Mitzi Made It

Welcome to Mitzi Made It!

Welcome to my new blog!  Mitzi Made It is a craft blog where I'll be presenting projects during each of the four seasons of the year using vintage materials. Most of the time newer materials can be substituted, but we're aiming for up-cycling here if at all possible, because I'm an antique dealer and that's what I'm all about!

If you are looking for my newest post, scroll down past this Welcome post and Materials List.

At the beginning of each season I'll post a materials list including pictures of what to look for at the top of this blog.  Right now we've started our Summer Projects, so go forth and look for the Summer Materials listed below!

Summer Materials List:

A lampshade that you can use for its "skeleton":

 

Plastic bangle bracelets:

 

 

Clear glass plates, without any pattern:

Paper ephemera, including sheet music, handwriting, and something unusual, like these newspaper tickets:

 

  

More paper....

 

Burlap potato or grain sacks:

 

 Old compacts, pill boxes, or cigarette cases:

 

 

 

A vintage jewelry box:

 

 
 

  A vintage chandelier:

 

 

 

Shades to go with your chandelier.  I like a variety of different shapes and colors:

 

 

Vintage hankies:

 

 

Assorted bottles and jars, including a few canning jars (not pictured):

 

Bits of lace and crochet:

 

 

Have fun on your treasure hunt!

 

Mitzi Didn't Quite Make It

Well, this is a post I didn't want to write, but I'm going to try to find a silver lining in the proverbial cloud.  If you've been following this blog, all three of you, you've probably noticed that I haven't posted in quite some time.  The reason is I've just been too darn busy!  And that's a good thing, really (I guess that's the silver lining).

If anyone needs to learn to stop and smell the roses, it's me!

Since I started this blog, my life has gone through some changes.  I've travelled a couple times to Florida to help my mom after my dad passed away; I started another antique mall booth in a third antique mall, forming a "Bermuda Triangle" as one of my loyal blog readers described it; I retired from my full time job as a school psychologist, then promptly came down with the flu, which I'm just getting over today.  I decided I'd better take the advice I would give someone else:  slow down a bit, and put something on the back burner, for Pete's sake!

This will be the first year since I was four years old that I won't be going "back to school" in the fall!

 

I really liked the concept for this blog, because I thought it was original and unique.  I hope I have time later to get it up and running again with some new posts.  Once I get in a rhythm with my new life, I'll see how things shake out.  You'd think I'd have more time than ever, but I need to dedicate my time to activities that will bring in some income, and this blog isn't really doing much of that, to be sure, as much as I enjoy writing it.

I'll announce on my primary blog if and when I start posting over here again.  In the meantime, I'm focusing on Mitzi's Miscellany, where I have an ever-growing readership.  I definitely don't want to jeopardize that in any way by spreading myself too thin.  I'll be posting craft projects on that blog as fall progresses.

Thanks for all your support.  Whether you visit me here or there, I enjoy knowing you stopped by to read what I have to say, and I love reading your comments, if you leave them!

 

Embellished Vintage Bottles: An Easy Summer Project

Here's our third Summer Project, Embellished Vintage Bottles.  I've been progressing a little slower than I thought on my Summer Projects, and I'm sure my regular readers have noticed.  Finally the crickets were chirping so loudly over here, I had to get in gear and knock out this project! 

 

You might have seen various versions of embellished bottles around the web.  Everyone has put their own twist on them, as I'm sure you will too.  To get started you will need the following basic materials:

Vintage or newer bottles of various shapes and sizes.

Interesting paper, including sheet music or old wallpaper.

Ribbon, lace, or seam binding.

Corks that fit the bottles if they don't have caps.

Pearls or beads to put inside the bottles (optional).

Jewelry bits for embellishment.

E-6000 glue or hot glue

Brayer (optional)

Mod Podge (matte)

Sponge brush

Distress Ink to age the paper (optional).

 

 

 

Here's a good reason why every tin should be opened at every garage sale.  I saw this tin marked $2, and it was full of loose beads and pearls. I'll be using some of them in this project:

 

 

 

Directions:

Step 1:  Once your bottles are clean and dry, begin a layering process.  I select the paper pieces first, and either cut or tear them to fit the front of the bottles.  I had some great embossed vintage wallpaper that I used for this project, and I really wanted to highlight it.

