Thursday, November 5, 2009

Going green in a pretty way

I found some pretty floral curtains in Vinnies the other day for $2 that came straight home with me. No, I didn't need new curtains but the material was great for a little project that had been stewing away in my mind.

Like most people I try to use green bags shopping but don't have anywhere handy to store them, except for chucked in a corner of the laundry area. Let's face it, they're ugly, I don't want them where I can see them....so of course I always forget to take them with me because out of sight,out of mind.


But I thought to myself, "What if they were so cute..so pretty that I'd be looking for an excuse to take them out?"

Are you making the connection?  Nice, strong curtain material with a lovely vintage-esque print (when does something really become vintage? Does being second-hand and not obviously new make it vintage? I wanted to put vintage in the post title but wouldn't want to mislead anyone. I could just hear them say, "Vintage? Scoff! My mum has those curtains in her kitchen etc.")



Anyway...Nice, strong curtain material with a lovely vintage-esque print becomes trial bag number 1. I made it to the same dimensions of my current green bags so I could use their removable stiff bottom and I purposely made the seams on the outside for a bit of frayed goodness.



The only drawback that I can see is, unlike the original, the sides are all floppy, hence the posing with the fake groceries. But I can live with that. Now to make bag number 2 with the leftover fabric. And if you listen carefully you'll hear Rosie's horrified cry of, "Oh, no, Mum, not more granny fabric. Please don't take that out in public."

11 comments:

  1. hey esther! so great to hear from you - of course i remember you! so glad you left a message - and of course i had to check out your blog here and i have to say - *sigh* i'm completely jealous... i love your home and you have made it such a beautiful place - i would completely love a cottage like that but unfortunately they dont make 'em like that here in WA! anyway - i'll be sure to come back and visit - thanks for your message too!

    loads of love, x donna

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  2. Hah - daughters! Don't they keep us on our toes! Great idea - very charming!

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  3. Loving the GRANNY fABRIC! I think its a compliment! I love that you have a shop called Vinnies too! Brilliant,

    Sarah x

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  4. Gorgeous! Way to show your own style even in the most mundane of details. Way to go! Do you feel a little Scarlett O'Hara for making things from curtains? :)

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  5. Kim,more like Maria von Trapp. I'm not glamerous enough to be Scarlett.

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  6. What a great idea. I love the fabric. SO happy your daughter's okay too. Sometimes having kids is so scary. Thanks for visiting and stop by again next week. I'm having a giveaway.

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  7. So much cuter than the grocery store ones! I wonder if you (or I) could put the "new" vintage fabric right on top the other grocery bag? That way you'd have the sturdy-ness of the original, too. And that's funny about the "granny fabric" because I was in a paint store the other day and the lady told me the color I wanted was one "that only old ladies pick" and I shouldn't do that! I laughed. And am going to pick it anyway.

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  8. Hi Ester! I love your header!

    Some ladies requested for a general tutorial... But I won't do one for everything I did! I still have so much do to for now... So, If you have an item or two in mind, ask it! I'll put in up. I might make picture tutorial for the more complicated stuff from now on thought!

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  9. I think that's a great idea! We're the same as you, we have the bags but because they're tucked away we NEVER remember them so I may have to try something similar ;)

    Mel xxx

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Get to know me

  • I love the smell of cinnamon and vanilla.
  • My favourite flowers are daisies.
  • My favourite trees are pine trees.
  • I always like to have the bickie jar full and a cake on the cake stand. I know...not that healthy, but so good to look at.
  • Autumn is my favourite month, although I do wish we had more of a change of colours up here in Queensland.
  • I love Anne of Green Gables and Laura Ingalls Wilder. They started my love affair with "old-fashioned" stuff.
  • I'm a boots and jeans kind of girl, but also love vintage skirts and dresses.
  • I like sewing and am in love with quilts at the moment.
  • I love reading. (I have a weakness for archeological thrillers and historical romances, but not Mills and Boon-type ones.)
  • I love old houses with character. No new estate houses for me. (Sorry Rosie.)
  • I love vintage/cottage/farmhouse decorating and pretty pinks and blues, with a splash of red for colour.
  • Polka dots can make me sigh with delight.
  • I have 4 chooks. They are MY pets. Another tick on my dream-come-true chart.
  • I don't eat dessert much any more. I'm not dieting, I just don't want it. (Does that mean I'm growing up if I say no to an icecream cone?)
  • I'll still always say yes to chocolate though!
  • I like to sit on the front stairs in the sun, to drink my morning cup of tea, while I contemplate what to do in the garden.
  • I've got the gardening bug again recently. It comes and goes with the weather. I'm envisioning cottage flowers in pink, blue and white to go with my green picket fence.