{ {Upcycled and Repurposed DEsigns Handmade from my seaside home } } Musings on mod & vintage treasures ~ Thrifty Living ~ Urban Pantry ~ ~ Mindful Parenting ~ and a passion for Fantasy Fiction
Lately I find myself drawn to the simple graphics, color schemes, and typography of vintage record and book covers. Some of my favorite designs are from Poland and Sweden, the American designer Alvin Lustig, and what really catches my eye is the 1960s modern Czech street map.
We’re so thrilled: our six-year-old daughter modeled for the cover (and back cover) of this new book all about fairy houses in Maine. We’re all so proud of her; and we love the book! Fairy House Handbook, written by Liza Gardner Walsh, with photography by Amy Whilton.
My latest in the spring series of cashmere baby blankets. A luxuriously soft baby girl patchwork quilt in baby blues, aqua, and more wonderful blues! Support handmade, found here on Etsy, House of Rowan.
“Maine Mead Works was founded in 2007 with the goal of re-introducing the world to the oldest of all fermented beverages. Using locally sourced honey, clear, pure water and our own proprietary yeast strain, we blend ancient tradition and modern science to produce distinctive wines at our meadery in downtown Portland, Maine.”
Etsy is chock-a-block with articles championing artists & crafters to quit their day job and become, what I like to call, People of the Handmade Revolution. When I became pregnant with my first daughter, I quit my job publishing an arts and alternative health journal, and I sold my business so that I could work from home making upcycled sweater designs (House of Rowan) and selling via Etsy. Reading articles such as this helps to keep the determination fires lit. - Read the article about Kin Ship Presshere.
As you can see Gigi loves scarves. So one afternoon last week she and I decided to make an upcycled pillow from one of my vintage Vera scarfs. The pillow is a lovely large 22 x 22. I’ve been wanting to make a scarf pillow for quite a while and I followed this tutorial.
Gigi and I pawed through my vintage scarf collection:
…played a little peek-a-boo:
It was very easy; I sewed it within an hour. I backed it with a pale green linen envelope-style pocket. I wanted to leave the ladybug and Vera signature visible:
The author Amy Pennington buys everything in bulk and stores them in glass jars. This is my goal too; little by little I hope to turn all my pantry shelves into bulk storage and canning jar havens. I would use these awesome Weck jars too.
I make these Eco-friendly woodland Owl & Acorn Upcycled Cashmere Baby Blankets, and I feature them on Etsy: House of Rowan. Pure cashmere wool is luxuriously soft — it is a real wonder of the world: a wink and nod to all you cashmere goats roaming the glades, and turlochs, and mountains and hills out there — thank you fellas for your glorious wool!
I’ve just discovered Mokkasin out of Sweden, and I really love this blog. It’s pages are juicy with bright colors and darling ideas for decorating with patterned fabrics, juxtaposed objects of curios, whimsical pillows, and oodles of cute, kiddos decor!
Jenny von Döbeln is a multi-disciplinary artist from Stockholm, Sweden, and her Etsy store is called Mini Empire, in which, shipping to the states is possible - Hurray!
Dottie Angel’s style always catches my eye. She’s a real dazzler: a coordinating magician with her thrifty, handmade, repurposed, graceful and charming textiles and outfits.
Modcloth.com says of her Suitcase Series: “Take a walk through the quilted, crafted, and curated world of Tif Fussell, better known by her enchanting blogging alter-ego, Dottie Angel, in this paperback addition to the Suitcase Series - a collection of detailed portraits of creative characters from around the globe. Packed within its collaged cover, you’ll discover countless examples of her textile creations, thrifted collections, and heartwarming how-tos, printed among hundreds of photos to complement the volume of insightful tips, adorable little assignments, and interviews with the artist herself.”