Calling all aLTeReD aRtIsTs

I think I might be legit!  I sold my first piece of altered art.

Remember this post?

SOLD! 

I took alot of photos this week (that are still in my camera) and just haven’t had a spare minute to try to get them out and write something….HBI is trying to read 100 books before the end of the school year, so that means we use up alot of our free time reading…which is not a bad thing!

I posted these on my etsy this week.    If you are an altered / mixed media / collage / assemblage kind of artist, you might be interested….if not in these specifically, let me know….we still have buildings full of stuff I can pull out

 

I’ve got everything from keys to doorknobs, postcards to vintage magazines, silverware to nuts and bolts.   If you like to use a particular type of item, let me know what it is and I’ll see what I can pull together!

 

 

 

Raising the class of 2018

Having a child born in the year 2000 is a special thing I think. They will be a class that for many reasons had different expectations over them than others.

They forged the way into a new millenium…they will always know how old they are as long as they know what year it is….all the ideas of what ‘life would be like in the year 2000′, from years past come to rest as we look ahead to different milestones.

When I mentioned that it was our responsibility to come up with dessert for the family Easter gathering, he quickly said “what about a chocolate volcano cake?”

Being the nurturing mamma that I am, I applauded that idea and proceeded to ask “what would it look like? what kinds of things would we use?”

He didn’t ponder long and decided that chocolate bars and cherries would make the perfect volcano. I think I shocked him when I asked “so, do you want to make it?”

After a short conversation, we had our shopping list made:

chocolate cake
cherry sauce
chocolate sauce
4 different kinds of chocolate bars
Whipped cream ‘in-a-can’

Now you have to understand…..his Chef Daddy started cooking at age 5 or 6, so the fact that HBI was ready to take this on at age 7 was really a proud-daddy moment…!

Here is the result!

 

 

 

That photo looks better than any Pioneer Woman has ever done!

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Anyone else raising a kid from the class of 2018?  Would love to hear from you!

 

 

This weeks’ Repurposing

I’m not getting to my blog nearly as often as I’d like to….I think it’s just a function of a busy time in life….

I still work at creating something every day…being conscious of the creative in every day has been fun! I take alot of pictures, most of which, never appear here. I guess it’s easier to create and click then to create and document..!

I have seen alot of neat ideas for repurposing old t-shirts, and I practiced it here:

This>>>>>>>

became

This>>>>>>> http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10160694

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I practiced my homesteading with this:

which became this:

which ultimately became this yummy, decadent , naturally sugar free applesauce!

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I sold some really cool stuff on etsy like this rad 70’s boho hippy belt;

these retrolicious granny boots;

this sweet shabby hall light;

and this 70’s retro Fleetwood Mac belt buckle.

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We did another ‘fashion shoot’ and ended up with these great shots:

Disco-dynamite - 100% polyester jumpsuit:

Indie Mod Gingham Rockabilly Button up shirt;

Grunge flannel buffalo plaid super comfy shirt;

and this purrrrrr-fect snow leopard overcoat!

Lots more to see over at www.repurposing.etsy.com….that was just the beginning of our fun day…! Don’t I have a swell niece (not to mention BEAUTIFUL???)

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We’ve had to creatively deal with another batch of snow. Yes snow. At the end of March. Me thinks winter will never end this year. Global warming what???

How does The Creator fit into the Arts?

wow.  This could really be a loaded topic.

If you believe (as I do) that we are intimately connected with our Creator, that we live and breathe life as He gives it to us, then any artisitic expression of ours is simply His power working through us, His words coming to life through our art.

When pondering a hand-made gift for my MIL, I prayed about it (as I usually do), looking for the item(s) that He might want her to have.  I don’t like to buy (or make) anything that just becomes clutter in someone’s life.

The second I picked up this thrifted frame, I knew it was for her, and I knew what I had to put into it. 

