The 365 Day Challenge

My goal is to create something every day using something from my craft cupboard. I am a self-confessed fabric addict and just love to fossick through thrift shops and find treasures.

So here goes. Live, love, recycle and get crafting.



Thursday, May 31, 2012

Day 73 - Button Lampshade


I've been working on this little bit of  button goodness tonight and since it has stretched into the early hours of the morning I decided to blog it too. I was in my own private heaven with a glass of wine, peace, quiet and solitude, a little spot next to me fire, and of course, my hot glue gun.

I bought this lamp shade at a church charity shop yesterday for $7 and was feeling very excited about this project. Most of the buttons are from my Grandma's vintage button stash that I got from her not long before she passed away, so it's a lovely reminder of her and all of the things she used to make for me as a kid. I love it! It makes me smile.






Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Day 72 - Sweater refashion to skirt and leg warmers.


My favourite person to make things for has to be my 5 year old daughter. She just loves everything I make and showers my creations with compliments and exclamations of beauty. Today was no different.

I found this 100% cotton knitted sweater at the op shop for $2 and made it into a skirt and leg warmers. It's so easy! She couldn't wait to put it on with her tap shoes as well. I think it's a little loose around the hips so I will be fixing that up by taking it in a little - once I can get her to take it off. I think I might have to wait until she's at school. By the way, she's holding her hands like that so everyone can see her beautiful bangles ;).






Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Day 71 - Repurposed quilt cover to baby yoga pants.


I made these cute little yoga pants for my beautiful little 6 month old boy using some of a vintage kids quilt cover - also used in my Day 69 - bookcase project. I love the fabric it's so bright and fun. Of course this model would look gorgeous in just about anything. Just look at those lips and cheeks. And how about those toes. x






Monday, May 28, 2012

Day 70 - Scrabble tile and fabric pendants. Giveaway.


I have made it to day 70 of my challenge. It's been amazing so far and has really enabled me to try new things and expand my skills. Hooray! To celebrate I have made 2 scrabble tile pendants using some of my favourite fabrics to decorate them and I'm giving them away. You may have seen my earlier efforts on day 47 of my challenge when I made some pendants using dictionary pages. 

To win, all you have to do is write a comment on my blog or share my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/365ReasonsNotToDieWithAFullCraftCupboard. If you do both you get two chances to win. I will be drawing 2 winners on Friday.

Here they are - 



Sunday, May 27, 2012

Day 69 - DIY bookshelf


Still had some visitors around until about 3pm today but after they left I was very excited to start this project for my little Aidan.

Mum got him this cube storage shelf from target and I was very proud of myself for being able to follow all of the diagrams and put it together. I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment.

Then I got a vintage duvet cover from my stash and stretched some over the top of the shelf and one square of the back. Next I cut a couple of pictures I liked from the duvet cover and stuck them on to the back of the 2 remaining cubes that have a back. I love it! I think the fabric is so cute and the vibrancy of it really suits my happy go lucky little man. He loves it too. When my kids are happy I'm usually pretty happy too.

Hope everyone has had a weekend as amazing as mine. What will I make tomorrow?







Saturday, May 26, 2012

Day 68 - The final birthday instalment



Had a wonderful day today celebrating my hubby's 40th with a surprise party. Loved having friends and family here for this day and the gods looked favourably upon us as the sun shone. Phew!

I decided to make a guest signing book from a coloured paper pad the kids have been using. There are lots of pages where half a page has been scribbled on so I used my box cutter knife to trim them to size, added cardboard for front and back covers and some lettering for the front. Then I punched some holes in one side and tied it together with some string which is a bit like t-shirt fabric. (It is called 1001 use string - maybe that could be my next blog - 1001 things to do with string).






Also made another pinata which was very much a rush job due to the dog eating my earlier attempt. A bit rough but still enjoyed by the kids so all is good. Really appreciating how good my life is right now and happy to be where I am with my fabulous family and friends.



Friday, May 25, 2012

Day 67 - Birthday Stuff


Hi everyone, thanks for reading my blog. It's been a bit of a battle lately but I'm still managing to keep up my creative goal. Today I'm working on some birthday items for a surprise party I'm throwing for my husband tomorrow.

Firstly, I was making a pinata. After a couple of hours work one of my dogs decided to eat the paper mache. I was devastated! See pictures below. Will see if I can do another one by tomorrow. I suppose it will be funny in a week or two but he really did get into trouble today.