 

 

 

Step 2:  Attach your paper pieces with Mod Podge by coating the back of the paper and pressing it or using the brayer to get a smooth attachment to the bottle.  A topcoat of Mod Podge can be given and the edges wiped clean with a damp paper towel.

 

 

 

Step 3:  Additional embellishments can be added, including cameos, buttons, and vintage millinery.  Use hot glue to tack the items down.  My paper was so pretty, I decided not to glue anything on top of it.

Step 4:  The bottle caps or corks can be embellished too.  I used Rub-n-Buff in Grecian Gold to color the corks and the screw on metal cap.  I just use my finger, but I think a rag or paper towel is recommended.

 

Step 5:  I added vintage gold plastic roses and a fancy button to the caps for a final bit of embellishment, along with some pearls and beads in the bottom of the jars.

 

I think a grouping of these would look pretty on a vanity tray, just for display.  They're feminine and have a vintage appeal, and are a good way to save some old bottles from the dumpster!

I'll be linking to Katherine's Corner, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Love Notes by Lauren, and The Brambleberry Cottage blog hops this week.

 

Becoming The Person You Were Meant To Be

I've been doing a lot of reminiscing lately, perhaps because I just celebrated a birthday, or maybe because I've been reconnecting with many friends and relatives via Facebook that I don't normally see except for the occasional high school reunion, wedding, or funeral.  I've been reminded of so many good times in my life which included these special people.

One thing I learned during all of the reminiscing with friends and relatives:  I'm finally becoming the person I was meant to be.  I'm different than I was many years ago, and I'm glad.  I've overcome shyness, fear, and have become more assertive.  My self-esteem is much higher.  I express myself better.  I've learned to say "no" when someone asks me to do something I don't want to do.  It might have taken 52 years, but better late than never!

Sometime, get out a baby picture of yourself and look at it intensely.  Who was the little person in the picture meant to be?  Are you proud of who you've become?

 

Me

Maybe some of you have no idea what I'm talking about.  You're the lucky ones that have always been confident and self-assured, were popular in school and are now leaders at work or in the community.  But I know there are others that fall in my group, who have lacked confidence and watched from the sidelines a lot of the time.  Have you ever heard the saying "lead, follow, or get out of the way"?  I'm the person that usually chose to get out of the way.  The first time I ever gave a speech in  junior high public speaking class, I broke out in hives that were so severe my brother almost called an ambulance when I got home from school!  Allow me to make a few suggestions that have helped me overcome that awful feeling.

Stop being afraid.  Fear of failure prevents many of us from trying new things, and that's a shame.  What's wrong with the occasional failure?  Not all of my projects turn out great, not all of my attempts at humor are funny.  I keep going anyway, because I get enjoyment from the process.  I figure people that follow my blog might think "I can do a better job than that!" and that's OK.  I just inspired someone to try something new or to improve on my idea.

My disastrous attempt at Christmas lamps:

 

  

Stop talking and start doing.  I've said this before, but it bears repeating:  there are words, and there are actions.  Anyone can say they are going to do something, but what's really important is whether or not the "thing" actually gets started.  If you are waiting for the perfect time to start something, that perfect time might never arrive.  You just need to jump in and get going, even though the timing isn't perfect.

 

Keep away from negative people as much as possible.  They just drag you down.  Someone that truly cares about you will be happy for your successes and achievements, just as you will be for theirs.

 

Jealousy is a no-win situation.  If you are feeling jealous of someone else's accomplishments, turn it around by doing something you are proud of.  It doesn't have to be the exact thing someone else is doing, because that will inevitably invite comparisons between the two of you.  Perhaps if you are jealous of a friend's home improvement projects you could tackle gardening and landscaping as your new area of interest.

Don't dwell on the past.  The past is over.  Every new day is a blank slate, and you can do whatever you want with it.  We all have bad experiences, bad choices, and bad relationships from the past that we could sulk about all the time.  What's the point?  It doesn't do us any good now, so get over it!

Hopefully this gal has a good sense of humor and laughs when she sees her senior picture:

Learn to toot your own horn.  This can be uncomfortable at first, but take my word for it, if you don't toot your own horn, chances are nobody else is going to do it for you.  But on the other hand, take the time when you can to shine a light on your friends' accomplishments.  They will appreciate it and you will feel good doing it.

Toot, toot:

 

 

It's never too late!  American painter Grandma Moses didn't even pick up a paintbrush until she was in her seventies!  Don't worry about being a "late bloomer".  It's better to be a late bloomer than to never bloom at all, don't you agree?

