Re-purposed Picture Frames

Sorting through boxes one afternoon I discovered I had accumulated a large assortment of mismatched artwork. Pictures that no longer matched the color or theme of the rooms they had once adorned. I set them aside intent on boxing them up to donate to my local thrift store when suddenly it hit me. Though the pictures were no longer usable, the frames were still in good shape and could be re-purposed. So that is exactly what I did.
  I left the frames as they were, choosing to use black and white photos to bring a sense of unity to the assortment. (Still need to fill a few, as you can see.) You could also paint the frames all the same. For example, all black or all white. That would pull them together also. Strictly up to you and your own decor. The only cost involved was copying the photos and resizing them to fit. All and all I am quite happy with the way it turned out and thrilled that I was able to make something old feel new again.
Inexpensive project with a big impact!

A little mystery

    Nothing creates an air of mystery quite like a mask, and one that matches your costume is even that much better. This quick and easy project can be done in one night, so get out your glue and keep them guessing.

    You will need a plastic mask to use as your base. Some thick white glue. Small fabric scraps ( if you made your costume and have scraps left over use them, otherwise match the colours in your costume). A collection of miscellaneous trims,( metallic braid, tassels, whatever you want to use ). And a piece of felt to glue on the back.
     Spread the glue over the surface of the mask and press your fabric on top. Make sure you smooth it out so there are no wrinkles or air bubbles.

    I wanted a two tone mask so I did one half at a time. Once the fabric is glued on then you can trim it. Leave a little extra around the edges to fold over and glue to the back. Don't worry if the back looks messy because the felt will cover it when your done. Put a little snip where the eye opening is and carefully trim around, again leaving a little bit to fold around to the back. You may have to cut small slits to make it lie flat.

 Now comes the fun part. Start gluing on your embellishments. I used metallic braid around the eyes and down the middle where my two fabrics met. Then I glued a ruffled trim around the outside edge and added a gold ribbon bow with a gold tassel. The leaf- like embellishments are actually thin pieces of cardboard glued between two pieces of fabric. I cut and bent them to the shape I wanted then glued them in place. Lastly a couple of buttons finishes it off. Once everything is dry, lay your mask on the piece of felt and trace the outline. Don't forget to trace the eyes. Cut out the felt and glue to the back. Your all done ! Now go stir up a little mystery.

                                                                     

                                                         

Medusa Headpiece

   This week I began work on the head piece for the Medusa costume. Some of the supplies I am using include: a few rubber snakes, a spool of bendable wire, a cheap costume wig with dreadlocks and a piece of chicken wire fencing (large enough to fit over my head). I am thinking I will also need some paint for the snakes and some felt to attach to the inside. Maybe even a headband, but I'll wait and see.

   The first step is to make a foundation. I shaped the chicken wire over my head like a cap. Flatten and bend until it fits securely. Remove from head and cut off the excess using wire cutters. You may also want to wear protective gloves while working with the chicken wire. Bend the cut wire ends back and twist them onto themselves. You do not want any sharp points poking you in the head.

    Next, you put the foundation inside the wig. The wig stretches so make sure you have pulled it completely around the wire cap. All the way down to cover the edges.
     Take the snakes and cut their tails off. How much depends on how far you want them protruding from the headpiece. I cut mine at various lengths but it is entirely up to you.
   

   Cut a piece of wire about three times longer than the snake, and beginning at the head, start twisting it around the body very tightly. I do this to add reinforcement and also it allows a little flexibility to shape the snake in different directions.


 

    Leave enough wire at the end to thread through the wig. Twist it around the wire in the foundation and then back out. Do this a couple of times to make sure it is anchored then wrap the remaining wire back up the snake about an inch for extra stability.

       Continue adding snakes in the same manner in whatever positions you desire. I used only five but you could use as many or as few as you want. Once all the snakes were attached I painted them (including the wire) black. Using water-based acrylic paint and a sponge brush. After allowing them to dry I began styling the hair, bunching it up in the back to recreate a messy up-do. I used heavy black thread to anchor the hair in place. I also smoothed a little baby powder into the wig to matte it and tone down the synthetic sheen.

    To finish the headpiece I glued black felt inside, covering all the chicken wire. This way it is much more comfortable on the head. White "Tacky Glue" works well. It is thicker than regular white glue so it doesn't soak through and holds much better than hot glue.
    And there you have it, my take on Medusa.....Now, what can we do next?..........

Medusa Costume

   Okay, it's time to get spooky..... October has finally arrived which means Halloween is right around the corner. My favourite time of year. Also one of the busiest. There is decorating to do. Parties to plan and costumes to make. Lots of costumes.

