Late Again, Here's Some Filler

Ok, I may have to change real content updates to just Mondays. I seem to be failing pretty hard at getting the Friday updates up on time.

Eventually, I will post instructions to make a nifty reversible purse. I have made a bunch of dumb crafting mistakes in my rush to get the project made in time. Due to those mistakes, I have gotten mad and stopped sewing. One day, I will finish that project and get the pics and instructions up here. One day.

Until then, enjoy these nifty Martha Stewart paper cherry blossom display instructions.

Weird Wonderful Decor History: Fylfots

I'm on a historical kick so let's talk about fylfots.

Fylfots have a long history that became clouded and dark in the mid 1900's. Originally a multicultural symbol of the sun and good luck reaching all the way from ancient Japan to Europe, fylfots have been taken over by one of the greatest horrors of recent human history.

Why can I say that with such surety? Because "fylfot" is the European name for a swastika.

For a bit of historical perspective before I explain the significance of fylfots in historical Southern decor, a brief lineage of the fylfot:

In its early European form, a fylfot looks exactly like a swastika with shorter arms. Unlike the Asian counterpart which is a mirror image of the infamous Nazi swastika, European fylfots have no specified direction. They were a part of early heraldry that, according to one 1500's manuscript, served only to fill a space.

Asian swastikas are not called fylfots. Typically, the Asian version sits diagonally on one of the points rather than upright. The word swastika itself is derived from a sanskrit word meaning "lucky" or "auspicious". This meaning began to be ascribed to fylfots in Europe when trade between the East and West grew more common.

In the second half of the 19th century, stylized fylfots began to show up in Pennsylvania Dutch towns in backcountry Virginia. At this point, the fylfot appears as a swirling, rounded cross shape. Fylfots found in Pennsylvania Dutch country are ascribed with two meanings. The first is as a simple blessing and good luck symbol. In this instance, a fylfot is on par with a horseshoe or a clover. No more importance is given to it that for its attractiveness as an ornament and the sunny promise of luck.

Reproduction Pennsylvania Dutch style fylfots from this site.

The second meaning found only in Virginia and spreading a bit through the southern parts of the East Coast is that a fylfot is a hex that will ward off evil spirits and acts. When used in this way, fylfots are often hidden symbols. Antique items from the rural south dating from the mid 1800s to roughly 1930 often have fylfots carved or drawn into the back or hidden on interior spaces.

After WWII, fylfots dropped from popularity along with swastikas. These symbols are often not discussed because of the negative connotations. You can still occassionally find visible fylfots on historic rural homes in the south though many have been disguised or destroyed outright.

Curio Boxes

Sorry for the late post!! New job got in the way (ugh, real life, amiright?)

A curio box can be anything (it can even be a box!!)

Basically, it is an eclectic 3d arrangement inside of a container of some sort. There are billions and billions of ways to go about making one of these, but these are the general steps I follow when making one.

1. Pick a subject. Curio boxes look best when they have a theme of some sort. The theme can be as loose as "complimentary things that remind me of that time my family went to the Grand Canyon when I was eight" to as strict as "hummingbirds". It can be a more conceptual idea like "the feeling of green". It can be absolutely anything. The big deal with picking a theme is giving yourself a direction to go. Without this, I find curios to be somewhat boring little junk collections. The theme of the box in the picture is "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland".

2. Choose a container. This is where you will run into spending issues. I have seen curio containers range from gutted antique clocks all the way down to shoe boxes. I really suggest you choose a box that is fairly sturdy, it will need to be strong enough to hold up to the glue and weight of you items. In other words, don't use that shoe box. Containers could be old drawers from chests and nigh stands, cigar boxes, gumball machines, little wall shelf units, and you could even build one yourself. Basically, anything with a reasonable interior space. Consider the size of the container you are choosing. If you already have objects, will they fit inside? If you are getting objects, how many will you need. I prefer small curios, they draw an onlooker closer and encourage joyful discovery. They also require a lot less stuff. I used a wooden cigar box that I bought for way too much at an antique store. If you are doing this project casually, shop around, check your home, and maybe do a bit of dumpster diving (not that I told you to do it!)

