam wreath form. Get a size that will accommodate your tart molds.

3. Different sizes of smaller vintage ornaments and glass beads (removed from string).

4. Enough tinsel to wrap and cover your wreath form.

5. Quick dry white glue.

6. Florist wire, 26 gage.

7. Awl or pointy stick for putting holes into your wreath form.

1. Wrap your wreath form in the tinsel keeping it tight together until you don’t see the foam.

2. Drill a hole into the center of your tart mold.

3. Thread three ornaments or beads on three pieces of wire and wrap the three sets of wire together and bend end up.

 

4. Thread the wire loop through the hole in your tart mold. Make a hole in the wreath form with the awl. Make the hole deep enough, without going all the way through, to accommodate the wire loop.

5. Fill hole with glue.

6. Insert wire into hole. Press gently until all the way in. Press tart mold onto wreath form, making sure the bottom of the mold is touching the wreath and the glue.

7. Repeat the above step until all tart molds with ornament bundles ring the entire wreath.

8. If you choose to add more ornaments and beads to make the wreath lush and shiny, glue more into the tart molds on and around the wired ornaments. It should look like this:

And from the side...

Allow the glue to dry completely, preferably overnight.

 

Make a hanger for the wreath with colorful layers of ribbon and rickrack and pin each end to the back of the wreath. You may also choose to add a fun vintage ornament pinned to the underside of the inside of the wreath for extra merriment! Your finished wreath may look something like this...

Make this wreath to suit your colors and tastes. You may want to have one large ornament in the center of each mold for a simpler design. You may choose a more monochromatic color scheme. There are MANY possibilities! Have fun!

Elizabeth Holcombe Fedorko, aka Bethsbagz, began her checkered crafting career when at four she realized using paste on paper was better than eating it. Inspired by vintage dime store treasures, vintage fabric, and a no-fear attitude toward color, Beth crafts totes, pin cushions, wreaths, and corsages into her Dime Store Chic creations. Beth would love you to take a peek into her whimsical world at her blog.

What You Make of It - Fuzzy Vintage Inspired Candy Canes!

This is a holiday craft I came up with recently to add some vintage whimsy to my Christmas .  You can use these fuzzy vintage inspired candy canes to decorate your tree or to embellish your holiday gifts. This is also an easy project to do with kids. Enjoy!

Instructions:

• Gather your pipe cleaners in red and white. (I made 2 batches. One using skinny pipecleaners and one using bigger fuzzier ones.)

 

• Next, soak your pipe-cleaners in a hot tea bath for a vintage look. (I used several family size tea bags in a big stew pot of boiling water. To keep my pipe-cleaners from rising to the top I placed a regular dinner plate in the pot to hold them down.)

• Leave for 1-2 hours.

• Next, drain all the tea off your pipe cleaners, then gently squeeze out some of the excess liquid off of them - but not too much.

• Place pipe cleaners in clothes dryer and dry for 10-15 minutes on high heat. Make sure to include a fabric softener sheet. This will seal in the tea stain and fluff your pipe cleaners back up.

• Next, twist pipe cleaners together and bend into a candy-cane shape. (If you want to make smaller candy-canes like these shown cut each pipe cleaner in half before twisting.)

• Using a small paint brush, brush your candy-cane  lightly with glue then dust with glitter (I used silver.)

• Shake off excess glitter and re-fluff your candy-cane by running it between  your fingers, allowing some of the glitter to fall off - you don't want there to be huge clumps of glitter, just a light dusting.
• Let dry.

• Now you can use these cute little accent pieces as embellishments for gift wrapping, or as ornaments on your tree!

• (If you want to buy a Krafty Kit featuring everything you need to create these little vintage canes, visit my shop - Storia FOLLY  and put in the code BLISS for Free Shipping on any item.

A special thanks to our Contributing Editor Jerusalem Greer. I can't wait to add these to my packages this year.

This is a holiday craft I came up with recently to add some vintage whimsy to my Christmas .  You can use these fuzzy vintage inspired candy canes to decorate your tree or to embellish your holiday gifts. This is also an easy project to do with kids. Enjoy!

Instructions:

• Gather your pipe cleaners in red and white. (I made 2 batches. One using skinny pipecleaners and one using bigger fuzzier ones.)

 

• Next, soak your pipe-cleaners in a hot tea bath for a vintage look. (I used several family size tea bags in a big stew pot of boiling water. To keep my pipe-cleaners from rising to the top I placed a regular dinner plate in the pot to hold them down.)

• Leave for 1-2 hours.

• Next, drain all the tea off your pipe cleaners, then gently squeeze out some of the excess liquid off of them - but not too much.

• Place pipe cleaners in clothes dryer and dry for 10-15 minutes on high heat. Make sure to include a fabric softener sheet. This will seal in the tea stain and fluff your pipe cleaners back up.

