2nd Hand Holiday

Orphaned buttons, an old flannel shirt, some white spray paint, hot glue, and an old wreath; will make an excellent door ornament for this lovely season!
Step 1: Poor orphaned buttons.
How sad to be a button with nothing to close and open. Give them a JOB, or at least a little white paint.

Step 2: Old flannel shirt.
Almost everyone loves a nice flannel shirt. I am of those people. Why not use this beautiful shirt! For the loop to hang the wreath with just simply cut along the front of the shirt where the button holes are. After you've cut up the front of the shirt, lay that piece aside. Then you will want to cut a LONG, THICK piece of flannel. I cut the along the middle of the shirt (this is for your bow) If you want your bow to be skinny, then cut a skinny piece, I prefer mine thick! I am a fan of bows!

Step 3: GLUE!
The messy part of this DIY project is now. Plug in your glue gun and let it warm. Set aside 5 or 6 smaller buttons. When the gun is ready just simply take your wreath and glue the white buttons on evenly through out the wreath. Try not to leave any big spaces between them, you will almost all of them in the end. Give your wreath chicken pox, or button poxs :) After you are done with your buttons on the wreath take the 5 or 6 you've set aside and place them evenly on the strip of flannel with the button holes. Glue a button in between each hole. Then GLUE on back of the very top of the wreath. So when you hang it, the ends of the flannel strip won't show. ALSO glue the flannel where you see the little buttons you've just glued. Let the glue gun (still on) rest for a few minutes.

Step 4: Bow.
Now you make your bow out of your long strip of flannel. You can make it however you want, make it your own! I like my bows big! After you are satisfied with your bow, glue it the the top, front of your wreath. Glue it in the very center of the top.

Step 5: ENJOY!

Be Handmade

In our generation; we do, we make, and we learn. Why can't I be apart of this desire?

I read blogs all about crafts, fashion, bicycles, photography, and flowers. They inspire my creative side and help me explore the world of lovely things. All of the blogs I read are so original. The blogs are individuals or teams that dream up beautiful things.

I'm jealous. (period)

How does one become original? How did you become original?

I am currently working just two days a week cleaning house for my grandfather. Its nice to not be working 45 hours a week. Now that I have all of this new found freedom, I want to work on all of the projects that I've been bookmarking for years. I've done a good job of finishing them, but I want them to be appreciated.

I would really love to start an Etsy store and go to fiber shows or handmade fairs. How do you start this process?

Sewing is really what I love to do. I need to practice more but would really LOVE to be great at it. To rip apart old clothes and make new, fresh clothes.

I want to be original. I want to dream up a killer skirt or lovely dress! I want to use my hands that God gave me to do something beautiful and good.

In Africa, I thought up a company that would give back to the children that I spent the summer with. Slum Skirts, making skirts from recycled skirts, dresses, or shirts. The money would go to needs of the children I met in Togo. Slum Skirts wouldn't just go to Togo, but to families in Malawi, Thailand, Ethiopia, or other third world countries that are in need.

Take care of the widows and orphans, God tells us. So why do I worry about being original when I already am? God made me to have a heart for Him and for the church. This is my inner struggle. I want to be a beacon for Gods love, and I want to do that through being handmade.

Love for all.