My Creative Space...In Tatters

You can always tell where I am creatively by my bookmarks, pins, tumblr posts and flickr favourites. I am sure this stands for most people. Lately I have been on a big "using fabric scraps" kick. A few months ago I tore up many a vintage sheet and unused yardage thinking I would make a rainbow rag rug for Wednesday's play space. As soon as I tore it up I regretted the entire thing. The process of sewing all of those strips together and winding them in neat balls and then braiding them without tangling seemed impossible. So I packed up all the strips hoping I would find some simple projects to use them in. Only two obstacles lay in my way. The first was that most of the sheets and yardage were unwanted for a reason. The colours and patterns were either too drab or not inspiring enough to be used.  The other was the sheer volume of fabric, there was just so much of it. So the bags (and bags) of torn fabric strips just sat there taking up a lot of space.

So I googled and pinned and flickr'ed. Finally I have enough inspirational galleries that I will be done with my scraps quite soon. I have already used up about a quarter of them. Here are some photos to give an idea of what I have up to.

 This is what I am all about this week. The more poms the better!

 This basket took about three days. But it is huge. I made it to be a laundry basket or Wednesday's room. It is smaller than a big plastic laundry basket but big enough for a little girl's weekly laundry loads.

 The basket and pom poms are all made from vintage sheets.

 I spent a week wrapping plastic hangers from Wednesday's closet. Since we hang most o her clothing (PJs and tights excepted) She has a lot of hangers. I am only about half done, but I needed a break.

Some of the hangers I have even managed to embellish a little bit.

I want to share with you some of my favourite inspiration photos so that maybe you will be inspired as well.

Most recently, I have created a Flickr gallery called Big Love For Small Scraps. Here is a sample of the photos.






1. Para a semana..., 2. weaved fabric basket - detailed, 3. curtains 006, 4. Scrappy Fabric Coasters, 5. Rag Rug Completed, 6. Pretty Little Pouch Full View - Option 3, 7. Scrap Fabric Curtain 4, 8. vintage feel, 9. scrap coil

Over at Pinterest, I have a board called Scrap Not, Lest Ye Be Scrapped. It looks something like this.

There is approx 50 or 60 great links to check out. I made sure that every pin links back to the original post. So you shouldn't have to do any creative searching to find the tutorials (if there is one) to go with them.

So what have you been up to? What is inspiring you to create and search these days? Why don't you link up your creative space?

My Creative Space - Sew What? Sew your holidays away!

I love love love this button!

After some careful thought (and always fun digital scrapbooking) I think I have figured out how to manage a sew along and the holidays (Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas) and all that they entail. I have to plan, plan, plan and make sure that everything I make fits into my gift giving agenda.

Sounds easy enough right? Well, let us hope so. I am going to do things a little bit differently this time around though. I will announce all four projects at the beginning, giving everyone a chance to pick and chose the challenges they can and/or want to do. A weekly project announcement with reader showcases will still happen of course.

I am adding some added stress to myself this time though, I am hoping to make a tutorial out of all of my projects. I realize, in my haste to have my projects done before, I avoided process photos. This time, I hope to change that.

Watch for more details and an official announcement soon though! See what is others are cooking up at Kootoyoo.

My Creative Space - Times, they are a changin'

I am at it again! Playing with Photoshop that is. Rummaging through my digital scrapbooking files looking for 'just the right piece'. I almost have it. Just a few more tweaks, and of course there is the great button decision! I have it narrowed to four five OK, I don't have it narrowed down at all but I will. Soon. I hope!

I am not going to lie, I love where it is going, and with every layer I learn something new about Photocshop and this crazy thing called Digital Scrapbooking. I think, I might even be ready for a tutorial. Just the basics, you know beginner to beginner in beginner language.

We'll see. For now, what with the Sew What! sew along and my upcoming Denim Month in June (Oh my goodness I am excited about that!) I have no time for billions of screen shots and labels. But sooooooooooon I promise hope.

Visited Kootoyoo yet? Creative Spacers are always fun!

My Creative Space - I Am Action Personified.

I had this big plan for posting this picture, this lump of sumptuous pink. Which was a maternity peasant skirt. Something I picked up at The Sally Ann yesterday. I was going to tell you how I had big plans for it and it was going to be great. And it was.

Yes. Was. I no sooner had this post brainstormed then I set out to sew and finished in the same day. But alas, no finished product photo to show off because of the setting sun. (Story of our lives right mamas?)

But, that just means I have time to make a matching scarf. I love sewing for me. I do. I mean it is so much harder than sewing for Wednesday but so rewarding when it comes out as planned or better! And scarves, I can see myself enjoying quite the collection by summer's end.

Have you visited any other Creative Spacers lately? You don't.know what you're missing out on if you haven't!

My Creative Space - Back To The Sewing Machine

I have missed my machine so much over the last few weeks. I did almost no sewing for Easter and have been trying hard to spend my spare time outdoors lately. But the scarf I made last weekend sparked my refashioning flame and I cannot wait to hunker down in front of it today while Wednesday sleeps. Can you see what I am doing? Can you? It is going to be gorgeous!

have you been to any other Creative Spacers' Creative Spaces lately? You should, there is some seriously talented people out there!

My Creative Space - Practice makles Perfect...or at least passable

I can't seem to decide if it is a Craft Fail or not?

On Monday, I had a dinner to go to and even had a brand new top ensemble to wear. But, the outfit needed a necklace. A big chunky one. But alas, all my great accessories are in storage. So I thought, I am crafty, I have good taste, I can make one! Not so much.

