I made this skirt. I would normally applique the front panel with the scene, but I wanted to challenge myself and do it all in patchwork. I used corduroy for the sides, and I was trying to upload more photos, but it would not let me. Oh well, at least I got this one loaded!! And now my scrap bin is a little thinner on blue!   I made the dress on the little girl too, but that was a long time ago!



I had to cut my head out of the photo, because I was shocked to see how old I am! I am also a little shy to wear this out! I am thinking it would be fun to wear to the farmers market though! I was originally intending to make it for the hometown represent challenge, but we have only lived here for such a short time, and I don't quite feel "at home" yet!

I got another picture to upload:

Hello! We have drop ceilings in about 1/3 of our house. They are really horrible and made of some fbrous crap. Getting new ones sounds boring. I was thinking I could cover them in fabric, painting them is not really an option with these. They are peeling paint in spots from when somebody else tried that.

Alternatively, can you guys think of something else I could use instead? Do I need to make sure the material I use is fire-retardent or anything? I figured the fabric is just as flammable in the closet...but my husband is nervous about me putting it up next to light fixtures. I thought we would just want to remove them before we moved in, but they were really handy when I was doing the plumbing. you just pop em out and all the pipes are easily accessible! Thanks in advance for any help.

Ok, We bought a house, and it has been lots of boring not crafty plumbing and electric and "OH MY GOD WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT WALL!?!?" and " What is that stuff on the roof?!" and "Why is there water on the floor in the garage!?!?!"

so, I was happy to finally have a creative project.... although I chose bland and boring, I figured I will do the whole house plain, and then decide how I want it. The previous owners were VERY liberal with color (Which I normally embrace, but *I* want a blank canvas!!!) OK, so on to the photos:
Before:



as you can see, it was kinda cool, but you can't smell it from where you are.... EEWWWW



Plus, My name isn't Betty...and either is my husbands...

So, I bought this cool horse bell at the thrift store, and it kinda became the launching point. We still need to paint the doors behind the screens, and we would like different furniture, but  right now, it is a welcoming room to come home to, and it smells like paint and new carpet!!!







I ripped up the old smelly dog breeding carpets, and took out the built in benches, and then I primed the walls like 4 times, and we painted off white about 3 times... Then we painted the trim and the doors "range brown" and hung up the horse and some curtains and put existing furniture... I also layed carpet for the first time, and it is ok, I learned alot, and was happy I only bought a remnant. total cost: about $120 including the horse!! all the furniture was already ours, so I am not counting that, but I bet it would still be under $200 I am pretty thrifty...

Looks like my pictures are tempermental, if they aren't showing up on the page, you might find them here:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/caseyr75/album?.dir=4437re2&.src=ph



My 3rd grader was told he needs to have a recorder for school (Its an instrument like a flute or something) We are trying to avoid buying anything from China, so the cheap plastic ones were out of the question. Too bad because they are only $1. After 3 hours of calling music shops, and finally finding one for $30!!!!!!! I realized that we could not afford to break this as I saw happen with his older brother (we were still in mass consumer mode back than, and would just replace the $1 broken ones Who cares right?)

OK..... So I was afraid of it breaking. It needed a case. Where can I get a case for free? I have no money left after that!! Maybe I can make one!!!


So I started out with 2 cigar boxes:



And an old bulliten board I once tried to throw away but hubby stopped me!:



Here is what I did:

I broke the ends off of the cigar boxes and butted them up together:






I broke the bulletin board and sawed it up to use in the bottom. I glued it in and held it down with the mallet. I couldn't find anything to use to hold the sides together, but my family was all standing around eating ices creams while I worked, so I got the sticks!! I glued those, and screwed them too. Then I had big gaps where I had butted the two boxes up, so I filled the gaps with this putty kind of stuff for wood.



Next, I stained the box but not the lids, and then varnished it, and realized the lids looked awesome and the stained part was ugly.





Next, I let it dry, and then sanded it all down, and then varnished it again. The sanding did not remove all the stain, but now it looks kind of piratey and my son loves it!!!
OK now It must be lined so the recorder will be safe!


Last I added a handle I found at a yard sale for 50 cents

I also lined the underside of one lid, so it will not move all around in there. I glued that lid down, and I made a little pillow to put in before it is closed for the other side

And here it is holding the goods:







On its way to school!:



We are moving.... please excuse my mess!

I have tons of horrific broken mini blinds. We will be moving soon, and I don't want to put them up in the new place, and I can't leave them here. I have no idea what possessed me to get them in the first place.

 I have thought of cutting them up and using them to label plants next season, but that is a lot of labels. any ideas? 

I found a portable bar at a garage sale a few years ago. It had the original material peeled off, and was covered in those stickers from the gumball machines..... It was a mess. The inside was nice though, and it had most of its accessories. So I bought it for $2! YAY.

I finally had inspiration strike, and although it is kinda plain, I think it has the look I am going for. I am considering a front embellishment, but I am not sure.... Anyway, here it is!!::

Before:

http://funkensteins.com/images/craftster/IM008995.jpg

http://funkensteins.com/images/craftster/IM008996.jpg

After:

http://funkensteins.com/images/craftster/IM009000.JPG

http://funkensteins.com/images/craftster/IM009001.jpg

There is a used kiln for sale in my area, but I have never bought a kiln before. My experience with pottery is limited and from long ago. Here is a link to the ad:

 I took out the link because the seller never responded anyway. But I am still curious if burn marks on the outside of a kiln are normal

It looks like it has burn marks on the outside. Is that normal, or a safety hazard? Thanks in advance

My sons backpack fell apart. so did his pants. He wanted a sewing lesson, so we took the pants, a zipper, and the straps from the backpack and made a whole new backpak! He did all the sewing that was just straight lines, and he got to show off at school. Very cool. He wanted to post and show off.
  Now he wants to make a quilt! :0 he already started on it, and even did a rustic applique!!

I read this post: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=51668.0

And realized there may be lots of craftsters who lost their supplies. If somebody would be intersted in organizing a swap where we send out supplies to craftsters who lost them, that would be nice.
We all have boxes full of supplies that didn't work for us, or we haven't gotten to, I have piles of lace scraps, and lots of neckties. I also have some clay I could part with and lots of fabric scraps.

Does this sound like a good idea?
Would anyone be interested in organizing it? (I don't meet the qualifications)
Are there enough craftsters without supplies who would be interested in getting gifts like this?  I will be happy to participate if somebody wants to organize it.

MY Grandma is so cool.
When I got off the phone with her, my husband said "Lulu Rocks"
Then he said "that should be a t shirt"
Now it is.
My first stencil
http://funkensteins.com/images/house%20stuff/lulu.JPG
I know it isn't perfect, but she is.