Christmas Day Snow In Dixie

Hey, Merry Christmas!!! It's really snowing here in Dixie...we hardly ever have snow here, especially on Christmas but we're getting it today. I'm somewhat North of Birmingham, Al, and this is the first time ever they're supposed to get snow on Christmas day, at least since records have been kept. It's really pretty, but here in the South we have a hard time getting around in it..I think people who have snow most of the time in winter laugh at us because we panic when it snows here. But its so pretty while it lasts. Happy Holidays everyone from Sheer Fab and Shabby Fab.

Moving On to Spring Stuff

I know the first day of Winter is not until tomorrow...but it's time to start thinking spring...at least new spring fashions. So, that gives me a chance to start using my favorite fabrics again...raw edge muslin, vintage crochet and laces..along with my special upstyled pastel cotton sweaters. This is my first creation for Valentine, Easter and spring, 20ll. It's now on Etsy with other examples of cute, restyled, upstyled sweaters and jackets..pop on over for a quick look...www.SheerFab.etsy.com. And while you're looking, check out ShabbyFab for some of my junkin' finds!

CREAM AND GREEN ENAMEL BAKEWARE

I was browsing in one of my favorite thrift stores yesterday and found this wonderful old enamel ware pan..the kind our moms used back in the 40s and 50s. This one is cream with green trim and was stuck under a table in the back, so had not been discovered and grabbed before I found it. I think the cream and green is from the 40's..so its definitely vintage. Its still in pretty good condition, inside is near perfect, but there are some chips around the edges. Enamel cookware was used in daily cooking back then before modern stainless and no stick became popular, so it was subject to some chips and dents..but this one has survived pretty intact. It came in several trim colors, white with red trim, that I'm told was from the 50's, and white with black trim. But I think the cream and green is my favorite. This one measures 9 by 14 inside and 9 3/4 by 15 3/4 overall. Has one hole in the handle for hanging if one would want to display it as a great kitchen decor collectible. I've posted it on www.ShabbyFab.etsy.com..so take a look.

A PINK CHRISTMAS TREE

I love pink Christmases. Red and green are fine and, of course, traditional. But I still love pink and pastels...they just seem so much happier. So,I added this pretty pink tree to a light green fleece top..and the scene needed snow, so that was accomplished with white paint snowflakes, and then a perky snowman with an aqua hat, which called for aqua Christmas balls on the tree. All in all, I think it turned out to be a really sweet pink Christmas. More on www.SheerFab.etsy.com.

LATEST JUNKED UP DUSTER

I have so much fun taking bits and pieces of fabric, yarn, lace and fringe and putting them together to create something someone will love. So, that's what I did to make this cool junked up duster coat. It was plain beige and not at all the fab colors needed to make the glamorous piece of art I visualized...so, get out the trusty dyes, or in this case, paints..and make it gorgeous. After that was accomplished, had to add more glitz..so, here come the laces, fringes, yarns, bits and pieces of fabric, trims and whatever available to create a OOAK fashion treat. Check it out on SheerFab.etsy.com.

CAT-a-gorically Speaking -The Cat's Meow

My live in buddies...five furry felines..four of which are rescues...have thought for a while that dogs get more publicity in blog-dom than cats do. So in honor of "Milhouse", my blue-eyed white, rescued from a church cemetery when he was just old enough to walk around, "Freddy Freeloader", who would eat food put out for him, but took weeks to trust me enough to let me pick him up, "Marshmallow", better known now as "Big Fat Marshey" who showed up at my front door as a baby, almost starved because someone had dumped him and his friend "Tucker", a black and white who arrived at about the same time, probably dumped with Marshmallow, and "Katie" the only girl and not a rescue, I decided to create a sensational cat item that would make them proud. So, what better to do than gather my scraps and sweaters and sew this fab feline coat. All five say they love it and hope you'll check out all the pics on etsy so you can see each one.

I found this great vintage collar at a church thrift sale..and posted it on my ShabbyFab etsy site for reclaimed treasures and within three hours a great customer grabbed it. I thought it would be terrific over a sweater..or maybe a dress. Don't know how she plans to use it...but I thought it was such a cool item.

My Latest Scrapping Venture

It's amazing how many fabric scraps collect from my sewing projects. Especially from altered and recycled sweaters. Always looking for new ideas to use them.. I'm passionate about recycling and never, never want to throw anything into the trash, ending up in our overfilled landfills. I know fabric will deterorate, unlike the tons of plastic we throw away, but still I can't let my precious fabric scraps end up there. I use many of them in my upstyled sweaters, skirts, coats,etc...but needed new items to use them on. I love sweats...I think they're our favorite wearable..so grabbed a pair and started scrapping. They turned out so cool. Check out the pic on the right. These were posted on etsy..but a wonderful customer in California snapped them up..but keep checking..I'm still scrapping!

