Posts

Showing posts from May, 2010

Just Like That, I am Back

Image
 If I said I was back, would you believe me? Blogging is complicated, and there are so many "get rich quick" blogging schemes that make it look like you are a lost cause if you are not currently earning money blogging. And why are you even blogging if you don't have multiple streams of income and entertainment. If you don't have a brand? I do have this website, but I do not have Instagram, Twitter, TikTok (you don't want to see me dance), or whatever is next.  Heck, I haven't even updated this since before the pandemic. So why am I here, writing about being back and then, probably ghosting for another two years? Life has been rough. It's been painful and overwhelming. I am so thankful for you my readers, or what is left of you. I am so thankful you are reading this post. I am so thankful that you are still committed to making the world a more exciting and more sustainable place.  Keep up-cycling my friends, and you never know, I might be back again with an

Memorial Day Flowers

Image
Every year I march in a Memorial Day Parade with C1 & C2. We have to decorate our wagon and as much as I like to think that I can come up with something unique and creative I have to admit that I was scouring the blogosphere for some ideas last week. So what did I come up with? Well if you read the blog MADE (and if you don't you truly should start) you might have seen a tutorial on some lovely Wallflowers that she made. So yesterday I read over her easy as pie tutorial to refresh my memory. I went to Target and bought three packets of red, white, and blue napkins. I sat down and in about ann hour and a half I whipped up nine of these beauties: I taped them on our lovely parade float (aka our swagger wagon) and here is what you have: It's pretty normal for me to bribe the kidlets in order to get them to be good. I tried so hard to get a good picture with the wagon and here is the best that we could do: Well at least I tried. Happy Memorial Day! Linking

Why Upcycled and Not Recycled

Image
Image via Wikipedia The vast majority of the materials I used are previously loved. I like the term upcycled. To me it means you are taking something used and once loved, and giving it a new and better life. I guess I am recycling something, but I don't like to lump making things out of T-shirts in the same category aluminum cans or plastic bottles that are recycled. I recycle more then I throw out. I compost (and vermicompost) and have separate recycle bins for plastic, paper, and cardboard. I love recycling. I just feel that the term lends itself more to the process of making something completely different out of an item as opposed to taking something, leaving it partially in it's original intact form, and making it better then it was before. So what do you think? Do you like the term Upcycled, or should I just stick to the term recycled and get over my quirkiness? It's your call...

T-Shirt Bag Tutorial

Image
I began my up-cycling journey by whipping up a few T-shirt bags for myself and for some friends. Yeah people laughed, but come on it is an easy fun way to take an old Rockstar T-shirt and turn it into a usable bag to cart your groceries or craft supplies in. So grab your favorite T-shirt and lets get creative together. You will need: T-Shirt Scissors Sewing Machine or Serger So grab a T-shirt or two and whip up a quick bag. You will be in shock at how much you will use this soft T-shirt bag. Start by laying your shirt flat on your cutting surface.I love finding random T-shirts from Goodwill and using them. I have no idea if Northstar Lacrosse really exists, but I love the color. Lay a circular object on the neck of the T-shirt. You want the bag to have a wide enough opening so that you can put plenty of goodies in it. Trace a circular around the neck. I used a fabulous fading marker that leaves no trace of even existing after 48 hours. Cut out your neck with scissors.

T-shirt Tuesday

Image
I have to say I am getting pretty fond of this little tradition of mine. I love t-shirts, Tuesdays aren't so bad, and I love linking up to awesome T-Shirt artists. So without further adieu here are the latest people to rock out some crafty T-Shirts on a Tuesday: Over at my new fave blog PIECES we have thes wonderful t-shirt skirts. I love them, want one, and can't wait to try to whip one up. chances are I will just hop on over to her etsy site and buy one. Check it out:   T-Shirt Skirts Then there is this amazing Tunic T-Shirt refashion. So it was a t-dress to a t-tunic, but I think it counts as a T-shirt refashion, and it is my blog so I win: Check this one out from I am Momma Hear Me Roar (Great name, right!):   Dress to Tunic Refashion Well that is a wrap for this T-Shirt Tuesday. As always feel free to email me at thetshirtdiaries@yahoo.com with any submissions to T-shirt Tuesday you may have. Thanks,

Operation Wedding Dress

Image
Coming this June a fun and fabulous series devoted to this dress: That is right a wedding dress. I went to Goodwill today and purchased this 1980's gem of a dress for a whopping $1.00. During the month of June I will be putting my creativity to the test by reworking this dress into a variety of crafty projects.  I would love for you to join me in Operation Wedding Dress. It is definitely an adventure in the making. If you are interested in playing along go out and grab a wedding dress from your local thrift store. Goodwill has $1.00 items all the time. This week the luscious yellow tags were marked down from the original price to one dollar. If you would like to play along, let me know. Who knows maybe I can even round up some sponsors to give away a prize or two for the best wedding redesign. So if your in please comment or email me at thetshirtdiaries@yahoo.com. I can't wait to hear from you!

