Tuesday, April 20

a challenge and a 'hangy-me-jig'...

i fear i have painted my DOUBTER in rather a poor light.
if indeed he stepped onto the stage right now,
i'm thinking a ripple amongst the crowd may result in some boo-ing...
so please allow me to correct the wrong i have made.
for my DOUBTER is perhaps worthy of way more than a gold sticky star,
he has stuck by my side near on 25 years
and
he does not doubt in any way that buying second hand is a good and proper thing to do,
no sirree!
his doubting ways come into play concerning my rather addictive ways to thrift store shopping,
my continual need to bring in forsaken little souls into our shed,
cluttering up our space,
always exclaiming how each and everyone of my finds will one day look peachy upon the shelves of a store...


today marks the 7 month milestone in my 'challenge of the utmost kind'.
it has been an interesting path for me.
i am without doubt
(and we know how we like 'no doubting')
that my challenge has helped further my creativity within my crafting
and indeed my shed.

i would be lying if i said it has been easy peasy every single day.
some things have been,
i don't actually think about it most days,
buying secondhand and handcrafted has become the norm.
but on occasion, i can tell you i would love nothing more than to walk into a clothing store such as anthropologie,
try on everything and anything,
and be able to purchase just one thing to cheer up my closet.


but then again because i haven't be able to do just that,
i pushed myself to make a 'high hopes' dress.
something i doubt (oooh, there it is creeping in again) i would have attempted without the challenge...

so with that being said i thought i would list to you all the things i have bought for myself new in the past 7 months,
and before you gasp! shocked that indeed i have purchased new,
the majority of what i bought became an ingredient used within handcrafted or rescuing a forsaken soul so it may shine in all its glory

1. three tins of eco paint

2. four sheets of pretty paper for birdie decals on the kitchen nook wall, purchased in China Town whilst visiting Vancouver over spring break

3. five spools of thread for Miss Ethel to do her thing, i bought these last week and they are my first since the challenge began, not bad considering just how much thread her and i go through in a week

4. three yards of new fabric, bought once again last week, so i may attempt a second dress.
being aged 41 i decided most of the fabrics i had with enough yardage in my stash were a little on the twee side for myself.

5. five little birdies


when i found an old lampshade frame i was inspired to make a 'little birdies hangy-me-jig'...
my inspiration came from the lovely Sandra of Yarning and her use of an old lampshade frame.
she truly is a wonderfully talented crafter.
i used my little sprightly spring scraps, along with some lovely vintage kimono fabric my soul sister sent me...
i knew i wished for little birdies upon my hangy-me-jig and so after some pondering, knowing fabric ones would not give me the look i was going for, i bought some.

6. a brass lamp harp for a thrift store lamp

7. a spare part for our broken kitchen tap so i could stop myself going insane

i am most admiring of all the challengers upon my sidebar especially those who have their family included,
it is something that takes a certain amount of willpower, definitely passion and a strong belief in what you are doing.
whatever the reasons they are doing it for
i am delighted they should take this challenge alongside of me...
and also for so many of you out there who choose to do this within your day to day life and have been doing so for many years.
you truly are an inspiration for me
and for that i am thanking you kindly...

she has three wraps made and several more to go ~ Tif

53 comments:

Taylor said...

This is really cute! I'm putting it in my inspiration file.

Unknown said...

i absolutely love what you've done with that lampshade - so pretty and springy! you are so creative!

Andrea said...

Love the lampshade creation. Working on my own too!
xo

Short Poems said...

Great work really :)

hugs marinela x x

Andrea said...

Dottie...
I found myself wondering "What would Dottie do?" again this past weekend at the lengths of vintage polyester...I hate polyester but the prints were fab and the uncut yards rare. What would you have done? Do you use much polyester in your works? It appears to be mostly cotton or blends of...
I didn't get it...
xo
Andrea

Nina said...

Wow, your 'little birdies hangy-me-jig' is really pretty. :)

Ruth P. said...

I am full of admiration. And I'm slowly creeping over to your side.
Love the blog.

Heidi said...

You are one of the most amazing designers, I have met, next to Ruby Red ofcourse. I drool everytime I stop by...thanks for sharing your creativity with us!

Pamela Holderman said...

I think it is so awesome you have kept to the challenge (almost) and even avoided anthropologie - a feat it itself. Love the lampshade thingy. I do believe I know which thrift store parking lot you are talking about - and yes it can make me not go there just because of the parking.

sarah {on the brightside...} said...

oh my... that is just adorable! the fabric is so pretty! & i love the little birdies!! :)

oh & btw- i am having a fun giveaway on my blog! check it out!
http://thebrightsidestudio.blogspot.com/

thanks!