3. Items. Ok, this is where things start to get difficult. I like to choose a centerpiece. This item is the thing that I cannot possibly imagine leaving out of the curio. It is the thing that encapsulates exactly what I want the curio to be. The centerpiece in the Alice box is the white rabbit. Once you have the centerpiece, look at all the other things you are wanting to put in the box. Look honestly. Seriously. What is the next thing that looks BEST with the centerpiece? For me, it was the old style Queen of Hearts. From those two pieces, pick a few characteristics. I chose "red/white" and "aging". The other items in the Alice box are a broken mirror and white roses that have been painted red. These two things are both recognizable symbols from the stories and share similarities with my main two pieces. I have also added a checkerboard (in this case, a chess board) that is segmenting and ripped up typed lines from the poem "Jabberwocky". You never want to add an item that is not somehow related to the others. You can have more items than me, you can have less. I made this curio with a time limit so it is not as full as it would have been had I been given more time. Don't get too literal with the themes and characteristics, the more out of the box you are, the more options you will have.

4. Arrangement. This is where the artsy freedom comes in. Do you like clutter? Do you like order? Which fits your theme? You can do it! I believe in you! Once you have an idea of how everything will fit together, get to gluing. I use Aleene's Tacky Glue. It is basically the best glue you will ever use. You can also use super glue or hot glue. If you use super glue, work fast! It is unforgiving. If you use hot glue, be careful about temperature changes around your finished curio, hot glue swells and retracts and will come loose.

5. Enjoy! Aren't you feeling artsy and fab? All together,m this project can cost under $10 or can be much more expensive. Be thrifty and be open, you can do this in any budget!

Weird Wonderful Decor History: Haint Blue

From Front Porch Appeal.

I have a "mild" obsession with any interesting histories/ quirky superstitions associated with common decorating traditions. I also LOVE to tell people about those weird little stories! So, with that in mind, today's weird decorating history lesson is Haint Blue.

If you have ever driven around in the rural south and looked at porch ceilings and window shutters (don't be ashamed, it's totally normal) you may have noticed that a lot of them are painted a light shade of blue. That is Haint Blue.

The reason most people will give for Haint Blue porch ceilings is that the color discourages bugs and nesting birds. I've never quite understood how blue keeps bugs away. The idea behind the bird thing is that they perceive the ceiling as the sky and will not nest as it feels too open. As far as I can tell, neither of these things are true. They're basically a less stupid version of using hot water to make ice cubes because it freezes faster. In other words, an old wives' tale.

The more interesting (to me) history of Haint Blue has roots in traditional southern conjure. Conjure (also sometimes called hoodoo, rootwork, or folk magic) is a spiritual practice similar to Santeria or Vodoun. It is a mix of African, Native American, and traditional European magical practices with the interesting addition of Biblical figures and various Saints. Conjure practitioners often known as hoodoo doctors or root doctors were often nomadic. They earned their stays in various communities by dispensing folk remedies, including the knowledge of Haint Blue.

In conjure tradition, maladies and misfortune may be the work of various forms of devils (among other things).  A Haint, the colloquial version of "haunt" and meaning a ghost or other malicious paranormal being, may very well have been proclaimed to be the cause of whatever ailed a person. The conjure practitioner would perform a cleansing to rid the home or person of the haint. But what stops the haint from just coming back when the root doctor is gone?

Haints fear water. Haint Blue paint is the color of deep, undisturbed water. Haints will not enter water for any reason and are not known for their ability to use logic. When Haint Blue is painted on shutters and on porch ceilings, the haint is unwilling to pass through and risk going into water. See where this is going? Haint Blue protects homes from haints.

So next time you see a porch or shutter painted blue, you know you are not likely to encounter a ghost in that house. Unless that house wasn't cleansed first because now the haint is stuck inside. Good luck with that.

From Curious Expeditions

Shopping for Fabric

Fabric shopping can be an overwhelming experience.The key is to be prepared (like a Boy Scout or like that song from the Lion King).

Before you go shopping:
1. Know exactly what project you are working on. Going with a vague idea is like going to the grocery store hungry, you will come home with a huge bag of anything that caught your eye. What are you going to do with that 1/4 yard of insanely expensive red linen that you bought because that was all you could afford?
2. Have either an exact type of fabric that you need or at least know what characteristics it must have. If you go to a good fabric store (as in, don't go to Wal Mart), the associates should be able to help with at least this much guidance.
3. It is never a bad idea (in my opinion) to learn a bit about different fabrics and their construction. You at least need to know the difference between knits (like a sweater and like most shirts that you own) and wovens (as in your jeans and non-jersey bed sheets). 

