The T-Cozy

The Well-Dressed Tote Bag: Vintage Overalls Reinvented

If you’re like me and can’t seem to part with special things from your past, this project is for you . . .

In my college days, my favorite garment was a pair of Lee bib overalls. Beautifully embroidered by my art school friend back in the late 70s, I wore them like crazy until overalls fell out of fashion. So I stored them away for a while.

When I came across them more than a decade later, they brought a smile to my face. I tried them on and soon realized that although I worked hard to keep my girlish figure, after having two children, they would probably never fit me again. 

So I cut off the bib and turned it into a pillow that happily resided on the sewing chair in my former studio.

Just recently I decided to refurbish my beloved overalls once again. This time I used them to dress up a Land’s End canvas tote bag.

Using waxed nylon thread and a large tapestry needle, I hand-stitched on the bib and straps. 

I left the back “V” open to form a handy pocket.

My reinvented vintage-overalls-turned-tote resides on the Hoosier cabinet in my current studio where I can see it every day. And since my laptop fits inside, it often keeps me company when I’m out and about. 😊 Yay!

Susan
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What It Was Then, What It Is Now

I found this rusty old wire basket last weekend. Any idea what it might be? 

It’s the rack that holds glass baby bottles inside a sterilizer pot. Although the pot had seen better days, when I looked inside and saw the empty rack, I knew it had potential. 

I decided to repurpose it into a supply caddy. So I headed to the grocery store for seven small cans of tomato paste. I emptied their contents (spaghetti sauce anyone?), scrubbed them and soaked off the labels.

Off to my favorite fabric store where I purchased a fat quarter in a cotton mini flower print. So cute!

After carefully measuring a can to determine the exact size, I cut out seven pieces of fabric. I measured just under the top and bottom lip of the can. 

Using craft glue, I wrapped the body of each can with the cut fabric and let them dry. (If you prefer, decorative paper can be used, but fabric will hold up better over time.)

Once dry, I popped the gussied-up cans into the holder. I love how the cans’ ridges are still evident; it gives them a nice texture.

Voilà! Ready to corral the various items needed in a busy studio, sewing room or home office. And so easy! 

The listing for my repurposed creation can be found in my Etsy shop HERE.

Susan
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Cottage Garden Shadow Boxes and My 12-Year Blogiversary

Behold my cottage garden shadow box series!

Incorporating vintage Martha’s Vineyard postcards, tiny plastic flowers, beautiful handmade papers and more, each cigar box has been transformed into a miniature, magical, smile-inducing world. Here’s a closer look.

Aren’t they fun? Hard to believe that they started out as ordinary cigar boxes. For a post about how I made them, click HERE.

Today marks a dozen years of blogging. My, how time flies! To date, The T-Cozy has had 1,073,704 lifetime views and received 7,234 comments from loyal readers. Plus, I have written 1299 posts! Wow — how did that happen?

Many thanks for your kind support over the last twelve years. Please know that I truly appreciate it. 

Warmest regards,

Susan
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Making Something From (Almost) Nothing

It all started with an assortment of vintage plastic flowers discovered at a local thrift shop. Loads of tiny faux blossoms in a rainbow of colors  — and only $2.00. How could I resist? 

Driving home from the shop, I mulled over what I should do with my latest find. Making a garden-themed shadowbox immediately came to mind. So I took a detour and drove to a cigar store where the owner kindly leaves stacks of empty cigar boxes near the door. Free for the taking, I selected several small wooden ones and headed home to my studio.

My favorite go-to craft is decoupage, so I decided to cut out an array of flowery images to line the sides of the box. I gathered my supplies (glue, Mod Podge, brushes, cutting tools, thread spools, embroidery floss) along with vintage postcards, floral paper and tear sheets from old gardening books. 

The cigar box had a slide-off top which I removed. Then I painted the box a vibrant turquoise. Although the lid was no longer needed, I realized that the same grooves could hold glass instead. So while the paint dried, I headed to the hardware store and purchased a piece of glass cut to size for just $1.00. 

Back in the studio, I chose a vintage postcard of Emily Post’s cottage in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard as the focal point in the box’s interior. I covered the sides with garden imagery and used a map and sunflower on the back. Next, I applied five coats of satin Mod Podge to the exterior of the box, giving each coat at least 20 minutes drying time.

After making a small platform from florist foam, I arranged and glued down an array of plastic flowers to simulate a colorful garden bed. On the top of the box, I added a tiny bird perched on a mound of moss.

I wanted my shadowbox to be free-standing, so little legs were in order. I rooted through my stash of empty wooden thread spools, found four of the same size, and glued embroidery floss in vibrant colors around each. Then I coated them with Mod Podge and secured them to the bottom. When everything was dry, I slid the glass in place and my thrifty shadowbox was complete.

Here are pics with the glass removed so you can have a closer look. Oh, I forgot to mention — I painted tiny white clouds on the blue sky inside.

Isn’t the little bird adorable?

I love the back of the box and the little spool legs, too.

My new shadowbox barely cost a thing and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. It certainly looks right at home in my studio.

Plus, I still have four more cigar boxes. Perhaps my shadowbox will be the first one in a series . . .  Stay tuned!

Susan
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Showering the Bride-To-Be with Love

It has been a while since my last post. Sorry, April was a bit of a blur. I spent most of my free time planning and preparing for my daughter’s bridal shower.  

I worked on lots of fun projects for the event which took place in late April at The Twisted Tail in Philadelphia. We rented their Club Room that has a rustic vibe featuring two fireplaces and a chalkboard spanning the length of one wall. What a great space! 

For party guest favors, I ordered an assortment of mini succulents from The Succulent Source. Once the adorable plants arrived, I made origami boxes for them out of patterned paper in shades of blue and green. 

I then placed tiny “Let Love Grow” tags in each one and used moss as filler. Aren’t they sweet?

To keep costs down, my daughter and I did the floral arrangements ourselves. Using an array of flowers from the grocery store, we placed them in vintage blue glass mason jars gifted to us by a neighbor. We were very pleased (and a little surprised) with how well they turned out.

Another dear friend with mad cake decorating skills made the cake. Sherri does this as a hobby that began when she helped me make a birthday cake for my daughter nine years ago (shared HERE). Starting with that very first one, Sherri caught the fondant cake-making bug and has since made over 50 amazing cakes for family and friends.

With help from Sherri and her daughter (who is the maid of honor), we came up with a few fun party games.

There were questions to answer, faux engagement rings to steal, ages to guess, and more... 

I also asked each guest to fill out a card offering “Advice and Wishes for the Soon-to-be Mrs.” that I placed in a handmade album for Hannah to take home and share with her fiancé.

Speaking of her fiancé, he showed up near the end of the shower with a beautiful bouquet for his beautiful bride-to-be.

What a fun afternoon!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Susan
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Welcome to Our MV Cottage!

