inspiration: little houses

 

I find myself drawn to things fashioned as little houses lately. Maybe it's because they evoke in me a comfortable safe feeling, maybe they are just ridiculously adorable. Either way I've put together a few that I think are very cute and fairly easy to accomplish. These food houses are the best. We all have these ingredients- rice and bread, but it's the execution that really is great. I wish I had come up with these ideas, but at least we can duplicate them. The rice house was accented with cheese and nori, the bread house roof was dusted with cocoa powder. Try powdered sugar for a snowy winter roof. 

O.k., these little houses do take a bit more effort to accomplish. But, because of the simple shapes they are not too difficult for even a beginner. The top embroidered house is a tissue holder which has an opening on the underside to pull out the tissues. The two cheery little potholders can also be used as coasters. Or just string them up around the kitchen. I love the mix of springtime fabrics here. These are great projects to use up those cute thrifted cotton prints you may have laying around. 

Recycling an old favorite

Twenty years ago I had a particular favorite shirt. It was already soft and faded when I bought it at a thrift store. What I loved and still love about it is the print. Once the shredding began I retired it to the fabric bin, I didn’t have the heart to throw it away. Well, this week it has emerged to give a little flavor to a plain raglan top I made. I cut a piece of the print from an area that was the least faded and made a collar. That old shirt holds a lot of good memories, a lot of history for me so I am very pleased to be able to wear it again. I’ve decided to turn the rest of it into a wide headband for me and a dress for a doll.
In the background of this photo there is a picture of me and my Dad from around 1988, in it I am wearing the old favorite.

The pattern for the new top is from the Japanese craft book Cotton Time, March 2006 issue.

Cool 2-in-1 Bag

I Have been saving this fabric for a rainy day and boy is it raining! I used a pattern from the July issue of Cotton Time, an excellent japanese sewing book. I am taking this very cool bag on vacation with me in a couple of weeks. By day it's a big tote carry-all. For evening it transforms into a cute little purse. Very nice. It's also very nice to have a fetching friend at the ready for some impromptu modeling, thanks D!