In closing, remember this quote by Mae West:

"You only live once, but once is enough if you do it right"

John Derian Inspired Decoupage Plates

Are you familiar with the fabulous decoupage work of John Derian?  He has almost single-handedly brought class, sophistication and high style to decoupage, re-popularizing the art form in the process.  If you ever need inspiration for a decoupage project, a visit to his company's site is an absolute must!

While decoupage can be high style, of course it can also be a little less formal.  I wanted to take things down just a notch from Mr. Derian's image preferences and use copies of old Valentines, vintage wallpaper, and an old photo of two sisters for today's project.    No matter what images you decide on, the process of creating decoupage plates is the same.

 Hopefully you've been able to locate some forlorn glass plates (from the Summer Materials List) at a resale shop or flea market.  I found a whole stack in two different sizes when a dealer in our antique mall went out of business.

 

 Materials List

Glass plates without designs on them

Decoupage glue such as Mod Podge or Collage Pauge in Matte or Satin

Color copies of vintage images.  Be sure to use a laser printer, as ink-jet images will smear

Foam brush

Spray paint or craft paint

Scissors

Vintage wallpaper, sheet music, or other paper ephemera (optional)

Step 1:  You will be deciding on a focal point for your plate, which will logically go in the well/center area.  In order to cut out an image to fit the center, I looked around the house for something that fit inside the well.  I found an ice cream carton lid and a Tupperware container lid.  I used these as guides to cut out my images in perfect circles.

 

 

Step 2:  Decide where you want your other images.  In the picture below, I have some pieces laid out that I will be gluing down on the underside of the plate.  They won't cover it completely, as you can see, but I will fill in the gaps later:

 

 

 Step 3:  You will be spreading decoupage glue right on top of the image and pressing it to the underside of the plate:

 

 

 

Step 4:  Press the image down to get out the air bubbles:

 

 

Step 5:  After a little drying time, coat the entire back with decoupage glue to seal it.

 

 

Step 6:  Once the piece is dry, you can paint the back to give it a nice, finished look. I tried one with craft paint (pictured below) and the rest with with spray paint like Krylon.  I found the spray paint method easier and better looking.

 

 

Step 7:  If there are any paper edges that are uneven, you can trim them with scissors very easily (not pictured).

Here are the finished plates:

 

 

I experimented with my images, and discovered that one entire uncut piece could be used on a smaller plate.  Once the paper is coated with the glue, it's quite malleable and can be pressed into the ridges on the plate base.  The plate below was created with just one round image, cut about 1/2 inch wider than the circumference of the plate:

 

 

The plate below was created with photocopied "scrap" of dog faces, and torn bits of sheet music for the background.  I didn't do a very good job spacing the dog faces around the edge of the plate, I'll admit:

 

 

I used the photographic image in the center and outlined it with a gold metallic Sharpie pen, then added vintage wallpaper around the edge for this plate of the two little girls:

 

 

 

The center image of this plate came from a Valentine with a beach theme, and I added vintage wallpaper around the rim.  I don't think you can see evidence of any holiday reference anymore, and that was my goal:

 

 

I had so much fun making these, I'm ready to try some more.  But I don't think Mr. Derian and Company has to worry about me as competition.  Yet....

 I'm linking to the following link parties:  Making the World Cuter, Sweet Anne Designs, and Craft-O-Maniac.

Embellished Compacts and Pill Boxes

Our first summer project involves upcycling little compacts, pill boxes, or cigarette cases by embellishing them with vintage and new materials.  You can find the compacts and boxes at garage sales, flea markets, and other affordable shopping venues, so this project won't cost very much to complete.  And most of us have a little "stash" of jewelry bits, buttons, and flat back cabochons that can be used for the embellishments.  If you don't, a trip to the craft store may be necessary.

 

Most of the compacts and boxes I've found have been gold tone, and I've only used the examples that were scratched and/or bland looking.  Otherwise, they would be priced and put out for sale in my antique mall booths.  Here are the four I decided to work with:

 

 

Other Materials Needed:

Bead/Gem Glue

Wire cutters

Jewelry bits, buttons, cabochons

As with some of my other projects, there aren't really specific directions.  Just start sorting through your stash of baubles until you are pleased with your combination, then glue them down.

