Eightymillion

A DIY craft and photography blog. Dogs included.

DIY Inspiration: Handmade Vintage Button Magnets

I have a {secret} obsession with buttons.  Especially vintage ones.  Their small, colorful, unique, and most of all useful. I’ll be sharing more ideas as I have time to create them.  Here’s the first.
Create your own magnets.  These have gone over well in our vintage shop so I’ve decided to make more with plans of adding them to one of my Etsy shops.  
Then I ran into a problem…
I don’t want to give the new batch up.  I sent some in my sister’s Christmas box.  Maggie (niece) loved them. They’ve found a good home on my metal cabinet that I have in my office.  And they might just stay there. We’ll see.
Assorted buttons, button magnets, and a hot glue gun.  That’s it.  Attach one button to each magnet using the hot glue gun.  Get creative and stack various colors inside one another.
I found that a cookie sheet works great as a drying station.  
As I slowly clear away the holiday mess in my office I’m finding more DIY projects.  You were warned.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer

DIY: Inexpensive Holiday Arrangement Of Ornaments

Easy, festive, inexpensive, and takes less than five minutes to put together.  Keep reading!
Have you ever purchased ornaments with the intention of hanging them on the tree, but they stayed in the holiday box year after year?  
Several years ago I found this adorable tube of assorted Christmas balls at Old Navy.  The holiday was over so they only cost me $1.99 (love those clearance bins).  We’ve all made purchases simply off of the “they looked cute” method.  Right?
When I first moved into my house I noticed these swag hooks in various spots in the house.  The first thing that comes to mind when I see them is those plants that hang in a hand knitted holder.  Remember those?  Throughout the years I’ve found uses for those hooks.
Using various lengths of ribbon I strung each of the ornaments.  I wanted the bold colors to pop, so I chose a cream colored ribbon to hang them with. 
And there they hang.  In the corner of my living room.  You could also hang them above a doorway.  Or on the hardware that opens your closet.  I would recommend choosing one that you don’t open a lot, especially if the ornaments are made of glass.  My dogs don’t bother them because they hang so high.  Not sure if they’re cat proof.  They may think your hanging up toys to play with in passing.  
Need a quick gift for someone who just moved into a new house and doesn’t have a lot of holiday decor?  How about someone that is away at college?  The arrangement would be small enough not to take up much room.  Hostess gift?  Giveaway at a holiday craft show?  Please stop me, because I could give you ideas all night.
Okay, one more.  Do you find yourself buying new ornaments every year and then you don’t know what to do with the old ones?  Pass them along to your kids when they move out on their own.
Have fun!  Perhaps I’ll hit the clearance bins again this year.  They would look cute in our shop in Galena, IL.  
Tomorrow I’ll be in the kitchen again.  Baking more goodies for the gift bags.  This time I’ll be adding a little twist to a traditional recipe.  Chocolate?  Of course!  I’ll be posting the recipe here when they’re finished.  Are you baking this year?  
Until the next word…
~Jennifer

Laundry: My New Saturday Night Ritual

And here I sit again.  Doing my laundry on a Saturday night.  I truly believe that I’ve started a new ritual.  Remember my post from last Saturday?  I’ve actually got a lot of work done while here.  Gotta love free Wi-Fi.  And yes, you can actually take some interesting photos here also.
Today both President Obama and Mitt were in town.  Traffic was crazy everywhere.  Although I’m looking forward to the election being over (not comfortable with that feeling-blame it on the massive amount of political ads), it’s interesting to see what’s all involved when they come to town.  I had to work at the shop in Galena, but a friend of Adam’s gave him a ticket.  Looking forward to seeing his photos.  He told me he sat six rows away from the stage.  I phoned him once and I could here Obama speaking in the background.  Kinda cool!
My dryers are about to stop.  Enjoy what’s left of the weekend.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer    

