Re-Purposed Spoon Wind Chime

For these I used sterling silver.. I found some beautiful pieces at Salvation Army in Auburn and they also had a 40% off sale.. ten assorted pieces for $2.00 not bad!
Ingredients: Four Silver Spoons, 1 Silver serving fork, 16 gauge silver plated wire, silver chain link, assorted silver beads.
Tools: Dremmel with drill bit ,cut off wheel, and grinder attachments, needlenose pliers, wire cutters, hammmer, piers.

Hammer the spoons flat, I polished them up a bit later as well with the polishing wheel on the dremmel

To hang them I used a serving fork, I didn't like the tines so I cut them off, then drilled holes for the spoons to hang from.

I then used the cutting wheel of the dremmel to form new tines and bent then in opposing directions

Here they are all bent. I then used the grinding attachment for the dremmmel and rounded and finished the corners.

Next drill holes at the top of each spoon

I used 16ga silver plated wire looped through the hole at the top of the spoon and spiraled it with my pliers.  I also added a silver spacer bead just for fun to each side

 

I then added two and a half inches of silver plated chain to the loop spiral and attached it to the hanger with another loop and also added another bead (dragonfly) just for fun.

 

Hanging

If you click to open the larger version of this photo you can see I crossed wires down the length of the fork, I liked the way this looks and used a loop a the top to hang the chimes, also making a spiral at the base just for pretty factor.

Here is a close up of the connections.

I am very happy with how this turned out and now am in search of more silverware!!

Canning, it's an addiction...

 End of summer is canning time at my house, this year is no exception.  I have traded strawberries and blueberries for website design done for Snowy Peaks Farms, picked blackberries, been gifted plums, grown tomatoes. peppers and tomatillos, and got a screaming deal on peaches...
This years count: (thus far)
12 green salsa, 22 strawberry jam,  6 strawberry blueberry jam, 10 blueberry peach jam, 5 blueberry plum,  14 plum pepper, 14 blackberry, 4 half peaches, 10 tomato sauce.
Again, come the zombies all my friends are welcome at my house... there is plenty to go around.
(much thanks to helpers Betty and Mike, trooper plum processors & my Love for being my blackberry picking, strawberry hulling companion...)

Fingerless Mitts

Last year I was treated with the most wonderful pattern for Fingerless Mitts at Craftzine.  I have since added embellishments to the pattern, including embroidery, felting and buttons.  They have evolved.  Feeling the cooler evenings the past few days has encouraged me to once again pull out the felting foam and needles. 
All of the gloves are made from re purposed material. Leggings, sweaters and t shirts.
The pattern is simple and fun to work with so here is the link at craftzine in case you would like to make some of your own.. Craftzine Fingerless Mitt Pattern

 Made from a heavy weight t-shirt.. felted butterfly and catapillar

 Re-purposed leggings, felted pedals, embroidered stem and button

The felting on this one was done off the fabric and sewn on.

 This is the first one I made from a re-purposed light weight cardigan

Beary Bear

I made this bear for my friend Marsha after she had some dental surgery.  I have never had so much joy making something for anyone... she takes Beary everywhere and takes these lovely photos of him.  Love you Marsha.. and love that Beary has such a cool awesome Mom!

The Beary Photos.... By Marsha

Message Board

Alexis and I made this message board for Makayla's room today. I didn't take step by step photos, but these are pretty simple to do.
We started with a stretch canvas, these can be done on a cork board as well.
Place a inch thick layer of cotton batting on top of the canvas.  Cut fabric about an inch and a half larger on all sided.  Stretch fabric over batting/canvas... stretch tight doing one side at a time... use a staple gun to do so.
Using ribbon first place a piece diagonally from corner to corner, place another piece every five inches going in both directions.  Connect to back of fabric using a staple gun.
Where ribbon intersects sew a button .. Sew button through all layers, including canvas.. this is a little tricky where the wood is for support down the middle for larger a canvas  (this one was 4th by 3 ft)
Secure well... We also put a dot of hot glue on all of the knots in the back where we sewed the button for a little extra security.
The fabric, colors, and buttons match her room beautifully..

(click for larger image)