As you may know, John and I finally fulfilled our long held dream of owning a home on our beloved Martha’s Vineyard. It has been a year since we purchased it and I hoped to share it with you sooner. But life got it the way. So here is my first in a series of posts devoted to our little piece of MV island paradise. Let’s start with the exterior...

Our sweet little cottage built in the mid-1990s seems like a mere baby compared to our 93-year-old stone and shingle CT home. Located in the pastoral mid-island town of West Tisbury, it is part of an association with a neighborhood swimming pool and tennis courts. Nestled back from the road on just over an acre of property, our place has loads of privacy.

The home’s previous owners planted lovely flowering shrubs in the garden as well as enclosing and winterizing a screened porch. What really sold us on this house was how move-in ready it was. After doing extensive renovations to our CT cottage, we had no desire to embark on any more remodeling projects.

Our house boasts a large back deck with plenty of room for lounging, dining and grilling as well as an outdoor shower, perfect for rinsing off sand after a day at the beach. 

The view from the deck is quite serene. Our property has a little shed in one corner and backs up to conservation land. Just beyond that is the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest which has miles of hiking trails and paved bike paths.

Once we closed on our MV digs, we were happy to find that the previous owners left us an array of home decor items, one of which was an old window screen with an arched shape and shabby green paint. I decided to turn it into a welcome sign. Here’s how...

I chose a typeface on my computer, printed out the word “Welcome” and enlarged it to the proper size on my copier. Then I cut it out, spaced out the letters and taped them to the back of the screen. Using cream-colored acrylic paint and a small brush, I simply traced over the black letters. Once the paint dried, I removed the paper template — and voilà! 

I planned to hang my refurbished screen in the foyer, but there wasn’t enough room on the wall for it. I then decided to try the space above the front door. It’s a perfect fit!

It took us three months to feather our MV nest — loads of work and somewhat of a challenge to furnish a house on an island. But for me, it was truly a labor of love. In subsequent posts, I hope you’ll come along as I take you inside. 

Susan
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Tray Transformation

When I’m feeling crafty, I like to use the ancient art of decoupage as a way to inject new life into vintage objects that have seen better days. At a local thrift shop, I discovered a green metal serving tray that was just waiting to be refurbished. I realized its potential and scooped it up for a mere dollar.

The next day, I gathered materials for the project: tear sheets from old garden books, Mod Podge, an X-acto knife, a cutting board, and a collection of flower-shaped vintage buttons magnets.

After selecting various garden-themed images to use on the tray, I carefully cut them out. 

As I often do, I decided to use book pages with text as a background. I glued them in place and coated them with light beige paint to soften the black typography. 

Next, I arranged colorful wildflower drawings and black and white illustrations on top of the background, as well as the Latin names for the flowers I had chosen. When all of the elements pleased my eye, I coated the front of the tray with five layers of Mod Podge.

Now this tray is all ready to be of service in the kitchen, embellish a dresser, or grace a coffee table. And by adding six of my handmade button magnets in matching colors, it can do double-duty as a message board.

And there you have it! Of course, if you actually want to have it, you can find it for sale in my Etsy shop HERE.

Give this fun and easy decoupage project a try. If you do, be sure to let me know. I’d love to see a photo of your handiwork.

Susan
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Elevating the Classic Composition Book

A while back, I came across a charming cotton textile made in Japan by Yugyoku. Created by Kokka, it has a whimsical pattern of flowers, circles and well-dressed chicks. Isn’t it adorable?  

Since I sold several of my handmade composition book covers at West Elm’s Holiday Pop-Up Shop, I figured it was time to finally put this fabric to good use and make a few more.

How I love my new Janome sewing machine! It makes any project a breeze.

I had just enough fabric to make three covers.

Just for fun, I added a rickrack bookmark embellished with vintage buttons at the end. 

Sewing composition book covers like these are super simple. I watched a tutorial by the Craft Genie to learn how. But if you’re not into sewing and are pining away for one, you can purchase one of my creations in my Etsy shop here.

Susan
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Primer Projects

You may have noticed over the years that I adore vintage books, especially children’s primers from the 1930s to the 50s. The main attraction for me is that they are brimming with charming illustrations of kids from a time when things seemed simpler and less complicated. In my thrifting travels, I often come across primers that have seen better days; perhaps they have scribbles inside from over zealous students, or their bindings are shot from too many little hands turning their pages. However, if those books have nice covers and appealing pictures inside, you can be sure I'll take them home and find other uses for them.

When these worse for wear books have attractive covers, I turn them into spiral bound journals. Or sometimes their drawings catch my eye and spark an idea, like my altered art world globes.

This week's inspiration came in the form of a tattered primer filled with adorable drawings by Mildred Lyon Hetherington. They captured my heart, so I was determined to make something with them. I've been saving some unfinished wood frames I found a while back. Now it was time to put them to good use.

First, I covered the frames with bits of text from the book. I selected five of my favorite illustrations, mounted them on thick cardboard and placed them inside the frames. Then I added a simple word relating to each image using green letter squares that were once pieces from a vintage board game. Lastly, I decoupaged them with several coats of matte finish Mod Podge.

Perfect for a child's bedroom wall, these pictures would also be happy to grace just about any room of the house — like propped on a shelf among favorite books or tucked behind a farmhouse mixing bowl on the kitchen counter.

What a fun project! I love how they turned out. You can find them for sale in the Home Decor section of my Etsy shop HERE. 

Have a great weekend,

Susan
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Soap Powder Holder Revamp

You may have noticed that I love to collect obsolete things. And one of my favorite collections is my array of wooden soap powder holders. They can be hard to find, so whenever I come across one, I immediately snap it up.

A few weeks ago, I was trolling around eBay and found a pair that was less than stellar. Even so, I saw their potential and bid on the auction. Plain wood embellished with primitive sailboat stencils, these rustic gems were probably the handiwork of kids in wood shop class or dads tinkering in their basement workshops. Once constructed, I'll bet it became mom's job to paint them and/or apply decals to match her kitchen decor.

I thought it would be fun to do the same and give my handmade soap powder holders a paint and decal facelift.

These 1940s relics received several coats of cream paint. Then I perused my stash of vintage decals and found four large ones with vibrant poppy flowers. Once the paint was dry, I lightly distressed the surface and applied a decal on each side.

What a difference a little paint and a few pretty decals can make! I'm so pleased with my refurbished dispensers. Now they are real charmers, all ready to make their début in my Etsy shop soon.

Susan
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My Latest Artfully Up-Cycled Globe

Presenting my newest creation . . . I really love how this one turned out!

Starting with a Cram's Imperial world globe with pastel land masses, I carefully cut out images from a favorite 1940s primer. I then decoupaged the paper ephemera so it encircles the vintage globe in an interesting fashion.

The "We Are Neighbors" theme is conveyed through the oh-so-charming illustrations of friendly children, houses, picket fences and all the activity that goes on in a neighborhood.

