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Shelbee on the Rags: “Bohemian Ragsody” Rag Curtain
The first two rag curtains that I created, Bohemian Blues and Aqua Allure, were made exclusively for me for practical use in my home. I created the third curtain, Saved from the Landfill, for no one in particular. I just had a bag of old kids’ clothing that was destined for the donation bin and I figured it would make better art than hand-me-downs. Throughout the process of crafting with fabrics and textile scraps, I started saving all the little odds and ends and bits and pieces that were “irregular”, meaning they weren’t smooth, seamless cuts of fabric. Then I got the idea to use all of those odd bits…
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Shelbee on the Rags: “Saved from the Landfill” Rag Curtain
I have decided to share a dedicated post for each new large rag project that I complete. If you have been following along, I recently began these raggery adventures in an effort to save unwanted textiles from overwhelming our already overwhelmed landfills by creating functional pieces of art. Saved from the Landfill was born out of a bag of old kids’ clothing that had been sitting in a closet waiting to be dropped off at a clothing donation bin until I rescued it from a landfill fate. The bag consisted mostly of old tee shirts and sweatpants with a few pairs of jeans that were all worn beyond function anyway…
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Shelbee on the Rags: “In the Garden” Rag Curtain
I just completed my latest rag curtain project which was inspired by my mother and very much guided by her spirit. I have outlined my step by step process of taking thrift store garments and turning them into functional artwork in the post featuring my Carolina on My Mind rag curtain. I am attempting to prevent as many textiles as I can from ending up in our already overwhelmed landfills by rescuing unwanted garments from thrift stores and creating an environmentally friendly and practical art form. The idea of a floral garden themed curtain came to mind when I first started creating these rag curtains. In fact, about 12 ideas…
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Shelbee on the Rags: “Carolina on My Mind” Rag Curtain
If you remember November, you might recall my latest creative adventures which I have named Shelbee on the Rags. I have been creating unique curtains and wall hangings from unwanted clothing (a.k.a. rags). This raggery idea came to me in the summer when I couldn’t find the perfect curtains for my bohemian bedroom makeover so I decided to make my own in the hippie aesthetic that I desired. I did not use unwanted clothing for my bedroom curtains because my initial intention was to sew patchwork curtains from fabrics that I chose at JOANN. Quickly realizing that my sewing skills were not up to par for an undertaking like 3…
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4 Tips to Stay Calm During a Home Project
Navigating through any major renovation can be challenging and stressful considering all of the unknowns that can be a source of great frustration. From dealing with contractors and selecting materials to staying within your budget and adding new systems, everything must come together until successful completion. There are some tried-and-true tactics for finding stress relief and peace of mind in this process. Read on to discover 4 tips for staying calm during home projects. 1. Prioritize and Create a Comprehensive To-Do List Renovation projects can be both rewarding and stressful. To stay sane during a major home project, prioritize tasks according to importance by creating a detailed checklist with everything…
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What the Dickens? & The Final Your Own Twist Link Up #63
About Your Own Twist Your Own Twist is a monthly link party hosted by Monica of Monica Hayworth (formerly Jersey Girl, Texan Heart) and me on the third Thursday of every month with the goal of inspiring some of our friends to get creative with personal style. The idea behind this collaboration was to take one common piece or theme and style it our own way with our own twist…Monica and I have both taken a lot of fashion inspiration from one another over the years even though we have totally different styles. It is always fun to see how we can interpret similar items in unique ways or what kind of twist we…
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Freckled Fright to Dotted Delight
I have another thrift store upcycle project to share with y’all. This was a super easy one that resulted in some serious sass. Maybe you remember this freckled fright that I shared back in August. I picked up this Zara dress for less than $10 on a thrifting adventure over the summer. I was drawn to the gorgeous shade of green and I am always a sucker for polka dots but the dress is two sizes too big. At first I thought I could belt it at the waist to make it fit better, but that put me squarely in the Land of Frump. As you can see from the…
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Grateful-Thankful-Blessed DIY Frankenstein Dress & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #680
I have another Frankenstein dress to share! Like yesterday’s Thankful & Blessed Frankenstein dress, this one is also constructed from a graphic tee that I received three years ago as part of a brand collaboration and a really old skirt that I have never worn. Certainly, I should have purged the skirt years ago but it’s another print that really appeals to me and kept me holding onto it. I am ready now, however, to start a major midlife purge of my closet but I want to do it in a sustainable way. In an effort to save my unworn and unwanted wardrobe pieces from Destination Landfill, I have been finding ways to…
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Thankful & Blessed Frankenstein Dress for Thanksgiving Day
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends! I am wishing you all a day filled with love, laughter, and lots of gratitude. Today, I am grateful for very many things. You know, the traditional gratitude things…my family, my friends, my health, my home, my security. And my sewing machine! Because my sewing machine has helped me to save so many things from Destination Landfill. A pile of graphic tee shirts that I never reach for and a heap of maxi skirts that don’t fit have been turned into a unique collection of adorable dresses that I love to wear. Do you remember my DIY Frankenstein dress from late summer?…
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Shelbee on the Rags
I have been in creative overdrive for months, crafting works of art from rags. Yes, rags. Rags that I have been making from old clothing that was destined for a landfill. Saving as much as I can so as not to contribute to the environmental mess that the fashion industry continues to perpetuate. I am calling this art medium raggery and it suits my bohemian soul perfectly. It all began with my bohemian bedroom makeover when I made rag curtains out of strips of quilting fabric. For this first of my rag curtains, I bought new fabric when it was on a flash sale at JOANN for $2.99 a yard.…