Vintage Crocheted Table Cloth

Things have been so busy around here lately, haven't had much time for thrifting, I've been working on a wholesale order for a store, and getting stock to another customer who is doing an art show, but had a few minutes Friday and stopped at a friend's tag sale. Look what I found! She was selling this gorgeous vintage crocheted tablecloth. I thought it would be so pretty for a holiday dinner with a solid cloth underneath to match the occasion. Many people don't have regular dinners together anymore, but they do get together for special occasions and this would be perfect. What do you think?

Recycled Sweater and Velveteen Coat

I've had a collection of velveteen pieces for sometime and didn't have any ideas for using them. But decided they would be lovely made into a fall coat. So, I used a tan plus size cotton sweater for the top and added the velveteen panels for length. Then added a hood of velveteen and did covered buttons to close. I think it worked out quite well. Check it out on etsy.

October!!

Hey, Happy October, everyone!! What a beautiful day here in the South! October is such an exciting month. New fall clothes...Halloween...cooler weather...fall colors..new crafting ideas..recycling projects...yard sales with great items for upstyling. Fall in the South is almost perfect..even if your favorite team does lose. Have a wonderful October First!!

Reincarnated Sweater Scraps

I've got too many sweater scraps! So, the only thing to do is create! I've been working on an assortment that I thought would look good together for fall..and came up with this patched up coat. It turned out rather charming! Check etsy for all the pictures.

Vintage lace, crochet and Fringe Coat

I gathered a group of vintage crochet doilies, lace and pieces of vintage fringe and stitched them all over an oversize cotton chenille coat that I had made, then dyed it all in multi colors to create this charming one of a kind coat. It's way oversized purposelly so that anyone can wear it..wonderfully loose and comfortable on some..and less loose and drapey on some...but oh so soft and cuddly. Check out the listing on etsy.

Oversized Comfort Shirt

I was fortunate to find a stash of unbleached, organic cotton fabric that is so soft and cozy and makes the most comfortable, oversized big shirts. These seem to work best if they're large and loose..so that anyone can feel good in them. When you've had a hard day and need a hug, instead of comfort food, these work as comfort shirts..because they're so soft and cuddley and cozy and warm. They can be made in all sizes, but big and loose seems to work best. Check out the listing on etsy.

Patched Up Fall Jacket

With all the cutting and sewing around here, I've created lots and lots of scrap fabrics, so I gathered up a batch and thought they would work great for a new fall patched up jacket. Appliqued them all onto a sweatshirt fleece lining which was white and needed color, so I splattered painted it red to match the red patches. Check out my latest creation posted on etsy.

HALLOWEEN DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SCAREY

Halloween really doesn't have to be black and orange. Take a look at my Halloween girls on etsy. The one with the long pastel hair and happy face is the one everyone likes best. Holidays don't have to be just one way..Christmas doesn't have to be red and green...and Halloween can be happy colors. So, think about being a little different this year. The world can use a little more happy!

New Upstyled Patched Sweater Coat

I worked today on a new upstyled sweater coat and when finished didn't have a model to wear it for pictures. So, had to make do without anyone to model. I needed to get it listed because I have to get started on some halloween shirts for a wholesale customer..and thought I could just spread it out on the grass outside and show how the recycled sweater panels work together. I think it showed up pretty well. Take a look here..and check out the listing on www.SheerFab.etsy.com. Thanks for looking!!!

New Upstyled Patched Sweater Coat

I've been working on a new recycled, restyled and upstyled coat to post on SheerFab.etsy.com and finally got it finished so I could take more pictures. So, we did that this afternoon when my model was available after school..so check out the new post..here's just an example!

Photo Shoot Continued

Footnote to the last post on picture session: The Coat we pictured sold on Etsy in less than 24 hours. Do you think its because of my neat model??

Yesterday's Picture Session

Hey...here's my latest etsy listing on www.SheerFab.etsy.com. We did another photo session with my cute model yesterday...and I think the pictures turned out fabulous! This is my latest creation useing recycled sweaters to upstyle into really charming artwear. In the one pictured I've used a vintage Ralph Lauren cotton knit sweater and added panels from two other sweaters to get the correct length. I love creating out of recyclables...the new items are so much more appealing than the originals ever were.