Now this may sound a little odd but if I truly believe that God is the God of all time, that he is the same today as he was yesterday, I have to believe that all time is in his hands.  Time was in His hands when my MIL was this age and the words from Jeremiah can (through Him) speak to places in her when she was that age….she needed to know that God had a plan for her life…she needed to know that THEN.

So, if the label “prophetic art” can be used here, it would be the first time that I felt very strongly about some very specific words being used for a moment in time when God’s voice needed to be heard.

God uses moments like this, moments in art and moments in time to change things in people.  That changes history.  That changes the world.

 Romans 12:1, ” Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies (hands, skills, talents) as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - which is your spiritual worship.”

Getting the whole family involved

Lots of fun in ‘repurposing’ land this week.

Not only did I get a few projects done, I also am getting a bunch of my vintage goodies listed on etsy.

Check out the job that my niece and nephew did for me….(will model for exchange of vintage goodies…)

smokin’ men’s leather coat:  only 25 bucks!

A wool cape coat with fur collar:

    

 

Fun 80’s retro punk bat wing tunic dress:

 

Mod 60’s mini mini mini dress:

 

oh so sweet ’secretary top’:

Vintage red disco dress:

We had sooo much fun doing this….and I’m finally getting my vintage things put for sale somewhere….I find it hard to resist buying some of these things, even if they just get put on my repurposing pile….so many neat fabrics and styles!

 

I got a few projects done too….and hey…know those boots from my last post?  I put them upon Thursday afternoon and by Saturday morning over 200 people had looked at them on etsy…..go figure.  They’re not sowld yet, so they still could be yours!

 

While you’re on etsy, check out this link to my latest ‘wearable art’:

REPURPOSED Vintage Plaid Skirt

Penance for our use of Polyester WEARABLE ART

 

Have an awesome week!

 

 

 

Taking the Plunge…

My love of the old.

My love of rescuing something that still has life in it.

My newfound joyfulness in a pile of fabric and rags.

I’m putting them together and have officially listed my first REPURPOSED item up for sale. I’m putting myself out there as (gasp!) an artist. A garbage artist.

Combat boots ultimately speak to the ongoing wars in our world.

This wearable art piece seeks to counter the hatred with something soft and wonderful.

Vintage pearls evoke feelings and memories of our mothers and grandmothers. Allowing ourselves to feel those feelings is a direct stand against the hatred of war.

On the flip side, there are those who say war is necessary. For those, let these speak to the reasons for which we fight. Honor. Goodness. Peace. Freedom.

These are a worn pair of Doc Marten combat boots in approximately a womens size 9. The soles do not show much wear, however there are crease marks across the toe box and a crack in the leather above the left achilles area. They are completely wearable should you wish to wear these.

Should you wish to display them, they have no ‘odd’ odors.

The war boot has a keychain of an automatic weapon and a keychain that says “Do unto others before they do unto you”

  

The peace boot has a strand of vintage pearls and three clip on vintage earrings. The yellow tie is tattered, worn and tied together in places symbolizing the realities that somewhere in our world, there is always war.

I will ship these FREE in Canada or the USA. $69.99

Man of the House

Well, Dad’s away and the tub drain was slower than sluggish.

HBI grabbed his tools,

 we used some creative thinking and blocked off the drain-return-thingy with a wet washcloth and a ziploc bag and he got to plunging.

Only 3 or 4 plunges later and you guessed it, a perfectly swirly drain..!!!!!

 (ew…ignore how bad the hardware looks in a closeup - it’s just a bad reflection..!!)

My hero!

Wading through Small Changes….

My creativity this week has been limited to getting back to basics…in lots of areas.

Stuff and the storage of it.

Food and menu planning.

Planning and practicing meaningful FAMILY time.

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Life just gets so busy/complicated/full that we need to remember to stop every now and again and just reconnect with those parts of our souls that need refreshing.

I’m working on sorting / organizing / wiping out all the cupboards…deciding if we really NEED half of the stuff that’s in them….