My latest artfully up-cycled world globe has just been listed in my Etsy shop. I bet once it finds a new home, it's sure to be a conversation piece.

Susan
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Little Green Letters

Ever wonder what to do with orphaned parts from vintage board games? At estate sales, I often come across ones where there's just enough of the game missing to render it un-playable. However, I rarely pass them by if they have usable pieces that can be up-cycled into something else, like Scrabble with its little wooden squares that creative folks incorporate into mixed media art. Or these cardboard letters, below, from an old game called Dig that I found at a recent barn sale.

The game had seen better days, but I knew its letter pieces would be fun to use in crafty ways. In a nice shade of Jadeite green, several have areas that have faded to a soft brown color. Shabby perfection.

Yesterday afternoon, using red and white baker's twine thread through a large embroidery needle, I began stringing together letters to make a little message garland. Sitting at my work table with my favorite music on, this simple project was very relaxing. Fun, too.

I think the finished garland is super sweet, perfect to place across a mirror, on a wreath, or just about anywhere. When time permits, I plan to make more with different messages like Happy Holidays, Welcome, etc. Then I'll list a few in my Etsy shop to see if they are sellable.

Any ideas as to what else I should spell out? If so, please let me know . . . Thanks!

Susan

A Republic of Tea Tasting

Lately, my brew of choice (beside Susan's Blend) is green tea. So when The Republic of Tea recently contacted me asking if I'd sample a few of their premium teas, I chose to try an array of their organic green teas.

How lovely to find a package with these three varieties on my doorstep: Spice of Life Green Tea combines green tea with turmeric, ginger, cinnamon and pure honey flavor. Their Organic Dancing Leaves variety is a full-leaf loose green tea. And Double Green Matcha Tea combines organic green tea powder (matcha) with organic green leaf tea.

I really like The Republic of Tea's round, unbleached tea bags. They stack neatly in those well-designed cylindrical tins and nestle comfortably inside the teacup. For the loose tea, I used a mesh stainless steel tea ball which is perfect for brewing one cup.

I fired up my tea kettle and when it whistled its tune, the brewing began. Using a timer left over from my tea room days, I steeped each for a full three minutes. Then it was time to sip...

When brewed, each variety had a distinctive color and taste. The Spice of Life blend was complex and a bit sweet. I definitely could taste the cinnamon, turmeric and ginger. The Dancing Leaves loose tea was hardy and rich with smoky tones. And the Double Green Matcha was simpler and quite smooth.

All three teas were yummy, but I had a clear favorite: Double Green Matcha. Many thanks to The Republic of Tea for sharing!

Susan

Cabin Fever Projects

Yikes! What a winter it has been so far. It seems like we have a snow event every few days. Our last one started as snow and then changed to sleet making every surface an icy mess. When that happens, I stay put and get crafty in my studio.

Here are a few of my favorite projects, perfect for when the weather gets feisty and you have to remain indoors.

If you have an old globe that has seen better days, use it as the canvas for this worldly art project. View my tutorial at this link: Altered art globe.

Pennant banners are easy to make. All you need is a little fabric, rick-rack trim, a sewing machine and an iron. View my tutorial at this link: Itty bitty pennant banner.

Make your own tack board out of an old picture frame, vintage bark cloth, a few squares of cork and a chunk of foam core. View my tutorial at this link: Handmade tack board.

This vintage bin once stored bread and produce in the 1940s pantry. I brought mine back to life with a fresh coat of paint. View my tutorial at this link: Refurbished vegetable bin.

If you are a button collector like me, give a button bouquet a try. Then place your creation in a vintage salt shaker. View my tutorial at this link: Button bouquet.

There you go — five projects to keep you busy this winter when cabin fever sets in!

Susan

Handmade Altered Art Globe Tutorial

If you ever come across a vintage globe for sale that is no longer geographically accurate, don't pass it up. Instead, buy it! Then when you're feeling crafty, use it as the canvas for this worldly art project.

A wonderful old primer, titled We Are Neighbors, provided the images for my latest upcycled globe. But instead of cutting up the actual book, I made color copies of my favorite pages and carefuly cut them out with an X-acto knife.

With a foam brush, I used Mod Podge to coat the globe where the pictures would go.

I made sure that the images were distributed evenly around the world. That way the globe was interesting from every angle.

When all of the pictures were glued on, I applied several top coats of Mod Podge over the entire globe's surface.

I love this altered art globe! Isn't is sweet?

I hope to create more of these earthly art pieces when I find more vintage globes. In the meantime, this one can be found for sale in my booth at the SoNo Market Place.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Susan

Tack Board Tutorial

My handmade tack board is a perfect spot to display the 1940s postcards I am offering for sale in my new SoNo Market Place stall. It was super easy to make. Here's how...

I found the large oval frame at the thrift store. In my supply closet, I gathered together these materials: scissors, a roll of cork, an X-Acto knife, foam core, a can of spray mount, vintage fabric, a staple gun, brown kraft paper, double-sided tape, picture wire, and two eye hooks.

With an X-Acto knife, I cut both the foam core and cork to fit the frame. Then I glued them together with a generous coat of spray mount. 

I pulled the fabric taut, stapled it to the backside of the frame, and trimmed off the excess fabric. Using more spray mount, I glued the cork and foam core to the fabric. 

Using double-sided tape, I secured brown kraft paper to the back of the frame and added eye hooks and picture wire.

All done! Now wasn't that easy?

Susan

A "Sticky" Project

Lights, heat, telephone, internet! After last week's hurricane, we are finally up and running at our house. But enough about Sandy. Let's move on to more fun topics.

Here is a sneak peek at my latest project for Studios magazine. It's an interpretation of the window display I saw last May at Baltimore's Trohv store. (I shared their fabulous display with you in a post at this link.)

For my craft stick valance, I chose to use 6-inch tongue depressors rather than the smaller Popsicle sticks used in Trohv's windows. My article will appear in the spring 2013 issue, so I painted the sticks in five springtime fresh colors.

I shot my tutorial-style article as a series of photographs that take you through the project step by step. You can read all about it and view the pictures when the spring issue of Studios hits the newsstands, probably sometime in late February.

On a different note, it was wonderful to have electricity back in time to watch last night's election returns. I am absolutely thrilled with the outcome. Congratulations, Mr. President!

Susan

Views From a Busy Weekend

How was your weekend? Mine was busy, busy! 

I made steady progress on my Studios magazine project: 250 sticks are painted, drilled, and strung with baker's twine. This week, I'll fashion them into a wooden valence, hang them in a studio window, and photograph the result for my article.

I also sewed this little pennant banner to dress up my sign at the SoNo MarketPlace. I put it up with vintage curtain tie-back pins in the shape of flowers. Doesn't it look cute?

I even had time to begin another decoupaged altered art globe. This one will have the same "We Are Neighbors" theme as my first one, but with different images from a charming 1940s reader.

