Altered Big Shirt

I just finished converting this big shirt into this light weight house robe. At this, in between time of year my winter robe is too warm and my summer robe is too light. This shirt being 100% cotton made it just right for early fall evenings.

I didn't take a before picture, but this was a ladies size 2 X dress shirt. Today it is my robe.

I cut off the shirt cuffs and I added reclaimed lace border to the collar, sleeves and bottom. This gave it the lengths that I wanted and a little femininity. I didn't remove the collar I just stitched the lace to the existing collar to give it stability.

I thought I was done, but it still needed something. I removed the "shirt buttons" in exchange for these pearly ones and did some simple gathering with bias tape and ribbon to give it that non shirt look. It's been fun to make something for me. Hope it inspires you to make something up cycled. 

What's new at The Craft Zone.

A few thrift finds.

Jars, jars, and more jars

I try not to spend a lot of money on used canning and food storage jars unless I need to get new ones. Lately it seems as though the thrift stores are charging way too much for used jars. Sometimes $2 plus tax. I leave most of them for some one who doesn't know that a new one with the lid and rim retail for $1.02 plus tax. I managed however to find several for $.75 and made sure the came home with me as long as there were no cracks or chips. This is not the total lot because I filled some already with my potato soup and granola. I found a 1/2 gallon jar, several pints and a couple of different size jars for my special sugars. Yes the bottle of Vodka is on the counter and the vanilla beans are on their way. These jars will hold my vanilla extract, vanilla sugar and vanilla powder. By the holiday season I will have home made gifts to give using my creations.

I found new packages of rick rack and bias tape for $.25 each and my best find was the nutmeg grater for $.50. I can't wait to sew and cook using these items. Confession: Yes I am domestic at heart.

For linens this week I found two double flat sheets with two matching pillow cases and two similar pillow cases. I've slowed down buying new linens until I get caught up (lol) with the projects and inventory I already have, but the price was just too amazing to pass up. I'd tell you but I almost feel guilty getting them for what I did. 

And finally what about all those lovely 12 inch pillow covers made by that creative lady at poetcharms.etsy.com. She continues to amaze me with her use of all those vintage pieces of fabric for up cycled projects. Well, that's what's new here at The Craft Zone. I have some up cycled sewing projects underway, but they are still works in progress and subject to the time I have to do them, but I promise I will be posting them soon. Until then I hope everyone has a great week and please take the time to visit the stores to see what's new.

Simple but good thrift finds.

Very relaxed thrift adventure.

The Pyrex finds were quite a story this week. For the longest time we have been searching for the large aqua Cinderella bowl to complete a set. After a few years of searching with no luck one was purchased for a reasonable price on an on line store. One week after it's arrival and the excitement of having a complete set we wandered out for a donation drop and took a chance at walking through the store just to look. To our shock there she was,sitting on the top shelf, looking tired and for 1/5 the cost of the one purchased on line. Now we have two and can retire some "plastic" functional large bowls and enjoy the new Pyrex. The orange casserole bowl we will be adding to our collection and using it for decoration to add more color to our living space. We found two teal Fire King bowls, another made in Japan Owl vase, a Pyrex refrigerator bowl with a cover, a Vera scarf plus others and a Sesame Street twin sheet. Not a bad thrift haul. We did however leave some Pyrex behind that was in great shape, but the prices are getting higher on some items and it makes it quite easy to leave them behind. That plus the fact that storage space is a commodity these days leaves little choice but to be picky. 

We also found this lovely Kokeshi doll. It is large and a traditional doll. The joke was that I could use it as a bat if any one broke in. Nice thought offspring. It is made from a solid piece of wood, not rare, but just plain fun.

We also found this amazing stoneware Norwegian dish. It is quite heavy with a blue and green floral print. I am going to have to research this. We hadn't seen bowls of this nature with the built in handles, but we are still new to a lot of vintage items. So all in all it was a great week. Very relaxing and peaceful. We hope everyone has had a great week too. Stop by and visit our stores and see what happening. Best wishes to all.

Simple labors this Labor Day.

Spending a quiet day today. My daughter has her first Labor Day off in seven years. We started with a late morning breakfast.

It included potatoes on the waffle iron. She saw this on Pinterest and just had to try it. We had a few chopped potatoes in the freezer from another cooking project so away she went. We had just enough for one waffle and it worked out to be enough for two. We splurged and had bacon, but I want to state that we did not have bacon on National Bacon Day Saturday. Add some scrambled eggs and fresh hot coffee and we were off to a good Labor Day start.

She has said over and over to me for the past year that we needed to add some green color to the bland brown apartment cupboards, so today I humored her. We took a ride down the street to raid a friends garden for herbs. Thanks to Command Hooks I have sweet basil and lemon basil drying on the bland doors. 

I have two pints of Rosemary infused oil brewing. In a few days it will be ready to strain and put in my fancier oil jars for use through the winter.

Of course not all of the basil is going to be dried. I made some basil garlic compound butter. We will be putting this on some corn on the cob and I will use some on roasted potatoes, but most of it will go in the freezer to use over time. I can't tell you how wonderful our little apartment smells. Days like today let you know that Family and the simple things are the most important. I am grateful to Carter's bountiful gift. Thank you.