At the store:
1. If you are using a commercial pattern, bring it with you (or at least write down the fabric requirements).
2. If you are confused, ask for help! I very rarely find fabric store associates who don't want to help. The better ones can even give you suggestions on different types of fabrics that will fit your needs.
3. Check out the Odds and Ends table. There are often severely limited quantities of whatever is over there, so keep in mind how much fabric you are going to need. You can often get some awesome deals here!
4. Be sure to check the width of the fabric. If you are using a pattern, it will tell you what width you need. Here's a hint, it is possible to use a different width if you fall in love with a specific bolt, but you will have to buy extra length and will not be able to lay the pattern out in the nice, fabric saving way suggested in the package.
5. Is the fabric dry clean only? Some textiles are sure to be - linen, suede, silk - but you should always check to be sure!
6. Is the fabric double sided? Do you need it to be? If you fall in love with a one sided fabric for a double sided project (tsk tsk!), you will have to line it. You can buy cheap liner fabric (nicer fabric stores should have a selection of these!) or you can line it with more of the same. Either way, lining means you have to buy twice the amount of fabric and the project will be twice as thick. 

Other hints to keep in mind:
1. Consider other sources of fabric. If you are making curtains or something else similarly huge, take a look at flat sheets. Wal Mart sells twin size 200 thread count flat sheets for $4. Yes, 200 thread count is icky feeling but you're not sleeping on it.
2. For tiny projects, look in the quilting area for color packs. You will often find adorable patterns in roughly 2'x2' blocks for fairly inexpensive. The mark up is sometimes higher one these but it is easier to get a smaller amount in a usable orientation.*
3. Felt. Ok, I understand that you don't have to hem it and it comes in tons of colors but it has no drape, it will warp, and it should only be used for small embellishments (and those felt stick board things kids like)!
4. Unless you are upholstering or making some serious grown up draperies, stay out of the upholstery/drapery section. The fabric there will be extremely nice, most likely dry clean only, and very very expensive. Any popular patterns will be available in normal bolts elsewhere in the store.

There you go. You are (somewhat) prepared!

* Technical explanation: When buying calicoes (patterned cotton used for quilting), it can be hard to get a decent cut of the pattern in a smaller size cut off the bolt. The color pack piece is usually 2'x 2', so four square feet. The same amount cut off the bolt will measure an awkward 11.25"x 3.75'. If the pattern on the fabric is large, you may not even get a whole repeat in this cut. The measurements also mean that you may not be able to get the width and length you need for the project. The bolt may be cheaper but the 2'X 2' is more useful in the long run.

TimMary Table = Awesome/Creepy

Check out this table! It looks like it would walk around your house at night while you sleep. You would wake up one night to go to the bathroom and trip over it. It would scamper back to the living room like a scolded puppy while you quietly cry and call your therapist.

It's basically incredible. It's from Industrial Designer Pierre Lescop. Click here to check out the rest of his portfolio (including a terrifying and inexplicable picture of a woman/chicken hybrid lounging by a pool).

Fluffy, Girly Curtains

I really apologize for the quality. Bad camera is bad. I swear I'll try to get something better up, soon! Also, I know that light fixture is horrible, sorry.

These are some seriously girly curtains. These are a modern, toned down take on the eighties priscilla curtains. I put them in my kitchen but they could be cute in a kids' room or whatever room is girliest in your home.

I started with a single long panel of crushed voile that I found on clearance at Target that I cut in half. You should choose a fabric that is light and "frothy". As in, it needs to have some body of its own but it should be light enough to let light through. Ideal selections include voile, organza, batiste, chiffon, and georgette. Feel free to use something else but be aware that the end result will have the characteristics of the fabric you choose, it will not necessarily match my picture.

You should also keep in mind that the fabric should be double sided unless you want to line it. I will not be including instructions on how to line a curtain panel in this post, so you're on your own if you go that route.

Measure your window. This will need to the be width of each of your panels. The length is up to you, but this kind of curtain looks best when it is at least 3/4 of the height of the window. Be sure to include an extra 5 inches for hems and the rod pocket in the length. Measure and cut the fabric (yes, they do need to be pretty exact) so you have two matching rectangles of fabric. Now you are ready to start!