And finally, yesterday afternoon I took a break from working on all of these projects to take a bike ride with John and Hannah. We stopped at the community dock down the road from our house where I captured this lovely view.

See? I told you it was busy! And it's looking like a busy week ahead.

Susan

An Artsy Craftsy Kind of Day

We're expecting lots of rain here, making it the perfect day to hunker down in my studio and work on my next Studios magazine article. I'm putting together a version of Trohv's window display that I blogged about last month, only on a smaller scale so it is suitable for a creative work space's window. 

While it rains buckets outside today, I'll be blasting my iTunes and drilling, painting and stringing hundreds of wooden tongue depressors. This artsy craftsy project reminds me of summer camp when we'd use Popsicle sticks to make picture frames, bowls, trivets and boxes. 

When the weather is better next week, I'll hang these painted sticks from a rod in a sunny studio window creating a valence of sorts. Then I will take lots of photos and write my article so that I can hit my end-of-month deadline. Once the piece is published in the spring issue of Studios (which comes out in late winter), I'll be sure to share it with you. 

Enjoy your Friday — and have a nice weekend!

Susan

My Refurbished Vegetable Bin Revealed

To refresh your memory, here is what my vintage bin looked like before. This metal cabinet, once used to store bread and produce in the 1940s pantry, has a door that opens and shelves inside, along with a top that flips up revealing even more storage.

To begin this up-cycling endeavor, I removed the bin's handle, sanded down every surface both inside and out (wearing a high filtration mask), and wiped it down with a damp cloth to remove any remaining dust. 

I was determined to preserve the large flower basket decal on the front. To do so, I carefully coated it with a generous layer of petroleum jelly. 

Since the decal's background would be visible, I needed spray paint that was a good match to the original color. Luckily, I found some. I gave the cabinet two generous coats of paint. Once it was dry, I wiped off the petroleum jelly to reveal the decal. The technique worked perfectly!

When I styled the photos for my recent Studios article, I chose to fill the bin with supplies that a crafter might use. 

I made magnets and used them to transform the inside of the lid into a bulletin board. Then I filled the top shelf with rubber stamps and stamp pads.

Inside, I utilized vintage pottery and tins to corral a variety of art supplies. The narrow shelf on the door holds markers, colored pencils and paint brushes inside tin cans dressed up with floral fabric. The door's bottom shelf is just the right size for books and magazines. And don't forget my itty-bitty pennant banner at the bottom!

I'm very pleased with how the cabinet turned out. And I'm so happy to be able to share it with you here, and with the world in the fall 2012 issue of Studios magazine. 

Susan

My Latest Studios Magazine Article Has Been Published . . . At Last!

Remember the refurbished veggie bin article I wrote? It has finally been published! 

The fall 2012 issue of Studios magazine is chock full of inspiring craft spaces. This particular issue even has a section that is near and dear to my heart: using antiques for studio storage. My spruced up cabinet is an example of just that. 

It is always a thrill to see my name in the magazine's Table of Contents. I am also pleased that one of my photos is featured there, as well.

My article, titled "Good Green Fun," takes you step by step through several creative projects: the bin's makeover, dressing up tin cans to use for supplies, creating magnets, and sewing an easy, waterproof apron to protect your clothes from crafty messes.

I think the designers at Studios did a wonderful job of laying out the projects. The spread, below, is nicely organized and very inviting.

Now on newsstands, the magazine can also be ordered online here. I'd like to thank Studios editor Linda Blinn for giving me the opportunity to contribute. It was my first time working with Linda as she is fairly new to the position. It was a real pleasure! 

Please be sure to stop back next time when I can finally give you a closer look at my vegetable bin in all of its up-cycled glory.

Susan

My Studio’s Vintage Fabric Swatch Portraits

For your viewing pleasure . . . embroidery hoop art on the wall in my studio.

My new swatch portraits look right at home alongside the vintage tablecloths on the ladder. Plus, I love how they relate to other "circles" in that area, like the clock, paper umbrella, and saucers resting behind the aqua teacups.

What an easy and fun way to liven up this corner of my studio!

Susan

Embroidery Hoop Art Tutorial

My swatch portraits are done! They were super easy to do. If you'd like to make one, here is what you'll need:
• A wooden embroidery hoop, any size
• A fabric remnant a few inches wider than the hoop
• White fabric glue
• Fabric scissors

Here is what to do: Place the hoop on the fabric with the smaller hoop on the wrong side and the larger one on top. Pull the fabric taught with even tension all around. Tighten the brass screw on the hoop's bracket.

On the wrong side, run a small bead of glue along the inside hoop next to the fabric. Press the fabric into the glue all the way around and allow the glue to dry. Trim the excess fabric about 1/2-inch from the edge of the hoop. 

That's all there is to it! Using all nine of my thrift store hoops, I made this array of swatch portraits. Aren't they pretty? 

Some of the remnants are vintage tablecloths, others are old aprons. I even framed one of the apron's pockets. And the floral textile shown in the step-by-step photos is a cloth napkin with sentimental value. It was used for five years in my tea room!

Tomorrow, I'll show you how these new swatch portraits look hung on the wall in my studio. I hope you'll stop by!

Susan

A New Project: Fabric Swatch Portraits

Yesterday, I stopped at a local thrift store and found this array of embroidery hoops for a mere two dollars. Score!

I've always wanted to try my hand at swatch portraits. Made by using simple wooden embroidery hoops as frames for fabric, they are an easy, affordable way to highlight pretty textiles and decorate bare walls. 

Early this morning, I searched through bins of fabric stored in my studio's supply closet. In magazines and on other blogs, I mostly see swatch portraits utilizing new fabrics with repetitive patterns. I prefer vintage textiles. So I pulled out swatches from my bins with lively fruit and flowers prints, most of which are old tablecloths and aprons, considered "cutters" because of holes and stains. However, they still have plenty of usable areas making them perfect for hoop framing. 

I think this corner of my studio will be the perfect spot to hang the swatch portraits. They will relate to both the round clock and also to the vintage tablecloths displayed on the ladder in the corner. 

With the oppressive heat outside today, here's my plan for the rest of the afternoon: laying low in my air conditioned studio, cranking up the iTunes, and having fun creating fabric swatch portraits. Be sure to stop back next week when I'll share the completed project with you.

Stay cool!

Susan

Changing the World, Continued

Back in April, I wrote a post about a weathered and worn vintage globe that I rescued from Goodwill. With plans of giving it a facelift, I decided to get crafty this week and perform its transformation.

Like my globe, a 1950s primer called We Are Neighbors had seen better days. So I had no problem with taking the book apart to use its vintage illustrations in my project. I particularly liked the images of neighbors near a picket fence and all the activity that went on around it. 

I carefully cut out my favorite images with an X-acto knife. Then I dug out a jar of Mod Podge from my supply closet and the fun began — decoupaging the paper ephemera so it circled the globe in an interesting fashion.