Unknown said...

Absolutely love it...I must go up into the attic and find an old lampshade and make my own thingy. Isabella will have fun making it with me I am sure. How fun you are, Tiff. Thank you for sharing.

sheer whimsy said...

this is amazing!!! sooo lovely. and i love your blog!!!

Carol said...

My Doubter should perhaps,also be painted in a better light, he actually accompanied me on my last 2 carbooty visits, not a total convert but has described my latest purchases as "brilliant"!!
Carol xx
p.s. and he gets a platinum star for 36 years!

the green gal said...

I'm a relative newcomer to your blog, and love it! I had no idea that you had set yourself a challenge of the utmost kind and am delighted to read about it, because I set myself a similar challenge a couple of months ago! http://www.thegreengal.co.uk/2010/02/the-challenge.html
Looking forward to reading how your next five months go.

Courtney said...

I love the birdy hangy-me-jig! It's so cute and the colors are just beautiful.

Kim Baise said...

beautiful and cheerful!

Michelle said...

Your dear sweet hang me up what-not shade is just the most lovely!!!

Are you thinking dear Tif what I am thinking?
I can see something made from fabric too...
Maybe something like the pattern I sent you...out of fabric!!!
Now I think that would be just amazing...
Especially when it is dottied...
Just a thought...
I was going to give it a try if me and my sewing machine can ever see eye to eye,thou I do believe that you can make a most lovely one...
Just so springy...

Ruth said...

I love those chairs. They look fabulous. Your challenge is quite hard. You do have quite a list of challengers along with you. I love Anthropologie, too. Would love to do the same as you.

Ruth

Ampersand Commodities said...

im trying to do it too, i started later tho'...its my 3rd month now...i marked it with a super cheap pair of cullottes in a paisley print for the bargain price of £4.50.
on another note, wanted to pop by and say a little thankyou for all of your inspiration which you dish out to me. thanks to you i now have curtains on my sewing shelves made from a lovely vintage sheet!! thanks!

mylittlebirdie said...

that is the most beautiful birdie hangy thing i've seen, i love it. i am wonderfully inspired now to fix up the one i attempted for my miss poppets room : )

i think you're very lucky to have a supporting doubter mine unfortunately is simply a doubter as our tastes are very, very different makes for many frustrating conversations as i try to get him to come around to my side : )

Barbara Keenan-Bailey said...

You are such a creative soul. Love, love the mobile thingy. Now I have this horrid urge to go and get a hold of one of my good lamps and strip it bare and make my own. The hubby might have to read in the dark soon :)

mel @ loved handmade said...

Oh good! I was feeling a little disillusioned because I had bought some things in order to create the handmade things...ok, so time to re-focus & look a little harder for those little necessities at the oppy...loving the savings we're making so far not to mention the concious effort to reduce, reuse & recycle! Love your hangy-me-jig...

brinaroze said...

Hmmm... I'm a little confused about your "challenge of the utmost kind". I wouldn't think that paint and plumbing supplies count as breaking the rules. You can't really buy those sort of things second hand.

I have been, unintentionally, following your challenge. Once I started reading your blog, I stopped buying myself clothing. (Because I DON'T need MORE clothes.) I started making different choices about what I buy for my home. It has been difficult. This is the first time I've had to furnish an apartment with no help from Mom. So because of your challenge, I have decided to make due with my loveseat instead of buying a new sofa from IKEA. But, like you, I feel this has made me become a bit more creative and appreciative of what I do have. Thanks, Tif.

dottie angel said...

crownology, i love my cottons, but saying that i just found a polyester vintage long dress in the thriftstore with the most loveliest pattern on it. i asked the vital question "WWDD?" and i bought it, for dottie angel would make her self a new pair of kitchen curtains of course!
so go for it my dear... i'm just hoping Miss Ethel is up to sewing poly... eeek!!!

barbara said...

I adore your birdy lampshade, Tif,from the sweet fabric binding to all the little adorable cut outs and bits and pieces and thank you so much for inspiring us all to have a "creative break from spending" so refreshing, so real, so difficult for someone like me who love to buy pretty things or a magazine with a pretty picture! Take care, Barbara

maría cecilia said...

Dottie angel, if you don´t mind, I would love to add you to my blog roll, "inspiration". I will do it anyway, but if you have any problem about it, just let me know.
I heard the mega earthquake we had on Feb. 27 moved many surfers to the coast for the big waves, but sadly for them we only had a huge tsunami in our coasts... some enjoy big waves, some get hurt and suffer...just life!!
Cariños,
Maria Cecilia

lauren carney said...

whoa!
you are the crafty queen lady dottie!
plus, your blog is totally awesome!
love your work!
have fun being creative! x

kateepie said...

