Scouting Blog for Cool Vintage Finds

Turn yesterday's trash into crafted treasures

3/26/2018

Guest blog post by Emily Graham

Emily Graham is the creator of MightyMoms.net. She believes being a mom is one of the hardest jobs around and wanted to create a support system for moms from all walks of life. On her site, she offers a wide range of info tailored for busy moms, from how to reduce stress to creative ways to spend time together as a family.

Find jewelry lots on eBay for your next crafting adventure.

Vintage is in and that means your kids might perk up when you suggest hitting your neighborhood or online thrift store in search of materials for your next craft session. Everything from old buttons to antique costume jewelry can be re-purposed into cool crafts and wearable things even the pickiest tween will be proud to create.

Here are a few ways to turn your vintage finds into contemporary masterpieces:

This shadow box of skeleton keys is for sale on etsy.

Skeleton key wall art. Buy old skeleton keys online or round up a few at your local antique shop. With a piece of old board and some strong glue, you can create a skeleton key wall plaque. These plaques are easy to make and will add a cool twist to your decor.

Lace brooch. Repurpose grandma’s cotton crochet lace (crochet doilies also work) and her extra-large earrings that no longer have a match into a handcrafted brooch. Each lace brooch only takes a few minutes to make and requires little more than a needle, thread, piece of lace, and adornments. Positively Splendid lays out the full instructions here.

Lots of lace remnants are easy to find on eBay.

Vintage buttons, brooches, bric-a-brac and linens all have potential to star in your next craft project.

Vintage button ornaments. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, Christmas crafts are always fun to make. Grab a jar full of vintage wooden buttons, a spool or two of ribbon, and clear filament (fishing line works nicely), and you have everything you need to put together some cute and colorful ornaments. Get inspired with how-to steps in this DIY Network tutorial.

Creepy doll head lamp. If your older kids have a twisted sense of humor, there are tons of ways to reuse an old doll head to create spooky Halloween decorations. A vintage candle holder, doll head, and battery-powered LED lights provide exactly the right creep factor for your All Hallow’s Eve shindig. Get inspired by the I Like That Lamp blog.

Just one idea from the ilikethislamp blog.

This lovely embellished Victorian postcard sold on eBay for over $100.

Jewelry Art. We’ve already mentioned that you can use jewelry to create beautiful brooches, but a pile of old costume jewelry can also make great wall art. Head down to Goodwill or check out estate sales in your area. You can likely find a grab bag of old busted jewelry for a few dollars and old framed art pieces. Using glue and lots of patience, embellish your old painting for a dazzling one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Are you a writer with special expertise and a connection to the vintage, antique, collecting and re-purposing world? Interested in contributing to our Scouting Blog? Contact us for guidelines.

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Create a crafting space, old-school style

3/23/2018

2 Comments

Guest blog post by Emily Graham.

Emily Graham is the creator of MightyMoms.net. She believes being a mom is one of the hardest jobs around and wanted to create a support system for moms from all walks of life. On her site, she offers a wide range of info tailored for busy moms--from how to reduce stress to creative ways to spend time together as a family.

Arts and crafts are fun to do with your kids, but projects can get messy in a hurry. To avoid disrupting your main living areas, designate a room to contain your kids excitement for crafting and all of their glue and glitter, too. You don’t have to buy brand new—thrift and vintage resources can provide everything you need to furnish and stock your hobby room.

Look to thrift stores, flea markets, garage sales and online marketplaces such as eBay for craft room decor.

Rescued furniture can serve your purpose quite well and you won’t have to worry about a stray stroke of paint or blob of glue. An old kitchen table scavenged from the curb or thrift store is the perfect work surface for your hobby room.

If your kids are little, scour re-sale sources for child-sized chairs and tables.

Another idea—use a cast-off door to make a table for your main crafting space.

No matter what types of crafts you and your kids enjoy together, you’ll need storage options for crafting necessities. If closet space is not an option, rescue a chest of drawers, bookcase or filing cabinet to keep supplies out of sight when not in use.

Think outside of the "rubber tub" when it comes to organizing your craft supplies. Once again, thrift stores offer a wealth of options when you need bins, boxes or other containers to store materials.

Handled baskets are both attractive and easily portable.

Collect old baskets to organize paper, fabric, ribbon and more. From small to large, there's a basket to hold your stuff.

Vintage glass ball jars are perfect for storing markers, brushes and crayons (and can double as wells for painting projects).

Classic glass ball jars are versatile containers.

Vintage tea, coffee and cookie tins are especially fun to re-purpose for your crafting area. They come in all shapes, sizes and patterns. Stack tins when storage space is in short supply.

This group of old tins is for sale on eBay,

Even your supplies can be pre-owned or gently used. Paint, fabric remnants, construction paper, kid-friendly tools and other crafting essentials can be found in hobby stores but are also easily sourced from garage sales and second-hand shops.

Check out this Redfin article for more ideas to help you create a kid-friendly crafting space in your home.

Are you a writer with special expertise and a connection to the vintage, antique, collecting and re-purposing world? Interested in contributing to our Scouting Blog? Contact us for guidelines.

2 Comments

Turn yesterday's trash into crafted treasures

Create a crafting space, old-school style

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