I added words here and there to drive home the message that, around the world, we are all neighbors sharing the same home — dear old Mother Earth.

I'm so pleased with my altered art globe. How do you like it?

I hope you have a nice weekend. Looks like we're in for some sun here — at last!

Susan

Making an Itty-Bitty Pennant Banner

I could tell from your comments that many of you are anxious to see the inside of my refurbished vegetable bin. Unfortunately, I'm not able to share it with you until my Studios magazine article is published this fall. However, I can give you a peek at something I made to make the bin a little more festive — an itty-bitty pennant banner. 

Isn't it darling? Pennant banners like these are so easy to make. All you need is fabric, rick-rack trim, a sewing machine and an iron. 

At Walmart, I purchased a cotton floral mini-print and a roll of tiny rick-rack. First, I cut an isosceles triangle out of poster board to use as a pattern. It has two equal sides measuring 3.5 inches long and the top measures 3.25 inches.

Using the pattern, I cut two triangles for each pennant out of the fabric. Then with the right sides together, I machine sewed along the longer sides, leaving the top open. Next, I turned them right-side-out and ironed them flat. 

Lastly, using green thread, I machine sewed the rick-rack to the top edge of each little pennant.

And that's all there is to it! Super simple — and super charming, too.

Susan

An Easy Peasy Apron Project

I'm happy to report that I made my Studios magazine article deadline. Yay! And I'm really pleased with how my refurbished vegetable bin turned out. 

For the article's photos, I styled the bin's interior with items that a crafter/painter might use. I dressed up lowly tin cans in pretty floral fabric and filled them with supplies like markers, paint brushes and colored pencils. I turned the cabinet's flip top into a mini bulletin board by adding handmade magnets. And I lined the shelves with a flower patterned vinyl tablecloth. It looks awesome! I wish I could show you, but you'll have to wait until it appears in the fall issue of the magazine.  

As a side project, I made an apron to go along with the cabinet. After all, getting crafty usually means getting messy, as least for me. In fact, I even wear an apron if I'm having soup for lunch because I invariably splash some on my shirt.

Making this apron was super easy. I started with an inexpensive vinyl picnic tablecloth, purchased as Home Goods for $4.99. It has a colorful polka dot pattern on the front and a flannel backing. Using an old apron as a pattern, I laid out the tablecloth face down, traced the body of the apron with a marker and cut it out. Then I cut two 25-inch strips for the ties and one 22-inch strip for the neck strap. I used two packages of white double bias tape as seam binding and machine sewed it to the edge of every piece. Then I securely sewed on the ties and neck strap to the reverse side of the apron body. 

Voilà! An easy peasy apron! I think I'll have soup for lunch . . .

Susan

Literary Origami: The Folded Book

Time for a super easy project!

While browsing around Etsy, I've discovered many creative sellers who alter and recycle books. Some use their covers and repurpose them into spiral bound journals. Others transform the interior pages and fold them into cutting-edge art. I decided to give the latter a try.

I started with a small vintage book that had seen better days. On a flat surface, I opened it to its first spread and folded each of the four corners diagonally in toward the center (above left). Next, I took the following three pages and folded them in half, all together, toward the center (above right).

Alternating between these two steps, I kept going until I had folded all of the pages in the book.

All done! Doesn't it look like a paper lantern? Pretty cool! This altered book can lay flat, stand upright on its own, or be hung on the wall using a metal plate hanger. 

Here's a variation on a theme. I opened up to the first spread with the folded corners, and unfolded the upper right and lower left folds so that they would stick out. 

I did this to every diagonally folded spread, leaving the three-page sections alone.

When complete, this version's pages have a sculptural twist.

So simple! And there are so many folding possibilities. To see inspiring examples from Etsy sellers that are much more complex than my first attempt, click here.

How fun to take a book that was ready for the discard pile and transform it into literary origami. Give it a try!

Susan
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All Buttoned Up

Once upon a time, I acquired a lot of 25 vintage Japan salt shakers. I bought them because I knew they could become "vases" for my handmade button bouquets.

Little by little, when I was feeling crafty, I created a bouquet for each tiny shaker and listed it in my Etsy shop. Now there is only one left! 

I saved my favorite one, a salt shaker with colorful flowers, for last. It holds a button bouquet made to match in vibrant hues.

Gone but not forgotten, the three arrangements, below, sold last month. One shaker had a tiny landscape with a cottage painted on it in muted tones.

This shaker had a rather unusual design with a seagull flying over the waves and a yellow, black and orange color scheme.

I'm partial to the color aqua, so I particularly like the bouquet I put together for this windmill embellished shaker.

If you're like me and have a large stash of buttons, try making a button bouquet. You'll find a T-Party tutorial here. If you make one, or come up with other ways to up-cycle vintage buttons, please email me a photo and I'll share your creation in a T-Cozy post.

Susan

Cut, Fold and Paste

Feel like getting crafty with your kids this Halloween? If so, here are some ideas from The Home Educator, a 1931 book for sale in my Etsy shop. Along with good advice about raising happy and healthy children, this fabulous vintage book offers instruction for handmade toys and holiday-related art projects.

Love these simple, low-tech projects! Happy Halloween!

Susan

Bloom Where You're Seated

As we approach mid-August, my antique chair-turned-planter is just about in its glory. Have a look . . .

Located on my shady front stoop, I usually fill this piece with predictable Impatiens or Pansies, as shown in summers past, below. 

This season, I was slightly more adventurous and potted it up a little differently. Even though the Coleus has taken over, I'm happy with the result. 

Hankering for a project this weekend? If you'd like to make a chair planter of your own, check out my tutorial here.

Enjoy!

Susan

Patriotic Projects: No Batteries Required

Feel like getting crafty with your kids this holiday weekend? If so, here is a page from The Home Educator, a 1924 book that sold a while back in my Etsy shop. Along with good advice about raising happy and healthy children, it offered instruction for handmade toys and holiday-related art projects.

Does anyone still fashion hats out of newspaper? I remember making them as a kid. Can't say that I ever made my own epaulets however, or any of these other "patriotic devices."

Once upon a time, when children wanted a costume for a special event, parents had to be industrious. After all, they couldn't just hop in the car and head to the nearest Party City store. Instead, they rounded up the kids, and together they made what was needed out of paper or other household items. Simple, good, clean, crafty fun. No touch screens, remote controllers, or batteries required.

Wishing you a terrifically low-tech holiday weekend!

Susan

Keeping the Kids Happy and Busy in 1924

In my travels, I came across a most charming book. Titled The Home Educator, this tome is brimming with comprehensive information about the education of children in the home. Filled with tips and advice for raising happy, creative children, it also is chock full of stunning illustrations and awesome low-tech art projects. 

Published in 1924 by W.F. Quarrie & Company of Chicago, this relic is divided into five sections: Foundation Stones, Infancy, Early Childhood, Later Childhood, and School Days. It has some lovely full-page color drawings, like the one above. 