I’m looking for ways to get better organized when it comes to food and menu choices so that we can stop throwing away things that have gone bad….

I’m making sure the TV gets less ‘face-time’ than we do with each other….

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So, I haven’t sewn anything, painted anything, glued anything, drawn or written anything this week, but in the still, small, quiet moments I’ve taken it back to remembering the goodness in our lives, being thankful for every provision, and sending love and prayers into the lives of people who I’ve been blessed to have in my life.

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I have a new opportunity looming (read: job) and I am weighing the pros and cons of it. In no way do I want to give up the focus I’ve been able to gain on home and family….anything that takes the balance away from that is not for me…

I’ve failed already!

When I wrote this,  I had every intention on purchasing less stuff, and if I had to buy something, as in a gift or something, that I would try to buy handmade…

Well….a business trip to Atlanta last week saw me purchasing over $50.00 in the Atlanta Aquarium Gift Shop…ugh!  My intentions were good….I bought the boy a few things, something for hubby and a gift or two for upcoming occasions.

I think I made good purchases overall and got good value for my money, but I felt like I let myself down…..none of us need more stuff.

I love fabric!!!

Warning for those of you who aren’t so much into fabric / sewing….this was the week that I sewed, and sewed and sewed….just for fun. There is something about the feel of fabric that I just love…! Not to say that’s all this blog will be about, but this week, it is!

I have been very tired of my bedding for awhile now…

I’ve been looking in the stores ( I have some gift money I’ve been holding specifically for this - so I didn’t feel like I’m totally breaking my ’spend less’ resolution )…but I just haven’t found anything that I wanted to spend that much money on.

On one of my thrifting excursions, I stumbled upon brand new, never been washed flat sheets. Hmmmm, my little pea brain started doing the math….how much fabric is in this for the mere price of $5.99????

Hmmmm…how quickly I snapped them up - took them home, washed and dried them all, and repurposed them into a duvet cover to go over my old bedspread…! For all of $12.00!

I also found a new bed skirt for 5 bucks that was really for a King-sized bed, but some artful folding and a few safety pins and it fits my queen size just fine!

I also found some (also brand new!) Pottery Barn pillow cases, which right now, don’t look like they fit so well, but as soon as I paint my walls (and remove the hideous border), I think they’ll look quite swell.

HBI was pouting since I never make him anything, so he got a duvet cover too! I use that term loosely since I have no idea how to make button holes, so there is just an opening right now. One day I’ll learn….but as of right now, this project fit quite nicely into my propensity to not use patterns, and be finished in less than one evening!

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I’ve also been hating our 1980’s bathroom vanity ever since we moved in 6 years ago. A bathroom reno is in the works but is being done at the same time as the major job of lifting our house and putting in a new basement. We’ve kind of put all renos on hold till then b/c we may as well do it all at once, right? So anyways…hubby calls me to tell me he bought a second hand pedestal sink for $12.99 at a local thrift shop….a few pipes and new fittings brought the project to $40 or so and he has one very happy wife.

Before:      

After:       

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While thrifting I couldn’t resist some really pink, really girly sheets. The first one I made into new pajama bottoms for me - keeping the contrast on for the bottom…!

**Also repurposed another girly sheet into this great little dress for my niece! I think I’ll make her a matching bag too. The sheet was $2.99 and it was queen sized, so there is still lots of fabric left.

I bought a tablecloth for 89 cents and made four tea towels out of it

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I whipped up a wallet for my chequebook and not-so-often used cards / receipts etc.

I managed to figure out how to install snaps and made a little change purse.

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And instead of going out and buying more of these…

I took some juice boxes, cut em up, wrapped em with some spare ends of paper and I have new drawer dividers!

I’ll not be posting next week - I will be at a conference where I will be having creative withdrawals I am sure…however…I should have lots of new inspiration by the time I’m back!