Charity shop dress ideas

I bought a dress at the charity shop at the weekend, went in to drop off stuff and it was on the mannequin in the window.  There are a couple of things I don't like about it, the brown beaded detail at the waist, the length and also not sure about neckline. However I thought the fabric was  gorgeous, I think it is very similar to the prints on the Desigual dresses that I like.  The dress is a size 14 so will need a lot of taking in as I'm a size 8, I will also shorten it as I'm not into the maxi length.  I like the border at the bottom so I will perhaps shorten it from the waist and I may add cap sleeves, the beading is coming off so I will see what condition the fabric beneath that is like, this may involve a new waist panel if there are lots of stitch marks.

I have just realised you can't actually see the border on the bottom of the dress in this picture, oh well you will have to take my word for it. Here are some of the Desigual dresses I like for inspiration...

(£94 Desigual)

This has a ribbon tie at the waist I think purple would look good on the dress I bought.

(£114 Desigual)

This fabric is very similar, the shape is a bit baggy though.

I will have a look at it and may do something in-between. The prices of those dresses always make me smile because really! We can do better than that, right? 

Grey Tote Bag

I decided I would make a few more bags today to list on my store and on Folksy.  I looked on Folksy and renewed a couple of bags that had expired but to be honest it felt like a bit of a waste of time/money as they are hardly getting any views on there and on checking the forum lots of people are complaining about the same thing. Something has changed some internetty-complicated-thingy that is affecting everyone's views so that is a bit rubbish.  I  have sold on there before, only 11 and stretched over a couple of years so nothing wild! Better than nothing though. So I decided I would just list this new bag on my weebly website.Fab Bags

Fab Bags

I have a bag this size that I always use for swimming I can fit my towel, suit, and all my shower stuff in there no problem.  I have only put it on for £10 so no real profit to be made on this one really as the cottons were new, lining recycled and ribbon trim also re-used.  I just want to get some interest going for now, I would also like to do more clothing for sale but this is tricky to sell online with sizing etc. I suppose I need to be more of  a risk taker rather than just making the odd thing and thinking oh that hasn't sold I won't do any more as they are just taking up cupboard space.  If anyone has any ideas for things they would like to see made that they are having trouble getting hold of let me know. I can run a few items up and see if they get any interest, I think people are perhaps short on funds at the moment so handmade originals are not top of peoples list of priorities.

Bargain Garden Arbour

We have been wanting a garden seat to go in place of the children's trampoline and had thought about making one, I posted an idea from another blog where someone had used three dining chairs.  Well we had been looking and found that the price of decent second hand chairs was quite steep considering we would be taking bits of them apart, we also didn't see any suitable.  We may have been impatient but my husband had been looking on eBay and saw a nice bench and arbour that some one had started to paint and then got fed up with.  He bought it for £80, the guy even delivered it for us as they lived just in the next town.

  My husband spent the best part of the day painting it yesterday and we decided to leave off the back panel as we like the way you can see the bushes through the back. Here it is finished...

The total cost was £95 if you factor in the paint, I think it looks great and he has done a lovely job.  The people who were selling it were moving house and had decided it was one job too many to finish it up.  That was good news for us though as these are quite expensive when they are new.

This one here from Wickes that comes pre painted is £300 so I think that is a good saving.