Trash to Treasure --- Bed Frame Benches

Today's Trash to Treasure is about using  old bed frames to make wonderful benches like these.    What a wonderful second life for these old beauties.

 You will find the tutorial for this pink beauty here.   http://judysturman.typepad.com/in_his_grip/2010/04/bed-to-front-porch-bench.html

And here are a few of the benches featured  on this blog.   http://www.robomargo.com/bench.html

Notice how the finials on this one was done in mosaic tiles.

  And even chairs made into a bench.

And here is one more I came across on the internet that had been sold at an antique auction.  

Handmade Spotlight

Each Wednesday, we'll be spotlighting some items that are made "by your hands".

Today, we're featuring some really pretty pillows that we found on etsy.com


Thanks for visiting us again!
Deena Davis
www.ByYourHands.com

Primitive Bucket Table Tutorial

I wanted to share this wonderful tutorial for making your own primitive table with you.

The excellent instructions make it look so easy I think I will have to try making one myself.  It is a good size and I can see all kinds of wonderful prim goodies on it.

You will find this tutorial by Evelyn of Lee Hill Primitves Blog here. http://leehillprimitives.blogspot.com/2010/03/new-tutorial-bucket-table.html

CD Storage

Today, I'd like to share a quick little organizational tip for storing CD's.

A lot of times when you buy CD's they come on a spindle, like this. 

Well, by accident, one day, I discovered that my spindle of CD's fit perfectly inside one of my paper mache stacking boxes.

You wouldn't have to use the spindle if you don't have one, but since I had one, and it was the right size, I thought I'd use it.

So there ya have it.... a quick little tip on how to conceal those pesky CD's that clutter up our desks.

Deena Davis

www.byyourhands.com

Handmade Sampler Giveaway ---Handmade By Bette DONE

Welcome to our first Handmade Sampler giveaway. The sampler is a way for you to sample handmade goods.   Thanks for stopping by.  

Enter to win this vintage look clothespin dress from Handmade By Bette.

I am primarily a pattern designer  but I think I will always feel the need to create with my hands.   My Handmade By Bette etsy shop is where I sell the things I make.  This clothespin dress was made from one of my early patterns which I changed up a little.  There is a bag under the dress to hold clothespins if you wish but wouldn't this be a delightful addition to your laundry room.  Have fun and I wish you all luck!   Bette

Rules for entering:

1.To enter the giveaway all you have to do is visit http://www.handmadebybette.etsy.com and come back here and post a comment with your favorite item in my shop.   Be sure and leave your email address so we can contact you if you win.

 Earn extra entries by:
1. Earn one extra entry by becoming a follower of this blog.

2. Earn two extra entries by posting this giveaway on your blog along with a link to this blog. Be sure and let us know you have done this.

(USA entries only, please)

The giveaway will start today, Saturday, April 24, and the winner will be announced on Friday, May 7. We will announce it here and contact you by the email address you have left. Final day to enter is Thursday, May 6.

Trash To Treasure ----Pedestal Cake Stands

Welcome to Trash To Treasure Friday.

Turning trash into treasure is by no means something new. People have been doing it for many years.
The Go Green movement has brought it into prominence today.

Every week we will be showing you some ideas you may want to use for your home or business.

This week's feature is about Pedestal Cake Stands.

Faithfulness Farm has a unique use for glass plates using vases and candlesticks as the pedestal.
See the tutorial for making these here.

http://faithfulnessfarm.blogspot.com/2010/03/pedelstal-ed-platestutorial.html

Giver's Log has a tutorial for interchangable cakeplates.   http://giverslog.com/?p=6600

And here is one made from a plate and a vintage ice cream glass at http://armellejewelry.blogspot.com/2007/03/make-your-own-cake-stand.html   
 

You can make these out of any combinations of plates, cups, bowls, candlesticks,  vases.    Use your imagination and see what you can come up with.

