Denim Basket/Bag or Show and Tell Bag - You Decide

Recycled an old pair of jeans to make two containers for my niece's two boys.  They could be a "feed-bag" (aka "snack bag").

Cut the bottom of the jean's legs (about 10 inches long).
That's the most important thing to remember while taking scissors to used jeans.

I tried to draw a circle that would match up to the raw (unsewn/opposite of the hem) end of the jeans.  I used a small plate, cup or plastic cover.  I found the right size by matching it up to the bottom of the pant leg.  I hate math.

Pictured above is of the pieces I was able to extract from a pair of jeans.  I will show you what I made out of any remaining pieces. In another later posting to this blog.

I pinned the circle to the "bottom" of the bag and sewed it in place.  I recycled a heavy packing ribbon that wasn't "girlie" since the bags are for boys.


I embroidered their names on it.  With hope they will find a million and one uses for these bags.  Anything from lunch bags, treats in the car containers, Easter basket (?), Christmas stocking (?), a bag to pre-pack a show and tell item for daycare the following day, a toy bag, the possibilities are endless...

How to Make - Fraternal Twin Onesies

There's a special place in my heart for twins, because I am an identical twin.  So when I found out my sister-in-law was expecting twins, I got to work on two pairs of onesies; one for Christmas and one in pink and blue for the twins due before Christmas.

It's been a while since I bought onesies.  Someone on the internet said they felt Target sold the best quality onesies.  I bought Gerber onesies at Target.  I laid them out flat and put a small piece of paper in between the two layers of the onesie.  I bought a Pellon product called Wonder Under.  It is a thin fabric based double-sided bonding heat activated product.

The high heat setting on my iron fused the Wonder Under to the BACK of the colored fabric.  In this case I used Christmas colors for one set of onesies and pink and blue for the second set of onesies.  Then you peel off the paper that has a consistency of wax paper.  The back of each letter now has an exposed bonding product that needs to be applied directly to the front of the onesie.

Now you need to place the prepared letters to the front of the onsies.
 

 In these examples I move between the pink and blue set of onesies and the Christmas onesies.

I have not started to iron, yet.  You can see the letters are curling up a little in anticipation of being ironed into position.

  

My iron isn't the cleanest iron on the planet and I don't want to iron a black smudge onto the pure white onesies, so I put a piece of regular paper over the letters after I have arranged them into position on the onesies.

 The black smudge on the piece of paper (below) shows me that I would have, indeed, ironed a smudge onto the onesie.  Whew!

 Here's what the finished product looks like.

Photo Bombers and Vacation Pictures

At Ben and Gerry's in Hyannis, MA.  My friend is showing off her ice cream.

TOTAL STRANGER.  I practically had to punch him to get him out of the picture.


The JFK Museum in Hyannis, not to be confused with the JFK Library in Boston sells
Jackie O sunglasses.  Weird, huh?

Saw a neat starfish Christmas tree in downtown Hyannis, too.

Out on the Lake with Rob and Mary

Before we even disembarked from the dock, two loons swam by to say "Hello"

Then we gave them a great tour around the lake and tried to get a couples picture with the sunset in the distance.

Vendors show up at the Brimfield Antique Fair with interesting collections for sale, either that or the collection on display is their specialty.   They could be an expert on the subject matter.  It's great to learn something new from a collector.  Feel free to strike up a conversation. 

Did someone really collect reflectors?

 

And then someone else collected ladders?

This vendor was selling necklace-sized silver crosses.
It was a very elaborate collection.

I was very impressed.

Vampires beware.

 

Steins and railroad lanterns.

Eagles from Year's - Brimfield Antique Fair

As kids, we'd count eagles as we drove around from place to place.  The habit is hard to kick.  Here's some eagles I found at the Brimfield Antique Fair last month.