Janet of All Trades

After re-sewing the Kitchen curtain three times and ripping it out twice, it is finally done. Although I think I am going to line it since I don't like how the light comes thru the fabric. The fabric is so beautiful and very easy to work with. I was concerned about the colors and if they would coordinate with the yellow and black in the kitchen. I have been trying to introduce a little bit of green to break of the contrast. Slowly it is coming together and has been transforming well. I love this fabric so much that I have ordered yard just to have and maybe use some day.

We are getting prepared for a possible large snow storm in the North East today. It would be nice to sit by this lovely fireplace and watch the snow accumulate,but that is not the case. I can still daydream about this stone veneer fireplace from recent add for Eldorado Stone to keep me warm today at my desk. It is so very sleek and modern but still has the warmth and rustic feel even in this metropolitan setting. It's so inviting I would never want to leave,until I ran out of books to read,coffee to drink or spring had arrived. Happy Thursday!

I received a great piece of white and orange geometric fabric in my last order from Tonic Living and instantly fell in love with it. Two issues although, one is that is is extremely small and the other is that about 1/3 of it has a small running stain. You see these were scraps or seconds, so I really should complain, but this fabric is too lovely to not use. So first I found a willing participant... Second, confirm that the fabric would fit so called willing participant. Just by eyeballing it next to the pillow It looks like it would work....... Then came the moment of Ahh.. When it was sewed and placed in it's new home.... Just the perfect accent and oh so sweet!

My Niece will be 15 years old in a little less then a week and every year I try to make her a fun card. Last year I placed photos of her from when she was little into the center of paper flowers and made a Shawna Garden..... Now this year I wanted to make a card just as special and maybe not as embarrassing(to her anyway). This year it was going to be different. Wandering around a craft store, I sometimes try to get ideas and different ways to use things. I came across wooden sayings,but they didn't have a Happy Birthday but they had Celebrate but looked like Celebnate because of the wood lettering. So I passed and decided on "Smile" instead. I painted the Smile pink and adhered it to card stock with a piece of my lovely scrap fabric and the card was done. No envelope needed since I just tied it to the top of a reusable shopping bag(that some how matched the scrap fabric!) and it was done... I think it looks great and it could be framed and used as wall art. Now I wi...

Every time I see this ad for Molteni & C, I can't stop looking at it. I love the entire composition of the layout. The use of color, the art work and of course the fabulous modular furniture. I would have all of this in my flat if I had one. I think I will save this and use it for some inspiration for some painting. So into the file for future reference but not to be forgotten.

I am in love with these pieces from Lacoste and I would look great in them in  Vancouver. Not sure about the short skirt but love the boots and the color of this ensemble. I would wear it to all my favorite events and medal ceremonies and probably have to own it in several colors. Also of course grow my hair long and red to look extra exotic. Develop European accent and some interesting profession. Sounds like too much work for a friday,So back to reality and for now it will be jeans,boots and a sweater for my Olympic event..Office Worker! Happy Friday!

I get inspired by many things. It could be a lovely piece of art, an Olympic dream coming to fruition or a winter morning sunrise. It seems like some days it is bombarding me from all sides and it is hard to process it all. I was inspired this week to inspire someone else. Years ago I was planning on being a teacher,things really didn't work out since I was to be teaching Junior High Math. Not the funnest of subjects and not the most willing of students. My real passion lied in art and creating, so I think I would have been better as an art teacher. Oh well that was a long time ago, speed up to the present and now I find myself trying to inspire children to find their true trade. I am not a teacher just a person who cares about helping children find an interest. I think it's important and maybe they can figure it out early than me and wont have to write a blog about it to figure it out. Inspiration is everywhere and if you can't use it, pass it on.

It is still winter here in the northeast and spring can not come to soon. But it seems like it might be spring in my office since it feels like they have turned the air on for the summer. So sitting at your computer can get awfully cold. We had discussed in the office about buying snuggies or sleeping bags to keep us warm, but I came up with this idea to keep our wrist and hands cold but still be able to type. These hand warmers are a free pattern from Burdastyle.com and are called the Yoshimi Hand Warmer. They are pretty simple to make with the exception of the sewing of the thumb. It is pretty tight and have to be careful since the seam allowance are rather small as well. I made them in this leftover purple fleece as a test run to see how they fit. I would make them shorter on the wrist and longer on the hand. Also would increase the seam allowance since they are slightly tight in the palm of my hand. Otherwise a great quick gift. I will be showing them off at the office and taki...

My eagerly awaited fabric from Tonic Living arrived on Friday just in time for the weekend. The lovely Berries in Granite is much more beautiful in person. I have started on the kitchen curtain in this fabric but have run into some road blocks since I was hurrying and trying to get it done. I sewed it uneven twice and have had to rip it apart twice. I am letting this project sit until I have some non-rushed time to devote to it. The scraps that I received are also very delightful, although a few are very small and some are some boring solids, still I am quite happy with the lot. There are some large pieces of a Michael Miller fabric with tea cups that would make cute ruffle skirt for a child and some modern geometrics that would make great pillows. Some great pieces of scrap that I will recycle and put to good use..someday.

My husband and I don't celebrate Valentine's day but this year a request for cookies from him happened to occur around Valentine's day. We recently replaced a 25 year old oven and this would be the first time I would be testing it out. I wanted to make something special,so I decided to make Almond spritz. Well to make them you need a cookie press which I did not own. I remember my mother having one that was made of metal and you had to twist a plunger like apparatus to push the cookie dough thru the shape disk. Of course some 30 years later, they are now made of plastic and have a gun like handle. It was super easy to use and my oven worked fabulously,if not a little too hot. Still getting use to how it works as you can see from a few burnt cookies. But the cookies came out great and I got a new cookie press and my husband got cookies. Next on the list is crackers!

