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Monday, January 31, 2011

Recycle Bag Lady

Recycle:-to undergo reuse or renewal; be subject to or suitable for further use, activity, etc
Today I wanted to share what I have done with an old pair of my husband's levi jeans. He wears them until they are thread bare usually but thank goodness for me he got a hole in the knee area. I put them in a special pile I keep for clothing not that I am going to mend them just want to make sure I use the fabric, buttons,lace or anything else I can for my dolls. I use discarded clothing for alot of my projects. Denim is a favorite of mine. I actually saved enough pairs of Steve's jeans to create a block quilt for him using a soft flannel for backing. He used to take it when he traveled but decided it was too special to lose so now we use it for picnics and such. It is very heavy so makes a perfect blanket to spread out on the grass or sand. We had some friends see it well next thing I knew I was collecting their old jeans from them. I made each of their grandchildren a blanket created from Grandma and Grandpa's jeans. Cute pink flannel print for the girl and blue flannel covered with trucks for the boy. I included their names so forever they have a piece of their Grandparents with them always.
Fabrics are my passion with me knowing exactly what I can create from a discarded blouse, pants, or jacket. Right now I have collected all the special baby clothes from our grandchildren to make them a lap quilt. This will be more for their mothers to go back and reminisce.
Its just not the fabric I collect but the buttons oh my don't let me show you all the buttons I have. Bottles, jars, canisters,boxes and anything else I can put them in. They come from everywhere just sort of multiply but they never go unused. You will find them in the fabric items I have created or on the wood signs.
Back to my purse that I created over the weekend. Its just not a purse I made this for my recycle bags. Everytime I go to the grocery store I forget to bring in my recycle bags, not good neither I have heard that here in California we will soon have a tax to use plastic bags from the stores, I forget because I have my purse on my shoulder. Who wants to carry in their purse and all these bags? I want to go shopping in style so therefore I have created a bag to carry my bags in. I used one pair of Steve's levi's every bit of it down to the waistband area. Did you notice that was the strap. It still has the loops on it so if I want to carry my keys there no problem to connect them. Got to find a stylish lanyard to hook my keys to so I can put them on the loop. The back pockets were used even have the red levi tag, so that I have a place for my coupons that I will be using that day. Now I can toss my wallet into this bag along side of the shopping recycle bags and I will look FABULOUS.... I stitched "Recyclying Bag Lady" on top with I heart Coupons. Did you notice the big stuffed heart on one pocket and red stitching. The other side of the bag I stitched some stems using three of my favorite buttons for flowers added a final touch -a denim pin from leftover denim and buttons. Pinned it right on top. Inside I used a heavy canvas this way its an easy clean. I thought I could add some special pins or accent jewerly if I want just whatever comes to mind but this will be along the way. Probably by the time the bag comes into full cycle it will be completely adorned with my Favorite things.
So ladies a one weekend project you can all accomplish. The size you see here is one pair of 34x32 levi's. All pieces used up with a few to spare....
I am going to put them out there but not on my web site they will be available for sale but because it will be one of a kind each time I make the bag I don't want to mass produce. Everyone is SPECIAL and should have their own bag designed for just them....
Well thats how I spent my weekend was hoping to post this last night things did not work as I planned but oh well got to make room for the unexpected if I plan to enjoy LIFE....Lots of love
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Sunday, January 23, 2011

Reflections

Its Sunday evening already.The day did go by fast but not without sharing a beautiful balmy day here in southern California. I have found Sundays to be more enjoying than ever these past few months. My husband suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm on November 15, 2010 life was completely turned upside down. We are a religious family so many prayers were sent from all over these 50 states with these prayers, love, and support from family and friends Steve is on the recovery side of life. We tell him that he won the lottery "Lottery of Life.” Since then I do not give up my Sunday for household chores, bill paying, and working. Sunday is now a ME day. I don't mean to say that its all about "me" nope it is day for just whatever comes along no commitments to anything except church of course otherwise its a free for all. Today Steve and I enjoyed breakfast with some dear friends that we had not seen in awhile. Steve later did what he wanted which was to watch the football playoffs and I enjoyed creating. I had two items that I wanted to finish up in order to take to UPS early next week for a dear friend I am looking forward to her receiving them. Creating makes me so happy and once the order goes out, I wait anxiously to hear if it was exactly what they wanted. Anything I do I do with all my heart. Have to finish some other projects that I had been working on. Cannot wait to get them up on the web site I am excited to show you what I have been doing. To finish off the day Steve and I went down to the park in our area for a walk. A lake actually with campgrounds, water parks for the children, water boats, fishing, and playgrounds everything you could want to spend a peaceful day. We walked watching families enjoying their picnics, people fishing -we did see two fish caught today trout one about two pounds and the other about six pounds- just could not ask for a better way to bring in the nightfall. Monday is just around the corner and it is getting late so am off to dream about new patterns…

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Welcome to Our Creative Hands Blog...

Hello my name is Rachel Vargo a grandmother of 7 wife and friend to my husband Steve Vargo who is the other half of our business called Our Creative Hands. We live in southern California have for all our married life of 33 years. We started crafting about 20 years ago together Steve cutting wood and helping with the designs me doing the painting or finishing touches. I never could just concentrate on one item so many items were created with wood and fabric.

Let me tell you that my love for creating items started at an early age. Elementary school I won an award for a poem titled "Butterfly" then it just went from there. I took all the sewing classes available in school including summer school. I liked it so much had to be there in the summer too. I loved textures, colors, and all mediums. I learned crocheting and knitting from my Grandmother, Rachel-my name sake. She taught me how to make doll blankets sewing them by hand mind you no sewing machine allowed. I made my first knitted poncho at the age of 8.

I just wanted to let you know who I was and why I am going to start blogging. I want to share all the ideas that I have done with my grandchildren for fun. I want to write about my adventures in "Craft Land" and just help others. I hope that you will follow me on my ventures to come.

I have a goal to write a blog a week but my hope is to write everyday even if it just to let you know how to do a baseball stitch or find the best price on supplies.