Ruffle Upcycle

I have been dying to make a ruffle tank ever since I found the Tea Rose Home blog. I took two of my old maternity shirts and UpCycled them to something I can wear now (post-maternity). Here's what I started with:
I sized the tank down by taking about an inch off the straps and 2 inches off each side. I cut up a pink knit maternity top into strips and made good use of my ruffle foot. Grabbed some old lace out of my stash....

and viola!

I LOVE RUFFLES!

Blue Jean Purse - Before & After

My Little Man had a pair of jeans that never quite fit him right.  I put the jeans in the "donate" bag, but then realized that I could use upcycle them into something!   My niece's 4th birthday was coming up and I wanted to make her a new purse to tote around her stuff!


There are a lot of "Blue Jean Upcycle" tutorials out there, but I ended up using my own creativity to come up with her purse.  The best part:  I used all scrap material to line the purse and make the belt!  I added a removable ruffle flower brooch for some extra pizazz.  YAY for cheap!

Diaper Bag Makeover: Ruffle Style

I got a new toy last weekend:  A Ruffler Foot!  Ever since then, I've been day dreaming about everything I can add a ruffle to! Ruffles and ruffle flowers are turning up all over the place.

I recently received a free diaper bag from my employer's maternity program.  A very roomy and sturdy bag....Thank you very much, boss man!  The "Nurture" Program actually claimed that the generic look of the bag was a desired feature (I guess for the sake of those Dads out there)!  Well, it was my first ruffle victim:
 

I ruffled some "haute" pink knit and got out my glue gun.....and voila!  Extra girly diaper bag for my very own girly girl due any day now!

It is pretty pitiful how excited I get about crafty stuff.   Most women yearn for Jimmy Choo or Louis Vitton.  I yearn for craft stuff.  Ha!

Project Complete: Stash-Busting Granny Squares

It feels so good to cross things off of my To Do list!  Theses Granny Squares have been in my crochet basket for a long time!  I finally decided what to do with them.  I made a small blanket for my very own little bundle of joy that is due in April. 

I only had a handful of squares, and I had very little ambition to make any more!  Blame it on the baby brain or the brain cells I lost in college, but I couldn't remember how to put the squares together.  Luckily, Lucy from Attic24 had some instructions on her site.  She is a go-to-girl for all things crochet...even though she lives across the pond.  She was even the inspiration for the colorful yarn in my stash!  Thanks, Lucy!


This little blanket will be the perfect thing to throw over our baby girl's infant carrier during the cooler spring weather.  In a couple of years, she will be able to use it to keep her dolls warm when they nap. 

Christmas Wreath: Before and After

Do you see my little helper peaking through the door??

When we first got married, I bought this wreath with good intentions of putting more than a bow on it.  Six years later, it still only had a lonely bow.  The bow isn't even a pretty.  I can't make a bow to save my life. 
 
This wreath needed a makeover!

We retired some our $2.50/dozen Christmas ball ornaments from 2004. We decided that we had gotten our monies worth out of them (on the tree at least!).  They were cheap and had lost their luster. 

I decided they would be perfect for wreath!


Ta- da!