These pillows started life as a cashmere or angora sweater

I really enjoy thrift stores. I think it is about finding that useful bargain---or finding odd stuff I can re-pupose into something useful, or maybe it is the books scout in me that always is looking for the $3.99 book that I know I can sell for $125?

My fave  Aunt Esther used to say "A stitch in time saves nine." I like to think she would have loved the notion of re-purposing old discarded sweaters into useful and pretty pillows since she also was all about re-use. 

How to make a re-puposed thrifty and cheap but lovely pillow:

Recently I scored at my fave thrift store two nice very soft sweaters--a cream all cashmere man's sweater and a blue wool/angora cabled sweater--at 1/2 off! which was about $3.00 a sweater.  I spent another $5.00 on pre-made pillow forms...and then cut the now washed sweaters into the correct size squares ( I used the front and back of each sweater--saving the sleeves for another project) and sewed these pillows. They are oh--so soft! and huggable and now live on our couch for everyone to enjoy.

Paint Chip Art

I have been seeing quite a bit of art using paint chips on Pinterest.

Ah!...Pinterest...my new online fave. What a great place to post your inspirations and keep all those online tutorials one is interested in. I have 12 "boards" on Pinterest where I have been pinning fun images. If you haven't been to Pinterest, you can look at my boards and check out Pinterest here.

But back to the paint chip art...most of what I have seen online using paint chips was collage or mixed media type of art, but I decided to try painting right on the paint chips, so yesterday I went by a paint store and picked out a variety paint chips.

 Here is "doodle" I created yesterday and I am off to my studio to see what else emerges today.  This is painted with gouache and outlined with a permanent felt marker.

Tea anyone???

Time for a Mug up....

My favorite holiday gift this year came to me from my two wonderful grown-up daughters! I mentioned I wanted a nice stainless steel thermos to take hot tea to my art studio--and they did better! They bought me a very nice electric teakeattle--the kind that shuts off once the water boils. Daughter  Kesia also made me this wonderful "tea bag wreathe" to hang at my studio. I love this useful but clever and creative gift!! thanks Girls!! ;-) you are the best daughters ever.

tea bags and clothes pins! so cute and clever....

Thank YOU : Out with old & In with the new

I want to thank all my readers for a great year! I now have online friends I would never have "met" without this blog. I am wishing all my readers a joyful and happy 2012!

I am determined to "make a living" this year with my creativity. This may mean some anxious times as I patch together my monthly income (and I live on very little) via selling my art, crafts, & designs, working as an "on-call" Nanny, and (hopefully)  teaching crafts. So far, so good and it is only the 2nd day of this year!

Last year --like life usually goes--had its ups and downs. Looking back I realized I was only employed (at a regular job with set hours)  about 7 months this year... yet somehow I survived. 

The best thing I did all year was to rent myself art studio space. Not only do I now have a great place to go and create, but (at least in my mind) somehow having an art studio legitimizes me as an artist. To me--- having the studio means I am taking my art and design work seriously. And guess what happened once I committed to taking myself more seriously???

ah, Yes!! my productivity and SALES went up since I created more items AND I actively marketed them, which of course resulted in more sales. And since I consider writing this blog part of my creative endeavors, I also plan to explore ways to make some income ($$$$) blogging.

So, please repeat after me : WAY WILL OPEN, WAY WILL OPEN......(and thanks for all your support!)

do what you love and the $$$$ will follow...

addendum: oh, and  this year I plan to do one special thing each week only because I want to!!! putting myself on the list of "to dos"

a NEW YEAR of Surface Pattern Designs!

Below are a few of my original textile or surface pattern designs---the top 2 are hand painted with watercolors, and the bottom left flowers on the black background are hand painted in gouache. The design on the bottom left was completely designed on the computer--in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Can you tell I really love creating floral designs and I love hand painting?

I usually do not create NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS because I have learned over the years that I rarely keep any resolutions I make. How about you? What is your success rate on annual New Year resolutions?

However these designs have been languishing in my portfolio----(stored under my bed!!!!)---for 2 years now and I have decided it is time I make a real effort to sell them and/or the many other surface pattern designs I have in my portfolio. So I am creating a plan for marketing my designs in 2012....is that a resolution? well not exactly. Which is good, as I want to avoid my usual failure---so I am planning for the NEW YEAR--how about you?

Holiday Greetings to Everyone!

a Christmas Elf trick : cashmere sweater repurposed into Panda Bear

The Winter Holidays always make me think of toys! I have 3 wonderful Grandsons so let the toy making commence! here is the first one---a Panda Bear for wee baby Aram.

I am always keeping my eye out at thrift stores for good sweaters to felt --especially if they are marked down---and one day I scored this soft brown cashmere sweater for 1/2 price ;-). After washing and drying I proceeded to cut the sweater up and created ---- Aram's Panda! for his holiday gift from Grandma.

Stuffed toys are so much fun to create! even if they are time consuming....

A Very Merry Vintage Christmas (revisited)

I have always loved vintage Holiday advertising...who can resist this Slinky ad? still on of the best and most purchased toys ever! so here a few more vintage Christmas images for your enjoyment....

You can see more like these at my last years Vintage Christmas post here ......

The Elves are Busy....Knittng away!

When not playing in the snow--the elves helped me create this soft and aqua colored keyhole bow tie scarflette...with a crocheted flower for an accent--the flower has a blue vintage button in the center. I love these bow tie scarfs--or scarflettes--because they keep my neck warm and cozy without all the bulk of a longer scarf.

and this fuzzy heather beige hat and scarflette matching set...knit with wool and mohair, with a pretty ruby colored crocheted flower for some pizzaz! another vintage button on the center...all for sale at my Etsy Shop---hats and scarves make great holiday gifts!! and keep your or your loved one warm.

 

The yarn (and elves) made me do it......

Holiday Elf Invasion

Well, it seems that holiday elves have invaded our house...and my art studio, so holiday fun and creativity is bursting out all over...

with  a little help from my friends (er..I mean the elves..)....I have created these Brooches...now for sale at my Etsy store here! Brooches make great holiday gifts for that special person in your life...

Each one is unique and all handsewn---with beadwork and embroidery.

 quite bit of variety since I just start with a vintage button or postage stamp and let that lead me...I sure had a good time creating these. Of course I have a few more at my shop that I am not showing here--so do go and check them all out!