elsie marley

the last day of color week. I had a nice time playing with my new camera and taking pictures around my home–I don’t do either as much as I should.

There are four of these shelves above my sink. I feel like an ass setting up little vignettes, but the shelves aren’t good for much else.  And really they are nice to look at while I am up to my elbows in dirty dishes.

(Don’t worry the beetle is long dead.)

I don’t really wear much jewelry, but I’ve always wanted to try my hand at whipup’s assignments. And this month the theme is fiber jewelry. The only things other than my wedding ring that I wear are bracelets, so I made myself a bracelet. It is basically just a pleated strip of fabric (there may be a special name for this kind of pleat, I don’t know, but if you do please let me know) with a ribbon as a tie. Infinitely customizable and easy to whip up–it would be quick to make to match an outfit before going out. Not that I ever go out. But you do, so here’s a tutorial.

First measure your wrist, then multiply that by 2.5

Cut a large rectangle of fabric that is 4inches by (wrist measurement x 2.5)

fold it in half the long way (hot dog style), right sides facing, and sew down the long edge leaving the ends open.

Turn the resulting tube right side out, fold it in half so the seam is in the middle and press.

Starting about and inch from the raw edge, make one accordion fold one way and press, then another the other way and press, continuing until you’ve used the entire strip. Don’t worry about making them perfectly even–variation in size makes the bracelet interesting.

Pin the pleats in place and (carefully) try the bracelet on. Snip the ends off if it is too long, fiddle with the pleats if it is too small. When the bracelet is the right length, tuck the ends under and sew the opening shut.

Then tack down all the pleats with a long stitch. Go slowly!

Sew a pretty ribbon on top of the stitching you just did, leaving a couple inches at each end to tie a bow.

Put it on and your ready to go.

You could use a button and elastic loop for a closure, or button and button hole, or snap, or whatever you think would work. Even faster and a little more girly, is a ruffle bracelet. Just a strip of fabric (I used linen and left the edges raw) with a ribbon or some lace down the middle.

so there you go: my first whiplash entry and my first tutorial all rolled in one.

for color week.  today’s color is cream.

today is blue in JCHandmade’s color week.

Be sure to check out skona life’s week of grey and curious bird’s lovely week of pictures too.

for color week, a sunny and grey corner of my home.

…I figure I’ll just keep it up and join JCHandmade’s color week.

monday::orange

tuesday::grey

wednesday::blue

thursday::cream

friday::brown

some greens for today. click on the picture for all the photo credits.

just a little flickr action for the weekend.

click on the picture for all photo credits.

I know it’s not quite the holiday season proper, but if I’m going to make an advent calendar (like I say I will every year) then I better start soon. Here are a couple that I think are just lovely.

Martha Stewart made this one, of course. I think only Martha could make 25 gifts small enough to fit in it–really what the hell do you put in there? one m&m? whoopie.  Still part of me wants to make it, because it’s just so damn clever and the tiny drawers are ridiculously cute.

This one is from the flickr group DIY holidays 2007, which is full of chock full of ideas. It was inspired by Martha and made by Ali Edwards .

And this is my favorite: an advent calendar kit from Domesticali’s etsy shop. She’s sold out, but maybe we could all convince her to make more. Have a good weekend everyone!

The campaign is in full swing! All of Jack’s friends came out to support him: his beloved pie backed him right away, Hickety Pickety thought him a fine gentlemen, Jack Sprat wouldn’t think of voting for anyone else, and his wife made the lovely signs. So now it’s your turn. Get the word out–Little Jack Horner’s got the prettiest plum pie in the Holiday Smorgasbord! Don’t sit in a corner, go vote!