My son asked me to make him a quilt with a turtle on it.  I drew the turtle myself, and  appliqued it onto the center square by hand.  Then I spent four days from morning to night cutting and sewing strips around the 8-1/2 inch squares that were cut from a sea turtle-themed batik I ordered online from a quilt shop in Hawaii.  

Text around right circle:  "Growing up, my right breast was significantly larger than the left.  I had to have surgery to correct the issue when I was in high school."

Around left circle:  "(They had to remove one pound of breast tissue."

Front:  "I secretly think my best friend hates me.  But maybe it's because I secretly hate her?"

Back:  "I made this secret over 5 years ago with every intention of sending it to PostSecret.  About a year after I made this, we parted ways, and I have only seen her once or twice since then.  Looking back, I now realize that she was one of the best friends that I have ever had -yes there were qualities that I didn't like, but being friends is to accept those flaws.  I still miss her.  I'm glad that I can finally let go of this secret.  Thank you!"

"i love him & i love her but there wasn't enough of me to be with them both."

The background is from an apparently very old book written in French.

I made a halter style dress out of 30 or 40 yellow latex dishwashing gloves for a Wearable Art show in Palmer, Alaska in February 2009.  It's perfect to wear while doing kitchen chores - just take off the apron and you're ready to party!

It took days of sewing by hand.  I cut off dozens of fingertips for the neckline detail, and added sparkly trim.  I made pink and yellow tulle underskirts to give it some lift.  This photo shows me carrying a little apron I made out of pink, lime green and yellow fabric, with green pompoms along the hem.  In my other hand I'm carrying a purse I made out of a Betty Crocker cookbook.

My inspiration was vergaminic's perfect rubber glove dress posted in December 2008 at:  http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=281032.0

I have enjoyed making book purses for the last year.  This one is a favorite:  I took a great hardcover book with lovely illustrations and decoupaged one of the original pictures on the back cover.  The lining is from fabric my quilting friend gave me.

I sometimes make my own handles, but these come courtesy of a craft store.



The lining:



And the two archers, arching?

I played clarinet in high school, and started playing again this year.  I bought this one for $12.50 because it’s a clunker that didn’t work – perfect for upcycling!  The music store guy said it would cost a lot to fix.  Convinced that I was not ruining this 1950’s era instrument, I used Brasso cleaner to brighten the keys.  You would NEVER use Brasso for your clarinet.   After rubbing the keys down, I could play the lower register. AAARRGGHH!  This is the first time I was disappointed because something works!





My favorite part of this lamp?   Someone years ago put a piece of masking tape over a hole instead of getting a new key pad.  Isn’t that cute?





I used a cedar fence post cap ($9.99) that I spray painted black for the base.  I made a channel so the cord can come out the back.  I bought a new lampshade for about $8, then used fabric adhesive to glue beautiful upholstery trim beading to it.  I used a basic lamp wiring kit.

I have a silver clarinet to turn into a lamp next, with a great bright red shade.  Lamp making is addictive!  I was inspired in January by the Swanky Clarinet Lamp posted here on Craftster by RaeRaggs!

 

The inspiration for this piece is an antique "Pain Expeller" bottle.  I painted a lightweight cigar box with metallic bronze paint.  I decoupaged the background with original pages from a 1950s atlas and a 1909 medical textbook.  On this half, you can read "the cold bath" through the vintage Union flask.  Here is a picture of the entire piece:



Here is a closeup of the "Pain Expeller" bottle.  Above it is a swatch I knitted out of 1940s Knit-Cro-Sheen on size 0 needles.  The needles are about the diameter of a tooth pick, and I believe I became a touch insane trying to work the skinny string through those green, clear and amber beads. 



I don't know whether you can see this, but the little copper box to the left of the "Pain Expeller" can open for hiding a little treasure.

I gave this woman a little red bird for company and a seashell hat for style.


Hope you like it!

I decided to combine my love of organization (liar liar!), my love of knitting (true) and making purses out of books.

First, find a cool book like this 1950’s Complete Book of Knitting.




First, rip out all the pages by using a box cutter.  Measure your book.  Mine is 13” by 9”.  So, cut out a rectangle that has at least another 0.5” all around. (I cut out a rectangle 14.5” by 10.5”).  Now iron under the extra all away around so that your edges are finished looking and fit the book.  Glue the single layer edge-finished rectangle to the inside of the book, leaving 0.5” all around the edges NOT glued.  You need the edges to be unglued so you can tuck the gusset edges under the lining.



You need two side gussets.  You need to make a trapezoid shape.  Measure how far you want the book to open.  My desire was 5.5” at the top (finished opening).  The spine width is 1.5” – that is the bottom of your trapezoid.  So, I made a trapezoid with a 6.5” top on the fold and 2.5” wide at the bottom.  Press all around the sides 0.5” from the edge to make a flap to glue between the rectangle purse lining and the gussets. 

I used fabric adhesive to glue the gusset seam allowances between the lining rectangle and the book cover.  I used book binder clips to hold the edges together while the glue dried. 

If this doesn’t make sense, buy Leah (The Craftster Creator)’s book, Nifty, Thrifty and Kitschy for a full-on explanation.  Or check the Tutorials here!