I've found that Rub-n-Buff works on some compacts to disguise tarnished or scratched areas:

 

 

This floral pin was a good candidate for re-purposing because it was losing some of its enameling. I removed the pinback with wire cutters, then glued it onto the compact:

 

 

My favorite glue is E-6000, but when you are gluing foil back gems, you need to use a special glue for gems and rhinestones so the foil on the backs doesn't get ruined:

 

 

 Here's just one miniscule part of my stash:

 

After picking through my stash, I came up with just the right combinations of baubles to add flair to each of the four base pieces.  The round jeweled cluster on the right is an old earring with the back removed on top of a plastic flower.  Kind of a dimestore look, but I like it:

 

 

I'm thinking the round compact on the left could use even more embellishing, so I might keep working on it.  The two rectangular pieces are actually small photo albums, and one has a bale so it can be worn as a pendant:

 

 

Can you visualize making something like these?

 

Perhaps this idea will inspire you to try something similar, or go off in a different direction altogether.  I think it would be cute to create several of these for gifts, and fill them with solid perfume.

 

Getting Inspired from Different Places

I've just returned from my Florida vacation, and need to get started on my Summer Projects.  I'm really excited, but I have a ton of laundry calling my name, four antique mall booths that need attending to, bills to pay, and a van that needs repairs.  So before I jump into the projects with both feet, I'm going to stall for time by sharing some images of places I visited during my trip that inspired me to try something new.  Maybe they'll inspire you, too.

Have you ever been stuck in a rut or lose your creativity spark and wonder what you could do to get back on track?  I think it's fun to visit a store that you normally wouldn't enter to see what they offer.  While in Naples my mom and I shopped for upholstery fabric at Boca Bargoons, and I had a field day looking at all the beautiful fabrics:

 

 

 

When you enter Boca Bargoons, they give you a pair of scissors so you can cut samples of the fabrics.  The clerk was nice enough to give me a pile of remnants that I stuffed into my suitcase.  All I could do was think of the great things I would create with my beautiful fabrics on my return trip.

 

 

 

What are trends in fabric?  Just like home decor and crafts, I spotted the ever-popular birds, nests, and eggs:

 

 

The fabric below reminded me of beautiful Spencerian handwriting fourishes:

 

 

 

Cheerful pink, yellow, green and blue make a lovely color palette:

 

 

 

We also shopped at the Bead Boutique in Naples, which I've been to before but hadn't fully appreciated.  I was blown away by their massive inventory.  These weren't craft store plastic beads, but beautiful cut and polished stones, glass beads, and crystals.  It was overwhelming!

There were many options for turquoise lovers:

 

 

Handmade beaded beads:

 

 

I wanted to start grabbing one hank of each color, but realized very quickly I couldn't afford to do that!

 

 

They sell many instructional books at the Bead Boutique.  I've also taken a wire wrapping class there before.

 

 

Pearls in all their color variations:

 

 

Each wall is lined with colorful beads:

 

 

I could spend hours looking at each variety of bead they offer:

 

 

The little rose beads are carved stone, not the molded plastic variety that are so commonly seen:

 

 

Corals and shells:

 

Whites and off-whites:

 

 

The Swarovski crystal offerings, sparkling under the lights:

 

 

Speaking of Swarovski, I snapped a picture of the Swarovski store at the Waterside Shops in Naples.  When you think of crystal, is there any other name that comes to mind?

 

Another stop was Arhaus Furniture.  I enjoy viewing their displays, and was inspired by their felt pillows.  I think I could make these, even without instructions:

 

 

I liked the multiple paper globes hanging over the table:

 

 

These pictures are from a previous trip, but the idea remains the same:  touring a nicely decorated home that's on the market is a good way to get ideas and inspiration for your own home.  I loved this old Naples cottage with its vintage furnishings and bold paint colors:

 

 

This wallpaper is lovely, don't you think?

 

 

Besides specialty shops, homes for sale, and furniture stores, do you have any places you like to visit for creative inspiration?  We'd love to hear what they are!

 

Online Resources for Great Vintage Goodies

Before we get started on summer projects, I'm taking a little vacation.  In the meantime, I'd like to share some of my not-so-secret sources for vintage goodies.  I've posted some of my materials sources on my other blog before, so be sure to check that out too.

I just discovered D. Raphael because she left a comment on my blog.  I love her assortment of vintage sewing accouterments.  Stop by and have a look!

