recycling: good, clean fun!

I missed playing "on my desk" yesterday, but my little napper has suddenly given up napping. My Wednesday blogging window just got a little more challenging. My making window didn't seem to disappear, though. She and I whipped up a little storm together. I'm going to confide in you: I'm having a little love affair with coffee sacks, and it looks like I'm not alone...my inspiration board turned up all over the place this week: Design*Sponge, Craft, whip up!, Apartment Therapy's unplugged and re-nest, one pretty thing...maybe more. Thank you soooo much! I really enjoy working with burlap, playing with the graphics, and most of all... giving new life to a resource that would have otherwise gone unused. The above bag is my daughter's new tote: a lunch sack, snack bag, nature collector, and anything else she might decide. Here she is waiting to go to nursery school... Miss Upcycle, herself. She sits upon my re-done chair, with her Mama Goose shirt and her handmade (from thrifted fabric) skirt. She wears it all with pride, that's my girl!


Back to the bag. Don't you love the shape? It's a soft and drapey (yes, burlap is not as itchy as you might think), but has structure even when empty!

I made a quick and simple lining in linen, and the straps work over her shoulder or as a handle. A friend dropped buy today, and now she wants one too...for her knitting. I'm going to make several in different sizes and style... I need a couple!

I hate wasting. I had to use the scraps, of course. This is my new favorite pin cushion.


It reminds me of a little sack of coffee. The loop means I can hang it on the wall above my sewing machine, and always know where it is. I have a habit of misplacing my pin cushions, so this is GOOD.

In other making news:
I had a special request for some more stone dolls. I spent a beautiful fall afternoon collecting more stones at the lake, and here they are:


I also stitched up a couple of these birds from Spool after seeing this gorgeous interpretation of their project by Molly.

I have big holiday plans for these sweet little birds. They can take on so many different personalities depending on your fabric choices. Here's my simple, rustic one in linen and ticking (one of my favorite combos). I added some quilting details to the tail that I'm really enjoying. Might play with the pattern a bit to make it my own...I love tweaking.


I also made one for that little girl at my side... with her fabric choices. She loves it more than any softie I've ever made for her. I've made quite a few in the past year, but this one feels just right in her hands, and she hasn't let it go for 24 hours!

Maybe we all need a little someone to hold onto...