Today's Featured Artists -- Firecracker Kid Primitives

Today’s featured artists are a husband and wife team,   Carol and Tim Anderson of the Firecracker Kid Primitives.

They started making primitive furniture for themselves in the 1990’s after seeing the wonderful reproduction primitives in The Country Sampler magazine and began their business four years ago.     Tim is retired from building homes and is a master carpenter and Carol is a work at home crafter and manages their business.
With Tim’s skill at crafting the furniture and Carol’s finishing artistry,  they make a great team.

A lot of thought and planning goes into their designs so that it is pleasing to the primitive eye, user friendly, and functional.  A woodcraft that if the customer wanted to, they could actually use for a purpose.      Their rolling pin racks can actually be used to hold old or new rolling pins, therefore, it's not just for display.   Their  Rolling pin Cubby Rack, the same principle... yes, it's a neat primitive piece of furniture and is visually pleasing, but is also functional.

At the present time Tim makes the orders on the weekends, and occasionally when he has days off during the week, depending on the weather. He's a construction worker at this time.    Eventually they would like for Tim to retire and work the business full time with Carol.
 They  take great pride in their woodcrafts and working with their hands to make something using manual skill, one at a time,  in their home  to the best of their abilities.

They love to afford other lovers of all things primitive the opportunity to purchase their handmades at reasonable prices and enjoy them, and the most important thing is the pleasure they  give their customers when they open their package and just love what they find inside. Also knowing and appreciating that a part of them  is in hearts and homes throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia.

 You can see a selection of their fine reproduction early American primitives in their Firecracker Kid Primitives Etsy shop,  http://www.firecrackerkid.etsy.com.

And for information on custom order check out their blog at  http://fpwoodcrafts.blogspot.com

Some of the things they make are:
Primitive Early American Dough Bowl Racks
Primitive Cabinets, Book Cabinets, Shelves
Primitive One-of-a-kind Rolling Pin Dough Bowl Keeps
Primitive One-of-a-kind Rolling Pin Keeps in 2, 3, and 4 pin
Primitive One-of-a-kind 3-pin Rolling Pin Cubby Keep
Blanket Cranes
Small Primitive Woodcrafts

Handmade Spotlight

Each Wednesday, we'll be spotlighting some items that are made, or can be made, "by your hands".

Today, we're featuring Mother's Day themed sewing patterns. All of these and more can be found on www.PatternMart.com by searching the term "Mother" and "Mom"

Momma Bunny Babies by Blue MooN BegiNNiNgs	Angel in Disguise by Mamaws Creations
Hilda and Heidi Hare  by Crows Roost Prims	A Mothers Love  by Homespun from the Heart
MOTHER and DAUGHTER by Cats In The Barn (Granny Greer)	Mother Cat with Kittens  by Hidden In The Attic
Ruby & Grandmother  by Pineberry Lane	Momma Barn Cat n Kitten by Lillie Mae's Crafts
Vintage Stitchery Mother Lillie Mae's Crafts	Mighty Mom Prim Rag Doll by Frogs to Fairy Dust

Recycled Jeans Ruffle Skirt

Today's tutorial is courtesy of http://www.handmadebybette.etsy.com

                       Recycled Jeans Skirt

SUPPLIES:

Pair of childrens jeans in good condition (Size in the tutorial is a childrens 10, you may have to adjust the amount of fabric for the ruffles for a very small child)

Fabric One --- 2 pieces, 4 inches x 44 inches

Fabric Two ----3 pieces, 6 inches x 36 inches

Fabric Three --- 3 pieces, 8 inches x 36 inches

Optional: fabric for insert between second and third ruffle --- measure the distance around the bottom of the pant top and add ½ inch for the seam allowance. Cut the fabric 3 ½ inches wide by your measurement.

Matching fabric belt:

Cut a strip of matching fabric 3 ½ inches wide x 44 inches long

DIRECTIONS:

Pants:

Lay the pants out on a cutting table. Line the waist band front and back up together and pin so they don’t shift.