Throughout its 384 pages are hundreds of beautiful black and white illustrations. In addition, this book has numerous diagrams for handmade toys and holiday-related art projects. Here is a sample project page, below.

Even though it is over 80 years old, I think this book could still be a useful resource for teachers or home-schooling moms. I wish I would have had it when my children were little. How handy it would have been when we needed something fun to do on a rainy day like today.

I am so fond of this book that I plan to share lots more of it with you in the coming months.

Have a nice holiday weekend!

Susan

The Well-Dressed Pillow

We had yet another snow day last Friday. There is something about being cooped up in the house that brings out my crafty side. As the white stuff fell outside my studio window, I finally decided what to do with the overalls that Andrea embroidered for me back in 1978.

I combined my overalls, a pillow form, and a remaining yard of floral fabric that I found on Martha's Vineyard last summer. 

First I sewed up a simple envelope-back cover for the pillow form. Then, I took my scissors to the overalls. I was nervous about cutting them up, but the chance of me ever wearing them again was rather slim. (I'll never be as thin as I was back in college. Plus, overalls on someone over 50 might look a bit foolish.)

I bravely cut the overalls along the front and back seam just below the waist. Then I sewed the two sides together at the bottom. Now it was all ready to slide over the new pillow.

And there you have it --- a whimsical and well dressed pillow! Super-easy to make, I'm pleased with how it turned out. It's silly and fun, don't you think?

Now this wacky creation sits on the wicker chair in my studio where I can enjoy it daily.

When I wrote about my vintage overalls last month, I asked for your suggestions on what to make out of them. Thank you to those who offered your thoughts. And I so appreciate the information I received in my last post about how linens, both vintage and new, are tinted using ordinary crayons. I had no idea that's how it's done! Many thanks to those who shared their knowledge on this topic.

Susan

A Final Look at The Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book

Time for one last peek at The Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book by Camille Sokol, with pictures by Bill Sokol. This out-of-print charmer from 1964 is useful for teaching children basic sewing skills.

A couple of months ago, I sold this vintage book in my Etsy shop and it went off to Paris, France. (Lucky book!) But before I sent it out, I made sure to scan a couple more projects to share with you. The first one is for an apron.

And here are instructions for making a pin cushion or doll pillow.

This last spread encourages the new sewer to create a sewing box.

If you'd like more views of this book, you can visit a couple of my previous posts. Click here for spreads which guide you through the materials you'll need, sewing hints, and instructions for basic skills. To view a simple scarf project, click here. I hope you'll share these projects with your kids, grandchildren, or any youngster who wants to learn how to sew.

The very last page of The Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book has the sweetest drawing of the author, artist, and their daughters Kathy and Randy. It has been 46 years since this book was published. I wonder if Kathy and Randy have shared their parent's charming book with their own children and taught them to sew, too.

Susan

Decorating with Meyercord Decals

I am an avid collector of kitchenware from the 1930's, 40's and 50's.
And as I look around at all of my vintage canisters, napkins holders, bread boxes and such, I notice that several of them are embellished with old transfer decorations called decals. Some have patterns that are lithographed or painted on. But my favorite pieces sport cheerful decals that were applied by housewives over 50 years ago. When I recently acquired a large lot of original Meyercord decals in perfect condition, I was so excited. Now I could try my hand at transforming a few household items. And you can, too, as I'll be listing these decals in my Etsy shop by week's end.

But first, I decided to give a sample sheet of decals a try. I rounded up an old wooden corner shelf and a miniature display stool. Both were devoid of decoration, perfect for a little decal experimentation.

I chose to use a sheet of rose decals. Since there are eight separate images on the sheet, I needed to cut the designs apart. All you need is water to apply these vintage decals, so I had a container of warm water on hand. I dipped the first decal in and let it soak for 20 seconds. Once it started to release from its backing paper, I took it out and set it aside for a minute. Then it was ready to apply.

I started with the corner shelf and placed each rose decal in position, gently smoothing them out with a soft cloth.

Next I moved on to the little stool where I decided to use two larger decals together. Once all of the decals were applied, I let them dry for a few minutes. Then my decal divas were done!

How easy was that? Plus, it was super quick, only taking a couple of minutes to complete each piece.

Just look at how much vintage charm these decals added. So sweet! (These pieces are for sale in my Etsy shop here.)

 

Back in the day, ladies had hundreds of decal designs to choose from, in loads of styles, colors and sizes. They used them on kitchen cabinets, glassware, canisters, bread boxes, bathroom walls, dinette sets, nursery furniture---you name it. In two short minutes, these decals added color, charm and beauty to their rooms.

What fun to be able to give these original 1940's decals a try.

Susan

A Picturesque Project: My New Tack Board

What do you get when you combine an old picture frame with a bark cloth remnant, a few squares of cork, and a chunk of foam core? You get a handmade one-of-a-kind tack board! I've been wanting to put this wooden frame, below,  to good use for some time now. And I've also been saving a fabulous piece of vintage bark cloth for just the right project. When I came across a new book called One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, I found simple instructions for a useful addition to my studio.

I began with this large vintage picture frame which was given to me a few years ago by a generous T-Party patron. It was already painted a perfect shade of aqua. I found the Asian-inspired 1940's bark cloth remnant at the neighborhood estate sale I went to in October.

I headed over to Staples and purchased a pack of four cork bulletin board tiles. I pieced them together and used spray adhesive to attach them securely to a scrap piece of foam core left over from my kids' science fair projects. Then I trimmed the foam core so it was a bit larger than the frame's opening.

I ironed on fusible interfacing to the back of the bark cloth to reinforce it. Next, using a staple gun, I carefully stretched and stapled the bark cloth to the underside of the picture frame. Lastly, I attached the cork-covered foam core to the backside of the frame using heavy duty duct tape.

And there you have it! Isn't it fun? This board will be so handy for tacking up notes and bits of inspiration in my studio. And it will be pretty to have around even when I don't have anything pinned to it. You can't say that for most bulletin boards.

This picturesque project was super easy. And what a great way to repurposed a vintage frame and fabric.

Susan

Preserving the Last Blooms of Summer

Say goodbye to summer!  Although tomorrow marks the first official day of autumn, one of my recent finds will help to preserve what's left of summer's beautiful blossoms.

This clever contraption is a vintage flower press. They are fairly easy to construct and I'm sure this one was hand crafted by someone. I love the painted flowers on the top.

Inside, there are still a few pressed flowers from its previous owner. I bought this piece with the intention of reselling it, but I may try my hand at pressing some of the flowers from my garden first.

If you'd like to construct a flower press like my vintage one, I found some easy directions at a blog called Crafty Daisies here.

