It Doesn't Get Any Easier Than This...

Ok, here's the deal. Go to the dollar store, the craft store, the closet, where ever, and get some straight sided clear glass votive holders. Go to the party store, (or the kitchen drawer) and get some napkins with a print you like.
Separate the extra ply layer of the napkin. Spread Mod Podge, or a similar glue, or acrylic medium on the outside of the glass, and carefully apply the napkin. Trim napkin so only a small edge will wrap over the top and bottom edges of the votive holder. Make sure those are stuck down well, then allow the whole thing to dry. Mod Podge even comes in an outdoor formula, so you could use these outside.
You can also do this with fabric, but, it is a cool way to save a really cute printed napkin that you have leftover from a gathering. Mine are a very cute vintage cowboy print.

Mamma's got a Brand New Bag

This is the purse I made this weekend.
The body is grey felted wool. The lining is cotton in a vintage inspired print, from Hancock Fabrics. The jackalope appliqué is white wool felt. There is white cotton piping around the edges of the bag, and on the strap detail.

I am a sucker for any kind of detail like piping, on bags, shirts, skirts, whatever.... but I don't always have the patience to do a lot of detail work on something like a piece of clothing that has to also be fitted. That is the beauty of making purses, they can be whatever size they end up being.

Tomorrow I will have more detailed instructions on the construction of this purse.

Stencil Tee Shirts and Folk Rock Dreams

Stencil Tees

I sometimes like to imagine that I am one of those super cool singer-songwriter chicks, and I am sitting in a coffeehouse with my guitar, sounding like Kasey Chambers, or maybe covering the Old 97s Murder or a Heart Attack. I am wearing a cute vintage skirt and a very hip tee shirt, and my hair is in braids or pulled back in a cute little calico scarf. Everyone in the coffeehouse is, of course, amazed by my playing, and thinks that I am exactly the kind of girl they have always wished they could hang out with.

Unfortunately I really have no musical ability, and have forgotten every guitar chord I ever tried to learn…. I have the outfits though, and so can you, when you make your own stencil tee shirts.

You will need a roll of Reynolds Freezer Paper. It is like a heavy butcher paper, which has a plastic-y layer on one side. Draw out your design on the paper side, and cut with an X-Acto knife. Iron it onto the shirt (plastic side down) then use acrylic paint to fill in the stencil. Don’t forget to put some cardboard or something in between the front and the back of the tee shirt.

Tee shirt-wise, I recommend Target’s Mossimo stretch tees, they are really soft, they hold up really well, and are cut slim through the body, but are plenty long.

I suggest peeling off the freezer paper when the paint is almost, but not totally dry. Acrylic is very plastic-y when it dries, and will not want to let go of the edges of your stencil.

You can launder these shirts normally. I don’t throw them in the dryer, and I try to remember to turn them wrong side out, but I have washed the shirts you see above dozens of times, and the paint is not coming off. It does crack where it stretches, like most older tee shirt inks.

Couldn’t you just screen print these, you ask? Well of course. If you want to make dozens to sell, invest in screen printing materials. However, if you just want one, this is very simple and quick.

To Begin

If you like to make things. This is for you. If you like to make things after carefully reading the instructions. This is maybe less for you. If you see something in a store or catalog and say "I think I can make one of those" (with the sort of breezy confidence that comes from having no idea how one of those is actually made). This is for you.

I am off to Canton, TX today. Canton is the home of the largest flea market in the United States, it is part garage sale, part craft fair, part who-knows-what-else.

You, dear reader, will get to hear about it right here.

Future posts will include, how to make your own yogurt, how to reupholster a chair, and what happens when you try to make a paper-mache horse that is about half life size.