Repurposing Clothes AKA Old New Clothes!

I'm not sure what's gotten into me, maybe it's the great weather we've been having, but I'm on a crafty role lately.

I've been trying my hand at repurposing some clothing items.

Was given a grey blazer (thanks Jason!) that didn't quite look right as is. But there's a recent trend of the sleeveless blazer so I though Id give it a go.

I learned that I hate working on sleeve holes. Haaaaate. So my work is a little sloppy.

Will post more pictures if I actually am able to style this nicely with anything else I own. :)

I also found some wide leg jeans for (1 pound!) at the new gallery jumble sale and turned them into the shorts I plan on living in this summer.

It's so great, adding things to your wardrobe for next to nothing.

Love and new old clothes,

~Valiant V

Lazy Lunches Creme Sauce Ya'll

Another lazy lunch entry. I had purchased some pesto sauce from the store but wanted to make it a little more interesting. So I thought I'd try my hand at making a cream sauce.

Pesto Cream Sauce Pasta

Again my food pictures are not the best but it was tasty indeed and you need to try it.

Technically its called Bechamel sauce. It involves fat, wheat flour and cream. But the cream is usually heated a bit with onion and herbs like bay leaves before the strained product is added to the other ingredients. There's all kinds of variants and I made a really basic version with skimmed milk that wasn't "flavored". I know theres a proper chef-y word for that but whatevs. So I made a basic creme sauce base, then added some pesto sauce that I had purchased et voila!

Go for it ya'll!!

Love and turning ho hum into oh yum!,

~Valiant V

New Gallery Jumble Sale April '11

MY SECOND LONDON JUMBLE SALE!

I took part in a jumble sale in an art gallery space in Peckham. Wonderful day. Met lots of cool creative people. Got my portrait drawn, had some yummy cocktails during their happy hour later. fun fun.

My little booth!

The lower level are some odds and ends I thought people would be interested in.

A sewing circle.

They have workshops throughout the day in the space as well. Ellie was the teacher this time helping people to make mini cushions. so cute. People started making other things like fabric crowns and rag dolls and embroidering naughty words on their cushions.

Some of the other tables.

Will makes wallets and bags and oyster card holders made out of old plastic grocery bags! he fuses them together to make single sheets of this plastic then turns them into these lovely items. so awesome.

Ellie's table of repurposed fabric goodies.

Big cushiony pillows and aprons and totes too! And pretty teacup candles. I want to try and make those some day.

They had a portrait booth (instead of a photobooth) and I got a two minute session with the portraitist Clare Wallis. So purty.

Love and Crafty Adventures,

~Valiant V

Cool Finds Around The Interwebs

Things that I found that are too cool and easy not to pass around.

I found these on Design*Sponge, one of my regular blog skims of the week.

Fabric Garden Markers.

I would so make these right now if I had rubber cement lying around. So coooot!

And...

Paper Marquee Letter Lamp

Awesome no?! Christmas lights and cardboard people, done! Simple way to chic up a shelf.

Love and Interwebs,

~Valiant V

Craft Update! Feathers are Flying Over Here.

Got my feather mojo back and I'm really diggin the bright colors.

I think it's the weather and the upcoming Easter escapades that's motivating this drive....that and possibly avoidance of doing homework. teehee :)

Look at my little pretties basking in the sun.

I have other ideas for use of my feathers but I haven't yet executed said ideas. We'll see!

Love and Feathers and this great weather!

~Valiant V

Lazy Lunches

What do you do when you want an omelette but don't want to have to wash all the dishes from it (because you live with a commune style kitchen system where you have to cook, wash and put away things before going back upstairs to eat your food in your room)?

FRIED EGG CHEESE "SANDWICH"

Fry up some onions, fry up some eggs, layer egg then cheese then egg then sprinkle with the onions. Simple!! This way, the only things needed to wash right away are a cutting board, frying pan and spatula (unless you can hide those under the sink like everyone else does for later, bonus!).

This time with a little nod to the coming easter holidays. I toasted up some hot cross buns to go with it. They're sliced and buttered but you can't see the golden glory that is. Oh but I tasted it, yes sir. mmmm. And they were on sale.

Love and Lazy Times,

~Valiant V

Jumble Sale Review

My first UK jumble sale at The Victoria!

A great american style divey rock a billy bar.

My own little table! I got so excited that I forgot to take photos of it before people came to peruse...then I was too embarrassed to take a long time with pictures in front of said peoples.

I brought along some lucky charms, can you see them? Mostly for luck, partly to fill empty spaces if the table was huge. But I was the first one there that day so I had my pick of spots and this cute little combo was just right for my stash.

And see my little matching price tags and cards next to my framed sign? I was stamping up a storm the day before. and writing my web address on anything that wasn't tied down.

The place was great. A pub that has a regluar monthly jumble sale. Free table, great family run business. Was a lovely first experience. I ended up selling only one bow and spending more money on pancakes with american bacon and cider for courage. But fun none the less.

Up next! A jumble sale at an art gallery in Peckham. New Gallery to be precise. I think this one might be more of a success. The coordinator is a promotional powder keg! Girl knows how to sell it.

Love and Jumbles!!

~Valiant V

Leftover Lovelies and Lazy Lunches

Another segment I thought I'd try to add

LEFTOVER LOVELIES

(Things I do with leftover food items)

and/or

LAZY LUNCHES

(Things I make that are tasty but simple because my kitchen space sucks at the moment)

First up a Leftover Lovely...

PESTO PITA PIZZA

Say that five times fast :)

Ingredients: Leftovers from various dinners and lunches of the previous weeks

-Pita Bread

-Fresh Red Chili

-Garlic

-Pesto

-Cheddar Cheese

-Grana Padano Cheese (like parmesan)

Alright I know it looks a little strange but oh my goodness ya'll this was delicious.

Brown up the garlic and chili in a little olive oil while the pita toasts a bit in the oven. Take out the pita, spread on some pesto, top with cheeses and the garlic chili oil awesome you just made. Put back in oven to melt. YU FRIGGIN UM.

Sorry, I get excited when I don't waste food AND the result tastes good.

Try it out if you ever get this combination of things leftover in your fridge.

Love and Leftovers,

~Valiant V

Life Update

This is my crazy face.

You wanna know why? Because I'm making more items for a jumble sale I am participating in this weekend! My first jumble sale in London since I've been here. Very excited. Hope to sell some of my stock that I've had forever. But also wanted to make some new things.

Messy hair aside I'm liking the results.

I also ran out of my professional mini moo cards and had to make some impromptu handmade ones with what I had. And to make it all spiffy I made matching price tags.

Remember these!

I was having a hard time motivating myself to remake these feathered friends again but the block is gone! Gonna go feather crazy for the spring time.