Crafting ideas galore

Here are some pictures that I have taken surreptitiously on my call phone of things that have inspired some craft ideas.

This geode necklace would be exceptionally easy to make yourself. Geodes can be bought in many natural history or science museum gift shops.

I'm not sure how inspiring this is to the rest of you, but to me, it seemed like a unique idea for a pair of earrings. This would probably be easily made at a bead shop in a matter of an hour or so.

I know that this picture didn't turn out all that well (I was trying to take the picture quickly so as not to call attention to what I was doing), but I the point is that the ring is simply a cheap thing that you can buy in a bead store. The top of the ring is flat and you can buy rings with different sizes of surfaces for attaching. Then, you can glue on a button (which I am thinking of doing with some of my Grandma's buttons) or a coin, or whatever you'd like.

I love this idea. It is so simple and yet so useful! It is just a frame with wire hung between two sides, which you can use to hang earrings from. I think that it would be really cool to do this using reclaimed wood or to use "new" wood and antique it (http://www.ehow.com/how_17669_give-furniture-antique.html).

I think I saw this at Old Navy. It just looks like a shirt with a handle! How easy!

Alright, I'm off for now. But before I go, I was thinking that I would like to try using some sort of photo transfer for the tile coasters that I had made. If anyone knows anything about the process or tools, let me know!

Toodleloo!

-E

bag made from a shirt

Admit it. You have some old shirts shoved away in the dark recesses of your closet. You know what I'm talking about. Those ones that you haven't worn in years and may not even remember you had until you poke around. Let's say we re-purpose those and get some use out of 'em, ay? This is so easy, you'll wish you had done it sooner.

Here's what you need:

1 shirt (long or short sleeved, doesn't matter)
scissors
needle and thread
sewing machine (optional)

Dig that shirt out of your closet. Maybe that one from the high school when midriff was in...

Cut the sleeves off along the seam, leaving the seam attached to the chest of the shirt.

This is what it should look like when you're done cutting.

Turn your shirt inside out, line up the bottom of the shirt and pin both sides together. Then, using a simple needle and thread or a sewing machine sew the bottom of the shirt closed. Turn the shirt right-side out and you get your finished bag.

Your finished product should look something like this. Wear the bag by putting your arm through the arm holes and place items through the neck hole, which you can enlarge by cutting past the seam. These bags are particularly convenient for rolling up and carrying in your purse for those unplanned purchases. I say, why should recycled bags just be used for groceries?

When I write to you next, I will have started my graduate school classes. Wish me luck!