Even if you don't have a flower press, you can achieve the same result with a few heavy books. Here's how: Simply gather the plant material you'd like to press. Almost any flower, herb, or leaf can be pressed to preserve its beauty. Make sure there are no overlapping petals or leaves within the flower; if there is an obstructive stem or leaf, remove it from the plant. Lay out a piece of cardboard, then a sheet of wax or acid free paper. Next arrange your blooms and carefully cover them with another sheet of paper. You can continue this process, one layer on top of the other, until all your flowers are prepared. Finish off the stack with another piece of cardboard and lay several heavy books on top. Allow the flowers to press for two weeks before checking to make sure they are completely dry. Then you can frame them, use them in scrap booking projects, and make bookmarks or greeting cards with them.

Now I'm off to my garden to enjoy this last day of summer and to collect some blooms for pressing.

Susan

Revisiting the Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book

Time for another look at The Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book by Camille Sokol. I promised to share some of its easy sewing projects with you.

The first project is a scarf. This book is from 1964 and, at the tender age of six, I remember wearing little scarves like this.

 

If needed, you can view pages 12 and 13, the spread about about measuring your cloth, in my previous post here.

 

That's lesson #1! Feel free to share it with your kids, grandchildren, or anyone who wants to learn sewing basics. I'll share this book's other sewing projects for a simple pocketbook, apron, and pin cushion in posts to come.

Susan

A T-Cozy Show & Tell

Every now and then I like to present some T-Party Tutorials. I love it when I receive emails from those who have tried a project of two. Here are a few nice folks who have been kind enough to share their terrific tutorial results with me.

 

Christine, one of my favorite local customers, read about cropping photos in my Photography 101 series. In her bird feeder before and after photos, she shows us what a little bit of cropping can do. Don't you think the after photo has much more impact than the original on the left? Great job Christine! To read more about cropping pictures, click here.

 

Like me, Lorraine, of the blog LP Vintage, is a vintage button enthusiast. She was so inspired by my button bouquet tutorial, she decided to create some of her own. What a beautiful bouquet! I just love her button combinations. To view my button bouquet tutorial, click here.

 

My niece, Hilary, is pretty handy. When she saw my no sew throw, she decided to create one for her friend's new baby. She referred back to my tutorial and made the sweetest baby blanket. Isn't it adorable? I love how she combined the animal print fleece on the front with the cloud pattern on the back. Looks mighty cozy! As the weather turns cooler, maybe you'd like to give one of these easy blankets a try. Click here for my no sew throw tutorial.

Thanks to Christine, Lorraine and Hilary for sharing their creations!

It's always fun to try new things. And today, I'll be doing just that. I'm going to a portrait painting class this morning. Though I have a bachelor of fine arts degree, painting is one area I have very little experience in. Wish me luck!

Susan

Learning to Sew, Circa 1964

A favorite spot in my studio is this little sewing corner. I like to sew. Do you?

I picked up most of my sewing skills from my mother who was a fabulous sewer. When she and my dad first came to the U.S. in 1950, she worked as a seamstress for a while. As a toddler in the early 60's, I remember all sorts of ladies coming by our house for fittings. I loved to watch as my mom marked their hems and pinned their alterations. Then she's head down to her sewing area in our basement to work her magic. She also made lovely dresses for my sister and me. What fun it was to go to the Woolworth, sit on the high stools and look through the pattern books. But these days, sewing is becoming a bit of a lost art. Where I live, most of the fabric stores have closed and it's difficult to find notions and patterns anymore.

I'd like to share a charming old book of mine that is a good starting point for kids (or anyone actually) interested in developing some very basic sewing skills. It's called The Lucky Sew-it-yourself Book by Camille Sokol with pictures by her husband Bill Sokol. This darling book from 1964 shows how to make simple items like a scarf, pocketbook, apron, pin cushion or doll pillow.

The first few spreads guide you through the materials you'll need along with sewing hints and instructions for basic skills.

Isn't it wonderful? Feel free to share it with your kids, grandchildren, or anyone interested in learning to sew. And be sure to stop back again. I'll share this book's sewing projects with you in future posts.

Susan

Photography 101: Retouching Adventures

Did you know that every photo on my blog has been tweaked? Yep, every single one! I'm never entirely satisfied with a photo until I've done a bit of creative retouching. To do that, I use photo editing software. Most digital cameras come with their own editing program, but I prefer Adobe Photoshop.

Although it's a powerful application that can perform complex retouching, I'm a Photoshop novice so I use it for very basic things like improving color balance, saturation and sharpness. Sometimes I need to clean up spots and imperfections. Often my pictures need a little more contrast and brightness. And I especially like the burn and dodge tool as it reminds me of my college days developing prints in the darkroom. Photoshop lets me do all of these improvements easily.

To enhance my image, I go in and noodle with the saturation, contrast and brightness. Photoshop has a tool called "Curves" which will adjust many of these elements all at once. I play around and have some fun until my photo looks just right to me. Then the very last thing I do when retouching is to apply the "Unsharp Mask" filter which creates the illusion of a more focused image.

I do what I can to enrich a photo's best aspects. My ultimate goal is to capture the feeling of the original subject.

Even if you don't have Photoshop, your photo editing software should allow you to perform most of these basic functions. Just be sure to work on a duplicate of your original shot. There's no need to be afraid to play around with retouching. It really can be fun.

Have you enjoyed my Photography 101 series? I do hope it has inspired you to make your digital photos all they can be.

Susan

Photography 101: Cropping

Back when I took photography in college, we were taught to shoot full frame. Now with digital photography, there is no need to accept the image as it comes out of the camera. Most pictures benefit from a little cropping which can improve their composition and impact.

 

This shot was taken at a farm stand near where we stay on Martha's Vineyard. I love this picture, but I wanted to keep the tractor and lose the white pick-up truck on the right.

 

 

Here's the cropped image. Much improved, don't you think?

 

 

To me, cropping is fun. Once I've downloaded my photos to my computer,  I sort through them and select my favorites. Then I crop away. Most often, I crop my photos into squares because it's the shape I find most pleasing. I think the square preference stems back to my love of the Hasselblad camera I once used in college. (By the way -- squares also works best for listings on Esty.)

 

Here is another photograph from the Vineyard. It was taken last year at the farmers market.

 

 

Great flowers, but I how did that person's foot get into the picture? Gotta lose that shoe!

Ah, much better!

Cropping gives me a second chance to better frame the photo's subject. In my photo editing software, I can center an image or cut out distracting parts of the background. A vertical shot can become a horizontal. The cropping possibilities are vast, so take your time and enjoy the options. Just be sure to always crop on a duplicate of your original shot.

These two Martha's Vineyard pictures have helped to get me in a Vinyard state of mind. I've been thinking about the island a lot lately as we'll be leaving for our annual trip there later in the week. I can't wait! So tomorrow will be my last installment in this Photography 101 series. I've saved the best for last; photo retouching.

Susan

Photography 101: Don't Be Flashy

Today, it's time to get back to my week-long photography series for bloggers and other camera enthusiasts.

