Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Scraps of Fabric


Yesterday I was in the mood for a project after spending 4 hours on Sunday afternoon cleaning/organizing/purging the attic and filling 5 bags with stuff to toss.

I barely made a dent in 16 years of accumulated odd bits, but I felt I needed a reward for all my hard work.


I saw this cute wreathe on Butterfly & Bungalow and wondered what it would look like in a rainbow of colors.

I knew there was only one way to find out.

After tossing 5 bags of stuff , I thought it was pretty silly to go out to buy more stuff so for the rest of the summer, before I begin a project, this question has to be answered YES - 

Do I have the materials on hand?


I gathered odd bits of fabric and located a metal heart shape I found when I was cleaning out my creative space.

Another criteria for projects is that they are "tailored to me" instead of exact replicas of ideas I see on blogs or Pinterest.


I looked at the steps for the bow wreathe, but her wreathe had 3 rings and I only had 1 heart so instead of bows I tore the fabric into strips 1" x 5" strips.

I tied a few on and thought they looked about right so I just kept going.

This was a perfect project for someone like me with a short attention span.

I completed about 3 inches and went to work in the garden.

Each time I switched a laundry load, I tied on a few more inches.

Altogether, it took me about 2 hours.

And then came the big question - okay, what am I going to do with the heart?

This morning, I decided it was time for a new vignette on my hallway cabinet.


A few old quilts in a wire basket form a base to hold the heart.

I threw in an old doorknob for no other reason than the fact that I like it.


My heart doesn't look anything like the wreathe that inspired it, but I like it and that works for me.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

I am joining in at the following parties

Lavender Garden Cottage - Cottage Style Party

The Dedicated House - Make It Pretty Monday

Cedar Hill Ranch - The Scoop

A Stroll Thru Life - Inspire Me Tuesday

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Tuesday's Treasures

Elizabeth and Co. - Be Inspired

Boogieboard Cottage - Masterpiece Monday

50 comments:

  1. I love how cheerful it looks! Great way to use those odd bits knowing they really did have a purpose!! I once edged a tablecloth this same way. It was for my son's high school graduation and I used the school colors. It made for a great memory!

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  2. Love the candy colors! Glad you get to show it off on your pretty pile of quilts. It makes a nice cheery vignette!

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  3. Pretty colours nice and happy.
    Merle...........

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  4. The colors you used are like a garden of flowers! I love it! Ive been wanting to tear fabric in strips and make a swag.

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  5. Love the heart shape spin you put on it. Very creative:)

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  6. That's so pretty and I love where you put it...I can see having about 20 of all different colors for various holidays or stringing them all together like one of those banners everyone is making....and thanks so much for your sweet comments on my blog...I appreciate it very much.

    Have a good night!

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  7. I love it!!! It's so beautiful. You have such a way with color!

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  8. Your wreath turned out so pretty! I love your criteria...especially the one about tailoring your project to you instead of trying to make an exact replica. I love your colorful fabrics and this gave me an idea to use some of my fabric scraps and make a cute wreath for my classroom. That is.....IF I can find the time. I feel like I am back in college trying to learn all this new common core stuff...:) have a blessed week.....Vicky

    Life On Willie Mae Lane

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  9. Pretty! I saw a similar thing - a banner tied with fabric strips - it looked wonderful. I have made pennant banners before, but I'd like to try one with the strips.

    You are really creative. I hope you didn't get rid of any scrapbook type paper...I am always looking for paper for my prayer shrines!

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  10. Your wreath came out so cute. I recently made a wreath from things I had on hand. I had an oval piece of metal that I removed from a mirror on a vanity I refinished. I had it for a couple of days when the wreath I had on my front door fell off and knew what I would do. I pulled out my fabric scraps and went to work. I love it and have gotten plenty of complements since I hung it.

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  11. Love the colors and patterns of that fabric!

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  12. That's the neat thing about inspirations. We make things that are not necessarily like them. Love your wreath!

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  13. Now that is a happy heart! I absolutely love it!!! It is totally you and totally perfect!!! Cheers to a wonderful week..sounds like you have been busy!!!

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  14. I think your heart is so cute and love that you were able to take a good idea and put your spin on it!

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  15. So pretty and a great use of those little pieces of material that then accumulate around a home.
    Barbara
    marchhousebookscom.blogspot.co.uk/

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  16. I love it. All the happy colours are really "you". I had seen how versatile this wreath could be the minute I saw it on Butterfly & Bungalow.

