Repair * Reuse * Recycle

I purchased six used T-shirts for $0.50 each at the local charity shop. Grand total $3.00.... no tax.   There was a pink one, a blue one, a brown one, a stripey one and two black ones.

These T-shirts were beyond Repair, and definitely beyond Reuse, so the only action left is to Recycle.

After some strategic cutting and sewing, I have a new summer dress. The text says "Here comes treble" under the treble clef.... musical joke! Yes I know it's backwards.... it's mirror writing!

The pattern is from Linda McPhee.... Canadian sewing guru and pattern expert and star of Canadian TV sewing show (which I've never seen as I don't get that channel).

Sorry about the blurry photo. That's what happens when I try to use the camera and look into a mirror at the same time.

Update: Hilary awarded me one of her coveted POTW recommendations for this post... Woohoo!  Thanks, Hilary.

Thrift Shop Shopping

I love a bargain, don't you?
I have a look in here at least once a week, and often find something I really need!
This week, I found this for the princely sum of $5.00.

Brown Bag Cookie Art shortbread dish, Hearts and flowers pattern, vintage 1988. Practically unused, but very dusty. I think it had been hanging on someone's wall.
I've always fancied one. And it makes great shortbread!

1-1/2 cup cake and pastry flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 lb butter
1/3 cup fine sugar

Spray pan lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Mix all ingredients by hand until it looks like breadcrumbs, then squish the mixture into a big lump. (Yes, squish is approved baking terminology.)
Press the lump of dough into the shortbread mould.
Turn oven down to 325F and bake for 35 minutes. If the shortbread doesn't look quite cooked, leave it in for another 5 - 10 minutes, or keep peeking at it until you think it's done.
Let the pan cool for 10 minutes then hold pan upside down approximately 2" above a wooden board, and drop onto the board.
The shortcake should fall out of the pan. If you are really lucky it'll be in one piece! Cut the shortbread into wedges while it's still warm. If you wait until it's cold, it will crumble.

On The Shelf

I love poking around in thrift and second hand stores and I picked up this funny little shelf in a used furniture shop for about $12 a couple of weeks ago. It looked like it had potential but it was in rough shape with layers of drippy brown paint and a few dings and scratches.

I ended up spending more than twice that amount in paint stripper, sandpaper, stain and varathane finish, but I think it was worth it.

Now it's home to the caribou carvings from Labrador (click here to read their story). The smooth beach pebbles are from Middle Cove Beach in Newfoundland and the rock is citrine... my birthstone.

Return to the Blogosphere!

Some of you are wondering if I'm lost in a snowdrift. No... snow's not quite that high... YET! Another week or two, perhaps.

I've been back in The Great White North for a couple of weeks now, but haven't been feeling very communicative, due to reasons that I won't go into here. But Christmas is coming, and my family tells me that it's my turn to host Christmas dinner, so the planning has started.

I found this gem at the local Care and Share Thrift Shop... it has a counterweight (not shown) attached to the reindeer's tummy and just a gentle tap on the reindeer's hooves sets the sleigh in motion.
The reindeer nods his head, the toys bob precariously in the sleigh, the bells jingle and Santa's tummy jiggles in a very jolly manner.
I can't pass by without sending Santa rocking on his way with his sack of toys.

Care and Share

This is just one corner of the local Care and Share Thrift Store.

You can buy just about anything here, at reasonable prices.

About 70 volunteers turn mountains of good quality donations into help for people locally and in war-torn or disaster-stricken countries overseas.

Volunteers recycle used clothing into colourful quilts and blankets. The blankets are sent overseas for disaster relief while the quilts usually are sold at a spring quilt sale.

Each year, between $170,000 to $190,000 is sent to the Mennonite Central Committee, which operates the Care & Share and 16 other thrift stores in Ontario. That’s the net amount earned after rent, hydro and other expenses are paid.

A great place to buy needles and yarn for knitting projects.

Square Eyes

Some people see dots in front of their eyes, I'm seeing squares.
Knitted multicoloured squares.

A great way to use up all the leftover yarn that I find in the local charity shop.

I've made about fifty 6"x6" squares so far, but I need to make quite a few more before they'll make a decent size blankie.
I'm not looking forward to sewing all those ends in.

And now I have to find someone who can teach me to crochet them all together.