My Life With Dogs: Leaving the House

It’s been a super busy weekend here and it’s not quite over yet.  I put in some long hours at the shop to accommodate the tourists that are in town for Galena’s Country Fair.
No complaints!  I’d rather be busy than bored.
The greatest challenge I faced this weekend is leaving the house.  Sounds easy, eh?  NOT!  I was out on the deck this morning with my youngest son, House.  As I was telling him that it was time for me to go to work he gave me this look.  And I just happened to have my camera with me.  He looks happy, right?
No worries, there Dad will be with all three of them today.  House is just very good at making you feel guilty.
P.S.  The word House has two meanings:  First, the place in which I store all my stuff.  And second, the name of my youngest four legged son.
Until the next word…

DIY Inspiration: Recycling Vintage Snack Trays

Quite a few people have been visiting our shop in Galena, IL looking for vintage dresser trays.  The ones that are made with a mirror base and gold lace trim.  We’ve had a few but they sell fast.  
That brings me to the Vintage snack trays.  I have a couple of sets in the shop complete in their original box.  Tea parties still exist and people use them for bridal/baby showers for the desserts.  Last week a lady brought one tray to the counter asking how much it was.  I told her that it goes with a set.  She explained that she only wanted one to use as a dresser tray.  
What happened next is like one of those Pinterest moments when you say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”  We both chuckled.  She gave me permission to share the idea on the blog.  She never asked me if I would break up the set and in the back of my mind I didn’t want to (at least not at that very moment).  
Two days later the wheels in my head were spinning and I pulled the set off the shelf and took it home.  Actually a little guilt set in because of that customer leaving without one.  She’ll be back.  And I’ll give her one.  
Here’s what you need:
I picked up two of the trays pictured on the left at a local thrift store for .75 cents each.  I have four with the circle pattern.  Which I will be keeping one of those for myself cause I’ve never come across that design before.
See the area I doodled with yellow?  I did that to highlight the area of the tray that is raised.  It’s for placement of the cup.  I put my rings there so that it keeps them separate from the rest of the jewelry.  Feel free to use a cup for your rings or whatever else.  Actually wouldn’t it look adorable with a teacup that didn’t match the design?  Switch it up a bit and get creative.  Think outside the box.  The ring on the right is from an Etsy artist I connected with awhile back.  It’s rare that I wear rings at all, but I love this one.  Check out her shop.
Here’s my tray full of jewelry.  I love bracelets and rarely wear a necklace.  Anyway, what a cool way to recycle the snack tray into another useful piece.  “Thank You” to the lady that stopped into the shop and shared her inspiration with me.  
My muse is screaming at me now.  
Here’s some additional ideas for the tray:
~House warming gift.  Add some cookies or bread along with a note on this idea.
~Bridal/Baby shower.  Use it for mints/peanuts.  Give it away as one of the prizes.
~Candy dish!  It’ll hold a lot of M&M’s.
~Organize your bathroom gadgets.  Toothbrush(s), paste, floss, makeup brushes, etc.
~Serving appetizers.  Place a shot glass full of toothpicks in the cup section.  That way they’re handy when grabbing a food item.
~Place the tray in the center of the table.  Napkins in the large portion.  If the tray has two sections cornered off (like the one in the photo above) use one for the salt and the other for the pepper.  If there’s only one section skip the salt (it’s bad for you anyway) and use only pepper. 
Inexpensive and elegant all in one.   
And if your a fan of the gold lace trimmed mirrored vanity tray, here’s one that I found on Etsy.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer

Business Tip: Branding Your Image For Success

New Sign
It was time for a mini-makeover for the sign I have on top of my card rack in the Vintage Shop in Galena, IL.  Part of your brand is the image you present to customers for your business.  It gives them a sense of what you have to offer.
As my business grows, so have my boys.  They are the core inspiration for what I do.  With the previous sign (below) I found that more people stopped to read what the sign says and then kept moving.  I came to the conclusion that it had too much information on it.  The new sign included Handmade Cards along with the Local Artist stickers from the previous one.  I observed that people would read and then browse through the rack to see more.  Sure, I could be crazy with this theory, but I truly believe that “less is more” works in this situation. 
I’ve also used the same image for my cover photo on my business page on Facebook.  People make a connection when they see familiar faces.  
With so many tourists visiting Galena, IL they ask, “Do you also sell online?”  Then the business cards are distributed.  I’ve included another branding tactic by using an image of one of my dogs.  Everything ties in together.
Now, if I could only teach the boys how to type and upload listings into my shops we would really be on to something BIG!    
Previous Sign
Here’s some additional reading regarding Branding, via The Etsy Blog.  One for beginners.  And I’ll add 85 more tips for your reading pleasure.
Did I inspire you to take your brand serious?
*****
Please note that my suggestions may not work for every situation.  I merely want to share my experiences with you and if they benefit you in anyway, then I’m happy.  And you should reward yourself with a cookie.
*****
P.S.  The smash book prep work is “almost” done and I’m excited for the building to begin.  My goal is to share the progress with you tomorrow (right here on the blog) and what’s next with the project.  
P.S.S.  We appreciate you stopping 
by our Mom’s blog.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer