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  17. I like the heart too and it is so pretty.

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  18. It is cute and bright and cheery and made a good use of the fabric. I laughed at your attention span. I am like that too! I cannot sit and do the same thing for hours / I have to jumble it all up, just like scraps! :)

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  19. It is cute and goes so well with your home, it's a good project for watching tv in the winter too!

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  20. You amaze me Carol, at how quickly you can put something together! You are already well-organized, so I guess that helps!!! Looking wonderful. Anita

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  21. I love the colors of your wreath and it looks great with those quilts in your new vignette!

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  22. Hours cleaning out the attic.......in the summertime. You are saintly!
    The little wreathe is so cheery - and I love the vignette. A little whimsy, lots of colour - just what it needed to be.

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  23. That turned out really cute. The inspiration piece looks romantic and frilly and yours looks homey and warm and FUN! Love it- xo Diana

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  24. I think it's fabulous, and I am SO going to "craft-lift" this idea! I have the perfect fabrics for it; just need to shop the house for a base.

    Happy creating!!

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  25. I love it and that is what "inspiration" is all about, inspired BY, not copied FROM! Often times the things I make bare little resemblance to what inspired it and that is just fine with me. But now I have yet another wanndo on my list - lol!

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  26. Beautiful! I want to make one for Christmas (yes, I'm already planning ahead :-)). Was it easy to tear the fabrick in such small strips?

    Goedele

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  27. Carol - you definitely use your "artist's eye" in everything that you do. This is adorable and I love the way that you use the heart with the quilts - so sweet. Good luck with the "tossing" out of things. I decided today that, perhaps, I have just given up on that. I guess I will be featured on the "hoarder" show one day - hahahaha!!

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  28. Love your bright and cheerful heart wreath!!

    Judy

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  29. I love these wreaths and I would love to make one. Yours looks so colourful and summery! xx

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  30. I love the colors and the ease of this project! Great inspiration!

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  31. I have a ton of fabric so I really need to make one of these. So fun. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

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  32. Love the colors. You can use a metal clothes hanger for the form. Twist or cut off the top and then mold the heart and retwist.

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  33. You are one brave lady to clean out the attic in the summer heat. Would be impossible here, though our attic needs a good purge.
    The wreath is a clever idea. ;-)

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  34. What a great re-use of fabric scraps! Very clever idea and such a productive project. You're so brave to take on the attic, especially this time of year. Hope you found some other treasures! -- Jan

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  35. oH, dear..our attic is so hot in the summer time, there's no way I could stay up there. We cleaned it 2 months ago and still got too hot....
    I think your wreath is a great idea....
    Over from Lavender Garden

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  36. What a darling wreath you made! You are so creative! Love how you used the quilts and door knobs to display your wreath. So pretty!
    Nancy

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  37. I love how yours turned out! I can tell that was a lot of work. The vibrant colors fit right in your charming home.

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  38. It's adorable! I'm thinking Christmas fabrics?? Or maybe pink and or blue for a baby shower. I'm inspired! Mimi

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  39. I love the heart wreath you made and the wire basket with quilts is charming! Thanks for sharing, Laura

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  40. Carol, you are so creative with colour! Hmm... Wonder if that's a quality Steve saw in you and the sparks flew! Your 'fabricated' frilly wreath is cheery rainbow fun!

    Poppy

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  41. It's beautiful Carol -
    But I have to tell you I came by via Gwen Moss - because she mentionned the journal you made for her - I had no idea I was coming here!!!!!
    That is one of the most beautiful journals - no scrap that - not one of - but the most beautiful journal I've ever seen - you're so amazingly talented!
    Big hugs,
    Moi

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  42. I adore your colorful heart version! Congratulations on using what you already had.

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  43. I like your new header and your colourful heart. I am always amazed how you have so much bits and pieces to use in your projects.
    Sarah x

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  44. That's a beautiful rag wreath! I do love all the color you used!

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  45. Love your creativeness over here, and as for those journals you create they grace with inspiring beauty.

    I am going to enjoy all that you will inspire me with. Thank you dearly for taking the time to visit me and my WHITE!

    a blessed month of August to you.

    xx
    Dore

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  46. I love that you used what you had, and were inspired by another project, but made it totally your own. It's just darling!

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  47. I loved that project at Butterfly & Bungalow, and I love your interpretation of it, too!

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