Mar
20
Easter is just around the corner, and Spring is in the air!
In my collection of vintage home arts books and magazines, I’ve found an abundance of wonderful vintage kids crafts to share with you. This fun, “jolly Easter duck” project came from a children’s magazine called the Buddy Book, published in 1929.
This project is a simple, yet creative craft for kids to construct a free-standing duck with nothing more than this page and a pair of scissors. The directions suggest that “by tracing the pattern you can make a whole flock of Easter ducks”, but today, all you have to do is print out more pages! I love finding vintage goodies like this and comparing them to what we have today. Paper crafts and DIY kids projects have made a huge comeback — especially free online printables. But I can’t help appreciating the hand-drawn style and charming simplicity of projects like this one from the Buddy Book.
For more Easter images and craft projects, like the “Easter Joys” image above, check out The Vintage Workshop’s extensive image library, and keep up with the Workshop Window blog for a free image download every day. Find more free goodies when you “Like” The Vintage Workshop on Facebook! Also, keep an eye on my blog for some upcoming Easter printables…. Enjoy!
Click on the image to enlarge to full size.
Feb
13
Valentine’s is just a day away, but here’s a great project that you can do in no time! It’s perfect for sharing some sweets with your sweetie!
This Valentine Truffle Box project was also recently featured on the blog by my good friend, Cindy Hopper, on her blog, Skip to My Lou. Cindy invited me to participate in her Printable Valentine series, which featured free project instructions from a variety of creative bloggers. It’s a great selection of DIY goodies!
Just click on the image below to download a PDF with instructions, pattern pieces, and a vintage image from The Vintage Workshop. To see our extensive collection of downloadable art, visit www.thevintageworkshop.com or like The Vintage Workshop on Facebook to get updates on our Daily Free Image Giveaway! You can see more Valentine’s Day project inspiration on our Pinterest page.
- Click image to download instructions for the Valentine Truffle Box
Other fun Valentine’s Day project ideas using Vintage Workshop art:
- Click here for more fun Valentine’s Day images from The Vintage Workshop!
Dec
14
Want to “unwind” during the holidays? Salvage your thread spools to make a cute Christmas craft!
I discovered these
adorable handmade ornaments at an antique mall a few years ago. I love how simple this project is – bu
t what a stunning statement it makes. These tree-trimmers are adorned with lace or rick rack and topped with a pair of decorative buttons. You can use a threaded spool for a peekaboo pop of color or wrap a scrap of decorative fabric around a bare cylinder. Try dangling a jingle bell from the base or affixing a cluster of beads or pearls for extra dimension. Any way you dress ‘em, these cool spools are a fun and funky alternative to traditional bulbs. (more…)
Dec
06
“Aren’t we all just tired of things? Nobody wants to buy things anymore. We want experiences.”
These were words spoken in a panel discussion at the Creative Connection Event this past September. They attest to the fact that more and more people are understanding the great value of handcrafted goods and personal connections to our work. This sentiment is — I believe — at the heart of the DIY “Revolution”. In the handmade market, the buyer and the seller often experience a connection over the purchased item. The buyer knows the seller created his or her work because of an authentic interest, which also adds to the experience. With the trendiness of upcycling and refashioning, the materials themselves might even have a back story all their own — adding to an even deeper experience. (more…)
Nov
29
Hi, my name is Amy, and I’m addicted to buttons.
Sorting and discovering vintage buttons is one of my favorite creative pastimes! What is it about this commonplace closure that’s so appealing? With so many colors, sizes, shapes and styles available, there’s such truth to the term “cute as a button.” Whether used as a practical fastener or a stylish boutique statement, buttons and their possibilities are seemingly endless. On my other website, TheVintageWorkshop.com, I offer hundreds of vintage images, printable fabrics and backgrounds, as well as a variety of downloadable vintage button cards to use in your craft projects.
(more…)
Oct
27
Rick rack, ric rac, or rickrack… So many ways to say it, and even more ways to use it!
This timeless trim adds instant flair to garments, home décor and more. Dating back to the 1800s, when it was called “waved braid,” today’s rick rack is available in many colors and sizes.
The notion has been a longtime favorite at Indygo Junction, inspiring several of our patterns including Rick Rack Apron, Tic-Tac-Tote, Composition Covers and Yo-Yo Pincushions.
Mary Brooks Picken wrote of the trim in a 1925 article, “Smart Effects from Novelty Trimmings with Little Effort.”
“They come in glorious fast colors, too – yards and yards of rainbow, with a pot of gold at the end, filled with the golden minutes saved by the use of these lovely braids,” she wrote. ”Their possibilities are seemingly limitless, offering a challenge to the originality and creative genius of every woman who is interested in securing effective trimmings with a minimum of time and effort.” (more…)
Sep
23
If you’ve been following my blog and Facebook lately, you know that last weekend I was in St. Paul, Minnesota for the second annual gathering of The Creative Connection — a wonderful weekend of keynote speakers, workshops, panel discussions, and networking with (mostly) women entrepreneurs in the creative arts industry.
(more…)
Sep
13
I love photographing nature, textiles, and color.
I suppose it’s because they all have pattern in common. But what is
pattern exactly and what about it appeals to me so?
Pattern as a simple definition is a set of lines, shapes, colors, sounds
or movements that are repeated regularly.
From birth we are pattern forming and pattern seeking creatures
as we look for repeating qualities to make sense of the world.
Recognizing and forming pattern is vital to our creative imaginations. In one of my vintage books, Pattern Design, by Lewis Day, he more
vividly describes pattern in the following way: (more…)
Sep
01
I’ve been collecting vintage textiles and fabrics for as long as I can remember. As a child, I watched my mother collect antique quilts as well as fabric scraps to use for her handmade doll clothing business. This fascination with vintage textiles that I shared with her has blossomed over the years —I’ll be honest into a down right addiction—and I am grateful that that my businesses can support this home arts habit of mine! (more…)
Aug
30
Handmakers, your heyday is here.
Chalk it up to the recession, the green movement, or just history repeating. Handmade is hot, and more folks are shunning mass production in favor of original and practical art.
Case in point: Since the 2005 launch of Etsy.com, the online handmade marketplace has catapulted to more than 9 million members and more than a billion page views a day. That site was created to recall the times when buyers and sellers could connect over a handcrafted item, like in Mary Brooks Picken’s day. Back then, she encouraged young women to net some extra cash with their sewing talents. (more…)
