Street rescue ... Backpack repair

One rainy day this week we parked the car to go visiting, and there in a soggy heap was a backpack. It was covered in leaves and berries and contained woodlice, soil and a fat worn!

But Mike and I both saw potential. Something that ought to escape the landfill, and we threw it on the mat in the footwell of the car when we left. 

At home I shook it out and fed the worm to the chickens. After two dunkings in water from the rain butts, I brought the backpack in for a hand wash, in a solution of floor cleaner and disinfectant. After that an Express wash, rinse and spin in the Meile. 

As the bag dried I could see it was in pretty good shape apart from the adjusters. One was missing and another was smashed. The zips were sticking but  a few sprays of Mr Sheen and they didn't need replacing after all. 

I have a stash of webbing and clips and I found two adjusters the right size. Mike unpicked the loops needed to hold them in place and you can see my re-stitching. 

I don't think it matters that the clips don't match. I have a new bag! 

A new kid on the block ...

Lately a lot of over-made-up dolls are getting a younger, fresher look. I decided to have a go myself. I can paint, I just wasn't sure about having a steady enough hand! But I found this Alice Moxie Girlz doll for 50p and she came home with me ...

With a few pieces of magic eraser, and a lot of nail varnish remover her make up and fat lips disappeared! Well ok, those lips still looked pumped. Some careful painting would take care of that. 

With white acrylic I shaped new eyes. And with a gentle pink and some 12-year-olds front teeth those lips have changed!

After that point I was on a roll. I do believe she needs some hint at eye lashes, but I'm really pleased with my first attempt to create a doll that looks like a real person!

Simple clothes next, but in the meantime, I found a hat for her to wear. 

What do you think her name should be?

Four Memory Pups ....

I was asked to make some very special pups in the style of my flat cats! I love to be asked to try new things so I set about designing some dogs with fold-over ears ...

After sketching and sharing progress wth my friend, I create the patters I will use to cut the fabric pieces with ....

Apart from the white fleece and wool I used for the eyes, each pup is made from pieces of a Daddy's jumper and one of his shirts. This project is so special because the Dad died last year. 

With the ears sewn in this pup looks rather silly! I need a few small stitches to fold over the ears just right! The nose is also needle felted and the mouth will be hand embroidered :-)

Pin the ears before sewing down so you can get the angle right!

Here are all four dogs ready to leave me. Have fun guys and thank you for standing in the gap and helping to celebrate a special person. 

Have you worked with clothing to help preserve memories? 

Drawer fronts ...

Here are collaged, over painted drawer fronts for the dresser. We put back the existing handles without removing any of the chipped white and gold paint. 

Here they are back in place, I'm really pleased with them. Mike says they look old and girly!

Next I get to age the cabinet part, and decide what to do with the top, which will be covered in a piece of glass. 

An Up-Cycle ... Dressing Table

I bought a dressing table for £30 which had been given a shabby-chique effect. Sadly though the paint was peeling, so Mike has been giving it some TLC out in the garage ...

Underneath was a varnished dressing table, that's why the paint peeled off. Mike stripped the lose paint with blades then sanded the piece to ready to paint it once again ... Paint does not want to stick to a varnished surface!

The dressing table will be a joint project too. Here are the drawer fronts painted with undercoat and ready for me to collage! I will have fun doing that. 

The top has a nice piece of glass. I recon I could do something nice under the glass too before installing this in our bedroom!

My Amazing floor ...

My living room floor has featured a few times in this blog, including some repairs to some of these old tiles. But i came up with a good plan to say goodbye  to the random pieces of carpet and expensive alternatives ... so i started with a room empty and a thorough deep clean ...

Next Michael got down on his knees and did a sterling job filling and smoothing cracks and gaps, and then the floor was sanded and washed and hoovered!

You know those old family bibles with the covers falling off and the amazing illustrations? Michael and I both have one of those and instead of being a tatty King-James-Version tome that no one bothered to read any more, this one was given a new lease of life with a ton of PVA and a sessions of careful placing of The New Testament ...

I love collage. Working with big pages was a challenge when they were wet, as they have to be wet both sides with a solution of the glue and smoothed in place to dry - with the door closed to keep curious kittens and little girls out!

Once dry I gently hoovered the floor with the brushes out, to remove any dust and fluff before applying three coats of varnish.

The finished floor is alive with stories, and a gentle cream colour. Also very good for car games and perfect for sliding with no slippers on ... 

The children were pleased, and many visitors are impressed. But does it disturb you? Is it ok to physically 'stand on the word of god' as well as spiritually? 

I clearly love patchwork and collage, cant wait to have the new budget home made curtains too!

A fun repair!

Of course little slips happen to us all, especial busy crafters! And today I was cutting some thick card with such gusto that I took a slice at my table cloth too!

But I have the best girly-pink duct-tape ever, so I snipped put a little pink shape to stick across the hole!

Then I used some other pieces to repair the cuts that Mary added to the edge of the table cloth one fine day!