   One of the costumes I have been working on is Medusa. That mythological gorgon that turns men to stone.The dress is basically finished and was rather simple to put together due largely to the fact that the fabric I chose does not fray. It is a synthetic, imitation snakeskin. At first I found the fabric gummy and hard to work with. It kept sticking to itself. (My solution: douse it with baby powder). The powder not only alleviated the gumminess, it also dulled the finish giving the fabric a dusty, aged look. Just perfect for Medusa.
   There is only minimal sewing on the tunic. Basically it is a rectangular piece of fabric folded around the body and then tacked together in two places to create the armholes. One side is left open which is tucked around the body when worn. The belt holds it closed.

    I did no hemming or finished edges since, as I said before, the fabric does not fray. (Note: if using a fabric that does fray, sew a narrow hem along all edges.) Also I cut my rectangle to have a angled drape. (See diagram at left). Straight or angled is entirely up to you. This pattern works well for almost any Grecian costume and is really easy. Here is another photo of what the finished tunic looks like off of the dress-form.

   The under skirt is a simple straight skirt with one seam down the back. I left a vent opening for walking ease and the waist is elastic set into a fold-over casing. To finish it off, I added some gold appliqués and decorative buttons on the shoulders where the fabric is tacked.

    The belt is a piece of black vinyl with attached gold trim. I also made a arm band (not shown) with some of the black vinyl. I think I am pretty much satisfied with the dress so now I can focus on the headpiece. I'll post details of that project next week. I have some ideas and it involves chicken wire. I guess that could be considered fabric, right? ......Stay tuned...and Happy Adventures !

Inspiration !!!

 Recently I took a trip with my sister to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. It is a beautiful little town nestled within the Ozark Mountains. The narrow streets and Victorian architecture is awe inspiring, not to mention the unique shops and exclusive art galleries. The perfect place to spend a leisurely afternoon looking for inspiration.  

 We ate lunch at "The Mud Cafe", where there I was entranced by this beautiful fabric wall mural. Though we were seated too far away for me to examine how it was actually sewn together I was able to snap a photo without interrupting any other diners.It depicted a scene of Victorian dressed men and women and as you can see it is absolutely gorgeous and quite dimensional. Those are real lace ruffles on her petticoat. Throughout the entire meal I could barely keep my eyes off of it. Trying to account for every little detail and all the time thinking, "I can't wait to get home and make one of my own." Okay, so I dream big and yes I realise the amount of time that must have been put into creating this work of art but inspiration had sparked and I was not going to let it pass by. Perhaps I could start with something on a smaller scale. A pillow? Or maybe even a tote bag ? Yes I had to curb my excitement but not the notion.                                                                        

By the end of the day I have to admit my shopping was minimal though my head was filled with ideas. So much creativity in this little town it almost makes you dizzy. 

Bit's & Pieces Braclets

   Fabric wrist bands are fast and fun to wear. Made from small pieces of cloth, you could use just about anything your imagination allows. Left over fabric scraps, an old piece of clothing. The possibilities are endless. Look for patterns, colors and textures that appeal to you. 
    For embellishment, again there are many options. I have used small appliques, which I stitched on, and a couple of silver studs. You could use buttons, beads, ribbon, anything that can be sewn or glued onto the fabric. A sewn on snap makes the bracelet easy to get on and off, though velcro would also work.
   For the bands you will need to measure around your wrist ( this will be the length) add a 1/2 inch to this measurement to allow for 1/4 inch seam allowances on either end. Cut two rectangles 2 inches wide by your measured length. ( Cutting the width 2 inches will allow 1/4 inch seam allowances along the sides, leaving the finished band 1 and 1/2 inches wide.) 
   With right sides together, stitch along the two long sides and one end. Remember to leave 1/4 inch seam allowances. With open end, turn right side out. Tuck the seam allowance on the open end inside and press with iron. Top stitch along the edge of the entire rectangle. This helps to keep it flat and can be done by hand or machine. You can now embellish your band, attach the snap or velcro and your ready to go!

In the Shadows

   This is a dress I made for Halloween. I wanted black wings, though I did not want the annoying straps that attach around my arms. My solution was to use a set of inexpensive nylon costume wings and cut off the harness so I could sew them directly onto the dress.
   The dress itself is made in a medieval style with black polyester crepe fabric. You could use a purchased garment, just make sure it opens in the front or back ( for ease of getting into ) and that it is sturdy enough to hold the weight of the wings.
   For the wings I carefully cut the wired sections apart. Do not cut the nylon as you need this for the base of the feathers. I repositioned the top and bottom sections overlapping them to give me a more realistic wing shape and tacked the pieces back together. I then glued black feathers, using tacky glue, to each side starting from the bottom and working my way up. Warning : a lot of feathers and a little patience. After they were dry, I attached them to the dress using a strong tacking stitch through the fabric and around the wire frame. One at the top and one at the bottom.  Since my dress has a zipper down the back, I put one wing to the left side of the zipper and the other wing on the right side, this way I can use the zipper to get in and out of the dress without disturbing the position of the wings.

   All and all, I was pretty happy with how it turned out, The dress was really comfortable to wear and I did not have to worry about the wings slipping off or shifting position. The only hindrance being in washing, in which I had to remove the wings and then reattach them.