I came across this piece about Pam Longobardi in Coast Living  Feb 2010 and how she travels the world collecting coastal debris. She then uses this debris in art with a message about it's impact on the world. The photo of a her is from Hawaii with fishing nets that she will use in an installation. There colors are beautiful and have been softened by the water and salt, but also they are not beautiful since they are not biodegradable. It is a interesting message and you can see her work at pamlongobardi.com and order her book due out in the fall. I wonder, Could we all make art out of debris? Let me know..

I am always looking for fabulous fabrics either for a project or to have and save for a future project. Recently I found this lovely pattern on tonicliving.com and had to have it. It is for an update to our kitchen and to incorporate some green into the over all color scheme. It is called Berries in Granite but I think it looks more like leave. It is no longer being produced so I was quick to order it. Also with my order (that I patiently awaiting delivery from Toronto) is 2 pounds of scrap and second fabric. I think I am more excited about the scrap that I am about the Berry fabric! It's promised to be strips of upholstery weight fabric and fabrics that are flawed, but could be a yard or more. I can just image the possibilities! I will sure to post photos of my treasures once the arrive!

I finally sent out the delayed Christmas cards to my work associates. They are actually New Year's cards or early Valentine's Day cards and are done and mailed. This particular letter was done in a metallic leather with a white stitching. I adhered them to just a regular stock card with ribbon thru a punched hole. Pretty simple since I think that is the best presentation. So far they have been well received and people are impressed with my creative and recycling abilities!

I love jewelry and mostly costume since it is far less expensive and you can have more of it! I love statement pieces that are one of a kind and tend to try to make my own sometimes. I found this button necklace on Esty and think I could possible make it. I have tons of extra buttons that have come with clothes over the years and the clothes are long gone. A great recycling fashion idea that I will have to try and post photo or two of.

I am loving plaid this past week and I am not sure why. I do have lovely red and black seats in my car and I also am a Preppy from way back with my Plaid skirts and cardigans. I love this Mac skin (holycool.net) and would have to change it every season (like those preppy purse) Also love this Tartan rug from flor.com just don't have the right space for it in my home, yet...

I saw these fabric coasters on the Martha Stewart Living Website and thought they might look nice in leather. As noted before I work for a leather company and might be able to kind a large enough scrap to make these. Similar to my keychains I made last weekend, these I would also back with felt and then stitch the design as shown. Another easy and inexpensive Christmas gift that I can make. Now all I have to do is not wait until the middle of December to start working on it. I think I need a project idea organizer. Yet another project that my brain comes up with. The weekend must be close by.

There are many things that you can inherit and I think I inherited my Father's work ethic and my Mother's sense of style. My mother was a tall women and had many of her clothes made for her. Not because she was wealthy, but because clothes off the rack never fit her right and it was cheaper back then to have them made. She had a friend who was a seamstress and made many dresses for her as well as a few things for me and my sisters. This photo is from my parents 25th Wedding Anniversary surprise party thrown by friends and family. I love this photo since they are so young,healthy and happy. I also love it for the dress and necklace that my mother is wearing. How stylish is that wrap dress! (in her favorite color) and the multi bar necklace! I can still see that necklace in her jewelry box and I thought it was the most beautiful necklace in the world. She always had dressed and accessorized whenever she went out. I do the same thing most days and know now that I inherited this f...

Awhile back I posted that I liked these keychains ($95!) and would like to make them for business associates for Christmas gifts. Well it didn't quite happen that quickly since I got the idea in the middle of December and just ran out of time. Well I finally finished them and they are either belated New Year's gifts or belated Ground Hog Day gifts. Label them as you will, they are a gift and they are done. I work for a leather company so the leather is from scraps in our sampling department. I have a leather/jean needle on my sewing machine and it worked amazingly on the leather. It was somewhat difficult on the curved letters but I finally figured it out after only ruining two letters. I used just a white top stitch and put some white or brown felt on the back and then trimmed the felt close to the seam on the back. Added a jump ring for keys and they were finished. They took me about an hour to finish. I think they look great and will adhere them to a front a a plain card an...

I have had two recent situations on Craigslist that make me wonder if there is any selling etiquette on this website. I am aware that everyone has different schedules and may not be timely in emailing you back. These things I understand but the following two I do not. First item: Wooden Wine bar. A gorgeous piece that had a craved front and two side areas for wine. Vintage,perfect and at $35 a steal. It was more like a wine credenza and would have work beautifully in my living room. Emailed to see if was still available, it was at 9 am. I was on my way out to an appointment and I emailed and said I would call her at noon to schedule a pick up. When I called her at noon, she said that someone was coming to pick it up at 2 and if I could be there before 2 I could have it.Wait didn't you already sell it to me?Needless to say I did not get it. Second Item: Wing Back Chair. Needed to be reupholstered but I was up to the challenge. Emailed was it still available, two days later yes. Okay...

The cork board is now complete and I used the endless supply of fabric from the bedskirt to finish it. I first had painted the edge black and in the process of try to tape off the cork,I damaged it and had to cover a small area with something. I bought a 1/2 inch wide cotton ribbon in a tan color for the edge.It looked okay but kind of bland. Then I thought about the green bedskirt fabric and it might work. It is loosely woven and would work with push pins. I applied it carefully with a little double sided table and it finally was done. One more project off the list and a little less bedskirt fabric left.