I made a smock and participated in a swap

I made this smock top using some cute pond print fabric that I had bought for a project a few years ago, but never did anything with. My friend Alison sent me the link to the pattern - www.flickr.com/photos/suzdeth/tags/tutorial/. I changed it slightly by using vintage lace from a doily for the neck and straps instead of fabric. The project was for the Wardrobe Refashion pledge that I took. Below is a close up of the fabric which has lilies and lily pads, yellow and pink flowers and butterflies.



I also just joined the group - Use What You Have which promotes using the supplies that you already have stashed away for crafts and sewing, rather than going out and buying new supplies. I just participated in my first ever swap through that group, which was really fun. The color theme was pink, which was really easy because I had alot of pink stuff. You're given a swap-mate and you check out their interest and find things that you have, that they might like. The idea is to pass on things that you aren't using to someone else who might be able to use them. Now I'm waiting for my swap to arrive!

Painting the kitchen

My weekend project is painting the kitchen in the efficiency cottage at the Summer rental. This building started out as a little boathouse, built around 1906, just a shed really. But at some point it was very roughly turned into living quarters, probably in the 1950s. The interior walls are all that old punkboard which is warped and crooked and it has thin strips of wood tacked along the seams, in all odd patterns, not nicely measured. My parents bought the house and the efficiency in 1982 and although we've done some remodeling in the main house over the years, the only thing that we've ever done in the efficiency is to put up panelling in the livingroom about 5 years ago. The bath and kitchen still have the old cabinets and sinks from the 50s. When we bought the property, the lady who we bought the house from was living in the cottage and she requested to be allowed to live there for the rest of her life. She was born in the town and wanted to stay there. She lived here for several years, and after she had to go live in a nursing home, we rented out the cottage for several seasons.

So it's only been within the past 5 years that we started using the cottage ourselves and doing some work in it. I did paint the cabinets green about 5 years ago, but they need refreshening now with a nice fresh coat of white paint, and for the walls I used my favorite color again 'Home Restoration Tea Room Cream'. Alot of the kitchen collection that was once displayed in my house (during my brief time as a home owner) is now displayed in this kitchen. I'm working on a section of the room at a time, rather than tear it all up at once. I took all the decor down in one section and painted the walls, ceiling, counter and cabinets, and then put all the decor back, and then moved onto the next section.

Here are some snaps of my collectibles (also known as clutter) above the fridge

A window with some vintage green dishes hanging above it to cover some very bad paneling seaming, and the corner cupboard. Yes, there is a cedar chest in the kitchen. I bought a cot to sleep on, and I had to put the cedar chest in the kitchen to make room for the cot. The 2nd photo is a closer snap of the cupboard and a few little craft things that I made. I hung old cookie cutters with green handles on the wall here. They are hanging between 2 odd strips of wood that are on this wall.

One last photo of the finished half of the kitchen. It has a wide door that leads into the sleep-in livingroom. I hung a lace panel down each side of the door. The throw rug covers the heater which hasn't worked in about 5 years. I'm only here in the Summer, so it's not bad without heat really, and I have a small space heater to use, just in case.

The other side of the room are shelves and cabinets over the sink and stove, and that is next weekend's project.

First projects for Wardrobe Refashion & Victorian Clothing display

So, you may have read here earlier that I pledged 4 months for the Wardrobe Refashion project (no buying new clothing, only make or recycle from what you already have) So I started off with 2 small projects, some t-shirts that no longer fit me (they shrunk, I got bigger) First is a red tee with a cherub. I cut off the neck and sleeves on the red tee and I used part of a white tee (that had stains) to lengthen the bottom and then I added white pieces on the sides to make it wider.
On the mermaid tee, I took the front and then made sleeves and a back for the mermaid from a pair of striped pajama bottoms that no longer fit me. They'll be nice and casual for the Summer.



In my parent's old house, they had a finished basement that displayed all of their collections. But since we moved into a smaller house with no basement, we lost all that area. So the plan was to build the new garage for my Dad's cars, and use the garage attached to the house as a display area for all of the things that use to be displayed in the basement of the old house. Now the new garage is done and we are finally able to unpack the things that have been boxed up for a year since we moved (it has been exactly a year, we started moving the day after memorial day last year) So here are a few photos of some pieces from my Mom's collection of Victorian clothing and children's clothing. These are just some quick photos, I'll have to do some detailed photos later. The wardrobe came from a houseclenaout and is great for displaying with two areas for hanging items and several drawers. This will be set up like this all the time to show off the items. Click those tiny images for larger views!
Below is another shot of the wardrobe and a few Victorian bodices. Next are some snaps of a favorite piece that my Mom bought 20 years ago at a car show. I shoed pictures of this gown once before, several years ago. It's a 1900s mesh gown with fabulous lace, beading and strips of velvet. Not in the greatest condition, the silk lining has shreaded and fallen out of it and the velvet is yellowed and a little tattered in areas. I have a 1940s slip under it, which shows along the neckline in the close-up, so ignore that. I stuffed my little mannequin's boobs and behind to give her more of the proper lady shape for the style of dress.