• Next, twist pipe cleaners together and bend into a candy-cane shape. (If you want to make smaller candy-canes like these shown cut each pipe cleaner in half before twisting.)

• Using a small paint brush, brush your candy-cane  lightly with glue then dust with glitter (I used silver.)

• Shake off excess glitter and re-fluff your candy-cane by running it between  your fingers, allowing some of the glitter to fall off - you don't want there to be huge clumps of glitter, just a light dusting.
• Let dry.

• Now you can use these cute little accent pieces as embellishments for gift wrapping, or as ornaments on your tree!

• (If you want to buy a Krafty Kit featuring everything you need to create these little vintage canes, visit my shop - Storia FOLLY  and put in the code BLISS for Free Shipping on any item.

A special thanks to our Contributing Editor Jerusalem Greer. I can't wait to add these to my packages this year.

What You Make of It - Freebie Collage Sheet: Vintage Santa & Holiday Images

The wonderful owners of Vintage Image Madness have prepared a special collage sheet of wonderful holiday graphics just for Vintage Indie Readers! Vintage Image Madness specializes in affordable and high quality vintage images. You can find Backgrounds, Postcards,Sewing Items, Photos, Collage Sheets, Vintage Advertisements and so much more. Everything all in one easy location, and categorized for easy finding. Sign up for their monthly program and get 50,000 for only $25.00/month* (see site for details)

Click on the image to enlarge. Please save to your own hard drive before using.

A special thanks to Vintage Image Madness for creating this fun collage sheet just for us. Please visit Vintage Image Madness the next time you are in the market for vintage graphics!

What You Make of It - Dime Store Chic - Make a Lush Holiday Corsage By Elizabeth Holcombe Fedorko

I love making these ribbon corsages! They remind me of back when one of my great aunts or grandmothers would wear this holiday "bling" on their coats!~~These corsages are delightfully over-the-top and really make a statement if worn on a jean jacket or tote. They are very easy to make and can be designed to suit any holiday or occasion. Here's how to make one...or dozens; it's up to you!

First gather some supplies:

You'll need four lengths of two different colors and/or textures of ribbon. I chose four seven inch length of 1-1/2 inch wide vintage gold and new pink grosgrain ribbons. Mix and match colors or you may chose to use one color. You'll also need four lengths of thinner ribbon (I chose gold and pink satin ribbons at 1/4 inch wide). What goes in the center of the corsage is up to you. If you can find them, aluminum light reflectors make great "trays" to hold the vintage and new bits and bobs for your corsage. Also gather flocked birds, millinery flowers,bits of tinsel, small ornaments, plastic flower beads, and anything else you can think of. It's your choice!

You'll also need needle and thread, glue (I like Scotch quick-dry adhesive because of the precision tip), scissors, a fabric scrap, iron-interfacing scrap, and a pin backing.

Here's the first step. This is easy. I promise...

Sew right sides of your ribbon together with about a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Turn right side out.

Then, step two (see? I told you this is easy)...

Criss-cross the ribbons, hand sewing them together. I like to stitch them in pairs and then stitch the pairs together. Running stitches in a circle in the center of the ribbon loops make the loops stay together very well. Make sure the seams are in the center and not on the outside of the loops.

Then, on to step three...

Repeat the criss-crossing with the narrower ribbon, over lapping contrasting colors over the wider ribbon, and sew down near the center. Then take your aluminum reflector and sew it down--this puts it tighter against the ribbons than glue, but you make choose to glue the reflector down if you feel it will be secure. Instead of a reflector, you may make a "Yo-yo" of ribbon by making a running stitch along one side of a ribbon loop and gathering the ribbon until you have a circular ribbon Yo-yo.)

Now, step four, the really fun part!...

Glue, glue, glue you vintage bits and bobs down, layering millinery flowers, bits of tinsel, ornaments, a plastic flower, beads, and the bird. You may layer your items first in a small dish without gluing, of course, to get an idea of how to place them on your corsage. You'll not want to stop adding your items once you get started, and that's the hardest part, stopping. Just remember you can make another and another and...

The final step!...

Iron on a scrap of interfacing onto your fabric scrap. Cut out with decorative pinking or scalloped scissors. Sew on pin back  and make a little tag, because you are proud of your creation, I just know you are! Glue the backing down, allow it to dry completely, and then wear your creation with pride!

Elizabeth Holcombe Fedorko, aka Bethsbagz, began her checkered crafting career when at four she realized using paste on paper was better than eating it. Inspired by vintage dime store treasures, vintage fabric, and a no-fear attitude toward color, Beth crafts totes, pin cushions, wreaths, and corsages into her Dime Store Chic creations. Beth would love you to take a peek into her whimsical world at her blog.