Then I made some wine labels for a case of cleanskin wines I got. Just for fun with Vintage '72 on them.

Lastly, I have a lolly jar for a guess how many lollies competition. Just a jar and I've decorated it with some buttons.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone.




Thursday, May 24, 2012

Day 66 - Button garden brooch


Today I made a button and felt garden brooch. This is for me - although I suspect a certain 5 year old in my house will also want one when she sees it - as long as it comes in pink.

Hope you are all having a great day. 


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Day 65 - Pillow case "Hootie Hoot' the Owl


I've been so busy with my lovely family lately that my craft has been really rushed and done in tiny snippets. Today I really needed to create something spur of the moment using something vintage. Here's what I decided on. She's an owl made from a vintage pillowcase, some other vintage scraps and a couple of doilies. I stuffed her using the middle of an out of shape long pregnancy pillow.

Aidan has named her 'Hootie Hoot'.


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Monday, May 21, 2012

Day 63 - Birthday Board


Here's what I've been working on today for the birthday of the love of my life and hubby tomorrow. I found this old sign in our giant shed left there by the previous owners. It was perfect for this project.


Sunday, May 20, 2012

Day 62 - Vintage 1972


There is something happening in our house this week. I am going to be very busy!
 This is a giant card, but also part of a larger project.



Saturday, May 19, 2012

Day 61 - Put some bling in your sling


Juliet didn't want to wear her sling today and it turned out that it was because she said some older kids at school were laughing at her. The answer? Add some bling to that sling. Happy little girl now, confident that no one will be laughing at her at school on Monday.


One sling got a paint job.





The other sling got a couple of rows of red lace.


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Thursday, May 17, 2012

Day 59 - How to make bunting - easy.


I made some bunting today for a birthday coming up in our house next week.

Here's how you make it. You can use up lots of fabric scraps

Firstly cut your triangles to whatever size you would like to make your bunting. Mine are 30cm on one slightly longer side and about 28cm on the other two sides.

Next, sew them up on the two shorter sides, leaving the bottom open. Turn right side out and use a chopstick or something pointy to poke out the point and the end.

You don't need to worry about being too neat with the ends and raw edge because it will be hidden anyway.


Press the triangles with a hot iron and then top stitch along the two sewn sides nice and close to the edge. I used a red thread for contrast.


Next I just use some bias binding to hang them off.


Fold and iron the bias binding in half along it's length and then slip the triangles between the two layers and pin in place. I like to leave a little gap between each triangle. The spacing depends on personal taste.


 Sew along the whole length of the binding. Mine was a 3m length.


Here they are hanging up - I made the pink ones a couple of years ago for my daughter's birthday.


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Day 58 - A sock owl


Struggling with getting my crafting for the day done at the moment, with so many doctor's trips and being away on the weekend. Trying to do little bits where I can.

Made my first sock owl today. You can buy a pattern for these gorgeous creatures over at http://craftschmaft.bigcartel.com/. Hers are beautiful!!

He's not the most gorgeous thing I've ever done, but he used to be a little sock, and now he's an owl, so that's pretty cool. And they do say practice makes perfect.



Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Day 57 - Playing Shop



Today we are just using a heap of empty boxes we have in our craft cupboard to make a pretend shop.

My daughter is practicing her writing and numbers - which she loves do at the moment - by making price tags for everything. We printed out a picture to use as a cash register.

It's heaps of fun, and we can use the boxes again another day.









Juliet also knew I was a bit worried about her for the last week so she made me a very cool picture with a flippy head of different pictures - she used the last bit of a small notepad for the head and drew a different picture on each page. It was very creative. (But hard to describe and photograph.) It reminded me of the flip animated books that were around when I was little.





Monday, May 14, 2012

Day 56 - Refashion old favourite tunic/dress to skirt and headband





Another tough day at our place spent in doctor's waiting rooms confirming my daughter has a broken collar bone from her accident last week. She's been so brave.

This project was so easy it almost feels like cheating. I have a very well loved tunic dress that I've worn to death and still love, but it's a bit stretched and out of shape from being worn through two pregnancies.

Here are the photos.


First cut - always a little sad.







Roll over and create a waistband. Add some elastic. Pretty cute skirt now. I still love the fabric and it's really comfortable. Love the buttons too.




Made a little headband with the extra fabric for the mini gorgeous invalid below.