Decorative Jewelry Organizer April 10, 2012

Lately I have been looking at a lot of jewelry storage online, getting ideas for a new project. Not only do I have a TON of jewelry that is always getting tangled up together, but I also have a bad habit of taking off my necklaces and rings and leaving them in various places, only [...]

Refinished Vintage-Style Bookcase March 27, 2012

I bought this bookcase last summer at a garage sale for $8. I don’t know exactly how old it is, but it is at least modeled in the style of mid century furniture, with the short, angled feet and the cutout on the top shelf. And it was certainly beat up enough to show it [...]

Tiny Terrariums February 7, 2012

I have had this terrarium how-to on Handmadeology bookmarked for what seems like forever, and recently felt inspired while looking through the glass jars at Goodwill. I found the two larger ones for only a dollar each. Thrifting is the perfect way to look for terrarium cases because often you can find cool older glasses [...]

The Sexy Librarian Fanclub July 9, 2011

click to view larger! Some of my most coveted collected items belong in my vintage glasses frames collection. I started this stash a few years ago, but have always been completely obsessed with vintage frames. I can spend literally hours looking at frames online. After much lamenting and google searching, I bought my first pair [...]

Happy Floral Shower Curtain April 4, 2011

I have been looking for a new project to work on sewing skills. Often I will find fabric at work, and the only way I can justify not buying it on the spot is that I want to dedicate it to a project first, because I splurge.  I’ve got terrible crafting hoarding tendencies, so I’m [...]

Aunt Irma’s Prized Poodle September 13, 2010

On a recent scouring of Goodwill, I came across this absolutely stunning piece of handiwork, which my mom was happy to model with. It appears to be needlework/latch hook worked onto canvas which was then attached to a carpet sample and mounted on a round plaque. Please notice that the dog is tethered by a [...]

Aunt Trista’s Works of Art August 17, 2010

up til last year, this was my bed. My Great Aunt Trista was a very talented crafter, and I’m proud to say I get some of my tastes and talents from her. We have many of her handiworks in our christmas decorations, including tiny crochet snowflakes like these (not my image) which she would pin [...]

Table Display prep for PZS 2010 June 30, 2010

I have been working on some really great displays for my table at the Portland Zine Symposium this august. So much of the experience as a tabler is about presentation. Not only is a decorated table more inviting and approachable, but the way that you present your goods can make or break sales! The past [...]

Vintage Photo Slide Window Hangs May 5, 2010

click the image to see it larger and detailed! On one of many exciting trips to Oakland’s East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, I dug through a huge drum of old photo slides and picked out some fun vacation shots from the 60′s and 70′s. I used a pin to poke holes in all 4 [...]