What You Make of It - Simple Ideas Series - Re-Use & Reduce Kitchen Project!

Here's a quick and easy storage project for your kitchen.

 

Looking around my local ReUse centre - my source for the funkiest vintage items - I found this old fridge shelf.  My kitchen needed a shelf and some hanging storage.  I flipped the shelf upside down and attached it securely to the wall.  S-hooks keep my utensils out in the open and easy to grab. 

 

Quick, easy and wonderfully cheap!

Barb McMahon writes the blog May December Home - home decor with a focus on environmentally friendly/handmade/re-used design.

What You Make of It: Handmade Parade - He:Craft Challenge/Contest

Vintage Indie's Featured Sponsor Handmade Parade recently announced their He:Craft Challenge/Contest!

Their last challenge open to the public, was a huge success and even sparked an idea for a book Craft Challenge: Dozens of ways to Repurpose a  Pillowcase by Suzanne J.E. Tourtillott. Many of the participants items were even featured in the book.

Details: There will be no rules other than create something for HIM! You know... your son, your brother, your guy! Finding suitable crafts or handmade gifts for the men and boys in your life can be darn near impossible, but I know you guys can come up with something truly awesome. So, I challenge you to join He:Craft!

The contest will run from November 1 to the 30th and to enter you'll just have to add your entry to the He:Craft Flickr group which will be open on the 1st.

Two categories, judges, finalists and prizes will be offered. To view the full details head over to the Handmade Parade Blog here.

What You Make of It - Repurposed Wooden Box with Brittni of Paper n Stitch

I am so excited to be able to do a guest tutorial today for all the Vintage Indie readers! When I started thinking about what I could do for this post, I walked around the house a couple of times to gather up some goodies, and all I seemed to find was some house paint and an old, wooden toothbrush holder. I really didn't like the way the container looked, so I thought I would give it a little makeover. Here's what I started out with...

 

I decided to turn it in to a modern vase, since I really didn't need a fancy toothbrush holder (seriously what was I thinking when I bought that thing). You can make one yourself too, with just a few supplies: wooden container, house paint, sandpaper, paint brush, and small glass.

So how do you make it?

 

 

Step 1: Give the wooden container a good rub down with some sandpaper and then wipe clean. Once that is finished, you are ready to start painting. I painted the entire piece (inside and out) white.

Step 2: Once the first coat is dry, apply one more coat to the entire surface. If your paint job is looking a little clumpy, hit it with a little more sandpaper and then move on to another coat of paint.

Step 3: Once that is finished, you are now ready to select a contrasting color for the detail areas. If your wooden container doesn't have any engraved details, you can paint a leaf or flower motif on it to achieve the same look. I would do a couple coats of this. 

 

 

Step 4: We're almost done,but since we are creating a vase and wood is porous, it doesn't exactly make a great vase  by itself. So, it is now time to find a small glass that you can stick inside the opening. I happen to have a vintage juice glass that fits perfectly! Slip it in the opening, fill with water, and you are ready for some flowers.

 

A special thanks to Brittni of Paper N Stitch. Be sure to visit her website for fabulous handmade goodies!

 

What You Make of It - Simple Ideas Series - Easy Art Project

If you need something to hang on your wall but can’t find or can’t afford “real” art, why not make your own?

I do it all the time, using scraps of wood (because I like to use up the scraps to keep them out of the landfill) or, if I don’t have any of those, pre-stretched, pre-primed canvasses that you can find at any art supply store.

Even if you can’t paint recognizable pictures, you can paint wood or canvas with a background colour you like.   You can leave it at that, or maybe make a grouping of your favourite colours. 

Or you can add a design.  I’ve always liked curlicues, for some reason, so I painted these four squares, added the swirls and call them my “Party Dress” series.

 

 

You could print inspiring words on your coloured background, or add a stripe of another colour.

The point is not to impress the neighbors, or try to do something worthy of gallery space.  You just want to brighten a dull corner, so have fun with it!

Barb McMahon writes the blog May December Home - home decor with a focus on environmentally friendly/handmade/re-used design.

Of course, there are many other vintage metal boxes and drawers that would work for this idea. Use your imagination and give life to something old and make new again!

What You Make of It - New Baskets from Recycled Lampshades

Papier-mache has to be my all-time favorite medium for self-expression.  It’s easy, accessible and the materials are cheap.  That said, the final product can range from primitive to ethereal.  The pieces can be purely functional or be classed as fine art.  It has limitless potential.

For the average crafter, finding the right base to build on can be difficult.  Cardboard is great, but needs to be carefully measured and cut.  Wire and mesh can be difficult and a little dangerous to maneuver (always wear safety specs!).