 

 Photo Credit:  D. Raphael

 

Another great resource is Accessories of Old.  This is both an online catalog and a bricks-and-mortar store.  You'll have a long wish list of items after perusing their catalog.  This is a screen shot of their ribbons page:

 

 

 Image Credit:  Accessories of Old

Many of you have heard of the famous Tinsel Trading Company of New York, New York.  They have an online catalog that you can view if you can't visit their store in person.  Here is a sample of some vintage appliques they have for sale:

 

Photo Credit:  Tinsel Trading Company

 

I've ordered lots of little goodies from Speckled Egg during the past several years.  They might have just what you are looking for, too!

  Photo Credit:  Speckled Egg

 

I recently bookmarked The Beadin' Path, a vintage and new bead supply catalog.  I'm getting ready to place an order tonight.  They have some cool stuff, including colorful vintage lucite and glass beads and chandelier crystals.  I just love placing an order and receiving a box in the mail a couple days later!

Here's a screen shot of their vintage lucite flower beads:

 

Image Credit:  Beadin' Path

That's all for now.  I'll see you back here in about two weeks!

 

Fancy Feminine Satin Hangers

Our last Mitzi Made It project for Spring involves embellishing satin hangers.  I put these in the Spring category because I think these would make a lovely bridal shower gift, especially for a lingerie shower.  And why would one want fancy feminine hangers?  Because I think beautiful pieces of clothing should be displayed instead of hung in a closet, and these hangers would add to the display.  I imagine that's what people are doing with the fragile vintage dresses they purchase from my antique mall booth.  They certainly aren't wearing them, as the old silk would shred after one night of doing the Charleston!

Of course I started with second-hand hangers I found at estate sales, but if you are giving yours as gifts you might want to purchase brand new satin hangers.  It's totally up to you!

Materials List:

Satin hangers

Blanket binding or satin ribbon

Lace trim

Fancy buttons or costume jewelry earrings with backs removed

Vintage millinery flowers or new silk flowers

Hot glue or needle and thread

There aren't really any specific project steps.  What needs to be done here is create various embellishments to attach to the hangers.  Some require sewing, like the rosettes that I made with blanket binding or lengths of lace.

The rosettes below were created from lace that I layered, then added a jewel center:

 

 

Blanket binding is handy for making rosettes and ruffles too:

 

 

To make ruffles, I hand-sewed a running stitch right down the crease of the blanket binding, then pulled the thread:

 

 

The ruffled pieces are at the top of the image below.  Rosettes can be easily made from blanket binding by leaving it folded and sewing a running stitch along the folded end, then pulling it tight into a rosette and sewing it closed.  A button or jewel can be sewed or glued into the center:

 

Once you have your rosettes or other embellishments created, they can be sewn onto the hangers.

 

 

Next I attached some of my vintage millinery blossoms on the hangers.  I really like these a lot, and they didn't require much work at all, just a little hand-stitching:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last I attached a rosette I made with multiple layers of fabric, silk flower petals, and a button in the center.  I added torn fabric and lace streamers to the back with hot glue:

 

 

And here is what it looks like with a vintage dress:

 

 

So I hope you have been looking for the summer materials, because we'll be getting to work on those projects after I take a mini-vacation.  I can't wait to get started!

 

I'll be participating in the following link parties:  Craft Envy, Six Sisters' Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Sweet Sharing Monday, and Check Me Out Saturday.

Vintage Suitcase Wedding Keepsake Holder

Vintage suitcases or train cases make wonderful blank canvases for decoupage, and maybe you've seen examples around the web before.  I've made a couple myself, using flocked wallpaper and torn scraps of wallpaper and sheet music.  For today's project, we're going to spend time on the outside and the inside of the suitcase.  It can be used at a wedding reception for gift cards and/or later as a keepsake box for small wedding mementos.

 

 

 

Materials List

A small vintage suitcase with an interior color you are pleased with.

Spray paint for the outside (I used Heirloom Ivory by Krylon)

Laser printed pictures of brides and grooms or other wedding images.

Lace, fringe and trim for interior of case.

Faux doves for interior of case (optional).

Feathers or floral arrangement for interior of case (optional).

Paper ephemera for interior garland (I used sheet music and brown craft paper).

 Project Steps

Step 1:  Clean exterior of suitcase and dry thoroughly.