The Newest Member of the Family

Meet Mr. Soxx.
I found this adorable vintage sock monkey at the bottom of an old baby crib we have at the vintage shop in Galena, IL.  No customers were in their at the moment so as I was using that time to organize the merchandise.  Good thing I did.  As soon as I noticed him I put him behind the counter because I wasn’t sure what to do with him.
I’ve got some ideas for some handmade cards featuring Mr. Soxx.  And maybe he’ll be the subject in the children’s book I hope to write someday.  Either way he makes an interesting photo prop.
When I came home the dogs thought they were getting a new stuffed toy {NOT}.  He’s got a nice little place in my office and out of reach from the four-legged ones.
And we’ll see where he goes from there.
~Jennifer

An Interview with a 15 yr old Clothing Designer from Chicago

First piece made.  Circle skirt inspired by Grace Kelly in ‘The Rear Window” (1954)
Meet Isabel.
She’s 15 and resides in Chicago, IL.
I was fortunate enough to meet her father during his visit to our vintage store in Galena, IL last summer.  He spoke highly of his daughter’s talent. Isabel falls right into the handmade community and I’m thrilled that she accepted my invitation for an interview.
Q&A with Isabel:

1.  Describe yourself in one sentence.  I’m kind of a dorky teenage girl who likes to dress up in 1960’s housewife dresses, wear pillbox hats, and make pretty dresses.
2.  Tell us how your desire to become a fashion designer started?  Are you self taught?  It all started when I was 11/12 years old.  I had to make a cape for a Halloween costume idea.  I bought some red velvet, cut out a circle, traced a hood shape, and sewed it together by hand.  After that, I started making them for friends.  I began to make clothes and got my first sewing machine that year for Christmas.  The sewing machine allowed me to create tops and skirts.  I fell in love with making clothes and couldn’t stop sewing.  That’s when I knew that I wanted to become a fashion designer.  Isabel Lily Designs was born!  {My own clothing line!}
Yes, I’m self taught.  I learned mostly by taking old clothes (dresses, shorts, pants, jackets) apart, studying the shapes, tracing them, and piecing them back together.  It was a helpful way to see how clothes were made and it taught me how to create my own patterns.  
 Wood grain print skirt with modern pattern
3.  Describe what fashion means to you.  I love fashion so much because I feel that it’s one of the best ways for anyone to express themselves. Weather your wearing a vintage piece, designer clothing or something from Forever 21.  When someone doesn’t like a particular piece I’ve designed (and I like it), I don’t let it affect the clothing I create.  Sometime I just make something more outrageous to make them angry.
 Tan shift dress with top detail
4.  Where do you get your inspiration from?  The 1950’s and 60’s are definitely my favorite fashion eras.    A lot of my inspiration comes from watching Audrey Hepburn movies.  I always keep a sketchbook close at hand just in case I think of an idea.  Additional inspiration comes from designers I admire and looks I see on the streets!
5.  Do you follow “what’s trending” in your designs?  Or do you work off of your own creativity?  Any particular style?  When making my clothes, it’s almost like a remake of something I saw and really like but couldn’t afford.  That way, I can have something that looks similar to the original along with adding my own touch to it as well.  Most of the time I come up with designs from my own personal style and then think what might be in trend at the moment and add some changes to it.  But it not always affected by that.
 Strapless lace dress with sweetheart neckline
6.  What’s your favorite part about conceptualizing a design?  Describe the process for us.  Do you sketch the idea first, then purchase material?  Or vice versa?  Do you have textures and colors in mind before/after the design is in place?  My favorite part has to be when I finish my garment!  If the end is exactly what I imaged, I’m super excited!  Usually when I’m designing I draw out an idea with fabric, color, and texture in mind.  Although sometimes when I have such a specific fabric in mind and I can’t find it anywhere, I get really upset.  Lesson learned: Sometimes it’s better to go fabric shopping and then design my piece.
Light blue open back dress 
7.  Have you ever recycled other pieces to reinvent a new piece?  Yes!  Taking things apart and redesigning them into something that matches my style.  I recommend it for anyone who’s a beginner with sewing.  It’s fun to go to thrift stores and find an ugly dress and make it into something cute.
Blue dress with cape like sleeves
8.  What are some of your fashion goals?  My first goal is to continue sewing and learn new techniques to improve my skills.  After high school I would like to attend Central Saint Martins in London for fashion design.  And see where I go from there.  What I really want is a chance to show my designs on the runway during fashion week!
High waist pants with wide leg
9.  Name a few of your favorite designers?  Rodarte is definitely my all time favorite.  I also love Miu Miu, Carven, Jason Wu, Stella McCartney, Timo Weiland, and the classics like Valentino and Oscar de la Renta.
10.  What advise do you have for other aspiring designers?  As a fashion designer, stick with your personal style and what you like to make (very important).  Don’t change your own style or perspective because someone doesn’t like it.  Stick with what you believe looks good, what you like, and what is uniquely yours*.

