Miniature Altered Quilting / Stitching / Sewing Matchboxes

These have taken me just forever to develop...make...and list in my shop.  However, it is done!  I thought these would be a sweet gift for someone who is a stitcher, quilter, crafter, etc...something that they probably wouldn't take the time to make or want to make for themselves. These are little mixed media/altered matchbox sewing boxes/kits.  They are not true to scale but are little and fun with a definite vintage look...and well they should be.

I used paint and pretty material on these and have embellished the tops with a little pair of scissors, a button card with vintage tiny buttons, and strip of measuring tape.

All of the paper pieces were once vintage items that I have scanned, remade, colored, and definitely shrunk.  I put a couple of coats of Mod Podge on the papers for extra strength.

All of the buttons are tiny, real, and vintage.  In the box itself are two skeins of thread, another button card, a little packet of "pins", and a lace/tatting card with real vintage tatting/lace.

I admit to getting some of my inspiration on Pinterest...though the inspiration there was from large/real life items.  I wanted to make everything tiny, of course!  I have some other ideas for boxes because, well, I just love little things and vintage things as you know.  So, keep your eyes peeled.  I will be working on them soon and have them up hopefully next month.  Meanwhile, I hope you like these.  Oh, these can be made into magnets too.  I like things that are functional rather than just "sitting there", so I've left it open to add a magnet on the bottom if someone wishes.  Check out all four boxes in my Etsy shop if you'd like.

Organizing

This hasn't been an overly productive week as far as creating goes--although I have finished some pretty sets of pushpins that I'll take pictures of and list today.  I've mainly worked on organizing my workspace.  Sometimes I get creating, and at the end of the day it looks like a whirlwind swept through my little work room.  Well, multiply that "end of the day" times two months...and...you get the picture.

I've acquired many strands of vintage beads.  The really pretty sets in good condition I've listed in my Etsy shop and have sold.  Other strands are beautiful, yes, but I don't think they will sell really.  I thought of selling them as a big lot, but decided to keep them for future projects (like more wreaths).  They needed a place to be kept organized and clean. I decided to store them into one of my old sewing machine drawers.  The drawer keeps them visible and untangled...and I love the drawer.  I'm working on finding some other pretty container for my pearl strands (and bits of strands).  I'll keep organizing this week while creating a thing or two on the side. 

Etsy Purchase from "Sew...That's It"

I needed a birthday gift for my grandmother whose birthday is coming up shortly. She loves tea (she's who I get my love of tea from), serving it to others with sugar cubes, and has sewn all her life. Well, needless to say, this pin cushion is the perfect gift for her! I found it on Etsy from a shop named "Sew...That's It". The sugar cube put me over the edge in buying it, and I'll tell you, it is as adorable in real life as in the picture...maybe more so (picture compliments of the Etsy store). Check out this shop for other cute items or if you need a teacup pin cushion for yourself or for a friend--Sew...That's It. I certainly recommend the store not just for it's products but for the fast friendly service as well.