One of the most important tips I can share with you is about flash photography. And that advice is to never, ever use a flash. OK, maybe "never" is an exaggeration. You may need a flash if you are taking photos outside of fidgety kids in the darkest of night! Let's just say that I prefer not to use a flash because it creates two problems; washed out images and harsh shadows.

Here are some examples I snapped in my studio this morning to illustrate my point. The pictures on the left were shot without a flash; the ones on the right were shot with the flash on.

Can you see what I mean?

If possible, I try to use natural light. When inside, I open the window shades and turn on lots of extra lights. But remember; without a flash to help stop any movement, it's that much more important to use a tripod and timer to keep the camera as still as can be.

Tomorrow, I'll talk about cropping.

Susan

Photography 101: Timing is Everything

When time permits, remember to use your camera's timer. Whether your camera is set up on a tripod or you are composing a hand-held shot, the timer will help eliminate camera movement that can result from manually pressing the shutter button. Most cameras have at least two timer settings; a longer one which is useful for when you need extra time to get into the picture yourself, and a short 2-second one. I use the latter most often when I'm at home photographing still objects or rooms.

When I'm out shooting, even if I don't have my tripod along I still use my camera's timer whenever possible. I've become an expert at finding places to set my camera down; park benches, stone walls, fire hydrants. Whatever is handy. Almost every photo I took on our honeymoon back in 1988 had both John and me in the picture. I found places to perch the camera with the timer on all over Quebec City! In this picture of us from that trip, my camera was balanced on a railing along the St. Lawrence River's Samuel de Champlain Boardwalk. Good thing it wasn't a windy day!

Tune in next time for my thoughts on flash photography.

Susan

Photography 101: My Trusty Tripod

I rely on my tripod to help me produce sharp, jiggle-free pictures. When I'm at home photographing still objects or rooms settings, I always use a tripod. Then I have no worries about shaking the camera. I've learned that rescuing a photo that is blurry due to camera movement is next to impossible.

If you are out and about, it may not be practical to set up a tripod. That's when you'll need to point and shoot. Be sure to keep the camera as steady as possible. While shooting, you are more likely to move the camera when holding it away from you and framing your picture within the LCD screen. To keep my camera from shaking when I press down on the shutter button, I look through the camera the old fashioned way, through the view finder. Having the camera resting against your face will keep it steadier. Just remember to hold your breath while releasing the shutter.

If you don't have a tripod, it's worth investing in one. Used in conjunction with your camera's timer, a tripod will enable you to join the picture, perfect for when you want to be a part of family group photos.

Although it may seem easier and certainly quicker to grab your camera and start shooting, it really is worth taking the extra time to set it up on a tripod. Just don't forget to use your camera's timer, too. I'll talk more about timers in my next post.

Susan

Photography 101: Have Digital Camera, Will Travel

I love my digital camera. I take it wherever I go. My constant companion is a very basic point-and-shoot Pentax that I got for free by cashing in credit card points. Though it's a bit dinged up, it has served me well for the past six years. It would be nice to have a fancy SLR one someday, but they are a bit pricey. I prefer "free," so I'll wait until I have more points to cash in on my credit card!

What I like most about my camera is how small it is --- about the size of an Altoid tin. My Pentax fits easily in my purse without adding a lot of extra weight. I try to always have it with me in case I pass a great shot begging to be captured.

Once I do start shooting, I take lots and lots of pictures. The beauty of digital photography is that you'll never run out of film. And you shouldn't run out of memory either, as long as you have an extra memory card in your camera. However, your camera shouldn't be confused with a photo album. It's not meant to hold all of the photos you've ever taken. Once I'm at at my computer, I download my photos to my hard drive and delete them from the memory card.

To keep my photos organized, I create a new folder on my desktop for each set of photos so I can easily find them again. I also back up my photos on a portable flash drive in case my hard drive ever crashes. I take that handy flash drive over to my local pharmacy whenever I want paper reprints for family or friends. (Or you can order prints online. But I prefer to sit at the fun photo machine and do them myself. Then I can crop and enhance them as I go.)

Lastly, remember to charge your camera's battery often. I charge mine every evening so I'll never run out of battery power.

Tomorrow, I'll discuss my good friend, the tripod.

Susan

Photography 101

I've always enjoyed photography. I even minored in it in college. Back then, I spent many hours in the darkroom perfecting my black and white printing skills. These images are from my college days.

For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of blogging is how it has allowed me to get back into photography. In this age of digital cameras, some of my former darkroom skills are no longer needed. But the basic principals of cropping photos still come in handy as well as keeping an eye tuned to what makes an interesting picture. Having been a graphic designer for over two decades helps, too!

The last two years of blogging have made me a lot more comfortable taking digital photographs. I've even honed a few new skills and techniques. So I thought it would be fun to share them with you in a series of posts over the next week or so. I am by no means an expert, but I do like to pass along useful information. And if you happen to put these tips into practice, please let me know. For those of you who blog, I'd love to see any before and after photos that have been influenced by this upcoming series. I'll even post a list with links back to your posts so everyone can view your pretty pictures and we can have a little art show.

Susan

Baking Scones the T-Party Way

I just finished baking scones for the Rowayton Library tea I am hosting at 2 p.m. today. I used the T-Party tried and true recipe which always seems to produce scones with a wonderfully delicate, flaky texture. I decided to make wild blueberry scones as they were always a favorite at my former tea room.

Although I don’t ever share that scone recipe (sorry!), I am happy to offer some advice on how to achieve the perfect scone.

The key is to be sure to use very cold butter and very cold Half & Half. And most important --- DON’T OVERWORK THE DOUGH! Remember, a light hand is needed.

Use dried fruit, if possible, as fresh fruit may make your scones soggy. And it's also a good idea to line your baking sheets with easy release non-stick aluminum foil.

These yummy scones will be served with strawberry preserves and authentic clotted cream imported from England. Now I better take some time to review my notes for the little tea talk I'll be giving that will accompany these delectable treats.

Susan

Elevating the Lowly Lunch Box

This past week, I rescued a black metal dome lunch box from the thrift store. I saw its hidden potential, especially since I grew up in the 1960's and 70's when plain lunch boxes like these were often transformed into decoupage masterpieces.

A classic construction worker style with room in the top for a large thermos, my $4.00 find is nice and clean; it barely seems to have been used at all. I decided to try my hand at transforming this lowly lunch box, so I pulled out a very unusual item I've been saving for just such an occasion.

Did you know that back in the 1950's, they manufactured draperies for the home out of paper? Seriously. This lovely flower and leaf pattern is a paper curtain panel, complete with a sewn-in rod pocket! The design is very bark-cloth-esque and it's perfect for decoupage.

So I began cutting, pasting, slapping on some polyurethane, and embellishing my masterpiece with scroll braid trim. Voilà! My secondhand lunch box has gone from boring to beautiful.

That was fun! It's good to get crafty every now and then.

(This post is linked to Kimba's DIY Day at A Soft Place to Land. Check it out!)

Susan