Did you find your kreative blogger award my dear?

http://kateepie-stitchintime.blogspot.com

enjoy it!

Kx

Dajda said...

It's good to hear you didn't buy second-hand paint. ;] Seriously now, congratulations on the 7 months of perseverance!

cornel said...

Incredible! You are right there when inspiration knocks.

Scented Sweetpeas said...

Oh my goodness, all you bloggers aren't helping with my birdie addiction. I love all things birdie at the moment and am trying not to buy/make too many birdie things but everywhere I look there are lovely lovely birdie things. I will look away now so temptation is out of my way!

Elissa said...

oh this is the most beautiful hangy-me-jig i have ever laid eyes on. i MUST now find myself and old lampshade frame. simply must.

Kathrine said...

Thank you for a wonderful blog. I love it! I´ve linked to you - hope it´s ok?!

A Casa da Vá said...

Too adorable!

gypsysticks said...

love, love, love it!

Mandi said...

So inspiring as always. I really wish you could come and "dottie angel" my house.

Luci at DuhBe said...

Tif - Thank you for inspiring me to take the Dottie Angel challenge nearly 3 months ago. It has not only changed my buying habits for material goods, but has also changed the way I think about every purchase I make, all the way to the food I eat.

kat said...

ok, whew.
i can stop staring ashamedly at the 2silicone ice trays i bought at the dollar store. but tiff! ooh they are amazing. long, skinny shaped ice, with built-in stir sticks! this summer i shall have lemonade stir sticks in my iced tea.
ok, and the package of new ponytail holders.
um and the slotted spoon to make removing poaced eggs easier.
i feel better now.

Anonymous said...

thank you for your inspirational projects....it is such a treat to see what you have come up with.
id love to come to your workshop!!
i need to look into that

Greedy Nan said...

I am loving this and want it badly!

Leanda said...

Now THAT is amazing!!!!

Anonymous said...

I like the scandelier!!!

beautiful square feet said...

Love this! It would look so cute hanging in a child's room!

Gray said...

WOW!! I wanted to make a mobile for my baby... but finding the right piece of nice beach wood is a pain when you live in the city... and hanging it, awful- but this idea realllllllllllllllly appeals. Thankyou so much!! =) (I hope you don't mind I use it myslef with lots of sea glass, stones and shells....)
It's so nice when suddenly an idea just clicks.

Thankyou!!

dottie angel said...

gray, i think that sounds lovely! i am quite sure it will be beautiful with the ingredients you are using :)
hurrah for when an idea 'clicks'

Ninette said...

Thank you so much for the inspiration! I was so inspired I made one for myself from an old 80s lampshade that was just screaming for a transformation like this one I think :). It took ages to make, and now it just awaits the right lightbulb and then it will hang in our staircase ceiling. I posted pictures of it on my blog: http://www.familjenbahne.com/?p=3882

dottie angel said...

ninette! i love it, totally peachy in every way :)
thank you for sharing with me...

Lacey said...

I am going to have a mad tea party Halloween party this year and this chandelier fits perfectly into the vision I had. I think I am going to make it, but use fall colors instead of spring, and paper flowers instead of birdies!

PeregrineBlue said...

i finally found the right frame for my own version of the hangy-me-jig. i am so happy with it and now searching all the nooks and crannies around the house looking for thingy me jigs to hang on it.

thank you for always being sooooooo
creative and inspiring us all with so many ideas, especially recycling ones.

Sarah ~ Crafts from the Cwtch said...

Of course the lampshade is adorable, but I keep coming back to look at those CLOGS! I'm thinking that they would be perfect for wearing over handknit socks and I wonder if you'd be so kind as to tell me what the brand/style is please :D
x

dottie angel said...

the clogs i found secondhand, they are bastad originals, you can look on ebay or etsy or you can still buy them new :) i love my clogs! if you look at the top, near my header, there is a link to a page about the clogs i love, you will find info on these clogs there, i have a black pair too :)

Vintage Home said...

so proud of you...its hard to resist!..seems you have it under control tho!
We have to drive 40 min to Vancouver to go to Anthropology ...and b4 Christmas we did & my daughter got the orange cut lace skirt that was $298 for $38...she was very happy...I guess like vintage you have to be there @ the right time!
We only buy second hand...except for our couch we bought new just recently...b4 that they where all vintage!
I love your lamp shade!
Your chairs are wonderful!
Thanks for sharing!

juliemarg said...

wow! cool!