Thrift Pants

A few months ago I was at my local Salvation Army and picked up a pair of size 21 pants. They are corduroy and I thought - I'll try to make a new pair of pants out of them or a skirt. If that fails they will become fabric for dolls. Then, just about two weeks ago, I was in the Garment District in Cambridge, MA.


There is a section where all clothes are $1.50 / lb. In addition to finding a 100% silk Liz Claiborne shirt I found the SAME pants - just a different size. There were a 20. I bought them. I'm going to attempt to make a skirt. I'm just trying to figure out how to resize the waist. Oh - and upstairs was a 50% off sale on all merchandise. I found a Bob Mackie button-up sweater for $4.

I have taken the seam out of the legs of one pair of pants and am wondering - do I just baste up the side and see how it looks? Yeah - maybe that is what I'll do. That way, if I want it fuller I can cut up the second pair of pants and add it. Hope it turns out to something wearable!

Introducing Manny and Wanda

I'd like you all to meet Manny and Wanda - my new mannequins. Since my child models have been less than helpful lately when asked to model aprons I set out on a quest to find something other than a coat hanger to display items. To make a long story as short as possible - I found Manny and Wanda looking for a new home via craigslist. Gotta love technology.

So, Manny and Wanda have already had their first modeling session and neither of them cried, or ran away, or hit the other one, or whined,

or danced around instead of standing still, or hopped on one foot,

or announced they had to go potty - now - during the photo session.

Of course, neither one could give me hugs or kisses or tell me "Mommy, I love you.", or play Dance, Dance, Revolution with me either.

As models - they're great! As kids - not at all good. I'm just hoping my late night photo shoots will now go a little smoother - now that I no longer need to use myself or my children as models.

Rapunzel

Soule Mama, as well as other books and blogs, currently tout teaching kids embroidery. For the child that is just learning handwork a good fabric to start with is burlap, according to Amanda Blake Soule's book the creative family. Of course, burlap makes sense. There are already holes in it. I drove down to my local hardware store, conveniently located next to the liquor / wine shop, and purchased the last bag of burlap they had and then a bottle of wine.

I also looked at a few craft stores to see if I wanted to buy my daughter her own embroidery hoop but the price was atrocious. I found one of mine and let her use it. Here is what she created:

Rapunzel!

Today, whilst driving around the North Shore, I found a quaint shop I had passed dozens of times but had never stopped in before. Today seemed like the perfect day since the children and I were banished from the house for two hours (had the inside sprayed for carpenter ants).

The two wood and one metal embroidery hoops cost me $5 at Another Look Antiques & Interiors over in Salisbury, MA. I actually might go back tomorrow. They are really close to the Sewing & Vacuum Repair shop - I really should take in at least one of the sewing machines for a tune-up & there was one table where everything was $1. The more I think about a few of the items the more I think I might need them!

Craft Book Review

And - a little bit more about the creative family - great book. A lot of easy things to do with your kids that you can actually do - such as:

1. Using items in the pantry or nature as alternative art materials (if I had known pouring beans into a pail was going to be such a hit I think I could have saved a lot of money on toys),
2. The Endless Story (a fun game to play at dinner - my husband has been known to start this game off - for some reason monsters eating couscous seem to always appear when my three-year-old has a turn to speak),
3. and the Joy Jar - can't talk about it - making it for a gift for someone.

I think, aside from her quiet voice (a voice I seem to lose at times after spending an entire day with my kids - especially after one pees on the floor and the other one steps in it) I like that the arts and crafts listed don't have to be perfect. You are working with children. Helping them learn about nature, about arts and crafts and anything you do together is special.

I have some arts & crafts books that have only been used by my children when they took a sharpie to the pages. This is one I am actually going to buy and use. Must see if she still has autographed copies in her store. AND - the best part - the local librarians think I'm totally cool for requesting a lot of really neat books. I'm not going to tell them that the majority have come from the resource guide of the creative family.