Pass the Inspirational Torch

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.

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T-shirt Upcycle to Cardigan

I have had this large long sleeved t-shirt for about a year. I paid $2.99 for it at the Salvation Army and appeared to be new. I had thought about embellishing it with a flower or two but could not come up with a original or cute idea so I decided to make a cardigan out of it. So lets get started and upcycle another piece of clothing! First I laid the shirt out and measured from under arm to under arm to find the exact center. Once I found the center, I cut right up the middle. This step always makes me nervous ever since I was a child and tried to cut a collar on a coat to make it narrower. It was a disaster but I try not to think about it that much and just cut. Once it was cut, I decided to use the hem from another t-shirt that I had cut up for another project. I cut two pieces of the hem of the t- shirt long enough to cover the edge of the cardigan and wrap around the top and bottom edge. I folded over the edge and pinned Then I pinned it to one side of the cardigan. Making s...

Ipad Pillow Stand

I like to watch tutorials on my Ipad and although I have a cover that converts to a stand, it isn't always the best solution for viewing. So I decided to make one of my own inspired by these Iphone stands I found on Etsy. They are sold by dognamedbanjo and are really unique and lovely. So I thought I could make one similar to it and here is how i did it. First I started with a 1 yard of a fabric in my two favorite colors. Then I cut the following pieces 1 Pc 13" x 13" 1 pc 29 x 13" 2 Triangle pieces 13" x 13" x 13" Next I sewed the top square to the two triangles. This is will be the sides and the base. Next I took the large rectangular piece and sewed it to the bottom of the square. Now I don't have photos of the last few steps since once it start forming a pillow it is difficult to photograph, but the process is not that difficult. Next I sewed each side of the the rectangle to one side of the triangle on both s...

Neck Tie Upcycled to Cuff

I found a large stash of Neck ties at an Estate Sale this past weekend and I had to buy them since I had the perfect idea for an upcycle project. They were mostly from a long since closed store here in Buffalo,NY and I felt the need to preserve them as well as the tags. I started by washing them on gentle and removing them immediately and laying flat to dry. They came out a little disfigured but nothing that a little ironing wouldn't fix. Next I took a seam ripper and opened up the back to take out the interfacing. I did this for two reasons, it was discolored and had a little odor and it would be easier to sew without this bulk. I next cut the tie into a piece 10" long and hemmed the edge. Then I sewed two pieces of velcro to each side to make my cuff. The last step was to sew on a few antique buttons and beads and my cuff was done. Wow! Looking at this I can't believe how it turned out!.But wait... I made a few more! Love this one.. Antique Maple leave button and golden...

Janet of All Trades

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