Sunday, June 02, 2013

2. In Your Home

Sew Caroline's Handmade Summer

2. In Your Home

For my birthday, my lovely cousin-in-law gave me a pot of gorgeous succulents.  She said they could be outside, so I put them on my deck.  This was a mistake because all the little local birds ate them!!!  Little buggers....  There were two plants that made it out alive, but with a few beak marks.  They looked sad in the planter all alone so I thought I should replant them - and bring them inside so that the birds don't snack on them.

I had some coffee cups from Ikea that I was going to re-home, but they came in handy for my little succulents.  I separated the remaining plants into six little bunches.  I put about an inch of gravel in the bottoms of the cup in case that I overwater, which I tend to do.  Then I planted the little succulents.  Easy Peasy.  And very cute all in a row on my windowsill.



Join us for a handmande summer!

1. An Accessory

Sew Caroline's Handmade Summer

June 1.  An Accessory

Have you ever seen these hair elastics at your local teenage-trendy store?  They are usually about $10 for four or five.  Seriously.  $10.  For their leftover underwear elastic tied in a knot.  Obscene.

I was given one at Christmas and fell in love.  They are soft and don't catch and pull your hair.  I needed more so I searched out some more in stores and was blown away by the cost.  As usual, my brain says, "I can make these."  So I did.

I searched through my stash and found some underwear elastic from a project of making undies out of old t-shirts that I never got into.  I made the plain black elastic you see on the bottom.


Recently I hit up the local fabric store with a few friends and we searched out the most fun elastic we could find.  I was drawn to the ruffles. You see, I wear these elastics on my wrist all the time.  I have long hair and am always in need of an elastic to get it out of my face when I am cooking or dealing with kids, or whatever.  I thought the ruffles would look pretty cute on my wrist as well as my hair.



How to make them:

1. Buy a length of light elastic. Most of the ones we saw were about $0.45/yard.
2. Cut the elastic to lengths you need, plus an inch on either side to account for the knot. Mine are about 8.5 inches.
3. Tie a loop knot and leave a little on the ends - a makeshift bow.
4. Run a lighter flame quickly along the edges of the ends.  This melts the fabric around the elastic and prevents fraying.
5. Pile on your wrist or put up your hair.  Enjoy!

Join us for a handmade summer!


A Theme for June

I follow Sew Caroline on Instagram.  Funny - I never thought to look at her website.  I just did now as I made the hyperlink.  I love getting to know people through their photos, but now I have a whole website to explore.  Anyway, she posted a challenge for the month of June.  I'm always up for a challenge and this one is a combo of photos and handmade! Join us...