Where can readers find out more about you and your work?  I have my sewing/style blog where I write and share pictures of my designs.  I also have an Isabel Lily Designs Facebook page.
Fun Facts About Isabel: 
Favorite Food:  I love French food, so Creme brulee
Favorite Movie:  The Virgin Suicides or any Wes Anderson movie
Chocolate or Vanilla?  Chocolate, definitely!
What’s the best thing you have dressed up as for Halloween?  Probably my Margot Tennenbaum costume or my Holly Golightly one. 

A peek inside of Isabel’s design studio in Chicago, IL.

Work in progress-Rose gown with sweetheart neckline 
Isabel Lily Design labels.  How cool are these?

Thank You Isabel for doing this interview with me.  It’s was fun!  You are such a talented young lady and I look forward to seeing what the future has in store for….Isabel Lily Designs!

~Jennifer

DIY Wedding Gift Inspiration: Vintage Flashcard Decor

I just got back from a wedding.  Adam and I were providing the music for the reception.  It’s been a very long day.  Where I found the second wind to even power up the computer is beyond me, so I’m taking advantage of it. 
Awhile back I pulled out my vintage flashcards and came up with this combination (pictured above).  We currently have a wedding theme window at my Mom’s shop in Galena, IL.  So it fits in well.  Not exactly the kind of gift that the bride and groom registered for, but you can be sure that they won’t get three of them.  A nice piece of decor that they can hang in their house.
Until the next word…
~Jennifer

Recycled Vintage Wooden Frame: Pinterest Inspired Project

TA-DA!  My first pinterest inspired project is done.  LOVE IT!  I recycled an old wooden frame which gave it a whole new look.  Many more to come in different colors.  Not sure what to do with them all.  A few may go to my mom’s shop in Galena, IL.  And I’m working on a huge red one for my house.  A picture will be posted when it’s complete.  I came up with different variations for the photos that go inside.  The possibilities are endless.
These open back frames make good photo props as well.  One was resting next to my chair and later I found House (dog) sticking his head through it.  Couldn’t grab the camera fast enough, but the ideas are running through my head.  Have I completely lost it?  No, chalk it up to being a crazy dog lover.
“If” your new to Pinterest, click here to go to their homepage.  Take a moment to read the About section.  I can’t be held responsible for what happens after you join and start pinning.  If you need an invite leave a comment in the section below.
This week on the blog:  My goal this year for Christmas (Yes, I said the “C” word) is for all the gifts that I give to my nieces & nephews be handmade and educational.  I’m an Aunt to six, so this will be fun!  I’m preparing my craft table for the first project.  More details coming soon.
~Jennifer