Materials:
2 fabric panels (we just discussed this. Look at the past three paragraphs)
Two tie backs - these can be matching fabric, ribbons, rope, actual ties, seriously anything

Tools:
Good fabric scissors

Iron and ironing board (or, if you're me, a towel on your kitchen table because your ironing board tends to collapse)
A sewing machine (optional. This can be done by hand if you want)
Sewing pins
Sewing needle
Matching thread

Hardware:
A curtain rod that fits the window. These are (generally) light curtains, you can use a tension rod unless the curtains are especially long or made of a heavier material than suggested.
Tie Back Hooks (sort of optional, we'll chat about this further down)

Instructions:
Make the curtains:
1. Do a double hem on the bottom edges and the outside edges (as in, the left edge of the left panel, the right edge of the right panel) of both panels. Do you remember the double hem? You will absolutely have to iron it this time, sorry.
2. Make a rod pocket in the top edge of both the panels. With the back of the curtain* facing up, turn down and pin a half inch then iron it. Remove the pins.
3. Turn down and pin another two inches so that the half inch turn down is on the inside. Iron this as well. Sew the rod hem on the bottom, be sure to sew through all three layers. If you are using a machine, sew with the front of the curtain facing up (it'll be prettier, trust me).
NOTE: If you bought a ready made panel and are splitting it, you just need to be sure you have all of these hems (outside on each, bottom) and a rod pocket. If you do, go on to step four. If you don't, get to sewing!
4. Lay one panel face UP on a flat surface. Lay the other panel face DOWN on top of the first panel. The panels should be face to face with the rod pockets and outside hems lining up. Pin the inside, hemless sides together.
5. This step can be done on a machine but it is much simpler by hand. If you know how to do it on a machine, go for it. Otherwise: Thread a needle with at least half the length of thread as your curtains are long. If you are making very long curtains, well, good luck.
6. Sew a straight, even seam down the entire inside gathering the fabric along the thread as you go. The stitches need to be about a medium size, too big will leave bug gaping holes between the two panels, two small will make the ruffles tiny and out of proportion. When you get to the end, make the ruffles as tight or loose as you like, then tie off the thread. Curtains are complete!

Hang the curtains:
1. Follow the directions on the rod you bought. I would be more specific but there are seriously a zillion kinds of curtain rods and every one of them is a bit different. A few pointers I can offer: decide if you want the curtains mounted inside the window frame or on the window frame. Mine are inside because the woodwork in my house rocks. Be sure the curtain rod you buy can be mounted the way you want.
2. Run the rod through the rod pocket, hang the rod.
3. Now you are going to tie back the curtain. If you want, you can use tie back hooks which are hardware that you mount on the woodwork. Here is an example of some nifty Amish-made ones with little stars. If you use these, you will not need and actual tie. If you do not, you will need something to tie the curtains and a smaller, hook-like bit of hardware. I used some left over ribbon that I got off a present someone gave me and a couple of Command Hooks (because I am classy like that). These curtains are fluffy enough that the Command Hooks will not be seen. You could also use actual hook screws (this is what grown ups use on their curtains or so I hear). The tie back can be anything that is long enough to tie around the curtain. Be creative! Be thrifty! Things I have used as tie backs in the past: belts, neckties, mardi gras beads (or other long costume jewelery), my graduation tassel, and scarves. You could, if you feel industrious, make a tie out of matching fabric. Basically what I'm saying is have fun with the tie and don't sweat it.

Now step back and enjoy your curtains! Wasn't that fun? All in all,the cost of this project really depends on the choices you make. I did it for about $15 with the Command Hooks being the most expensive part. The key is to look at what you have around the house that could be curtains (old bed sheets for those weird long twin beds from college? Old curtains?) and tie backs. Have fun!

*Sewing tip: Even if your fabric is double sided, it's helpful to choose a "back" on all the pieces early on. Mark the back with a piece of masking tape. This way you will not accidentally do anything backwards, inside out, or just generally wrong. It is also a good idea to write on the tape (NOT IN SHARPIE, IT BLEEDS THROUGH!!) what the piece is if you have multiples of the same shape but with different orientations. In this project, it would be helpful to write "right" and "left" to keep things a bit simpler.