Measure from waist band down to one inch below the pockets. Mark this line across and cut the front of the legs off first. Then cut the back legs off even with the front.

Where you have excess fabric from the crotch, you will need to fold it over so that you have a straight line.

The excess fabric will be inside. Fold it to one side and stitch the seam. Do the same on the back crotch seam. Your pants should look like this.

Set this aside for now. Take fabric one and stitch it together on the sides so you have a circle of fabric. Hem the bottom edge by folding over ¼ inch and then again ¼ inch and sew across the seam. Sew a basting stitch around the top edge. Break this basting stitch up into three parts, sewing the basting stitch in between the seams. You can sew the whole seam at once but it is much easier to break the thread when you are gathering this up afterwards so I always break these long gathering seams up.

Sew fabric two together, hem the bottom and gather the top in the same manner as fabric one. Repeat for the third fabric.

Starting with fabric one, gather it up to fit the bottom of the jeans and with right sides together, pin the ruffle evenly all the way around the pants bottom. Stitch the ruffle to the pants in a ¼ inch seam.

Gather fabric two up to fit the pants bottom. You will be pinning this ruffle over the one you just stitched on. The right side of ruffle two will be against the wrong side of ruffle one. Stitch ruffle two to the pants/ruffle.

This next step is optional for a larger size jeans. Sew the sides of the insert fabric together. Pin it on top of the second ruffle and stitch.

Gather fabric three up to fit the bottom of the insert. The right side of ruffle three will be against the right side of the insert. Stitch ruffle to the insert in a ¼ inch seam.

This is a view of the right side of the insert and third ruffle.

To make the matching fabric belt, with right sides together fold the fabric strip in half and press. Stitch completely around the open edges in a ¼ inch seam, leaving a 1 ½ inch opening in the middle of the long length for turning right side out. Turn the belt right side out and press. Stitch the opening closed.

These directions can be used to make any size skirt. For a very small size skirt, eliminate the insert and sew all three ruffles on top of each other.

For an adult size you will need to add another strip of fabric to each ruffle.

© 2009 Bette Shaw - All rights reserved

Organizing Ribbons, etc.

Do you have tons of ribbons, lace, rick rack and the like cluttering up your workspace? Yes? well... www.TheFrugalCrafter.wordpress.com has a solution for us all, and it's cute too!

Check out this blog post at www.TheFrugalCrafter.wordpress.com for more info and a tutorial on how to make these cute "ribbon bobbins"

Thanks for visiting!
Deena Davis
www.ByYourHands.com

By Your Hands...

At the beginning of history everything was made by hand. It wasn't until the Industrial Revolution in the early 19th century that machinery entered the workplace.

Though machinery can mass produce at low cost, it can never replace the beauty and workmanship of something created by hand. Or give you the sheer enjoyment of seeing something evolve into a thing of beauty made by your own hand.

Throughout history there have always been home crafters. Sometimes it was done from necessity during economic downtimes, just as a pastime or as with a lot of women to help supplement the household income.

The 1980's and 90's saw an explosion of craft shows, home boutiques, and stores that rented you a space to sell your handmades. In the late 90's crafting started to invade the internet. Today there are thousands of websites selling handmade. We have websites like Etsy.com and Artfire.com dedicated to promoting handmade and today's crafter.

The recent downturn in our economy with massive job losses has brought a new wave of crafters to the internet searching for a way to make a living for their families without being at the mercy of large corporations.

This blog is dedicated to the promotion of handmade and the crafters who are trying to add to the family support by the work and expression of their hands.

The industrial revolution may have departed this country for the most part but handmade is alive and well. Do you have a special talent learned at the hand of a parent or grandparent?

Keep handmade alive and teach it to the next generation. No matter how high tech this world becomes there will always be that driving force in a person to create by their own hand.