Will You Follow Me

Image
I find the fact that blogs have followers kind of funny. I mean personally I follow a ton of blogs (I mean a ton). I just feel like somewhat of a crafting stalker. I wish they could change the term follower to fan. I would much rather be a fan of the "Super Awesome Craft Blog" then a follower (I totally made up that name, so if you own that blog let me know and I will gladly follow you.) So on that note it is time for new friend Friday. I am not hosting a blog hop, just following some friendly people on Friday. If you want to do the same please join me in stalking people at... or Join in the fun and if anyone else thinks we need to start a petition to change the name to fan instead of follow, please join me.

Upcycled Awesome Linky Party #1

Image
I am jumping on the Linky party bandwagon because Linky Parties are my absolute favorite part of blogging. Not that my linky party is really all that different from any other party out there, but I do have a few easy rules: Find your favorite Upcycled art project and share it with our readers What is an upcycled art project? Take something old and make it new again, a T-shirt that you stained, a picture frame that was about to be tossed, upcycling is all about taking the old and making it new again. Add a link below to a specific blog post not your main blog address Grab a party button and pop it up on your blog someplace visible, like your sidebar. Remember that fuzzy feeling you get when you see comments on your post? Make someone's day by commenting on their blog post. :) Don't forget to grab a button: <center><a href="http://www.thetshirtdiaries.com/"><img src="http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/yy231/rneorr/T-shirt%20Diaries/2010Ma

T-Shirt Tuesday

Image
http://3punkmom.blogspot.com/2010/05/drive-thru-tutorial-toddler-ruffle-t.htmlIt's that time of the week again, T-Shirt Tuesday. Featuring the best T-Shirt refashions I could find on the web. If you have a submission for T-Shirt Tuesday please email me with a picture and a link to your T-Shit refashion on your blog. Until I hear from you check these beauties out. I think I might just be in love with this website because of the name: Living With Punks . This  Toddler T-Shirt@ Living with Punks I love the skirt she matches it with and the white t-shirt just looks so stylish I might make an adult version. When I opened up the latest email from J.Crew I saw an awesome top that looked so easy to make. Well before I even got around to trying to duplicate it Brittany (who is brilliant) made an easy to follow tutorial on Love Stitched : J Crew Knock Off Tank @ Love Stiched I need to make one of these asap. I mean how easy and adorable. Finally we have Becky's Craft closet a

Linky Party Love Introducing Upcycled Awesome

Image
I adore Linky parties. I get so many new and wonderful ideas. I mean where else can you check out 100's of crafty "afters" in one place. I have decided to jump on the Linky Bandwagon with "Upcycled Awesome." Not that there aren't a million and one linky parties out there, but this one is slightly different in that it focuses on upcycled crafts. Taking on item and turning it into something else is my favorite thing to do. I love looking at a T-shirt and seeing what else I can turn it into. I am working on a tutorial for my T-shirt bags, have recently whipped up a batch of T-shirt shorts, and I want to get some more T-shirt dresses done. I will be posting on and off for the next few weeks because i am building up my inventory for my first craft show. I can not beleive that I am actually selling some of my work. I mean I have been making things out of T-Shirts for the past five years, but I never thought I would sell any of it. Wish me luck and fellow cra

Camouflage Sneakers

Image
 Well I did it, I went and got creative. Check out C1's newest pair of shoes: I saw this post over at LBB for Graffitti shoes and was immediately jealous in love with her creatvity. I mean seriously check these out, complete with a brilliant tutorial.  Can you believe the awesomeness? I can't creative and adorable. So I was inspired to go out and make a similar pair for my little one. The thing is C1 is not really a graffitti girl. She only wants to wear things that are purple and  insists on answering to the name Orajel the Jaguar (don't ask because I don't understand myself). I went to my local stomping grounds, an Early Childhood PTA kids resale, and picked up this pair of shoes for $2.00. I love me some Chuck Taylors, but they were not purple so C1 refused to wear them. She said they looked like boy shoes. I contemplated whether to save them for C2 or make them into something that she would wear. I went for purple camouflage and gathered up the follo