PHOTO SHOOT FOR ETSY LISTING

Hey, Check out my latest shoot for my etsy listing and my fantastic new model. She makes my handmade clothing look super cool! Here's just one example of the difference it makes to have someone actually wear the items. So, click on over to www.SheerFab.etsy.com and check out the posting.

Hi,Everyone...I just joined a fabulous new link party over at ImCadiwompus.blogspot.com...and you're invited to join the fun. It's a great way to get exposure for your handmade items..and we could all use a little more of that. So, join the fun..click on over and post your item.

Hey! It's A Link Party!

Come on Over!

www.toolsareforwomentoo.blogspot.com

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream For........

This little Ice Cream Truck is one of my latest fab finds. It's made by Metro and is dated 1993. It really works..with music and the driver yelling Ice Cream!! Ice Cream!!! Just like in real life. It measures 9 inches long and 8 inches high and uses four double AA batteries. It's so cute and colorful and delightful. I'm listing it on my etsy shop http://www.shabbyfab.etsy.com/. So, check out the video....it'll take you back!!

We all had a great America's Birthday yesterday! After 234 years she's still the greatest country on the planet! What a blessing to have been placed here. I wanted to show you the neat sculpture I found on our Friday junkin' trip last week (see latest picture). It's a boy and fish fountain that I'm going to add to the garden. It looks a bit battered but that just means someone has loved it before and now it's found a new home and will be loved again by me, the pond fish and the garden birds and frogs.

FRIDAY MORNING YARD SALE-ING

This morning the Fab Four (three girls and a Shihtzu) got up early and went out on our usual Friday morning search for discarded treasures. And look what I found (check out the picture)...I loved the little heart-shaped, vintage, crocheted pincushion. It would be divine to use for brooches and jewelry pins..and the two Western plaques would be perfect in a Cowboy or Cowgirl themed nursery..and the brownware pitcher and saucer marked Japan would be darling holding a small bouquet by a cottage bedside. It was another fun outing, plus, as a treat, we get to have breakfast out.

Hey Clemmi!

Hey, look what I found!! We went junkin' again, we usually do this early Friday mornings, and stopped at a sale that had these five vintage beaded baskets for sale. I just couldn't resist them. The woman's mother had used them as holiday decorations, but the daughter had them for sale. The mother had stuffed them with tiny little white lights and when plugged in and lighted they were just amazing! What a wonderful display for Christmas...or any holiday. I'm posting a picture so you can see how innovative the mother was. I love them! They really brightened my day. Can't decide if I want to hang on to them, or list them in ShabbyFab etsy shop. Let you know later.

I love "cheap frills from the 50's" and this little beaded safety pin basket I discovered at a church yard sale is a sparkly reminder of 'making do'. Some reports say that perhaps Girl Scouts started making them after World War II but these odd home made goodies still turn up occasionally at tag sales. It was a way to use up piles of safety pins and colorful plastic beads. Mary Englebreit's Home Companion wrote "the bead baskets are quirky, but you can see how much love was invested in the process of making them". One collector said "they're kind of wacky and totally useless, but I just love the way they look". Their shape reminds her of something Scarlett O'Hara might have carried to the barbecue. This one is listed on our etsy site ShabbyFab.etsy.com..so click on over and take a look.

I've been busy adding items to my new shop ShabbyFab and tonight made my first sale! Whoooee!! This is so much fun! People are so neat, when they heart the shop or some of the items, it just makes my day! Thanks everyone! Hope you'll continue to visit often. I have lots of items to list and relist from my SheerFab shop that is now just my handmade clothing, so keep close watch, something might be just what you're looking for.

The fab four, Suzi, Kelly, Cadley and Clemmi got up super early today and went yard saleing. We found two fantastic ones...so we spent hours tumbling thru the jumble of interesting stuff and came home with our SUV so loaded we could hardly fit ourselves in to drive home. Clemmi (our Shihtzu) was so exhausted we had to stop for breakfast. Actually, the only thing she cares about is the food unless she can find a new squeaky toy..and water, she has to have a drink often on these hot days in the South and of course, everyone commenting on how pretty she is. Anyway, we came home happy with all our junk...and I'll be posting some of mine on my new etsy site ShabbyFab this weekend, so visit sometime soon to see our fab buys. Also, will be adding to the cool summer muslin wear on SheerFab.etsy. com. this weekend, so check there, too.

My Great 1950's Find!

I found this fabulous '50s chair while junking this week and just couldn't pass it up. I love the colors and great retro style. It's in almost new condition and would be so perfect for anyone passionate about 1950's decor. I'ts listed in my etsy shop for sale, so if you love this style, click on the link on the right to go to my shop.