Is it just me? Do I just have trouble getting used to the not-beaded-or-metal-but-is-still-real-jewelery look? Should i keep trying? This piece did inspire me to make a couple more. And I did learn some things. Like weight distribution both literally (As in the heaviest part of the piece will hang at the lowest point and drive you nuts if you didn't design it that way.) and aesthetically. As in asymmetrical is okay, but you are walking a fine line between it and just plain odd looking.

also, yo yos and buttons? As much as I like it, I just don't know if it is too cute. And cute was not what I was going for. Ah well, the important hings is I tried, and that lace is totally re-usable!

Have you been to My Creative Space @ Kirsty's aka Kootoyoo? Shame on you if you haven't!

My Creative Space - A New Blog Look

I have a new obsession. (I know, like I need another one of those.)But, I felt it was necessary to learn. Digital scrapbooking. I love it. I mean LOVE it. I do not love it more than traditional scrapbooking, I am too, tactile to give that up. But, for things like blog design, holiday cards, business graphics etc. This is brilliant. It took me two days to get to where you see the header and buttons are now. I am sure I will be tweaking them in the coming weeks but for now I am pretty darn happy with what I come up with on my first try.

I managed to find a ridiculous amount of freebies with some googling. Not all of them are Shabby princess either, but all of them are awesome! My favourite elements (In case you can't tell)are the torn bits of paper and the aged pieces. There are some really pretty feminine elements I like too but for now, I can't get enough of the fake masking tape and staples!

I can't direct you to any good tutorials yet because I just downloaded a but load of files and then began to resize and layer them in Photoshop CS2 until I figured out what I liked and what I was doing. It is itimidating, I hemmed and hawed and asked for help on Twitter before even trying to download anything. It was just so overwhelming. But, I plan on doing some fun stuff with the blog soon and I really wanted some cool looking buttons. I haven't made those yet, but maybe this weekend when I have my Easter sewing done (Ack! One more week!)

What I can do is leave you the two links I used for the most plentiful freebie downloads. There is the ever famous Shabby Princess freebies. I say ever famous because as far as I know their freebies are synonymous with getting started in DS. Also, they are great for us beginners as absolutely no cutting and pasting are required for the elements. (I mean each element and alphabet piece is it's own individual file.) The other site I got MAD freebies from was from ComputerScrapbook.com I must have received hundreds of dollars worth of free downloads, (with a lot of patience) just for signing up for their newsletter (which tells you about more freebies!) I did find a couple more sites but they didn't really have what I was looking for, but you might for serious though, just google free digital scrapbooking elements and you're golden.

And now, I must go and join the physical world and do my dishes, fold my laundry, play with my babe. Check out some other Creative Spacers @ Kirty's when you have a moment for the digital world. I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

My Creative Space - Easter is in the Air

The Morning After, originally uploaded by Cara.Mia.

I have already finished the first part of my Easter gift to Wednesday...I am sure you can figure out what it is? This picture was taken the morning after the bulk of the construction took place. Which means I am about one third done. I still need to make a basket for them to go in as they are collected.

If you haven't been, you must drop by and visit Kirsty @ Kootoyoo and the other creative spacers.

My Creative Space : The Domestic Arts

Although my posting suggests otherwise, it has not been a flurry of crafting around here. At first I think I was a little burnt out from Valentine's Day and the crafting that was accomplished for said holiday. It was not long after though that my energies were diverted from the sewing to the cooking.

In our household the domestic duties although shared are divided pretty clearly. I am Mama Supreme come domestic goddess and sometimes meal provider. Mr. Until Wednesday is Carpenter Extraordinaire come chef supreme and sometimes cleaner upper of the abode. This week though, I took on the task of creating more meals. Normally, this is left to Mr. Until Wednesday because he can cook better, healthier and faster. The man can create the most delicious pad Thai you have ever ate in mere minutes. But, a few things have changed, the main one being my vigilant vegetarianism.

You remember my post a little over a month ago about the book Eating Animals. I held true to that promise I have been meat free ever since. While it was truly easy to give up that last bit of meat I was eating, (except breakfast meat, in particular bacon and sausage, man that was hard!)but it did make it harder to come up with interesting meals that everyone, even the carnivores could appreciate. But, I managed and quite well I might add.

Sunday:spinach and ricotta manicotti in a rose sauce
Monday:mmmmmm leftovers
Tuesday:homemade pizza from scratch
Wednesday:quasidillas with a side of sweet potato fries served with a really nice curry mayo
Thursday:simple mashed potato (with skins)with a side of Californian mixed veggies sauteed in garlic butter
Friday:omelettes and leftover potatoes fried into the best home fries ever
Saturday: tortilla lasagna

All in all it has been a great week and I am totally impressed with my skills. But I am even happier that I have found three new dishes that are super healthy, super tasty and super vegetarian. No longer are my fall back dinners rich in both comfort and cholesterol. I will miss the Shake & Bake chicken and bacon smothered in maple syrup but I think it is a totally fair trade for homemade pizza and manicotti.

Next week I hope to make a broccoli cheddar soup recipe (Have one?), a REALLY good vegetarian chili and maybe even some home made ravioli! I'll report back with recipes and photos!

If you have yet to visit Kristy @ Kootoyoo for My Creative Space you should. I am, as it is one of the more aesthetically pleasing places to hang out!