For my money, nothing beats the lowly lampshade as a base for papier-mache baskets.  They come in all shapes and sizes, so you’ll be sure to find something that suits.

Drop in at any thrift store and you’re sure to find a shelf or two of these shades, forever separated from their lamp-partners and ready to start a new life.  Strip off the fabric and you’ve got your basket base.

You’ll need to do a bit of cardboard cutting, to give your new basket a useable bottom.  Just trace around the outside of the shade.  Cut one piece that size and one a little smaller to go on the inside.  If the wires that hold the shade to the lamp are relatively flat, you can just encase them in the two layers of cardboard.  If they have a noticeable bend, you may want to cut them off.  Use heavy-duty snips for this.

Then, just tape the two pieces of cardboard in and start layering on the paper, inside and out.

How many layers you need to finish your basket will depend on its final use.  If you’re planning to store your knitting supplies, three layers will do.  If you want to keep something heavy in it, add more layers until it feels sturdy enough.

How you finish your basket depends entirely on you.  Some people like to paint the final product.  I prefer to let the paper itself shine through.  Newsprint, tissue paper, ephemera of all kinds inspires design ideas.

After that, a final coat of varnish to make it easy to clean, and another sad lampshade has found new purpose.

Barb McMahon writes the blog May December Home - home decor with a focus on environmentally friendly/handmade/re-used design.

What You Make of It - Vintage Style Napkin Rings - With Abigail of Gloaming Designs

Please help me in welcoming Abigail of Gloaming Designs to Vintage Indie. She is sharing her Vintage Style Napkin Rings for this week's DIY project. I think these are simply gorgeous and would be beautiful on your Thanksgiving table this year.

These napkin rings are made from jute chair webbing, a very inexpensive and possibly even (if you find an old chair) up-cycled material.  but cool - it is very cool!  one of those functional but fascinating materials. this particular webbing is from the popular upholstery company Waverly via Joann's Fabrics, but I'd venture to say that any fabric store that carries home decor fabrics will have a roll.

Supplies

-3 3/4" wide Jute Chair Webbing: enough yardage for the number of rings you want, each ring needing approx. 6 1/2 inches of length.

-20 lb. Hemp Cord:  approx. 6 inches per ring

-1 large sewing needle: very thick with a large eye for the hemp cord to pass through

-optional: decorative elements (see end of tutorial and above photo for suggestions)

Step 1: Cut lengths of 6 1/2" from the webbing, one length for each finished ring you want.  (Alternately, wrap the webbing around the folded napkins you intend to use, add about 1 1/2" for ease and sewing, and cut there.)  This does not have to be an exact science.  I usually measure the first and use it to hold against the webbing to cut more.  Once they are cut, use your needle to pick out the first three or so rows of the weave.  This is to make a fringe edge for the ring.  Once you've pulled out enough of the rows that the fringe is a length you like, trim the hanging jute near the webbing's edge.  I suggest not pulling out too much jute, though, as this will ultimately reduce the size of the finished ring.

Step 2: Once you have your fringe edge, make a tube out of the webbing by overlapping the two cut edges with your fringed edge on top.  Overlap about 1 1/4" (including fringe) and pin to hold in place.  Using the hemp cord, thread the needle.  Begin to sew a few rows of jute in from the fringe (so the stitched won't fray out of place) with long running stitches beginning with your needle pushing through from the inside of the tube to the outside and ending with the needle pushing from the outside to the inside. Both ends of the cord will be hanging from the inside of the tube.  *Do not cut a piece of cord from the hemp roll, thread the needle directly from it.  This way, you are sure to have enough cord for sewing and not much is wasted.  Do not make a knot in the cord, simply pull the stitches through leaving long tails of cord on both ends.*

Step 3: Once you've stitched the two sides together, hold both ends of the cord and gently tug to remove any slack from the stitches.  Form a knot in the cord, snugging it up to the inside of the napkin ring (both ends of the cord should be hanging from the inside of the tube, to hide your knots).  Trim any excess cord.

Step 4: Using your thumbs, fluff the fringe to separate the fibers a bit giving the edge a softer look.  You can do this as much or as little as you like.

Step 5:  Inspect your work to make sure the stitches are secure and the fringe is fluffy enough!  At this point you can add embellishments.  I like to use this with the fringe edge up but you can also attach decoration to the other side of the ring.  Consider making your decoration removable - maybe specific to your event.  With a small piece of cord you can tie on one or more buttons with a simple knot or a bow.  I love the idea of collecting inexpensive letter pins and 'monogramming' the rings for your guests (the pins can be removed for your next gathering).  Tissue paper flowers can get the kids involved and can be attached with a bit of floral wire pushed through the webbing and twist tied.  What are your ideas?

Step 6: Insert an napkin and enjoy!