Step 2:  Spray paint two coats of paint.  I paint right over the hardware and handle.

 It's nice to have some extra help when you need it.....

 

 

Step 3:  After your paint has dried thoroughly, use basic decoupage technique to adhere images where you want them.

 

I like to begin with a large piece as a focal point and work around it.  I use the brayer to make sure the piece has bubbles worked out.

 

 

I decided not to completely cover the entire suitcase with images.  As you can see below, I scattered some through the center, then added some gold dresden trim along the edges:

 

 

On the other side, I adhered some pretty paper lace I purchased at Jo-Ann Fabric in the lower left corner:

 

Step 4:  Decorate the interior of the case with trims and a garland.

For the inside of the case, I tacked some fringe around the edges to soften the hard lines of the suitcase.  Then I made a garland from lace and paper ephemera attached to two vintage cotton doves.  I used pins to secure the doves so that I could remove them when I wanted to shut the suitcase.

 

 

So that's pretty much it!  I'm sure each version of this project will be very different, depending on the suitcase you choose and the trims and treasures you find to decorate it with.

 

 

 

 

I'm participating in a couple link parties, including Making the World Cuter and Craft-O-Maniac.

 

Purse Embellishment 101

Today we're going to take some common garage sale/thrift store purses and embellish them with bits and bobs we've been saving.

 

Materials List:

Vintage purses, clutches, handbags, totes, etc.

Felt, yoyos, fabric, trim, anything you can scrounge up.

Buttons, jewelry bits, miscellaneous doo-dads.

Needle and thread.

E-6000 Glue and/or hot glue

Maybe at first glance the vintage purses below look fine the way they are.  But to me, they look like blank canvases, perfect for some embellishments to give them flair and make them really special:

 

 

There aren't really any steps to this project.  I'm sure you know how to adhere embellishments to purses.  Some need to be sewn, and some glued.  It's up to you to decide which method is best for your project.

For those of you wondering where the cute straw flower embellishments came from, they were made with the little flower loom kit pictured below.  I found this one at a garage sale, including a baggie full of completed flowers: 

 

I think this "pleather" clutch needs some help, don't you?

 

Do you save little buttons, single earrings, and other bits of "bling" for such occasions?  I have to admit I have quite a selection of sparkly bits and bobs.  I keep them organized in muffin tins and other baking pans so I have easy access to them:

 

Ribbons, lace, buttons and felt bits can be helpful too:

 

I think anything from plastic purses to velvet handbags can be transformed with the right embellishments.  Most of these evening bags can be found inexpensively at thrift shops, antique malls, or flea markets.

 

 

I was excited to find this "Mad Men" style purse recently:

 

 

I have lots of purses to choose from...

 

 

I just love getting out my stash of goodies and start putting different combinations together until I hit on a winner.

I like where this one is going.  I think it's time to tack it down with needle and thread:

 

 

A combination of enamel jewelry and satin trim is looking good on the plastic purse in the foreground.  E-6000 glue will be used on this example:

 

 

 

A shoe clip looked OK with the black sequin purse, but I wasn't ready to commit....

 

 

I tried a lace piece with a cameo center as a second option.  I think I like it better, because the clasp on the purse is gold:

 

 

 

A velvet ribbon with a vintage earring center looks good on the white "pleather" clutch:

 

 

I had two jet black beaded Victorian appliques that I added to the silver purse below, then topped them both with earrings that I had removed the backs from:

 

 

 

With the deep plum velvet purse, I ran a length of store bought scrapbook trim by Prima down the front:

 

 

My "Mad Men" purse ended up with craft store jewels glued on with Glass and Bead glue.  E-6000, the craft glue I use for many projects, will make the foil backs of faux jewels pucker, so it's best to use special glue for this type of project.  Gem Tac is also good:

I have to say my favorite was the basket purse with the straw flowers.  Now I'm going to learn to make the little straw flowers myself.  If you are interested in purchasing a loom, you can surely find one on eBay or Etsy if you are patient.  To learn how to use it without reading the directions (who wants to do that?) watch this video from blogger and crafter Cathy Callahan's visit to Martha Stewart's show.  I recommend you visit Cathy's blog for some great retro 60's and 70's style, too.

 

 

I hope this inspires you to shop for some cast-off purses and give them a second chance!

Mitzi

I'm participating in the following link parties:  Polka Dots on Parade, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Transformation Thursday, and The New Nostalgia.