Easily waisted skirt for inspiration!

A few days ago, I got in a sewing mood as I sometimes do. I made a skirt out of an old vintage dress. Which had already been previously altered.

I cut the top off and was left with the skirt. Although it was way to large to fit my waist or hips. I've found adding elastic into a band makes it super easy.

Although I don't use exact how to's in my sewing (I like learning from my sewing mistakes). I've found a how to on how to make a similar skirt, if not the same skirt. Check out the link below for a DIY how to.

http://www.juliaspoppies.com/2010/11/16/diy-simple-skirt/

Cutest Pin Cushion I've owned so far. :P

This pincushion began its life as a teacup and saucer. Very cute but wasn't useful to me as it had a hairline crack which meant I may scald myself while drinking my tea! Bittersweetly I had time to do this while I stay at home looking for a part-time job. 

I have yet to find myself bored at home but I still should get a job.  So if you have a teacup, a sewing needle, thread, scrap fabric and a glue gun go nuts and make one when you get bored at home one day. 

I used some old pillow stuffing and leftover dress fabric. Nothing goes to waste in this house!

Please note I went a bit overboard with the pins but hey thats what its for isn't it?

To make your own, check out this link or just type DIY Teacup Pincushion into a search engine.

http://sophiemakesthings.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/diy-teacup-pin-cushion.html

Dining table refurb!

Something thats not all that new but still makes me proud of myself for actually finishing a project. I'm more determined when its for someone else.

Any who, my sister popped over before her wedding and asked me to do this table up.

At first she wanted to keep the top natural, I suppose a French cottage style with distressed detail. I tried to get it to this point but found it near impossible to achieve as the table had mould spots and white patches not to mention some random paint on it. I sanded it back, tried bleaching them out but the spots just wouldn't budge. The legs were grubby with mould too but i found just lightly sanding them back made them look white again.

We finally decided that the best way to make the imperfections of the table seem perfect was to gently white wash the top. Gosh I had a grand old time doing that! I did actually.

In the end I had a victory over this beast and ended up with the table you see below. My sister and her husband were so happy with the result that they now use it as their dining table.

I also learnt a trick when distressing white paint for a high usage purpose such as this - Clear Water based varnish. Costs more than typical varnish but ends up nice and white, no yellow bits!

Corn-hole toss bean/rice bags for my sisters wedding

These are some rice bags I made to order for my sisters wedding. I say made to order as they where her idea. I chose the vintage fabrics from my collection and made them. They're so cute. She absolutely loved them. Off course when I saw people throwing them at the corn-hole boards I was thinking 'please survive' and from what I know they did. :D.

So if anyone needs these for their next event please feel free to contact me. Cheers, Ame.

Dining table FYI

Source: via Lalka on Pinterest

This table is currently my dining table. This is an old pic so excuse the imperfectness of it. I bought this table second hand for $50. It was a hideous brown/ green stain and varnish. I sanded it back and after a number of tireless hours I re-stained/varnished it with Japan Black Varnish from Feast Watson. Now it looks like one of those glossy Pianos and looks elegant. Goes well with my mint green 1950s dining chairs.

Cupping Therapy Cup Restyled!

If your like me and have random items hidden in pockets of your home, you may also have Cupping Therapy Baubles.
Although I've seen it done with Jars and the sorts I thought I'd share the concept of using these Baubles for some chic mini decorative hanging vases.

There so teeny tiny that you need mini flowers but the effect is pretty neat and oh so eco-friendly based on the fact they are being up cycled. After use at your event you can always take them down and use them to get rid of back pain too! What a treat!

Source: Uploaded by user via Lalka on Pinterest

First Lalka Post. A cane chair introduction.

I finally have got around to typing up my first post to do with my Lalka Designs. I normally have numerous projects on the run at home all at one time. I get around to my home projects when I really feel like it. I have revamped some items ever since I became a home owner in 09'. The cane chair pictured is an example of one of my finished projects. It was a joy to complete and it has kept very well since I finished it. Sorry there are no before shots as I have a tendency to forget to take any. But will endeavour to do so in future. If you can imagine this item had paint peeling off all over being from the 70s or so. I won't even sit on it for fear of breaking such a gorgeous piece of history.

In my free time I am always working on something to revamp and in some cases to sell check out the Facebook link for Lalka Designs current portfolio and archives of items such as the one pictured here.. As I have only started broadcasting my painting abilities please note there is lot more where this one is coming from.

If you have any items that you would like repainted or revamped or have a furniture item I would be interested in purchasing please feel free to drop me a line.