Day 49 - Cute girly skirt from Vintage quilt

Day 49 and I finished my dictionary challenge yesterday so am back on the sewing machine for a super quick project. I've made a couple of these little skirts before from a vintage quilt I bought at a market and I think they're really cute.

The quilt I'm using is quite well worn in a few places so I have to pick the right areas to cut, which makes it perfect for making little skirts where you only need a little bit of fabric at a time and can pick and choose.

I like using the fringe around the quilt as a feature, then I have just added some fabric scraps to make a flower, a cute little vintage button, and of course some ric rac. I love ric rac.

The skirt is the simplest design of cutting too sides with a little curve and adding an elastic band to the top.

Day 48 - 7 days and 7 ways to use an old dictionary - Final instalment

Is it just me? Did I watch to much TV as a kid or is this totally awesome? Or maybe it's the fact that I absolutely love the film 'Shawshank Redemption'. I really wanted to make one of these for my son Liam, who is 7. It reminds me of secret diaries, and the joys of having your own little secrets as a kid.

I googled and found this tutorial http://how2dostuff.blogspot.com.au/2006/02/how-to-make-secret-hollow-book.html. But let me just say that this is hard work, and my fingers have developed a few extra callouses. It has ended up looking a little rough, but after a couple of hours working on it I had had enough. Still, it seems a fitting end to my dictionary craft week which has been a lot of fun.

Pictures below of me gluing the outside first, then cutting out the pages, and finally, storing some little man loot.

Day 47 - 7 days and 7 ways to use an old dictionary - Part 6

 Hello! Feeling awesome today as I've had a lovely day out with my daughter and catching up with an old friend, and also checking out some lovely things other people have made in Daylesford. I always love admiring the work of so many talented people that are out there.

Then I got home from this lovely day, missed my the rest of my family and found out that my blog and profile were featured over on Noah Scalin's Make Something 365. So all in all a ripper of a day. Thanks Noah. http://makesomething365.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/365-reasons-not-to-die-with-full-craft.html

So my dictionary challenge is almost over. Today I made a couple of scrabble tile pendants. I started the process yesterday by cutting out the dictionary pages and gluing them onto the scrabble tiles.

 

After gluing them on with some decoupage glue I applied a few layers of a polyurethane based gloss.

 

Then I glued on a couple of bails.

 

And the finished products.

Thanks so much to everyone who has read my blog, it really helps me to keep going every day and my life has definitely changed for the better.

Day 46 - 7 days and 7 ways to use an old dictionary - Part 5

I'm not totally sold on these, but I enjoyed doing something different and I don't often do paper craft so it's a good challenge doing it every day for a week. Today I made some paper beads. I've used the plain dictionary pages and then some paper from the little section that is coloured in this dictionary which has world maps.

To make the beads you simply cut long triangles of paper and roll around a stick like a skewer and then glue then end when it's all rolled. Then I put some clear nail polish over the top to make it stronger and water resistant. I might try these with the kids another day.

Here is a link to some amazing ones some other clever person made.

http://www.writtenword.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/paper-bead-jewelry.jpg

Day 45 - 7 days and 7 ways to use an old dictionary - Part 4

After doing the dictionary cards yesterday it seemed only right to do some dictionary wrapping paper. This was really easy. I just made some loops and some fans and balls for the flower centres. I think it's kinda cute.

Day 44 - 7 days and 7 ways to use an old dictionary - Part 3

Day 3 of my dictionary project is making some gift cards, using dictionary pages, cardboard, glue and a box cutter. Oh and a branch from my garden. Hope you like them.

Day 43 - 7 days and 7 ways to use an old dictionary - Part 2

Part 2 of my dictionary craft week is a little bit of lunch box lovin' for my 7 and 5 year old children. I put these in their lunchboxes today for a little surprise at recess.

For my 7 year old son who is a little negative about school sometimes. I used this to wrap up his morning snack.

And for my 5 year old daughter who can't read many words yet, but loves to tell the people she loves that they are 'best in the world', (I get this many times a day) I have focused on one word with a dictionary page.

It's an oldie but a goodie. Why not use the dictionary to do a little teaching as well as a little loving. Corny but fun.

Have a great day everyone.