vintage metal cabinet rescue : show and tell.

I live in a small apartment and continually struggle with organization of sewing and craft supplies...creative nature? Possibly. Craft supply hoarder? Most definitely.  Anyway, when you find yourself in my predicament, closed system storage is the way to go. So, I found an old metal storage cabinet on the cheap-cheap and knew I could put it to good use. I used to have one very similar and in a fit of crazy, I "gave" it away, along with many other things during a change of residence. I have regretted letting it go many times but was stoked to have re-found this little treasure.

The cabinet was in need of some TLC, but the most I was willing to manage was putting a bandage of sorts over the nastiness of the shelves. I removed the old shelf-liner and cleaned each shelf as best I could, but not wanting to spend tons of time on this with paint, sanding and scraping: I opted for a band-aid. I used Con-Tact paper in a wood-grain pattern to cover over the rusted and scuffed metal hidden under the decades-old shelf-liner that was in the cabinet when I bought it. 

I measured the dimensions of each shelf and cut the contact paper to size, using my cutting mat and rotary cutter (gasp) that I use for my sewing and quilting projects. I added a couple of inches at the front so that it would wrap around the lip of each shelf (notice the notch in the corners). 

I peeled the backing from the Con-Tact paper, beginning in the left corner and then started smoothing it down (pictured above is how it looks when you get to the far right). I worked left to right until it was all stuck down. 

I had a wee-bit of an issue getting the Con-Tact paper to adhere properly to some areas of the shelves, likely a result of the condition of the paint surface I was trying to stick it to. I remedied that situation with my trusty Mod Podge, applying it directly to the shelf and front lip of the shelf then smoothing the paper over it with my fingers for a nice finish. Worked like a freaking charm. I'm so glad I spent the hour or so making this cabinet functional for my purposes. 

I think it looks great and it's hiding a multitude of craft hoard sins (said sins not necessarily pictured in this post).

You may notice on the second shelf from the bottom where I hadn't used the Mod-Podge to secure the shelf-paper under the lip. It made a big difference in this little project. I'm thrilled with how this turned out...it cost just dollars to do, very little mess and totally made the inside of this cabinet useable. Score. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

~erica

vintage postcard rescue.

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across some gorgeous vintage postcards in my local antique shop. I've seen a million postcards in my thrifting and antiquing adventures but was especially drawn to them on this particular visit. Not knowing what I wanted to do with them, I spent the greater part of an hour thumbing through hundreds of occasional cards. I  read the quirky messages written on the backs that date as far back as 1900,  admiring the language, penmanship and the gorgeous artwork. 

I wanted to send a few of these to some special persons in my life. Naturally, only one made it out. However, I thought it would be as shame to glue these wonderful messages to blank card and lose the history! Lightbulb moment: use photo corners! I'm certain I am not the first to have this idea for this application but having not looked it up for myself, I thought I would share with you all. 

Using the photo corners, your recipient can easily remove the card for re-gifting or for collage or framing. Can you imagine giving or receiving a box of these as a gift? What a perfect semi-handmade gift for the snail-mail loving, vintage enthusiast. Preserving history and passing on vintage cheer, what could be better? Not much. In my book, anyway.

{a couple of my favorites}

 All supplies can be purchased at your local craft store, inexpensively. Vintage postcards can be sought at antique stores, estate sales, thrift shops, Ebay, Etsy and so forth. I would expect to pay about $1 per postcard, more or less depending on subject matter, condition and rarity. Easy peasy.

fabric labels :: a tutorial

I have received nearly a hundred emails over the last couple of years from sewers and quilters asking where I get my labels. Instead of explaining (nearly) every time (sorry if I haven't gotten back to you!) I thought I would put together my first tutorial. Here goes nothing...

Supplies: 1.25 inch Rug binding or twill tape-there is an adhesive variety, do not purchase this...we need to iron our labels and it simply won't work for our purposes.

Stamps

Stamp Pad- I use an acid free pad intended for paper

Scissors

Iron with steam

Heat n' Bond Ultra

Begin by cutting your twill tape to desired length. It should extend about 1 inch past your text and logo, mine tend to be about 3 inches (If you're making a mass quantity I recommend cutting and stamping one before you cut them all and realize that it is too short).

Once the ink has dried (usually just a couple of minutes), take a hot iron to them to heat set the ink. I have never had a problem with ink transferring to my iron, but if you are worried you may choose to use a pressing cloth.

Fold the ends back at least 1/4 inch and press

Get out the Heat n' Bond and cut 1 inch strips

One side is a smooth paper, and the other side is a rough adhesive.

Cut to the length of your label and iron with steam the rough side of the Heat n' Bond to the back of your label.

When you are ready to use your label simply peel off the paper to reveal the fusible surface.

I use a steamy hot iron to attach the label to my products, I then stitch around the perimeter of the label to reinforce the hold. I have never encountered any problems with this method and enjoy the homespun look of them.

I purchased my "Hand Made" stamp from The Small Object she has great stuff!

I hope this tutorial is clear, let me know if there is something that I've missed.

I will answer any incoming questions in the comment section so that everyone can benefit...

Good luck and go make something!

Please Note: I do not make any claims regarding the longevity of the ink used in this method of label-making with repeated washings. These labels may not be suitable for garments or other items requiring routine machine washing. You may wish to seek out permanent stamp pads designed for use with fabric.