A Rag Doll for Ella's Birthday from Vintage Fabrics

My goodness, this is a sweet little doll!

I made one earlier in the summer for a friend and loved how it turned out.

You can find the tutorial I used here. I wanted to make one for Ella's birthday but about twice as big.

Again I used vintage fabrics from my Dad--the apron is from a Victorian pillowcase, the sash from a an old linen, the dress from a 1940s dress that I had high hopes of altering for myself--more on that in an upcoming post. The button is from the 60s and the scarf is from a vintage tablecloth. The only fabric that is not vintage is the felt that I used for the hair and the muslin for the face and the arms.

I am so excited to give Ella her new doll. I know she will love it just as much as I do!


This post is part of the following link parties:

Lemonade & Sunshine Vintage-Inspired Party Favors

I am participating four link parties today--if you are visiting from one of them WELCOME and please follow me and leave me a comment if this is your first time here!

How CUTE are these?


I am pretty much beside myself over how cute these turned out. They are party favors for Ella's upcoming Lemonade and Sunshine Birthday Social. They were SO SIMPLE.

I purchased two packs of 12 mini-jelly jars with twist-rings and lids at my local grocery store. The lemon drops came from Target at $.99 a bag (each bag filled two jars). I pulled out the leftover fabric from my Scrappy Fabric Flag Banner, and I planned on using the raffia for the lids.


There was a happy surprise underneath the jars--these labels!!


So initially I was planning to put a square of fabric over the lid and tie it with the raffia. BUT--the lids were so slippery and the fabric square so small that it was just impossible. This was my plan B solution--to use my new pinking rotary cutter to make longs strips of fabric and tie them around the lids.


Aren't they precious!!!??



I plan to place them in an old basket as party favors for my guests on their way out.



Oh, and here is Ella's rag doll, inspired by the tutorial from Inside A Black Apple--only this doll is nearly the same size as Ella, and made with all vintage fabrics (except for the felt hair.)


I hope you are having a wonderful week! I can't believe that there are only 4 days until Ella's birthday party!

I am participating in these link parties today--if you are visiting from one of them welcome and please follow me and leave me a comment if this is your first time here!

Custom Solar System Wall Art from Upcycled 80s Curtain Panel

Today's tutorial is for custom wall art. This is a great idea for literally whipping up an inexpensive and personalized piece of art, customized to your exact taste.

My boy is obsessed with all things space right now. I painted two small pictures for his room a few months ago, but he still has a large open space over his headboard that needed something special.


For this piece of artwork I chose to use a curtain panel from the 80s with the solar system on it.


I found this lovely piece of polyester at the Fort Andross Fleamarket, located inside Cabot Mill in Brunswick, ME. Every time we go back to Maine to visit my Dad we stop in there. Dad has a space at the adjacent Cabot Mill Antiques. We start there, and then wander over into the flea market.



The fabric caught my eye hanging in a seller's stall. I was drawn to the graphic and the brilliant color. Initially my hope was to somehow transform the panel into trim for James' dark blue curtain panels, but there wasn't enough fabric.

For this project you simply need scissors, a staple gun, your fabric and a canvas the size you want for the piece. This canvas is 22" x 28". I found it at Michael's crafts for $20 and it was 50% off. NICE!


Here's the boy, ready to help. (And TOTALLY ecstatic.)


First I laid the fabric right-side down on the table. I tried to find a place in the pattern where I could get nearly all of the solar system included in the piece. Then I trimmed all around the canvas, leaving a few inches with which to stretch the fabric over the frame.


Next I just stretched and stapled, starting at the center of each side and working my way outward.


When it came time for the corners, I just folded the fabric as if I was wrapping a present.


And then I stapled.


Tah-dahh!!!


One very happy boy! (Must wait for husband to come home to put nail in finicky old plaster wall.)


Such an easy project! I have seen similar pieces done with Amy Butler fabric. There are a million applications for this--in nurseries, in classrooms, over a master bed, maybe rooster fabric in a kitchen--anything!

Have fun!

BTW one of my new ruffled t shirts was just featured!

I am linked up with the following Monday parties:

Upcycling -- Button Bracelets

A couple of years ago I was visiting my Mom and Dad back in Maine, and hanging out in their shop. My Mom was showing me these really beautiful bracelets that she had been making out of old buttons she had in her shop. She had tureens FILLED with buttons of every kind, material, color, you name it. She said I should try making one.

I spent the next couple of days sitting on the floor in the shop, combing through buttons like I was hunting for Easter eggs. I would pull a button out and say "Can I use this one?" I would get a "Sure, that's fine." or a "No, are you crazy? That one is so rare!" or a "Mmm . . ., well, I GUESS so." Let me tell ya, those rare "Well I guess so's" are the BEST buttons on my bracelet!

Here it is:

I love the color palette, mostly greens and purples, and the exquisite buttons on it. Every time I wear it I get compliments, and people want to know where it came from, so needless to say I have made a few since that first one. But of COURSE, this is my favorite!

All you have to do is buy a stretchy hair elastic (mine I get from a local drugstore, they are about 4" wide and come in black, navy or green. I just pick the color theme, and start sewing on the buttons. Easy peasy!

* * * *

I made the one pictured a couple of years ago--and want to start another.

But what color combination?

Hmmm . . let's take a look at what I've got.

Should the bracelet be blue?


Yellow?


Brown?


Pink?

Black?

Red?

White?

Sparkly?

I am leaning toward blue and brown, or white. What do you think?

I was a little late posting this for Vintage Suitcase Friday over at Thrifty Tickle, but I'll get the swing of these linky parties soon! Go visit and show off your own repurposed or upcycled vintage project!