Top to Bolero Remake

So, about a month ago, I was sifting through the racks at Value Village and came across this really pretty top.

I fell completely in love with the pattern in the sheer fabric . . .

And the beautiful lace lining the neck . . .

BUT, there was one small problem.

I may have lost almost 20 lbs since Christmas but this shirt needed another 10 to fit. 


Still, i had this crazy idea I could do something with it.  I hummed and hawed.  I thought about all the unfinished and backed up projects I had stacking up and thought about how I really didn't need another one did I? But ooooh the print . . .  sooo pretty . . .   the lace . . . sooo pretty. . . but cut it up without knowing if it will work? For $7.99?  And will I even get a chance to work on it?!

Sadly I ended up putting it back on the shelf.  For $7.99 I just couldn't bring myself to cut into it not knowing.

Forwards a couple weeks and I get news of a 50% off day at Value Villiage!  This is a golden day for pro thrifters. I gather up a bag of toys and a big packed lunch and my toddler and spend a few hours going through the racks. Lo and behold there it was! Still waiting for someone to take it home.

Well,  now it was only $4?  I said fine! BUT, only on the grounds that I work on it right away.

So I snatched it up and took it home and started by cutting off the white bottom.

Still didn't hang right so I also removed the elastic that was added around it.


Then I decided it still needed a little something but what?

Digging around for something I came across some lovely peach satin ribbon that had been intended for a baby blanket that never got used. (The ribbon, not the blanket.)

Pinned and sewed and here is what I ended up with . . .

A very sweet and light bolero style shrug.

My god this is a terrible picture *hides*

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out given I was really wingin' it.    I might still go back and round out the corners of the ribbon but we'll see.  Now I just need some nice warm weather so I can wear it!

Do any up-cycling or clothing mods yourself lately? 



Till next time, keep crafty!


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Things and Stuff

So, you know,  I'm a terrible blogger.

You may have noticed.   I'm terrible at consistency.

I really admire bloggers like Susan at Food Allergy Chronicles who find  make time to blog multiple times a week.  And then there are the superheros of blogging like  Carla at My Half Dozen Daily who blog multiple times every day!!!  Meanwhile I struggle to find a time to sit down and do one measly post every other week.

I find myself often having to choose between clean, craft, or rest when I find my little moments of, hey he's quiet and playing by himself and I can get something done!"  But more often than not, cleaning gets the vote.  And when craft finally does happen, I never find the time to talk about it.  (Or at least organize my photos to show you what I did! )

I really appreciate those of you who stick around even though my updates are few and far between.

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So,  I finally found an hour to myself this morning and got my photos half way there.   Little Badger has starter sleeping through the night again and . . .  ah crud. . . speak of the devil. . .  back in a few. . .

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*cough*  Ok, so,  now that he's napping, where was I?   Right, so he's been sleeping better at night so I'm hoping things will be able to pick up again.  If I can get a quiet hour to . . .  *sigh*  Badger is waking. . .  back in a bit. . .

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Right, and hour to myself first thing every morning maybe I can put that to good blogging use.  

But for today I would like to share with you something that was meant to be shared BEFORE Easter. Ah well. 

A few weeks before Easter my Hubby went to a local butcher shop and apparently they were selling some hand made wooden eggs that were beautifully painted and lacquered. 

One for each of us!   The purple is for me.  The blue is for Badger and the Black is my hubby's.   It was so sweet and excitedly I told him I would make something pretty to display them in!

So I raided my "random craft supplies" baskets and. . .  oh god. . . that. . . that's terrible. . .  be right back (diaper duty) . . .

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Ok,  back.  *shudders*  So, eggs, random stuff, grabbed me a pile and. . .

Thought to myself ok, what can I do with this?  

See that lace? 

That beautiful lace on my lovely lace organizing card was hand made by my hubby's great grandmother.  So not only are the eggs a part of the family now, so the nest I made will have a touch of history to it.

So,  aaaand he's hungry. . . . . 

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Ok.  So, eggs, stuff, lace, nest. . .  NEST! 

Yes, I made a nest for the lovely eggs. 

 I started with a pile of moss glue gunned down to a cardboard round I cut out to the size of the vine wreath I'll be using.  

Theeeeeen. . . I missed a few steps in pictures as I got carried away in the project.  But a few feathers here and there, some fake flowers tucked in.

Some small glass pearls and bits of copper wire. . .

And there we have it.

One lovely lacy, feather nest.   Not too shabby for a first I think.   Wonder if I should make more of these.   Though if you want to see some absolutely lovely delicate lacy creations head over and say hi to Karen at Todolwen.   Her little bits of lace, tarnish, and sparkle are just amazing!

Aside from that, Easter came and went.  We had a lovely time with family eating good food and enjoying good company.   And we even had a visit from the Easter bunny! 

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Yes, I decided to give you a look into a part of my "day in the life of attempting to blog".   Maybe next time will go smoother? ;) Linked up:






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