St. Patrick’s Day 2013

March 18, 2013 by mymateriallife

Clockwise from top left: Maybe this was overkill.  I thought I’d try a little food coloring in my recycled Irish bear snow globe. I am totally judging this book by its cover; isn’t it beautiful?!  I could not resist buying it when I found it at Recycle Bookstore in Campbell last week (though this one is new).  I just started it last night. A gift of Irish whiskey from our next-door neighbors. We enjoyed some in Irish coffee, but nice […]

Categories: Beverages, Celebrations, Miniatures, Other Holidays, Other Textiles, Reading Material, Sweets • Tags: green punch, lemon-lime kool-aid, st. patrick's day, whole wheat honey wafers

Nutcracker Place Card Holders

December 22, 2012 by mymateriallife

These are inexpensive nutcracker ornaments from Michael’s that I turned into a set of place card holders with those miniature wooden clothespins that you can find at craft stores.  Such a snap to make; wouldn’t a set of these make a fun gift?  Crate & Barrel had some nutcrackers in white and silver and gold that were a little more expensive, but they’d make a beautiful set too.  I might see if they still have some of those at the […]

Categories: Celebrations, Christmas, Miniatures, Other Textiles • Tags: diy, glass mugs, home, ikea, marimekko, nutcracker ornaments, sugar swizzle sticks, wooden clothespins

Three Fun Finds

November 3, 2012 by mymateriallife

I can’t say I’m ready for the eggnog lattes that are already being sold in the coffee shops now that Halloween has come and gone, but this is a fun time to scout for new and interesting holiday items to use yourself or give as gifts.  I just found the Christmas tree fabric at IKEA the other day.  It’s fantastic, isn’t it?  That’s two yards draped over an Ektorp sofa.  I was just looking for a space in my house […]

Categories: Reading Material, Miniatures, Other Textiles, Christmas • Tags: anthropologie, ikea's textiles, target, margareta fabric, gamago, snowglobe salt & pepper, the elements of style, maira kalman

A Halloween Headscarf Story

October 24, 2012 by mymateriallife

I spotted her in my local cemetery just before the sun went down.  I hadn’t seen a dame with that kind of style since the last time I watched the Turner Classic Movie channel.  There was something so mysterious about her.  Why was she wearing sunglasses?  Where did she get that black rose?  And who (whom?) was she leaving it for?  No doubt about it, she had secrets.  And then she turned around … When I told my husband and […]

Categories: Halloween, Kid Stuff, Other Textiles • Tags: fabric marker, halloween headscarf, silk chemise scarf, thai silks

Red Houndstooth!

July 23, 2012 by mymateriallife

I just had to share this image from yesterday’s Saratoga Classic Car Show.  It’s the interior of a 1960 Chevy Impala.  What a contrast to today’s car interiors – you’d be lucky to find even a contrast piping or topstitching these days.  It’s fun to imagine how you could take matters into your own hands to give your car interior a little lift. Floral chintz slip covers? Or how about a Turk’s head knot cover for your grab handle? p.s. […]

Categories: Other Textiles • Tags: floral chintz slipcovers for car, red houndstooth car interior, turk's head knot, turk's head knot grab handle cover

Sweet Potato Fabric Printing

July 14, 2012 by mymateriallife

I had a very enjoyable lunch yesterday with three good friends I used to work with; this is a project I started the night before and completed yesterday morning to hide the state of my 1980s era Danish Teak dining table top.  I used a sweet potato from Trader Joe’s to print the design down the center of my table mat.  Most of the lunch (and two bunches of flowers) also came from Trader Joe’s, but I’ll tell you about […]

Categories: Furnishings, Other Textiles, Sweets • Tags: coffee granita, marimekko, sweet potato fabric printing, table mat, trader joe's

Cool Color/Stripe Combinations

June 17, 2012 by mymateriallife

Stripes are so fun, aren’t they?  The mixtures of colors and patterns are infinite.  I like to collect images of attractive combinations for design inspiration.  These are some that caught my eye recently… I found that sofa on One King’s Lane.  I’m crazy about both the colors and the pattern; I’d love to have a sofa like that!  But I’d probably have to settle for a blanket.  The pattern seems to lend itsself to crochet.  I wonder how you could […]

Categories: Other Textiles • Tags: mermaid, stripe designs

Classic Camp Furniture

May 24, 2012 by mymateriallife

I saw the previews for Moonrise Kingdom last week and when this image hit the screen my pulse started to race.  Oh my goodness, the red plaid mat on that cot and more of the very same plaid lining two sides of the tent!  Camp furniture (preferably old-fashioned wood) and red plaid are two of my very favorite things.  And with summer approaching, I’ve got wood and canvas folding furniture on my mind.  I’ve already been thinking of laying in […]

Categories: Furnishings, Other Textiles • Tags: byer of maine, cabana beach collection, gallant & jones, moonrise kingdom, pangean glider, telescope casual furniture, wood and canvas deck chairs, wood cots

A Bunny Tail for Mr. Bones

April 12, 2012 by mymateriallife

This is a large pom-pom I made to complete the Spring attire for a grade school classroom skeleton model named Mr. Bones.  Just my kind of project – no pay involved, more important things I could have been doing, etc., but someone I like and admire wanted one and I knew I could make it happen.  Plus, I’ve been wanting to make a pom-pom free style (without the use of my Clover plastic pom-pom maker) for some time now.  In […]

Categories: Easter, Other Textiles • Tags: large pom-pom, make your own pom-poms, wool pom-pom