Red Panty Party Clothes - Recycled, Refashioned!

I decided I would like to add some pretty party tops to my Red Panty Clothing line this holiday season. I found a divine J Jill velvet skirt at Goodwill, in a yummy chocolate brown with pretty embroidered flowers on the front. I also had a J Jill brown corduroy dress from an earlier thrift shop foray. Both were in obnoxiously small sizes, so I cut them up, and re-fashioned them into a swirly, girly top that I am calling "Mocha Velvet Party top". What do you think?

I also had a yard of pretty paisley fabric, in purple, dark green, black, with sequins on it. I used a mens deep green corduroy shirt and made this sweet little number.

I plan on making several more party tops, because real-sized women like to be festive for the holidays, too!! This is me, with my wonderful new PLUS sized mannequin, it is so much better for modelling my clothing. My darling husband got it for me on Ebay for our anniversary; better than a vacumn cleaner!

Scrap Craft + Recycling = Fun!

To continue my Sewing Room Re-Organization (see earlier posts!) and use up more scraps from my Recycled Clothing line (see earlier posts!) I have been cutting circles out of the thrift shop clothing and sewing them up into Yo-yo's. What to do, what to do?


I decided to make some fun brooches, using buttons I've saved as well. I think they are turning out nicely, don't you?

The Complete Book of Retro Crafts review!

When I was very young, my mother would get a copy of McCall's Needlework and Crafts magazine, and my absolute favorite part would be found near the back, in the instruction pages. There in the lower corners, would be a box containing easy crafts projects from Pack-o-Fun magazine. We couldn't afford it, but I lived for the excerpts, and sometimes my cousins would have a copy I could devour.

I just bought a new book, "The Complete Book of Retro Crafts" by Suzie Millions. Wow! It is such a blast from the past, and completely feeds my need for kitsch! The cover alone would have sold me on the book, because my own kitchen is filled with 1950's decor, but the pages are divine!

I'll give you a sneak peek: remember making burnt matchstick crosses at vacation bible school? The instructions are here!! There are also the braided gum wrapper crafts we remember, pine cone elves, and more glitter than you can shake a stick at! RUN, don't walk to get this book, you'll love it! Published by Lark Books, ISBN 1-57990-869-1

Stuffed Toys!

I realize Halloween is over, but this year I added to my Ghost Kitty and Ghost Rabbit family, with a Lil' Devil! Last year I sewed up some scarey Ghost Kitties & Rabbits to sell. The Kitty has a "ghost mouse" in its hand, and the Rabbits just hold a carrot, because I couldn't do a ghost carrot, they're already dead!

I used the same basic pattern as the kitty and rabbit, and cut it from flame patterned fleece. Then I created a new face, and added a little pitchfork!